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Scottish Green leader stands down Scottish Green leader stands down
(40 minutes later)
Veteran MSP Robin Harper is standing down from the convenership of the Scottish Green Party. Veteran MSP Robin Harper has decided to quit as co-leader of of the Scottish Green Party.
The Lothians MSP became the first Green parliamentarian in Britain on his election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. The Lothians MSP became the first Green parliamentarian when devolution happened in 1999 and is Scotland's longest serving party leader.
The 68-year-old said he would give up his role in November, when a replacement will be elected. The 68-year-old, who will stand down in November, called on the party to consider appointing a single, overall leader in future.
Scotland's longest-serving political leader will not stand for a further term at the next Holyrood elections. Mr Harper said he would stand down as an MSP at the next election.
He stressed he was not retiring just yet, but added: "I would dearly love to spend more time with my wife, and for that matter with myself, I expect to see few changes to my lifestyle for the moment.
"It is a great honour to serve my party, and I intend to continue to do so in a wide variety of ways.
"The politics and economics of the future must be green if we are to survive and thrive, living imaginatively and productively within our ecological means."
The Scottish Greens have traditionally opted for a male/female co-leadership under their equal rights policy - but Mr Harper said it was time to consider opting for a single "Scottish Green leader".
The move would leave the door open for the only other Green MSP, the highly ambitious Patrick Harvie, to take over.
In the wake of the English and Welsh Green parties opting for a single leader, Mr Harper added: "I feel we should at least have a discussion in the Scottish Green Party about moves in this direction well before the next election."