Updates

Scottish Greens pledge to abolish not proven verdict

Tue 6 Apr, 2021

Scottish Greens would abolish the ‘not proven’ verdict, the party has announced.

Scotland, unlike most of the world's legal systems, has three possible verdicts in criminal cases - guilty, not guilty and not proven – but in practice the ‘not proven’ outcome is an acquittal, with the same outcome as ‘not guilty’. This often creates significant confusion for jurors.

Scottish Greens: end the war on drugs

Sat 3 Apr, 2021

Scottish Greens will today pledge to end the war on drugs so that resources are channelled into tackling it as a public health rather than a criminal justice issue.

The Scottish Green manifesto will include proposals to adopt a person-centred approach with a focus on drop-in services and crisis centres which are accessible and provide holistic support. This will include the introduction of safe consumption facilities.

The party would also integrate alcohol and drug partnerships with other services to develop a well-planned rehabilitation service.

Glasgow City Council votes overwhelmingly to end fossil fuel investments

Thu 1 Apr, 2021

This afternoon Glasgow City Council overwhelmingly voted for a Scottish Green motion to  end its pension fund investments in fossil fuels.

The Strathclyde Pension Fund, which GCC is part of, has over £500 million worth of holdings in fossil fuel companies. As well as having its employees being covered by the fund, GCC is also the fund administrator, on behalf of the SPF trustees.

The motion was part of the budget agreement between the SNP administration the Scottish Green Party and sets a major precedent for other local authority pension funds.

Scottish Greens pledge new deal for renters

Wed 31 Mar, 2021

The Scottish Greens will today pledge rent controls as part of a ‘new deal for renters’, to enshrine people’s right to a home.

The call comes after the pandemic exposed how private renting is often expensive and insecure.

Scottish Greens pledge to make the winter evictions ban a permanent feature after the pandemic, as they are in countries like France, strengthen the landlord registration process and establish a Private Rented Sector Regulator to oversee the sector, investigate tenants’ complaints and recommend future reforms.