A political engagement?

Back in January, I reported on preliminary post-2007 talks between the SNP and the Greens. It now seems that these talks are developing, with the Greens agreeing to prop up an Alex Salmond-led Executive by not taking Cabinet seats, but supporting SNP Budgets, and voting with the Executive on no-confidence votes, in exchange for concessions on policy issues, such as nuclear power (where the two parties are in agreement anyway, as are the LibDems, who could find themselves as the SNP's formal Coalition partners next year). The Greens would also be free to oppose the Executive on other issues.

The SNP are happy with this, and the Greens are almost satisfied, but there is one obstacle: the smaller party is unhappy with Fergus Ewing holding the Transport portfolio in the SNP Shadow Cabinet. He's viewed as a "petrolhead" at odds with Green Party attitudes. My guess is they'll either move him to something safer over the Summer, or keep him in place but assure the Greens that he won't be making Transport policy should the SNP form the Executive.