Name and age Alys Mumford
Political Party Scottish Greens
What is your story?
I’ve always been involved in campaigning for climate justice, peace, and equality, but it was when I moved up to Edinburgh twelve years ago that I got involved with the Scottish Green Party, and since then I haven’t looked back. I love Edinburgh, and particularly Portobello/Craigmillar where I spend a lot of my time – working at Tribe, swimming in the sea, and visiting my baby goddaughter – but I think there is so much that needs to be done to make it a city that works for everyone living, working, and visiting here.
I currently work for a national women’s equality charity, having previously run an economic justice charity, and worked in schools and colleges delivering climate change education. I’ve stood at both council and national level before for the Scottish Greens but this is my first time standing in a ward where we have previously had a Green councillor, Mary Campbell, and it’s so exciting to think about potentially carrying on her great work.
What are the main issues you will campaign on?
For me, environmental protections and equality go hand-in-hand, and by addressing both together, we can make the world a better place for everyone. Luckily it’s becoming clearer to everyone that we need urgent action to solve the joint crises of climate change and the unsustainable cost of living.
So alongside the issues that lots of people probably think of first when they think of traditional ‘green’ politics – recycling, safe cycle infrastructure, access to open spaces – we are also committed to making sure that nobody is left without a home, that we take action to eradicate child poverty, and that everybody feels welcome in our city. Personally, I want to bring a feminist lens to everything we do in Edinburgh council; from gender budgeting so we make sure our spending doesn’t unintentionally increase inequality, to examining why there are so few women and people of colour commemorated in Edinburgh’s street names.
What do you consider to be your or your party’s achievements or legacy during the last council session?
The current green councillor in my ward, Mary Campbell, has done so much over the past five years to support communities to bring about change – from helping to organise practical action on the ground like beach clean ups, to initiating huge infrastructure changes like a continuous cycle path along the seafront. This has become more apparent to me than ever as I go door to door and hear time and time again how fantastic Mary has been as a councillor and how big the boots are that I am hoping to fill.
Another key legacy from Scottish Greens is that now people in Edinburgh can see how their representatives have voted in the Council. Until a few months ago, I had assumed this had always been the case, only to discover it was actually the result of pressure from Green councillors – making sure that our democratic bodies are as accountable and transparent as possible.
What is the thing that few people would know about you?
Hmm, I think probably more people have heard about this than would have liked to, actually, but I harbour a deep desire to start a Diagnosis Murder podcast. Watch this space…
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
