PATRICK Harvie has said he will quit as Scottish Greens co-leader if his party vote to end its power sharing deal with the SNP.
The tenants’ rights minister, who was propelled into Government by the Bute House Agreement with the SNP, has staked his leadership of the party on the outcome of an impending vote on the deal.
It comes after he and co-leader Lorna Slater were forced into calling a vote on the Greens’s involvement in the Scottish Government in the wake of pressure from grassroots activists.
READ MORE: Greens consider collapsing Scottish Government – what could happen next?
Asked if he and Slater (below) would quit if the vote went against them, he said: “I wouldn’t expect to stay on in that role if the party had made a decision like that, but honestly that is the least important aspect of that question.
“This is about whether the Scottish Green party believe it can achieve more for the people of Scotland, for the environment and for a better, fairer and greener Scotland by staying in Government. I believe that we can.”
A Scottish Greens source told the Daily Record: “It’s now becoming apparent to the party’s leadership that some responsibility needs to be taken for the mess we’re in with the SNP, and clearly Patrick Harvie is the nominated fall guy.
“Unfortunately, the continued parroting of government lines, and the claiming of pre-Bute House Agreement wins as ministerial success, is no longer cutting the mustard, and membership saw through this on Sunday.
READ MORE: Alba Party lodge motion of no confidence in Patrick Harvie
“While that is honourable of him to save his colleagues’ skin, he can’t be the only one stepping up.
“We’re still yet to see any accountability from his fellow minister, Lorna Slater, or the one who pulls all of the strings in the Bute House Agreement, Ross Greer.
“We cannot go on in a leadership-by-press-release model until an [extraordinary general meeting]. We need some positive vision beyond ‘Greens being in the room’ being the only benefit of this disastrous government deal.”
First Minister Humza Yousaf (above) is opposed to efforts to break up the Bute House Agreement, which he previously said was “worth its weight in gold” as opposed to the SNP running a minority government.
But he faces internal pressure from figures like Kate Forbes and Fergus Ewing who want to see the Greens ditched.
In Westminster, outspoken backbencher Joanna Cherry has called for the SNP rank and file to be given a vote on the agreement.
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