PATRICK Harvie delivered an icy challenge to Humza Yousaf during First Minister’s Questions – asking if he felt he had “pleased” Alex Salmond, Fergus Ewing, and Douglas Ross by booting the Greens from government.

The Green co-leader took aim at his former partner in government – shortly after he and Lorna Slater had been fired by the First Minister.

Speaking in the Holyrood chamber, Harvie said: “Who does the First Minister think he has pleased most today, Douglas Ross, Fergus Ewing, or Alex Salmond?

"And which of them does he think he can rely on for a majority in Parliament now?”

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Yousaf replied: “Obviously Patrick Harvie and I spoke this morning and to the points and comments that I made this morning.

"I do thank Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater for their contribution to this government, to their contribution to this country and I think we can take, both parties take great pride in what the Bute House Agreement has achieved in almost three years.

“But it’s time, it is time for the SNP to govern as a minority government, to reach out on an issue-by-issue basis to other political parties, right across this chamber in the best interests of this country.

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“And I believe that there are many issues that unite us and one of those issues that unite for the SNP and the Green party and one that we will never demure from in any way, shape or form is that we think all decisions about Scotland are best made by the people of Scotland.”

But in a statement afterwards Harvie blasted Yousaf as having bowed to the “social conservatives and the right wing of his party”.

Harvie said: “The issues which matter to the Scottish Greens were core to the Bute House Agreement.

"Ramping up climate action, standing up for tenants' rights, and protecting the most vulnerable people in society. We were committed to making a difference on these, day in day out, as part of the Scottish Government.

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“Instead, Humza Yousaf has chosen to rely on social conservatives and the right wing of his party to run a minority government.

“That has significant consequences for how the Scottish Greens position ourselves in parliament, and the First Minister cannot rely on Green support while being dictated to by forces on the right.”

Yousaf now faces a no confidence vote – which he would lose should the Greens side with other opposition parties.

But it remains unclear which way their MSPs will go. Harvie added: “We remain committed to collaborative politics – Scotland deserves a Government that’s willing to cooperate, in the best interest of our country and of future generations.

“But you can’t rip up the most progressive co-operation deal in the history of this parliament and expect business to continue as usual.”