The Scottish Greens are ‘ready to co-operate’ with the SNP once again, raising the prospect the former coalition partners could help Shona Robison’s budget over the line

The Scottish Greens have suggested they will back the SNP’s crunch budget in December if ministers prioritise using tax powers to target big business to “better protect people and planet”.

The plans tabled by the Greens to get the troubled SNP Budget over the line includes business rates relief being reviewed, with a demand for larger firms to contribute more. The Greens have also called for a cruise ship levy to be introduced and a private jet tax, as part of the devolved air departure duty, which is yet to be implemented.

First Minister John Swinney has already opened the door to looking at a private jet tax, telling the Greens last month he was “very much in the spirit” of investigating the levy.

The prospect comes as Finance Secretary Shona Robison faces the difficult task of garnering enough support from opposition MSPs to pass her Budget, with the Scottish Government a minority administration since the Bute House Agreement with the Greens was ripped up.

The Greens reacted angrily to being kicked out of government, costing Humza Yousaf his job as first minister. The party has shown further disdain at the direction of travel under Mr Swinney, claiming the Scottish Government is backtracking over the climate crisis. The party has led criticism over the scrapping of plans for universal free school meals and reintroducing peak rail fares.

But the Greens have now opened the door to supporting the Scottish Government’s Budget, insisting it is “ready to co-operate again” - but only if the SNP aligns its tax policy to target big business through taxation.

The Greens have backed every SNP Budget since 2016. However, the prospect of Mr Swinney’s party aligning with Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater’s party once again would irritate some of the First Minister’s backbenchers who believe the Greens are responsible for the dip in the SNP’s fortunes.

SNP MSP Fergus Ewing told The Scotsman last week that his party colleagues in government moving to “suck up to these extremists” would be “futile, tactically inept and deeply damaging to the party and the country”. He called on the Scottish Government to instead “reach out to all the major mainstream parties to work out sensible policies”.

The Greens will table a Holyrood motion for debate on Wednesday, calling on the SNP to use the powers at their disposal in December’s Budget to better protect Scotland from public spending cuts from Westminster and address the nation's social, economic and environmental problems.

Greens finance spokesperson Ross Greer said: “Scotland’s public finances are in a dire state, largely due to years of cuts from Westminster. The Scottish Government isn't powerless though. Even with the limited powers of devolution, we must do everything we can to protect people and planet.

“The Scottish Greens have worked with the SNP before to deliver progressive budgets. We are ready to co-operate again, if the SNP will join us in taking the bold decisions needed to tackle child poverty and the climate crisis. Pointing to the good work done before and blaming Westminster for the current mess, however true, just won’t cut it.”

Mr Greer added: “In the last few months, the SNP has chosen to reintroduce peak rail fares previously removed by the Greens, cut funding for nature projects and drop the commitment to free school meals for all P6 and P7 pupils. They claimed to have no choice, but that’s just not true. Millions of pounds a year still goes towards tax breaks for big businesses and wealthy landowners and to climate-wrecking road expansion projects.

“If the Government are prepared to make different choices, ones which better protect people and planet, then the Greens are ready to work with them on a Budget which builds the fairer, greener Scotland we know is still possible.”

Ms Robison said her Government remained “focused on eradicating child poverty, building prosperity, improving our public services and protecting the planet”.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison (Picture: Lisa Ferguson)

She said: “However, it continues to face the most challenging financial situation since devolution. Difficult choices are having to be made to deliver sustainable finances and we are calling on the UK government in its Autumn Budget to deliver more funding for public services, infrastructure and measures to eradicate child poverty.

“Ministers are engaging with all parties in the Parliament ahead of the Budget, and will give all constructive suggestions careful consideration.”

Greens demand tax rises from SNP to back Scottish Budget as former partners 'ready to co-operate again'

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