Greer : SNP members would not accept coalition with Lib Dems

heraldscotland.com · Feb 21, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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The SNP would be taking "a huge step backwards" if it did a governing deal with the Lib Dems after the election, according to the Scottish Greens co-leader. Ross Greer also said he did not believe should an arrangement would be tolerated by SNP member as it would mean the "Scottish Government halting all work on independence". Mr Greer is hoping his party can win more seats in May than Scottish Labour which has been engulfed in turmoil in the wake of a scandal over the former US Ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson's links to the American paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein. Anas Sarwar called for the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister last week after police launched an investigation into Lord Mandelson when emails appeared to show that while business secretary in Gordon Brown's government he sent sensitive government information to Epstein in 2009. It is understood Lord Mandelson has denied any criminality. Read More: Greens candidate in bid to lift Holyrood's trans toilet ban Greens unveil new three-point plan to achieve independence What does Mandelson scandal mean for Scottish politics? Anas Sarwar calls for Starmer to quit as Prime Minister Mr Greer believes the Scottish Greens are gaining momentum over Labour as the Holyrood campaign gets underway with polls suggesting the SNP will win the large number of seats but not succeed in winning a majority. The prospect of the SNP not winning a majority has led to speculation that John Swinney's party could strike a Bute House deal with the Lib Dems rather than the Greens. Lib Dem MSPs voted for the Scottish Government's budget when it came to its stage one vote in Holyrood earlier this month while the Greens abstained. Speaking to The Herald last year Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said following the collapse of the Bute House Agreement between the SNP and the Greens in 2023, he believed the then First Minister Humza Yousaf would have struck a deal with him to remain in power. In an interview with The Herald ahead of his party's conference in Glasgow on Saturday Mr Greer was asked for his views on any such SNP post election governing deal with the Lib Dems. Read More: Analysis: Is a new dawn rising for the Scottish Greens? Humza Yousaf wanted to make me his deputy to keep power, says Lib-Dem "As someone who has spent his entire adult life campaigning for Scotland to be an independent country I would be really disappointed about the prospect of a coalition between a pro-independence party and an anti-independence party. I think it would lead to the Scottish Government halting all work on independence," he said. "The Lib Dems oppose independence. They have every right to and I respect that. But if Scotland elects a pro-independence parliament but we end up with a government that is not campaigning for independence I think that would be a huge step backwards. "And I honestly don't think most SNP members would put up with it." He added: "My job is to get as many Greens elected to deliver on Green policy. The SNP know they are capable of co-operating with the Greens or working with us. "It led to all sorts of policies which took our country forward. It lifted kids out of poverty. It massively escalated action on the climate emergency. "When that co-operation ended the SNP as a single party government scaled back their ambitions for Scotland. They dropped a whole range of climate policies, they scaled back the work they were doing to take on the very very wealthy. "The Greens are open to co-operation as that is what we believe is the positive way of doing politics. If the SNP is attracted towards a deal with the Lib Dems because it would be less challenging my fundamental question is surely Scotland needs a bit of challenge right now? People are crying out for change. Our public services are not working for people. They are still one in five children in poverty. "We are not doing nearly enough to tackle the climate emergency. We need bold ideas in politics. The public is demanding change. An SNP - Lib Dem coalition to me would be the ultimate status quo. There would be nothing bold about it, nothing to challenge the powerful interests in society. "As much as I think it would be a huge step backwards for the independence movement, I think in a much wider sense it would be a huge missed opportunity for the people of Scotland as a whole. "That to me is not a combination of manifestos that is going to result in the kind of dramatic change this country really needs." The SNP and Scottish Greens entered into the Bute House Agreement in August 2021 but it was ended by former First Minister Humza Yousaf in April 2023. His decision to end the arrangement led to his resignation as First Minister with the SNP governing as a minority party in Holyrood since. SNP Depute Leader, Keith Brown said: “The SNP is fighting 2026 Scottish Parliament election with the clear objective of winning an SNP majority and giving the people of Scotland the chance to choose a fresh start with independence. "With polls showing voters putting their trust in John Swinney’s strong leadership as he stands firmly on Scotland’s side amid chaos at Westminster, people have the opportunity vote SNP on 7th May to elect a majority SNP government that will always put Scotland first and deliver a fresh start with independence.” Former Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie MSP said “Ross Greer seems rattled by the growth of the Liberal Democrats. "We are set to have more MSPs in the next parliament but we won't be forming a coalition with the SNP. What the country needs is a change of government rather than more of the same with the SNP and a Green Party who seem more concerned about independence than the environment."