The Greens Are Being Squeezed - Out?

The Scottish Greens web site opens with a bold statement

With polls suggesting that Greens will play a crucial role in the next parliament, the Scottish Green Party are going into the election looking to build upon their existing seven MSPs.

It’s not quite how the polls see it.

Forecast UK on 28th March suggest the Greens will get 1 seat

The Daily Telegraph/You Gov poll of 30 March suggests ‘other’ parties outside the big four will get 9 seats (this includes Greens, SSP, Tommy Sheriden & Independents)

In the Scotsman on 1 April they predict 4 seats for the Greens

In The Herald on 6 April they predicted the Greens would get just one seat

On 8 April the Mail on Sunday are predicting the ‘other’ parties will share three seats between them.

Given the greening of the majors and the focus that they’ve all placed upon environmental issues it seems to me that the Greens are getting squeezed. Watching their party political broadcast tonight it’s not difficult to see why. It was bland, negative campaigning and like the Labour effort last week it was just boring.

Last year I spoke at a debate on wind turbines in Edinburgh and Shiona Baird was there. She constantly interrupted me while I was speaking and came over as far from rounded – a hint of the zealot - which for me is what lies at the heart of the Green’s problem. It’s difficult to take them seriously on issues outside of their core position.