Scottish Greens pledge new deal for hospitality workers

Tue 13 Apr, 2021

Scottish Greens will work to improve pay and job security for workers in pubs and restaurants as part of the green recovery.

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie will highlight the importance of trade unions in the recovery today on the campaign trail.

Patrick Harvie said: “The hospitality sector has had a grim year, and supporting small independent hospitality businesses should be seen as a strategic priority for economic recovery.

Scottish Greens pledge more powers for councils

Fri 9 Apr, 2021

Scottish Greens will today pledge to give councils more powers to improve local services.

These include more support to take bus companies in-house, powers to bring vacant properties back into use and reforms of local taxation.

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “The Scottish Greens have worked hard to grant councils new ways to raise revenue but it’s clear Scotland remains too centralised.

“Greens will oppose ministerial vetoes over locally-made decisions, but we need to give councils more power too.

Scottish Greens: secure oil and gas workers future now

Thu 8 Apr, 2021

Scottish Greens have called for the just transition away from oil and gas to begin now, to tackle the climate emergency and secure the future of communities.

In a visit to the North East, co-leader Patrick Harvie will call for subsidies to be shifted away from fossil fuels and reinvested in low-carbon alternatives like renewable energy.

Commenting, Patrick Harvie said: “The UK Government is absolutely reckless in its decision to invest further public subsidy in exploration for new oil and gas.

Greens pledge anonymity and legal aid for victims

Wed 7 Apr, 2021

The Scottish Greens will today pledge to enshrine anonymity for victims of sexual offences in law, and make legal aid available to all domestic abuse victims.

Unlike other UK nations, there is no general prohibition on identifying sexual offence complainers in Scotland. Instead there is an 'understanding' to maintain anonymity between mainstream media outlets.

Greens pledge 5,500 teachers to help schools recovery

Fri 2 Apr, 2021

Scottish Greens will today reveal plans to recruit an additional 5,500 teachers to help schools recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Scottish Greens manifesto will make the pledge, an increase of 10% of the workforce, to help reduce class sizes and teacher workload, which unions warn have become unmanageable in recent years.

Leaders debate: Slater brings fresh energy to TV debate

Wed 31 Mar, 2021

Scottish Green co-leader brought fresh energy to the first TV leaders debate of the 2021 election campaign.

Despite attempts by other leaders to stick to arguments around the timing of a referendum, Lorna Slater clearly laid out the impact Scottish Greens have had in the Scottish Parliament and our vision for Scotland's future as a fairer, greener, independent nation

Commenting on his fellow co-leader's performance on this evening’s leaders’ debate, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said:

Glasgow Greens confirm Holyrood 2021 constituency candidates

Wed 31 Mar, 2021

The Glasgow Green Party has selected candidates for multiple constituencies in Glasgow for the first time in a Scottish election.

Lead Glasgow regional candidates Patrick Harvie, Kim Long and Nadia Kanyange will contest their home constituencies of Glasgow Kelvin, Glasgow Provan and Glasgow Pollok respectively.

Recent polling suggests that the party are on track to elect at least two MSPs in Glasgow, and a record number nationally.

Scottish Greens co-leader, Partick resident and lead Glasgow candidate Patrick Harvie said:

Scottish Greens: Only nine years left to avert climate breakdown

Tue 30 Mar, 2021

Other parties are sleepwalking Scotland to climate breakdown, the Scottish Greens have said.

2020 was one of the warmest years on record, and without further urgent action global warming is on track to rise by more than double the target agreed in the Paris agreement.

Scottish Greens: place mental health at heart of services

Tue 30 Mar, 2021

Mental health should be at the heart of Scotland’s healthcare systems, the Scottish Greens have said.

The Scottish Greens manifesto will include proposals to allocate 10% of frontline health spend to mental health by 2026, invest an additional £161 million into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and expand access to remedies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Social Prescribing.

The party also want more focus on a preventative agenda.

Scottish Greens: Kindergarten can help tackle attainment gap

Mon 29 Mar, 2021

Scottish Green plans to move the age children start formal schooling to seven, and instead introduce a play-based kindergarten stage for the early years can have a vital role in reducing the attainment gap.

Studies show that all children younger than seven respond and develop better with play-based learning, while formal assessments in literacy and numeracy in the early years can put some children off learning.