Bill to jail bosses of major polluters set to be introduced in Scotland

Members’ Bills require at least 18 MSPs from at least two of the larger political parties before they can be introduced, and the government can also stop the proposal if it is going to change the law in the same way.

Ahead of the deadline for signatures at 16:30 on Wednesday, Ms Lennon had more than 30 MSPs backing her bill, from all of Holyrood’s large parties.

The Central Scotland MSP said her recent consultation on the plans had been “inundated” with supportive responses.

She said the bill would be focused on creating the crime of ecocide, setting out sanctions and consequences, rather than altering the wider system of environmental regulation.

She added that ecocide would sit at the “top of the pyramid” of environmental crime, targeted at executives of companies whose actions destroy ecosystems, rather than individual workers.

“It’s not looking to come after workers or middle managers – hopefully there can be some accountability,” she said.