Greens launch North-East election campaign

The Scottish Green Party today launched its Holyrood 2011 election
campaign and confirmed its top candidate for the North East region -
Martin Ford. (1)

At a press conference and photo-call in Edinburgh, the Party also set
out its three key campaign pledges: to keep tuition free, invest in
public services through fairer taxation, and insulate every home in
Scotland. (2)

The Greens are standing a list of candidates in each of the eight
Scottish Parliamentary regions (3), and the Party is once again urging
voters to "second vote green", including through social media. (4)

Martin Ford, the Greens' top candidate in the North East region (5) said:

"In this election, the Scottish Green Party is putting forward the
only alternative to the Westminster coalition's cuts to public
services - arguing the Scottish Parliament can make a difference. If I
am elected as a North East MSP on 5th May, I will be making the case
for our public services as the Parliament faces up to a reducing
funding allocation from the Westminster Government.

"As always, though, above all this election is about choosing a new
set of elected representatives. It's a time when the North East needs
strong voices. MSPs who will make the case for our public services,
keep their word on important issues like the environment, and who will
defend residents and communities against injustice. These will be my
priorities if I am elected as one of the North East's regional MSPs on
5th May.

"Because the Greens are only standing on the second vote, every Green
vote will count on polling day. In the last session of the Scottish
Parliament, Green MSPs played a key role and often held decisive
votes, and they used these votes well - helping to abolish tuition
fees, securing millions for community environmental projects, and
winning investment in marine renewables.

"Whatever the numbers in the new session of the Scottish Parliament,
it will be my aim if elected, and the Scottish Green Party's aim, to
make a positive difference for the residents of the North East."

Scottish Green Party Co-convenor Patrick Harvie added:

"We need more MSPs who are prepared to stand up to the cuts agenda and
ask big business and the richest to pay more. Holyrood should not just
be simply passing on the Westminster cuts, as is currently the case.

"The other parties are complicit in the cuts agenda, and they have no
alternative to the cuts. They seem to have a collective failure of
will, of principle, and of the imagination. If we want to protect
Scotland's public services and economy, we must act now, and only a
second vote for the Greens will elect MSPs who are ready to do so from
day one of the next Scottish Parliament."

Notes:

1. Martin Ford has served as a Councillor for more than twelve years
and now sits as part of the Democratic Independent Group of
Councillors on Aberdeenshire Council. He is a former chair of both
Aberdeenshire Council's Infrastructure Services Committee and the
Council's Audit Committee, and currently represents the East Garioch
ward. A botanist by training, he joined the Scottish Green Party in
2009.

2. The Party's three key campaign pledges are as follows:

- No fees ever - keep tuition free
Education benefits us all, not just students, and must be based on the
ability to learn, not to pay.
For more information, see: www.scot.gr/nofees

- Fairer taxes - invest in public services
Only Greens are offering an alternative to the cuts to public
services: investment built on revenue from big business and the better
off.
For more information, see: www.scot.gr/fair

- Cut your bills - insulate every home
We would insulate every home for free, boost jobs and tackle climate change.
For more information, see: www.scot.gr/warm

3. The following people are the Scottish Green Party's top candidates
across Scotland.

- Central Scotland Region: Kirsten Robb
- Glasgow Region: Patrick Harvie
- Highlands and Islands Region: Eleanor Scott
- Lothian Region: Alison Johnstone
- Mid Scotland and Fife Region: Mark Ruskell
- North East Scotland Region: Martin Ford
- South Scotland Region: Alis Ballance
- West Scotland Region: Steen Parish

For more information on these candidates, and the full lists of
candidates in each of the eight Scottish Parliamentary regions, see:
http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/people/show/5

4. The Greens

web: www.scot.gr
e-mail: info@scot.gr
twitter: @scotgp
facebook: www.scot.gr/fb

5. For a map of the North East region, see:
http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/1st_holyrood/final_rec/regionindex.asp

Contact:

Stan Blackley
Election Press Office
Scottish Green Party
Mob: 07770 742449
stan.blackley@scottishgreens.org.uk