Scottish election 2021: Greens warn of climate emergency
- Published
Climate change should be voters' priority in the Holyrood election, the Scottish Greens have said.
Co-leaders Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie were both at the SEC in Glasgow, where the COP26 global climate summit will be held in November.
Ms Slater said: "We are asking voters to vote like their future depends on it. We have a climate emergency."
The UK has fewer than 10 years before the deadline set by the Paris Agreement to keep global warming down, she added.
Asked what her plan for the first 100 days of the next parliamentary term would be, she said: "I'd be looking to integrate our incoming MSPs, we'll need to learn our jobs, and I think we'll need to set out our priorities for the next parliamentary term, which are tackling the climate crisis, making sure that councils are properly funded all over Scotland and starting to work with other parties on building a national care service.
"The climate emergency has to be everyone's number one priority. We have to work together to take practical action to reduce our emissions immediately. The sooner we start the more effective our response will be."
Friday's election campaign - as it happened
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Anas Sarwar was in Aberdeen to discuss the Scottish Labour party's plans to clear the backlog in cancer treatments and provide world-class cancer care Scotland.
During the Covid pandemic thousands of people have missed out on screenings or had appointments postponed, delayed or cancelled.
Mr Sarwar said: "Right now there are thousands of people in Scotland who have cancer, but don't know about it. That's why cancer care is at the heart of Scottish Labour's NHS recovery plan.
"I want to see our NHS not only restored to pre-pandemic levels, but see it strengthened and our workforce reinvigorated."
Nicola Sturgeon was in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh to talk about the SNP's plan to protect the NHS
In Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon said people needed to use both votes for the SNP if they wanted her experienced leadership to "get the county back to normal as quickly as possible".
The SNP leader said: "If you want me to get back to work and the SNP to be re-elected, you must vote SNP for your constituency candidate but also for the regional ballot because that is what determines who is first minister."
The SNP was the only party with "a serious plan to protect our NHS and support our economy", she added.
"The only thing the Tories are planning for Scotland is another wave of austerity - and Labour can do nothing to stop them."
SCOTLAND'S ELECTION: THE BASICS
What's happening? On 6 May, people across Scotland will vote to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). The party that wins the most seats will form the government. Find out more here.
What powers do they have? MSPs pass laws on aspects of life in Scotland such as health, education and transport - and have some powers over tax and welfare benefits.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie was in Edinburgh with the message to those concerned about another five years of debates about independence that a vote for his party would "make the worry go away".
Mr Rennie said: "I am appealing to people who have previously voted for the SNP. My politics is based on the idea that everyone deserves a chance to make something of their life. It's campaigning for better mental health and education that gets me up in the morning.
"All of that would be at risk if there were five years of rows over borders, the currency and the deficit."
He added: "Voting for Scottish Liberal Democrats can make the worry go away. By backing my party on both ballots we can put the recovery first."
'One shot' to stop independence
Former Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson joined Douglas Ross, also in the capital, to call for voters in favour of staying in the UK to use their regional vote to support their party.
Ms Davidson was the constituency MSP for Edinburgh Central from 2016, previously serving as the regional MSP for Glasgow, and will take up a seat in the House of Lords next month.
Mr Ross said: "Pro-UK voters only have one shot to be sure of stopping another independence referendum.
"If the SNP win a majority, they've been clear that they intend to hold indyref2 no matter what the UK government says."
What are the parties promising you?
Use our concise manifesto guide to compare where the parties stand on key issues like Covid-19, independence and the environment.
CANDIDATES: Who can I vote for in my area?
PODLITICAL: Updates from the campaign