Next first minister must look beyond 'political tribalism', Scottish Greens say

Scotland's next first minister must look beyond "political tribalism" and lead a "climate parliament", the Scottish Greens have said.

The party will host its conference in Clydebank on Saturday, with an update to the Bute House Agreement amongst key items of business.

That agreement took the party into government alongside the SNP, but there have been questions about whether it will survive the SNP leadership contest.

Both Kate Forbes and Ash Regan have indicated they may seek revisions to the deal, if they are elected to succeed Nicola Sturgeon, while Humza Yousaf has warned ending the deal could cost the SNP government the Green votes it needs to get its legislation through the parliament.

That's amidst criticism by the candidates of the Deposit Return Scheme, which has been spearheaded by Green minister Lorna Slater.

Today the Greens have said Scotland's next first minister must lead a "climate parliament" as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) publishes a new report.

Slater and co-leader Patrick Harvie said: "The decisions that our parliament and this Scottish Government take over the next months will define whether we succeed in mitigating Scotland's role in the deadly impacts of this crisis. That is the reality of what the new first minister will face.

"It's a huge test for government, but also for parliament. The legal dutites which Scotland has on climate change were agreed by all parties so the onus is on all of us to step up and show how they can be met. 

"This is now way beyond political tribalism, which is why we are callin on the new first minister to lead a 'climate parliament' that can focus on sustained action."

The party seeks new laws to "dramatically speed up" greener domestic heating systems, cheaper public transport, refocused food production, and a focus on jobs in renewable energy, and wants the next FM to show they are "fully committing to ways of working which reduce waste and litter and maximise re-use of materials".

Harvie said: "The current SNP leadership election is for that party and its members. But as soon as the dust settles on that contest, the election of a new first minister will come with the warnings of the IPCC still ringing loudly. Any credible candidate will need to both acknowledge them and rise to that challenge."