Minority Scottish Government must avoid Westminster style chaos
Co-leader Patrick Harvie has welcomed the decisive defeat of Labour’s chaos-seeking vote of no-confidence in the current government at Holyrood, with all seven Scottish Greens MSPs voting against the motion.
Following the vote, Mr Harvie urged whoever replaces Humza Yousaf as First Minister to reach out to other parties to bring stability to the Scottish Government and avoid the kind of toxic culture wars and chaos of Westminster.
He said the public would demand the SNP now reach out to other parties and deliver a positive vision for Scotland. Mr Harvie added: “For that to happen, it will need to remain a progressive Government, one that will deliver a reset on climate, and acceleration of emission cuts, rather than climate defeatism.
“It will need a bold commitment to equality, not a compromise with the nasty, divisive culture war mentality we see from elsewhere. And continued wealth redistribution - which will be all the more important if an incoming UK Labour Government carries out its threat to stick to Tory fiscal rules and usher in even more austerity.
“That is the kind of progressive agenda which is capable of providing a stable government for Scotland, instead of the chaos the Labour motion would have led to.”
Mr Harvie also acknowledged the personal price paid by Mr Yousaf after his decision to collapse the cooperation pact between both parties. Speaking during the debate, he said: “It is to his credit that he has taken personal responsibility, and announced his resignation.
“I don’t celebrate this in any way, but I do believe it was necessary; and in light of this decision a vote of no confidence in the First Minister himself would be performative, and petty. I welcome the fact that it has been withdrawn.
“But a vote of no confidence in the Scottish Government as a whole - this proposal betrays the motives of others - chaos for the sake of chaos.”
He went on: “Fixed term Parliaments are intended to give a degree of stability - and they have done so in contrast with more than a decade of chaos in Westminster politics. It should be clear to everyone that Labour and the Conservatives don’t actually want stable self government for Scotland.
“Greens do. We already had the best option - a stable, progressive, pro-independence majority Government. I regret that it hasn’t been allowed to continue.
“The Government will no longer be a majority Government - but minority government can work, it has happened before and it can happen again. It is not beyond any political party to work constructively in that context, if they choose to.”