Two Green MSPs to become Government ministers as party agrees ‘groundbreaking’ deal with SNP

Two Scottish Green MSPs will become ministers under a new confidence and supply agreement between the party and the SNP.

The agreement, which has been negotiated in recent months, will cement the pro-independence majority in Holyrood.

A document published on the Scottish Government website said two MSPs will be nominated to become ministers in government – the first time the Greens have taken such a role in the UK.

“The First Minister, after consultation with the co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party, will nominate two MSPs from the Scottish Green Party to be ministers,” the document said.

Under the terms of the new arrangement, Green MSPs would support the Scottish Government on confidence votes, as well as in annual budgets if there is “appropriate funding for the shared policy programme”.

However, a number of areas are excluded from the agreement, including much of aviation policy, the future of green ports, and direct financial support to businesses involved in the aerospace, defence and security sectors, field sports and the economic principles related to concepts of sustainable growth and inclusive growth.

Historic draft agreement between @theSNP @scotgov and @scottishgreens will accelerate Scotland’s journey towards democratic renewal and independence in Europe with a strong pro-Indy majority in Scottish Parliament. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍 #Scotland #Europe #indyref2 https://t.co/22znQj7JzH

— Angus Robertson (@AngusRobertson) August 20, 2021

The agreement has been described as “groundbreaking” by Nicola Sturgeon.

Speaking from Bute House in Edinburgh, the First Minister said: “Working together to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland is groundbreaking.

“Groundbreaking in both Scottish and, perhaps even more so, UK politics.

“Most importantly though, it is an agreement that meets the challenges and the opportunities of our time.”

Delighted with SNP-Green Cooperation Agreement.

Shows a mature, grown-up politics where two Parties can come together & work in the best interests of Scotland, at a time the Country needs it the most.

The hysterics from the Opposition betray just how worried they are about it!

— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) August 20, 2021

She added: “We live in a time when the challenges we face have rarely been greater.

“The climate emergency, recovery from a global pandemic, an assault by the UK Government on the powers of our own Parliament and the consequences to our economy, society and place in the world of a disastrous Brexit that Scotland did not vote for.

“And yet, despite the magnitude of those challenges – many of them global – today’s politics can too often feel small, polarised, divided and incapable of meeting the moment.

“This agreement is intended to change that – it is about doing politics and governance better.”

The deal would deliver:

🚂 £5bn for railways

🚲 10% of the transport budget, £320m a year, for cycling and walking

👷 A move away from road building

🚐 A Community Bus Fund pic.twitter.com/Mxsv0vxcRe

— Scottish Greens (@scottishgreens) August 20, 2021

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “This is indeed a historic moment.

“This deal would see Greens entering government for the first ever time in Scotland, or anywhere in the UK.

“And it couldn’t come at a more important time.

“The last 18 months have been an incredibly difficult time for us all and as we seek to rebuild our lives and our economy we really must seek to do things differently.

“We must build a fairer, compassionate country and we must do everything in our power to tackle the climate and nature emergencies and deliver a just transition for all of Scotland.

“And that’s what this deal will do.”

Co-leader of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie says the power-sharing partnership with the SNP is a "historic moment" which will put "two green ministers into the heart of government advocating for the climate".

Latest politics here: https://t.co/MDjLLBuaV5 pic.twitter.com/UHMbSrfoET

— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 20, 2021

The two parties have been locked in negotiations since May, after the SNP fell one seat short of an overall majority at the Holyrood election.

The agreement stops short of a formal coalition between the two but they pledge to work together on key issues, including on a Scottish independence referendum after the coronavirus pandemic.

The Scottish Conservatives and Labour have raised concerns about a deal.

Scottish Tory net-zero spokesman Liam Kerr said the Green manifesto from May’s election was a “doctrine to start a war on working Scotland”, after it proposed a move away from North Sea oil and gas, and the end of new road-building projects.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has challenged the Greens to stand against further cuts to council budgets.

He said: “If the Greens are to be anything more than simply the SNP’s lackeys, they need to rediscover their principles and fight for a greener Scotland rather than roll over to the SNP every time the going gets tough.”

Strong leadership on climate action is needed now more than ever.

That means being prepared to oppose Cambo and other new proposals on oil and gas extraction.

This is not good enough 👇 https://t.co/JCDapisptQ

— Monica Lennon MSP (@MonicaLennon7) August 20, 2021

A spokesman for the Scottish Greens said: “It’s no surprise that parties only interested in scoring political points would be alarmed about any suggestion of co-operation in the interests of people and planet.

“People vote Green to get results, and over the last five years the Scottish Greens have achieved more from our manifesto than Labour and the Tories combined. We will continue to do that, whatever happens.”

A spokesman for the First Minister said: “Following the SNP’s record landslide election win in May, the First Minister extended an open invitation to all parties to discuss areas where they thought they could work closely with the SNP in Government for the common good – in the face of the extraordinary challenges facing us such as the climate emergency and recovering from the pandemic.

“The fact that Labour and the Tories chose not to pursue that offer says far more about them than anyone else.”