The political leadership of the SNP and the Scottish Greens have negotiated a deal to form a new power-sharing partnership at Holyrood.
If agreed by Nicola Sturgeon 's cabinet during a virtual meeting this morning at 9.30am and passed by Green party member at a vote this month it would be the first time a Green party has been in government in the UK.
Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater will ask their members to vote for the deal on August 28 which could see two MSPs given junior minister roles.
Both parties have been locked in negotiations for weeks about what policies they agree and don't agree on.
If agreed then the Scottish Government would have a majority to pass legislation in parliament which could include a new bill on an independence referendum.
At the election in May the SNP fell one seat short of achieving a majority in the parliament, while the Greens finished in fourth returning eight MSPs.
If the deal is agreed the government would have 72 seats in the chamber. 65 are needed to achieve a majority.
Opposition parties have already criticised any deal between the SNP and the Greens.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said it would lead to a "coalition of cuts", while the Tories said it would be threat to economy recovery.
Sarwar said: "The SNP promised to focus on recovery, but there’s no sign they’ve even started yet, instead they have focused on their usual political games and months of 'talks' between Nicola Sturgeon and the Greens.
"All the while, the SNP has failed Scots by dithering, delays, broken promises, and a gulf between their spin and reality.
“As each day passes, Scotland's need for a Government focussed on recovery and results grows.
"Instead, we're set to be subjected to the spectacle of a coalition of cuts that no one voted for being rubber-stamped by a tiny minority of political obsessives."
While, Tory MSP Liam Kerr said: "An SNP-Green deal is dire news for workers and businesses.
“The Green extremists don’t belong anywhere near government. Their manifesto is a doctrine to start a war on working Scotland."
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
