THE Scottish Green Party in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale enjoyed a successful and positive start to their campaign with their launch in Peebles, according to local activists.

Recently announced Green candidate Jody Jamieson met voters at an open-air stall in Peebles High Street before moving to the official launch at the County Inn.

The informal and friendly start to the campaign was given a musical backing by an open-air performance from local folk duo Mike Lamont and Jim Benton-Evans.

Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie MSP, met the team before the launch. He and Mr Jamieson found time to call in at the local Peace Group’s book sale before adjourning to the County Inn.

Mr Harvie spoke passionately about the unprecedented growth in Green membership and the widespread support that exists for Green policies, such as rail nationalisation.

He also argued that naegative tactical voting had led to our broken political system and that Greens had a chance to inspire people to vote what they really believed in.

Mr Jamieson, 30, also spoke, undertaking to do everything he could to get the Green message across and connect with people across the constituency. He stressed that on blind policy sites such as voteforpolicies.org.uk, Greens had the most popular policies and urged activists to spread the word as much as possible.

Mr Jamieson’s election agent Tim Clancey said: “What impresses me about Jody is his determination to keep the campaign positive. Jody wants to focus on what we can do to make a fairer society and help those that need help the most. I also admire his wish to reach out to those who may not have voted in the past and invite them to bring ideas to the campaign”.

Jody plans to visit the whole of the constituency in the coming weeks.