Co-leaders of the Scottish Greens

The co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party are the leaders of the Scottish Green Party. The incumbents are Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater who were elected in August 2019 as the inaugural co-leaders.^[2][3][4] The co-leaders are responsible for the political leadership of the party, and act as its principle spokespersons.^[5]

Co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party
Logo of the Scottish Green Party
Flag of the Scottish Green Party
Co-Incumbent Patrick Harvie since 22 September 2008[1] Co-Incumbent Lorna Slater since 1 August 2019
Type	Party leader
Member of	Scottish Green Party Executive Scottish Green Party Council
Appointer	Scottish Greens membership
Term length	2 years No restriction on renewal
Precursor	Convenor of the Scottish Green Party
Inaugural holder	Patrick Harvie (as Co-Leader) Lorna Slater (as Co-Leader)
Formation	1 August 2019
Website	https://greens.scot/ScottishGreensInGovernment

The role was introduced in 2019, following constitutional changes in the party, replacing the co-convenors.^[6] When the Scottish Green Party are a party in a coalition government, the co-leaders would usually become ministers in the government.

Position

The position of co-leaders of the party were created on 1 August 2019, due to changes in the party's constitution. The changes replaced the old co-conveners system with a new co-leader system. An election for this was held, which Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie won.^[2]

The voting system used to elect the co-leaders is the Single Transferable Vote.^[7] The constitution changes also stated that at least one of the leaders has to be a woman.^[8] Unlike most political parties, Scottish Green co-leaders are only elected for two year terms.^[9]

For Electoral Commission registration purposes, only one person may legally be named party leader. Initially, this 'leader' was selected from one of the parliamentary group, solely for that administrative purpose.^[10] However, since the introduction of the co-leaders they have taken it in turn to serve as 'leader' for that purpose.

Notable elections

Most co-leadership elections are only contested by the incumbents.^[9][11] Some exceptions include:

• In 2015, Maggie Chapman was challenged as co-convenor by activist Zara Kitson in the party's internal elections.^[12] Kitson was second on the party list for Glasgow in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election and was nominated by former MSP Mark Ruskell and endorsed by MSP and former convenor Alison Johnstone. The election was notable as it was the first time an incumbent co-convenor faced a serious challenge, all to date had been re-elected as the sole nominees.
• In the inaugural 2019 co-leadership election, de facto incumbents Patrick Harvie and Maggie Chapman faced challenges from Lorna Slater, Guy Ingerson and Graham Kerr.^[13] Harvie and Slater were elected.^[14]

Leaders

Convenors

Convenor		Took office	Left office
	Robin Harper[15] MSP for Lothians (1999–2011)	1990	2002
	Eleanor Scott[16] MSP for the Highlands and Islands (2003–2007)	2002	2003
	Martin Stepek[17]	2003	2004

Co-Convenors

Term	Male Co-convenors		Female Co-convenors
	Portrait	Name	Portrait	Name
2004–2007		Robin Harper MSP for Lothian (1999–2011)		Shiona Baird[18] MSP for North East Scotland (2003–2007)
2007–2008				Alison Johnstone[19] Councillor for Meadows/Morningside (2007–2012)
22 September 2008 – 2011		Patrick Harvie MSP for Glasgow (2003–present)		Eleanor Scott MSP for the Highlands and Islands (2003–2007)
2011 – November 2013				Martha Wardrop[20] Councillor for Hillhead (2007–2017)
November 2013 – 1 August 2019				Maggie Chapman[21] Councillor for Leith Walk (2007–2015)

Co-Leaders

Co-leaders				Term start	Term end	Government
Portrait	Name	Portrait	Name
	Patrick Harvie MSP for Glasgow (2003–present) Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights (2021–2024)		Lorna Slater MSP for Lothian (2021–present) Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity (2021–2024)	1 August 2019	Incumbent	Third Sturgeon Government Yousaf government Swinney government

Co-Leaders in the Scottish Parliament

In 2019 Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie were elected Co-leaders of the Scottish Greens. As Slater was not an elected official, while Harvie was a long-standing Member of the Scottish Parliament, in the interest of gender-balancing senior female Green MSP Alison Johnstone was appointed Co-leader of the Green Parliamentary Group alongside Harvie.^[22]

This arrangement ceased upon Slater's election to the Scottish Parliament in 2021.

Co-leaders in the Scottish Parliament				Term start	Term end	Government
Portrait	Name	Portrait	Name
	Patrick Harvie MSP for Glasgow (2003–present)		Alison Johnstone MSP for Lothian (2011–present)	1 August 2019	5 May 2021	Second Sturgeon government

References

1. The office was known as co-convenor of the Scottish Greens until 2019.
2. "Scottish Greens elect Harvie and Slater as leaders". BBC News. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
3. "Scottish Green co-leaders given ministerial roles". 30 August 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
4. "Scottish Greens to announce new co-leaders". Holyrood.com. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
5. "Scottish Greens to announce new co-leaders". Holyrood Website. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
6. "Scottish Greens elect Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater as co-leaders". BBC News. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
7. Jarvis, Chris (4 August 2019). "Changes at the top of the Scottish Green Party - UK Green news round up week 31 | Chris Jarvis". Bright Green. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
8. "Scottish Greens to announce new co-leaders". Holyrood Website. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
9. "Slater to be re-elected Greens co-leader weeks after Holyrood no confidence vote". The Herald. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
10. Harper, Robin; Bridgland, Fred (2011). Dear Mr Harper. Edinburgh: Birlinn. p. 79. ISBN 978-1-84158-934-3.
11. Amery, Rachel (30 July 2021). "Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie re-elected as Scottish Greens' co-leaders". The Courier. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
12. "Activist challenges co-convenor of Greens for top post ahead of biggest election campaign". The National. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
13. "Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater elected first Scottish Greens co-leaders". Holyrood Website. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
14. "Scottish Greens elect Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater as co-leaders". BBC News. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
15. "SNP and Greens sign working deal". 11 May 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
16. "Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) - Eleanor Scott". Retrieved 17 October 2023.
17. "'Power is a very heavy, dangerous tool': mindfulness by Martin Stepek". The Herald (Glasgow). 10 December 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
18. "Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) - Shiona Baird".
19. "New co-leader for Scottish Greens". BBC News. 24 September 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
20. "Scottish Greens". Retrieved 17 October 2023.
21. "Glasgow MPS retains green leaders role". Glasgow Times.
22. "Scottish Greens appoint Alison Johnstone as new co-leader". BBC News. 3 March 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2023.