The Scottish Greens are launching their manifesto as the “party of hope”, positioning themselves as a more radical alternative to both the SNP and Labour on issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, climate change, and economic inequality.
Unlike the SNP (governing for 20 years) or Labour (struggling in the opinion polls), the Greens are able to frame themselves as both an outsider and having experience as a junior coalition partner to the SNP. They point to that record of delivery including on free bus travel for under-22s, rent controls, expanded school meals and doubling the Scottish Child Payment. Having left the Scottish Government two years ago, they are also positioning themselves as representing radical change.
The Greens’ strategic argument is distinctive: the solutions to the climate crisis and cost of living crisis are one and the same. Free public transport, household energy efficiency, nature restoration, and fair taxation are presented not as environmental luxuries but as economic necessities that will reduce household bills, create jobs, and tackle inequality simultaneously.
The Scottish Greens strategy is either to return to government or, at a minimum, to gain enough seats that the SNP cannot ignore them in post-election negotiations. With the SNP holding a commanding lead in the polls, the amount of post-election influence that the Greens can actually wield waits to be seen. It is important therefore to read the manifesto in that context; there is little attempt to provide detail of how these proposals would be funded, and they act as more of a list of policy asks to bring to a negotiation.
Read our full Scottish Green manifesto analysis here.
