The Scottish Greens, also known as the Scottish Green Party, are a green, left-wing political party in Scotland. The party holds 15 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament and is represented by 32 of the 1,226 local councillors across Scotland. The party held two ministerial posts in the Scottish Government under a power-sharing agreement with the SNP from August 2021 until April 2024, marking the first time green party politicians formed part of a government in the UK.

The Scottish Greens were created in 1990 when the former Green Party separated into two independent parties, representing Scotland and England and Wales. The party is affiliated to the Global Greens and the European Green Party. Party membership increased dramatically following the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, during which it supported Scotland becoming independent from the United Kingdom.

History

Origins in the Ecology Party (1978–1989)

The Scottish Green Party was founded in 1978 by Leslie Spoor as the Scottish branch of the Ecology Party, later renamed the Green Party.

Split from the UK Green Party (1989–1999)

On 22 September 1989, a poll of the Scottish membership resulted in 75% of those voting favouring separation from the larger Green Party, with a turnout of 28% – the decision took effect the following year on 23 September 1990.

The 1990 Highland Regional Council election gave the Greens their first ever councillor in the UK. Roger (aka Rory) Winter, representing the Highland Green Party (Known in Scottish Gaelic as Uainich na Gàidhealtachd), was elected in Nairn. However, Cllr Winter broke away from the Greens in 1991 and continued his four-year term as an Independent Green Highlander.

First electoral successes (1999–2013)

Successful Scottish elections

In the first election to this Parliament, in 1999, the Scottish Green Party got one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) elected by proportional representation, Robin Harper, the UK's first elected Green parliamentarian.

In the 2003 Scottish Parliament election, the Scottish Greens added six new MSPs to their previous total. The result was a surprise for the party. Afterwards, Harper stood for election for First Minister, securing six votes.

Despite the breakthrough in Holyrood, the party failed to elect any candidates in the 2004 European Parliament election, 2005 Westminster elections.

In the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, the party lost five seats in Holyrood, leaving the party with just two MSPs. The result was disappointing as polls initially suggested the party would remain with seven MSPs. However, in the council elections, taking place under the new Single Transferable Vote voting system, they gained three Councillors on the City of Edinburgh Council and five Councillors on Glasgow City Council.

Co-convenor Robin Harper blamed the loss on spoilt ballot papers and the campaign focusing on larger parties.

Supporters of the first SNP government

thumb|220x220px|Johnstone (left) and Harper (right), were co-convenors of the party between 2007–2008

Despite the loss of MSPs, the party gained influence with the new SNP government. On 11 May, the Greens signed an agreement with the Scottish National Party (SNP), which meant that the Greens voted for Alex Salmond as First Minister and supported his initial Ministerial appointments. In return, the SNP backed a climate change bill as an early measure and promised to legislate against ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth. The SNP also agreed to nominate Patrick Harvie, one of the Green MSPs, to convene the Scottish Parliament Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change.

Differences, primarily over transport policy, were cited for the limited nature of the agreement.

left|thumb|267x267px|Harvie (left) with Eleanor Scott (right), co-convenors of the party between 2008 and 2011

Robin Harper and Johnstone did not seek re-election in 2008 as co-convenor. While Harvie was the sole nominee for the male co-convenor, there was 3 candidates for female co-convenor: former MSP Eleanor Scott, Glasgow councillor Nina Baker and Edinburgh councillor Maggie Chapman. The role of female co-convenor was won by Scott.

During the 2009 Scottish budget process, the Scottish Greens demanded an £1 billion home insulation programme over 10 years. The SNP Scottish Government offered £22 million for a 'pilot' project. The party decided this compromise was not acceptable.

On 28 January 2009, the two Green MSPs were instrumental in the defeat of the Government's budget. The move surprised some commentators, whose leadership had until this point been marked with increased cooperation with the SNP government.

A slightly amended version of the budget was passed easily the following week with the support of other parties.

2011 Scottish parliament election

At the party's 2010 conference, Robin Harper announced that he would not seek re-election in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election. The party's election campaign was launched with a focus on investment into public services paid for by tax raises. In the end, the party only elected 2 MSPs in the 2011.

Despite not moving forward, the party was the only 'minor' Scottish party which achieved representation in the Scottish Parliament after 2011 when the Scottish Socialist Party, Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party and others lost seats.

Independence referendum and rapid growth (2014–2019)

thumb|240x240px|Harvie (left) with [[Maggie Chapman, co-convenors of the party between 2014 and 2018.]]

2014 Independence referendum

left|thumb|"Green Yes" activists in [[Edinburgh campaigning for independence, 2014|227x227px]]

In November 2013, Edinburgh councillor Maggie Chapman succeeded Glasgow councillor Martha Wardrop as the party's female co-convenor after she did not seek re-election, while Patrick Harvie was re-elected.

During the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, the party participated in the cross-party Yes Scotland campaign in favour of Scottish independence. Co-convenor Patrick Harvie sat on the campaign's advisory board. Briefly, the party withdrew from Yes Scotland. However, the party's 2012 conference overturned the decision. The party also joined the Radical Independence Campaign.

The party's own campaign of 'Green Yes' launched in October 2013, and advocated that only independence could deliver radical change, with Harvie also arguing that the party's vision of independence was progressive, and explicitly not nationalistic. He also argued that devolution did not go far enough to tackle issues important to Scots like austerity.