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Scottish Greens 'leading change' - Harvie Scottish Greens list demands for budget support
(about 2 hours later)
The Scottish Greens are leading Scotland towards a "fairer and greener" future, the party's co-convener is to tell its autumn conference. The Scottish Green Party co-convener has set out a list of demands that he said the SNP must meet before his party will support its budget next year.
Patrick Harvie will use his speech to highlight the concessions his party has won from the Scottish government. Speaking at the party's autumn conference in Edinburgh, Patrick Harvie called for tax rises for higher earners and tax cuts for lower earners.
These include Green MSP John Finnie's proposals for a ban on smacking, and the reversal of £160m in council cuts negotiated at last year's budget. He also demanded a fully-funded, above inflation public sector pay increase.
The Greens are the fourth-largest party at Holyrood, with six MSPs. The SNP is a minority government and needs support from other parties to pass legislation and its annual budget.
But with the minority SNP government needing to win the support of opposition parties to pass legislation and its annual budget, the pro-independence Greens often hold the balance of power in the parliament. The Greens are the fourth-largest party at Holyrood, with six MSPs, but the pro-independence party often hold the balance of power in the parliament.
Speaking at Edinburgh Napier University, Mr Harvie will tell party members that the list of Green achievements at Holyrood is "long and getting longer". Speaking at Edinburgh Napier University, Mr Harvie told party members that tax reform was the "only way" the SNP government could expect Green support for the 2018-19 budget.
'Positive Green agenda' Public sector pay
He will add: "We're leading the change on issues from air pollution to rent control, and from the fracking ban to the announcement of a publicly-owned energy company and it's clear that the positive Green agenda we've been pushing for years is making real progress. The MSP reiterated his call for the SNP to drop its policy of cutting tax for the aviation industry and wealthy frequent fliers.
He said: "Don't just pause ADT [Airport Departure Tax] cuts. Cancel them. The SNP has no case environmentally, socially, economically.
"Even in simple transport terms there are bigger priorities. ADT cuts are now on hold. It's time to scrap the policy altogether.
"We also need to see public sector pay rise above inflation and funded because merely scrapping the cap without providing the resources will change nothing, we need local authorities funded to restore lost value, and we need investment in low carbon infrastructure to hit 70% by the end of this parliament."
Mr Harvie added: "We can't do any of that without tax reform. Let's cut tax for low earners, and reduce inequality. Greens are clearly leading the change on tax policy.
"We have a very clear message for the finance secretary. This is the only way you'll get Green support for the budget."
Mr Harvie told party members that the list of Green achievements at Holyrood is "long and getting longer".
'Positive agenda'
He added: "We're leading the change on issues from air pollution to rent control, and from the fracking ban to the announcement of a publicly-owned energy company and it's clear that the positive Green agenda we've been pushing for years is making real progress.
"With support growing for Green campaigns like our bills to protect children from violence and to make 20mph speed limits the norm, and for core Green ideas like universal basic income and Land Value Tax, it's clear that we have much more progress ahead.""With support growing for Green campaigns like our bills to protect children from violence and to make 20mph speed limits the norm, and for core Green ideas like universal basic income and Land Value Tax, it's clear that we have much more progress ahead."
The Glasgow MSP will go on to say the country is facing critical challenges such as "the chronic inequality in our society, the continuing environmental crisis and the recklessly destructive Brexit powergrab".
He will argue: "We must respond with practical ideas, but also inspire people with a vision of what's possible. We must never stop pushing at the boundaries; we must never become the kind of party that tries to win by offering a safe, unchallenging middle-ground agenda.
"We'll keep leading the change in Scottish politics, advocating investment in the post-oil economy that lies ahead, finding new ways of sharing our wealth more fairly and living within environmental limits. Other parties will no doubt still take their time to catch up, but the radical Green agenda will keep moving the political agenda in the right direction."
The two-day conference will also hear from Sweden's deputy finance minister, Per Bolund, and Green MLA Clare Bailey, who has been leading the campaign to change Northern Ireland's restrictive abortion laws.The two-day conference will also hear from Sweden's deputy finance minister, Per Bolund, and Green MLA Clare Bailey, who has been leading the campaign to change Northern Ireland's restrictive abortion laws.