Time for ‘new faces’ in Scottish Greens, says Harvie after 17-year leadership

Patrick Harvie says it is time for “new faces” to come forward in the Scottish Greens as he announced his 17-year period at the helm of the party would come to an end this summer.

The veteran MSP said he may have chosen to leave the position of co-leader earlier, were it not for the opportunity to enter government in the wake of the 2021 election.

Mr Harvie also said he bore no grudge against Humza Yousaf – who abruptly ended his ministerial career by terminating the SNP-Green powersharing deal – and even finds the former first minister “likable”.

The Green MSP will not run for re-election for one of the party’s two co-leadership roles when the automatic election takes place this summer.

His current co-leader Lorna Slater is expected to run again and Mr Harvie, 52, intends to seek selection as an MSP candidate in 2026.

He had earlier been elected as the party’s co-convener in 2008 and he and Ms Slater have been co-leaders since 2019.

During the SNP’s powersharing agreement with the Greens, they became the first Green politicians in the UK to enter government as ministers.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Harvie said “it does feel right that somebody else gets the chance to join the leadership team” ahead of the vote in late June or early July.

He said: “If it hadn’t been for that opportunity to go into government in 2021, it’s possible I might have made this decision a bit earlier, to be honest.

“17 years is a long time, and I think it’s good for the party to have the space for new faces to come forward.”

He said the was “enthusiastically” part of the Scottish Government, arguing the SNP have “rolled back” their environmental pledges since his party left power.

He added: “Having done my stint and seen off a very long list of leaders from other parties, I think it’s about time we let someone else with the talent and the drive take Green politics onto the next generation.”

Mr Harvie was asked about the day the Bute House Agreement was brought to an end, when he and Ms Slater were summoned to the first minister’s official residence and told they were being ejected from government.

Their subsequent loss of confidence in Humza Yousaf led to the former first minister being forced to resign.

Mr Harvie said that rather than having an “emotional” reaction “we were all quite closely focused on the strategic choices that it faced us with”.

He continued: “The most annoying thing about Humza is how likable he is.

“I think he made the wrong decision, but I can’t hold it against him on a personal level because he’s a nice guy and I’ve got a lot of time for him.”

Other politicians paid tribute to the Glasgow region MSP.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, First Minister John Swinney said: “I am sorry to see @patrickharvie step down as co-leader of the @scottishgreens.

“He has been a formidable advocate for his ideals and I wish him well.”

Mr Yousaf posted online, joking that he and Mr Harvie “have had the odd difference here and there” but wishing him well.

Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, also paid tribute to Mr Harvie, saying: “Patrick’s legacy goes well beyond being the longest-serving political leader in the UK, or even being the leader who took Greens into government for the first time in the UK.

“His legacy will be marked every time a young person gets on public transport free of charge, with every renter who is able to keep a roof over their heads because of protections that Patrick secured and with every kilowatt of clean renewable power that Scotland produces because of Green policies.

“These are real achievements to be proud of. A legacy offering real hope for Scotland.”