The Scottish Greens today set out their so-called “red line” issues – the policies they will not compromise in any post-election coalition deals.
The Greens said they would refuse to enter any deals with any parties without cast-iron promises on no new nuclear or coal-fired power stations, no tuition fees or graduate tax and no cuts which damage public services.
The environmentalists expect to be able to wield influence after the election and anticipate discussions with the largest party, either to form a formal coalition or to agree on a confidence-and-supply arrangement.
The Greens held preliminary talks with the SNP after the 2007 election, but these broke down without agreement, partly because of the Greens’ decision not to compromise on nuclear and coal-fired power stations.
Want to discuss other issues? Join the debate on our new Scottish Voices forum
This time, the Greens have set out their "no-go areas" to make it clear to any would-be suitors what would be acceptable in any negotiations. However, given the results of the Scotland on Sunday poll today, it is still debatable how much the Greens could bring to any negotiations. If, as the poll suggests, the Greens increase their representation at Holyrood from two to five MSPs, and if the SNP secure a six-seat lead victory over Labour, any sort of deal would make little sense for the Nationalists. If, however, the gap between the SNP and Labour is as narrow as it was in 2007 (one seat), then the Greens could still prove to be hugely influential. And it was looking towards this scenario – or one which gives Labour a slender victory over the SNP – that prompted the Green announcement today. Their "red line" issues are: 1 – This covers any plans for new nuclear or coal-fired power stations to be built in Scotland, or extension of the life of existing nuclear plants. According to the Greens, Labour and the Tories have backed new nuclear plants, as have the Liberal Democrats at Westminster since going into coalition, and in 2007 the SNP also supported the extended operation of Hunterston B. They also claim that SNP ministers backed a new coal-fired power station, also proposed for Hunterston, and that the Tories supported this plant when it came to a vote in Holyrood in March 2010. 2 – This concerns student funding. Green MSPs say that under no circumstances will they assist any government in the re-introducion of tuition fees or a new graduate tax. Greens opposed the Labour–Lib Dem “graduate endowment”, introduced in 2001, and Green MSPs voted with other parties to abolish it in 2008. 3 – This covers the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition cuts to public services. The Greens say they have put investment in public services at the heart of their campaign in this election, and the party is setting out a range of alternatives, including raising additional revenue from big business and the better off. They claim these cuts disproportionately hit services which are relied upon by those on low incomes, and Green MSPs say they would not play any role in an administration which makes cuts to Scottish services that worsen inequality. “Labour long ago parted company with the anti-nuclear movement," said senior Scottish Green Patrick Harvie, "the Lib Dems abandoned their credibility last year, and the Tories never had any. Even the SNP backed the 2007 plan to keep the crumbling Hunterston B plant running five more years. Hunterston should have closed this year, but instead Scotland must still live with the unacceptable risks that come with it. “Greens in the next parliament will stand unequivocally for a shutdown of Scotland's nuclear plants.” And he added: “Last year, SNP ministers and the Tories united to back a new coal-fired power station, and Alex Salmond seems to think that carbon capture and storage, as yet entirely unproven, can somehow make this dirtiest fossil fuel into clean energy. “It's a myth, and Greens will not back any administration that permits new coal plants in Scotland. Scotland has the capacity to be more than 100 per cent renewable and to export the surplus to our neighbours – this has to be our national aim. “Similarly, graduates already pay a progressive contribution to the public purse – it's called income tax. If they earn more because of their degree, they pay more tax. An additional tax or a return to tuition fees would deter students from less well-off backgrounds, and take Scottish education down the market-first route adopted by Westminster. “Finally, the central question of this campaign remains the cuts to public services. The Tories are openly ready to hand them on should they hold the balance of power, and none of the other parties have yet set out a credible alternative to doing the same. Green MSPs will not support any government which signs up to a cuts agenda that worsens inequality in Scotland. “Hard economic times should not be an opportunity to squeeze those on the lowest incomes – this country needs a fairer tax system and we need to invest in a low-carbon successful Scotland. “Greens are honest about what our priorities would be if we were to hold the balance of power. Any other party seeking Green support in the next parliament will have to respect our position on these issues. These are red lines we will not cross. Our voters and our members expect nothing less.”Want to discuss other issues? Join the debate on our new Scottish Voices forum
Related posts: