Scottish Greens to stand in only three constituencies in general election

The Scottish Greens' 2016 manifesto for the Scottish Parliament elections - Image credit: Colin Hattersley Photography

The Scottish Greens are to stand in just three constituencies in next month’s general election.

Green candidates will contest three seats in the Central Belt – Glasgow North, Edinburgh North and Leith and Falkirk – with the main focus of the campaign to be on electing Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie in Glasgow.

Harvie came second in the overlapping Scottish Parliament seat of Glasgow Kelvin in 2016 and Green councillor Martha Wardrop took a council seat in the Hillhead ward at last week’s council elections.

The Westminster seat is currently held by the SNP’s Patrick Grady, who took 53.1 per cent of the vote in 2015, a majority of 9,295 over next placed Labour.

The Greens’ Martin Bartos came fourth in Glasgow North in 2015 with 6.2 per cent of the vote.

The Greens contested Edinburgh North and Leith in the 2015, gaining their best result with over 3,000 votes, and two of their current eight councillors in Edinburgh are in Leith, a strong area for the party.

The Greens have never contested Falkirk before, but have chosen to target it because of “widespread concern” about fracking and unconventional gas extraction.

Engineering project manager Lorna Slater will be standing in Edinburgh North and Leith while Falkirk will be contested by Debra Pickering.

The party has said it will not endorse any other candidates in areas where it is not standing.

Yvonne McLellan, co-convener of the Scottish Greens' elections and campaigns committee, said: “Green teams around Scotland are focused on supporting our new councillors as they get to work helping communities and protecting public services.

“But they are also determined to reject the Tories' Hard Brexit disaster and fight for our future in Europe.

“Our volunteers and campaigners have put huge effort and financial resources into the Holyrood and local elections, and this effort has paid off with new Greens elected to represent their communities.

“Theresa May knows she can rely on self-interested wealthy donors and campaigners who’re allowed to break the spending rules without fear of prosecution.

“Greens don’t work that way, and we’re not in the pockets of the super-rich.

"That's why we are targeting our resources to build on our strong support in Glasgow North and in Edinburgh North and Leith, and also build support for the case against fracking in Falkirk.

“Greens across Scotland will support efforts in these constituencies, offering a bold alternative to the other parties.

"In the same way that the Greens in England focused efforts on Brighton to elect Caroline Lucas to Westminster, we believe by targeting we can work towards Scotland electing its first Green MP."