SCOTTISH Greens MSP Ross Greer launched his bid for co-leadership after a fiery exchange with a presenter and contributor on a BBC radio show.
A formal campaign launch is expected around 12pm today, though Greer posted on Twitter/X about his leadership bid following the phone-in session on Mornings with Connie McLaughlin.
We need to take on the super-rich if we’re going to tackle the cost of living crisis and climate emergency. That's why I'm standing to be co-leader of the @scottishgreens pic.twitter.com/8pRfK7Mnvi
— Ross Greer (@Ross_Greer) July 10, 2025
During the phone-in with a Glaswegian man, Greer challenged supporters of Donald Trump and allegations of being a “nepo politician”.
The caller said he was “very much” looking forward to Trump’s reported visit to Scotland later this month and said those set to protest wouldn’t “be able to tell you” why as they “seem to hate anybody who tries to do the right thing”.
He also claimed that Trump’s 34 felony charges were “not quite as bad as Jeremy Corbyn inviting IRA terrorists into Westminster”.
In response, Greer said: “Look, Donald Trump isn’t just a convicted felon on the basis of falsifying business records. He is also a convicted rapist – this is one of the nastiest men on the planet.”
Host McLaughlin was quick to clarify that Trump was found “not liable for rape” in a civil case against columnist EJ Carroll.
Greer continued to say the US president was “a convicted sexual abuser”, and McLaughlin interjected again to clarify that it was a civil case.
The Greens leadership hopeful went on to call Trump an “unbelievably nasty man” after referencing the “vile things” he has previously said about women on the record, and noted that his politics were worse given his arming of the Israeli military.
Later in the discussion, the caller branded Greer a “nepo” and “career politician” and said he had never had a “real job” before entering politics.
Greer promptly shut this down, saying: “My dad was a maintenance guy and my mum was a receptionist. I’m the first person in my family to have even gone to university, never mind to go into politics.”
He then challenged the caller about Trump’s admission of grabbing women by their genitals, asking if he thought this was “okay”, to which the caller had no response other than accusing Scottish ministers of sexual misconduct.
Later, Greer said appeasing the US president to protect the Scottish economy was “dangerous”.
He said: “Donald Trump is a deeply unpredictable man alongside all the other faults that he’s got.
“This suggestion that we need to charm him to protect the Scottish economy is a deeply, deeply dangerous one because charming him doesn’t work.
“He sees that as a sign of weakness that he exploits further.”
The MSP also confirmed he would attend any protests against Trump when he visits Scotland.
Greer said: “Surely something that everybody, regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum from the left to the right, can all agree on [is] that we unequivocally condemn any man who has bragged like Donald Trump has about the violence that he's committed against women.
“I will be protesting against that.”
McLaughlin wrapped up the interview by asking Greer if “we are going to be hearing any more from him today”.
Greer then confirmed his bid for co-leadership of the Greens, saying: “I'm really pleased to be launching that campaign for the co-leadership of the Scottish Greens today.
“I think the Green Party needs to focus on policies that will cut people's bills and their costs and tackle the climate emergency.
“So I'll be launching my campaign today with proposals like expanding free bus travel to more of the population. It was the Greens who delivered it for young people.
“I think we need to go much, much further.”
