Harvie: I don't bear any grudges towards Humza Yousaf

The arrangement was terminated acrimonously, triggering a no confidence motion in Mr Yousaf - and with the Greens refusing to back him he was forced to resign ahead of the vote realising he could not survive it.

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The Scottish Greens launched their general election manifesto in Edinburgh on Thursday with the party standing a record 44 candidates across Scotland promising radical action on climate change.

Policies include revoking licences for oil and gas exploration, Holyrood to be have the power to hold referendums on the constitution, a more progressive tax system with a new wealth tax on those with assets worth more than £3.4m, ranging from 1% up to 10% per year, bringing in an estimated £70bn. The manifesto also calls for the decriminalisation of drugs.

Polls do not point to the Scottish Greens winning seats in the Commons next month with the first-past-the post electoral system making it hard for smaller parties to elected to Westminster.

However, polling indicates they could increase their number of MSPs come the Holyrood election in 2026 with a Savanta poll published last week forecasting the party could have 14 MSPs in two years (up from eight in 2021) - perhaps putting them in a strong position to play king maker over which larger party forms the new government.

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Looking back to their exit from power two months ago, Mr Harvie still feels regret over the ending of the pact.

But asked if he feels any ill will towards the former first minister, he said: "No not at all. You wouldn't tolerate being in this place much if you bore grudges towards everyone you disagreed with - even profoundly disagreed with.

"The purpose of a parliament like this is to bring people with different political beliefs, opinions and values and to debate and those debates only lead somewhere good for Scotland if conducted in good spirit."

He praised the former first minister's work highlighting the plight of the Palestinians people more than 37,000 of whom have been killed since October last year in Gaza by the Israeli military which has been bombing the region in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel.

Asked how the conversations went, he said: "Is wistful the right word? Not rancorous at all. There is no personal animosity. I think he made a profoundly unwise decision and I think he learned very quickly the consequences of that decision.

"I think we both regret the way it happened. He might inevitably frame it differently as to why it happened. Maybe he still thinks it was the right decision to make.

"But one of the points I made just after it all happened when we had opportunity to make final comments when he stood down as first minister was that whatever other differences that we've got, of all the national leaders that I can think of that Humza Yousaf's voice was the clearest on the atrocities being committed against the Palestinians at the moment.

"The clear war crimes, and in many people's view, in my view the genocide, against Palestine. I think he did something extremely important in speaking with a credibility and clarity that does him credit.

"Politics isn't about heroes and demons. It's about people who make good and bad decisions, probably in every party, and I think Humza Yousaf made some good ones and some bad decisions."

He said most of the conversations involved "exchanging small talk in the corridor here really, nothing more than that" and were "friendly enough". 

The Bute House Agreement was unveiled former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and by Mr Harvie and Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater in August 2021 with two sides published a joint policy programme committing to a range of proposals including on the environment, housing, equalities issues and on independence.

It brought the Greens into government for the first time in the UK with Mr Harvie and Ms Slater becoming junior ministers in Ms Sturgeon's administration. In return Green MSPs were required to support the government on key votes such as confidence motions and the Budget.

But crisis hit when the Scottish Government dropped a commitment to cut carbon emissions by 75% by 2030. The move angered Scottish Green grassroots members who demanded a vote on whether the party should remain in government or not with the SNP.

The Greens were planning to hold an extraordinary general meeting to vote on the matter towards the end of May but Mr Yousaf pre-empted any decision by the Greens.

Mr Harvie went on: "If an agreement like the Bute House Agreement works it's fantastic, if it breaks down it is a source of regret...I will regret it deeply if rent controls don't go through, if we don't get back on track with climate action in the way that a Green impact was going to help make happen.

"But that agreement is over now and our responsibility is, as it was before the BHA to be a constructive opposition party to put forward ideas that will move us towards sustainability and do it fast and build a Scotland that is greener, fairer, independent and a welcoming country."

He also wants to see the Scottish Government make progress on cutting down carbons emissions from buildings with a heat in buildings bill which he hopes will be introduced by the end of this calender year.

The proposals which would set timetable to remove gas and oil heating systems from domestic, commercial and public properties in favour of clean energy systems such as heat pumps have proved controversial among some in the SNP fearful over the cost to households.

Government advisors have raised fears about whether the country has enough people qualified to fit the new devices. Mr Harvie told the Herald on Sunday he recognised the concerns but added that it was "essential" that progress was made on the policy.

Along with the Greens' commitment to rent controls, he is worried both policies could be weakened now the Greens are no longer in government.

"With the SNP facing both ways on climate, talking about the climate emergency in one breath and then in the next saying oil and gas will be with us for decades to come really does demonstrate that we have a critically important role to play in pushing them out of their comfort zone," he said.

"Some of the issues we had a chance to work on in government, whether that is the heat in buildings proposals which are clearly absolutely essential or rent controls...There is a real worry that these issues will get watered down now that the Greens are not in government."