New Scottish Labour leader faces indyref row

Sat 27 Feb, 2021

The new leader of Scottish Labour faces internal divisions over an independence referendum.

Anas Sarwar has been elected to replace Richard Leonard, fending off a challenge from Monica Lennon.

Commenting, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said:

“I welcome Anas Sarwar to his new role, but he faces a divided party. Anas has been clear that Scottish Labour would stand in the way of Scots having a say over their future, but this will not play well with around a third of Labour voters who now say they would back independence.

Greens: Labour trident pledge shows need for independence

Fri 26 Feb, 2021

Spending £100 billion on nuclear weapons would an obscenity, particularly when we are rebuilding from COVID, say the Scottish Greens. This comes as Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, is expected to use a speech to reinforce the Labour Party's support for renewing Trident.

Responding, Patrick Harvie MSP, co-leader of the Scottish Greens said:

Urgent action needed to end homelessness

Tue 23 Feb, 2021

The Scottish Government must take urgent action to end homelessness in Scotland, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP has said.

Mr Harvie made the call after experimental statistics published by the National Records of Scotland estimated that 216 homeless people died in 2019, an increase of 11% on the previous year.

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

Greens: Universal solutions to poverty needed

Wed 17 Feb, 2021

The First Minister must commit now to universal solutions to tackle rising poverty, the Scottish Greens have said.

Patrick Harvie: Further changes needed to budget

Tue 16 Feb, 2021

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP has warned the Scottish Government that more needs to be done to tackle poverty in communities across the country.

Mr Harvie said as well as doing more to tackle poverty the Scottish Government also needs to increase its ambition on investment in green jobs to sow the seeds of a green economic recovery.

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

“The Scottish Government must go further to deliver a budget that tackles poverty and lays the foundations for a green recovery.

Scottish Greens call for more ambition to tackle poverty

Wed 10 Feb, 2021

The Scottish Government must go further to stem the rising tide of poverty, the Scottish Greens have said.

At FMQs, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie raised warnings about rising poverty, exacerbated by the pandemic.

He called for rent controls and actions to tackle low pay and the costs of transport, energy bills and gaps in the social security system.

Patrick Harvie said: “The Scottish Government has eye-catching targets on child poverty, but even before the pandemic we were on track to miss them.

Greens back four day working week call

Fri 5 Feb, 2021

The Scottish Greens have joined the call for a four-day working week to create new jobs and build a fairer recovery.

SNP and Tory MSPs block Trump wealth order

Thu 4 Feb, 2021

SNP and Conservative MSPs have joined forces to block a call for the Scottish Government to seek an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) on Donald Trump’s golf courses in Scotland.

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie brought the issue to Holyrood after legal advice [1] showed that it was in the power of the First Minister and her cabinet to pursue a UWO, also known as a ‘McMafia’ order.

However, Justice Secretary Huma Yousaf repeated the Scottish Government’s line that the decision should be left to the Crown Office.

The motion was defeated by SNP and Tory MSPs.

Greens: Vaccinations must be part of schools return

Wed 3 Feb, 2021

The reopening of schools must work alongside the vaccination programme to ensure teachers are safe, the Scottish Greens have said.

At First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie called for an assurance that vulnerable teachers do not go back to school before they are vaccinated.

This follows Green calls for better protection for teachers who are vulnerable to COVID-19.

Schools testing delivers on Scottish Greens call

Tue 2 Feb, 2021

The return of pupils to school from this month will be underpinned by regular testing of staff and senior pupils, it has been announced, which was part of a package of measures proposed by the Scottish Greens.

Announcing a return of nursery and junior pupils from the 22 February, followed by senior phase pupils who need to attend for practical courses, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said staff and senior pupils would be offered twice weekly at-home testing.

She also announced payments to people self-isolating would be widened, another call from the Scottish Greens.