The Scottish Greens have declared that Scotland deserves better than “the status quo” as they unveiled their five-year plan for the Scottish Parliament. Co-leader Gillian Mackay outlined the party’s priorities for their 15 newly-elected MSPs, focusing on transport, climate, and childcare.
Free Bus Travel for All
Ms Mackay stated that under the Greens’ proposals, Scotland’s transport has the “ability to be world-leading.” The party has committed to making buses free for everyone in the country, building on the existing scheme for under-22s. They argue this will alleviate the cost-of-living crisis and reduce emissions, giving people a viable alternative to cars.
“We have been clear from the very beginning that Scotland deserves better than the status quo,” Ms Mackay said. “The cost of living is far too high and it’s fast becoming a problem for more and more families. We know that rising costs are also interconnected with the climate crisis, and we’ve got a plan to tackle both.”
She highlighted the success of free bus travel for under-22s, which put money back into families’ pockets and gave young people more commuting opportunities. “We want to build on this success and roll it out to everyone before the end of this session,” she added.
Childcare Expansion
The Scottish Greens have also pledged to push for the “biggest expansion of funded childcare in a generation.” This would offer 570 hours of funded childcare from six months old, increasing to 1,140 hours at age two. The aim is to enable mothers and parents to continue their careers after having children, rather than being forced out of the workforce due to high nursery costs.
“Families, and especially mothers, are being driven out of the workforce because childcare has become so unaffordable that it is not worth their time to pay for nursery,” Ms Mackay said. “Many people who want to grow their family are choosing not to because they face limited or unaffordable options. This is not the Scotland I want to live in.”
She emphasised that the expansion would allow parents to pursue their careers, ambitions, and opportunities. “When we put people and planet at the heart of our priorities, we can create a better Scotland. We intend on delivering the promises we have made in our manifesto over the next five years to make that better Scotland a reality,” she concluded.
