THE main political focus in Scotland last week and this week was the announcement that the Scottish Green Party and the SNP have entered into what both Nicola Sturgeon and Patrick Harvie have claimed to be a historic milestone in politics, as a result of the Greens entering into what they have deemed isn’t a coalition but a co-operative power sharing model. This will, apparently, result in a better way of doing politics and a better Scotland.

Such nonsense. If it looks like a coalition, acts like a coalition, then guess what: it probably is a coalition. What astounds me is the sheer contempt that both the SNP and the Green Party have for voters if they really think that people will buy this latest line of spin.

At the heart of the agreement is the power of patronage – bringing onboard the Green Party to avoid a potential no confidence motion against the Scottish Government, as witnessed during the last parliamentary term. This deal is about protecting the incumbent administration and preserving the status quo which, let's be honest, is in the best interests of the SNP who after nearly two decades in power are now the established party of government.

As political parties come to the end of their time in office, they all suffer from the same traits: they become devoid of policy, the leadership starts to look tired and defensive, this then results in the focus becoming about who the successor will be and who will steer the ship going forward. Often the party will attempt to rebrand and in some respects reposition themselves in the hope that this will give them a renewed energy and focus.

All too often they go back to their default position and this is what is happening with the SNP. This deal with the Scottish Green Party is an attempt to reposition themselves with an emphasis on better politics for a better Scotland, but the rhetoric and the reality don’t marry up. It’s understandable that Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t want to talk about domestic issues for fear of the electorate realising that they are a party in government with no plan to govern and that is starting to trickle through every section of society – teachers, nurses, doctors, and the business community.

Under their watch, Scotland has gone from being an outward-looking country to one that is inward looking and embraces grievance politics, as opposed to getting on with the job of doing what a government should do and that is govern in the interest of the people.

For 14 years, the SNP have sold a vision of Scotland which talks a good game and delivers very little. This announcement of the deal with the Scottish Green Party is nothing more than political posturing and will add little to the wider debate at Holyrood.

The reality is that nothing has changed. I say this for two reasons. Firstly, the narrative has remained the same, usually along the lines of we can do better than England and independence is the only way forward.

And, secondly, let’s not forget the fact that the Scottish Greens have propped up the Scottish Government on a number of occasions and approved government budgets that have resulted in cuts to local authorities as they struggle to deliver services with reduced funding.

But what has changed is that the people of Scotland want more than a party of spin or a party that puts its own self interest ahead of doing what’s right. I think it’s fair to say that the Scottish Greens have well and truly misjudged this and it will result in their demise.

For many politicos and people like myself the devil is in the detail and when you dig into the detail of the SNP/Scottish Greens deal you quickly realise that there is no original thought. No mention of how they will deal with the increase in drug and alcohol related deaths, how they will deal with an overstretched NHS or how they will support businesses or the private housebuilding sector.

In the second paragraph of the agreed deal, it ironically states: “Ultimately, the same old politics will only deliver the same old outcomes. For bold outcomes, bold steps are needed.”

I don’t think anyone reading this will disagree with that sentiment, but let’s not forget words alone don’t change outcomes, words alone won’t reduce poverty, words alone don’t improve the lives of people. What is needed is a government that truly wants to deliver for the people of Scotland and not just play at running the country.

In Scotland, we have a population of just over 5 million people but the deal between the SNP and the Scottish Green Party only benefits two people – Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater who are now junior ministers in the Scottish Government and have seen their salary increase by £30,000. Let that sink in for a minute when you think about the number of people and families in Scotland who are struggling to make ends meet.

Barrie Cunning is managing director of Pentland Communications and a former Scottish La-bour Parliamentary candidate