THE Greens will today boast about their influence over the minority SNP government as they take credit for “leading the change in the Scottish politics”.
At the party’s spring conference in Greenock, co-convener Maggie Chapman will say the Scottish Greens secured “major concessions” in the budget, including £170m extra for local government, a public sector pay boost and more investment in low-carbon infrastructure.
Around 150 party members are expected at the one-day event for workshops on housing, gender equality, farming, fox hunting, Brexit, climate change and local tax reform.
Also speaking are MSPs Patrick Harvie and Ross Greer, London Green MEP Jean Lambert, Green Party Ireland leader Eamon Ryan TD and Green Party Northern Ireland leader Steven Agnew MLA.
Ms Chapman was last month re-elected rector of Aberdeen University after a ‘dirty tricks’ row in which her supporters were alleged to have torn down rivals’ campaign posters.
She is expected to tell delegates: "The world we are working towards is one of equality, social justice and non-violence; it is a world where radical participatory democracy is how we make decisions; and it is one where the rape and exploitation of our environment, and the destruction of our climate, is not a function of the economy.
"On climate change and the environment, we’ve been right on this issue from long before anyone else cared. Most recently we led the opposition to fracking, building a social movement with and as ordinary people in communities, with and as grassroots organisers.
"These social movements are working against the old institutions. Greens have always been the radical voices. We still have so much more to do. We will continue to lead the change."
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