Greene: Aspiring politicians must campaign with decency

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions today, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene said:

“In what is potentially my last question, can I wish all Members the very best in the future.

“Recently we’ve seen a rise in antisemitic abuse and in far right protests.

“There are people who aspire to be MSPs spouting Islamophobic bile on social media and cracking jokes at the expense of gay people.

“When I joined this place a decade ago, there was genuine desire to find common ground on difficult societal issues; on gypsy travellers, migrants, refugees and transgender people. All of whom are our friends, neighbours and fellow Scots.

“Ten years on I am saddened to hear politicians use language which reduces those people to adjectives such as dangerous, unwanted, and unwelcome.

“So can I pose a challenge, not just the First Minister, but the leaders of every political party with ambition to return Members here:

“That they will commit their parties to a campaign, and next term of parliament which uses their privilege of platform wisely, debates with decency and remembers that the language used in here, affects people out there in the real world. And not always in a good way!

“I hope and pray we can do politics better.

“And all agree that hatred will never have a place in this parliament. Now or ever.”