Greens drop independence “red line”

The Scottish Green Party have been accused of dropping support for independence funding as a budget red line. 

Over the past months the Greens have stated various budget positions as their relationship with the SNP dwindled - including that they would not support a budget that cut funding on preparing the case for Scottish independence. 

Their remarks came after the Lib Dems said they would not back a Scottish Government budget that continued to spend money on independence. This provoked the Greens to stating they wouldn’t back the budget if the Indy cash was cut. 

However, Alba Party have said that the Greens have now dropped their red line on independence. At the weekend, the Scottish Greens set out their final position ahead of the publication of tomorrow’s draft budget - and it did not include their previous demand that independence funding must remain in place. 

Green co-leader, Lorna Slater, caused controversy earlier this year when she said that support for independence would not be a red line in regards to a potential coalition agreement with Scottish Labour after the next Scottish Parliament election. 

Commenting, Alba Party Chair Tasmina Ahmed- Sheikh said;

"We already knew that the Greens support for independence was about political convenience and the independence movement was appalled when Lorna Slater previously said it wasn’t a red line when it came to propping up Labour after the next Holyrood election. 

"However, their latest red line on independence did not not last long. In contrast, Alba Party’s Holyrood leader, Ash Regan, has been working constructively with the Scottish Government to deliver fuel payments for pensioners and school meals for children. That’s the sort of grown up politics the independence movement needs back in the room.”