Grassroots Yessers respond as SNP-Greens deal ends
Activists undeterred by breakdown
THE announcement that the SNP’s power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens is at an end has major implications for the route to Scottish independence – so we spoke to some of those at the heart of the Yes movement.
On Thursday, First Minister Humza Yousaf announced the end of the Bute House Agreement, which removed the Scottish Greens from ministerial roles and meant that the SNP have now formed a minority government rather than a majority government for independence.
What does this mean for Scottish independence? Will it be more difficult to push through pro-indy policies now that there is no longer a majority? And what do activists on the ground think about this?
Niall Christie, Scottish Greens member, said the end of the Bute House Agreement was a “good thing” for the movement.
“The Scottish Greens showing that they are not tied to the SNP can only be a good thing for the independence movement,” he told us.
These comments echo that of Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater, who told media on Thursday afternoon that the party represented the more progressive wing of Scottish independence.
Christie continued: “The homogeneous mass of the Scottish Government concentrated power with the SNP, and setting out a leftwing vision was almost impossible.
“While the last few days have complicated matters with uncertainty over who will be leading the SNP and the Greens, I think it’s time that everyone listened to their membership and put forward positive visions for how we want Scotland to look by the next election, and how we get there.
“For the Scottish Greens, that has to be a clear message of how constructive opposition can be and how fruitful that can be for ordinary Scots – like wins such as free bus travel for young people. Claims that ‘Greens in the room’ are the only way to get things done must be consigned to history as we move past this.”
Another Scottish Greens activist told the Sunday National they would challenge the framing that there is no longer a pro-independence majority.
While the SNP are now in a minority government, support for independence is still held by the majority of Holyrood MSPs, they said.
They pointed towards the SNP minority government between 2016 and 2021, where support for independence was spread across Holyrood and not made up solely of governing parties.
Meanwhile, grassroots activists in the SNP made similar comments about a pro-independence majority in Holyrood.
Cameron Greer, convener for the North East branch of Young Scots for Independence, said the fact that there was still a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament was a “massive achievement” for the movement.
Greer told us: “While there isn’t a pro-independence majority government anymore, there is still a pro-independence government and pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament – a massive achievement for our movement.”
“We shouldn’t forget our main objective of independence, the work we do to make the lives of the Scottish people better and that the real opponent here is Westminster.
“Holyrood is built on crossparty work and collaboration and this cannot stop – even though it is increasingly difficult in these polarising times.
“I hope that parties – particularly the Greens – decide they are able to work constructively with the SNP minority government – as they have done in the past – to progress our independence and collaborate on progressive policies (such as the £80 million investment in affordable housing announced by the First Minister) that will benefit everyone in Scotland – something which Westminster cannot offer us.”
The Sunday National also spoke to Pensioners for Independence – the group which co-organised last week’s Believe in Scotland independence march and rally in Glasgow.
It was at this very rally where First Minister Humza Yousaf said the Scottish Government had “literally broken” an electoral system rigged against independence, by teaming up with the Greens in the Bute House Agreement.
Mary McCabe, national co-convener for Pensioners for Independence, speaking in a personal capacity, said the issue of independence was no longer a priority for many politicians in the SNP.
“When the SNP became the obvious route to a political career in Scotland, would-be politicians joined it for that reason. Twenty years
before, many of them would have joined Labour instead,” McCabe said. “Today’s MSPs may incline towards indy or away from it, but the issue is not in itself as important to most of them as winning elections.”
McCabe also stressed the importance of grassroots activism in pushing the cause of independence.
“On the other hand, it is of intrinsic importance to grassroots activists who repeatedly give their time and money to the cause and stick with it throughout all the rises and falls of political parties.”