The Scottish Greens have attacked Humza Yousaf as “weak and thoroughly hopeless” after he ended the Bute House Agreement in a surprise move on Thursday morning.
Co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater met with the First Minister at Bute House in Edinburgh where they both lost their jobs as government ministers.
In a furious statement, the Greens said the SNP “can’t be trusted” and accused the party of “betrayal”.
Speaking to journalists in Holyrood, Harvie, who served as minister for decarbonising buildings, tenants’ rights and active travel, suggested the SNP would no longer be in government by Christmas.
The Bute House Agreement was signed by Nicola Sturgeon and the Green leaders in 2021 and was continued into Yousaf’s premiership.
It saw the two parties agree on a raft of policies, from climate change to housing and gender reforms.
But the scrapping of the 2030 climate targets and the Scottish Government’s reaction to the Cass Report – which prompted the NHS to pause puberty blockers – put the two parties at odds.
The Greens were due to vote on ending the Bute House Agreement in the next month.
Greens deliver furious conference after Humza Yousaf ended the Bute House Agreement – and party leaders’ government careers.
— Craig Meighan (@craigymeighan) April 25, 2024
Suggested Humza Yousaf wont be leader for the next budget. pic.twitter.com/NVx6Wqj1ct
The party accused the SNP of selling out future generations by walking away from the deal.
“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,” co-leader Lorna Slater said.
“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 cooperation 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.”
In a dig likely to be aimed at Kate Forbes, Harvie said the SNP had rejected right-wing and reactionary views in last year’s leadership contest – but said Yousaf had caved to “backwards forces” in his party.
In response to the end of the powersharing deal, Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “This chaotic and incompetent Government is falling apart before our eyes.
“Humza Yousaf is too weak to hold his own Government together and he is too weak to deliver for Scotland.”
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