Holyrood power deal moves closer

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Minority government looks increasingly likely, with an announcement expected on Friday.

The Lib Dems still refusing to get involved over the issue of a referendum on independence.

SNP leader Alex Salmond could be sworn in as the country's new First Minister next Wednesday if a deal is struck.

The Nationalists and Greens held their third day of formal negotiations at the Executive's St Andrew's House headquarters.

Both parties are now confident that an agreement can be reached on a new partnership model of government - expected to be the Greens' preferred model of "confidence and supply".

This would stop short of a formal coalition agreement, but would see the Greens backing the First Minister in any vote of confidence, as well as backing the budget.

A spokesman for the Greens said: "There has been a lot of discussion about climate change and advancing that was one of our top priorities in the election campaign. It's an area where we want to see progress.

"There are a lot of issues where we don't agree, but in the spirit of political co-operation that the Scottish people would expect, we're prepared to work together in the hope of reaching an agreement."

There has been no further contact with the Lib Dems, but he added that the "door is always open" for Nicol Stephen's party to get involved. But Lib Dems spokeswoman confirmed that the party still had no plans to get round the table.