Greens’ fury over TV debate snub
BBC bosses have been accused of ignoring the climate emergency by not including the Scottish Greens in a televised election debate.
Co-leader Patrick Harvie hit out at the broadcaster after it emerged the party would be invited to a debate on December 10 – but only the SNP, Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems would be on the stage.
The Greens were included in the 2017 leaders’ debates, along with the other four parties and Ukip.
A recent UN report has said humans have until 2030 to reverse climate change.
The Greens have stressed the importance of the new parliamentary term, which will run until 2024.
Mr Harvie said: ‘We are electing MPs who will sit for up to half of the time climate scientists tell us we have left to tackle this crisis, and the BBC is holding a debate where everyone agrees with each other. All four parties support extracting fossil fuels until 2050 and beyond.
‘They all want to expand major roads and aviation. Only the Greens recognise this can’t happen, so this debate is ignoring the biggest crisis facing us.’
He added: ‘But it’s not just on climate. The Scottish Greens are the most influential opposition party in Scotland.
‘We have changed the tax system, granted new powers to councils and only last week, John Finnie’s Bill on the equal protection of children received royal assent.
‘To leave us out of the debate is ridiculous.’
The attack from the Scottish Greens comes after the Liberal Democrats launched a legal challenge against ITV for excluding leader Jo Swinson from its debate, opting instead to just host the leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties.