Lorna Slater is a Canadian-born politician active in Scotland, recognized for her prominent roles within the Scottish Green Party and the Scottish Government. Born in Canada in 1975, she relocated to Scotland in 2000. Her active involvement in Scottish politics began during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, which served as a catalyst for her subsequent political career and eventual leadership within the environmental movement.
Slater served as the co-leader of the Scottish Greens alongside Patrick Harvie from 2019 to 2025. She entered the Scottish Parliament in 2021 as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) representing the Lothian region, serving in this capacity until 2026. In 2026, she achieved a historic milestone by being elected as the MSP for Edinburgh Central, making her the first Scottish Green MSP to be elected by a constituency rather than through a regional list.
In addition to her parliamentary duties, Slater made history as one of the first Green politicians in the United Kingdom to serve as a government minister. Under the power-sharing Bute House Agreement established with the Scottish National Party, she served as the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity in the Scottish Government from 2021 to 2024.
