SCOTTISH Greens’ members have expressed anger after it was revealed that senior party officials attended a champagne reception paid for by a group which represents members from major polluters.
The event, sponsored by lobbying trade body Solar Energy Scotland, took place at the Scottish Greens party conference last year.
Billed as an “invitation only opportunity to talk to MSPs, councillors and observers”, the lobby group secured the event after paying £700 to sponsor the conference lunch.
Other members include oil giant BP’s solar arm Lighthouse BP and EDF Energy’s renewables branch.
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A senior source who attended the champagne reception said it was for the party’s “inner circle” only.
They told the Sunday Mail: “It wasn’t an open event. Only the senior people in the party were invited.
“Lorna and Patrick were there and their senior staff, all the MSPs. It wasn’t particularly enjoyable and had I known it was being paid for by these companies I would have objected to it and certainly wouldn’t have attended.”
On the same day as the meeting, then-minister Lorna Slater (below) announced a new Scottish Government policy to boost solar energy provision across the country, with a joint statement released by the Greens and Solar Energy Scotland.
The event is not listed in the lobbying register by the trade body or in any records of ministerial meetings.
Ellie Gomersall, National columnist and former co-chair of the Scottish Greens, said she was not aware of the reception or invited to attend.
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“As I have already raised internally, I am deeply uncomfortable with the party advertising exclusive opportunities to talk to ministers in exchange for money,” Gomersall (below) told the Sunday Mail.
“If the sponsors of one such event coincided with governmental policy announcements this is particularly disturbing not least if this encounter was with an organisation complicit in greenwashing and was concerningly absent from the lobbying register.
“As Greens we must maintain our roots as a party of radical democracy and transparency - we simply must do better.”
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Meanwhile, Niall Christie (below), who stood for the Greens in Glasgow South at the General Election, said: “The Scottish Greens are a party of radical democracy. That should mean democracy isn’t for sale.
“If we’ve accepted sponsorship from a group working on behalf of some of the world’s biggest polluters we really need to look at ourselves.
“I’ve raised my own concerns on this and I hope the party takes these seriously.
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“This latest example is no different and does nothing but undermine the excellent work of our elected representatives, staff and volunteers.
“While Sir Keir Starmer’s government seems to put a price on anything, we should be doubling down on our commitment to transparency and holding ourselves to a higher standard.”
George Baxter, vice chairman of Solar Energy Scotland, said: “Prior to the announcement of a 4-6GW deployment ambition for solar power in Scotland, Solar Energy Scotland had of course met or communicated with all the Holyrood political parties, including the Greens, over a period of many months to give them information on solar energy’s capacity to help decarbonisation, promote green jobs, and cut bills.
“I was the only representative of Solar Energy Scotland present at this event, which none of our member organisations attended as far as I’m aware.
“I always register relevant communications covered by the Lobbying Act: that includes meetings with political parties as part of my day job but would not cover a social event of this sort.
“I did not take part in future policy discussions beyond welcoming the announcement made earlier in the day.”
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The Scottish Greens did not respond when asked whether they knew that Solar Energy Scotland’s members included some of the world’s biggest polluters before allowing the sponsorship.
A Scottish Greens spokesman said there was “no discussion” of government business at the reception which was "sponsored by Solar Energy Scotland and nobody else."
He said: “The Scottish Greens have always supported solar energy and are proud of the work that we have done to push for it both in government and opposition.
“The expansion of renewable energy has been at the core of our politics for as long as the party has existed.
“An informal exhibitor reception takes place after every conference and has done for years.
“It was an informal reception that was open to MSPs and councillors as well as all stall holders and sponsors.
“Any discussions Ministers had about government business over the course of our conference were recorded through their private offices.”
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