Greens will fight more seats than ever before, Lothian MSP Lorna Slater tells party conference

The Scottish Greens are to stand in more seats than ever before in the UK general election, party co-leader and Lothian MSP Lorna Slater has said.

While not all branches have chosen candidates as yet, the Scottish Greens said that an "all-time high" number of 32 have already been selected to stand in this year's general election. That is up from the 22 candidates they had on the ballot in 2019, and means voters in more than half of the 57 Scottish constituencies will have the option of voting Green.

It comes despite the general election taking place under a first past the post system which is seen as disadvantaging smaller parties. But Ms Slater said that it was only with Greens on the ballot that "the voice of the climate movement will be heard in this crucial election".

Speaking at the Scottish Green Party spring conference in Edinburgh, she said: "We want as many people as possible to have the chance to vote for the Scottish Greens and for our vision. We want as many people as possible to be able to vote for climate action and equality.

"I'm delighted to confirm today that the Scottish Greens will be standing more candidates than ever before at the upcoming general election."

She made the commitment as she insisted the current Tory Government at Westminster "is not fit for purpose". Speaking out about the Conservative Government, Ms Slater added: "It has broken its promises to the people. It has failed in every single duty. It has cost jobs, it has cost lives and it is time for them to go."

And with Labour having already "reversed" its pledge to spend £28 billion on the green economy if it wins the general election, she said her party needed to be "in every election, at every level of government, from councils, to Holyrood and beyond".

Fellow Scottish Green co-leader, Patrick Harvie, added that the country needs to "see the back of this toxic Tory Government". And while polls suggest Sir Keir Starmer is heading for victory in the election, Mr Harvie added it would be a "betrayal of everyone voting for change" if a Labour government adhered to Conservative spending plans.

Speaking at the conference at at Napier University's Craiglockhart Campus, Mr Harvie said: "Like many people, come election night I'll enjoy watching those little blue dots on the map disappear one by one. But it will only be worth celebrating in the morning if an incoming Government ditches the Tory fiscal rules and ditches the spending limits that are harming the lives of so many."

He added: "We need to see the back of this toxic Tory Government, but if Labour continue their current determination to offer status quo politics, and status quo austerity, it would be a betrayal of everyone voting for change."