Full Breakdown
SNP Conference Invites Green Co-Leader, Prompting Member Outcry
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
The Scottish National Party (SNP) scheduled Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay to speak for five minutes at its upcoming conference in Aberdeen. The decision has provoked sharp criticism from grassroots activists who view the move as tone-deaf in Scotland’s oil-rich north-east.
Background & Context
Relations between the SNP and the Scottish Greens soured after First Minister Humza Yousaf terminated the Bute House Agreement in 2024 and dismissed the two Green ministers. The split followed a pending Green-member vote on remaining in government and a subsequent vote of no confidence that forced Yousaf’s resignation. The controversy resurfaces amid a by-election in Aberdeen South, where the SNP was portrayed as a referendum on North Sea oil and gas policy. Scotland’s offshore energy workforce numbered around 75,000 in 2024 and could decline to as low as 45,000 by the early 2030s, according to the Energy Transition Institute at Robert Gordon University.
Official Statements & Responses
An SNP spokesman emphasized that the party’s independence agenda remains “front and centre” of the conference and defended the inclusion of Plaid Cymru and the Scottish Greens as part of a “broader movement.” The Scottish Greens have been approached for comment but have not responded publicly.
Criticism & Opposition
Grassroots members described the invitation as “laughing at us” and “a step too far,” arguing that giving stage time to a Green leader in the “oil capital of Europe” undermines local concerns about job losses. One activist warned that the timing is especially difficult given the Greens’ stance on oil and gas, noting that the north-east loses roughly 1,000 jobs a month in the sector.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If we came to an SNP conference and listened to Ross Greer or Gillian Mackay, I just think no. If they're just containing it to how we can help each other about independence, then it might be okay. But if it was me, I wouldn't have given them the stage time.” — Greens. They
These reactions highlight the tension between the SNP’s independence strategy and the economic realities facing communities dependent on offshore energy.