Green MSP Gillian Mackay running to be co-leader of party

Green MSP Gillian Mackay said she wants to “deliver fantastic things for Scotland” as she announced her bid to be a co-leader of the party.

Ms Mackay said she believes she can “take the party further and deliver great election results”.

It comes as Scottish Green Party members prepare to vote on who their co-leaders should be.

Patrick Harvie, who has been in the role since 2008, has already announced he is not standing to continue in the post.

Fellow co-leader Lorna Slater, who has been in the job since 2019, is standing again.

Scottish Green Party members elect their co-leaders every two years, with at least one to be female.

Results of the leadership contest are expected in August.

Announcing her decision to run, Ms Mackay said on social media: “At a time when politics is dominated by the egos of men, it is all the more important we have women with big voices and ideas in politics.”

The Central Scotland MSP successfully brought forward a member’s Bill at Holyrood creating buffer zones around abortion clinic to ban anti-abortion protesters from gathering near them.

She said that during her four years at Holyrood, she has “shown I can deliver on the causes I champion and bring people together behind them”.

She added: “I believe I am the person who can not only take the party further and deliver great election results, but deliver fantastic things for Scotland and our communities.”