Lorna Slater set to be re-elected Scottish Greens co-leader this month

Under party rules any member can put themselves forward for the role of co-leader which is elected every two years should they gather the required threshold of signature from other party members, believed to be around 20.

Nominations, which opened on May 17, have now closed with the process for approving the two MSPs as co-leaders and electing other internal posts beginning tomorrow and continuing until July 24.

With only Ms Slater and Mr Harvie standing for the co-leadership the process to approve their candidacy is expected to pass as a formality.

Both senior MSPs were today criticised by the Scottish Conservatives after declining invitations to attend a ceremony in Edinburgh tomorrow to mark King Charles receiving the Honours of Scotland.

Their formal re-election comes after a move by Greens' activists to separate party and government roles was heavily defeated last November suggesting significant support among the grassroots for the Bute House Agreement which took the party into power with the SNP in August 2021.

Ms Slater, the circular economy minister, survived the no confidence motion brought by the Conservatives on June 20 in the wake of the controversy over the deposit return scheme with Labour and the Lib Dems also voting for the motion.

The vote highlighted dissent within the SNP on the party's governing relationship with the Greens with former minister and long serving MSP Fergus Ewing breaking his party whip to support the Tory led call, prompting speculation that he could face suspension from the party.

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During the SNP's leadership contest Humza Yousaf, who defeated rivals Kate Forbes and Ash Regan, described the Bute House Agreement as 'worth its weight in gold' by giving the larger party a majority in parliament, a position enabling ministers to get key legislation such as the budget passed, and see off any no confidence votes.

But there has been unease among some on the SNP backbenches, such as Mr Ewing, that the Greens have disproportionate influence over their larger partners with concerns expressed over the "green tail wagging the yellow dog".

There have also been fears that the Greens have been able to benefit from government successes, such as free bus travel for under 22s, while dodging responsibility for more unpopular policies such as the deposit return scheme and the plan to create highly marine protected areas (HPMAs) which would have seen fishing banned in 10% of Scottish waters.

Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater announcing the Bute House Agreement with former first minister Nicola Sturgeon in August 2021.

The HPMAs proposal, contained in the Bute House Agreement, was shelved by the Scottish Government last week following a backlash among coastal communities and resistance from some SNP MSPs.

Meanwhile, polls have shown support growing for the Scottish Greens as it has fallen for the SNP amid a long running police investigation into the party's finances which has seen three high profile figures former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, her husband Peter Murrell and former party treasurer and MSP Colin Beattie arrested. All three were later released without charge pending further inquiries.

The Scottish Greens described the fact both MSPs will go unchallenged for the top jobs as "a ringing endorsement of their work as ministers and in leading their party to record polling numbers".

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“Scottish Greens in government are ensuring that progressive policies on climate, nature, the environment, well-being, equality and fairness are at the heart of decision making. I look forward to continuing that work on behalf of the party and the people of Scotland," said Ms Slater.

“As a minister, I am delighted to have already delivered record funding for nature, biodiversity, a ban on single use plastic, incineration and coal extraction, published the circular economy bill and am delivering the first national park in a generation.

“We are leading on the Green change that is so essential and are only just getting started in transforming Scotland.”

Ms Slater won a no confidence motion in Holyrood last month which had been tabled by the Scottish Conservatives over the deposit return scheme.

Mr Harvie said: “Green politics have never been more vital to society than right now in the face of a toxic Tory party that lurches further to the right with every draconian decision slithering out from Downing Street.

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“We will always stand up for equality, for those seeking asylum, people struggling with a Westminster driven cost of living crisis, and our environment at a time of climate crisis requiring radical ideas for change.

“It continues to be a huge honour for me to play a part in leading our party as we enjoy record polling numbers which has us on course to deliver even more MSPs at the next Scottish election. I hope the work we are doing will convince others to join the green movement too.”

The MSPs were first elected as co-leaders in 2019 and returned unopposed in 2021, becoming the first Green politicians anywhere in the UK to become ministers by leading the Scottish Greens into government.

Prior to that Mr Harvie was co-convener of the party from 2008.

The Party’s annual elections will see 48 positions voted for between tomorrow and Monday, July 24. Results will be released shortly afterwards.

Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Golden said: “Scottish Green members are a very forgiving bunch if they are willing to allow Lorna Slater to continue as co-leader.

“Clearly they have bought into her shameless spin that it is the UK Government who are to blame for the shambolic mess she made of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme.

“The wider public will be wondering how shallow the Greens’ talent pool is when a failing minister like Lorna Slater – as MSPs from all parties but her own recently agreed was the case – will be remaining in a key internal position.”

A poll by Panelbase carried out after Ms Sturgeon's arrest looked at voting intentions for Holyrood ahead of the 2026 election.

It put support for the SNP at 36% in the first past the post part of the ballot, down one point since the last survey by the company; the Tories 13%, down four points; Labour 32%, down one point; the Lib Dems 9%, up one point; the Scottish Greens 7%, up two points; with other parties making up the remaining 3%.

The regional list, or second vote, would see the SNP fall a point to 30%; the Conservatives drop three to 17%; Labour go up by one point to 28%; the Lib Dems increase by two points to 8%; the Greens put on two points to reach 12%; and Alba, the party led by Alex Salmond, fall one point to 4%.