A COMMITMENT to hold an independence referendum within the next five years is the top listed priority in the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group agreement.

The main points of the deal are a focus on building a green economic recovery from Covid, respond to the climate emergency and creating a fairer country.

A shared draft policy programme – the Bute House Agreement – also focuses on areas of mutual interest to improve the way Scotland is governed and create a stable platform to meet the challenges Scotland faces.

The draft programme, entitled 'Working Together to Build a Greener, Fairer, Independent Scotland, states: "[The agreement reaffirms our shared commitment to independence and to ensuring that the people of Scotland are given a say on the country’s constitutional future, underlining the clear democratic mandate secured in the recent election."

READ MORE: Alba say SNP deal with Greens kicks independence into the long grass

A statement published by the Scottish Government puts the following as the first listed priority:

•    hold a referendum on Scottish independence after the Covid pandemic has passed, within the current parliamentary session

The deal will need to be passed by Green Party members at an emergency meeting on August 28 if it is to be implemented. The SNP's ruling body the national executive committee will today (Saturday) decide what form of consultation their members should have.

Should it be ratified it will mean that not only is there a pro-independence majority in Holyrood, but there is a pro-independence majority government in Scotland.

READ MORE: SNP struck deal with Greens to 'avoid no confidence motions every other week'

The SNP and Greens believe such a development will make Boris Johnson look even more unreasonable if he continues to reject an agreed new vote on Scotland's constitutional future.

If Johnson and the Tories continue to refuse to agree a new vote, not only would they be denying the will of the Scottish Parliament but also that of a pro independence majority government.

The First Minister told journalists at a briefing that the deal 'would make it impossible' for the Conservative's to ignore a demand for a second independence vote.

She said: “This agreement, I think, it makes it hard and indeed impossible on any democratic basis for a UK Government to resist the right of the Scottish people to choose their own future. We're simply asking for democracy to be respected."

READ MORE: SNP and Scottish Greens will work together to 'develop' case for independence

However, there is no specific timetable in the agreement to hold a second independence referendum beyond a general commitment to hold one within the next five years so long as the Covid-19 pandemic is over.

During her press conference the First Minister underlined her wish to have the referendum in the first half of the current parliament.

Already the absence in the agreement of a more specific and urgent timetable has been seized on by Alex Salmond's Alba party to argue that the deal 'kicks independence into the long grass' and is an 'afterthought' for the SNP and the Greens.

Apart from the constitution, the agreement details collaboration on the climate emergency, economic recovery, child poverty, the natural environment, energy and reform of the Gender Recognition Act, as well as the process of how the two parties will work together in government and in Holyrood.

READ MORE: SNP Greens deal: Tories demand Greens lose weekly spot at FMQs

It includes commitments to:

•    increase investment in active travel and public transport, including a Fair Fares review to provide a realistic and affordable alternative to car use
•    a strengthened framework of support for the marine renewables and offshore wind sectors
•    take forward a 10-year £500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray
•    significantly increase the level of the Scottish Child Payment, in order to maximise the impact on child poverty, with the full £20 payment being achieved within the lifetime of the Parliament
•    designate at least one new National Park by the end of this parliamentary session
•    enhance marine environmental protection
•    implement an effective national system of rent controls, enhance tenants’ rights and deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032
•    invest at least £1.8 billion over this parliamentary session in energy efficiency and renewable heating
•    establish two new Scottish Government overseas offices in Warsaw and Copenhagen to promote Scotland’s interests in central Europe and the Nordic countries

The draft co-operation agreement explains how the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party will work together and what will be expected of the smaller party who still hope to keep a role scrutinising the administration.

This will include the nomination of two Green MSPs to be Scottish Government junior ministers and their appointment of two dedicated special advisors to help deliver the agreed Green/SNP policies. 

In return for joining government, the co-operation agreement requires that the Greens support the Scottish Government in votes of confidence and in budget votes.

The document also lists areas that the two parties do not agree - such as an independent Scotland's membership of NATO and government financial support for the defence and aviation industry (the Greens are against all of these). These policies differences are excluded from the deal.

The draft agreements will now be considered by the respective political parties involved and ministers will provide an update to Parliament following recess.