The new First Minister should kick off their reign by “jettisoning the Greens” immediately so that they can sort out the “enormous mess” which is engulfing the Scottish Government, said a SNP grandee.

Former deputy leader Jim Sillars has previously been critical of the relationship between both nationalist parties amid claims that the Scottish Greens have become the “tail wagging the big dog.”

Already, both co-leader Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater have made claims that they will end the Bute House Agreement if the next First Minister vetoes any of their policies, including gender reforms.

Nicola Sturgeon’s replacement will need to decide whether they want to take the UK Government to court in a costly legal battle to cancel out their Section 35 order which has blocked the Gender Reform Recognition Act from becoming law.

Kate Forbes and Ash Regan have indicated that they will not do this, while Humza Yousaf has stepped back from fully committing to this, instead saying he will look at the legal advice first.

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