SNP and Greens reach working agreement on Glasgow council administration

The SNP and Scottish Greens have reached a working agreement to allow a new administration at Glasgow City Council to be formed.

It means current leader Susan Aitken will likely stay in her position in an SNP minority administration.

Green councillors will be given “key positions”, including the chair of a new committee on net zero and climate change.

The SNP emerged as the largest party following the election earlier this month, with 37 seats to Labour’s 36.

The Greens increased the size of their group to 10 councillors on the 85-seat council.

The SNP said the agreement would not be binding on any votes beyond the first council meeting.

SNP group leader Ms Aitken said: “Glaswegians face huge challenges in the years ahead, from the daily impact of the cost-of-living crisis on incomes and the longer-term effect of the pandemic and Brexit on communities through to ensuring a fair and just transition delivers for all Glaswegians and that our city is climate-ready.

“In a time of great uncertainty this agreement between the SNP and Greens can help provide the confident and responsible leadership this city and its people require.

“This is about doing politics and governance differently.

“It’s clear that the SNP and Greens have much common ground and have agreed in recent years on how best to meet major challenges affecting Glaswegians.

“And crucially, we share a willingness to collaborate to take the bold, urgent and progressive action which the immediate and future needs of Glaswegians’ demands.”

The Greens said their group would remain an opposition party.

Green group co-convener Martha Wardrop said: “The recent election result clearly showed us that the people of Glasgow agreed with our vision for a more effective, more democratic and forward-looking council.

“With our largest ever group of Green councillors, we will hold a minority SNP administration to account while working collaboratively across party lines to deliver a fairer, greener and more inclusive Glasgow and to bring about the change that people voted for.”