‘Breakthrough in sight for Greens’
The Scottish Green Party is targeting a breakthrough into Perth and Kinross Council after a successful Scottish election.
The party polled third on the regional list vote in both Perth and Kinross constituencies last Thursday - ahead of both Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell believes this gives them the platform to build upon ahead of next year’s local elections.
Perth and Kinross Council currently has no Green councillors.
It has one Labour councillor and five Liberal Democrat councillors but both parties lagged behind the Greens on the regional list vote last week.
And the Scottish Greens have plans to capitalise on the upsurge in support here.
In Perthshire North the Scottish Greens won 3241 votes, while Labour got 2838 votes and the Lib Dems 1728.
And in Perthshire South and Kinrossshire tactical voting was evident in the tightly contested constituency battle - a two-horse race between the Conservatives and SNP.
The SNP - who won the constituency battle with 20,126 votes with a 1948 majority - then came second behind the Conservatives in the regional list vote.
The SNP won 16,074 votes in the Mid Scotland and Fife ballot in Perthshire South and Kinross-shire while the Conservatives won 16,317 votes.
But the pro-independence Greens who did not stand in the constituency contest - picked up 3814 votes.
Labour got 3575 votes and the Liberal
Democrats 2694 votes.
The re-elected Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell is keen to pick up on the Green momentum gained in this election.
He told the PA: “I’m incredibly grateful that thousands of voters in Perth and Kinross have placed their faith in me once again. I’m especially grateful to the thousands of people throughout the region who’ve backed the Scottish Greens for the first time.
“We’ve increased our share of the vote, outpolling the Liberal Democrats and Labour in Perth and Kinross. That’s a reflection of the results we’ve delivered over the last five years, but also our promise to work towards a fair recovery from the pandemic and deliver meaningful action on the climate emergency.”
“This result gives us a platform to build on heading into next year’s council elections and shows we’re ready to make breakthroughs onto Perth and Kinross Council.”
“The Scottish Greens have lead the opposition to reckless and unpopular proposals like the Cross Tay Link Road and we’ll continue to work the communities to deliver green investment which builds a better, more sustainable, future for all of us.”