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Scottish Greens co-leader to quit New co-leader for Scottish Greens
(1 day later)
Half of the Scottish Greens' leadership is to quit following the party's disappointing election result. The Scottish Greens have announced a new co-leader, following the party's disappointing election result.
Shiona Baird is to stand down as the party's co-convenor after losing her Holyrood seat in the May election. Edinburgh councillor Alison Johnstone was nominated unopposed as one of the two co-conveners, replacing Shiona Baird, who lost her Holyrood seat.
Robin Harper, who was returned as an MSP, is expected to be re-elected unopposed to the co-convenership. Robin Harper, who was returned as an MSP, was also nominated as the other half of the leadership team.
Mr Harper said the Greens, who have two MSPs compared to seven in the previous parliament, were squeezed in a "policy free" fight between Labour and the SNP. The Scottish Greens, who had seven MSPs in the last parliament, hoped to win 10 or more seats but ended up with two.
The Scottish Greens entered the Holyrood election campaign with high hopes of returning 10 or more MSPs to parliament after the election, using the hot topic of climate change as one of their key issues. Confirmation of the selection will require approval by members' ballot, the results of which will be announced at the party's annual conference in November.
'Bitterly disappointed' Next phase
They found their vote squeezed, but managed to avoid the complete wipe out suffered by the smaller parties. Mr Harper said the Green vote had been squeezed in a "policy free" fight between Labour and the SNP, although they managed to avoid the complete wipe-out suffered by the other smaller parties.
Mr Harper, who said he was "bitterly disappointed" for party activists and colleagues following the result, said he would welcome a leadership challenge to test his support, but it is likely he will be the only male candidate when nominations close at lunchtime. He said: "Alison's election as a councillor is a mark of the huge success we had in the local council elections and it is fitting that this is also recognised by her nomination as co-convener."
The party will need a new female co-convenor to replace Ms Baird, in line with its firm stance on equal opportunities. Ms Johnstone, one of eight Greens elected to local government in May, is a former athlete, having run for Scotland in the 800 and 1,500 metres.
The favourite is Edinburgh councillor Alison Johnstone, one of eight Greens elected to local government in May. "I am certain that the Green Party will grow and attract more support as the other parties reveal themselves to lack the ambition to really change course from business as usual when it comes to the crunch," she said.
The new leadership team now plans to take the party into its next phase, by building on its successes in the council elections and seeking to stage a Holyrood revival in four years' time.