WHEN the last votes are cast in the Scottish Parliament today, it will round off a five-year term like no other.
The current parliament has been remarkable for many reasons – landmark legislation, shocking scandal, the Covid crisis – and as the SNP administration sees out its historic third term in office, questions arise about whether or not it will secure another when the country goes to the polls on May 6.
Polling suggests Nicola Sturgeon’s party, despite the turmoil and fury of the Salmond inquiry, the gender recognition debate and more, remains the public’s number one choice for government. Much of the pre-election materials we’ve seen so far from opposition parties suggests they believe that, with the Conservatives and others insisting that they’re the only choice to stop an SNP majority and prevent a second independence referendum.
Just this week Constitution Secretary Michael Russell brought forward a draft bill setting out the wording, timing and franchise for such a vote. “It should be for the next Scottish parliament to decide the timing of the referendum.
“So that the recovery from the pandemic can be made in Scotland, the Scottish Government believes it should be held in the first half of the new parliamentary term,” said Russell, triggering exactly the kind of pro-status-quo response you’d expect from the Scotland Office, with Alister Jack calling it “simply irresponsible” and “a distraction”.
Lorna Slater of the Greens, herself seeking election in May, was more responsive, saying her party “will support a referendum on our shared future, and polls show we may be crucial in ensuring this bill passes”.
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The Greens are banking on polling that puts them on track for a record result in six weeks’ time.
While this Parliament holds its final votes today and enters recess tomorrow, it won’t dissolve until the eve of the election thanks to changes brought in under the Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Act 2020.
That legislation was enacted to ensure the democratic contest will run, despite the ongoing health crisis. Efforts to encourage more people to sign up for postal votes got under way weeks ago in yet more evidence of the impact of the crisis on our fundamental systems.
Holyrood brought in hybrid working to allow most MSPs to work from home most of the time – something the cross-party Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee says should continue on a permanent basis.
Convener Bill Kidd MSP said that would “ensure that Parliament is as resilient as possible for all future challenges”. But it could also mean an end to some MSPs serving, some have found the strain of travelling huge distances to Edinburgh or juggling caring responsibilities too much.
Three of those standing down – Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell, Jenny Marra, convener of the Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee and Gail Ross, deputy convener of the Public Petitions Committee – cited that as a key reason for their decision.
The women are amongst 34 serving MSPs who aren’t seeking re-election. That will mean the loss of everyone from the SNP’s Sandra White, who has been in with the bricks since 1999, to Mike Rumbles of the LibDems, who used the technology offered by the hybrid Parliament to carry out his duties from sunny Italy. It will also not see a return of former childcare minister Mark McDonald, who served out his term as MSP for Aberdeen Donside since a 2017 sexual harassment scandal, or former finance secretary Derek Mackay, as it emerged that he had been sending hundreds of messages to a teenage boy.
Of course, the biggest burach to engulf Scottish politics during the course of the last parliament was over the handling of the harassment complaints involving former First Minister Alex Salmond. Yesterday the parliamentary enquiry found “serious flaws” in this and change is now promised.
But amidst the intense interest around this, it is easy to forget what has been achieved at Holyrood in the last five years.
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With children now offered equal protection from assault and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child enshrined in our legal system, protections against domestic abuse toughened and pardons given to men with historical convictions for same-sex sexual activity which is now legal.
An opt-out organ donation system was brought in to save lives, a new approach to social security has been adopted with the transfer of some welfare powers and the Scottish National Investment Bank has been launched.
There will be much for the next parliament to do – you can bet your vote on it.
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