DOZENS of Scottish Green Party members have questioned plans to enter a formal co-operation agreement with the SNP at Holyrood.
An open letter from 155 members to party co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater claimed the SNP has "little to no respect for trans people".
The letter says there are "gender-critical SNP representatives" at every level of the party, and states: "These are representatives who have stoked the fire of trans panic in Scotland."
It comes after Nicola Sturgeon revealed her SNP Government is holding talks with the Greens over a possible "formal cooperation agreement".
The First Minister said the move could see Green MSPs entering the Scottish Government as ministers.
But the letter from Green members - signed by four sitting councillors - highlights internal controversy over the talks.
Members are also urging the party leadership to demand the Government repeals the Prostitution Act of 2007 that criminalised the sale of sex in public.
Warning there is a "growing transphobia problem" in Scotland, the letter continues: "It is believed to this date that the SNP has not held a single member to account for transphobia despite multiple members breaking code of conduct.
"So we ask why would we entertain the idea of entering any sort of deal with a party that has little to no respect for trans people?"
On the call for the Prostitution Act to be scrapped, the letter argues there is an "over-prevalence of the trans community amongst people who sell sex, due to housing issues, lack of employment possibilities and social discrimination".
SNP MP Joanna Cherry criticised the letter. She wrote on Twitter: "We now have an appeal court ruling that gender critical beliefs are protected by the law and not ‘transphobic’.
"By saying otherwise party leaders like Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater have created a problem for themselves as well as others."
The talks between Holyrood's two pro-independence parties are due to take place over the summer recess, but Scottish Green rules require any pact to be approved by members.
Other issues members said in the letter that they want raised during negotiations is a commitment to reform trans healthcare to decrease waiting times, and progress on the legal identification of trans people through gender recognition certificates.
They also call for the SNP "to clarify their lack of action towards members who continue to fall foul of their own description of what constitutes transphobia, and to commit to rectifying this with formal action taken against people who refuse to cease engaging in these hateful activities".
However, internal polling by the Scottish Greens found members rank environmental issues such as a green economic recovery and a "just transition" away from fossil fuels as higher priorities.
Ms Slater said: "We have consulted our members on the aspects of our manifesto which should be prioritised in the co-operation talks.
"Equalities and trans rights were highlighted alongside many other areas, including economic recovery, tackling the climate emergency and restoring Scotland's natural environment.
"We look forward to reaching agreement on a programme which delivers a fairer, greener Scotland."
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