Election / Greens look to stand SIC election candidates in ‘every part’ of Shetland
THE GREEN party wants to stand candidates in “every part of Shetland” in next year’s council election – and it wants to see the isles placed on a “path to a fair and sustainable future”.
The local Scottish Greens branch has made no secret of its desire to put forward candidates in the May election.
But it has now taken the step of creating an open-source manifesto in which local people are invited to put forward policy ideas and give feedback on the party’s activity.
Shetland Greens co-coordinator Martin Randall said: “Ideas for our open-source manifesto will come from the Shetland public and will be compiled and voted on by local members of the Scottish Greens.
“It will form the basis of our political activity in the lead up to the May 2022 SIC elections and beyond. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to get involved in politics, even if you’re not a member of the Green Party.”
The manifesto webpage said the branch aims to have “diverse and credible candidates” across Shetland, which is represented by councillors who are largely independent and not affiliated to any party.
There is one SNP councillor at the moment – Robbie McGregor – and his party is also expected to field candidates in the election.
“In the context of increasing poverty and the climate and ecological emergency, the Greens are needed to give Shetland Islands Council a new direction,” the Green manifesto page added.
“Together as Greens, we will be a competent, friendly and hard working group of councillors, holding the council accountable and set Shetland on a path to a fair and sustainable future.”
The party adds that the transition to net zero must be done in a way that “sustains our social, cultural and natural environment and provides benefit to Shetland communities. Locally, there are a number of contentious issues and we need to be prepared to have difficult conversations”.
South Mainland Green activist Alex Armitage said: “The climate and nature emergencies are upon us and are already creating difficult political challenges.
“We believe that change should come democratically and that is why we’re asking all Shetlanders who care about our social, cultural and natural environment to contribute to our local manifesto for next year’s SIC elections.
“Greens believe politics should be done differently: decisions that affect us should be made as locally as possible and not exclusively at Westminster or Holyrood: decentralisation of power is a key plank of Green politics.”
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