Slater gets boot – Mackay and Greer to co-lead party

THE Scottish Greens have given Lorna Slater the boot by snubbing her in the party's leadership contest.

- By Douglas Dickie

Sitting MSPs Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer were voted in to take the party forward as new co-leaders, replacing Ms Slater and Patrick Harvie.

Mr Harvie had already announced his intention to step down, but Ms Slater put herself forward for reelection.

Under the Greens rules, they elect their co-leaders every two years.

‘One pair of extremists replaced by another’

Ms Slater, an MSP for the Lothian region, has been labelled one of the worst Holyrood ministers of all time. She was welcomed into government as a junior minister alongside Mr Harvie by Nicola Sturgeon as part of the Bute House Agreement in the aftermath of the 2021 Scottish election.

Handed the brief for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity, her handling of the Deposit Return Scheme cost the taxpayer tens of millions. She was heavily criticised by industry figures for an apparent refusal to engage with their concerns, but survived a no confidence vote in June 2023.

Ms Slater and Mr Harvie were eventually booted out of government by Humza Yousaf as he tried to cling to power in April 2024.