For A Fairer, Greener, Independent Scotland
Scotland should be an independent country.
The Scottish Greens have long supported independence, not as a destination in itself, but because of the opportunity it brings to create a fairer, greener, kinder Scotland. Decades of Tory austerity, and now Labour’s shift to the right, has reinforced the fact that Scotland must be allowed to choose a different path.
The Scottish Greens have effectively and constructively played our role in devolved politics since the Parliament was reconvened over 25 years ago, achieving more than any other opposition party in that time. But our best efforts are still not enough to protect Scotland from the power-grab of Westminster and the spectre of a far-right government.
Only with independence can Scotland avoid being dragged into the UK’s proxy wars, and rid our waters of nuclear weapons. Only with independence can we rejoin the EU, and replace the outdated and disgraced hereditary monarchy. Only with independence can we fully redistribute the vast wealth hoarded by a tiny few and use it to end the scandalous levels of poverty in this wealthy country.
In the meantime, we must make full use of every power we have in Scotland to improve people’s lives. Holyrood needs to show courage and be more ambitious for itself and for the people of Scotland. And we must take every opportunity to reform how our Parliament works so that it can truly represent the people of Scotland in a fair, equitable and inclusive way.
- Ensure the Scottish Parliament uses all its devolved powers to the full, maximising our ability to create better lives, stronger communities, and a cleaner environment for everyone in Scotland.
- Initiate the Section 30 process in the Scotland Act to call for the devolution of the remaining powers reserved to Westminster, including power over taxation, workers’ rights, energy regulation, migration, and foreign affairs.
- Press for the Scottish Parliament to be ambitious and legislate in areas where the Scotland Act is ambiguous on devolved and reserved powers, including driving up pay and conditions for workers, and taxing wealth.
- Call on the UK Government to scrap the Internal Markets Act, which limits the Scottish Parliament’s ability to make full use of its decision-making powers.
- Work with the devolved governments in Wales and Northern Ireland to establish a forum for real collaboration across the nations, and ensure that the UK Government is forced to come to the table and co-operate on cross-border matters.
- Develop a national Trust and Transparency Strategy to address corporate lobbying, influence and conflicts of interest.
- Devolve powers to regulate AI technologies to Holyrood, and in the meantime, increase transparency around the use of AI systems in public decision making by establishing a register of use.
- Update Scotland’s Freedom of Information legislation, including allowing Parliament to extend the system to new bodies, working with other parties to ensure that a parliamentary committee leads this on a cross-party basis.
- Improve accountability of MSPs by introducing a power of recall for local voters.
- End the use of cash deposits for election candidates, instead requiring candidates to collect signatures to qualify for nomination.
- Automate voter registration to reduce barriers to voting, starting in schools, colleges and universities.