UK’s first Green Parliamentarian to stand down at next election

Robin Harper, who spearheaded the Scottish Greens’ growth from the mid-1980s until now will stand down from Parliament in 2011.

In his speech he stressed the the need for ‘concerted and continued’ action to secure an economically, socially and environmentally successful Scotland.

His wife, Jenny Carter, also joined him on the platform stage for the first time during a standing ovation following his speech.

Robin Harper MSP said: “Greens have never been complacent, but always consistent; never been apologetic, always grounded in the concerns of communities up and down the country.

“The challenge has never been greater, and the stakes have never been higher. In recent years, Greens across the globe have been growing in influence from Australia to Germany and even in Westminster – and the Scottish Greens are ready to make a serious bid for influence next year.”

Mr Harper was elected in 1999, he secured legislation to help the establishment of the Marine National Parks and introduced the ‘zero waste’ approach to reduce the country’s costly reliance on landfill.

Luke Walsh