John Finnie MSP

Highlands and Islands

Justice, Transport & Tourism, Rural & Island Communities

John is a former police officer and has been a Highlands and Islands MSP since 2011. He is a member of Holyrood's Justice and Rural Economy committees. He successfully campaigned against deploying armed police to routine incidents, work for which he was awarded “Community Politician of the Year 2014”. He has campaigned against cuts to local education and medical services, police control rooms and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux and for public ownership of Calmac Ferries and the railways. He has also pushed for ethical investment of public funds and against ship to ship oil transfers of oil in the Moray Firth.

Climate Change: are we doing all we can to prevent catastrophic climate change?

Tue 4 Dec, 2018

Join John Finnie MSP, former H&I Greens co-convenor Ariane Burgess and current H&I Greens co-convenor Fabio Villani for a participative evening of ideas sharing and discussion about the many, complementary approaches we can take in our efforts to prevent catastrophic climate change: personal, political, spiritual, community-based, protest marches and joyful dances are all valid approaches.

The event will run from 7.15pm to 8.45pm on Friday, 7 December, in the Sunshine Room, East Whins, The Park, Findhorn.

Greens Win Kelp Dredging Ban

Mon 3 Dec, 2018

The Scottish Green Party has hailed victory in the fight to ban the mechanical harvesting of kelp by dredging.

Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform confirmed that she will support Green plans to prohibit the practice, in response to a question from Highlands and Islands Green MSP John Finnie

Potential jobs boost shouldn't distract from disastrous plans for ship-to-ship oil transfers, warns Finnie

Mon 26 Nov, 2018

News of a potential jobs boost at Invergordon shouldn't distract from the Cromarty Firth Port Authority’s "disastrous" plans for ship-to-ship oil transfers and the body’s lack of accountability, according to Scottish Green MSP John Finnie.

Finnie warns Transport Bill doesn't address poverty or do enough to tackle deaths from air pollution

Wed 21 Nov, 2018

Scottish Greens Transport spokesperson John Finnie MSP today (21 Nov) warned that the Scottish Government's proposed Transport Bill doesn't address poverty or do enough to tackle deaths from air pollution.

During today's meeting of Holyrood's Rural Economy & Connectivity Committee, Mr Finnie questioned Transport Secretary Michael Matheson.

John said:

Victory in the fight to ban the mechanical harvesting of kelp by dredging

Tue 20 Nov, 2018

The Scottish Green Party has today hailed victory in the fight to ban the mechanical harvesting of kelp by dredging.

The Case For Local Democracy Renewed

John Finnie MSP Fri 12 Oct, 2018

High quality public services are the bedrock of our society and as demand for services rises, we cannot duck the debate about how they are funded. When we look at the services local councils are responsible for delivering, it becomes clear why their funding is so important. In every community there are council staff working hard, providing help and operating facilities that we all use on a regular basis: schools, social care, housing, roads, leisure centres and libraries. Local councils in Scotland employ over 240,000 people - that’s almost 10 per cent of all the jobs in Scotland.

Finnie urges public inquiry into Sheku Bayoh case

Wed 3 Oct, 2018

Scottish Greens justice spokesperson John Finnie MSP today (3 Oct) urged Scottish Ministers to set up a public inquiry into the Sheku Bayoh case, after the family was told that no criminal charges will be brought.

31-year-old Mr Bayoh died after being restrained by police who were called to reports of a man behaving erratically and brandishing a knife in the street in Kirkcaldy in May 2015.

Finnie highlights warnings from bus industry experts on Transport Bill

Wed 3 Oct, 2018

Scottish Greens transport spokesperson John Finnie MSP today (3 Oct) highlighted warnings from bus industry experts that the Scottish Government’s proposed Transport Bill won’t reverse the year-on-year decline in bus use.

Bus patronage in Scotland has fallen by 43 million trips in the last five years.

At today’s meeting of Holyrood’s Rural Economy & Connectivity Committee, Mr Finnie questioned a range of experts on whether the Transport Bill will arrest the decline.

Ending 'justifiable assault' will show that Scotland really is the best place in the world to grow up

Fri 7 Sep, 2018

Today (7th September) John Finnie MSP, Justice spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has published his Member’s Bill to give children equal protection from assault.

If passed the Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill will see Scotland join more than 50 other countries around the world in ensuring that children are protected from physical punishment.

Greens deride First Minister for ‘forefront of low carbon travel’ claim

Mon 3 Sep, 2018

A Green MSP is accusing the First Minister of “green window dressing” after claiming that a £16m fund, and announcements in the 2018-19 Programme for Government, will place Scotland at the “forefront of low carbon travel”.

John Finnie, the Scottish Greens’ transport spokesperson, says the claim is hollow because Norway has pledged to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2025, seven years ahead of the Scottish Government’s 2032 aim.