Scottish Greens have announced the three candidates who will contest city constituencies in Edinburgh.
The party has confirmed it is also aiming to return at least three MSPs on the regional list at the Holyrood elections on 7 May.
In the last two Scottish parliamentary elections (2016 and 2021) two Green MSPs were elected on the wider Lothians Region list. That area has now been redrawn and renamed as Edinburgh and Lothians East.
In 2026 Scottish Greens are also contesting individual constituencies as follows:
– Edinburgh Northern – Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill
– Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith – Kate Nevens
– Edinburgh Central – Lorna Slater
While the Greens say they are confident of electing three MSPs in the region they also believe that 2026 will result in their best ever constituency showing, with independent pollster Ballot Box Scotland projecting a Green win in Edinburgh Central.
However, the party is ls also mounting strong campaigns in other constituencies.
In Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith Kate Nevens is the candidate. She said: “If elected as an MSP, I would bring my passion for radical change right to the heart of Scottish politics. I would stand up against the unequal, oppressive systems that are so harmful to marginalised communities in Scotland, helping to address the cost of living crisis and ensure that everyone has access to safe and secure housing and healthcare. I would work to build an economy based on equality, peace and wellbeing rather than growth, and I would fight to tackle the climate emergency – the defining issue of my generation and beyond.”
In Edinburgh Northern Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill said: “As a councillor, I have been vocal on issues of pavement parking, dropped kerb access, and other barriers that disabled and older people face in their daily life. As an MSP I’d bring my experience of representing people who are struggling with housing issues, health problems, financial difficulties, access needs, and barriers to multiple areas of society. I am standing in this election in order to push further against the rise of the far right and the divisive politics they represent.”
Lorna Slater, former co-leader of the Scottish Green Party, said that the Greens have a “great chance” of returning their first constituency MSP in Edinburgh Central, in part down to the increased media presence of new English leader Zack Polanski.”
Slater described Polanski’s impact: “It is transformational to see someone from the Greens on the national stage getting as much media time as Zach is getting.
“That makes such a big difference. It’s always been frustrating for us because, although Caroline Lucas was in the Westminster Parliament forever, and we’ve had Scottish Greens in the parliament since the Scottish Parliament was created.
“Proportionally, we get a lot less media time than some of the parties of the far right – because we don’t get up there and say hateful headline-grabbing things.”
