The SNP’s governing body has “unanimously endorsed” the draft deal which will bring the Scottish Greens into government at Holyrood, the First Minister has announced.
Nicola Sturgeon revealed the outcome of the meeting on Saturday which she described as “[very] upbeat”.
She said the SNP National Executive Committee also agreed to hold an “online consultative ballot of members in coming week”.
The deal struck between the SNP and the Scottish Greens comes after months of talks following the Scottish Parliament election in May, which saw the SNP fall one seat short of a majority, and the Greens win eight seats.
The Greens won eight seats but are down to seven as Alison Johnston gave up her party affiliation to become Presiding Officer.
The agreement means that the Scottish Government has an overall majority at Holyrood in favour of Scottish independence.
Another vote on independence could happen before the end of 2024, according to the deal.
Scottish Greens members will have the chance to decide on the cooperation agreement with the Scottish Government which, if they agree, would see Greens in government for the first time in UK history.
The Greens hailed the First Minister’s “significant change of direction” on the oil and gas industry despite Sturgeon refusing to say whether she opposed new oil fields such as Cambo.
But the Greens will be left “carrying the can” for failures of the Scottish Government, the new Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has said.
The Scottish Conservatives say they have “formally started proceedings” with Holyrood to remove the Scottish Greens from their position at First Minister’s Questions.
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