The four candidates announced for co-leader of the Scottish Greens were announced on Monday.
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.
