Greens accuse SNP of 'cowardice' and 'betrayal' after being booted out of Government

The Scottish Greens have accused the SNP of "cowardice" after they were kicked out of Government by Humza Yousaf.

The First Minister announced that the Bute House Agreement, which was the powersharing arrangement between the two parties, was ending on Thursday morning.

The break-up comes after Greens announced they would give their members a vote on the coalition because the Scottish Government had rolled back on key climate targets.

Green co-leader Lorna Slater said Humza Yousaf had "betrayed" both SNP and Green members.

She also accused him of "selling out future generations".

She said: “This is an act of political cowardice by the SNP, who are selling out future generations to appease the most reactionary forces in the country.

“Voters deserve better, Scotland deserves better. Scottish Green voters certainly deserve better.

"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. 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.

"In just a few weeks time our own members were to have a democratic say on endorsing the co-operation agreement.

"We are confident they would have supported us in continuing our work for Scotland, as they have done at every turn.

"Neither they nor SNP members will have that opportunity. Instead, 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.

"By contrast we as co-leaders of the Scottish Greens were prepared to put our own political careers on the line with our members, to defend our achievements in government, despite enduring all that SNP backbenchers and others threw against us.

"What a pity he didn’t have the fortitude or the bravery to do the same. 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?

"We want, we demand, a fairer greener Scotland. We believed the Bute House Agreement would speed up that process, only to be let down by the SNP time and time again - on council tax, on oil and gas, on 2030 and most obviously, again today.

"I appeal to those SNP members who do care about climate, trans rights, independence and our country to consider if they are in the right party for their values, or if their home should be with us as we prepare to step up our defence of the planet in opposition.

"Finally, to all those who will feel hurt and betrayed today, know this: our resolve is absolute, we will not abandon you as the SNP have, we will fight for your future with every breath we take."

Patrick Harvie had said he would stand down as Green co-leader if the Bute House Agreement broke up.

A Scottish Greens source said Harvie and Slater's leadership was in doubt.

They said: “A Council Tax Freeze was one surprise, waking up hearing you’ll be booted from government is another. We have been sacked from government for having the gall to be democratic, unlike the SNP.

“This was always a possibility, and our leaders naively spent a week talking about how ineffective Greens would be in opposition to save their own skin.

“How can Patrick, Lorna - or indeed Ross, the negotiator and custodian in chief of the BHA - continue as leaders of a party they have driven to humiliation, or as opposition MSPs in roles they think will yield few results? All three need to go.”

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