MORE GREEN MSPs: HARVIE WELCOMES FURTHER STRONG POLLING
Patrick Harvie MSP, Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, is welcoming further strong polling suggesting that the party is on course to secure a much bigger group of MSPs in the 2016 election.
The TNS poll puts the Scottish Greens on 9 per cent on the regional vote, suggesting 9 MSPs. The Lib Dems would only have 2.
Polling during 2015 has suggested that Green MSPs will be elected across each of the 8 parliamentary regions. It has also shown that the 2 Green MSPs - Patrick Harvie and Alison Johnstone - are as trusted to hold the Scottish Government to account as Labour who have 38 MSPs, while Patrick Harvie has the highest approval rating of the Holyrood opposition leaders.
Patrick Harvie MSP, Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said:
"We're looking forward to 2016 and our biggest and best election campaign to date, and we're determined to convert polling numbers into MSPs to represent all of Scotland's communities. We have our best-ever field of candidates in place and our surging membership means we're visible and active on the ground.
"We'll be putting forward a positive vision of how more Scottish Green MSPs can keep pushing Holyrood in the right direction. We've already shown what can be done by getting rent controls into the draft housing bill, getting energy efficient housing designated a national infrastructure priority, getting right-to-buy for football fans into legislation, and getting a moratorium on fracking and coal gasification. The need for constructive yet challenging opposition has never been greater."
TNS poll with Greens on 9 per cent
Lead candidates for the 8 regions:
Patrick Harvie MSP, Glasgow (also contesting Glasgow Kelvin constituency)
Alison Johnstone MSP, Lothian (also contesting Edinburgh Central constituency)
John Finnie MSP, Highlands and Islands
Sarah Beattie-Smith, South of Scotland
Cllr Mark Ruskell, Mid-Scotland and Fife
Maggie Chapman, North-East Scotland
Ross Greer, West of Scotland
Kirsten Robb, Central Scotland