Is it a Green Light for the Green Party?

An interview with Lorna Slater, Co-leader of the Scottish Green Party and Regional MSP for Lothian.

Lorna Slater, Regional MSP for Lothian and Co-Leader of the Scottish Green Party

Young people in Scotland have the right to vote from sixteen, but how well do our parties represent us? Do all parties in Scotland look out for their young voters, or do they merely view us as a footnote, recently added to the electorate? These are questions that we deserve the answer to, and that JUNK Edinburgh hopes to find out in our new series. We shall be conducting a series of interviews with MSPs from different parties in Scotland to find out who really cares for young people in Scotland.

I conducted an interview over email with Lorna Slater, a regional MSP for Lothian and co- leader of the Scottish Green Party (who are currently in a power- sharing agreement with the SNP).

Do the Scottish Greens think that COP26 achieved enough? There were some good things that came from COP, but it did not go nearly far enough and did not live up to the urgency of the situation. When push came to shove the biggest polluters backed down. It was not good enough and cannot be the limit of our ambitions.

Does the Scottish Green Party think that Scotland would be more eco-friendly as an independent nation, and if so, why? With independence we can do so much more to build a sustainable future. At present we don’t have the power to upgrade our own electricity grid, or to connect our vast renewable resources to Europe and sell our excess zero-carbon energy. We don’t have the same freedom as our European counterparts to invest in the infrastructure and industries of the future. We are taking big steps, but we cannot go the full way when we have one hand tied behind our back.

The Scottish Green Party’s website mentions the decriminalisation of drugs. Does the Party support full decriminalisation of drugs in Scotland? How would this work within the United Kingdom if drugs were still criminalised in England, presuming a second independence referendum will not happen in the next few years? Or is this contingent to an independent Scotland? The war on drugs has failed, and, if we are to improve Scotland’s shameful record of drug-related deaths, we need to focus on harm reduction and saving lives. There are things we can do here and now, and I’m pleased that the Scottish Government is starting to think differently and is actively investigating and pursuing safe consumption rooms and other steps.

Unfortunately, many of the most important powers are still with Westminster. That is why we also need a change of approach from the UK Government, which can allow Scotland to test drugs on a regular basis to ensure they haven’t been cut or mixed with other things such as rat poison or baby powder. With independence we have full control over drug policy. But, in the meantime, these powers need to be devolved to Holyrood and used.

One thing we can be sure of is that you can’t help people by stigmatising and criminalising them. This is a public health crisis and should be treated as such. There are already far too many victims being locked up and the negative rhetoric being pushed only serves to increase stigma and push people away from seeking help. This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing.

Can you break down Scottish Land Reform to describe it for our readers?

At present, Scotland’s land is held by very few people. Everyone should benefit from the land around them and have a say in how it is used, but for far too long huge swathes of Scotland have been in the hands of a very small number of people who are often absent and not interested in how local communities are impacted by their decisions. It gives them a huge amount of power, and very little accountability.

Would you describe the Green Party as Eco-Socialist?

There are definitely people in the party who would call themselves eco-socialists. We believe that we need transformative change in Scotland and around the world. Our movement is for everyone who believes that we need to take urgent action to build a fairer, greener and more sustainable future.

The manifesto of your party says that less focus would be placed on exams, and more on continuous assessment. Would this statement stand from National Five level to Advanced Highers? How would this work? We know that all-or- nothing exams are not the best way to measure how much a pupil knows or their ability to apply the skills they have developed. We need to look at the system and the journey that students are taking from day one. Our teachers have gone above and beyond over the last 18 months. One step we are taking in government that I am particularly proud of is the introduction of 3500 new teachers across Scotland.

Do the Scottish Greens Support a legally-recognised third gender in Scotland? Equality is at the core of our vision, and we stand in full support and solidarity with our trans and non-binary communities, who have been targeted by one of the most hostile and nasty press campaigns of recent years. I am very glad that we will be delivering long overdue changes to the Gender Recognition Act, to allow self-identification, as well as banning so-called ‘conversion therapy’ and reducing to waiting times for trans healthcare.

Now that the Scottish Greens have entered a power sharing agreement with the SNP, what policies most pertinent to young people are top of your agenda? The cooperation agreement that my Green colleagues and I negotiated with the Scottish Government is the boldest and most ambitious policy programme since the formation of the Scottish Parliament. One of the biggest changes, which will hugely benefit young people, is the commitment to rent controls and new rights for tenants.

We are investing in teachers, with 3500 new teachers and 500 classroom assistants and extra additional support needs assistants. We are also investing in mental health services for young people and will double the budget for community based mental wellbeing services for children and young people.

But the central issue for young people today, and future generations, is the climate crisis. Tackling this must be our number one priority.

What is one of your party’s policies that either has benefitted young people greatly, or will benefit young people greatly? In January we will be introducing free bus travel for everyone aged 21 and under. This is only possible because of the work of Green MSPs and will open-up Scotland for young people while helping to tackle inequality and benefiting people and the planet.

All MSPs were asked different questions tailored to the policies of their parties, but we intend that the overarching theme of who best represents young people is seen throughout. The final question was asked to all MSPs participating.

If you wish to find out more about the Scottish Green Party, their manifesto is readily available online.

by Petra Pender

05/12/2021