Latest news with #Ingerson
Spectator
3 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Scottish Greens publish Holyrood candidate list amid party infighting
As the 2026 Holyrood election looms, parties are scrambling to get their candidate lists finalised. Today the Scottish Greens have released their regional list names – with some rather interesting selections amid party splits. One of the most significant decisions sees the current MSP for the North East region, Maggie Chapman, demoted on the list as her rival Guy Ingerson secures the top spot. While Chapman is second on the list, party insiders have admitted they are not expecting to elect two MSPs in the area – which would mark the end of the eco-activist's five-year career in frontline politics. The move is the latest development in infighting that has caused schisms in the party. Last month, Ingerson made a formal complaint against the North East MSP, accusing her bullying. Ingerson said that Chapman contacted his employer to tell them he was 'untrustworthy'. The Green party's leader in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Ingerson is also the co-convenor of the party's LGBT group. Chapman's skirmish with Ingerson isn't the first time she has proven herself a controversial figure. She was criticised after describing the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas as 'decolonisation', not terrorism, in a now-deleted Twitter post. After being spoken to by her party leadership – with co-leader Lorna Slater saying she did not support Chapman's comments – she later wrote that the 'upset and anger' her tweet had caused was 'never my intention and I regret where this was the result'. After the Supreme Court ruling that reaffirmed the biological definition of a woman, Chapman sparked outrage after taking to the street of Aberdeen to denounce the ruling and fume that she believed there was 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred' coming from the country's highest court. Scottish Tory MSP Tess White subsequently tabled a motion calling for the removal of Chapman from her role as deputy convenor of Holyrood's equalities committee – though thanks to SNP support, Chapman held onto the job. There is trouble elsewhere in the party too. Attempts were made to oust outgoing co-leader Patrick Harvie from the top of the Glasgow list by a new group of radicals – called the 'Glasgow Faction' – made up of vocal campaigner Ellie Gomersall and one-time general election candidate Iris Duane (who has been placed fourth on the party's Glasgow list). Alongside councillor Seonad Hoy, the pair argued in a social media video that the party needed a 'fresh start' and took aim at the current leadership of the party (co-ran by Harvie and Slater, but with a leadership contest taking place this summer), saying internal power had been 'consolidated into a smaller and smaller group of people'. The emerging group is also critical of the time the Greens spent in government – before the Bute House Agreement was scrapped under Humza Yousaf – and have lamented a lack of community investment during that time. Speaking to the BBC, Harvie hit back at his rivals in a statement that perhaps reveals some long-overdue self-reflection: For a long time, the Greens sometimes were guilty of – and sometimes even felt satisfied – just saying 'we're right, everyone else is wrong'. Sometimes that can make activists feel satisfied, but it doesn't achieve very much. And I think to a lot of voters, it comes across as smugness. The rowing goes back further, with the party's former general election candidate, Niall Christie, suspended during the candidate selection process for the 2026 elections after publicly criticising the Green party leadership. Christie has since backed Gomersall and Duane as 'excellent candidates' – and has in the past called on Harvie and current Green MSP Ross Greer to stand aside for 'radical women', even if they were ranked top of the regional list race by party members. With Greer especially ambitious (he is standing for the party leadership, with Slater and current MSP Gillian Mackay also throwing their hats into the ring) it doesn't seem likely this will happen anytime soon. Despite the rifts within the party, the polls suggest the Greens are on track to gain seats next year – with one Ipsos survey from June suggesting the environmentalists could even double their current MSP intake. But as both the Conservatives and SNP have demonstrated in the recent past, party infighting can seriously harm your chances in the eyes of the electorate. And while today's candidate list suggests that some sitting MSPs may be right to fear for their jobs, a 'fresh start' isn't quite on the horizon yet.
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Maggie Chapman knocked from top of Scottish Greens list
Ms Chapman who has placed second on the list has been an MSP since the last parliamentary elections in 2021 and, before then, she was co-convener of the Scottish Greens from 2013-2019. Currently the party leader in Abderdeen and Aberdeenshire, Mr Ingerson is also the co-convenor of the party's LGBT+ wing, the Rainbow Greens. Green activist Guy Ingerson (Image: supplied) Once a political ally of Ms Chapman, Mr Ingerson lodged an internal party bullying complaint against his former boss last month, alleging that she contacted his new employer to warn he was 'untrustworthy'. In April, Ms Chapman narrowly survived a bid to oust her from Holyrood's equalities committee after she criticised the judiciary over a judgement on the definition of a woman. Ms Chapman, deputy convener of the Holyrood committee, said there was "bigotry, prejudice and hatred" coming from the Supreme Court after it ruled a woman is defined by her biological sex under the Equality Act. READ MORE: Maggie Chapman hits back in Scottish Greens list battle Maggie Chapman faces list battle with top Greens activist Meet the 'radical' Greens challenging Harvie and Chapman Leading Scottish Greens activist suspended amid infighting Greens civil war: 'Glasgow faction', Holyrood 'centrists' The Scottish Greens regional candidate lists come as the party is currently in the process of electing new co-leaders. Patrick Harvie has announced he will not run for leadership again, however, his co-leader Lorna Slater has made her bid to be re-elected for the top position. MSPs Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay are also standing for the leadership contest which is expected to conclude at the end of August. The Herald understands nominations for leadership will close on Friday this week. Unveiling their Holyrood candidate lists at midday today, the Scottish Greens also revealed Ellie Gomersal, who is linked to a group critical of the current party leadership known as the 'Glasgow faction', has placed second in Glasgow, behind leading candidate Mr Harvie. Cllr Holly Bruce placed third and Green activist Iris Duane came fourth. Critic of the current Green co-leaders, Niall Christie, who The Herald revealed was suspended from the party amid complaints of bullying, described Ms Gomersall and Iris Duane as 'excellent candidates'. Mr Christie previously urged Mr Harvie and Ross Greer to stand aside for "radical women" even if fellow members gave them top ranking in the race for candidates on the regional lists. For the newly-created Edinburgh and Lothians East region, the former head of [[Edinburgh]] Rape Crisis, Mridul Wadhwa, placed seventh with current co-leader Lorna Slater leading the list. The former rape crisis chief, backed to stand by the Rainbow Greens, was criticised in a damning independent report for failing to 'understand the limits of her authority' and was found to have 'failed to set professional standards of behaviour'. Announcing their candidates today, the Scottish Greens have said they are aiming to return a record number of MSPs come Holyrood 2026. Seat projection analysis from an Ipsos poll at the start of this month indicated that the Scottish Greens could secure 16 MSPs, nearly doubling the eight elected in 2021. Reacting to the candidate announcements, Scottish Greens Co-Leader, Lorna Slater MSP said: "Next year's election is pivotal for the future of Scotland and our planet, that's why I am delighted that Scottish Green members have selected such a strong group of lead candidates who will deliver real change in Holyrood. 'Greens have been the only influential left-wing force in the Scottish Parliament for decades, delivering free bus travel for young people, scrapping peak rail fares, and securing tax reforms to ensure the richest in society pay their fair share to support the services we all rely on, like our NHS. 'With more Green MSPs, we can continue to push for the climate emergency to be taken seriously by other parties who want to protect corporate profits rather than our planet, and to fight back against the toxic climate change denialism from the far-right. Scottish Greens won't give up on our planet's future. 'Electing a record number of Scottish Greens is the only way to secure the pro-independence majority in Holyrood, and to continue advancing the case to re-join the European Union. It is a cause that Scottish Green MSPs will continue to make on the doorsteps across the country and in the chamber at Holyrood.'
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Why Greens' Maggie Chapman was dethroned from regional list
As it is unlikely the North East will elect two Greens MSPs, Ms Chapman, who came second in the contest, faces an uncertain political future. The Zimbabwe-born politician, who served as co-leader of the party between 2013 and 2019, has been a lightning rod for controversy during her time in Holyrood. She turned heads in October 2023 after tweeting that the Hamas terror attack on Israel was 'a consequence of apartheid, of illegal occupation and of imperial aggression by the [[Israel]] state.' She also shared a post which likened the attack to an act of 'decolonisation,' rather than 'terrorism'. Lorna Slater hit out at Ms Chapman over the tweet. (Image: PA) Party brass refused to back her, with co-leader Lorna Slater telling the BBC she had spoken to Ms Chapman about her tweet. While Ms Chapman apologised for 'any upset' in a subsequent post, the reputational damage was done. Further controversy followed in the spring of 2025. Speaking at a rally in Aberdeen, Chapman said the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman was based in 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred'. She was blasted by top lawyers and narrowly survived a vote to oust her as Deputy Convenor of Holyrood's Equalities Committee in April - after voting for herself to remain in post. She said at the time: 'The focus should not be on me, it should be on the outcomes of the ruling and the serious threat that is being posed to the rights of trans and non-binary people. "I have never questioned the Court's right to make the ruling that it did. But that does not mean that I must agree with it. I don't, and I am very concerned about the impact it will have and is already having.' Mr Ingerson, an environmental campaigner, will be the party's top North East candidate in 2026. A popular local figure in the party and former co-convenor of the Greens' LGBTQ wing, Mr Ingerson previously stood for Holyrood in 2021. Former employee Guy Ingerson has secured the top spot on the list. The pair are locked in a bullying row, after Mr Ingerson lodged an internal party complaint against Ms Chapman's conduct. Mr Ingerson has alleged that Ms Chapman contacted his new employer, Friends of the Earth Scotland, to warn he was 'untrustworthy' and should be 'watched'. MSPs Patrick Harvie and Mark Ruskell are named as witnesses in the documents, according to The National. Ms Chapman had previously lodged a complaint against Mr Ingerson. Born in Zimbabwe in 1979, Ms Chapman moved to Scotland to study at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 2001. After completing a masters degree in Environmental Management at the University of Stirling, Ms Chapman was elected as a Scottish Greens councillor for Leith Walk in [[Edinburgh]] in 2007. She would serve in that role until 2016, after which she was selected as the top candidate for the Greens North East regional list. Currently the rector of scandal-hit Dundee University, she served in the same position at the University of [[Aberdeen]] between 2014 and 2021. Her bid for re-election in 2017 was annulled after allegations were raised that her supporters had torn down the campaign posters of other candidates. A member of her campaign team said at the time: 'The contention that we had removed hundreds of campaign posters is obviously spurious, and their claim that it took until 4pm on the 11th day of campaigning - one hour before voting closed - for them to realise this is obviously absurd. "It suggests that it is much more likely that their intention was to find a pretext to get the winning candidate disqualified or to have the election annulled." She won a redo of the election in early 2018. Mr Ingerson recently described his contest with Ms Chapman as a 'battle for the soul' of the progressive, pro-independence party. Read more: Faculty of Advocates: 'Surprising and regrettable' Maggie Chapman is still in post Green MSP Maggie Chapman deletes controversial Gaza tweet after backlash Inside the 'battle' to shake up the 'middle-class' Scottish Greens The former oil and gas worker, who came sixth in the [[Aberdeen]] South constituency at the 2024 general election, told The Herald: 'We're often seen as a pseudo-intellectual middle-class party, and to be fair, we've been led by those types of people for some time — and to great success. But now we need change. 'The North East has seen cuts to services and workers feel they aren't being listened to,' he added. 'We need someone on the top of the list who is from Mastrick (a working class neighborhood in Aberdeen) and has really good insight into the community.' In 2021, the Scottish Greens stood in eleven constituencies, failing to win a seat. However, seven Green MSPs were elected using the list system, including party leaders Harvie and Slater.
The Herald Scotland
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Maggie Chapman faces list battle with top Greens activist
Ingerson currently serves as the party's leader in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and is the co-convenor of the party's LGBT+ wing, the Rainbow Greens. Formerly co-leader of the Greens from 2013 to 2019, Chapman has been an MSP since 2021. She was nearly ousted from the Scottish Parliament's equalities committee in April after criticising the Supreme Court over their recent ruling on the definition of a woman. In a statement, Ingerson pledged to be a 'change candidate' for the region. The activist previously stood for the Greens in Aberdeen South last summer, earning 3.5% of the vote. Party activist Guy Ingerson. (Image: Supplied) He said: 'Like the rest of Scotland, communities across our region have seen successive cuts to public services. Our NHS, libraries, colleges, and local nurseries have all seen cuts, and our universities are in crisis. Enough is enough. 'We need an anti-cuts campaigner in the Scottish Parliament fighting to improve and restore our public services. I am that person.' Once a political ally of Chapman, Ingerson lodged an internal party bullying complaint against his former boss last month, alleging that she contacted his new employer to warn he was 'untrustworthy'. Both Chapman and Ingerson have declined to comment publicly on the matter. Ingerson said that securing a just energy transition is a key priority of his campaign. He noted: 'The transition away from oil & gas is not bringing everyone with it. People need to see tangible benefits to renewable energy infrastructure, and they need jobs to go to. We have been waiting years for a plan from the Scottish government and the UK government are not delivering; we cannot wait any longer. 'We should be looking to the 'Our Power' report produced by Platform and Friends of the Earth Scotland. This must be the starting point for any plan. We need climate justice and action. We need both now.'
The National
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Scottish Greens probe bullying complaint against MSP Maggie Chapman
Documents shared with this paper allege that the MSP contacted the place of work of Green activist Guy Ingerson in October 2024 to suggest that he 'was untrustworthy and should be 'watched''. Ingerson is named as the complainer in the documents, which the Sunday National understands were brought before the Greens' Conducts and Complaints Committee last week. The complaint reads: 'On October 15, 2024, I was informed by my line manager that Ms Chapman had raised concerns to my place of employment, [redacted]. This involved speaking with a board member of the organisation and insinuating that I was untrustworthy and should be 'watched'. Green activist Guy Ingerson is named as the complainer in documents obtained by the Sunday National (Image: Archive) 'The full details of this incident can be provided to the CCC upon request. A contact has been provided. I am currently in my probation period with my new employer, and this could have resulted in my termination. 'This act shows an escalation of the malicious behaviour described previously and is a serious breach of the Code of Conduct.' The document makes reference to a separate complaint put in by Chapman against Ingerson, which the Sunday National understands was ultimately dismissed. It states: 'There was also an instruction to take pictures etc of Ms Chapman at any event in which we are both in attendance, regardless of the capacity I may be there in. 'As well as being a highly inappropriate attempt to force me to work for the party outside of party-related events, this unreasonable expectation formed part of the complaint Ms Chapman had made against me.' Other allegations in the complaint relate to disagreements around social media output or internal party processes about motions to be heard at conference. Green co-leader and MSP Patrick Harvie and MSP Mark Ruskell are both named as witnesses in the documents. READ MORE: Campaign against Flamingo Land reaches milestone with 50,000 letters sent to minister Ingerson was second on the Greens' North East Scotland regional list in the 2021 Holyrood elections, and is believed to be bidding to take the top spot from Chapman for the 2026 vote. One source who has worked with both dismissed the idea that the latest bullying complaint was simply part of a selection battle between the two, saying: 'I have seen tit-for-tat selection battles and this isn't one.' They said that while they have seen 'malicious complaints about [Chapman] in the past', they believed this was 'legitimate'. Both Ingerson and Chapman declined to comment in detail on the complaint. Chapman said: 'I cannot comment on anything that has been raised with the Conduct and Complaints Committee to review as this is an internal party process that is dealt with in private, and that must be respected.' And Ingerson said: 'I won't comment on internal party processes, but I will make the general point that bullying is unacceptable in any political party and in any workplace.' A party spokesperson for the Scottish Greens said: 'The Scottish Greens have a robust complaints procedure and a Code of Conduct for all members. 'Any complaints raised are reviewed by our Conduct and Complaints Committee privately. We do not comment on any complaints.'
