Patrick Harvie MSP

Glasgow

Finance, Economy, Fair Work, Equalities

Patrick is Co-Convenor of the Scottish Green Party and has been an MSP since 2003. He is a member of Holyrood's Finance and Standards committees.

In previous sessions of Parliament he served on the Economy, Communities and Transport committees. He has been involved in a range of issues, from asylum and civil liberties to sexual health and food policy, and was a prominent campaigner for Yes during the independence referendum.

In the last session of Parliament he led the Better Buses public transport campaign, the Rent Rights housing campaign (resulting in rent controls being included in legislation) and he took forward Margo MacDonald’s Assisted Suicide Bill. He lives in Glasgow and is a big fan of craft ale.

Harvie: Pride Glasgow must avoid becoming bland celebration

Sat 14 Jul, 2018

Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Greens’ co-convener will today tell participants at Pride Glasgow that schools and workplace have much work to do to become safe places for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people.

Harvie, who will later join the parade from Clyde Place to Kelvingrove Park, will say that government action on creating an “inclusive education system”, where legislation is in place requiring all schools to be proactive in tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, is long overdue.

Trump 'increasingly fascist', proved wrong on energy & jobs, says Harvie

Sun 8 Jul, 2018

Ahead of this week’s visit to the UK by the US President, long-time Trump critic Patrick Harvie MSP, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, says not only is the billionaire property developer “increasingly fascist” but time has proved him wrong on the economy.

In 2012, Mr Harvie challenged Trump during an inquiry by Holyrood’s economy, energy and tourism committee into renewable energy targets.

We cannot be complacent on environmental protections as Brexit looms

Patrick Harvie MSP Fri 29 Jun, 2018

Amid the hubbub of a cabinet reshuffle, a minister-in-waiting scandal and a shelved education bill, the growing threat facing Scotland’s environment has been somewhat overlooked this week.

Powers relating to most environmental matters, such as air quality, water, energy, food and farming are devolved to Scotland. To date, these powers have been used in the context of UK membership of the EU.

FMQs: Harvie issues LGBT-inclusive education challenge

Thu 28 Jun, 2018

Patrick Harvie says Nicola Sturgeon must prioritise the implementation of legislation for an inclusive and prejudice-free education system for LGBT pupils after the SNP abandoned plans for its flagship education bill.

Today at First Minister’s Questions, the Scottish Greens’ co-convener said that the government’s shelved education reforms should be scrapped indefinitely and that greater funding for schools must underpin the drive for improved education standards.

Harvie challenges SNP MPs on Heathrow after Labour changes stance

Wed 20 Jun, 2018

Green MSP Patrick Harvie is challenging SNP MPs to resist voting with the Tories on Heathrow expansion after Labour declared that its official position is against building a new runway, calling the plan “incompatible” with environmental and climate change obligations.

MPs are expected to vote on the UK Government proposals next Monday and ministers at Holyrood are going along with the Conservatives in the widely debunked claim that “a new third runway is deliverable within its international carbon commitments”.

Harvie: SNP prioritising Heathrow ahead of public transport

Thu 14 Jun, 2018

Scottish ministers have admitted they are relying on, and are content with, the environmental impact assessments carried out by the UK government on building a third runway at Heathrow.

The admission came from Keith Brown at Holyrood today after being questioned by Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Greens’ co-convener. Harvie says it’s strange for the SNP, who regularly claim Westminster is out of touch, to be in complete agreement with the Tories on aviation policy.

Constitutional crisis increases urgency of giving people of Scotland control of their own future

Thu 14 Jun, 2018

Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie MSP today (14 June) used First Minister's Questions to urge Nicola Sturgeon to take inspiration from progressive governments around the world to grow support for independence amid a constitutional crisis caused by Tory recklessness and Labour indifference.

Harvie puts forward Green alternative to SNP’s growth commission report on independence

Wed 13 Jun, 2018

Independence will provide Scotland with the opportunity to match the “progressive economic, social and environmental policies” of successful similarly-sized countries, contrasting with the decline of post-Brexit Britain, say the Scottish Greens.

However, Patrick Harvie also used the finance and constitution debate at Holyrood to warn that “growth economics”, which he says dominates the economic analysis in the SNP’s Sustainable Growth Commission report, is not sustainable in a “finite world” with a “fragile ecosystem already under extreme pressure”.

Campaigners for an independent Scotland should take inspiration from New Zealand's new, progressive intentions

Mon 4 Jun, 2018

Campaigners for an independent Scotland should be wary of looking at New Zealand’s economic track record as a model to follow, and instead take inspiration from its new, progressive intentions, according to a New Zealand Green MP with Scottish connections.

Harvie: Aviation tax cut fails to take off

Fri 1 Jun, 2018

The Scottish Government has announced that “is not possible” to introduce its proposed Air Departure Tax in time for the beginning of the next fiscal year, a move welcomed by the Scottish Greens.

In a written answer from the finance secretary, the government reveals that the new form of reduced Air Passenger Duty will not be in place before April 2019 because of a disagreement with the UK government on “the Highlands and Islands exemption issue”.

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