Latest news with #LornaSlater
Edinburgh Reporter
a day ago
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
Lorna Slater says she has the experience to remain co-leader of the party
One of those candidates is Lorna Slater who has been co-leader for the last six years. On Wednesday morning the Lothians MSP was in her local park speaking to the media. She outlined why she believes that The Scottish Greens are in the ascendancy. She said: 'The Scottish Greens have really grown, and our success over the last few years has been really significant. With going into government for the first time, increasing our number of MSPs and of course, our number of councillors across the country, Greens are more influential than ever. 'In next year's Holyrood election, we have the far right coming to Scotland with an anti-trans, anti-immigrant, racist agenda. Climate denial has already arrived in The Scottish Parliament, and The Scottish Greens need to clearly stand against that.' Asked about the Deposit Return Scheme which was disastrous for The Scottish Government and for Ms Slater personally, she explained that the legislation was already in place – and that she had tried hard to implement it. She said: 'The legislation was passed in 2020 before I was elected, and it was my job to get it launched in Scotland. We were weeks away from launch. 'Biffa the contractor had sites all over Scotland. We had businesses all over Scotland who had their reverse vending machines installed. We were ready to go for launch when the UK Government, spearheaded by Alister Jack, decided to shut down the scheme. 'That was so frustrating, and it was an abuse of Scottish devolution, of the Scotland Act, because Scotland, under the Scotland Act, has the power to implement those kind of schemes. 'Unfortunately, post Brexit, that internal market act now exists, which the UK Government can use to stop Scotland from taking forward recycling schemes. 'Fortunately, now the UK Government has finally, after years of prevarication, passed the legislation for their deposit return scheme down in England. So we will be getting a deposit return scheme in Scotland, but unfortunately, that will be on England's schedule instead of the schedule voted for by The Scottish Parliament.' She also explained that the Greens had a range of achievements against their name including the free bus travel for under 22 year olds. She continued: 'The next co leaders will be sharing a platform with Nigel Farage, and Russell Findlay, who are climate denying, anti immigration, and anti trans. The Scottish Greens need to push back against that, and I've got the experience and the confidence. I'm the last woman party leader standing in Scotland, and I want to be on that platform, taking them on with an anti racist, human rights agenda where we're looking at actually making Scotland a fairer and greener place, tackling the climate crisis and continuing to put in place policies that matter to people.' The nominated candidates are: Dominic Ashmole, Ross Greer MSP, Gillian Mackay MSP and Lorna Slater MSP. Any combination of the four candidates may be elected and the election process opens on 13 August, closes on 22 August and the results will be published on 29 August. Any hustings for the leadership roles will begin on Monday 4 August. Lorna Slater MSP Like this: Like Related
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
SNP playing ‘old tune' on independence, says Slater
The SNP is playing an 'old tune' on independence, Scottish Green leadership candidate Lorna Slater has said. SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney announced on Monday that a majority for his party at next year's election should be enough to secure a second vote on independence, as it was for the first in 2014. But speaking to the PA news agency, Ms Slater – who was launching her campaign for re-election as party co-leader in Edinburgh – said she does not expect an SNP majority next May. 'This is an old tune that the SNP have been playing,' she said. 'There are several pro-independence parties in the Scottish Parliament – the Greens have been there all along, from the beginning. 'John Swinney, I think, is being a little disingenuous. 'We had a successful pro-independence majority with the Bute House Agreement that the SNP decided to end.' On her ideas for forcing the UK Government to allow a second referendum, Ms Slater said it is up to those who believe in independence to 'build support' for it. 'We do that by setting out what independence looks like and why it's important,' she said. 'We hear all the time how Brexit has damaged Scotland, it hurts our labour force, meaning business cannot hire employees that they need, it hurts our NHS, we cannot get the carers and workers, and it hurts all of us in our pockets. 'Scottish independence would allow us to build a compassionate asylum system, it would allow us to rejoin the EU, it would allow us to rethink our taxation of wealth, for example. 'Instead of waiting, waiting, waiting for the Government in Westminster to decide what to do, we could make those kinds of decisions here in Scotland, and that's how we win Scottish independence, by getting more people to share that vision.'
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
SNP playing ‘old tune' on independence, says Slater
The SNP is playing an 'old tune' on independence, Scottish Green leadership candidate Lorna Slater has said. SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney announced on Monday that a majority for his party at next year's election should be enough to secure a second vote on independence, as it was for the first in 2014. But speaking to the PA news agency, Ms Slater – who was launching her campaign for re-election as party co-leader in Edinburgh – said she does not expect an SNP majority next May. 'This is an old tune that the SNP have been playing,' she said. 'There are several pro-independence parties in the Scottish Parliament – the Greens have been there all along, from the beginning. 'John Swinney, I think, is being a little disingenuous. 'We had a successful pro-independence majority with the Bute House Agreement that the SNP decided to end.' On her ideas for forcing the UK Government to allow a second referendum, Ms Slater said it is up to those who believe in independence to 'build support' for it. 'We do that by setting out what independence looks like and why it's important,' she said. 'We hear all the time how Brexit has damaged Scotland, it hurts our labour force, meaning business cannot hire employees that they need, it hurts our NHS, we cannot get the carers and workers, and it hurts all of us in our pockets. 'Scottish independence would allow us to build a compassionate asylum system, it would allow us to rejoin the EU, it would allow us to rethink our taxation of wealth, for example. 'Instead of waiting, waiting, waiting for the Government in Westminster to decide what to do, we could make those kinds of decisions here in Scotland, and that's how we win Scottish independence, by getting more people to share that vision.'
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Four candidates confirmed for Scottish Greens co-leadership contest - including Ross Greer and Lorna Slater
The Scottish Greens will elect two co-leaders next month to take the party into next year's Holyrood election. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Four candidates will battle it out for the two Scottish Greens co-leadership roles ahead of next year's Holyrood election. Patrick Harvie, who has been an MSP since 2003, is stepping down ahead of the coming co-convener election, while incumbent co-leader, Lorna Slater, is seeking re-election. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Images) Mr Harvie withstood a campaign from some activists to deselect him as a candidate ahead of next year's Holyrood election and will be the party's first choice on the regional list for Glasgow. As well as Ms Slater, who tops the Edinburgh and Lothians East list for the Greens, two MSPs and a party candidate have put themselves forward for the two leadership roles. Previously, at least one of the co-conveners was required to be female. But the party has scrapped the rule over the 'legal implications and risks' following the Supreme Court judgment that established a new position that a woman in the Equality Act referred to a biological woman. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Greens spokesperson said the decision was necessary 'given the toxic, reactionary culture war that has been waged against our trans community by other parties and parts of the media'. That means any of the four candidates can be elected co-leader of the Scottish Greens. Alongside Ms Slater, Central Scotland MSP Gillian Mackay, who successfully introduced buffer zones outside abortion clinics to prevent anti-abortion protesters from harassing people attending medical appointments, is vying for the leadership role. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Greens finance spokesperson Ross Greer is also in the running, having taken on a key role in talks with SNP ministers over the Bute House Agreement and budget negotiations. READ MORE: Row breaks out over Scottish Green selection contest as key figure quits Research and development manager, Dominic Ashmole, has also put himself forward for the leadership contest, having been selected as a candidate for the South Scotland region for the party at next year's election. During the announcement of election candidates last week, Greens internal elections officer Kate Joester resigned after failing to spot an issue from a third party and admitted there was an 'anomaly'.
The Herald Scotland
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Chapman 'deselection' sends shockwaves through Greens
Ms Chapman served as the party's co-convener along with Patrick Harvie from 2013 to 2019 when she lost out to Lorna Slater, who is currently co-convener. She is currently the party's equalities spokeswoman in Holyrood and also sits on the Scottish Parliament's corporate body, the cross party responsible for running the Scottish Parliament building. READ MORE: Maggie Chapman ousted as top Green candidate ahead of Holyrood 2026 Why does everyone seem to hate Maggie Chapman? Under pressure Police Scotland requests help from NI with Donald Trump visit Chapman defends trans rights after surviving Tory bid to oust her This year's internal elections saw her lose out to rival candidate Guy Ingerson, who is co-convener of the Rainbow Greens, the party's LBBTQ+ wing, for the top ranking on the party's north east list. With polling suggesting it is unlikely the Greens will get two MSPs in the north east, it means she is unlikely to be re-elected to Holyrood. Controversially, the party decided against any gender balancing mechanism in the selection contests. "It is a massive surprise to see any incumbent not get selected. We were really sad not to see the gender balancing that we've had in the past," said one senior member. "If there had been gender balancing she would have been in top ranked." Another senior member told The Herald that controversies surrounding Ms Chapman in Holyrood could have seen her pushed to number two on the list. She was censured by the party in October 2023 after tweeting that the Hamas terror attack on Israel was 'a consequence of apartheid, of illegal occupation and of imperial aggression by the [[[[Israel]]]] state.' Party brass refused to back her, with co-leader Lorna Slater telling the BBC she had spoken to Ms Chapman about her tweet. While Ms Chapman apologised for 'any upset' in a subsequent post, the reputational damage was done. Further controversy followed in the spring of 2025. Speaking at a rally in Aberdeen, Chapman said the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman was based in 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred'. She was blasted by top lawyers and narrowly survived a vote to oust her as Deputy Convenor of Holyrood's Equalities Committee in April - after voting for herself to remain in post. "There is shock across the party today. I think Guy got selected as the lead candidate as the party in the north east needs a refresh and Maggie's had a different parliamentary term." Ms Chapman was first elected as an MSP in 2021 when she was the lead candidate on the North East regional list for the Scottish Greens, and was the first Green MSP in the region since Shiona Baird lost her seat in 2007.
