Scottish Green MSPs to abstain on First Minister vote
Scottish Green MSPs will abstain on the Scottish Parliament’s vote for a new First Minister this afternoon.
Speaking ahead of the vote the party’s co-leader, Lorna Slater said:
“The SNP is the largest party at Holyrood, it has a right to form a government, but it does not have an automatic right to our votes.
“We need to see what vision the First Minister has for Scotland and what direction he wants to take.
“This is a crucial time for Scotland, and the Scottish Government will face huge challenges. We hope that John Swinney will continue with the progressive agenda that has lifted over 90,000 children out of poverty and put the climate front and centre of our politics.
“The Scottish Greens will always work positively and constructively, and not indulge in opposition for its own sake or political game playing.
“We will aim to work with and support the Scottish Government on an issue-by-issue basis. We will back them when they are delivering progressive policies that protect our environment and help to tackle child poverty, and we will oppose them or push them to go further and raise their ambitions when we think they need it.
“A lot of the most important changes we secured as a result of the Bute House Agreement are still at an early stage and need to be delivered.
“From rent controls and tenants rights to a ban on so-called conversion therapy and the creation of a new National Park. We remain committed to these policies and the progressive vision that they are part of.
“Every day matters, and we need to grasp every opportunity to build a more sustainable future. That is the approach that we took during our time in the Scottish Government, and it is what we will push for every day in opposition.”