Scottish Greens Patrick Harvie warns they won't stay in government at all costs
Members of the party are meeting in Clydebank later for their spring conference.
Last updated 25th Mar 2023
The co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie, is warning they will not stay in government "at all costs".
Members of the party are meeting in Clydebank today for their spring conference and their agreement with the SNP is expected to be under the spotlight.
Tensions over comments during leadership campaign
It comes amid recent tensions around all three candidates for the First Minister job raising concerns about the deposit return scheme.
Patrick Harvie said: "We will be clear about some of the comments made during the campaign and after the result of the SNP election has been announced on Monday we will have an online meeting to decide the way forward.
"I am concerned about statements made during the campaign about social values and environmental measures too.
"Our members are really keen for the Scottish Government to remain committed to the measures outlined in the Bute House agreement.
We will find out on Monday who has won the leadership contest between Kate Forbes, Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan.
Kate Forbes said: "I have worked well with the Greens in the past and my approach would be to open conversations with them as quickly as possible to keep them on side."
Deposit return scheme
The other co-leader of the Scottish Greens Lorna Slater is claiming any attempt to delay the deposit return scheme could be "damaging".
She said: "We're looking to create 500 jobs, some of those have already be recruited for," the minister stated.
"No-one with any credibility at this point would do anything to undermine that substantial investment that has been made by businesses of all sizes to get ready for deposit return."
When introduced, the scheme will see shoppers charged a 20p deposit on every drink they buy in a can or bottle, with that money then refunded to them when they return the empty containers for recycling.
She added: "Those businesses that have committed to this, they need to see those 20ps start flowing so they can get their return on that investment.
"Businesses have invested in reverse vending machines, they only start getting the handling fees for those when those 20ps start flowing and those businesses need that money back.
"To delay that when businesses need that investment, would be very, very damaging.
"I don't think anyone with any credibility would seek to delay it after all that investment has been made."