Scottish Green Party election launch with co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP
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00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 I'm Patrick Harvey.
00:07 I'm the co-leader of the Scottish Green Party.
00:10 And we're determined to make sure that climate and nature
00:12 are on the agenda in this election.
00:15 We've seen the Tories ripping up their climate policies,
00:17 Labour dumping their green investment plan,
00:20 and now the SNP are back to their old ways,
00:22 trying to face both ways on the fossil fuel industry.
00:25 So it's absolutely critical that climate and nature
00:27 are on the agenda, and that means greens in the room.
00:31 The Greens have always been clear
00:33 that independence is the right course for Scotland,
00:36 but independence for a purpose, for the vision of Scotland
00:39 as a more equal, more sustainable, and greener
00:42 economy.
00:43 And it's only green ideas that will make that a reality,
00:45 with other political parties trying to face both ways,
00:49 saying that they're leaders on climate action,
00:51 but then not taking that action and not
00:53 creating that just, fair, and green economy
00:56 that Scotland needs.
00:58 Like most political parties, one or two of our branches
01:00 are still at the point of putting their candidates
01:02 in place.
01:04 I'm really pleased that the election's coming sooner
01:06 than October, but a few branches are still
01:08 selecting those last candidates.
01:10 So I don't have a final number.
01:11 I'm hoping that this is going to be the most candidates
01:14 that the Scottish Greens have ever stood in a Westminster
01:16 election, to put green ideas on the agenda
01:19 and bring climate and nature back centre stage,
01:22 where they should be in our politics.
01:24 I don't think we can trust either the Tory party
01:26 or a Labour government for Scotland's future
01:29 or for the future of our climate.
01:30 Green ideas can bring a transformation in our economy,
01:34 a fairer and greener society for us all.
01:37 I'm really proud of the record that we
01:39 have of delivering things like free bus
01:41 travel for young people, a rent freeze, a rent
01:44 cap, and protection from evictions
01:47 in the private rented sector.
01:48 And I'm disappointed that we weren't able to deliver more
01:51 of that agenda.
01:52 But I think it's very clear that when Greens are in the room,
01:55 that's when climate and nature are on the agenda.
01:57 That's why we've got a record investment in climate and nature
02:00 in Scotland.
02:01 That's the kind of transformation
02:03 that we need to see, not just in Scotland,
02:05 but at UK government level as well.
02:07 And we also need an end to a UK government
02:09 that's attacking Scotland's right to self-government.
02:14 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:17 (upbeat music)
02:20 [BLANK_AUDIO]