Gillian Mackay congratulates new Ministers on appointments
The Scottish Greens and the Scottish Government are working as a team to make Scotland better says Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay, who used a speech in Parliament to welcome the appointment of the new Cabinet.
Pledging to get stuck into unfinished business, Gillian called for MSPs to work collaboratively to deliver for Scotland.
Speaking in the Chamber, she said:
“I am obviously delighted to see Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater re-appointed. The Bute House agreement has shown what can be achieved through collaborative politics and has seen key Green policies put at the heart of Government.
“I look forward to them getting stuck into unfinished business, including delivering permanent rent controls, creating our next national park, launching our desperately needed deposit return scheme, rolling out record breaking funding for nature restoration and active travel, and of course, releasing more beavers into Scotland’s wetlands!
“We also all rightly at the start of this Parliament praised ourselves for doing better on making the Parliament more representative of the outside world. This is the first female majority cabinet, the first Muslim First Minister, a cabinet that has young politicians and the youngest member of this chamber is a Minister.
“We have achieved a lot but there is much more to do. Delivering a full ban on conversion practices and bringing in safe access zones to abortion clinics; developing the bold new climate plan we desperately need if we are to have any chance of tackling the climate emergency; and beginning the long slow task of restoring our land and seas, through highly protected marine areas and ongoing nature restoration work.
“We are a team making Scotland better and we have made progress on that over the last 18 months of the agreement. I know all of your families and friends will be so proud of you all and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”
