Scottish Greens leader threatens to resign if party votes to end power-sharing deal with SNP

Patrick Harvey said abandoning the 2030 climate change target «would be a mistake»; Photo: Andrew Milligan/PA

One Green minister in Humza Yousuf's government has threatened to resign as co-leader of his party if members vote to end the power-sharing deal with the SNP.

Patrick Harvey said , that it is “unrealistic” for me to continue to lead the Scottish Greens if members of the party decide they should leave government and return to the back benches of Holyrood.

He acknowledged that members were upset that the Scottish Government had abandoned its core 2030 climate change target, but said «walking away from it now would be a mistake.»

Humza Yousaf has upset Green Party members with his abandonment of the target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030. Photo: Jeff J. Mitchell/PA

But the head of Britain's official climate change watchdog said he was «doubtful» another of the SNP-Green coalition's key targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions would be met.

Chris Stark, chief executive Committee on Climate Change, warned that it would be “extremely difficult” for ministers to meet the target of reducing car miles traveled by 20 per cent by 2030.

Warning that these were “very dangerous moments”, he said Scotland had an “empty ships law”, setting the ultimate target of achieving net zero by 2045, but without any policies to achieve it.

“ 'Worst environmental decision'

Friends of the Earth called it 'the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament'.

The Rainbow Greens, who represent LGBT members of the party, also called on the party to quit the Scottish Government over the decision to suspend the use of puberty blockers for new child patients.

Over the weekend, Mr Harvey admitted that he does not know how the vote on the Bute House Agreement (BHA), the name of the coalition agreement Ms Sturgeon struck with the Greens in 2021, will go.

When asked whether he would remain leader if members voted to leave the Scottish Government, he said: «I honestly don't see how it would be realistic for me to continue as I am in these circumstances.»

“But that’s the least important aspect of all of this. It's about our climate future, it's about the future direction of Scotland, that's what we're focused on.»

Mr Harvey warned Greens that voters would think they were «just a party that leaves.» when things get tough.”

He admitted that the party's first experience in power «has been a bit of a rollercoaster» and that party members have had to get used to a «change in culture» where the two Green ministers — he and Lorna Slater — «may be less accessible» to them.

Climate change lags by years

The active tourism minister said «the truth is Scotland is years behind where we need to be» in tackling climate change, but insisted the eventual target of net zero by 2045 is «achievable».< /p>

But Mr Stark told the Holyrood network's net-zero committee: «In law we have a target for net zero by 2045, but we don't have anything beyond that in the next few months.»

“We therefore need to look at the strength of the Scottish Government's policy agenda over the next 12 months as a test of how seriously the Scottish Government now takes its climate mandate.”

His warning came as the only member Member of Parliament representing Alex Salmond's Alba party filed a motion. mistrust of Mr Harvey after he rubbed the Cass Review into gender identity services for children.

However, Ash Regan appeared to be struggling to secure the support of the 25 other MPs she needed to voting. place. Tory insiders said they were «unlikely» to support the proposal, arguing the problem lay with the entire BHA, not just Mr Harvey.