Articles by George Thomson
The Co-Convener of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie, has reaffirmed his support for Scottish independence but moved to put clear water between his party and the SNP ahead of the 2014 referendum.
The Glasgow MSP said Greens’ support for independence “doesn’t begin with national identity,” and hinted that his party could be persuaded to support a ‘devo max’ option, should it prove to be a better vehicle to decentralise economic and political power.
In an interview with Holyrood, Harvie also raised the intriguing prospect of political parties encouraging members to have a free voice in the independence debate, adding that “anyone who’s really honest knows that the constitutional debate in Scotland doesn’t really split down party lines”.
Independence, explained Harvie, is “not a point of principle for me,” adding: “It’s a purely pragmatic thing, and I have very little interest in flags and identity and 300 years of grudge and grievance.” Greens, he said, support independence as the decentralisation of power – something Scotland has done badly since devolution.
Warning that the independence debate has been “very processy” so far, Harvie called on political parties to engage with civic Scotland’s Future of Scotland campaign, which he said has been “mischaracterised as a devo max lobbying group”. He said politicians at all levels should be allowed to say what they think ahead of the referendum, and seek to begin a wider discussion about the future of Scottish society.
Harvie explained the Scottish Greens will “continue to debate bot...
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Of all the economic arguments that the SNP Government hopes will persuade voters to support its independence bid, it is the vision of Scotland as a northern European energy power that draws most attention. The issue has been at the centre of the independence argument since huge deposits of oil and gas were discovered off Scotland’s east coast in the 1960s and 1970s. A generation on, North Sea revenues remain strong despite depleted reserves – last week First Minister Alex Salmond claimed up to £1trn in deposits have yet to be extracted. After a fallow period in the early 2000s, investment in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) is up, and the region is expected to contribute more than £13bn, a record sum, to the UK Exchequer in 2011/12. This newfound [...]
Tens of thousands of foreign nationals will be eligible to vote in the independence referendum. But will they? Each voter will approach the Scottish independence referendum in a unique way. For many, only the hard facts will count, with the supposed economic advantages or pitfalls of independence guiding their decision. For others, it will be an emotional commitment to a particular political party or idea that dictates which way they vote. The debate has led many Scots to ponder their own national identity, and question whether it is David Cameron’s vision of a “united” and inclusive Britain or Alex Salmond’s “progressive” and self-confident Scotland that chimes most with their own sense of self. However, for a significant number of voters, it will not be their national identity in question. According [...]
The Green MSP Patrick Harvie explains why the SNP’s position on independence and the environment doesn’t stack up The independence issue has sucked the air out of Scottish politics in recent weeks. As much a battle of ego and sheer will as a contest of ideas and policies, the debate has left little room for moderate or alternative voices. While the SNP has, understandably, led the charge for the ‘Yes’ campaign, some have wondered why so little has been heard from Scotland’s other proindependence party, the Greens. For Patrick Harvie, the party’s Co-Convener and one of its two MSPs, there is little mystery. “We’re not nationalist,” explains Harvie. Independence, he says, is “not a point of principle” or “any great achievement,” but “about what it allows you to do”. “It’s [...]
Reform of Europe’s flagship policy raises familiar questions Long the totemic policy of the European Commission, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is set to be reformed. At stake is the policy’s structure for 2014 to 2020. For its many critics, change cannot come soon enough; while for the large swathes of Europe, including Scotland, that see CAP funds as the foundation of their agricultural sectors, the negotiations appear fraught with risk. The EC fired the starting gun on the lengthy process in November 2010, and in October last year presented a set of measures designed to balance the CAP’s stated aims of securing healthy and quality food production, whilst preserving the environment. Among the proposed reforms are moves to simplify direct payments to farmers, encourage new entrants, directly link support [...]
