Letter to Patrick Harvie
Co-convenor, Scottish
Green Party
16th February 2016
Dear Patrick
This letter is to let you
know why I have decided to leave the Scottish Green Party.
I have been involved in
Scottish politics for over 30 years. Throughout that time I have sought to
advance democratic, environmental and liberal values in accordance with my
belief that those in politics should be committed to principles of honesty and
public service.
This is not the first
time in my political life I have found myself a member of a party that has put
expediency and short-term advantage ahead of the principles it claims should guide its behaviour. That doesn't make it any less disappointing to
discover that in the Scottish Green Party, the Party's rules can be selectively
applied by - and to the benefit of - senior figures.
My concern about whether
the Party was following its own stated beliefs started about a year ago as I
became more and more worried by the shambolic conduct of the selection ballot
for the 2016 Holyrood candidates. As you know, I made my concerns clear at the
time and later lodged a formal complaint. It was subsequently acknowledged, for
example, that the ballot papers, though apparently randomised as the rules
required, were actually alphabetic starting with the third letter of the
surname, an ordering method that ensured the Party's co-leader, Maggie ChApman, came first on the North-East
ballot paper. My complaint about the conduct of the ballot was delayed by the
obstructive behaviour of senior Party figures.
The process as eventually concluded was not conducted according to
either the principles of natural justice or the Party's own rules. By the time
a verdict was delivered no-one was surprised it endorsed the selection of
Maggie Chapman as lead North-East candidate.
Of course, no political
party can be held responsible for the day-to-day, individual, actions of all
its members. But a party is responsible for requiring its candidates to meet
certain minimum standards. For me, and I believe most people, one essential is
that a candidate for public office must be honest with the public. Maggie
Chapman's clearly untrue statements in relation to a Ph.D. actually abandoned
many years ago therefore seriously call into question her suitability to be a Green
Party candidate. But that has not been the Party's response. Candidates on the
North-East Holyrood list were told they must give unequivocal support to Maggie
Chapman as lead candidate. Those who said they were not prepared to publicly
defend dishonesty were given an ultimatum to resign (which three did) or face
immediate deselection. Effectively, it would appear, the whole Party is
expected to act in the interests of senior figures - and not according to the
principle that rules should apply equally to all, regardless of position. That is not healthy or wise.
I have been privileged to
be co-convenor of the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Green Party branch for the
last two years. It has been very
saddening to me to see the devastating effect on the Green Party in the
North-East of the events and actions described above. Experienced and committed
Party members have left or stopped participating. The branch now rarely meets
and barely functions at all.
I have now also reached
the point where I believe my best chance of advancing the political causes I
support is to campaign as an individual or as a member of various environmental
and other organisations. I shall not be
voting for the Scottish Green Party this May.
Yours sincerely
Yours sincerely
Debra Storr