Scottish Greens membership grows to highest total since 2016

Membership of the Scottish Greens is on track to reach a new record high by next year’s Holyrood election, the party claimed, as it targets winning its first-ever constituency seats in the May 2026 ballot.

The Greens returned eight MSPs in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, with this being their best result to date.

But with membership having grown by 800 in the past six months to stand at 8,279 – the highest total since 2016 – Greens believe they can do better next time round.

The party now has more members than either the Scottish Conservatives and the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

And co-leader Ross Greer said they are “definitely going to gain seats across the country” in next May’s election.

He told the PA news agency: “We are serious about gaining Green seats not just on the regional list but competing for some of these constituencies as well.”

In Glasgow Southside – the seat currently held by former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is stepping down from Holyrood – the Greens believe their candidate, local councillor Holly Bruce, could pull off a victory.

“We are in it to win it,” Greer declared.

His comments came as he said the party’s “hopeful vision” was attracting new members and could help them to their best-ever results at Holyrood.

Greer said: “This is the highest the Scottish Green Party membership has been since the post-referendum period, when we and the SNP experienced.

“I think the reason for that is quite simple, across the UK, the Greens are actually offering people hope.

“Folk are really struggling right now, and a lot of people are seeing that we’re the only party standing up for them, we’re the only party standing up to the super rich, the people who have increased rents, the people who increased electricity bills, the people who are actually making everybody else’s lives difficult.

“We’re the party saying things can be better, this can be a fairer and greener country.

“And we’ve already delivered; we’re the party who delivered free bus travel for young people; we’re the party who scrapped peak rail fares; policies that are saving people a fortune and helping tackle the climate emergency.

“So, that track record of delivery, and that hopeful vision for what this country can be, that is the explanation for why our membership is growing and continues to grow every day.”

Fellow co-leader Gillian Mackay said she was “delighted” that “so many people” are joining the Greens.

Mackay said: “I am really proud to be the co-leader of a party that is growing in the polls and seeing membership surges all across the country.”

She added: “With more supporters, we can take our party to the next level.

“This is just the beginning. With more members we can do even more. There is clearly momentum for change, and we are at the forefront of it.”