Ash Regan accuses Greens of ‘petulance’ amid office relocation row

Ash Regan has accused the Scottish Greens of “petulance” over a reported row about her office relocation in the Scottish Parliament.

Regan, who defected to Alba from the SNP last week, may be moved to the same corridor as the Scottish Greens and Lib Dems.

But according to The Scotsman, Green MSPs and staff are uncomfortable with the situation due to Regan’s stance on gender law reforms.

A spokesperson for Regan said her relocation had been “weaponised by the Greens” and the decision should be made by parliamentary authorities.

They added: “This institution is the heart of our nation's democracy and should be treated with the respect it deserves by all parties.

“The apparent petulance exhibited is not in keeping with the conduct expected of elected members of the Scottish Parliament. It is incumbent upon us all to reflect on our responsibility to work collaboratively for the good of the people of Scotland.”

The MSP resigned as the Scottish Government’s community safety minister last year to vote against the Gender Recognition Reform Bill, legislation which the Scottish Greens support.

At the time, Regan argued the bill “may have negative implications for the safety and dignity of women and girls”.

She later stood for leadership of the SNP following Sturgeon’s resignation but came in third behind Kate Forbes and Humza Yousaf.

During that contest, she hinted she would not seek to continue the Bute House Agreement between the SNP and the Greens.

And speaking at Alba’s conference, she said the deal was “deeply concerning”.

The MSP switched parties after becoming dissatisfied with the SNP’s plans for Scottish independence. In doing so, she became Alba’s first MSP (the party failed to secure a seat in the 2021 election despite running in every region).

First Minister Humza Yousaf said Regan was “no great loss” to the party and called on her to resign her seat to force a by-election.