Greens’ Glasgow manifesto promises ‘transport revolution’ and action on climate change

Support from the Greens has helped the current SNP administration to pass its budget in recent years and council leader Susan Aitken has said she would have talks over a deal if no party secures a majority.

The city’s Greens co-convener Jon Molyneux said his group would welcome conversations with any party trying to form an administration. Speaking after the manifesto launch, he said: “Whoever the largest party is after the election, they have a right to try and form an administration.

“We would be open to discussions with any party about what that might look like and whether there is a role for Greens in doing that. The key thing is we have shown this term that we can have an impact, we can have influence without a formal coalition.

“We are approaching this recognising there are different options about how we move forward. Our focus is on delivering as much of this manifesto as we possibly can.”

That manifesto, launched in Govan on Wednesday, claims only Greens understand the urgency of the climate emergency and pledges to end a “council knows best” culture, working with communities and staff to solve the city’s “waste crisis”.

It promises a “transport revolution” with cleaner, greener, publicly-run services and to tackle the housing crisis, with rent controls, more social housing and improved enforcement powers.

Other plans include a conversation on bringing Glasgow Life, the arms-length body running the city’s leisure and culture venues, back in-house and to reduce car journeys to school by more than half. A tourist tax, to raise “up to £6m a year”, would also be considered.

Co-conveners, Cllr Molyneux and Cllr Martha Wardrop, said their group wants to bring the energy of “grassroots activism” — such as climate strikes and tenants unions — into the city chambers.

They will stand a candidate in each of Glasgow’s 23 wards as the group looks to increase its representation on the council from the seven councillors this term. The co-conveners believe the diverse mix of candidates can break into areas of the city where Greens haven’t been elected before.

Cllr Wardrop, the Greens’ longest-serving woman councillor seeking re-election, said: “We’re trying to make sure there is a broader, diverse range of elected members to reflect the population of the city and the interests of the people.”

She added: “There has been far too much tribalism, we are not in a position to carry on with that any more. People need support from all political representatives to overcome all the crises we are going to face in the next five years. We all have to work to deliver a fairer, greener Glasgow.”

Cllr Molynuex said: “Over half of our candidates are under 30, over half of our candidates are women, there is a chance that a Green will be the first transgender councillor [Elaine Gallagher, in Southside Central] elected on the city council.

“I think we’re bringing the right balance of experience and breadth of knowledge, with a lot of energy and activism. We need to challenge some of the existing bureaucracy of doing things that we think is holding Glasgow back.”

The Greens want to set up a Just Transition board, with members from universities, colleges, employers and trade unions, to deliver jobs and skills needed to end reliance on fossil fuels and create a cabinet member role for climate and nature emergencies.

They also want to create a requirement for all new homes to meet net-zero standards, be connected to public transport, city cycle networks and walking routes. The manifesto pledges to reduce car journeys to school by more than 50% with schools supported to develop a sustainable travel plan.

It puts forward plans for a city wide 20mph speed limit on residential roads in the first year of the council term, a comprehensive walking and cycling network and free public transport pilot. Greens would also lobby the Scottish Government to extend free bus travel to the Subway and future Clyde Metro.

There would be a conversation on the future of the M8, the development of options for a free publicly-owned electric shuttle bus service in Glasgow city centre and extended operating hours for the Subway if the Greens were elected.

The manifesto also proposes to bring more empty homes back into use, with more dedicated empty homes officers and greater use of compulsory purchase powers and a Glasgow Heritage Commission to make recommendations on ending neglect of old buildings.

Cllr Molyneux said the Greens are trusted on the climate emergency. “Not just to talk about it, not just to say the right things but also to focus on action in every decision the council makes.

“If Greens were in the administration last term, one of the first things we would have done would have been to go into the city development plan and look at how that could be strengthened. The planning system is so important to the decisions that we need to make and the SNP haven’t done that.

On Glasgow Life, he said “real concerns” over its funding were highlighted during the pandemic. “The idea that you couldn’t open a library or community centre because we hadn’t sold tickets at the Concert Hall or haven’t been able to sell gym memberships, that’s not sustainable.

“Libraries and community centres shouldn’t be expected to generate revenue to wash their own face. We need them open and we need to not have that threat to their security.”

Cllr Molynuex said there would be financial challenges to bringing the service in-house, with Glasgow Life benefiting from relief on VAT and non-domestic rates. However, the Greens would lobby the Scottish Government to look at the issue.