In Leith Walk, where I was also campaign coordinator, Maggie Chapman became the first and only Green Councillor elected on first preference votes. A real achievement given the huge resources Labour and the SNP put into ousting her – this was the only ward with a strong Green presence targeted by both of the larger parties. To win 20% of the vote was a fantastic achievement and demonstrates how effective Greens can be when they reach beyond their comfort zone as Maggie has done so effectively since 2007.

Edinburgh now has the administration that most people voted for: Labour-SNP. It will be interesting to see how this works out. The policy differences are minimal, and Labour has been making the right noises with its cooperative council idea. I hope this cooperation moves beyond the mechanics of the Council and into the relationship between the Council and the city, which urgently needs to be renewed. Edinburgh has had enough of the ‘we know best’ Council and it’s time to rebuild trust with Edinburgh’s citizens.

In Craigmillar and Portobello there are some important lessons to learn. Given that Greens have won 22 Council elections under the Single Transferable Vote system and only 4 have been in 3 member wards, it was always going to be a tall order. That tall order was made more difficult by the importance of the school and park issue – something many Greens struggled with. We’d almost certainly have won this election if it had been in a 4-member ward. But to beat the Conservatives (who finished third last time) on first preference votes and the second SNP candidate on transfer votes, shows how well we can do with a strong local campaign based on knowing the area and knowing the issues.

Over the next 5 years we need to build our engagement across the ward. That’ll give us the real opportunity to help transform Craigmillar/Portobello and to help transform the city.

This is an edited version of a post which appeared on Peter’s own blog

People often assume that, as Greens, we are inherently Hibs supporters. And with councillors in Leith (Chas Booth) and Leith Walk (Maggie Chapman) there are certainly strong affinities to the Easter Road side. But, then, our councillor for Inverleith, Nigel Bagshaw is a Hearts season ticket holder; while I myself live within chanting distance of Tynecastle and my children have gravitated towards Hearts strips as they get immersed in football. And the press officer for Green MSP, Alison Johnstone, Jason Rose has already featured in the Evening News as his great grandfather scored for Hearts in the 1896 final.

So the Greens are split too! One thing on which we are all united is the hope that the cup final is a peaceful, celebratory occasion. There is every reason to expect so. I’ve put up plenty of “Vote Green” posters on Gorgie Road in my time, always to good-natured jibes from Hearts fans. I have even handed out special maroon-coloured leaflets saying “Even Jambos can vote Green”, again with a good-humoured response. I am not sure I would relish the same task in parts of Glasgow, where rivalry too often spills into something much nastier.

As for this Saturday I predict a roller-coaster 4-4 draw after extra time; an 11-11 stalemate after penalties; and a recognition that a replay is needed back at Murrayfield.

The meeting will be at 7.30pm at the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh. Victoria Terrace is just off George IV Bridge and runs along the south side of the Missoni Hotel, which is on the site of the old Midlothian Council Building.

Edinburgh Greens have been campaigning on the issue for over two years, arguing that this valuable city-centre land should remain in public lands and Alison first raised it in her role as a city Councillor (2)

Alison Johnstone, who met with the Minister responsible last week, said:

“This is a very welcome result after years of hard work by local Greens and other campaigners. The Government has finally seen the sense of keeping this valuable land in public hands and I think that both current and future residents of Edinburgh will very much appreciate this decision.”

*The Government amendment to the Long Leases Bill has been published today. The relevant amendment is section 1, which redefines those leases affected and the 175 year clause has the effect of exempting Waverley Market.

A few people have asked me why the Greens are not formally part of the new Labour-SNP coalition in Edinburgh.  After all, with our numbers swelling from 3 to 6 councillors and our vote up by 40% across the city, there is clearly an appetite for Green ideas.   New Council leader, Andrew Burns, is, by nature, a politician who seeks consensus rather than conflict and he made it clear that he would want to work with Green councillors.

I have assured Andrew that we want to take him up on that offer, but a formal role within the coalition was not practicable.  Here’s why.

There were three possible options mooted:

• Option 1 – a “rainbow alliance” of all five parties within the city chambers.
• Option 2 – a coalition of Labour, Green and Lib Dem – the so-called ”traffic light” coalition
• Option 3 – Green participation in a coalition of either Labour/SNP or Labour/Tory.

Option 1 – the rainbow alliance was never a real option. It was an opening gesture, to bring parties together.  But, as a working model it would have resulted in a list of lowest common denominator policies, far short of the ambition Edinburgh needs to show over the next five years.  And it would have obscured accountability and objective scrutiny of policy.

Option 2 – the traffic light coalition had superficial attractions.  It would have given a group of 29 councillors in a 58 member Council, exactly the same numbers as in the last council – although whether that was a successful model is highly questionable.  In practice, the Liberal Democrats showed little appetite for this arrangement now.  And, at the same time, the SNP was actively seeking to persuade the Tories to make an alternative grouping of 29, resulting in an Administration decided by a cut of the cards – no way to run a democracy.

Option 3 – a three party coalition with Labour, Greens and either Tory or SNP probably looks most attractive from outside.  A deal with the Tories would have been difficult given that party’s commitment to re-opening the question of privatising public services, the exploration of which resulted in over £3 million wasted in the last Council.  More generally, either scenario – with SNP or Tories – had a major weakness in that both could achieve a majority of votes (more than 29) without needing the 6 Green votes.  That would leave a real imbalance in the relationship – two of the three parties would have the sanction of withdrawal; one party, the Greens would not.

There’s an assumption in all of this that one is either “in power” or not.  And, if the latter, then nothing can be achieved.  That is not my experience of the last five years.  Working in partnership with other parties, Green councillors have had dozens of ideas adopted – including Scotland’s first “Park Green” scheme, rewarding owners of smaller more efficient vehicles; new ways for community groups to agree budget priorities; and commitments on cycling – among many others.

So, for the next five years, look out for Greens seeking to build consensus on balanced transport, on making the workings of the Council more open, on measures to tackle fuel poverty and low pay – we can and will do all this as the lead voice for constructive and progressive opposition.

And next time around, when I’d like to see 11 Green councillors or more – let’s look at the arithmetic of coalition again.

I was elected as a councillor last Friday – thanks again to everyone who supported me!  It has been a busy few days since, partly with the nuts and bolts of any new job, but mainly because the Greens have been looking very seriously at what Council make-up is in the best  interests of Edinburgh.

On Saturday Labour, as the largest party, put forward a proposal for a “rainbow alliance” involving all five parties in overseeing the Council.  That has formed the nub of discussions over the weekend and since.

Let’s start with the basics.  There never was any possibility of there being a rainbow alliance as an actual way of governing the city.  It was a means by which Labour got all five parties round the table and that has been useful.  But as a model of governance it obscured accountability, reduced scrutiny and made a fudge of policy priorities when Edinburgh needs bold and innovative ideas.

The option of a traffic-light coalition – Green-LibDem-Labour – has also never been on the table as the Lib Dems showed no interest in it.  It also gave us a Council split 50:50 and constantly dependent on the casting vote of the Lord Provost.  In other words a continuation of the problems faced by the last Council.

Then there was talk of a Tory-Labour coalition with Green support.  Over the last 24 hours this has featured as the most touted option.  But why?  The Tories and Labour would together have 31 votes, more than than the 29 they need.  Any Green participation would have the serious weakness that our votes were unnecessary, creating an imbalance of power within a coalition and leaving no scope for the Greens to push our most ambitious policies.  Besides, all parties recognise that the Greens and Tories are at the farthest ends of the spectrum as regards policy, making a coherent programme difficult.

In truth, this was little more than a green fig-leaf – an attempt by Labour to sweeten for their supporters the bitter pill of a deal with the Tories.  By removing that sweetener earlier today - by making it clear that we could not sit alongside the Tories in an arrangement in which they had a veto – we made Labour rule out the Tories as playing a role in the city’s government.  That left Labour and SNP with what had always been the most obvious option – a partnership of the two largest parties, who have little difference between them in local policy and with only tribalism standing in the way.

What’s best for Edinburgh?  Well, a Green-led council, of course!  The arithmetic did not allow for that possibility this time around.  So a coalition which keeps the Conservatives in opposition and which places the Greens as the leading alternative for bold and progressive ideas offers exciting prospects for the capital.

“This was always the most likely conclusion to negotiations and it brings clarity to the council administration. We looked seriously at various options over the weekend but recognised that the arithmetic meant that Green councillors would always be dispensable and that would be a major weakness. However, by making our intentions not to enter coalition clear earlier today we ensured that a Labour-Conservative coalition was no longer attractive to Labour either.

“I wish the new coalition well and I hope that the spirit of consensus that has been developed over the last three days will continue. The Greens will continue to work for that as well as offering robust scrutiny of the Administration and the development of bold and innovative policies for the capital.”

Convenor of the Green Group of Councillors, Steve Burgess said:

“Early talk of an all-party “rainbow alliance” was useful in bringing all parties together but it has proved not to be a realistic option. It would result in policies which fall far short of the ambition that Edinburgh needs to show.  And it would pose real challenges as to who was accountable for the programme.

“The prospect of a Labour-Lib Dem-Green coalition – the so-called “traffic light coalition” – has never been on the table as the Lib Dems have not engaged with this.  In any other option – Labour plus Tories or Labour plus SNP – Green votes are not essential because the other parties could always achieve a majority without us.  So, although we have no problem working with Labour, it would be a Green cover for what would be essentially a two-party coalition.  We would be in office but without any real prospect of delivering Green commitments.

“We have prepared our own Green commitment to Edinburgh as our contribution to transforming the culture of government in the capital and developing an ambitious programme, policy by policy.  We believe that is best served by a minority administration led by the largest party.”

Nigel Bagshaw

Nigel has lived in the ward with his wife and three children for 18 years. Nigel came to Edinburgh in 1982 and has been very active in the local area as a Chair of Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council and a local campaigner. He works as a freelance German and Polish translator for the European Union.
 

Contact

 
You can find Nigel’s contact details and surgery times on the Council website here.

Greens in Edinburgh expressed delight at doubling their councillor numbers in the city from three to six, overtaking the Lib Dems and rising from 8% to 11.4% in the vote share.

Green group leader Steve Burgess said:

“This result is a ringing endorsement of the hard work of Green councillors over the last five years. It is clear that voters backed locally-recognised candidates with real track records in their communities.”

Green councillors Steve Burgess and Maggie Chapman were re-elected with significant increased vote share, while Melanie Main takes over from Alison Johnstone who is concentrating on her MSP role. New councillors are Chas Booth, Gavin Corbett and Nigel Bagshaw.