SNP and Greens reach agreement to work together in Glasgow City Council

THE SNP and the Scottish Greens have struck a deal to work together in Glasgow City Council following days of talks after the May 5 election.

Green councillors will chair a new Net Zero And Climate Progress Monitoring Committee and a just transition working group, while both parties will work together to develop a joint strategic plan for the city council for the five-year term.

The SNP will continue to run the local authority as a minority administration though the agreement leaves open the possibility of forming a closer pact.

Both parties will formally back the deal at a meeting of the full council tomorrow when the council leader, Lord Provost and committee conveners will also be appointed.

SNP group leader Susan Aitken said: “Glaswegians face huge challenges in the years ahead, from the daily impact of the cost-of-living crisis on incomes and the longer-term effect of the pandemic and Brexit on communities, through to ensuring a fair and just transition delivers for all Glaswegians and that our city is climate-ready.

“In a time of great uncertainty this agreement between the SNP and Greens can help provide the confident and responsible leadership this city and its people require.

“This is about doing politics and governance differently. It’s clear that the SNP and Greens have much common ground and have agreed in recent years on how best to meet major challenges affecting Glaswegians.

“And, crucially, we share a willingness to collaborate to take the bold, urgent and progressive action which the immediate and future needs of Glaswegians demands.”

In a statement, the SNP said the “agreement commits to constructive co-operation to deliver on shared and progressive priorities and aims to provide both the freshness of approach and surety of purpose required to help address the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, facilitate the city’s recovery from the pandemic and accelerate climate action”.

Councillor Jon Molyneux, Green group co-convener, said: “We will work collaboratively over the coming months to deliver a new five-year plan for the council that delivers the progressive change people want to see.”

It comes as the SNP and Greens started “formal negotiations” about establishing a minority administration on Edinburgh City Council.

The two parties informally talked about working together last week, but do not have enough councillors to form a majority.

Labour and the Libdems ruled out any formal deals with the

SNP in the capital, leaving an Snp-greens arrangement the only viable option.

But concerns have been raised about unionist parties teaming up to block radical policies such as the workplace parking levy and commuter charge.