Tag: democracy

Internal Market Act ‘must be repealed’

Deputy First Minister urges UK Government to restore Scottish Parliament’s full powers

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has urged the UK Government to “restore the democratic voice of the Scottish Parliament” by repealing the Internal Market Act and providing full restoration of powers that were removed by the previous UK administration. 

A Scottish Government Position Paper on the Internal Market Act 2020 published today says the Act should be repealed and replaced with a system built around the Common Frameworks approach and agreed by all devolved administrations and the UK Government.

Two votes in the Scottish Parliament, in October 2023 and February 2025, have called for the full restoration of the powers of the Scottish Parliament but have been ignored.

The new paper comes as the consultation period for the UK Government’s statutory review of the Internal Market Act concludes. The UK Government specifically ruled out repealing the Act before its consultation began. 

Ms Forbes said: “The Scottish Government’s position is clear, we must see the full restoration of the powers of the Scottish Parliament. The Internal Market Act should be repealed and the UK Government must work with the devolved governments to deliver an agreed and workable alternative.

“The Act was imposed by the previous UK Government without the consent of any devolved legislature. It remains the single greatest impediment to more effective and respectful intergovernmental relations.

“Neither the Scottish Parliament nor any of the other devolved legislatures gave their consent to the Act. It has introduced radical uncertainty as to the effect of devolved laws, effectively introducing a far-reaching and unpredictable new constraint on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

“It also provides UK Ministers with an open-ended power effectively to nullify laws passed by a democratically elected – and accountable – legislature.

“It is deeply regrettable that the UK Government explicitly ruled out repealing the Internal Market Act before it began the review process and consultation but this new paper offers them an opportunity to work with the Scottish Government to restore the democratic voice of the Scottish Parliament.”

Scottish Government Position Paper on the Internal Market Act 2020

Time To Divest!

PROTEST TONIGHT at 6pm HAYMARKET SQUARE

Join us at 6pm tonight for a demonstration outside the offices of the Lothian Pension Fund Committee at 9 Haymarket Square.

Let’s make the councillors who sit on the LPF feel the pressure for divestment that is building globally.

Community Councils: Let’s Try Again!

NEW DATES FOR NOMINATIONS RE-RUN

The city council’s Governance Team has announced that the date for the second call for nominations for community councils who received insufficient elected member nominations has been amended.

Nominations will now open on 27 March 2025 and will close at 4pm on 17 April 2025. This is to avoid the nomination period being open over 2 public holidays and to ensure officers are available to support candidates with any enquiries.

The formal notice will be published on the Council’s website in due course.

The 8 community councils who did not receive sufficient valid nominations to establish were:

• Craigmillar

• Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes

• Firrhill

• Hutchison / Chesser

• Muirhouse/ Salvesen

• Old Town

• Portobello

• West Pilton/ West Granton.

The new dates have been updated on our CC webpages.

Holyrood to host regional Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference

Conference to look at the importance of women in politics

The Scottish Parliament will host the 11th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians conference for the British Islands and Mediterranean Region.

The event, held from March 16-18, is titled ‘A parliament for all: the importance of women in politics’ and brings together elected female representatives, officials, campaigners and academics.

Delegates will discuss how Parliaments can become more inclusive, the barriers women face to entering and staying in politics and what more can be done to increase the number of women in politics. They will consider how best to implement recommendations from gender sensitive audit reports and how gender equality networks, working groups and caucuses can be used to influence positive change.

MSPs taking part include Acting Chair of the CWP BIMR Steering Committee, Sarah Boyack MSP; Roz McCall MSP, Member of the CWP BIMR Steering Committee; Michelle Thomson MSP; and Natalie Don MSP, Minister for Children and Young People.

Other speakers include the Swedish Parliament’s First Deputy Speaker, Kenneth G Forslund; Hon. Devina Sammut Hili, Parliament of Malta; Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, States Assembly, Jersey; Hon Joelle Ladislaus MP, Gibraltar Parliament; Savia Orphanidou MP, House of Representatives, Cyprus; Sioned Williams MS, Member of the Senedd Cymru.

Meryl Kenny, Professor of Gender and Politics at the University of Edinburgh and Talat Yaqoob, writer and campaigner and Co-founder of Women 50:50, are also speaking.

Delegates will be joined by young women from across the region discussing what more can be done to encourage young women to go into politics.

The Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament said: “I care passionately about equal representation and participation in politics and it’s a privilege to host this conference.

“The conference brings together parliamentarians and experts to discuss what more can be done to make our politics more inclusive, and to celebrate the role of women in the political sphere.

“It’s clear that many barriers still exist which can limit equal participation in politics. This conference aims to discuss what more can be done to encourage women to get involved in politics and stay involved.

“I’m excited to welcome brilliant politicians, officials and thinkers from across the British Islands and Mediterranean Region, each with their own unique perspective on how we can make our Parliaments truly representative of the communities we serve.”

Community Councils: Results are in!

Community Council Elections 2025 – Notice of Results

THE results of the Community Council elections are now available to view on the Council’s website.

The Declaration of Results includes the names of all successful elected members who will be duly elected to community councils when the new term commences from 28 March 2025.

An update which includes details on the number of valid nominations received for each community council and the number of valid Local Interest Group nominations can be found below.

When nominations closed, 39 community councils received sufficient valid nominations to establish.

Insufficient nominations were received to establish 8 community councils:

  • Craigmillar
  • Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes
  • Firrhill
  • Hutchison / Chesser
  • Muirhouse/ Salvesen
  • Old Town
  • Portobello
  • West Pilton/ West Granton

A second call for nominations will be issued for the 8 community councils who did not achieve sufficient nominations to establish. Nominations will open on 31 March 2025 and will close at 4pm on 21 April 2025.

The city council’s webpages will be updated in due course with further information.

6. Update on the valid number of nominations received up to 16.00__ on 27.02.25Download
Notice_of_results_for_website___2025Download

How could Holyrood committees work more effectively?

How could our committees work more effectively?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1896867127790887245

The Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee is looking at what changes need to be made to ensure that these can deliver their key role in holding the government to account.

Ensuring committees are structured and equipped to deliver their key role in holding the Scottish Government to account is being considered by the Scottish Parliament’s Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.

The inquiry will look at issues such as the size of membership, remit of committees and the impact, if any, of introducing elected conveners. It will also explore how committees evaluate their work and the approaches to pre and post legislative scrutiny.

Now the Committee has launched two call for views so that those who engage with committees can have their say on what changes need to be made.

Speaking as the call for views launched, Committee Convener Martin Whitfield MSP said: “The Scottish Parliament is a relatively young legislature. But that does not mean that we do not need to reflect on our practices and procedures to make sure they are meeting the needs of the Scotland in which we find ourselves today.

“Committees play an essential role in the work of the Parliament. Scrutinising legislation and holding the Government to account are vital. But we want to know if there are changes that need to be made to make these work more effectively.

“We know, for example, that elected conveners are in place in other parliaments in the UK and beyond, but what impact might they make at Holyrood? And would changes to the remits structure and size of committees have an impact on how they do their work.

“We want to hear from you if you have worked with or given evidence to a committee about what practices and procedures you think needs to change.”

Committee effectiveness is about looking at how committees work and whether there are things which could help them work better.

The Committee will consider three themes a part of its inquiry:

  • Structure
  • Elected Conveners
  • Evaluation

The Committee is expected to hold oral evidence sessions over the next three months and publish its report with findings and recommendations in the autumn.  

More information can be found on the Committee’s webpage.

The call for views is open until 22 April 2025.

Have your say: https://ow.ly/68wF50Va33O

Pentlands MSP to retire at next year’s Holyrood elections

PENTLANDS MSP Gordon Macdonald has announced that he is to step down at the next Holyrood elections.

The SNP MSP told constituents:

‘It has been an honour and a privilege to represent the Edinburgh Pentlands constituency  over the last fourteen years. The Boundary Commission has decided to retire the name of the constituency in May 2026; this will coincide with reaching my own retirement age which I believe is the right time for me to step down from the Scottish Parliament at the  forthcoming election.

I have during my time in office tried to serve you diligently and I  am deeply thankful for the trust and support you have extended to me over the years. 

Since my election in 2011, I have strived to be a voice for our community, working on  issues ranging from the need for local affordable housing to national policy that affects our daily lives.

Whether it was advocating for local retail businesses, pushing for better  health services, or ensuring our education system serves every child, I have sought to  represent the spirit and needs of Edinburgh Pentlands with integrity and passion. 

I want to express my thanks to my office team and party activists, past and present, who  have been tireless in their support, and to all the residents, community groups, and  stakeholders I have had the pleasure of working with. Your engagement has been the cornerstone of my work here. 

As I prepare to leave this role, I commit to using my remaining time to ensure a smooth  transition and to continue addressing the issues that matter to us all.  

I have worked tirelessly for 50 years to achieve independence and will continue to  campaign for Scotland to join the family of nations. The members of my local branch  have been informed of my decision.  

Thank you, once again, for the privilege of serving as your MSP.

GORDON MACDONALD MSP

UK Youth Parliament annual session at Westminster today

TODAY (Friday 28 February), more than 300 elected Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) aged 11-18 will represent the views of their peers and hold debates on a range of topics.

Young people from across the UK, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will return to the House of Commons Chamber today for the annual sitting of UK Youth Parliament.  

The debated motions will include:

  • 16- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote in all elections and referendums, accompanied with more political education throughout school.  
  • That the National Minimum Wage for every worker under 22 be raised, to match the National Living Wage for those over 22.  
  • All public transport should be free for young people. 
  • All young people in the UK must have access to a standardised level of political literacy and democratic education to improve engagement in politics on a local, national and international level to develop critical thinking skills.  
  • To establish period dignity, there should be free, accessible, good quality period products available in public spaces for everyone.  

The debate areas are part of the UK Youth Parliament Manifesto for 2024-2026 ‘Shaping Our Future, Today Not Tomorrow’ which was created by the MYP’s at their Annual Conference in October 2024, drawing on the views and issues raised by young people from across the UK. 

For the first time in the House of Commons, an MYP will use British Sign Language to deliver his speech. A BSL interpreter will communicate this via a microphone in the Commons Chamber. 

Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said that he is “very proud that this sitting of the UK Youth Parliament will be the most inclusive and exciting yet.

“I cannot wait to hear the thoughts and views of young people from across the UK, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown Dependencies, on the issues that matter to them.”   

Leigh Middleton, OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency: “Youth voice is a central tenet of youth work and the UK Youth Parliament provides young people with a valuable opportunity to debate the issues which they have identified as being important whilst gaining first-hand experience of the political process. 

“The Annual Sitting really is the highlight of the UK Youth Parliament calendar when we get to see the young Members of Youth Parliament shine in the prestigious setting as they deliver their impassioned speeches and arguments for reform.”  

The debates will be streamed live (with an approximately 20-minute delay) on parliamentlive.tv and YouTube. 

Find more information about UK Youth Parliament from the House of Commons Library Research Briefing. 

First Minister to convene gathering on ‘democracy and respect’

A new initiative to unite Scotland together against extremism

First Minister John Swinney will convene a pivotal gathering of Scottish society to work together and unite Scotland against the “increasingly extreme far right”. 

Representatives from key organisations across Scotland including churches, trades unions and charities will be invited to attend a gathering in April, alongside the leaders of Scotland’s parliamentary parties.

Speaking at a press conference at Bute House, following the passage of the 2025-26 Budget, the First Minister said the new gathering will be an opportunity renew public trust in politics and unite Scotland in a common cause – “for democracy and respect.” 

The First Minister said: “At the start of the year, I warned that failure to pass the budget would send a signal that Parliament and politics could not deliver. That failure would only serve the interests of an increasingly extreme far right and leave devolution dangerously exposed.

“But the budget has passed, and a different story can be told. Yesterday’s vote demonstrated that partnership and collaboration are possible. And that is something precious, something vitally important itself.

“But we must do more. It is time to come together to draw a line in the sand. To set out who we are and what we believe in. 

“The threat from the far right is real. But that leaves me all the more convinced that working together is not only the right choice, but the only choice. 

“That is why I want to share a new initiative to bring Scotland together in common cause. I want us to work together to agree a common approach to asserting the values of our country, to bringing people together and creating a cohesive society where everyone feels at home.

“It was a mobilisation of mainstream Scotland that delivered our parliament a quarter of a century ago. And I have no doubt, it is only by mobilising mainstream Scotland that we can protect those things we care most about, those things that are most important to us today.”

The First Minister will write to all party leaders and the leaders of civic organisations with the details of the upcoming gathering in due course. 

A new initiative to bring Scotland together: First Minister’s speech – 26 February 2025 –