Top & Timely
Thank you branch members for re-selecting me for the top of our list, now Edinburgh and Lothian East. I am looking forward to working with Kate, Q and you all to get at least two Scottish Green MSPs elected in our region. It will be great to have more resources in the MSP team to support our constituents.
In June I wrote the SGP Women’s Network response to the awful EHRC Consultation on trans inclusion. The Scottish Green Party remain the only party to unequivocally stand up for human rights.
Media & Chamber
We’ve been in recess since the end of June, so there has been no work in Parliament or the Chamber and very little media.
Regional & Campaigns
In May, we held the 2nd town hall meeting, and proposed constituting the Friends of Holyrood Park as an organisation, and asked for volunteers for an interim committee. I have convened 2 meetings with the interim committee of the Friends of Holyrood Park, towards getting this group properly constituted. In building up the net work of stakeholders I have met with Police Scotland about enforcement of traffic regulations and twice with Historic Environment Scotland about how they want to work with the new ‘Friends of’ organisation. The intention is to vote on a constitution and committee for this group at the next town hall meeting, likely in November.
In July I met with Soul Cycles to discuss local cycle infrastructure and getting started on an apprenticeship frame work.
Committee & Portfolio
The priority for the Economy and Fair Work portfolio at the moment is pulling together policies for the election manifesto. Like the other MSPs, I have been meeting with stakeholders in my portfolio area to collect their asks for this. This includes meeting with Roz Foyer of STUC, Circular Communities Scotland, the Well Being Economy Alliance, the SRC, the SCVO, Social Enterprise Scotland, Co-operatives UK and Prosper.
This week and next week I am speaking at a workshop for B-corps about how they can work more effectively with Parliament and MSPs to develop policy and how they can be more influential with Government.
Other
In July I spent a week of my holiday as a volunteer on a nature restoration site. There is a SSSI at Tombane Farm in Perthshire for damsel flies, and the Sitka spruce plantation next door has been self-seeding into it. Clearing out the invasive Sitka spruce, leaves more space for native trees to grow and sunlight and space for damsel flies, dragonflies and other invertebrates. We also saw news lizards, frogs, toads, butterflies of all colours and the local kestrels.
Before and after clearing space around an ancient Scots pine and making space for the tiny broadleaves: oak, rowan and silver birch. They are currently hidden in the moss, but now that the deer have been removed and the spruce cleared, they have a chance to grow.
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