
Alison Johnstone is the Green lead on Health & Sport, Social Security and Children & Young People in the Scottish Parliament.
Alison has represented Lothian region since 2011. She was previously councillor for City of Edinburgh Council for the Meadows/Morningside ward.
Alison is from Edinburgh and lives in the south west of the city. A former East of Scotland 800m and 1500m title holder, Alison is a qualified athletics coach and Board member of Scottish Athletics.
During her time at Holyrood, Alison has held the government to account on social justice, land reform, climate change, pollution, nuclear disarmament and cleaner transport.
She has pioneered the right of fans to buy their football clubs, made warm homes a National Infrastructure Priority, pursued a permanent ban on fracking and coal gasification, and worked to increase powers for Scotland through the Devolution Committee.
Since 2016, her advocacy for a compassionate social security system has led to benefit sanctions not being applied to devolved employment schemes and boosted family incomes by securing a roll out of the Healthier, Wealthier Children programme; she secured an amendment to the Social Security Act to ensure that unnecessary face-to-face assessments will not be required to access disability benefits when these are devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
Alison has brought forward proposals to close loopholes in fox hunting legislation. And in 2020, following huge public support, the Scottish Government agreed to back Alison’s amendment to the Wildlife Bill, ensuring protection for Scotland’s iconic mountain hares.
Contact details
Scottish Parliament
To contact Alison as your Lothian representative to the Parliament:
- Phone: 0131 348 6362
- Email: alison.johnstone.msp@parliament.scot
Social media
- Twitter: @AlisonJohnstone
- Facebook: @alison.johnstone.green
Recent posts
Safety First
As difficult as the latest months of restrictions have been, there are some reassuring things we can cling to argues Alison Johnstone.
Natural decline
With one in nine species at threat of extinction in Scotland, the decline of our natural world shows no sign of slowing says Alison Johnstone.
Tragic death of cyclist needs an immediate response
Edinburgh needs a zero-tolerance approach to the deaths of cyclists and pedestrians on our roads, says Alison Johnstone
Royal High School decision: at last
Alison Johnstone welcomes the long-awaited decision over the former Royal High School on Calton Hill.
Tiers on the horizon
This week parliament is to debate the Scottish Government’s new five tier system of lockdowns. Alison Johnstone previews.
Working for a fairer future
Hospitality workers need a better deal, says Alison Johnstone.