Patrick Harvie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrick Harvie
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Official portrait, 2023
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| Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights | |
| In office 31 August 2021 – 25 April 2024 |
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| First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon Humza Yousaf |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Co-Leader of the Scottish Greens | |
| Assumed office 22 September 2008 Serving with Lorna Slater
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| Preceded by | Robin Harper |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) |
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| Assumed office 1 May 2003 |
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| Scottish Green portfolios | |
| 2016–2021 | Finance, Economy, Fair Work and Equalities |
| 2021 | Finance and the Constitution |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 March 1973 Vale of Leven, Dunbartonshire, Scotland |
| Political party | Scottish Greens |
| Alma mater |
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| Website | Official website: https://greens.scot/patrick-harvie-msp |
Patrick Harvie (born 18 March 1973) is a Scottish politician. He was a government minister from 2021 to 2024. He served as the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights. Since 2008, he has been one of the two co-leaders of the Scottish Greens. He was one of the first Green politicians in the UK to become a government minister. Harvie has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow area since 2003.
Patrick Harvie was born in Dunbartonshire, Scotland. He studied at Manchester Metropolitan University. He became active in politics early on, especially in campaigns for equal rights. This led him to join the Scottish Green Party. In 2003, he was elected to the Scottish Parliament. In 2008, he became a co-leader of the Scottish Greens. In 2021, the Scottish Greens joined a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish National Party (SNP). This made Harvie and Lorna Slater the first Green Party politicians to serve in the Scottish Government. They left the government in 2024.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Scotland
Patrick Harvie was born on 18 March 1973. His birthplace was Vale of Leven in Dunbartonshire, Scotland. He went to Dumbarton Academy from 1984 to 1991. After school, he studied at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Early Jobs and Interests
Before becoming a politician, Harvie worked as a youth worker. He also worked for the Lanarkshire Health Board. His work there focused on preventing HIV. It also involved campaigning for equality. He also spent some time working as a civil servant. This was for the Inland Revenue in Dumbarton.
Getting Involved in Politics
Early Political Steps
Patrick Harvie became interested in politics at a young age. He went to a protest for nuclear disarmament with his mother when he was very small. When he was ten, he told his mother he wanted to be Prime Minister one day. During his time at university, he was a member of the Labour Party.
Campaigning for Equality
Harvie was very active in a campaign to change a law known as Section 28. This law had limited discussions about certain topics in schools. The campaign was successful. Harvie has said that this experience made him want to get more involved in politics. It led him to join the Scottish Green Party.
Starting in Parliament
First Campaigns as an MSP
Harvie was elected as an MSP for the Glasgow area in 2003. He quickly became known for supporting Green issues. For example, he campaigned against building a new part of the M74 motorway in Glasgow. He also worked on other important issues. These included opposing the Identity Cards Bill. He also supported people worried about the health effects of tasers.
Soon after becoming an MSP, he suggested new laws for equal rights for all couples. Even though these laws were later handled by the UK Parliament, his ideas helped start public discussions in Scotland. He also spoke out to make sure everyone was treated fairly.
Working on Communities
Harvie was part of the Communities Committee in the Scottish Parliament. He worked on this committee from 2003 to 2007. He was also the Scottish Greens' spokesperson for Justice and Communities. Through his committee work, he helped with laws about Anti-social behaviour, Charities, and Housing. He also worked on issues like homelessness and debt.
In 2004, Harvie won the 'One to Watch' award. This was at the annual Scottish Politician of the Year event. He also worked on many issues related to civil liberties.
Leading the Scottish Greens
Becoming Co-Convenor
Patrick Harvie became the male co-convenor of the Scottish Greens on 22 September 2008. He was the only person to stand for the job after Robin Harper stepped down. He was the first openly bisexual leader of a political party in the United Kingdom.
Growing Influence
After the 2007 election, Harvie was re-elected. The Scottish Green Party worked closely with the Scottish National Party (SNP). This led to a special agreement between the two parties. Because of this, Harvie was chosen to lead the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee. He held this position until 2011.
Even while working with the SNP, he still disagreed with some of their big building projects. He continued to oppose the M74 motorway. He also said that the government's plans did not focus enough on renewable energy. However, he also helped the Scottish Government pass laws to fight hate crime against LGBT people and people with disabilities.
In 2015, Harvie was present at the first same-sex wedding in Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon performed the ceremony.
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Scottish Independence Vote
Harvie supports Scottish independence. He voted 'Yes' in the 2014 vote for Scotland to become independent. Before the vote, he was part of the Yes Scotland campaign. He campaigned alongside Nicola Sturgeon. Harvie said he supported independence for a vision of Scotland. He wanted a peaceful country with social justice, equality, and environmental protection.
Re-election in 2016
Harvie was re-elected in 2016. He joined the Finance and Constitution Committee. He also became the Scottish Greens' spokesperson for Finance, Economy, Fair Work, and Equalities.
In 2017, Harvie supported a successful campaign. This campaign helped the community take ownership of a green space called North Kelvin meadow. This was part of a bigger Green effort for land reform.
Brexit and Future Independence Vote
In the 2016 vote on whether the UK should leave the European Union, Harvie wanted Scotland to stay. After the UK voted to leave, he said Scotland must protect itself from the changes.
Since Brexit, he has supported the idea of another independence vote for Scotland. He urged the Scottish Government to keep its promise to pass an independence bill. This was to protect Scotland from a difficult Brexit.
Co-Leader of the Scottish Greens
New Co-Leadership Role
After some changes to the Green Party's rules, Harvie was elected co-leader. This happened in 2019. He became co-leader alongside Lorna Slater.
Together, Harvie and Slater led their party into the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. They won eight seats. This was the most seats the Greens had ever won in the Scottish Parliament.
Joining the Government
In August 2021, Harvie and Lorna Slater were at Bute House. They were with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. They announced a power-sharing agreement. This meant the Green Party would be part of the government for the first time in the UK. As part of this agreement, the Green Party would have two ministers in the government.
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Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings
On 30 August 2021, Harvie was appointed Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights. He and Slater became the first Green Party politicians to serve in the Scottish and UK governments.
In April 2023, Harvie faced some criticism. This was after a magazine editor said she felt bullied by him.
During the Scottish budget process in 2023, he attended important meetings. These meetings were to finalize the budget and get agreement between his party and the SNP.
COP26 Climate Summit
During his time as minister, COP26 was held in Glasgow. This is Harvie's home city. He used this event to discuss Scottish independence with world leaders. He also had a disagreement with Greenpeace. Greenpeace had criticized Nicola Sturgeon about an oil field. Harvie said Greenpeace did not understand Scottish politics. He felt they looked at issues in a UK context, not a Scottish Parliament context.
Gender Policy
Harvie supported a bill that would make it easier for people to change their legal gender in Scotland. He and Lorna Slater said they would resign if the next First Minister delayed this law.
In April 2024, Harvie spoke about the Cass Review. This was a review of gender identity services in England. Harvie said he did not see the Cass Review as a valid scientific document. He said he had "seen far too many criticisms" of it. After his comments, a Scottish Government spokesperson said that decisions like those in the Cass Review should come from doctors, not politicians.
Protecting Tenants' Rights
In 2021, Harvie started discussions on a 'New Deal for Tenants'. This would include rules about rent, the right to have a pet, and protection from eviction.
In October 2022, Harvie introduced a new law. This law aimed to freeze rents and stop evictions. This was in response to the cost of living crisis. This emergency law was the first bill introduced by a Green minister in the UK. The next year, he extended the law. He changed the rent freeze to a rent cap. Landlords challenged his measures in court. They said the measures went against human rights.
The measures were extended one last time in September 2023. Harvie promised to introduce permanent rent controls. In October 2023, he began to ask for opinions on what these might look like.
Zero Carbon Buildings
In November 2023, Harvie discussed plans to change how homes are heated. He also confirmed that all homes must meet energy efficiency standards by 2033. All homes would also need to replace gas boilers by 2045. Some people criticized the first plan. They called it a "ten-year timebomb."
Political Beliefs
Scottish Independence
As a member of the Scottish Greens, Harvie supports Scottish independence. He voted 'Yes' in the 2014 independence vote. Before the vote, he was part of the Yes Scotland campaign. He campaigned with Nicola Sturgeon. Harvie said he supported independence for a vision of Scotland. He wanted a peaceful country with social justice, equality, and environmental protection.
Scotland strongly voted to stay in the European Union in 2016. Harvie and the Greens campaigned to remain. Since then, he has supported the Scottish Government's idea for a second independence vote. In the 2021 Scottish election, the SNP and the Greens together won 72 out of 129 seats. Both parties promised to hold a vote before the end of 2023 if the COVID-19 pandemic allowed.
Scottish Republic
Harvie also supports an independent Scottish republic. This means he believes Scotland should have a democratically elected head of state. He has criticized the British monarchy. He called them an "outdated, discredited and totally undemocratic institution."
Personal Life
Patrick Harvie is openly bisexual. In 2003, he became the first openly bisexual Member of the Scottish Parliament. He supports open source and free software. He is also a Linux user.
Harvie has been involved with many groups. These include Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Equality Network, Stonewall (UK), Amnesty International, and the Humanist Society Scotland. From 2003 to 2007, Harvie wrote a weekly column for the Scottish Big Issue magazine.
