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Patrick Harvie has called on Green party members and supporters to prepare for the next independence campaign.

He told the party conference in Perth that they have a vital role to play in any future referendum.

The co-convener also said local government elections are a chance to "bring power back to people".

The Greens won their second-best ever Holyrood result in May's elections, leapfrogging the Lib Dems into fourth place.

The MSP claimed a second independence referendum is the only way to secure Scotland's place in Europe following the Brexit vote.

He said: "We find ourselves with the results of two referendums which can't fit together. We have a two year old 55% mandate and this year's 62% mandate.

"Even if Better Together and the Leave campaign hadn't lied, the UK which people voted for in 2014 no longer exists."

He issued a rallying cry to party members, saying the Greens have a vital role to play in the campaign. He said: "We must prepare for the next independence campaign, not just to win a Yes vote, but to win a better Scotland.

"Greens will continue to strengthen the case on issues such as currency and industrial strategy."

The party could have a decisive role given the SNP's position as a minority government, particularly given the Greens' support for Scottish independence.

However, they have already lined up with other opposition parties against the government in a number of votes on issues like the council tax and fracking.

He also told delegates in Perth that the local government elections are a chance to "make breakthroughs that help bring power back to people".

He said: "We're also moving into a year in which Scotland will decide how our local communities are run for the next five years; when Holyrood will decide whether councillors will have the freedom to renew and revitalise local democracy, or just hand on more cuts to public services.

"And we're moving into a year in which we'll have the chance to build a fairer economy by sharing the wealth that all of us generate but which has been hoarded by so few for so long."