Ahead of election day on 4 July, the Student sat down with Amanda Grimm, the Scottish Green Party candidate for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, to find out her views on issues close to students.
A researcher for the Scottish Green Party MSP Arianne Burges, Grimm said it feels “like the right time to put into practice what I’ve learned”.
The SNP-held constituency includes the University of Edinburgh’s central campus, where Grimm completed undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
Climate Change
Grimm said her party is “the only party that’s serious about a just transition for workers”.
The Scottish Greens and Labour have ruled out issuing new oil and gas licences in the North Sea. However, the Scottish National Party – citing concerns for oil and gas workers – has not.
“We’re saying we need to start planning now for a transition, and it should be government and worker-led rather than private company-led.”
the only party that’s serious about a just transition
She also criticised Labour’s proposed windfall tax on oil and gas giants, saying:
“Like currently Equinor, who’s going to do the massive Rosebank oil field, they’re getting tax breaks which counteract what they’ll pay in windfall tax…”
Cost of Living Crisis
Discussing ways to lower costs, Grimm suggested copying the French policy of food price caps. Taking aim at food retailers, she said:
“We’re going to say you don’t deserve to make so much profit on this when people can’t afford to eat.”
Grimm added that the Scottish Greens would “fix the Social Security system” and provide a universal basic income (UBI).
UBI entails providing regular payments to all adult citizens to support their basic needs.
Universities and Migration
Grimm said, “the Greens completely reject the Tory’s anti-migration policy”.
Since January, only those international students on research courses or with government-funded scholarships can bring family members. Grimm said:
“We need more people to fill jobs and it’s not just about jobs, it’s about the benefit you get from people with different backgrounds and experiences coming and living here.”
She also criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s clampdown on ‘rip-off’ degrees.
Grimm said her linguistics degree “didn’t lead to me becoming a linguistics academic, but people should have the right to study what they’re interested in…”
Nuclear Deterrence and the Gaza Conflict
Having visited the Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society’s Old College encampment, she said the university “has a responsibility to take responsible action and stop investing in companies that are enabling the Israeli military and government to carry out genocide.”
“I’ve been involved in lots of divestment campaigns in fossil fuels and the arts, and it really does work”, Grimm added.
Grimm called for an arms embargo on Israel and for the UK government to “withdraw its support from Israel’s politics and military until they stop settling and occupying Palestinian territory.”
Meanwhile, addressing concerns that her party’s opposition to the Trident nuclear weaponry programme would weaken the UK’s deterrent capabilities, Grimm said:
“[N]uclear weapons are absolutely immoral but will also waste a lot of money.”
She said funding should be used to address “real threats”, such as climate change and cyber security.
Independence and the EU
Grimm supports rejoining the European Union and added that Scottish independence was “the most surefire way” of achieving this.
On gaining independence, she said:
“Support is gradually rising, it is around 50% now, and more and more young people are wanting to vote for independence, so over time, it will happen.”
Asked whether she was concerned the Scottish Greens could take votes from the SNP and allow unionist Labour to win the seat, Grimm replied:
“Tactical voting has its place, but we know the Tories aren’t going to get in.”
voting positively for the vision of Scotland that you want
“You should be voting positively for the vision of Scotland that you want.”
Grimm also rejected criticism from the Scottish Green’s first MSP, Robin Harper, who defected to Labour after saying his party had ‘lost the plot’ by focussing on independence and trans rights.
She said that her party is able to promote independence and gender recognition without sacrificing its commitment to climate change.
“I think trans issues and equality has dominated the headlines a lot mainly because of [the right-wing media] trying to stoke culture wars.”
Message to Students
Directly addressing student voters, Grimm said:
“I think it must be a scary time to be a student and a young person, with the cost of living crisis, the climate emergency, the housing emergency.”
“The Greens are offering the most positive vision of the future and policies that will genuinely protect young people and give them a good future.”
Image via The Scottish Greens
Read the full transcript: