Lorna Slater

Co-leader of Scottish Greens

1 The first priority is to ensure the recovery doesn’t leave anyone behind and that we invest strategically in lowering Scotland’s carbon emissions before it’s too late. That’s why our manifesto proposes creating 100,000 new jobs that tackle the climate emergency with urgency. Scottish Greens believe the work to build a new Scotland starts now. Our future depends on it. 2 It’s simple. If Scotland elects a majority of MSPs who support independence, the case is clear. Scottish Greens provided that majority in the last parliament and we’ll do so again.

3

Yes, there is no doubt parties in Scotland have also had questionable donations and let’s not forget that a Scottish cabinet secretary also had a private dinner with Lex Greensill. But with the National Audit Office and the Electoral Commission issuing warnings about Boris Johnson’s government, the level of corruption at a UK level is unprecedented. Let’s not make false equivalences. We believe there must be greater transparency and accountability around lobbying, large donations and wealth, and we will support the local press, who are vital for holding MSPs to account.

4

Scottish Greens will deliver opportunities for young people. We will extend the jobs guarantee to under-30s, expand access to bursaries for college and ensure apprentices are paid a living wage. We have already won free bus travel for young people in budget negotiations. This is a transformational policy, not just for tackling household poverty and climate emergency but for opening up opportunities for young people to travel and study. We want to extend that to cover trains and ferries too. 5 Yes, absolutely. The last year has been particularly hard for people in care homes and their families. Restrictions on visiting and funerals have carried a heavy human cost, even though they were designed to limit the spread of the virus and protect the vulnerable. It’s clear to us that we need to overhaul social care to a new national care system that is based on human rights with strong local accountability.