Scottish Green leadership critic suspended from party

A vocal critic of the Scottish Greens’ leadership has been suspended from the party and prevented from running in the Holyrood election.

Niall Christie, who was the party’s candidate for Glasgow South in last year’s general election, has been suspended following internal complaints.

He had previously announced an intention to run in next year’s Holyrood election but his name does not appear on the list of candidates circulated internally.

Members are currently in the process of choosing who will top the party’s regional lists across the country.

Patrick Harvie, who will stand down as co-leader of the party this summer, is seeking to top the Glasgow list but is facing a challenge from the party’s left wing.

Former party co-chair Ellie Gomersall, activist Iris Duane and Hillhead councillor Seonad Hoy are running on a joint slate in a bid to oust the long-standing MSP.

Christie had backed the trio despite planning to run himself, telling The Herald that if he came first in the ballot he would ask to be placed second behind a female candidate.

He also criticised Harvie and West Scotland MSP Ross Greer for not planning to step aside for other candidates, adding: “I do think that, regardless of how well I do in this election race, and how well somebody like Patrick or somebody like Ross does, they should be looking at themselves and thinking, ‘Actually, I'll be better served by having radical women who can represent something different within the party and a fresh start within the party.’”

The party abandoned its mechanism to ensure gender balance for election candidates earlier this year over concerns about a legal challenge in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of ‘man’ and ‘woman’ under the Equality Act.

The party has long taken a trans-inclusive approach on gender balance, meaning trans women would count towards the total number of women standing and trans men counting towards the total number of men.

But the party’s National Council voted to replace gender quotas with “alternative measures to support and encourage women, trans and non-binary candidates to stand” in May.

As part of the move, male members considering candidacy have been asked to step aside. 

The reason for the suspension of Christie, whose blog Green Left Scotland has since been taken down, has not been made public.

Party rules mean anyone who is suspended cannot run for internal or external elections.

It also comes ahead of the Greens setting out the rules for the upcoming leadership election.

Current co-leader Lorna Slater has stated her intention to stand again for the role, while Central Scotland MSP Gillian Mackay has launched her bid.

Greer is widely expected to stand.

A challenge from the grassroots of the party is also anticipated.