The First Minister began the penultimate day of the election campaign at the Universty of Glasgow, meeting students and staff in order to exemplify the Scottish Greens’ higher education policy to those it will impact the most. The event began with a short question and answer session with the Scottish Green Party Leader.

Holly: I’m from up in Inverness, but will be voting here in Glasgow on Thursday, and have really struggled to make ends meet since moving down here in September. The SAAS living costs funding simply isn’t enough, you absolutely have to increase it.

The FM: During the last budget we recognised that student support wasn’t at the same level in this country as what it is elsewhere across these isles, and consequently increased the funding for SAAS in our budget. We do however recognise that support for students won’t actually increase until next September, and this gives us another budget in order to increase support. This is exactly what we intend to do, in our next budget we will continue to increae the funding available for Student Support. We are committed to end students struggling to survive in our country and this is exactly how we will keep Scotland moving forward to a better future for all of our citizens. Learning shouldn’t mean that your earnings are non existent.

Dave: My younger brother was really interested in the Joint Higher Education Area when you announced it in Stockholm. Unfortunately he doesn’t really want to study in Sweden and is wondering if you have any other countries lined up for participation.

The FM: Thanks, I really appreciate that people share my belief that this will only improve the lives of Scotland’s, and indeed Sweden’s, young people. Unfortunately international diplomacy doesn’t happen on a country by country request basis so I’m afraid in the short term I’m going to have to dissapoint your brother. If he votes Scottish Green on Thursday tell him to get straight along to his MSP and we will look into the country that he wishes for, but it would require the agreement of Stockholm so no promises can be made. Preliminary overtures have been made to Northern Ireland, perhaps an announcement to be made to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the end of our neighbours troubles, but nothing has ultimately been finalised yet.

Nicola: Whilst Glasgow is an Ancient University, I recognise that not everyone is lucky enough to attend one, but that university will still be an important step from them. I’m really concerned that the Classical Liberals are effectively seeking to shut down one of this city’s universities and anther across the border in Paisley. Can we have a cast iron guarantee that fhis won’t happen?

The FM: Absolutely, 100%. The Scottish Greens really appreciate the place that all of Scotland’s universities have in our country’s world renowned education system. Virtually all of our universities, including those granted the status after 1992, are ranked within the global top 1000. This, alongside having 5 top-200 in the world unversities, goes along way to highlighting how we have the largest number of highly regarded universities, per capita, than any other country in the world. This is a status’s the Scottish Greens are committed to protecting and nurturing and closing down universities in all but name will only be a destructive step. Should any party suggest that in our next parliament it will be an absolute red one for the Scottish Greens and Glasgow’s re-elected MSP.

The First Minister of course posed for selfies with the assemblied crowd before heading into the offices of the Association of Student Nationalists, where he gave a speech to a crowd mostly populated by Scottish Green and SNP members, alongside some journalists.

This city voted yes back in 2014, this sentiment can therefore be best represented by a nationalist member in parliament. Even if I’m sure all of you would argue and campaign for that vigorously anyway. Now, there is only one nationalist candidate in this city anyway, the Scottish Green candidate. It’s imperative that we all redouble our efforts over these last few days of the campaign to ensure that this is the outcome of the count over in Parkhead this weekend.

The MWF claim to be the torch bearers for two things, Scottish Nationalism and Red Clydeside, this is false on both fronts. Scottish Nationalism is not extremism, Scottish Nationalism is not isolationism, Scottish Nationalism is absolutely not attacking business. We are open and we are inclusive, we are rational and we are sensible, we are respectful and we are open minded. This is what we stand for and we will never reject that in the persuit of sovereignty.

Red Clydeside was not revolutionary, it was not anti-democratic, it was not communist. It was entirely peaceful and within the law, this is the heritage of that era. In whatver our political aims are we must respect the overwhelming and longstanding opinion of this city and this country, we must never step outside of the law. This does not preclude vigourous campaigning and passionate belief but we can never step one foot overboard.

With this in mind we there is a close campaign to be fought in this city this week. We must get up the tower blocks, we must enter the council estates, we must question on the streets. I know you will all work to get out the vote for our winderfula and truly nationalist MSP. Your help is invaluable, and we are all counting on it.