Scottish Greens figures react as vote called on Bute House Agreement

We told late on Friday evening how the Scottish Greens have agreed for members to vote on whether to remain in power with the SNP.

It comes after the Scottish Government ditched a key target to cut carbon emissions by 75% by 2030 and ditched legally-binding annual targets.

A number of figures within the SNP and Greens have taken to Twitter/X to react to the news.

Chas Booth, Green councillor for Leith, said: “I’m glad that an EGM will be held and members can have their say. This is the right decision.

“I will listen carefully to evidence on climate action, but as things currently stand I’d vote to withdraw from the Bute House Agreement.”

Elsewhere, Anthony Carroll, a Green councillor for Dennistoun in Glasgow said: “As I said yesterday, Scottish Green members ultimately decide whether our MSPs are in government or not.

“Tonight, they’ve triggered the clause to have their say. The Scottish Government need to address their concerns urgently if they wish to keep Greens in Government.”

We previously told how the Rainbow Greens, who had launched a petition to force a vote on the deal in protest over a U-turn on prescribing puberty blockers to trans children, welcomed the move.

Elsewhere, Guy Ingerson of the Aberdeen South branch of the Scottish Greens said on Twitter/X: “Having taken time to process the events of yesterday and the discussion that took place between members and our MSPs, I will be supporting the calls for an EGM made by @CllrChasBooth and the @rainbowgreens.

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“Our party needs to take stock and discuss the continuation of the BHA.”

We also told how MSPs Patrick Harvie, Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay fielded questions at a tense Q&A session with members on Thursday night.

Ultimately, the meeting to vote on the agreement was called by requests to the party’s standing orders committee by Harvie and co-leader Lorna Slater (below).

She said: “The intention, as a democratic party, is to give members the opportunity to debate and decide how the party moves forward, how we continue to build on the progress we have made on our manifesto commitments and to deliver our vision of a fairer, greener Scotland.

“We have achieved more for people and planet in the past 32 months than other parties have in decades. Now we want to hear from our members on how they want us to continue this progress.

“Our party is rich in talent and determined voices including campaigners and activists, councillors and MSPs, which is why the Tories, Labour, big polluters, greedy corporate interests and right-wing media commentators are so determined to try and have us fail.

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“They fear the progress we have made on making big polluters pay, on rent protections, free bus travel for young people and record levels of spending on climate and nature, and they hate having a pro-independence majority in government at Holyrood.”

Setting out her stall in a pitch to members to stick with the SNP in government, Slater added: “The Scottish Greens are powered by our people, and by shaping the direction we go in our members will provide that springboard needed to make the even bigger breakthroughs for people and for planet that we so badly need.”

SNP reaction

SNP MP Pete Wishart has been among those to offer his reaction to the news, saying that he hopes the Greens "continue to back" the Bute House Agreement. 

"I hope that the BHA stays in place and the Greens continue to back it," he said. 

"I think the public want to see parties working together to secure shared objectives. The alternative of endless Tory inspired votes of confidence would only assist those determined to bring down our Gov't."

Other figures within the SNP also reacted to the decision, with Marcus Carslaw – the vice-convenor of Kelvin SNP, commenting: “Greens are within their right to call for a vote on the continuation of the Bute House Agreement.

“It would be unfair for just the Greens to vote on the agreement. SNP members should also get a say.

“1/2 way through the term, now is the time to reassess. Put it to a vote.”

Olaf Stando, the convener of Inchkeith SNP echoed Carslaw’s thoughts and said on social media “it’s time for the SNP, as well as the Scottish Greens, to review the Bute House Agreement”.

“Members must get the vote,” the tweet said.

An SNP spokesperson said: "The Bute House Agreement has been in place for two and a half years and has delivered a shared policy programme to face the challenges and opportunities Scotland has at a time when we are recovering from the shock of the global Covid pandemic, austerity and the cost of living crisis created by the Tories at Westminster, as well as the damaging effects of Brexit."