Patrick Harvie was born on 18 March 1973 and is a Scottish politician who has served as Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights since 2021.
26 Facts About Patrick Harvie
2.
Patrick Harvie has served as one of two co-leaders of the Scottish Greens since 2008, and is one of the first Green politicians in the UK to serve as a government minister.
3.
Patrick Harvie was elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 2003 election, representing the Glasgow region.
4.
In September 2008, Patrick Harvie was appointed as male co-convenor of the Scottish Greens, serving alongside Eleanor Scott, Martha Wardrop and Maggie Chapman.
5.
Patrick Harvie was born on 18 March 1973 in Vale of Leven, Dunbartonshire.
6.
Patrick Harvie then studied at Manchester Metropolitan University, where he was briefly a member of the Labour party.
7.
Patrick Harvie was initially a youth worker and later as Development Worker for the Lanarkshire Health Board area.
8.
Patrick Harvie had a spell as a civil servant, working with the Inland Revenue in Dumbarton.
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At a young age, Patrick Harvie became involved in politics, having first attended a Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament demo with his mother, while still in a pram.
10.
Patrick Harvie was active in the campaign to repeal Section 2A of the Local Government Act, more commonly known as Section 28.
11.
Patrick Harvie was elected as MSP for the Glasgow region at the 2003 Scottish Parliament election.
12.
Patrick Harvie gained attention both for issues strongly associated with the Greens, such as campaigning against the extension to the M74 motorway in Glasgow, and for more 'mainstream' issues such as opposition to the Identity Cards Bill.
13.
Patrick Harvie was a member of the Communities Committee of the Scottish Parliament throughout the 2nd Scottish Parliament and served as Scottish Greens Spokesperson for Justice and Communities from 2003 to 2005 and Spokesperson for Justice, Communities, Europe and Constitutional Affairs from 2005 to 2007.
14.
In 2004 Patrick Harvie was given the 'One to Watch' award at the annual Scottish Politician of the Year event.
15.
Under this, Patrick Harvie was elected to be convene the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee, an office he held until 2011.
16.
Patrick Harvie became the male co-convenor of the Scottish Greens on 22 September 2008 after being the only person to stand for the position.
17.
Re-elected in 2016, Patrick Harvie joined the Finance and Constitution Committee and became Scottish Greens Spokesperson for Finance, Economy, Fair Work and Equalities.
18.
On 30 August 2021, Patrick Harvie was appointed Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights.
19.
Patrick Harvie got into a dispute with Greenpeace, which had recently criticised Nicola Sturgeon.
20.
Patrick Harvie said the organisation did not understand Scottish politics and the SNP's attachment to the oil industry.
21.
Patrick Harvie has been highly critical of the British monarchy, calling for the monarch to be replaced with a "democratically accountable head of state", as well as describing the Royal Family an "outdated, discredited and totally undemocratic institution".
22.
Patrick Harvie is bisexual, and in 2003 became the first openly bisexual Member of the Scottish Parliament.
23.
Patrick Harvie is an advocate of Open Source and Free Software, and is a Linux user.
24.
Patrick Harvie was formerly an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society, Honorary Vice-President of the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association and a patron of Parents Enquiry Scotland.
25.
From 2003 until 2007, Patrick Harvie wrote a weekly column in the Scottish edition of the Big Issue.
26.
Patrick Harvie was a candidate in the election for Rector of the University of Glasgow in February 2008.