With Scotland’s parliamentary elections just around the corner, we’re bringing you Countdown to Holyrood—our take on the 2026 campaign.
In this series, we sit down with politicians from across the independence spectrum to discuss their vision for Scotland’s future. From policy priorities to campaign strategies, hear directly from the candidates and party representatives shaping the conversation leading up to May’s election.
Our guest tonight is Ariane Burgess, Scottish Green Party who has been MSP for Highlands and Islands region since 2021.
Key themes:
- 01:10 Campaigning in Highlands and Islands region
- 01:45 Free bus travel
- 05:00 Childcare
- 06:09 Solve rural issues first
- 07:08 Housing
- 09:54 Community confidence building
- 12:28 Local decision making
- 15:10 Who owns the land?
- 21:57 The extractive model
- 23:19 Community energy, community benefit
- 27:38 Ardrossan Harbour example
- 29:41 Scotland’s innate sense of community
- 31:36 Achieving our independence
- Ariane’s podcast Regenerative Scotland here
- Find out more about the Scottish Green Party election manifesto
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