The SNP has terminated its power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens following a bitter row over its climbdown on climate targets.
It comes after First Minister Humza Yousaf summoned a meeting of his Cabinet – usually held on a Tuesday – this morning following speculation over the future of the Holyrood deal, first struck by his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon.
The deal, signed in 2021, was designed to facilitate governing between the two pro-independence parties in Holyrood.
But signs it was running into difficulty came after the Scottish government scrapped its commitment to cut emissions by 75% by 2030.
The climate announcement also came on the same day that the prescription of puberty blockers for new patients under the age of 18 at a Glasgow gender identity service would be paused.
It means Mr Yousaf’s administration will now run a minority government at Holyrood.
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Lorna Slater, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, accused the SNP of an “act of political cowardice” and of “selling out future generations to appease the most reactionary forces in the country”.
“They have broken the bonds of trust with members of both parties who have twice chosen the co-operation agreement and climate action over chaos, culture wars and division,” she said. “They have betrayed the electorate.
“And by ending the agreement in such a weak and thoroughly hopeless way, Humza Yousaf has signalled that when it comes to political cooperation, he can no longer be trusted.”
It is understood the first minister will hold a press conference this morning in the wake of the announcement. The Greens are also expected to talk to the media.
The power-sharing deal with the Greens, also known as the Bute House agreement, brought the party into government for the first time anywhere in the UK.
Named after the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, it gave the SNP a majority in the Scottish parliament when its votes there were combined with those of the seven Green MSPs.
It created ministerial posts for the Scottish Green Party’s co-leaders Ms Slater and Patrick Harvie.
As well as the watering down of climate targets, the Greens were also dismayed at the pause of puberty blockers in the wake of the landmark Cass review into the landmark Cass review of gender services for under-18s in England and Wales.
Last week the Greens said it would hold a vote for its members on the future of the Bute House agreement and Mr Harvie urged members to back it so the party could “put Green values into practice” in government.
But in the statement released today, Ms Slater said Green members were now not going to have a “democratic say”, adding: “The most reactionary and backwards-looking forces within the first minister’s party have forced him to do the opposite of what he himself had said was in Scotland’s best interests.”
“If they can’t stand up to members of their own party, how can anyone expect them to stand up to the UK government at Westminster and defend the interests of Scotland?”
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Craig Hoy, the chair of the Scottish Conservatives, said the collapse of this “toxic coalition is an utter humiliation for Humza Yousaf”.
“Humza Yousaf’s year as SNP leader has been a disastrous mix of scandals, infighting and policy U-turns.,” he added.
“The collapse of the power-sharing pact he staked his reputation on is not just humiliating, it highlights once again how inept and out of his depth he is.”
Source Agencies
