A GREENS chief listened in to Humza Yousaf’s first Cabinet — despite the official line that the party is not usually at the government top table.
Harry Huyton can be seen following the new First Minister’s inaugural meeting by video link in pics released yesterday.
His initials are on a screen showing remote participants via Microsoft Teams.
Mr Huyton is the taxpayer-funded political adviser to Green ministers Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater. Under the 2021 Bute House Agreement between the SNP and Greens, they are not Cabinet members.
But Mr Huyton’s presence sparked claims the Greens hold too much influence in Mr Yousaf’s Government.
Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy said: “It’s clear Humza Yousaf values having extremist Greens in his inner circle more than extending an olive branch to supporters of his SNP leadership rival Kate Forbes.
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“He is making no attempt to heal the civil war in his own party — this reaffirms that continuing the nationalist coalition of chaos push for independence is the new First Minister’s top priority.”
Mr Huyton was pictured with Mr Harvie, Ms Slater and Ross Greer, another Green MSP, in May 2021 after talks with Nicola Sturgeon — when MSPs were accused of breaking Covid laws while boozing at an Edinburgh bar.
We previously revealed that Mr Harvie and Ms Slater were only invited to two of ex-First Minister Ms Sturgeon’s 43 Cabinet meetings during their first year in government.
After yesterday’s meeting, Mr Yousaf said: “I was pleased to welcome new and returning Cabinet members to our first meeting.
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“I was clear that I want Cabinet to be a forum for open and honest discussion.”
The Cabinet is the Scottish Government’s main decision-making body and meets weekly. It is attended by the First Minister, Cabinet Secretaries, the Minister for Parliamentary Business and the Permanent Secretary — but not junior ministers.
Mr Harvie and Mr Slater were re-appointed as junior ministers by the First Minister earlier this week.
Under the Bute House Agreement, the Scottish Greens co-leaders can be invited “at least twice a year” to Cabinet.
And when they are not able to do so, other members of the Green group at Holyrood may “with the prior agreement of the First Minister” attend instead.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “All Special Advisers to the First Minister periodically attend Cabinet, as required.”
The Cabinet row came amid more controversy over Mr Yousaf’s appointment of a Minister for Independence.
Former Higher Education Minister Jamie Hepburn was given the newly-created job.
The move was slated by rival parties, but Mr Yousaf defended his decision, insisting: “We need independence now more than ever”.
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