Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green Party Co-Convenor

Asylum demo

I was elected as a regional MSP for Glasgow in May 2003, and I live on the south side of the city. It’s been an extraordinary experience serving in the Scottish Parliament, though the first time I sat in the chamber was way back in 2000 as a committee witness. That’s one of the most important things about having our own Parliament – people in Scotland can participate in the process far more easily than at Westminster. It’s not just about the distance, it’s also about the more open process which Holyrood tries to use. We don’t always get it right of course, but I think it’s a more accessible place than the UK Parliament.

I have previously been a member of the Communities Committee, which dealt with housing, planning, charity law, and a whole host of social issues. But I’m currently Convenor of Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee. That gives me the opportunity to help lead the scrutiny of the Climate Change Bill, as well as trying to point out the problems with the Government’s transport policy.

I’m also involved with issues from asylum and civil liberties to sexual health and food policy. One of the most stimulating things about this job is the range of issues we can engage with, and the range of people we can meet. Finally, I’m also the joint Convenor of the Scottish Green Party – we have a gender balanced leadership arrangement, and my fellow Co-Convenor is Eleanor Scott.

Before Parliament I worked in the sexual health field, for an organisation called PHACE Scotland (it’s now part of the Terrence Higgins Trust) and had brief stints at a recycling charity, a phone line for teenagers, and the Inland Revenue.

I’m a fan of real ale, real food, science fiction and free software. It’s a hard mix to beat.