Look at what we have achieved with just six MSPs. Imagine what we could build with moreDebra Nicolson
Scottish Green candidate for Shetland Debra Nicolson has called for fellow candidates to wake up to the urgency of the climate emergency.
Nicolson welcomed comments by SNP candidate Tom Wills and Lib Dem Beatrice Wishart focusing on transport, but warned that policies at Holyrood show Shetland needs a Green voice if radical change is to be achieved.
Wills told the Shetland Times: “If elected as your MSP, I’ll be at Nicola Sturgeon’s door on day one to make sure the Scottish Government backs my plan to cut travel costs.”
Debra Nicolson said: “It’s great that Tom Wills recognises that Shetland needs a much better transport system, but he wants to represent a party that has underfunded our ferries.
“It was the Greens that secured an additional £10 million to fund the Northern Isles’ intra-island ferry services.
“Thanks to John Finnie, we amended the Transport Bill to allow councils to run their own bus services again.
“What’s more, the SNP’s transport policies undermine their credibility in tackling the climate emergency. The budget for new roads far eclipses that for active travel, even though transport was the main factor in Scotland missing its emissions reduction target this summer.
“Declaring a climate emergency is meaningless unless the Scottish Government also has the will to address the main contributors to it. Warm words will not address global climate change.
“The Greens will push for a Scottish Green New Deal which will help Shetland transition to a low carbon economy.
“Shetland could elect Tom Wills to knock hopefully on Nicola Sturgeon’s door as yet another SNP backbencher, or they could boost the number of Greens in the Scottish Parliament who have made a huge impact on Shetland already.
“Look at what we have achieved with just six MSPs. Imagine what we could build with more.”
Nicolson added: “Shetland has also been let down by the Liberal Democrats, who ushered in the austerity era with the Tories at Westminster.
“To gain power the Lib Dems abandoned their principles on nuclear power, student finance and even electoral reform, and now the party’s new leader Jo Swinson has even admitted she’d work with the Tories again in government.
“I hope Shetlanders will see through this and vote for positive change this time.”
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