Scottish Green Party backs SNP power-sharing deal
The Scottish Green Party will enter government in Holyrood for the first time in history after its members backed a power-sharing deal with the SNP.
An overwhelming majority of its 808 members voted in favour of the agreement, the party said.
Writing on Twitter, the party said: “We will work together to build a greener, fairer and independent Scotland. The policy programme we will deliver is transformative.”
Under the deal, co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater will become ministers in Nicola Sturgeon’s government.
The two parties will pursue a new referendum on the question of Scotland’s independence from the UK in 2023.
In addition, the Greens will be required to back the SNP in confidence votes and annual budgets as they work on a raft of agreed policy areas, including tackling the climate emergency and rent controls.
With proxy votes still to be counted, 715 members (88.5 per cent) had backed the deal, 84 (10.4 per cent) voted against and nine (1.1 per cent) abstained.