Standing for Candidate Selection (Glasgow List)

I am standing for selection for the Scottish Green Party list for the Glasgow Region. Here is my candidate statement:

Eighty years ago, my grandad was among the troops that confronted the horror of Belsen. ‘Never again’ was once the mantra. Now, crimes against humanity are facilitated abroad, and human rights questioned or flouted in domestic politics and law. I am standing for election because as a disabled (sight-impaired) trans woman I am precisely the person that this politics of inhumanity wants to disappear.

Human rights underpin Green thinking. Equality, diversity and inclusion are not empty HR buzzwords but describe the society we want: from good local education to accessible health for all to a public transport system that allows everyone to reach their goal. An economy that funnels unimaginable wealth to tech oligarchs to dismantle democracy and all-too-imaginable misery to many is immoral and unsustainable. Reecent experience has demonstrated our existential need to assert digital sovereignty and equity.

An SGP member since 2001, I have extensive experience of organising and delivering election campaigns nationally and locally (national comms co-ordinator 2004-8; target candidate for Pollokshields in 2007, missing by four transfers; agent for Glasgow South, 2010) and of wider politics (JAM74; Faslane; UCU). I teach at Glasgow University and live on the South Side with my partner, children and cat.

I am a Scottish Green Party member because only the Greens are prepared to make the case for human rights, for public services, for equity and, to use a very old-fashioned word, decency. Greens must lead on these issues: we are facing not only a climate crisis and a nature crisis but also a democracy crisis and humanity crisis—and the forces arrayed against us are the same in each case.

I am part of no slate, I have no fancy videos and I am not on corporate social media. I try to practice what I preach. I am happy to chat about my agenda with anyone who would like further information, either via email or on Mastodon. See the Contact page for details.