NICOLA Sturgeon has told SNP members her joint government deal with the Scottish Greens is needed to “cement the pro-independence majority at Holyrood”.

The First Minister cited independence three times as a reason to back the arrangement in a 43-second video message to her party today.

The Scottish Tories said it showed “the mask has well and truly slipped” and that the key driver behind the power-sharing pact was to pursue a second referendum.

Ms Sturgeon and Scottish Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater published their 51-page draft policy plan for the next five years last week.

If Scottish Green party members ratify it on Saturday, it will lead to Mr Harvie and Ms Slater entering government as the first Green ministers in the UK.

The arrangement is intended to be short of a full coalition of the kind last seen at Holyrood between Labour and the Liberal Demcorats from 1999 to 2007.

The SNP’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee, rubberstamped the deal last weekend, and SNP members are now being consulted on the proposal. 

Unlike Scottish Green members, however, they cannot halt it.

In her message, Ms Sturgeon asked SNP members to “vote yes” to the deal.

She said: “By doing so, you will help me cement the pro-independence majority at Holyrood.

“With your support, the SNP and the Greens will work together to accelerate progress towards independence, address the climate emergency, tackle poverty and reform public services.

“This is about doing politics better – working together to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland, so let’s get on with that job.

“As always, I am asking you to vote yes.”

With 64 MSPs out of 129, the SNP is one short of a majority at Holyrood, meaning it could be vulnerable to votes of confidence in ministers.

However the addition of seven Green MSPs removes that threat, and the deal specifically binds the Greens into supporting the Government in confidence votes.

The Herald reported this week that Ms Sturgeon has appointed a record 15 special advisers for this parliament at a cost of more than £1m, and the Greens are expected to add two more special advisers.

Tory constitution spokesman Donald Cameron MSP, said: “The mask has well and truly slipped.

"Nicola Sturgeon makes it abundantly clear that this nationalist coalition of chaos is being formed solely for the purpose of pursuing a divisive indyref2.

 “After failing to win a majority, she has had to turn to the extremist Greens to try and drag Scotland through another bitter referendum at a time of an economic crisis.

 “That is completely reckless when we should be 100% focused on protecting jobs, rebuilding our communities and fully remobilising our NHS.

“Independence will always trump everything else for Nicola Sturgeon and her Green allies, even as we only just begin to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic.

“The Scottish Conservatives will continue to stand firmly against the SNP-Greens push for indyref2 and show that we are Scotland’s real alternative to this damaging nationalist alliance.”

READ MORE: Tom Gordon: SNP-Green deal contains poison for independence

SNP members are expected to endorse the deal, however a few are resisting.

Councillor Jim McEleny, chair of the SNP group on Inverclyde Council, said he had voted against as it was unnecessary and he saw no benefit to his constituents.

He said: “The only benefit is for the high paid jobs it creates for Green Ministers + Special Advisors. Also, no date for an independence referendum, not a deal I can support.”

Mr McEleny’s son is Councillor Chris McEleny, general secretary of the Alba party.