Green policy of Basic Income progresses in Scotland
The Scottish Greens are celebrating the launch of a grant for a quarter of a million pounds to explore the creation of a Citizens’ Income, a longstanding Green policy.
Angela Constance revealed the details in a letter to Holyrood’s social security committee where the minister confirmed that the £250,000 grant is being made available for four pilot councils if they have their bids accepted.
The Scottish Green Party has, since its foundation in 1990, backed the scheme and earlier this year the First Minister t announced in her Programme for Government that she would consider funding research into the feasibility of the idea, as a possible precursor to trialling it. The Greens’ social security spokesperson Alison Johnstone says the announcement is more evidence that the Greens are “leading the change” in Scotland.
Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone said:
“Most of us have periods in our lives when we need to balance paid work with other priorities, from education to caring for our families, from being creative to dealing with personal problems. A Citizen’s Income would mean that when we need a period away from work, or to reduce our hours, this would be affordable. It’s a is a totally different system than the divisive and humiliating benefits system we have today and would recognise everyone's basic human needs.
“I am pleased that at both national and local level, Greens are leading on a Citizen’s Income and I’m particularly proud that Green councillors in Glasgow and Edinburgh have successfully proposed motions to begin preparing the ground for research and later trials.
“With the devolution of new welfare powers and the establishment of a new social security system in Scotland, we rightly should be thinking radically about how we can build a more equal society and I’m proud that it’s Greens who are leading this radical change in Scotland.”