A wellbeing economy which puts people and planet first.
The First Minister has today launched the Scottish Government’s official prospectus for the economy of an independent Scotland. This is a hugely exciting moment for the Yes campaign, and a clear demonstration of the influence Greens are having within the Scottish Government.
We’ve worked hard to ensure the prospectus is as bold, progressive and Green as possible, and I’m excited to share some key highlights with you:
- A clear focus on wellbeing, recognising that the economy is a means to an end and that end is people living happy, healthy lives. There will be no replicating the UK’s casino capitalism
- The £20billion New Scotland fund for the years immediately after independence, which uses the last revenues from the oil & gas industry as well as new borrowing powers to fund key infrastructure. This will include a huge home energy-efficiency programme to cut bills and reduce energy use
- A government-led effort to massively expand collective bargaining, raise wages and improve conditions for workers across the country
- Repeal of Westminster’s 2016 anti trade union act
- Establishing a new National Minimum Wage which actually reflects the cost of living and which doesn’t discriminate on the basis of age
- Setting up a new Scottish Central Bank to be a world-leader on climate, with a mandate which includes sustainability once it is up and running
- Proposals to boost cooperative ownership of our economy, including the introduction of a ‘Marcora Law’ giving workers the right and the support to collectively buy out their company when it is up for sale or under threat
We are proud to have helped shape a government prospectus which is far closer to our own Green vision than was the case in 2014.
In the coming months though, we will also publish our own Green Yes papers which detail how we as a party would go further. In some cases much further. There are important differences between ourselves and the SNP on issues such as economic growth, and it is essential that the radical vision represented by our party is clearly laid out.
I look forward to sharing those with you.
For now though, I would encourage you to read the paper or this summary version and to share these short videos to help ensure this positive message about Scotland’s future reaches as many people as possible.
Together, we will secure that greener, fairer, independent European Scotland.
Ross Greer MSP
Finance spokesperson
Scottish Greens