Latest news with #ScottishGreenParty
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Courage on the seas, silence on our shores over Gaza
Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater In the early hours of yesterday morning, the world witnessed yet another brazen violation of international law by the Israeli government. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, 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... The Madleen, a UK-flagged humanitarian aid vessel, was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters while en route to Gaza. Aboard were 12 peace activists, including high-profile figures such as climate activist Greta Thunberg, Irish actor Liam Cunningham and French MEP Rima Hassan. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This ship was not a threat, Israel knew that before it had even left port. It carried no weapons, only vital humanitarian supplies - food, water and medicine for the besieged people of Gaza. Greta Thunberg with part of the crew of the ship Madleen Yet, despite the clear protections of international maritime law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Israeli forces boarded and seized the vessel in a violent, nighttime raid. Let us be clear, this was not just an attack on a ship. It was an attack on humanitarian principles, on international law and on the right of civilians to live free from siege and starvation. It was an attempt to silence the growing global demand for justice and dignity for Palestinians. Scotland and indeed the UK, cannot look away. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The presence of global figures like Thunberg and Cunningham on the Madleen highlights the international scale of concern over the continued blockade of Gaza and is putting the strongest of spotlights on Israel's actions facilitating arguably the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. We must not allow the UK Government's silence to imply consent. Successive governments have remained complicit in the face of clear war crimes, continuing to arm and support the Israeli regime while turning their backs on the victims of its actions. With a UK vessel now seized and its passengers detained, the Labour government's refusal to speak out is both shameful and dangerous. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We cannot claim to stand for peace, human rights and the rule of law while funding, arming and enabling a regime that so flagrantly violates all three. We must demand action. The blockade of Gaza must end. The UK must halt all arms sales to Israel, suspend military cooperation and stand on the side of humanity. The Madleen's mission was to shine a light on the suffering of Gaza and the complicity of the international community in its ongoing tragedy. That light is now brighter than ever. What happens next will show whether the world is willing to act or merely watch. Lorna Slater, Scottish Green party co-leader
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Greens accuse BBC of bias over Debate Night Glasgow special
Lord Haughey, is a prominent Scottish businessman and philanthropist, and has been a major donor to the party. READ MORE Scots Reform chair Zia Yusuf quits Farage's party after burka ban question Rows with press, claims of racism and misinformation - a by-election that turned ugly The word of the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election: scunnered The Glasgow branch of the Scottish Green Party hit out at the broadcaster, describing the line up as a "farce." They have now filed a formal complaint. Councillor Anthony Carroll, the group's democracy spokesperson, said: 'It is clear that the BBC are still keeping the mentality of wanting to balance only between the parties of the past. 'For the Conservatives to have a representative while they can barely hold on to any deposits in Glasgow any more — while the Greens, who surged to third place across the city, are ignored once again — shows just how out of touch they are with the electorate. 'I urge the BBC to address this in any future political broadcasts and avoid another farce.' The BBC has been approached for comment.
Sky News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election: Polls open as public cast votes to replace late MSP
The polls are now open in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election. It comes following the death of SNP government minister Christina McKelvie. The MSP died in March at the age of 57, having last year taken medical leave to undergo treatment for secondary breast cancer. Ms McKelvie, the minister for drugs and alcohol policy, had been an MSP since 2007 and represented the Central Scotland region up to 2011 before going on to serve Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. There are 10 candidates standing in the Holyrood by-election: • Collette Bradley, Scottish Socialist Party • Andy Brady, Scottish Family Party • Ross Lambie, Reform UK • Katy Loudon, Scottish National Party (SNP) • Janice MacKay, UK Independence Party (UKIP) • Ann McGuinness, Scottish Green Party • Aisha Mir, Scottish Liberal Democrats • Richard Nelson, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party • Davy Russell, Scottish Labour Party • Marc Wilkinson, Independent The contest takes place less than a year before the Scottish parliament election, with the result potentially offering a snapshot of how the political landscape north of the border will look in 2026. Polls will close at 10pm on Thursday, with the votes set to be verified and manually counted at South Lanarkshire Council headquarters in Hamilton. Sky News will be covering the count and result.
Scotsman
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Scottish Government turns its back on nature and communities
Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater When I was the Minister for Biodiversity, I had the privilege of launching the process to create Scotland's third national park. It was an exciting moment, a chance to protect and celebrate some of our most precious natural landscapes and to deliver jobs, investment and pride to rural communities. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, 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... Among the strongest candidates for that designation was Galloway. A region rich in natural beauty and history but with real challenges in the local economy. That's why I was so deeply disappointed and saddened by the Scottish Government's decision not to create a Galloway National Park. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A National Park would have brought around £10 million a year to the area, created jobs and given the confidence to housebuilders and entrepreneurs to invest. It could have been transformative for the people of Galloway and for nature. Unfortunately, a campaign led by landed interests and, in some cases peddling misinformation, has undermined the project. Denise Brownlee and Liz Hitschmann have been prominent in the campaign against plans for a Galloway National Park It's a short-sighted move that will have a long-lasting and damaging impact I don't believe the Scottish Government, or those who campaigned against the park, are fully appreciating. The campaign to create a national park in Galloway has been led by local community volunteers for more than a decade. By missing out on being Scotland's next national park, Galloway has missed out on millions of pounds in investment, high-quality jobs and supported sustainable tourism that could underpin the region's economy for generations to come. The Scottish Government could have worked harder to advocate for the park, to challenge the large landowners and to counter the misinformation about the park. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This decision sits alongside another deeply troubling one: the government's move to overturn the rejection of the controversial Flamingo Land development on the shores of Loch Lomond. Despite being opposed by more than 155,000 people and unanimously rejected by the national park authority, Ministers have now given the green light to a vast commercial resort in one of our most iconic natural locations. It's a slap in the face to everyone who stood up for Loch Lomond and for the principle of democratic, locally-driven planning. The Flamingo Land decision sets a dangerous precedent. It shows that even when local voices and expert planning decisions say no, big developers can still get their way and the Scottish Government won't stand up for local communities or for nature. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It also highlights the growing disconnect between the Scottish Government's rhetoric on the environment and the decisions it is actually making. Together, these decisions point to a government that is losing its way. Retreating from environmental leadership and turning its back on the communities and places that need support the most. We face a nature emergency in Scotland. Protecting our wild places isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. National parks are one of the best tools we have to deliver nature restoration, support rural jobs and foster pride and resilience in our landscapes and communities. By walking away from the Galloway National Park and backing destructive developments like Flamingo Land, the government is making the wrong choices for people, nature and the climate. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We can do better. The Scottish Government needs to call in the decision on Flamingo Land and make the correct decision to support the community and nature. I will continue to support the excellent work of our National Parks and the benefits they bring to the communities who host them. Scottish Green party co-leader
Scotsman
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Lorna Slater: Made in Britain, dropped on Gaza - the arms trade must end now
Over the past eighteen months we have witnessed some of the most horrific atrocities of our time. Thousands of innocent civilians in Gaza - so many of them children - have been killed, maimed or displaced as Israel wages a relentless and brutal assault on a besieged and impoverished population. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, 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... The scale of the suffering is almost incomprehensible. Entire families wiped out in a single airstrike. Hospitals and schools reduced to rubble. Aid convoys turned away or attacked. Children buried under collapsed buildings or left to starve in refugee camps that offer no refuge. As a humanitarian disaster unfolds, we are faced with a simple but urgent question: How much longer will the world allow this to happen? Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater This weekend more than 90 lorry loads of humanitarian aid were collected by UN teams inside the Gaza Strip, three days after Israel eased an 11-week-long blockade. There is no scenario in which a near three month aid blockade to innocent, starving civilians can be justified. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There are signs that global opinion is finally shifting. From the streets of London to the chambers of The Hague, millions have raised their voices to demand justice and accountability. South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice served as a wake-up call to many who could no longer ignore the overwhelming evidence of war crimes and collective punishment. Palestinians inspect the damage at school used as a shelter by displaced residents that was hit by Israeli military strike and killed at least 36 people, in Gaza City yesterday But it is too late for too many and for those still alive in Gaza, the change is not coming fast enough. Here in the UK, we cannot stop the war - but we can and we must stop being complicit in it. For too long, the UK Government has turned a blind eye to the role this country plays in enabling Israel's actions. The weapons and technology being used to inflict death and destruction are being produced, in part, right here in Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In Edinburgh, arms factories have supplied components and support for the very bombs and drones that have been dropped on Gaza's neighbourhoods. These are not abstract facts, they are matters of life and death. We cannot claim to be champions of human rights and international law while continuing to sell weapons to a state that refuses to abide by either. We cannot ignore the fact that Israel has deliberately obstructed and denied humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, in violation of global norms and basic human decency. This is not a time for silence or for carefully worded statements of concern. It is a time for action. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The UK Government must immediately suspend arms exports to Israel. It must launch a full review of the licences already granted and ensure that no British-made weapons are used to commit war crimes. Keir Starmer must demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire and support genuine efforts for peace, accountability, and justice. Here in Scotland, we must do our part too. From the Scottish Parliament to the streets of our cities, people are demanding change. We must listen. We must act. The people of Gaza deserve to live in peace, with dignity and freedom. Not under siege and bombardment. If we cannot stop the bombs, we must at least stop helping to build them. Lorna Slater, Scottish Green party co-leader
