Achi news desk-
The consideration is given as the party prepares for a vote on the BHA at an extraordinary general meeting of the party called after calls from members following the scrapping of a key pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 75% by 2030 from u 1990 level.
Speaking to the Herald one member said among the issues campaigners will look at before making their decisions will there be any implications for their party if Mr Yousaf has to resign as leader of the SNP and the First Minister of Wales faces internal difficulties in his party. Kate Forbes, who is seen as a potential successor to Mr Yousaf, said last year that the BHA “should be abolished and the SNP should again operate as a one-party minority government”.
Activist Green spoke out after the Herald on Sunday revealed the SNP was eyeing a future leadership contest amid fears about how the party will fare in the general election expected later this year.
“There is a possibility that Humza Yousaf will go after the UK general election. So would it make more sense for us to leave now and repair any reputational damage we have had within the next two years, or stay and possibly get kicked out. government by whoever becomes Prime Minister?” they said.
Among the other factors that shaped members’ thinking before the EGM vote were what measures were being proposed to get the climate action they wanted; what the government was doing to support trans health issues, and the NHS more widely, as well as tackling the cost of living and supporting the economy.
The member also told the Herald that there was concern in the party that a vote in favor of abandoning the 2030 target by Mr Harvie and Ms Slater could damage the Scottish Greens brand and electoral fortunes. Environmental campaigners have been very critical of removing the pledge/
Under the cooperation agreement Mr Harvie and Ms Slater are required as deputy ministers to support government legislation and they would be expected to resign from their roles if they cannot do so.
As the target to cut carbon emissions by 75% is enshrined in law, ministers will need to introduce new legislation to reverse existing law.
It is understood that the government plans to introduce legislation to drop the 2030 target before the summer recess begins in June.
Amid anger from Greens campaigners, the member told The Herald that voting for the legislation could damage the party’s brand and cause it to lose support.
“It could have a really damaging electoral effect,” they said.
“We are the Scottish Green party, if we are not going to be seen standing up for the environment, who will?”
They added: “Voters are looking to us to stand up for the environment. This can have very damaging consequences not only for our brand but also for their faith in our political system.”
Asked what would happen if Mr Harvie and Ms Slater voted to drop the 2030 target, another member said the move would provoke “”a lot of anger”.
They said: “I think there would be a lot of anger and I think there would be anger maybe directly maybe less at the Bute House Agreement and maybe more at the leaders themselves.
“I think that would not be a situation they would want to find themselves in.”
Cabinet secretary for net zero Mairi McAllan said the 2045 target remains carbon neutral for Scotland as she outlined a package of measures aimed at achieving that ambition.
They included plans to provide a new national integrated ticketing system for public transport, as well as establishing a climate assembly, tripling the number of charging points available for electric vehicles, in a bid to encourage more people to switch from petrol. and diesel cars.
Edinburgh city councillor, Chas Booth, said last night that he would look closely at the details of the Scottish Government’s new proposals.
He said the fall in the 2030 target was not unexpected following the Climate Change Committee report last month. However, he wanted to know what would replace the 2030 target.
“Anyone who has read the Climate Change Committee report last month will recognize that it is no longer feasible to reach the 75% target by 2030. I think everyone accepts that.
“What I would find difficult to accept is if the Scottish Government were to get rid of that and not replace it with anything else.
“There was talk in the minister’s statement about five-year carbon budgets. It is not clear to me whether these would be legally binding or how ambitious they would be.
“What I will do as a member going into the SPG, I will be looking for more information about what will replace the 2030 target.”
Appearing on BBC Scotland yesterday, Mr Harvie admitted that he did not know whether the agreement with the SNP will continue.
“This is a critical moment for the future of climate policy in Scotland, which is, you know, the reason why the Greens are in politics in the first place,” he said.
“It is also crucial for the future of our party, and over the next few weeks we probably have the most important decision to make that we have ever had to make about the future of our party.
“And I want to make sure that we all listen to each other and make sure that we really understand and share, not just the sense of urgency and the deep disappointment and anger about with the fact that Scotland is not on the right track at the moment. , but focus and determination on action.”
He said he feared that if his party voted to withdraw from the deal it would “strengthen” the position of SNP critics of the BHA such as Fergus Ewing, who has opposed many policies promoted by the Greens.
“My concern is that if we walked away at this point, we would slow down climate action, we would see a hand like Fergus Ewing, a backbencher in the SNP now , is strengthened, which constantly rises and tries. to environmental policy and encourages the Government to slow down,” he said.
He cited achievements including rent controls, the abolition of peak hour train fares, and free bus journeys for young people,
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: “Patrick Harvie takes no responsibility for his party’s shameful record in Government.
“He and Lorna Slater (minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity) have spent the last three years miserably trading environmentalism for nationalism to the fury of their members who now want out of this incompetent toxic coalition.
“(Prime Minister) Humza Yousaf is so weak that he has lost any authority he had, and even after the disaster they have been in Government, the Greens are still calling the shots.
“If Humza Yousaf had any backbone, he would pull the plug himself on this shambolic deal which is damaging the Scottish economy and endangering our oil and gas industry.
“Instead, he is at the mercy of the Green vote, and the coalition of chaos he inherited from Nicola Sturgeon is now hanging by a thread.”
