Sights set on greener and fairer Scotland

The UK government’s spring statement was bad for people and the planet.

It did little to help the millions of people who are being punished by escalating energy prices and offered nothing to tackle the climate crisis.

In the face of these mammoth challenges, their only solution is to double down on the same failed strategy that led us here.

I suppose we should not be surprised that the Prime Minister and his colleagues are too busy firefighting scandals to come up with new ideas.

But our communities, and our planet, deserve better than that. People in Perthshire deserve so much better than the pantomime politics typified by Mr Johnson.

We didn’t arrive at the current situation overnight. It is the result of decades of bad decisions. In this May’s local elections, we have the chance to turn the tide.

From my conversations on the doorstep, and our record highs in the polls, we know many people across Scotland agree with our vision for a greener, fairer, and more equal Scotland.

People need local representatives that are ready to rise to the serious challenges we face – the climate emergency, the cost of living crisis, and so much more.

And we know what having Greens at the heart of government can do.

In just eight short months, we’ve delivered free bus travel for all young people under 22, record investment in active travel and rail decarbonisation, and initiated serious plans to decarbonise our homes and remove poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty.

In the face of the cost of living crisis, we’re accelerating our pathway towards renewables by doubling our onshore wind capacity and investing record amounts in marine energy.

And while Westminster doubles down on cuts to Universal Credit, with Greens in government we’re doubling the Scottish Child Payment to help struggling families.

We’ve made a lot of progress, but there’s far more to do. We need more Greens in our councils to drive the transformative change Perthshire communities need.

We want to bring the constructive politics we have become known for at Holyrood into the council.

Over the coming weeks, you will be deciding who’ll get your vote in May’s local elections.

It’s a preferential voting system, so every vote counts.

If you want a greener future for your community then think global, act local, and vote for the Scottish Greens.