Scottish Green candidates, including co-leaders Ross Greer and GIllian Mackay, hold up the manifesto on stage.

A pile of 2026 Scottihs Green manifestos. The front page says Let's Demand Better.

Scottish Green co-leaders Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer hold the manifesto. The front page says Let's Demand Better.

Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay speaking on stage in front of an audience. Several TV cameras are pointed at her.

Today we launched our 2026 manifesto!

🟢 Want free bus travel for everyone?
🟢 Want accessible and affordable childcare?
🟢 Want to tackle the climate emergency?
🟢 Want to tax the rich?

We've got you covered.

Read the manifesto at:
www.greens.scot/LetsDemandBetter

I know passionate supporters of LGBTQ+ equality in Labour who have felt increasingly marginalised in the party and unable to support the leadership's view.

But to see the manifesto include anti-trans policies rejected by their own party conference must surely be the last straw for many.

Image of the Scottish Greens logo and our 12 candidate for Edinburgh and Lothians East. Text says: 24 days ledt for the HOlyrood elections. What can you do to elect a socialist alternative Promoted by Dave Owen on behalf of Scottish Green Party, both at 19b Graham Street, Ed, EH6 5QN

Image outlining four ways to help - Ask your friends and family to register to vote - Put up a 'Vote Green' poster in your window - Join us for doorknocking sessions - Talk, write, post about the Greens! Promoted by Dave Owen on behalf of Scottish Green Party, both at 19b Graham Street, Ed, EH6 5QN

Text on a green background that says "And mostly vote Scottish Greens on 7th May" Together with an image of how the Scottish Green Party will appear on the peach ballot papers Promoted by Dave Owen on behalf of Scottish Green Party, both at 19b Graham Street, Ed, EH6 5QN

Excited about the prospect of electing more socialist, feminist and climate-conscious voices to Scottish Parliament next month?!

There are loads of ways to help...

@edinburghgreens.bsky.social
@qmanivannan.bsky.social
@lornaslater.bsky.social

"Prisons are not safe, they're violent, they're poor for people's health and wellbeing, particularly if you're a woman. And they fail to support rehabilitation.

"So actually they do not make those of us who are not breaking the law safer either."

Scotland's prison system should be abolished.

A big thank you to everyone who has contacted me, and other Councillors, about the route over the past number of years — this has certainly been the “hottest” topic in my inbox since I was first elected (!) ✉️🔥

Quiet Route infrastructure in the sunshine outside James Gillespie’s school. There is a cyclist cycling through the filter in the distance and the sun is shining against the blue sky and through the green leaves of the trees.

Today, the transport committee made a big decision about the future of the Quiet Route

I’m pleased that we are finally (!) seeing progress which will (hopefully) see the retention of the route with all active travel measures intact 🚲🌳🚶

Read more on my blog 📝:
open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp...

You can read the report in full here: democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s9...

Text from TEC report which reads: “Option A - Abandon TRO/21/29D This would entail removing the current scheme in its entirety. TRO/21/29D would expire on 15 June 2026 and there would be no requirement to report to the TRO Sub-Committee on the representations to the current trial scheme, received in response to the advertising of both TRO/21/29 and TRO/21/29D.”

Sadly, yes. The late report to TEC has 3 options for ways forward, one of which is to abandon the scheme in its entirety. This is *not* the recommended option by Council officers but it is “on the table”. I don’t think this is what the committee will choose to do, but I have been surprised before …

Update 5: Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route What next for the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route?

Read the blog update here 📝:
open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp...

A picture of the Quiet Route with the sun shining and a blue sky

I’ve had lots of contact about the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route 🚲 recently following the Standards Commission decision to censure two Cllrs over their participation in previous decision-making about the route 🙅‍♂️🗺️📍

At Thursday’s Transport committee I will be presenting proposals for next steps ⤵️

"We crafted an amendment to the administration budget which would have stopped the slum lords, provided more accessible housing and better supported asylum seekers and refugees. It looks unlikely that any of these will be accepted today. Perhaps for Labour that doesn’t matter, I don’t expect them to be here next term either, but for the rest of us and for the city they have chosen to set us up for failure" Cllr Alex Staniforth, Finance Spokesperson

"I think we need to remember the folks drinking lead water, choosing between heating and eating, juggling childcare and work, kids who are developing asthma and life limiting conditions because of the ignorant obsession with cars over active and safe travel. Think of the people on the housing waiting lists, students with additional support needs. I started being happy to second our budget proposal but now end despondent at the state of this administration and chamber." Cllr Kayleigh Kinross-O'Neill, Co-convener

Budget Day in Edinburgh and it seems - as in past years - Labour will be teaming up with the Tories to get their budget passed😒

It's depressing when other parties put their own interests above those of the city, but Green Cllrs will continue to fight for public money to be spent for public good ✊

An image of the Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh with a white text box on top of it saying "A budget for climate, equality, and housing justice. A public diner trial, investing in active travel, reducing rents, free bus travel for asylum seekers, landlord regulation and more. Cllr Alys Mumford explains the Green Councillor budget proposals for climate and social justice." At the bottom is a green band with a white Scottish Greens logo and the word Edinburgh

On Thursday, Edinburgh City Council will be setting its budget - find out what the Green Councillors have proposed in their budget for climate, equality and housing justice: edinburgh.greens.scot/blog/a-budge...

What did I get up to at the end of 2025 and in January 2026? It’s not always easy to find time to shout about all the work we are involved in as Councillors, and sometimes the job can be quite opaque to members of the public.

My latest blog to capture some of my work at the end of last year and January is now published 📝

Lots of speaking engagements and work on public debt, sustainable drainage and Ramadan provisions in temporary accommodation, plus more! 💬💷🌳🏠

cllrbenparker.substack.com/p/what-did-i...

🚨 It's official!

Swift nesting bricks have passed the Scottish Parliament and will now become law.

Swifts are in serious decline across the UK. This will help reverse that trend and make our communities more liveable for birds.

@markruskell.bsky.social and @writerhannah.bsky.social explain 👇

TotalEnergies and the future of fossil fuel sponsors in the Tour de France | The Observer

PS prepare yourself for the possibility of similar frustrating misapplications of the policy by some Cllrs / parties when the Tour de France comes to the city in 2027: observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

There is a report coming to TEC soon which is about new governance models around TfE and I’m hoping we can get agreement on the advertising / sponsorship policy’s inclusion there (though I don’t know if this will be competent / appropriate (yet))

In short, a mess!

raised concerns. @rachaelrevesz.bsky.social did a good write up here: theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2025/09/are-...

Greens asked officers to write to ALEOs to see if they would voluntarily comply with the policy — some said they would, but the trams and buses said no (very frustrating!) …

This is a bit complicated! Trams are an ALEO and the Council advertising win doesn’t extend to ALEOs automatically. Greens (and the SNP) won a position which would have guaranteed the advertising policy applies automatically but this was later watered down by Labour / LD / CON after (some) ALEOs ..

I suspect not, as the preparation of papers for meetings happens months in advance but I will ask about if a short update can be provided setting out next steps

Blue sky and sunshine above a modal filter on the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route

Several people have contacted me about the Greenbank-Meadows Quiet Route given the news this morning of a hearing scheduled around alleged conflicts of interest in the decision making process by some Cllrs ❌

I've written a short update on my blog here: cllrbenparker.substack.com/p/update-4-g...

What a great AGM for Edinburgh Tenants Federation 👏

We heard an excellent speech from @cllrbenparker.bsky.social about the work of ETF & @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social this year. We also honoured our Convenor Betty Stone with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her long-standing commitment to tenants 💐

A view of of a four-way residential junction with two vehicles crossing towards each other as two pedestrians pushing buggies wait at a corner to cross.

View of a four way residential junction with people crossing on foot and a vehicle approaching a stop sign.

View of a four-way residential junction with young people waiting to cross on foot as a taxi approaches a stop sign.

Merchiston Avenue junction improvements - share your views by 10 Jan.

Do you walk, cycle, drive or wheel through Merchiston Ave at Merchiston Pl/ Rochester Terr? We want to propose changes to @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social

Survey at: merchistoncc.org.uk/merchiston-a...

Poster on tree which reads “Banzai Bikes: Free e-cargo bike library”

A group of people with cargo bikes gathering around the new lock up facility by Bruntsfield Links toilets

Drawings by school children which fill the side of the new lock up shed

A great launch for the new @banzaiedinburgh.bsky.social cargo bike library this afternoon — I’ve been pleased to do my small bit to help get this up and running, but a big thanks to the many others involved 🚲📦

If you want to try a cargo bike, get in touch and you can hire one for free 🌟

Breaking. Safe homes for Swifts. MSPs have voted to back a Green amendment to install low cost swift nesting bricks in all new buildings above a certain size.

Swifts are in serious decline, with their UK population falling by 66% since 1995.

Moments ago MSPs backed our amendment to install low cost swift nesting bricks in new buildings.

This small act will make our communities more liveable for birds and help swifts recover.

Edinburgh independent councillor Ross McKenzie joins Greens Edinburgh independent councillor Ross McKenzie has joined the Greens nearly three years after he quit the Labour party.

Locally and nationally, @scottishgreens.org are representing working-class interests and providing a real left-wing alternative - the very things I had hoped to do as a Labour councillor.

I will continue to spend every day trying my very best to serve the people of Sighthill/Gorgie.

Hope to see lots of folk there (and delighted to be ticking off “ribbon cutting” ✂️ from the Councillor bucket list)

A poster on a pale orange background. At the top it says "Have your say on local heating!" There is a graphic of houses of different shapes and sizes, and three people standing on grass. Two are holding hands and one is waving. The poster has a QR code and a link at the bottom: https://bit.ly/Heat-Survey

Two women stand on either side of a small table. They are holding clip boards and pale orange flyers. They are in front of a wooden wall, with a poster with a logo that says 'Porty Community Energy'.

We want Edinburgh to have community heat networks that keep bills low and cut carbon.

To make this happen, we need your input. 👉 Fill in the short survey: tinyurl.com/survey-heat

What is your current experience of heating your home? What needs to change?

You could win £50 in a prize draw!

What did I get up to in October 2025? 5 updates from October 2025

Read the post here 📝
open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp...

Screenshot of blog post. There is picture of Ben smiling against a backdrop of a hedge. The text above the image reads: Cllr Ben Parker's Blog. What did I get up to in October 2025? 5 Updates from October 2025.

My latest blog post for October 🗓️ is now live, covering:

Council culture 🎭
Supporting migrants and refugees 💚
Environmental concerns with data centres and AI 🌍
Retrofitting homes and issues with Scottish Government funding 💷🏠

and more (!)

People gathering in a busy room for a workshop. There are posters around the room with post it notes added to them. A text overlay reads: What did I get up to in September 2025? 5 updates from September 2025.

My latest blog post is now live covering action and updates on: rogue landlords 🏚️, purpose built student accommodation 🧑‍🎓, artificial intelligence 🤖, BDS 🕊 (and more!)

Subscribe and read my blog here: open.substack.com/pub/cllrbenp... 🗒️