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North East Campaign Launch
We launched our campaign for the Scottish Greens in the North East Region on Tuesday. I was really pleased to be joined by the incredible German Green MEP Terry Reintke, and our very own Guy Ingerson, who is number 2…
Independence is the route to a better Scotland, but we must learn from 2014
Independence is the route to a better Scotland, but we must learn from 2014 by Maggie Chapman | 18 September 2019 I was honoured to be asked to write the foreward to Jack Foster’s book, Catch 2014: why ‘Yes’ lost…
The climate emergency, social movements, and moving beyond partisan boundaries
The climate emergency, social movements, and moving beyond partisan boundaries BY MAGGIE CHAPMAN | 31 AUGUST 2019 I was pleased to be invited to open the third South of Scotland Greens Regional Conference in Galashiels today. This is what I…
We must build public support for reform of local government finances
Yesterday, I spoke at the launch of the Reid Foundation’s report on financing local government at the STUC Annual Congress in Dundee. Mike Danson (co-author of the report), Lilian Macer (UNISON Scotland convenor), David Ross (Fife Council Co-Leader) and I…
Celebrating the right to choose
Yesterday, over 30 of us gathered outside the Chalmers Sexual Health Centre which provides a range of services including abortion, contraception and other reproductive healthcare. We were there to show solidarity for the work the Clinic’s healthcare professionals do, and…
The age of individualism is dead; now is the time for social movements to seize power – SGP Spring Conference speech
Good morning friends, and welcome to our Spring Conference, exactly 699 years to the day of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, and just short of 40 years since Thatcher became Prime Minister. I’ll say a bit more about…
Our challenge is to make the positive case for Europe
Last Friday, 29th March, on what would have been Brexit Day, Greens gathered in Glasgow to show solidarity with EU citizens and discuss how we can avoid Brexit. I spoke on a panel with Glasgow Greens Patrick Harvie and…
Change often seems impossible, but once it comes, change is inevitable
Scottish Green Party Spring Conference 2018 Good morning friends. It is great to be here in Greenock with you all, for what I know will be a great day – talking about politics, learning from each other, catching up with…
The Centre has Collapsed, for Greens our time has come
Scottish Green Party Conference Speech, October 2018 Good morning friends. Welcome to our conference, and a special welcome to conference newbies, and to Grace – thank you for being with us. And thank you, Christy, for that introduction. It is…
Our movement, our future
I was asked recently to contribute a piece on ‘where now for the left in Scotland and Britain’, for the 100th edition of Scottish Left Review. My contribution initially appeared in the magazine and online here, and is reproduced below.…
Basic Income: a radical proposal for a free society and a sane economy. The 2nd Ailsa McKay Annual Memorial Lecture
This evening, I had the honour of introducing the Ailsa McKay Memorial Lecture 2017, the second such lecture, hosted by the Women in Scotland’s Economy Research Centre, in the Govan Mbeki Building at Glasgow Caledonian University. This is what I said.…
Put power in your hands: vote green #1 on 4th May
Polling day is nearly here! In about 14 and a half hours, Scotland goes to the polls to elect people to serve their communities, run their councils, and make decisions about their schools, social care, buses, bins, parks, housing, pubs,…