Lorna Slater

Changes to the Scottish Greens' constitution meant the positions of co-conveners were abolished in favour of the newly established positions of co-leaders. In the run up to the 2019 Scottish Greens co-leadership election, Slater announced her candidacy via Twitter. When announcing her candidacy, she stated that the party was ready for a "fresh new start." Upon winning, she said that she wanted to get more women and non-binary people elected, and to gain more seats than ever before at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.[10]

On 1 August 2019, the results were announced and Slater replaced Maggie Chapman as the female co-leader (formerly co-convenor). She gained 30.2%, coming second place. She is serving alongside Patrick Harvie for a two-year term.[10] As Slater was not a member of the Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone served as co-leader of the Scottish Greens within the Scottish Parliament, until the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

Slater at Stop Cambo Rally, July 2021

Slater became a prominent figure in the lead up to the Scottish parliamentary election, with her being featured in TV Debates and interviews. In the first televised debate on BBC Scotland, Slater urged action on climate change, stating; "Science tells us we have less than 10 years before the climate breakdown goes past the point of no return. The time to act is now." She also reinstated how the Scottish Greens would support legislation on another referendum on Scottish independence within the "next term of parliament".[18]

In the 2021 election to the 6th Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Greens saw their best result ever. The party gained 8.1% of votes on the regional list, earning two additional seats. As the Scottish National Party was one seat away from a majority, the Greens' gain in the election created a pro-independence majority. Slater predicted the Greens "will have more influence than ever".[19]

Official parliamentary portrait, 2021

Slater stood as the Greens' candidate for the Edinburgh Northern and Leith constituency in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. She gained 13.1% of the votes, but failed to win the seat, coming third.[1] Although Slater was unsuccessful in winning the constituency, she was second on the party list vote for the Lothian region, and was elected as an additional member.[2]

Slater is a member of the Scottish Parliament's Economy and Fair Work Committee.[20] She is the Scottish Greens' Spokesperson on Economic Recovery and Green Industrial Strategy.[20]

Slater delivering her maiden speech to the Scottish Parliament, May 2021

On 18 May 2021, Slater delivered her maiden speech to the Scottish Parliament. She called on all the parties to "work constructively and across party lines" to make transformative change. She also called on for the parliament to build a case for Scotland to leave the United Kingdom and believes the nation should vote again in another independence referendum.[21]

We can take many of these steps now, without waiting for independence. But completing the necessary transformation must also involve asking the people of Scotland to choose their own future and building the case for independence which is based on transformation, on building the Scotland we want to see. A fair and green Scotland that is in charge of its own destiny.

On 10 June 2021, a picture was shared on social media which showed Slater and other members of the Greens, including co-leader Patrick Harvie and MSP for West Scotland Ross Greer, breaching social distancing measures. At the time only three households were allowed meet indoors. However, The Scottish Sun reported that Slater, Harvie, Greer and another Green Party member were pictured at a bar in Edinburgh. Slater responded, "This was an honest mistake, we're kicking ourselves and we apologise unreservedly".[22]

(From left to right) Patrick Harvie; Nicola Sturgeon and Slater outside Bute House following the SNP-Greens co-operation agreement, 2021

In August 2021 after weeks of talks, she was at Bute House with co-leader Patrick Harvie and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to announce a power-sharing agreement that would see the Green party in government for the first time in the United Kingdom. There was no agreement on oil and gas exploration. As part of the agreement the Green Party would have two ministers in government.[23]

On 30 August 2021, Slater was appointed as a junior minister in the Scottish Government as Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity. She and Harvie are the first Green Party politicians in both Scottish and UK political history to serve in government.[24]

Slater with Humza Yousaf and others at the launch of the Scottish Government's plan for citizenship in an independent Scotland.

Slater was re-appointed as a minister after Green MSPs supported the nomination of Humza Yousaf as First Minister.[25][26]

In November 2021 Slater announced that a flagship recycling scheme for drinks containers had been delayed yet again. Although prior to her election Slater had told voters the scheme "needs doing", in government she said it was proving too tricky. Greenpeace said such, "a shambolic delay to the long awaited deposit return scheme is embarrassing for a government which loves to shout about its green credentials."[27]

Slater and Humza Yousaf meeting business stakeholders in Scotland's Deposit Return Scheme, April 2023

On 18 April 2023, the First Minister, Humza Yousaf announced the scheme would be delayed until March 2024, while the Scottish Government awaited an exemption for the scheme from the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.[28][29] Subsequently, after the UK Government decision to provide a partial exemption from the Act, Slater announced that the scheme would be delayed "until October 2025 at the earliest" and said that the UK Government "sadly seemed so far more intent on sabotaging this parliament than protecting our environment."[30][31] Circularity Scotland, the body set up to deliver the scheme said it was "disappointed" by Slater's decision.[32]

After delaying the scheme, she was subject to a vote of no confidence in Parliament, with the Conservatives accusing Slater of being "out of her depth".[33] During the No Confidence debate, Humza Yousaf described the motion as a 'stunt' to distract from the report on Boris Johnson, a perspective shared by Slater herself, who had earlier called the motion "a shameless political stunt."[34] The motion was defeated by 68 votes to 55 resulting in Slater surviving the vote and remaining as a junior minister.[34]