Wage Pledge From Greens

The minimum wage would rise to 10 pounds an hour if the Scottish Greens are in power after the general election.

The party will make the pledge at their Spring conference in Dundee.

Membership has surged to over 8,500 in since the independence referendum, with polls placing them ahead of the Liberal Democrats.

The party manifesto, due to be launched later this month, will also include policies on:
- Creating new jobs.
- Bringing the railways back into public hands.
- Ending austerity.
- Reforming the UK's broken political systems.
- Giving workers greater control over their jobs.

Patrick Harvie MSP said: "Raising the minimum wage to a living wage would help create the more equal society Greens want to see. It's a scandal that so many working Scots are in poverty. Our candidates are out campaigning for more local jobs with good wages, in contrast to the other parties who are jostling to give big business and polluting industries further tax breaks.

"Small and medium-sized businesses are the bedrock of Scotland's economy and we want to see them flourish. The living wage is good for our society and good for the employees who make companies successful. Green ideas on jobs and wages would help realise Scotland's potential."