SNP close to reaching power-sharing agreement with Scottish Greens

The deal would bring the Greens into government for the first time anywhere in the UK

(PA)

The SNP and the Scottish Greens are expected to confirm a deal to share power in Holyrood.

The power-sharing agreement would bring the Greens into government for the first time anywhere in the UK.

The deal would be the result of months of intense negotiations, which began in May after the SNP fell one seat short of an overall majority in the Scottish elections.

A meeting of the Scottish cabinet will take place on Friday morning in which the agreement is expected to be finalised.

Both parties have said that there will not be a formal coalition between them, however an agreement would see them work together on key issues.

The specifics of the deal are expected to be announced later on Friday after the plans have been signed off by the Scottish cabinet.

It could also see some Green MSPs appointed as ministers in Nicola Sturgeon’s government. Two Green MSPs, co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, are tipped to find roles as junior ministers under Ms Sturgeon.

On Sunday, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said the two parties had been “trying to finish off those last bits of discussion”.

When asked about what details the deal might include, Mr Harvie told the BBC: “Everybody is very keen to know the outcome, I don’t think you have very long to wait.

“If we do agree something with the SNP it won’t be put into practice until our party members have had a vote ... we’re trying to finish off those last bits of discussion.”

The deal must be confirmed by Scottish Green members on 28 August, which is three days before Nicola Sturgeon is planned to address MSPs on her programme for government.

Opposition parties have already criticised the arrangement, with the Scottish Conservatives describing the Greens as “extremists” who “don’t belong anywhere near government”. Labour condemned it as a “coalition of cuts”, saying that it “confirms the long-held suspicion that the Scottish Greens are just a branch office of the SNP”.

Scottish Conservative net-zero spokesperson Liam Kerr said that the Green’s manifesto at the May election was a “doctrine to start a war on working Scotland”. The Greens had proposed to move away from North Sea oil and gas and end new road-building projects.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Greens said: “It’s no surprise that parties only interested in scoring political points would be alarmed about any suggestion of cooperation 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 spokesperson for first minister Nicola Sturgeon 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 ... The fact that Labour and the Tories chose not to pursue that offer says far more about them than anyone else.”