SNP and Greens to run Glasgow in deal echoing Holyrood coalition

The Scottish Greens have reached a deal with the SNP that will see the party take up key roles in the council and secure an SNP minority administration.

The leader of the Glasgow SNP group, Susan Aitken, will likely lead the minority administration and retain the leadership of the council, after the party won 37 seats in the local elections on May 5.

The Scottish Greens saw significant gains, winning ten seats. Their support – understood to only be binding for the initial creation of a council administration – will secure SNP leadership in Scotland’s biggest city.

Together there are 47 Green and SNP councillors, easily reaching a majority vote at the council.

The deal will, however, mean the Scottish Greens are not bound by any agreement to vote in certain ways in future council meetings and commits the SNP to working closely with the party to develop Glasgow’s strategic plan.

They will also take on the position of chair of a new net zero and climate progress monitoring committee and a Just Transition Working Group.

Greens will also chair the neighbourhoods, housing and public realm committee, and will vice-chair the education and environment committees in the council.

SNP's Susan Aitken at the Glasgow City Council count at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, in the local government elections.

Scottish Labour, which narrowly missed out on becoming the biggest party in the city by one seat, recently ditched former leader Malcolm Cunning.

George Redmond, who spent five years out of the city chambers, was named as the Labour group’s new leader on Monday.

The Scottish Conservatives, who suffered heavy losses dropping from eight seats to two, do not have a group large enough to create a unionist majority alongside Labour.

Green group co-convenor, Cllr Martha Wardrop, said: “The recent election result clearly showed us that the people of Glasgow agreed with our vision for a more effective, more democratic and forward-looking council.

"With our largest ever group of Green councillors, we will hold a minority SNP administration to account while working collaboratively across party lines to deliver a fairer, greener and more inclusive Glasgow and to bring about the change that people voted for.”

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.”

The vote to appoint Lord Provost, leader and other key appointees of the council will take place on Thursday.

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