SNP and Scottish Greens power-sharing deal ends following climate target row | Politics News

The SNP and Scottish Greens power-sharing deal has formally ended following a row over a climbdown on climate targets, Sky News understands.

It comes after First Minister Humza Yousaf summoned a meeting of his Cabinet – usually held on a Tuesday – this morning following speculation over the future of the Holyrood deal, first struck by his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon.

The power-sharing arrangement was called The Bute House Agreement, named after the official residence of the first minister in Edinburgh.

There has been unhappiness in the Green Party after the Scottish government scrapped its commitment to cut emissions by 75% by 2030.

The Rainbow Greens, the Green Party’s LGBT wing, criticised the climate announcement, which came on the same day that the prescription of puberty blockers for new patients under the age of 18, at the gender identity service in Glasgow, would be paused.

It means Mr Yousaf’s administration will now run a minority government at Holyrood.

Politics latest updates – Greens and SNP to hold news conferences

It is understood the first minister will hold a press conference this morning in the wake of the announcement.

The Greens are also expected to talk to the media.

The power-sharing deal with the Greens, also known as the Bute House agreement, was struck in 2021 and brought the party into government for the first time anywhere in the UK.

Named after the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, it gave the SNP a majority in the Scottish parliament when its votes there were combined with those of the seven Green MSPs.

It created ministerial posts for the Scottish Green Party’s co-leaders Mr Harvie and Lorna Slater.

But following the row over the SNP’s watering down of climate targets, and the fallout of the landmark Cass review of gender services for under-18s in England and Wales, the deal’s future looked uncertain.

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