Scottish Greens launch 'bold' vision of independence

The Scottish Greens have set out a "bold and distinctive vision" of an independent Scotland in the first in a series of papers.

The party is part of the Scottish Government, which has now released three of its ten-part independence paper series.

However, the Greens today laid out the beginnings of an alternative case for constitutional change.

The 16-page paper was unveiled by co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, but has drawn criticism from pro-Union parties, who have accused it of lacking detail on currency and more.

The Greens back the Scottish Government bid to hold a fresh referendum on 19 October 2023, but do not agree with their administration partner, the SNP, on issues including Nato membership.

The blueprint suggests that an independent Scotland could be a republic and rejoin the EU, rolling out a universal basic income system and four-day working week, with new oil and gas developments banned as the country becomes a world leader in environmental standards.

Energy companies would be nationalised and a windfall tax on oil and gas profits would fund "significant reductions" to consumer energy bills, it is suggested.

Harvie called it a "bold and distinctive vision" and Slater said: "Scotland's independence debate has previously been about political perspectives, policy differences, the ideological approach towards putting the wants of the rich against the needs of the poor. That era has gone. Time has run out. This is now a matter of protecting our people and places against the worsening climate storm and ensuring we live our best lives as fairly and tolerantly as we can, in a country where nobody is left behind."

However, the Scottish Lib Dems described the material as "embarrassing" and Tory constitution spokesperson David Cameron said the Greens have "no credible answers on what an independent Scotland would look like".

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: "This woeful pamphlet doesn't address any of the key questions that voters care about when it comes to the issue of independence. Instead, it trots out the toxic and tired lines we're so used to hearing from their colleagues in the SNP."