Nominations for new Scottish Green co-leaders close

Nominations to select the new Scottish Green co-leaders closed today, with current co-conveners Patrick Harvie and Maggie Chapman both running, alongside three challengers.

Harvie and Chapman are both campaigning to stay on as the party’s leaders, while Graham Kerr of the North Lanarkshire Greens, Guy Ingerson, co-convener of Aberdeen Greens, and Lorna Slater, a recent candidate for the European elections, have also entered the race.

Under a restructuring of the party organisation, the co-conveners are to be replaced by two co-leaders, one of whom must be a woman.

Nominations for the internal elections closes today, with voting opening on 3 July and closing on 26 July.

All party members can put themselves forward and vote.

Scottish Greens nominating officer Hamish Allan said: “We're delighted that more members - almost 80 - are standing for election than ever before.

“There has been tremendous interest across the party as we prepare for the next Holyrood election and all our members will be able to vote for who they want to fill key positions, including choosing co-leaders for the party.”

Maggie Chapman has been co-convener of the party since 2013, while Patrick Harvie has held the position since 2008.