Co-leaders of the Scottish Greens

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Co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party
ScottishGreensLogo Green.svg
Scottish Greens flag.svg
Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights Patrick Harvie (cropped).jpg
Co-Incumbent
Patrick Harvie
since 22 September 2008 [1]

Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater (cropped).jpg
Co-Incumbent
Lorna Slater
since 1 August 2019
Type Party leader
Member ofScottish Green Party Executive
Scottish Green Party Council
Appointer Scottish Greens membership
Term length 2 years
No restriction on renewal
PrecursorConvenor of the Scottish Green Party
Inaugural holderPatrick Harvie (as Co-Leader)
Lorna Slater (as Co-Leader)
Formation1 August 2019
Website https://greens.scot/ScottishGreensInGovernment

The co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party are the leaders of the Scottish Green Party. The incumbents are Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater who were elected in August 2019 as the inaugural co-leaders. [2] [3] [4] The co-leaders are responsible for the political leadership of the party, and act as its principle spokespersons. [5]

Contents

The role was introduced in 2019, following constitutional changes in the party, replacing the co-convenors. [6] When the Scottish Green Party are a party in a coalition government, the co-leaders would usually become ministers in the government.

Position

The position of co-leaders of the party were created on 1 August 2019, due to changes in the party's constitution. The changes replaced the old co-conveners system with a new co-leader system. An election for this was held, which Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie won. [2]

The voting system used to elect the co-leaders is the Single Transferable Vote. [7] The constitution changes also stated that at least one of the leaders has to be a woman. [8] Unlike most political parties, Scottish Green co-leaders are only elected for two year terms. [9]

For Electoral Commission registration purposes, only one person may legally be named party leader. Initially, this 'leader' was selected from one of the parliamentary group, solely for that administrative purpose. [10] However, since the introduction of the co-leaders they have taken it in turn to serve as 'leader' for that purpose.

Notable elections

Most co-leadership elections are only contested by the incumbents. [9] [11] Some exceptions include:

Leaders

Convenors

ConvenorTook officeLeft office
RobinHarper.jpg Robin Harper [15]

MSP for Lothians (1999–2011)

19902002
Eleanor scott (13338173734).jpg Eleanor Scott [16]

MSP for the Highlands and Islands (2003–2007)

20022003
Martin Stepek (cropped).jpg Martin Stepek [17] 20032004

Co-Convenors

TermMale Co-convenorsFemale Co-convenors
PortraitNamePortraitName
2004–2007 RobinHarper.jpg Robin Harper

MSP for Lothian (1999–2011)

Shiona Baird [18]

MSP for North East Scotland (2003–2007)

2007–2008 Alison Johnstone MSP.jpg Alison Johnstone [19]

Councillor for Meadows/Morningside (2007–2012)

22 September 2008 – 2011 PatrickHavieMSP2013 (cropped).jpg Patrick Harvie

MSP for Glasgow (2003–present)

Eleanor scott (13338173734).jpg Eleanor Scott

MSP for the Highlands and Islands (2003–2007)

2011 – November 2013 Martha Wardrop [20]

Councillor for Hillhead (2007–2017)

November 2013 – 1 August 2019 Cllr Maggie Chapman Portrait.jpg Maggie Chapman [21]

Councillor for Leith Walk (2007–2015)

Co-Leaders

Co-leadersTerm startTerm end Government
PortraitNamePortraitName
Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights Patrick Harvie (cropped).jpg Patrick Harvie

MSP for Glasgow (2003–present)
Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights (2021–2024)

Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater (cropped).jpg Lorna Slater

MSP for Lothian (2021–present)
Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity (2021–2024)

1 August 2019 Incumbent Third Sturgeon Government

Yousaf government

Swinney government

Co-Leaders in the Scottish Parliament

In 2019 Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie were elected Co-leaders of the Scottish Greens. As Slater was not an elected official, while Harvie was a long-standing Member of the Scottish Parliament, in the interest of gender-balancing senior female Green MSP Alison Johnstone was appointed Co-leader of the Green Parliamentary Group alongside Harvie. [22]

This arrangement ceased upon Slater's election to the Scottish Parliament in 2021.

Co-leaders in the Scottish ParliamentTerm startTerm endGovernment
PortraitNamePortraitName
Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights Patrick Harvie (cropped).jpg Patrick Harvie

MSP for Glasgow (2003–present)

Official Portrait of Alison Johnstone MSP.jpg Alison Johnstone

MSP for Lothian (2011–present)

1 August 2019 5 May 2021 Second Sturgeon government

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References

  1. The office was known as co-convenor of the Scottish Greens until 2019.
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  7. Jarvis, Chris (4 August 2019). "Changes at the top of the Scottish Green Party - UK Green news round up week 31 | Chris Jarvis". Bright Green. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  8. "Scottish Greens to announce new co-leaders". Holyrood Website. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Slater to be re-elected Greens co-leader weeks after Holyrood no confidence vote". The Herald. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  10. Harper, Robin; Bridgland, Fred (2011). Dear Mr Harper. Edinburgh: Birlinn. p. 79. ISBN   978-1-84158-934-3.
  11. Amery, Rachel (30 July 2021). "Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie re-elected as Scottish Greens' co-leaders". The Courier. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  12. "Activist challenges co-convenor of Greens for top post ahead of biggest election campaign". The National. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
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