Tory MSPs to vote against Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater becoming ministers

The Green's co-leaders are set to join the Edinburgh administration in a co-operation deal which has been backed by both members of the SNP and Greens.

Under the arrangement Harvie and Slater will join the Government though they want the party to maintain a scrutiny role in areas not included in the pact such as economic growth and direct government support to the defence or aviation sectors.

They also want be allowed to press the First Minister on issues at FMQs on Thursdays on policies outside the agreement.

READ MORE: Greens to enter government as members ratify SNP co-operation deal

But the Scottish Conservatives oppose this arrangement and have called for the Greens to lose rights reserved for opposition parties such as quizzing the First Minister in Parliament.

“We cannot accept the Greens’ ludicrous attempt to game the system by being in government and opposition at the same time," said Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Tories chief whip.

"It will see the Greens join the Government and be bound by agreement to support the SNP in votes."

He added: “The Greens cannot have their cake and eat it. The Scottish Parliament will be weakened if they are allowed to hold government office and retain the rights of opposition parties, including receiving additional funds and a key position at First Minister’s Questions."

Kerr went on to described the Greens as "extremists" who would "pose a danger to Scotland’s economic recovery".

Harvie and Slater will both be formally nominated by the First Minister as junior ministers on Tuesday in Holyrood with a vote taking place then on the posts.

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With the SNP and Greens forming a majority in the Scottish Parliament it is unlikely the Tory motion – supported by the party's 31 MSPs – will be passed.

It is not clear yet how Labour and Lib Dems MSPs will vote.

Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone will decide whether the Scottish Greens will keep their slot at FMQs. 

The agreement will be the first time any Green representative has held political office in a government in the UK.

It was approved by Scottish Green party members at yesterday extraordinary general meeting (EGM) following a two-hour debate, and then formally ratified as required by the party's constitution.

With a small number of proxy votes still to be counted at 2.30pm, 1169 members (83%) had backed the deal, 234 voted against and nine abstained.

Negotiated over the summer after the SNP fell one seat short of an overall majority in May's election, the agreement involves a shared policy platform for the Scottish Government.

This includes an agreement to pursue another vote on Scottish independence before the end of 2026, if the threat of coronavirus has subsided, as well as a raft of environmental policies and a commitment to implement rent controls.

The deal stipulates that public disagreement between the parties would only be allowed on a set of ten agreed topics, such as aviation policy, green ports, 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.

However, speaking during the EGM, Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer insisted that the list of subjects could be changed if further agreements or disagreements emerge.

Following the party's approval of the deal, Harvie said yesterday there "could not be a more important and more urgent moment for Greens to enter government and take green politics to the next level".

He told the PA news agency: "This is a really extraordinary moment for the Green movement and for myself, I've been going along to Green Party meetings since childhood, I've been part of this movement for a very long time and it is a real moment of privilege and responsibility to be taking green politics to the next level as part of the Scottish Government.

"I'm very excited to be able to show what green politics will be like in practice and I think we have a transformational programme from housing, to public transport, to renewable energy and much much more.

"We are going to be able to achieve great things as part of the Scottish government."

He added: "One of the critical features of this agreement, unlike some of the coalitions that we've seen elsewhere, is that it marks out very clearly that there is space for both political parties to retain their distinct voices and identities.
"There are many issues where the Greens and the SNP don't agree. The ability to continue to speak out on those issues is protected."

Slater said: "This will be the first time that we have Greens in government in the UK and it will allow us to act as never before to tackle the climate crisis, the housing crisis, and the recovery of our economy after the pandemic."

She said the the Scottish Greens have "always been a constructive opposition in Holyrood" and added: "This deal will allow more to do than we've ever done before, implement rent controls in Scotland, create a new national park and really accelerate the development of our renewable energy industry so we will make a significant change in the next five years."

The draft powersharing agreement was formally announced by Sturgeon and the two Scottish Green co-leaders at her official residence, Bute House in Edinburgh, on August 20.

Sturgeon said yesterday: "I am delighted that members of both the Scottish Green Party and the SNP have agreed that we should work together in the Scottish Government to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland.

"This historic agreement will provide a strong platform for the transformative programme we want to deliver.

"We will work collaboratively to support a fair recovery from Covid, address with urgency the impacts of the climate emergency, and give the people of Scotland a vote on independence.

"The agreement recognises that co-operation and consensus are essential to finding the practical solutions to the big challenges we face, and it echoes the founding principles of our Parliament.

"While our parties do not agree on everything, we have much common ground. We also have a determination - and indeed a responsibility - to look beyond our differences to build a better country.

"I look forward to working collaboratively with the Scottish Greens in government, and with all parties in parliament, to achieve this."