A formal agreement joining the SNP and Scottish Green party could be put before Ms Sturgeon’s cabinet as early as next week, according to the Guardian.

       The political parties have reportedly been locked in negotiations since the SNP fell short of an overall majority in Holyrood by only one seat on May 6.

       If successful, the pro-independence members of the Scottish parliament would stand at 72 – seven more than the 65 needed.

       However, a political observer has just handed Boris Johnson the key to ending the debate once and for all.

       Gilman Grundy said: "The issue should be dead - only the hope of squeezing it through by a 50 percent +1 win keeps it going.

       "Time for a UK version of Canada’s Clarity Act setting out a super-majority requirement and UK consent to put the issue to bed for good."

       The Greens promise to “phase out” oil and gas in the North Sea makes them difficult bedfellows for the SNP as the pledge risks more than 100,000 jobs.

       Scottish Conservative Shadow Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, Liam Kerr raged: “The prospect of an SNP-Green coalition of chaos is terrifying for the 100,000 workers and their families in our oil and gas industry.

       “The SNP Government are working hand-in-hand with a party that’s happy to see thousands of hardworking families lose their jobs to suit their priorities.

       “They care more about their separatist, ideological grievances than Scotland’s jobs and our wider economy and recovery.”

       READ MORE:Sturgeon on brink of referendum as SNP set to secure pro-indy majority

       Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said reports the two parties are close to reaching an agreement, “confirms the long-held suspicion that the Scottish Greens are just a branch office of the SNP”.

       The British Government has already committed ￡16billion in order to support the sector in the North Sea transition towards cleaner and greener technologies.

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