Exclusive: Patrick Harvie rules out trying to extract concessions from the SNP in return for backing independence bill

Patrick Harvie - credit: Parliament TV

Patrick Harvie has ruled out trying to extract policy concessions from the SNP in return for backing an independence bill, if one was introduced in the Scottish Parliament.

Nicola Sturgeon has started planning a new drive for independence following the UK vote for Brexit. But with the SNP two seats short of a majority in Holyrood, it would need the support of another party to get any bill legislating for a second referendum on independence through the Scottish Parliament.

Speaking to Holyrood, Harvie said: “We are certainly not going to play quid pro quo games with an issue as important as this. We wouldn’t trade off supporting something that is our own party policy in exchange for concessions on something completely different."

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He continued: “But the terms of the referendum bill obviously have to be right, and we want to work constructively to make sure the nature of the referendum campaign is genuinely inclusive, and that it goes beyond where things were last time. So for example currency needs to be developed from where the SNP was in 2014.

“So it is not about saying, ‘we will only support a referendum if…’, it is about being constructive working together and making sure, when it comes, we are in the strongest position as possible.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to legislate for a possible second independence referendum in the wake of the referendum on the EU, with the UK voting to leave but a majority in Scotland coming out in support of remain.

The SNP then announced plans for a new growth commission, which will be tasked with examining different currency options for an independent Scotland.

But Harvie used his speech at the Green conference to warn against the idea of campaigning for a shared pound after a vote for independence, with the Green co-convener arguing the plan would prove “even more unconvincing than it did in 2014”.

Referring to the SNP’s growth commission, Harvie told Holyrood: “I would like to have seen more people who could have brought some practical experience of the sort of ground work that would need to be done if we were going to establish an independent currency, and also about the transition away from fossil fuels, because a currency that is too over exposed to that kind of industry is not going to be in a strong position to offer genuine, sustainable prosperity for Scotland.  But that is Green party policy and I would not expect the SNP to start pretending they are the Green party. We are different parties.

“So they will produce what they produce and I hope it is a serious debate about alternative currency options, because it is clear that a repeat of 2014, especially in the Brexit context, isn’t going to cut it.”