HARVIE HIGHLIGHTS GREEN ECONOMIC PRIORITIES
Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green MSP for Glasgow, today used a Scottish Parliament debate on Scotland's economy to highlight the urgent need to rebalance the economy by opposing cuts, investing in sustainable industries and creating jobs in every part of the country.
Mr Harvie criticised the Labour motion and Libdem amendment in the debate. Labour's motion fails to mention that it has agreed to further spending cuts, while the Libdem amendment expresses concern at cuts it has agreed to as part of the UK Coalition.
Patrick said:
"Scotland is undoubtedly a wealthy country, but our economy remains out of balance. The appalling inequality in our society has not been helped by public spending cuts and the pumping of money into the banks.
"Instead we should pursue a programme of direct investment in sustainable sectors and create local employment so all parts of the country experience real recovery. Labour's failure to mount an effective opposition at Westminster and the Libdems' feigned outrage will be seen for the weaknesses that they are. Green ideas to build an economy for the people are what Scotland and the UK need more than ever."
The amendment put forward by Patrick Harvie for today's debate:
Supporting Scotland’s Economy—As an amendment to motion S4M-12776 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Supporting Scotland’s Economy), leave out from “rejects” to end and insert “considers that the UK Government’s austerity agenda is ideologically motivated by those who seek an ever-smaller state and poorer public services as ends in themselves; deeply regrets that the main opposition party in the UK Parliament also remains committed to cuts that will have the same effect; believes that a credible alternative to austerity is available in the form of a programme of green quantitative easing (QE); recognises that, instead of creating money to rebalance balance sheets in the financial services sector, a green QE programme would provide investment in the transition to a sustainable economy; sees many benefits of such a programme, including stimulating the real economy and the creation of jobs in every constituency of the UK, more rapid progress toward social and environmental targets and localised control of economic assets instead of a privatised model of infrastructure investment; believes that Scotland’s economy needs such investment, and considers that this would complement the progress that has been made on the development of renewables and energy efficiency in Scotland.”