Nicola Sturgeon on the verge of a second referendum as the SNP secures a pro-independence majority | Politics | News

[ad_1]

A Scottish Cabinet meeting yesterday approved a power-sharing agreement based on a similar arrangement between the New Zealand Greens with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The two parties, which support a second independence referendum, have been negotiating since May after the Scottish National Party lost one seat from an overall majority in the Holyrood election.

The new agreement, which still needs to be approved by members of the Scottish Greens and the SNP’s National Executive Committee, will see the Greens in national government for the first time in the UK.

The draft agreement reflects a similar agreement between the Labor Party and the Liberal Democrats in the first two terms of the Scottish Parliament when Jack McConnell served as First Minister between 2001 and 2007.

Under the agreement, two Green MSPs will become junior ministers in the Scottish government following the nomination process, bringing the number of pre-secession MSPs in Holyrood to 72, seven more than the 65 required by the majority.

It won’t be a formal alliance between the two, but the deal will see them work together on key issues including the climate emergency, economic recovery, child poverty, the natural environment and energy.

Green SMEs will also support the Scottish government on confidence votes, as well as in annual budgets if there is “appropriate funding for the Common Policy programme”.

But at the heart of the draft policy program known as the Pitt-Pit Agreement, the parties will commit to a second referendum on Scottish independence after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed through the current parliamentary session.

It will also see the establishment of two new Scottish government offices overseas in Warsaw and Copenhagen to advance Scotland’s interests in Central Europe and the Nordic countries, a move Scottish Conservatives have criticized as a “waste of Scottish taxpayers’ money”.

Besides, the deal will support the Scottish Government’s view that oil and gas licenses should be reviewed rather than revoked.

Read more: Brexit overtakes EU to crown European financial center

Ms Sturgeon was criticized earlier this month for what was seen as less-than-murky opposition to the controversial Campo oil field near Shetland.

The field, which can produce more than 800 million barrels of oil, came to the fore after a UN-backed report called it a “red symbol for humanity” on climate change as the Scottish government urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reject the plans.

However, the parties were unable to reach agreement on 10 policy areas including the role of GDP in measuring economic growth, public financing of defense companies, NATO membership in an independent Scotland, and regulation of the sale of sex.

When the confidence and supply agreement was announced, Scottish Conservatives called on Patrick Harvey’s party to lose its place in the First Minister’s questions.

Don’t Miss: SNP politician disgraced after claiming Tory party is ‘imperialist’ [LATEST] The worst performing primary school in Scotland in the Sturgeon constituency [INSIGHT] Dreams of sturgeon independence dealt a huge blow to cursed characters [REVEAL]

The party’s chairman, Whip Stephen Kerr, wrote to Holyrood President Allison Johnston to ask for the change.

If Ms Johnston strips the Greens of their place in the FMQs, only Labor and Conservative leaders will be able to scrutinize Ms Sturgeon.

Kiir also pushed for the party to be stripped of the ability to call for opposition debates and Green party spokesmen lost the ability to question ministers after government statements.

Leader Douglas Ross described the agreement as a “national anarchist coalition focused on dividing the country and dividing Scotland with another bitter referendum”.

He also stressed that the deal would punish hardworking families, motorists and the oil and gas industry.

Describing the deal as “anti-jobs and anti-business” the Murray MP added: “Nicola Sturgeon failed to win a majority so she had to turn to the radical Greens to help her lobby for indyref2 during an economic crisis.”

“It shows how poorly the SNP feels their cause is that they have had to break bread with a party that is more anti-jobs, anti-business and more ideologically extremist than it is now.

“This SNP-Green deal will penalize hard-working families across Scotland, especially anyone who depends on their cars.”

Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar said the deal would be a “disaster for Scotland”.

He added: “This restricted deal covers all but a few issues, where the so-called Greens endorse the SNP’s poor performance record on everything from austerity to the environment.

“It’s hard to believe they would be a strong voice within the government when they certainly weren’t in the opposition.”

A UK government source said: “We don’t feel the agreement changes much the SNP’s case for a second independence referendum.

“Now is not the time for a divisive vote.”

Business groups also outlined the deal with one who claimed their interests had been “sacrificed” in order to get green Scottish MSPs into government.

Robert Kilgore, chair of the UK’s pro-union Scottish Business Council, said: “It is disappointing if this number one item on the policy agenda for the SNP and the Greens in government is expected to be read in another referendum during the first half of the current parliament.

“Scottish ministers have been raving about the economic recovery long before the election, but this deal represents a fuller capitulation towards a much less positive agenda.

“Companies will be scrutinizing the finer details of the deal in the coming days and months to see exactly how many of their interests have been sacrificed in the race to get MSP’s green, anti-growth projects into government and engineering constitutional chaos.”

Andrew Macrae, head of policy at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland, called on both parties to focus on building on “fragile optimism” in the Scottish small business community.

But while speaking at a media briefing yesterday, Sturgeon defended the deal and made it clear that it would make “politics and governance better” across the country.

While acknowledging that both parties “have differences”, she stressed that they would work together to build “a greener and fairer independent Scotland”.

“The publication of this agreement today is without doubt a historic moment,” she added.

“She understands that through a great challenge a better world and a better Scotland can be born, but she knows that achieving this requires boldness, courage and the will to do things differently.”

Pressed if the deal increases the likelihood of a second independence referendum, the Scottish first minister admitted she was “hoping for Scottish independence sooner rather than later”.

Ms Sturgeon also said she was “determined” to hold a referendum in the current term of Parliament, stressing that it would “better prepare ourselves”. [Scotland] from COVID.”

Patrick Harvey, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, said the deal “could not come at a more important time”.

He added: “The past 18 months have been a very difficult time for all of us, and as we seek to rebuild our lives and our economy, we should really strive to do things differently.

“We must build a more equitable and compassionate country and we must do everything we can to deal with the climate and nature emergencies and bring about a just transition for all of Scotland.”

[ad_2]