30 April 2012 

Community groups Greener Leith and PEDAL have hit a stumbling block with their plans for a community wind turbine.

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, said:

“The community wind turbine at Seafield is an excellent proposal, supported by local Greens, and it’s a real blow to learn of this bureaucratic impasse.

“I urge Scottish Water, its PFI partners and the Scottish Government to get round the table and sort this out. This valuable renewable energy project giving direct benefits to the communities of Leith and Portobello deserves saving.

“I have asked Scottish Water for more information and will press ministers on the issue.”

26 April 2012 

Ahead of this Saturday’s Pedal on Parliament Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone is highlighting the actions already taken by the Scottish Greens to progress the issue of safe cycling.
 
In early March Greens called for a summit on the issue, prompting SNP Transport Minister Keith Brown to invite cycling representatives to a regular meeting of the Road Safety Operational Partnership on 21 March. The minutes of the meeting have just been approved by the minister and show a small number of minor actions to be taken up by various organisations.
 
Since 21 March Greens have used limited debate time at Holyrood to progress the issue, getting cross-party backing for a package of measures including more training for children, infrastructure upgrades and 20mph zones.
 
Alison Johnstone has also lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament urging MSPs to support Pedal on Parliament and she is setting up a cross-party group at Holyrood to discuss cycling issues.
 
Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, said:
 
“I’m looking forward to taking part in Pedal on Parliament. I will continue to make the case for action on cycling which has so many benefits for health, the environment and people’s pockets.
 
“Greens have already made a difference by securing cross-party backing for on-road training for every child in Scotland, a rolling programme of infrastructure upgrades and more 20mph zones in residential and shopping areas. SNP ministers must now deliver.”

26 April 2012 

Scottish Greens are accusing Alex Salmond of ducking an important question about Donald Trump during today’s First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood.

Mr Salmond failed to take up a suggestion from Green MSP Patrick Harvie to kick the US tycoon and climate change denier out of the prestigious GlobalScot network of business ambassadors.

Mr Harvie’s initial question about the proposed European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre that Mr Trump objects to was the first time Greens had been selected for First Minister’s Questions since last May’s election.

The Glasgow MSP suggested the First Minister was regretting being drawn into Mr Trump’s orbit, finding himself with a half-built carbuncle in his constituency and possible legal action against a vital site for offshore wind.

After the exchange Mr Harvie said:

“It wasn’t a surprise that the First Minister stuck up for renewables. But it was a shame he failed to recognise the continued threat from Trump to our renewables potential and the way he is tarnishing Scotland’s reputation.

“This was a perfect opportunity for Mr Salmond to take a proper stand against a rich American windbag but he ducked it.”

26 April 2012 

Green MSP Alison Johnstone is welcoming moves by the SNP Government to re-examine the status of Waverley Market in Edinburgh, which is at risk of being handed to former Rangers owner Sir David Murray for pennies.

The saga of the publicly-owned prime land currently occupied by the Princes Mall was raised during yesterday’s debate at Holyrood on the Government’s Long Leases Bill.

As an Edinburgh councillor, Alison Johnstone won backing from other parties enabling the council to write to the Scottish Government seeking an exemption for Waverley Market from the bill which seeks to transfer long leases into ownership.

During the debate the minister, Stewart Stevenson, revealed he has asked officials to look at the Waverley situation. He also agreed to meet with Alison to discuss the issue.

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, said:

“I’ve long said Waverley Market is a special case. It is a historic council-owned site and should not be given to a tycoon for next to nothing.

“The minister has listened to our calls for a rethink and I will continue to press this issue. We must prevent the loss of a multimillion pounds Edinburgh asset.”

25 April 2012 

Following Donald Trump’s appearance at the Scottish Parliament today, Green MSP and energy committee member Patrick Harvie believes the American billionaire has shown he lacks credibility.

The committee also heard from Communities Against Turbines Scotland who when pressed on the issue of climate change stated, despite overwhelming scientific evidence, “the jury is out”.

Mr Harvie said:

“By bellowing ‘I am the evidence’ Mr Trump blew his chance to show some credibility. He underlined his denial of climate change and trotted out tired old myths, including his own fictional approval rating. It’s time to ask exactly who this arrogant bully thinks he is. He really needs to learn how to behave in other people’s countries.

“Communities Against Turbines appeared to suggest they have had no funding from Mr Trump and we need clarification of that, given their media statements to the contrary.

“Scotland has signed up to important climate change and renewable energy targets and we owe it to future generations to make the transition to low carbon energy. We must not be distracted by the kind of circus we witnessed today.”

You can view the committee hearing here.

23 April 2012 

Despite experts citing the Scottish Greens as leading the way on the issue of gender balance in politics, recent headlines have overlooked this, instead describing Scotland’s councils as “male, pale and stale.” Alison has a few thoughts…

“We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly.”

I bet those words from novelist Margaret Atwood will give rise to a wry smile. But of course the way society is reflected in Scotland’s corridors of power is incredibly important and it’s about time we grasped this particular thistle.

The Herald had it spot-on yesterday with its comment that a healthy democracy should mirror the communities it serves.

There is a growing consensus that allowing parties to simply encourage women to put their names forward isn’t working. At the moment only a fifth of councillors in Scotland are women and only one third of MSPs are.

Scottish Greens would like to see an equality audit for every party standing candidates. We like the idea of an obligation on parties to put forward a minimum of 40 per cent of candidates from either sex.

In our party 40 per cent of candidates must be women – 50 per cent in target seats – and we have mechanisms in place to ensure this.

It is obviously healthy for politics. If we offer more female candidates, they are more likely to be elected which in turn will show that it is possible to be one of those powerful women Atwood referred to.

If we had more women councillors would we see some of our best nurseries closed when savings are demanded? Would we see issues such as domestic violence and childcare getting further up the agenda? I’m not saying we could always expect different decisions but at least we could be assured that a more democratic range of views was aired.

Why are there no women in the “quad” running the UK Government? (I know: Calm down, dear.) And at a local level how many leaflets for the council elections have you received featuring female candidates? One party in my home city is only fielding two in the seventeen wards it’s contesting.

Scotland is a diverse country and this must be reflected in those with whom the buck stops.