Scottish Greens candidate Anne Thomas urges voters to put future first

Far north Green candidate Anne Thomas called on people to “vote like our future depends on it” as she launched her campaign to be the area’s next MP.

Based on the Black Isle, Anne will be among a record number of Scottish Greens candidates at the general election.

She said the effects of climate change were now being seen and that her party were the only ones prepared to take the action needed to protect the planet and people’s futures.

“I want local climate action focusing on better buses and trains when people need them, insulation for warmer homes and a public energy company which keeps money in the area and reduces poverty,” she said.

Anne is a children’s speech therapist, a trustee of the charity Transition Black Isle which runs community markets, and chairs the Avoch to Munlochy active travel project. She is treasurer of Highland Cycle Campaign and organises a community larder in North Kessock.

Standing in the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency, Anne claims that the Scottish Greens have delivered positive change for the north Highlands - including free bus travel for 22,727 local children and young people, record spending on climate and nature project, and the removal of peak-time rail fares.

The party hopes to build on the successes delivered by its MSPs and councillors through a record Green result at this Westminster election.

The party said Anne would be campaigning for bold action to tackle the climate crisis and eradicate poverty. This will include a wealth tax on those with assets of at least £10 million and “an end to the tax breaks lavished on oil and gas companies”.

The money raised from these measures would be invested in improving the railways, making our homes cheaper and greener to heat, and other measures which will help both people and planet.

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Anne said: “The Scottish Greens have already delivered so much positive change for the Highlands. I’m standing in this election to build on that record of success.

“The stakes couldn’t be any higher. The climate crisis is getting rapidly worse and the time we have left to tackle it is running out. The Greens have the solutions, and it’s critical that we get behind them before it’s too late.

“While other parties are competing with each other to drop their green pledges and reassure greedy corporations that nothing will really change, only the Scottish Greens are prepared to take the action required to protect our planet and our future.

“At this election we need to vote like our future depends on it. Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross deserves an MP who will fight for the kind of transformative measures we need to tackle the climate crisis and eradicate child poverty. The Scottish Greens are proud to give more people than ever the opportunity to vote for our positive vision of a fairer, greener, independent Scotland.”

Anne will be up against Lucy Beattie (SNP), Steve Chisholm (Alba), Fiona Fawcett (Conservative), Eva Kestner (Labour), Sandra Skinner (Reform UK) and incumbent Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat).

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