A meeting of the Scottish Government Cabinet approved the power-sharing deal this morning. Both parties, who support a second independence referendum, have been locked in negotiations since May after the SNP fell one seat short of an overall majority at the Holyrood election.

       The new deal, which still needs to be approved by Green party members and the SNP's National Executive Committee, will see the Greens in national government for the first time in the UK.

       It will not be a formal coalition between the two but will see them work together on key issues including Climate Change as well as separation from the UK.

       The agreement mirrors a similar agreement between Labour and the Lib Dems in the first two terms of the Scottish Parliament when Jack McConnell served as First Minister between 2001 and 2007.

       Under the deal, two Green MSPs will become Scottish Government ministers after a nomination process.

       The draft policy programme known as the Bute House Agreement will see both parties will commit to holding a referendum on Scottish independence after the COVID pandemic has passed, within the current parliamentary session as a top priority.

       Alongside this, it also details collaboration on the climate emergency, economic recovery, child poverty, the natural environment and energy.

       It will also see the creation of two new Scottish Government overseas offices in Warsaw and Copenhagen to promote Scotland’s interests in Central Europe and the Nordic countries.

       The deal also supports the Scottish Government's view that oil and gas licences should be reviewed rather than scrapped.

       Ms Sturgeon was criticised earlier this month for what was seen as a less than full-throated opposition to the controversial Cambo oil field near Shetland.

       The field, which could produce more than 800 million barrels of oil, came to the fore after a UN-backed report was described as "code red for humanity" on climate change.

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       However, as the confidence and supply agreement was announced, the Scottish Conservatives have called for Patrick Harvie’s party to lose their spot at First Minister's Questions.

       Party chief whip Stephen Kerr has written to Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone to request the change.

       If the Presiding Officer did strip the Greens of their slot at FMQs, then only the leaders of Labour and the Tories would be able to scrutinise Ms Sturgeon.

       Mr Kerr has also pushed for the party to be stripped of the ability to call opposition debates and for Green spokespeople to lose the ability to question ministers following Government statements.

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       Mr Kerr added: “It would make a mockery of the Scottish Parliament if members of the government were allowed to tee up Nicola Sturgeon with waste-of-time queries to help her run the clock out at First Minister’s Questions.

       “How will softball questions from Patrick Harvie, drafted in Nicola Sturgeon’s handwriting, hold the government to account?"

       Leader Douglas Ross branded the agreement as a “nationalist coalition of chaos focused on splitting up the country and dividing Scotland with another bitter referendum”.

       The Moray MP added: "Nicola Sturgeon failed to win a majority so she’s had to turn to the extremist Greens to help her push for indyref2 during an economic crisis.

       “It shows just how weak the SNP feel their case is that they’ve had to break bread with a party that is even more anti-jobs, anti-business and ideologically extreme than they are.

       "This SNP-Green deal will punish hardworking families across Scotland, especially anyone who relies on their cars."

       Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the agreement would be a "disaster for Scotland".

       He added: “This straitjacket deal covers all but a handful of issues, with the so-called Greens endorsing the SNP's dismal track record on everything from austerity to the environment.

       “It’s hard to believe they will be a strong voice within government when they certainly never were in opposition."

       But speaking during a media briefing today, Ms Sturgeon defended the deal and made clear it would make "politics and governance better" across the country.

       Whilst acknowledging both parties "had their differences", she stressed the parties will work together to build a "greener, fairer, independent Scotland".

       She added: "The publication of this agreement today undoubtedly marks a historic moment.

       "It grasps that out of great challenge, a better world and a better Scotland is capable of being born, but it understands that achieving it will take boldness, courage and a will to do things differently."

       When pressed if the argement made a second independence referendum more likely, the Scottish First Minister admitted that she hoped Scotland would be independent "sooner rather than later.”

       Ms Sturgeon also said she was "determined there will be a referendum" within the current term of Parliament stressing it would "better equip ourselves [Scotland] from COVID."