Greens seek ambition in Scottish Budget
This week’s Scottish budget must show ambition for a fair recovery from the pandemic and urgency in tackling the climate crisis, the Scottish Greens have said.
Unlike other opposition parties, the Scottish Greens have consistently made an impact on the Scottish Government’s spending plans over the last five years.
This has included realising the Scottish Green 2016 manifesto pledge of reforming income tax in Scotland, reversing proposed cuts in council budgets to save local services, the introduction of environmental protections such as marine protected areas, increased funding for walking and cycling and giving every young person under the age of 19 free bus travel from this year.
However, the Greens have warned this year’s budget must reflect the current challenges of ensuring the creation of new jobs with investment in low-carbon industries and ensuring that Scotland’s most vulnerable are protected in the pandemic recovery plans.
Commenting, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “The triple crises we face as a nation of Brexit, the pandemic and the climate emergency mean that this is a more important budget than ever.
“As always, the Greens stand ready to play a constructive role, but the SNP must place a higher priority on protecting the vulnerable and ensuring a fair and green recovery.
“Even before the pandemic, targets on child poverty and climate emissions were being shamefully missed, so it is imperative that the budget laid out by Kate Forbes addresses those rather than make them worse.
“We need to see significant investment in public transport, green energy and warm homes, creating green jobs and building a fairer Scotland.”