Scottish Greens to enter government (51413925860)

The Scottish National Party–Scottish Greens agreement, also referred to as the Bute House Agreement, is a power-sharing agreement between the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the

Scottish Greens The Scottish Greens (also known as the Scottish Green Party; gd, Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Green Pairtie) are a green political party in Scotland. The party has seven MSPs in the Scottish Parliament as of May 2021. As of the 2 ...

which was agreed in August 2021 to support the Third Sturgeon government. On 31 August 2021, the SNP and

entered a power-sharing arrangement which resulted in the appointment of two Green MSPs as junior ministers in the government, delivery of a shared policy platform, and Green support for the government on votes of confidence and

supply Supply may refer to: *The amount of a resource that is available **Supply (economics), the amount of a product which is available to customers **Materiel, the goods and equipment for a military unit to fulfill its mission *Supply, as in confidenc ...

. There was no agreement on oil and gas exploration, but the government now argued that it had a stronger case for a national independence referendum.

History

Background

The Scottish Greens last signed a co-operation agreement with the SNP in 2007. The draft agreement was unanimously endorsed by the SNP's national executive committee.

Agreement

On 20 August 2021, following two months of negotiations, the SNP and the Greens announced a new power-sharing agreement. The Scottish Greens required both the majority of its members and a two-thirds majority of its party council to approve of the agreement in a vote before it could be enacted, both of which were achieved. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the power-sharing agreement at

Bute House Bute House (Gaelic: ''Taigh Bhòid'') is the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland located within Charlotte Square in Edinburgh. Alongside two other personal offices at the Scottish Parliament Building and St. Andrew's House, ...

with the Scottish Greens co-leaders

Patrick Harvie Patrick Harvie (born 18 March 1973) is a Scottish politician who has served as Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights since 2021. He has served as one of two co-leaders of the Scottish Greens since 2008, and is on ...

and

Lorna Slater Lorna Slater (born 27 September 1975) is a Canadian-born Scottish politician who has served as Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity since 2021. She has served as co-leader of the Scottish Greens alongside Patrick Harvi ...

. The agreement is based on the co-operation agreement between the Labour Party and the Green Party in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, reached in November 2020.

Ministerial posts

While not an official coalition, it would be the first time in British history that Green politicians would be in government. As part of the agreement, two Scottish Green MSPs were appointed to ministerial posts.

Scottish independence

The agreement contains a commitment to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence before 2026, and if possible by the end of 2023. The

Alba Party The Alba Party is a Scottish nationalist and pro-independence political party in Scotland. The party was founded in February 2021, with Alex Salmond (a former first minister of Scotland) announced as party leader shortly thereafter. Salmond lau ...

criticised the agreement for a lack of urgency.

Other issues

The agreement will see both parties pledge for an increase investment in active travel and public transport, enhancing tenants' rights, a ten-year £500m Just Transition and establishing a National Care Service. Housing-related measures in the agreement include the creation of a new housing regulator, greater restrictions on winter evictions and a commitment to implementing a system of rent controls by the end of 2025. Harvie credited tenants' union

Living Rent Living Rent is a national tenants' union in Scotland. Originally established in 2014 as a campaign group urging the Scottish Government to implement rent controls, it subsequently became a mass membership organisation of tenants aiming to "tackl ...

with having "created the political space" for the rent control proposals.

References

External links

Shared policy programme
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scottish National Party-Scottish Greens agreement 2021 in Scotland Scottish National Party Scottish Green Party Scottish independence 2021 in British politics