Patrick Harvie speaking at Scottish Green Party conference

The Scottish Greens have called for an end to the hostile environment policies, which they have branded ‘racist’. The party has said that the hostile environment has caused ‘misery’ and called for what it describes as an ‘open and inclusive’ migration system.

The Scottish Greens called for the immediate end to the Rwanda scheme and an end to the use of detention centres.

Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens said: “The hostile environment is one of the most awful, shameful and racist legacies of this Tory government. They have thrived on spreading fear and division, and have treated people’s lives like political pawns in their culture war.

“From dawn raids to prison-like detention and deportation flights to Rwanda, they have chased right wing headlines rather than showing humanity.

“Our public services and local businesses all over Scotland are crying out for more workers, but that has been made much harder by a Tory government that has inflicted a disastrous Brexit and has shown total contempt for the rights of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

“The Conservatives have made this so much worse, but the shameful truth is that it began under the last Labour government, and I don’t have any confidence that Keir Starmer’s party will make the break that is needed.

“Freedom, empathy, compassion and solidarity are at the heart of the system we want to see. Every vote for the Scottish Greens will be a strike against the politics of hate and in favour of dismantling a racist and reactionary Home Office that is not fit for purpose.”