Green members demand talks to end Bute House Agreement

Members contacted The Herald during the briefing, led by party co-leader Patrick Harvie, to express their anger.

One activist said Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer left having "dodged" questions over the future of the Bute House Agreement (BHA).

"It’s a sh**show," one party member said during the session.

READ MORE: Patrick Harvie facing wrath of Scottish Greens members

READ MORE: Scottish Green LGBT group call to scrap Bute House Agreement

"Ross Greer left having dodged questions and Patrick having to bat back anger. Dozens of activists suggesting we should leave the BHA. Patrick was called embarrassing by one."

The party said this morning that Mr Greer, pictured below, stepped out of the meeting briefly to do a prearranged live TV interview.

Another member, who was also at last night's meeting told The Herald this morning: "The anger last night was palpable. I've never seen anything like it before."

After the call Edinburgh Scottish Greens Councillor Chas Booth wrote to his party's executive seeking talks to discuss ending the BHA.

He wrote on X, formerly Twitter last night: "Mood of colleagues on party members' call today was one of anger that Scottish Greens are part of a government abandoning climate targets, I felt.

"We were told we need to switch from 'targets as substitute for action', to action itself. Agree. I have therefore written to the chair of SGP party Executive to ask them to call an EGM as soon as reasonably possible to consider withdrawing from the Bute House Agreement.

"I'd urge other party members who are upset and angry at today's announcement to do likewise."
Glasgow councillor Anthony Carroll also took to X to demand talks.

"Ultimately Scottish Green members decide if MSPs are in Government.

To date most of the calls to end the BHA have come from within the SNP including from the MSP Fergus Ewing , pictured above. Photo PA.

"With the council tax freeze, climate targets scrapped and MSPs who run rampant with transphobia, the SNP have shown a lot of contempt in the past year. I think it's time for members to have a say on the BHA again."

Separately, the Rainbow Greens, who represent the LGBT members in the party, are calling for the end of the BHA over the decision by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to pause puberty blockers to new patients under 18 with gender dysphoria. The move follows the findings of the Cass Review in England.

The demands by Green activists for the BHA to end, comes at a time when the deal which saw Green MSPs enter government with the SNP in August 2021, is already under strain.

READ MORE: Fergus Ewing: We must end Bute House deal before election

Mostly, though, the calls have come from the SNP side, with a number of high profile members calling for a re-think, including former leadership candidate Kate Forbes and prominent rebel Fergus Ewing – who has pushed for it to be scrapped in its entirety before this year's General Election.

Mr Harvie and Lorna Slater, the Scottish Greens co leaders, have ministerial roles as part of the Bute House Agreement and will be expected to vote for the axing of the 2030 target when the government brings forward legislation to do so.

In her statement to Holyrood yesterday cabinet secretary for net zero Mairi McAllan announced a package of measures to speed up action on climate change including setting up a climate assembly and more charging points for electric vehicles. But some members do not believe the measures announced are sufficient.

One activist said there were major concerns with the leaders' performances and whether they should remain in place in the lead up to the 2026 Holyrood election.

"The main takeaway from tonight’s session was a real sense of frustration - at the climate news, understandably, but also very personal frustrations at Patrick and Lorna," they said.

"Lots of people view them as being either uninterested or incapable of quality and meaningful communication and engagement internally with members. They’re not telling an inspiring story about their impact in government, which is why people understandably fail to see or appreciate that impact.

"A number of people I spoke...were questioning whether our current leaders were the right ones to lead us into the next Holyrood election.

"I also don’t think we have our strongest performers in our most important portfolios - I think a reshuffle in the MSP group might help focus minds and inject a bit of energy."

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns Imogen Dow said yesterday dropping the 2030 target was "the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament."

The deadline for Scotland to be net zero by 2045 remains the government's ambition. 

A Scottish Green spokesperson said: “Ross Greer, Gillian Mackay and Patrick Harvie attended one of our regular member update sessions covering a range of topics including how we are accelerating action on the climate crisis within government. 

"Mr Greer stepped out briefly to fulfil a live interview commitment with Sky News who were interested to learn more about how Scotland is leading the UK on climate action. 

“The cooperation agreement that saw Green politicians enter government for the first time anywhere in the UK, which has been repeatedly endorsed and voted for by members of both parties, has been the catalyst for driving progressive environmental change over the last two and a half years including moving from targets to an acceleration of climate action with an evidence based route map to 2045.

"As a democratic party we encourage members to engage and participate, and there are a number of ways open for people to do that.”