An Edinburgh Greens councillor standing in the general election says voters in Leith are concerned about a freeport coming to the area, which she described as a “tax haven” that would “not work”.
Cllr Kayleigh O’Neill has represented the Forth ward since 2022 and has thrown her hat in the ring as Scottish Greens candidate for Edinburgh North and Leith, a seat currently held by the SNP with a majority of more than 12,000.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service at a campaign event on Thursday, May 30, she said more women and disabled people were needed in politics – but admitted taking votes from the two main parties would be an uphill battle as “Greens don’t always have the best luck in the world with Westminster because of first past the post”.
She said: “I’m doing this on the understanding that I’m still continuing to be a councillor, I’m so proud and grateful that I get to do that.”
On the constituency’s doorsteps there was “quite a bit of concern about the freeport,” she added.
The Forth Green Freeport is a low tax zone aimed at promoting the development of new renewable technologies and creating thousands of jobs. Currently being set up by the UK and Scottish Governments, the ‘special economic zone’ includes Leith Docks and other places around the Firth of Forth.
However, Cllr O’Neill said many local voters remained sceptical about the scheme. “We think it’s basically a tax haven and it’s green in name but not in nature.
“I think it has been rushed through, the information hasn’t been forthcoming from all levels of government and it is because there is a lot of uncertainty.
“I completely empathise and understand constituents’ concerns when they say ‘they’ll give us lots of extra jobs – but how are they going to train us for those jobs?
“Economically and socially, it’s not going to work. Maybe it’s going to bring thousands of jobs to this area but how are they going to get through the city to get there, or how are you going to house them?”
Asked whether she thought the council had scrutinised the freeport plans closely enough, she said: “I don’t think we had the powers to, it went over our heads and put right in front of us from the UK Government which is unfortunate.”
O’Neill, the only Edinburgh councillor who uses a wheelchair, stopped working at City Chambers in February due to difficulties getting around the building and fears about fire safety and, choosing to attend meetings online instead.
She described her experience as “quite isolating”. She said: “I don’t like to say this but it is true that the best politics happens in the breaks behind the scenes, in the corridors. It shouldn’t be like that, I think it should be as open as possible.
“A lot of prep goes into these things for you to then perform your act in the committee but so many decisions happen last minute; for me not to be in the room it’s inaccessible and it’s a bit exclusionary, so we’ve tried our best to phone in on the day, having everyone on a call ready for me to dial-in.
“But other parties aren’t as collaborative. The Greens are doing alright but I would love it if other parties took a little bit of time.”
All candidates standing in Edinburgh North and Leith in the upcoming general election on July 4 are:
Deidre Brock, Scottish National Party
Tracy Gilbert, Scottish Labour
Mike Andersen, Liberal Democrats
Alan Melville, Reform
Keyleigh O’Neill, Scottish Greens
By Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
