Joanna Cherry says Bute House Agreement with ‘totalitarian’ Scottish Greens should be brought to an end

Joanna Cherry has said the SNP should bring the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens to an end – calling them “totalitarian”.  

Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe at the Stand Comedy Club, the SNP MP claimed that there are elements of the Greens that are “anti-free speech” and “anti-gay". She added that some of the party’s MSPs had acted in a “disgraceful way” towards women and criticised their approach to tackling climate change.  

Asked whether the Bute House Agreement should be reconsidered, Cherry, who said she voted against it in 2021 following the Scottish Parliament election, said it should be and that “the Scottish Greens have become a totalitarian party”.  

Cherry said: “The best and most decent and most thoughtful parliamentarian they've ever had, Andy Wightman, was drummed out.  

“Some of their parliamentarians have behaved in a disgraceful way towards women. There is a feeling that the tail is wagging the dog in Holyrood.  

“The SNP have a huge mandate, the Greens don’t.”  

Commenting on the party’s approach to the climate emergency, she said: “The Scottish Greens’ approach to the climate crisis is focused on individual solutions and solutions funded by private capital.  

“Quite apart from the anti-free speech and anti-gay elements of the Greens, they are not on top of proper, collective governmental solutions to the climate crisis, so I’m not a big fan.”  

Cherry said that the future of the deal “is up to the SNP to decide”. She said that it should be discussed as a party, adding that there is an “appetite to discuss it”.   

In response to Cherry's comments, a Scottish Greens spokesperson said: "With Scottish Greens in government we are delivering the positive change that our country needs, whether it is the Scottish Child Payment, rent freeze and benefit cap mitigation than have helped the most vulnerable and lifted children out of poverty, or record investment in active travel, wildlife and nature.

"There are always people who will oppose progressive change. In the meantime, we will continue working in government to build a fairer, greener and better Scotland."