Greens in call to end the ‘old boys’ club’
THE Scottish Greens have said Westminster needs to be “dragged into the 21st century” as they set out their policies on constitutional change.
Ahead of a campaign event in Edinburgh, co-leader Lorna Slater said Westminster is “archaic” and resembles “a braying and chuntering old boys’ club”.
The pro-independence party is calling for gender quotas at all elections and the vote to be extended to 16 and 17-year-olds.
They also want the Section 35 power available to the Scottish Secretary to block Holyrood legislation to be scrapped.
Alister Jack used this section of the Scotland Act to prevent the Gender Recognition Reform Bill from becoming law, saying it would impact on equalities legislation south of the border.
The Greens are also calling for the House of Lords to be replaced with an elected second chamber and proportional representation at General Elections.
Ahead of the event in Edinburgh, Ms Slater said: “Since the Tories took office, they have run roughshod over devolution.
“They have made a cynical power grab and abused their position to overrule Scotland and undermine our Parliament.
“A vote for the Scottish Greens is a vote to scrap the anti-democratic Internal Market Act, which has been used to block basic environmental measures, and Section 35 which has been used to overturn the will of our Parliament.”
She said: “Westminster is a badly dated and archaic relic of an institution. It is not fit for purpose, and needs to be dragged into the 21st century.
“Westminster still has the air of a braying and chuntering old boys’ club, which is why we support gender quotas and other steps to ensure equal representation for women.”