WHY vote Green in a General Election? It’s clear Labour will be the next government. But Labour under Keir Starmer aren’t offering much change from the Tories. We don’t want to settle for what’s on offer from Labour, and we know many feel the same.

Labour have ruled out rent controls which would help tackle the housing emergency. But thanks to the Scottish Greens, we’ll soon have a rent control system in Scotland. We also need more social housing, which could be funded through a fairer tax system, including a wealth tax on the richest one per cent. But Labour have ruled that out too. The SNP are being dragged to the right. They have ruled out a windfall tax on the sky-high profits of oil and gas companies, and undersold our other natural assets to multinationals through the ScotWind auction.

If you want these parties to do better, a vote for the Scottish Greens shows that you want politicians to make different choices, that you want the next government to be more compassionate, progressive and green.

The Scottish Greens’ priorities for Westminster are tackling the climate emergency, ending the cost-of-living crisis and rejecting austerity so we can be proud of our public services again. We should be leading the global move to 100 per cent renewable energy by nationalising the grid and investing heavily in Scotland’s abundant wind, water and tidal power, securing supply chains and good jobs in Scotland.

We should put price caps on essential food and energy so people don’t have to choose between heating and eating. We should tax the extreme wealth of the richest one per cent, end subsidies and tax breaks for arms dealers, and cancel Labour’s plans to increase Trident nuclear weapons. This would raise over £80 billion a year for our public services.

That would mean more money coming to Scotland and more available for councils. It would mean more resources available for local services like Riverside Medical Practice, youth hubs and social care, council litter picks and street cleansing, saving The Brunton and the Old Town Hall, and stopping sewage outflows into the Esk and Fisherrow Sands.

Labour aren’t offering this. The SNP haven’t delivered it. The Tories would rather keep wealth in the hands of the rich. A vote for the Scottish Greens shows you want positive change. Otherwise we’ll get more of the same.

This election, vote like our future depends on it. Please consider voting for me, for the Scottish Greens. You can find out more at bit.ly/AmandaGrimm4Mussy and greens.scot

Amanda Grimm biography - I live in Musselburgh and work in the Scottish Parliament for Ariane Burgess MSP. I am a UK/US dual citizen and grew up in California. I moved to Scotland in 2007 and studied at the University of Edinburgh. Prior to my current job, I worked in Edinburgh’s arts and culture sector. Since moving to Musselburgh two years ago, I have joined several community groups and taken action on local issues such as the flood scheme, litter and fuel poverty. I have served on the board of Friends of the Earth Scotland and travelled with them by bus to Paris for COP21. I was active in several groups campaigning for Scottish independence in 2014.