THE SCOTTISH Cabinet have voted to approve the co-operation agreement with the Scottish Greens - but the deal isn’t sealed yet.
The Scottish Green party membership still have to vote on the proposals, which many members have not yet set eyes on, according to sources.
The cabinet met virtually this morning at 9.30am to vote on the co-operation deal and approved it.
Co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater are holding a Q&A session with members tonight (Friday) at 6pm, to be followed by a series of discussions and panels with members in each regional area over the next week.
READ MORE: Why are the SNP and Greens doing a deal and what is a co-operation agreement?
There will be discussions on a wide range of topics amongst the membership from drugs, the just transition, trains, housing and the Rainbow Greens manifesto.
The sessions will run from tonight until next week, when the Greens will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on Saturday 28th August.
All members of the Scottish Greens are able to vote, but for the cooperation deal to pass it will have to get a simple majority of votes.
It is understood there are around 8000 party members, and for the deal to pass it would be from a majority of those who attend the vote.
If that passes, after the EGM the Scottish Green Party Council will then also vote on the deal, which would need a two-thirds majority.
The Greens returned a record number of MSPs in the May election
Green party council co-leader James K Puchowski made the point on Twitter this morning. He said: “Before everyone gets into a frenzy about the SNP/Scottish Greens “deal”.
“The members haven’t seen it yet. I am the council co-convenor. I haven’t even seen it.
“Nothing is guaranteed. There’s a members Q&A this evening. Then several regional Q&As over the week.
“Then we have an Emergency General Meeting on 28 August. All members can vote. We use direct democracy on all issues such as these. Executive can’t run the show.
“After the EGM, the Scottish Green Party Council will meet to also vote.
READ MORE: UK Government forced to admit 'delegated' Dominic Raab phonecall wasn't made
“Let’s make it clear. There will only be a cooperation agreement if the @scottishgreens do the following: “(1) a simple majority of all members attending the EGM on 28 August vote for it.
“(2) a two-thirds majority of the Scottish Green Party Council vote for it.”
The two parties have been locked in negotiations since May, and if the Green party membership votes to approve the cooperation deal it will be the first time the Greens will be in national government in the UK.
While both parties have said there will not be a formal coalition between the two, an agreement would see them work together on key issues, and could even see some Green MSPs appointed as ministers in Nicola Sturgeon’s Government.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here