- First Minister ends SNP-Green power-sharing over policy disagreements
- Potential motion of no confidence against First Minister Yousaf
- Uncertainty looms over Scottish Parliament’s political landscape
After much deliberation, the first minister terminated the power-sharing agreement between the Scottish National Party and the Scottish Green Party.
The action follows the government’s decision to discontinue the prescription of puberty blockers for individuals under the age of 18 and to eliminate climate targets.
First Minister Humza Yousaf is expected to face a motion of no confidence, as declared by the Conservatives.
Next week, for instance, that could occur, and Mr. Yousaf is currently facing pressure to convene an election.
As a minority government, the SNP will require the support of opposition MSPs for the Scottish Parliament to ratify its program.
Two seats shy of an overall majority, the SNP holds 63 of the 129 seats at Holyrood. The Greens hold seven seats, the Scottish Conservatives thirty-one, and Labour twenty-two.
In the event of a deadlocked vote, the Presiding Officer of the Parliament would be expected to support the status quo.
Former SNP member Ash Regan is currently an MSP for the Alba Party.
She is rumored to be writing to the first minister to express her concerns regarding the priorities of the Scottish government and inquire whether her party and the SNP can collaborate in any areas.
Alex Salmond, former first minister and leader of the Alba Party, stated that Ms. Regan is now the “most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament” due to Mr. Yousaf’s actions.
“Betrayed future generations”
An early morning meeting between Mr. Yousaf and the co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party, Patrick Harvie, and Lorna Slater, marked the beginning of the Bute House Agreement’s demise.
They were observed exiting Bute House, the official residence of the first minister in Edinburgh, before an urgent cabinet meeting.
First Minister Humza Yousaf stated that he had duly informed Ms. Slater and Mr. Harvie of the termination of the agreement, which the two parties had signed after the Holyrood election in 2021.
Two Green politicians resigned their subordinate ministerial positions immediately, which they had held in exchange for the support of their party towards the government led by the SNP.
Later, the Greens claimed that the SNP had “betrayed future generations.”
Mr. Yousaf briefed his cabinet at 08:30 for an hour, according to the spokesman for the first minister, and his colleagues “enthusiastically endorsed the position” by pounding the table in support.
Mr. Yousaf stated his gratitude to his erstwhile colleagues for their service to the Scottish government at a press conference held later in Bute House. He also emphasized that the SNP would continue to collaborate with the Greens “to the extent possible” and “when it is in the national interest.”
He stated that the Bute House agreement, which was designed to provide the Scottish administration with stability, has enabled several accomplishments.
“However, its intended function has been fulfilled; it no longer ensures a stable parliamentary arrangement.”
Recent events have made this abundantly apparent; consequently, after much deliberation, I think that it is in the best interest of the people of Scotland to pursue an alternative arrangement moving forward.
The agreement’s termination was announced several days after the Greens declared that party members would have a say in the future weeks regarding their continued affiliation with the SNP.
Mr. Harvie had previously stated that he would resign as co-leader should the party vote to terminate the agreement. However, on Thursday, he stated that the matter was not to be discussed at that time.
Mr. Harvie told journalists in the garden atrium of the parliament that the decision made by the first minister was a “complete U-turn in recent days.”
When queried about the party’s potential cooperation with the government in negotiating the upcoming Holyrood budget, he responded, “Do you believe the present administration will continue to preside over the subsequent budget?”
Ms. Slater characterized the termination of the Bute House agreement as an “act of political cowardice by the SNP” and the party’s “selling out of future generations” in a vehement statement.
Additionally, she expressed her certainty that Green members would have voted to keep the party in power had the election taken place.
“Neither they nor SNP members will be afforded that opportunity,” she stated. Conversely, the most reactionary and retrograde factions within the first minister’s party have coerced him into carrying out actions that are antithetical to his declarations of what was best for Scotland.
In contrast, we, in our capacity as co-leaders of the Scottish Greens, were willing to risk our political careers alongside our constituents to defend our accomplishments in government, notwithstanding the opposition we faced from SNP backbenchers and others.
The two political parties’ relationship reached its zenith following SNP Energy Secretary Mairi McAllan’s declaration last week that Scotland’s carbon emission reduction target of 75% by 2030 relative to 1990 levels was unattainable and would be discontinued.
Many Green members at the grassroots level were enraged by this.
Following a report by Dr. Hilary Cass, the NHS of Scotland also announced it was suspending the prescription of puberty blockers to under-18s referred by the country’s only specialist clinic.
Mr. Harvie stated that the party was “distressed” by the decision and that young transgender individuals might “no longer have access to the treatment they require.”
Saturday, the first minister expressed his appreciation for the power-sharing agreement with the Greens, adding, “I believe we’ve accomplished a great deal in government together. I desire to continue accomplishing a great deal.”
Regarding the possibility that he might shortly be in charge of a minority government, Mr. Yousaf responded, “I do not believe that to be the case.”
Green MSPs listened in silence with their heads bowed during the First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, as Mr. Yousaf defended the track records of the two political parties.
Asserting that he was “panicking before the extreme Greens could dump him,” Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross declared that he was submitting a motion of no confidence in the first minister.
The Greens’ stance on whether or not they will support Mr. Ross in the motion of no confidence, which would not occur until at least next week, is currently unknown.
Mr. Ross further stated that Mr. Yousaf had “renounced the platform on which he once stood,” stating, “He claims it is a fresh start, but in reality it is the start of the end.” “First minister Humza Yousaf, is he not a mere duck?”
“Weak, disorganised, and inept”
Anas Sarwar, the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, proclaimed that “this circus must end” and demanded an election.
“Our nation has never been confronted with such formidable challenges, yet Scotland’s government and leadership have never been so feeble,” he stated.
“The Scottish people are aware that the SNP has strayed from course; they are weak, divided, and incompetent.” “Put the party ahead of the nation.”
Likewise, the Scottish Liberal Democrats have expressed their desire for an election.
In his parliamentary address, Mr. Harvie informed the chamber that the SNP could no longer depend on Green votes. He then inquired of Mr. Yousaf which of Mr. Ross, SNP rebel Fergus Ewing, or Alex Salmond, the former SNP leader and first minister who presently heads the Alba Party, he was most content with.
He inquired, “Which of them can he currently depend on to secure a majority in parliament?”
Kate Forbes, a former candidate for leadership of the SNP and an outspoken critic of the SNP-Greens partnership, stated on X, formerly Twitter, that the SNP is “most electable as a broad tent, representative of the nation,” and that the government is most effective “when its priorities align with those of the public.”
She further stated, “In spite of the SNP’s divergent reactions to the FM’s decision on [the Bute House Agreement], with some members ecstatic and others appalled, it is important to remember our fundamental goals: to serve the people of Scotland, eliminate poverty and inequality, govern effectively, and pursue prosperity in the same manner as other independent nations.”
Another critic of the Bute House Agreement, SNP member of parliament Joanna Cherry, described the agreement’s termination as a “huge opportunity” to reorient the SNP’s governmental agenda.
Adipose to identity politics and virtue signalling,” she wrote on X. “By endorsing policies that address the fundamental concerns raised by our constituents at the entrances.”
Alex Salmond, the leader of the Alba Party and former first minister of Scotland, stated that Ash Regan has become the “most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament” due to the efforts of Humza Yousaf.
According to Mr. Salmond, the first minister had succeeded in provoking each opposition party in Holyrood.
Before any vote of confidence, Ms. Regan, the only MSP for Alba, is writing to the first minister to express her concerns about the Scottish government’s priorities and to explore potential areas of collaboration between her party and the SNP.
The SNP government cannot assure that Mr. Yousaf will prevail in the confidence motion that is anticipated to take place the following week.
He will lose if every opposition MSP unites in opposition to the first minister.
Although that vote is not legally enforceable, from a political standpoint, he would be practically compelled to tender his resignation.
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Then, if a successor could not be agreed upon within 28 days by Parliament, an early election would be convened.
Mr. Yousaf could not have avoided this situation.
Should the Greens regain their composure within the following week and opt to abstain from voting against him, or should a single opposition MSP be convinced to change their stance?
SNPs consist of 63 MSPs. The opponents possess 65. A tie could be the consequence of one member switching to the opposition; in such a scenario, the presiding officer (equivalent to the speaker of the House of Commons) would be obligated to abstain from supporting any amendments.
The Ash Regan MSP for Alba is anticipated to compose a letter to the first minister outlining conditions for her support.
In the absence of her vote or the abstention or hand-holding of at least two MSPs, Humza Yousaf’s political survival would be in grave danger.
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