Harper sets his sights on Westminster Green seat

Published on Tuesday 24 November 2009 08:40

LOTHIANS Green MSP Robin Harper is to stand for Westminster in next year's general election in a bid to become one of the first Green Party MPs elected in the UK.

The former leader of the Scottish Greens has been selected as the party's candidate for Edinburgh East, where veteran Labour MP Gavin Strang is retiring after 40 years.

The Greens say the seat produced their best result in Scotland at the European elections earlier this year, and they say Mr Harper's will be the best-known name on the ballot paper.

Today Mr Harper – who made history as Britain's first Green parliamentarian when he was first elected an MSP in 1999 – said being a Green voice at Westminster would be a "wonderful" way to round off his political career.

He stepped down as co- convener of the party last year and announced he would not stand for Holyrood again.

With Green hopes of a breakthrough at the general election raised, Mr Harper said the prospect of being part of the first-ever group of Green MPs was too enticing to turn down.

He said: "In 1999, I was proud to be the first Green elected at a national level in the UK, the forerunner of future successes in the Scottish Parliament, the European Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

"I have served at Holyrood for more than a decade now, and I concluded that the time was right to pass on the baton to other colleagues in the Scottish Parliament.

"The Westminster Parliament remains the last level of government without a Green presence.

"It is a parliament that has seen its reputation battered, quite rightly, as decades of bad behaviour by the old boys' club have been exposed. It remains remote and out of touch on the issues which matter to people: on quality of life, sustainability and an economy that provides for all.

"It's time for a change, and it will now be up to the people of Edinburgh East to decide if they wish to see me elected as their MP. It would be an extraordinary honour to serve them as part of the first ever group of Greens at Westminster."

He said across the UK, the Greens were approaching the Westminster election with heightened expectations.

Green MEP Caroline Lucas is the bookmakers' favourite to win Brighton Pavilion, while the party also has hopes for good results in Norwich, London and Oxford.

Mr Harper's candidacy was welcomed by Green councillor Alison Johnstone.

She said: "The public are disenchanted with what's on offer from the parties already at Westminster."

Other Green candidates announced today are Kate Joester for Edinburgh North & Leith, Steve Burgess for Edinburgh South and Clare Cooney for Edinburgh South West.