Lorna Slater launches attack on Humza Yousaf as Green pact scrapped

It is now clear that the SNP pulled out of the deal, blindsiding the Scottish Green Party leaders – who were also due to face a vote from their own members on the future of the pact.

The deal was under threat after the Scottish Government scrapped its 2030 climate change target, and also banned the use of puberty blockers for children.

Read more on the end of the Bute House Agreement:

'Political Cowardice': Greens turn on Scottish Government as political pact scrapped

Speculation over Yousaf's leadership as Bute House Agreement ends

Confirming the end of the cooperation agreement had ended, Ms Slater – who held the post of Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity until this morning - rounded on her former cabinet colleagues.

In a scathing attack, she said: “This is an act of political cowardice by the SNP, who are selling out future generations to appease the most reactionary forces in the country.

“Voters deserve better, Scotland deserves better. Scottish Green voters certainly deserve better.  

"They have broken the bonds of trust with members of both parties who have twice chosen the co-operation agreement and climate action over chaos, culture wars and division. They have betrayed the electorate.  

"And by ending the agreement in such a weak and thoroughly hopeless way, Humza Yousaf has signalled that when it comes to political cooperation, he can no longer be trusted.” 

Her Co-leader Patrick Harvie accused Humza Yousaf of a "total U-turn" on what he had been saying to his partners in government just days ago. 

He said: “This is a total U-turn on his position in recent weeks and even days, where he had re-asserted his government’s commitment to the progressive policies our parties had jointly agreed on and the need to ramp up climate action in the face of decades of political inaction, including from the SNP government.  

“The First Minister has decided, I’m sorry to say, to capitulate to the most reactionary, backward-looking forces within the SNP and it’s in the opposite of what’s in Scotland’s best interests. "

The pact was agreed by both parties (Image: PA)

The attacks on the First Minister come after he was the only SNP leadership candidate to back the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens during his campaign.

He gave his backing to the pact earlier this week, but has now performed a spectacular U-Turn. 

Ms Slater said the decision to scrap the pact was a betrayal of her party’s membership.

She said: "In just a few weeks time our own members were to have a democratic say on endorsing the co-operation agreement.

"We are confident they would have supported us in continuing our work for Scotland, as they have done at every turn. 

"Neither they nor SNP members will have that opportunity. Instead, the most reactionary and backwards-looking forces within the First Minister’s party have forced him to do the opposite of what he himself had said was in Scotland’s best interests.”  

The Scottish Green Party Co-leader continued her broadside with an appeal to voters, saying: 

"By contrast we as co-leaders of the Scottish Greens were prepared to put our own political careers on the line with our members, to defend our achievements in government, despite enduring all that SNP backbenchers and others threw against us.

"What a pity he didn’t have the fortitude or the bravery to do the same. If they can’t stand up to members of their own party, how can anyone expect them to stand up to the UK Government at Westminster and defend the interests of Scotland?

"We want, we demand, a fairer greener Scotland. We believed the Bute House Agreement would speed up that process, only to be let down by the SNP time and time again - on council tax, on oil and gas, on 2030  and most obviously, again today."

She added: "I appeal to those SNP members who do care about climate, trans rights, independence and our country to consider if they are in the right party for their values, or if their home should be with us as we prepare to step up our defence of the planet in opposition.

"Finally, to all those who will feel hurt and betrayed today, know this: our resolve is absolute, we will not abandon you as the SNP have, we will fight for your future with every breath we take. "

The Scottish Green Party co-leaders (Image: PA)

Patrick Harvie added that the SNP had now "lurched to the Right", saying: 

“Humza Yousaf became First Minister when his members rejected the idea of an SNP lurch to the Right. And he now looks set to give his party what he rejected.  

“He’ll be shoring up support from his conservative wing, and ditching the progressive policy programme which he was elected on which he continued to endorse just days ago.  

“We now expect to see a raft of progressive policies watered down, delayed or ditched altogether – from rent controls to nature restoration, from new sustainable transport policies to Scotland's leading approach to decarbonising homes.  

“But to those in the SNP who do still believe in a progressive and fairer Scotland - our door is open.”