A leading Scottish Greens activist has quit the party citing concerns over the leadership's position on college cuts.
Ryan Donachie, a former convener of the party's LGBT wing, the Rainbow Greens, made the announcement on X/Twitter earlier today.
Mr Donachie, a former party clerk and a member of its elections and campaigns committee, was critical of the party's leadership over cuts to the college sector both when Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater were inside government and since leaving the administration last month after former First Minister Humza Yousaf ended the Bute House Agreement.
"I have made the exceptionally difficult decision to end my membership of the Scottish Greens," he said.
READ MORE: Revealed: Greens membership surge since end of deal with SNP
"The lack of voice from the party while the SNP government decimate the Further Education Sector in Scotland has been a very, very bitter pill to swallow.
"Our current leadership have done nothing in government or in the weeks since being removed to reassure me that they have what it takes to rebuild the trust needed with the education sector."
He added: "The fundamental mistreatment of ordinary volunteers like me, who have given hundreds of hours of our own time to ensuring that we are a strong voice for progressive Scots, is also intolerable.
READ MORE: Scottish College staff strike off after union receives pay offer
"I hope that my resignation - as a senior member of the party will act as a wake up call to our leaders and underline the crisis in confidence that many members have in the direction we are currently being taken in. I wish everyone well for the future."
The college sector has been hit by a wave of strike action in recent weeks.
Last month The Herald revealed that almost a quarter of college workforce is at risk as funding cuts rock the sector.
According to figures from the Scottish Funding Council, which oversees the distribution of Scottish Government funding and the financial health of Scotland’s colleges, 2,387 full-time equivalent positions – amounting to 21% of the workforce – could be cut by 2026.
In addition, the SFC reported that Scotland’s colleges have already spent a combined £6.7 million on staff restructuring efforts in 2021-2022. The SFC estimates that a restructuring will cost colleges a further £21.4 million by the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.
Savings are expected to come through various methods, from voluntary severance (expected to account for 1,103 FTEs) to compulsory redundancies (154 FTEs).
The SFC report stated that staff costs account for 70% of college spending and are “the main focus of savings as colleges try to balance their budgets in the current fiscal environment.”
This is likely to cause further conflict, the SFC reported.
“Given the experience to date of industrial relations within the sector, this level of staff reduction is likely to result in widespread industrial action," it said.
Last weekend the Herald on Sunday revealed that the party's membership had increased by 374 since the end of BHA on April 25 with the total membership now standing around 7500.
The Scottish Greens have been approached for comment.
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