Scottish Green Party - Definition and Overview

The Scottish Green Party was a constituent part of the UK Green Party (as it was then called) until 1990, when the Scottish Green Party became a separate party from the party in England and Wales (Northern Ireland also took this route later). The separation was entirely amicable, as part of the green commitment to decentralisation. The Scottish Green Party is now an independent Green Party, and a fully independent member of the European Federation of Green Parties. The UK Green Party renamed itself the Green Party of England and Wales.

The Scottish Green Party benefits from the fact that the Labour Party Government created a Scottish Parliament, which includes an element of proportional representation in addition to the seats elected by first-past-the-post. In the first election to this parliament, in 1999, the Scottish Green Party got one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) elected by proportional representation. On May 1, 2003 the Scottish Greens added six new MSP's to their previous total.

The Scottish Parliament is elected using the Additional Member System of proportional representation. Soon, local authorities in Scotland are to be elected using the Single Transferable Vote system of proportional representation.

The Scottish Green Party is generally said to support Scottish independence, but recent manifesto commitments have only extended to further powers for the Scottish parliament. Certain MSPs, such as Patrick Harvie of Glasgow, have however been vocal in their individual support for independence.

External link

• http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk