Just who runs Scotland?

Sir, - I used to think Patrick Harvie was Nicola Sturgeon’s poodle but, as he demonstrated at the Greens’ conference, these days it is the other way around.

The Greens buy into Ms Sturgeon’s teenage independence dreams even more than she does right now. But to pursue separatism effectively, Ms Sturgeon’s minority government must remain in power and it

seems the next SNP budget can only be passed not merely with Green support but strong input from this small, radical grouping.

It is not only on financial matters that Green policy dominates Scottish politics.

The SNP Government told us they didn’t want parents criminalised for lightly smacking children but the Greens do and so the SNP supports the Greens’ bill.

The SNP was once passionate about cutting air passenger duty but the Greens oppose this and so legislation is paused. Green influence on the SNP’s decision to drop fracking is clear.

The Greens’ income tax requirements ahead of the 2018-19 budget would see the tax burden on middle income earners rise yet further compared to other parts of the UK. This is core SNP thinking but will these demands form part of the budget?

Who is running Scotland? The six Green MSPs or the 63 SNP MSPs? Martin Redfern. Woodcroft Road, Edinburgh.