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| News Deal with Greens opens way for Salmond Alex Salmond yesterday struck a deal with the two Green MSPs which will almost certainly result in him becoming the new First Minister. It dealt a fatal blow to Labour leader Jack McConnell's hopes of remaining First Minister, as it makes it impossible for him to secure enough votes to beat the SNP chief next Wednesday, assuming that the Tories and LibDems abstain. And last night Alex Fergusson, the Tory MSP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, emerged as the front runner to become Presiding Officer, replacing George Reid, after his party relented and allowed him to stand. The only other candidate so far is Margo MacDonald, veteran nationalist turned Independent, who offered to serve for a year to break the current impasse. As part of the co-operation agreement'' the remaining Green MSPs, Robin Harper from Lothian and Patrick Harvie representing Glasgow, will have the convenership of one of the major committees and a promise of early legislation to set targets limiting carbon emissions. They also agreed to oppose new nuclear power stations and to work towards independence. Greens have won a promise to be consulted on the SNP's legislative programme and its budgets over the next four years but are not bound to support the SNP in any other vote. The agreement still leaves the SNP 19 votes short of a working majority, so it is of limited benefit to either side. No agreement was reached on any stronger alliance beyond next week due to differences over transport projects. The Greens wanted to block the Aberdeen ring road and M74 extension, while retaining Edinburgh's trams, but the SNP insists it wants to keep the road projects and scrap the tram scheme. Labour claimed the deal fell short of SNP hopes and refused to concede Mr Salmond would be elected First Minister. 12:54am Saturday 12th May 2007
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Martin on 5:52pm Sat 12 May 07
People who state the election was "close" forget the fact that the SNP have surged from a long way behind Labour in a relative short time to overtake them despite the best intentions of a blanket media that was either against them the whole time or (like the Sunday herald) changed in the final week.
For a country like Scotland to change so radically sends a very clear signal that there is no wish for a Labour or LIbDem First Minister - it would be a scandal if there was. Lots of talk of deals at Westminster does not surprise me - it is only natural for people to look after their own most important Parliament. Here is the message for the people of Scotland - for the SNP and The Greens , the most important Parliament is at Holyrood -wake up those who continue to stick with people who have delivered a smoking ban ( despite Jack McConnel being against a complete public ban) and very little else. The dawn raids on "illegal" immigrant families continues to be a shameful practice that Westminster and the Uniosts continue to support. | 
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