Green Conference Success

Amongst those attending the conference from the north-east were the Party's Scottish Parliament candidates for the North-East Scotland regional seat, Cllr Martin Ford and Rhonda Reekie. Cllr Ford will head the Green Party's list of candidates for North-east Scotland next May and Rhonda Reekie will be the second placed candidate. The Green Party needs to achieve around six per cent of the party vote for Cllr Ford to be elected one of the region's MSPs.
     
Recent opinion polls have predicted an increased number of seats for the Green Party next May. Support for the Green Party has increased as support for the Liberal Democrats has dropped following their decision to go into coalition with the Conservatives.
     
The Green Party conference was held in Edinburgh and had its highest ever attendance. The conference was addressed by Green MSPs Patrick Harvie and Robin Harper and by the UK's first Green MP, Caroline Lucas.
   
Addressing the conference, Dr Lucas said: "The Greens are a fresh face, looking forward to a fairer and greener future for the country, and with a decade in Parliament behind us now in Scotland. Looking forward and on course to win MSPs in all eight regions next year. Building on the incredible achievements of previous MSPs in winning money for home insulation, community action on climate change and on the way the budget is presented to Parliament."
   
The conference voted to support the use of the Scottish Parliament's powers to raise additional revenue through taxation to reduce the scale and damage of the cuts being pushed through by the Liberal Democrat/Conservative coalition government.
      
Said Cllr Martin Ford, "The deficit in the public finances cannot be ignored - but the response from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats is the wrong one. There are alternatives to the cuts in public services and welfare the UK government has chosen. Borrowing could be reduced more gradually, more revenue could be raised through taxation or spending reductions could be made in other areas. As it is, we are facing unjust cuts to essential services and entitlements that will hit the poorest and most vulnerable hardest."
     
Rhonda Reekie said: "The Green Party manifesto for next May's elections will be different. We will be the only party with a clear alternative to simply passing on the UK Government's cuts to the people of Scotland."