Tag: democracy

Councillors under attack: Elected members face threats, abuse and intimidation

DEBATE NOT HATE SURVEY 2026

The latest Debate Not Hate survey, undertaken by the Local Government Association (LGA) since 2022, has this year been extended to councillors in Scotland and Northern Ireland, reflecting the four UK nations joint commitment to promoting and defencing civility in public life as expressed in the joint statement of October 2025.

A total of 1503 councillors across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland responded to the survey, which found that:

  • 78 per cent of councillors reported feeling some level of personal risk while fulfilling their role as a councillor, with over 85 percent of female, ethnic minority, LGBT+ or disabled councillors reporting feeling at risk. In Scotland, the overall figure was 81%.
  • 52 percent of councillors reported that abuse and intimidation had increased sharply or slightly over the past 12 months, with 25 percent reporting it had increased sharply.
  • 74 percent of councillors in England reported experiencing some level of abuse or intimidation during the 2026 local election campaign, with over two-thirds of Welsh and Scottish councillors doing so during the Senedd and Scottish Parliament campaigns.
  • Over a quarter of councillors (26 percent) reported having received threats of violence and 7 per cent a threat of death. In Scotland, 13% of councillors reported receiving a threat of damage to property, and 2% experiences actual violence.
  • Among councillors who have decided not to re-stand at the next elections or are undecided on whether or not to do so, 30 percent said their decision was influenced by abuse or intimidation (40% in Scotland); over one in three (35 percent) said they had made security modifications to their home due to safety concerns.

There have been important steps forward in improving councillor safety in recent years, including the introduction of Force Elected Official Advisers (FEOA).

There is growing awareness of the FOEA (or equivalents) that now exist in each police force to oversee elected member safety. 56 percent of councillors in England and Wales are aware of the FEOAs, increasing from 40 percent in the previous year, with even higher awareness in Scotland (76 percent). Nearly three quarters (74 percent) of councillors who had engaged with Force Elected Official Advisers or Operation Ford had found it very or fairly useful.

However, the Debate Not Hate Survey results suggest much more needs to be done by government, police forces, social media platforms and others to tackle the high and growing levels of abuse and intimidation. It is clear from the survey that many people are being put off standing or running again for local elected office due to an environment in which abuse and threats are increasingly common.

While a quarter of councillors had reported an incident of abuse or intimidation to the police, they were evenly divided as to whether they felt the issue had been addressed to some extent (34 percent) or hadn’t been addressed at all (33 percent).

While legitimate scrutiny and robust debate are essential in a healthy democracy, abuse, intimidation, threats and harassment have no place in public life.

The LGA, COSLA, NILGA and WLGA are therefore calling on the UK Government to work with devolved and local governments, local government associations and policing partners to establish formal arrangements to tackle these behaviours.

Any new arrangements should aim to bring together and coordinate existing initiatives, facilitate information sharing between agencies and invest in new solutions and security measures to better safeguard democratic participation at every level.

Cllr Shona Morrison, President of COSLA, said: “The results of the survey evidence what many elected members know to be true – that abuse and harassment is far too common an experience for councillors.

“Councillors and Councils are a vital part of democracy, and it is unacceptable that 81 percent of Scottish councillors have felt some level of risk whilst carrying out their role. With local government elections taking place next year, there is a real concern that we will lose talented, experienced and committed councillors due to this environment.

“COSLA is grateful to the councillors in Scotland who took part in the survey for the first time that have helped to draw attention to this important issue.

“We are committed to working with the Scottish and UK Governments, Police and partners to tackle the systemic challenges that have contributed to this culture of abuse and harassment.

“Protecting elected members is essential to protecting local democracy, and urgent action is needed to ensure councillors can represent their communities safely, confidently and effectively.”

Cllr Hannah Dalton, LGA Civility in Public Life Ambassador, said: “The findings of the 2026 Debate Not Hate survey are a stark reminder that abuse, threats and intimidation have become an all too common reality for those who step forward to serve their communities.

“We must never accept a situation where harassment and personal attacks are simply regarded as part of public service.

“It is deeply alarming that most councillors believe the problem is getting worse, with more than three-quarters having experienced abuse during the May 2026 local elections. This toxic culture is not only affecting those currently in office, it is deterring talented and committed people from standing for election in the first place. That is a direct threat to the strength, diversity and health of our democracy.

“We urgently call on the Government, police forces and social media companies to work with us to tackle this crisis head on. Concerted action is needed now to confront the growing hostility councillors face and ensure that those who represent their residents can do so without fear of abuse, intimidation or harassment.”

Alderman Hazel Legge, President of the NILGA, said: “The findings are concerning and highlight the very real challenges many councillors face.

“As Northern Ireland looks ahead to the next local government elections, we must ensure that no one is discouraged from standing for office because of abuse or intimidation.

“NILGA has been working closely with the PSNI to improve awareness and support for elected representatives, but there is more to do.

“Everyone should be able to serve their community without fear, and respectful debate must remain at the heart of our democracy.”

Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, WLGA Llywydd, and Cllr Jason McLellan, WLGA Social Justice and Equality Spokesperson, said: “The first-ever four nations Debate Not Hate survey marks an important milestone in our shared efforts to understand and tackle abuse and intimidation in public life.

“While the findings demonstrate that too many councillors continue to face unacceptable levels of abuse, they also provide a strong evidence base for collective action across the UK.

“We are committed to working together to support councillors, promote respectful democratic engagement and ensure local democracy remains open, representative and resilient.”

Local governance reform in Scotland

Empowered Communities? Proposals outlined to shape consultation

Initial proposals designed to deliver fundamental reform of local governance have been set out to help shape the debate on improving public services.

The possible changes, if implemented, could help achieve a better balance of decision-making powers across the public sector to ensure investment is focused on delivering improved services.

Initial proposals – which have been shared with COSLA and Holyrood Committees – include:

  • Replacing current local government arrangements with a smaller number of regional authorities to focus on strategic decision-making alongside a substantial number of community authorities with a focus on local decision-making
  • Separate arrangements for island communities have been suggested in recognition of their particular needs  
  • Councillors sitting on both community authority and the associated regional authority to remove the need for a further layer of elections or additional tiers of bureaucracy
  • Ensuring regional administrative corporate structures support both regional and community authorities

Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “Reforming Scotland’s public sector is about delivering the best public services for people across Scotland.

“We need to ensure investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to empower communities and deliver real improvements in public services.

“Some decision making is best delivered at national level and regional level while others better sit closer to communities and we must get that balance right. Existing local government responsibilities could also be extended, including enhanced roles in economic development and business support so that individual areas can reflect local strengths and ambitions.

“These proposals are intended to provide a starting point to facilitate debate and discussion as we work to deliver reforms that strengthen public services and improve outcomes for the people and communities we serve.”

Commenting on the Scottish Government’s public sector reform proposals for local governance, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “Whilst the Scottish Government have the laudable ambition to strengthen local democracy, it’s absolutely for the birds to think the sheer scale of this local government reform can be achieved without the initial and substantial investment required to bring about change in our communities.

“There is an argument that community authorities can improve decision making but only if the funding exists to deliver these services. The Scottish Government must be clear that, in the short-term, this will cost money – not save it.

“You cannot credibly claim to empower communities whilst looking set to cull 20,000 public servants who would, in reality, be required to get these reforms off the ground in the first place.

“Unions will continue to monitor the government’s proposals and will engage in good faith. However, we must be clear that any reforms forthcoming must not be a mere smokescreen for brutal cuts cosplaying as progress.

“Real progress means ending the £3 billion outsourcing within the public sector, delivering sectoral bargaining within social care and properly funding our public services through progressive taxation that builds, not bulldozes, our local government and public services.”

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), said: “Today’s proposals for reform of local governance are ill-advised and entirely impractical. Expecting councils to engage in meaningful discussions and reach an agreement based on this within a mere 10 weeks is entirely unrealistic.

“The plan is clearly half-baked and raises numerous unanswered questions, such as what exactly will the new regions be and how will the geographies of community authorities be decided and by whom?

Crucial service sectors are similarly glossed over without practical detail. On education, suggesting that certain responsibilities be devolved locally to community authorities while empowering headteachers effectively strips local councils of education oversight.

“Transitioning to these regional and community tiers will also incur significant financial costs that remain totally uncalculated. Meanwhile, the statement provides zero clarity on social care: is it destined for nationalisation, takeover by two new NHS Boards, absorption into the new regional authorities, or some confusing hybrid of all three?

“Scottish Government must learn from England’s failings on reorganisation and understand how notoriously complex, costly, and difficult it is. It consumes immense energy and attention, distracting everyone from core priorities. If you are going to attempt it, you need absolute clarity on geographies rather than rushing straight to structural fixes.

“Real regional collaboration and stronger community engagement can easily be achieved within existing local authority structures—it doesn’t demand structural change. Substituting structural upheaval for real progress simply reflects a lack of imagination, a reluctance to put in the hard yards of true collaboration, and the vanity of chasing a political legacy.”

COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, has responded to Scottish Government’s proposals for Local Government reform: “Today’s statement gives some clarity to the Scottish Government’s intentions around the future of local government and public service reform.

“COSLA has been clear that public service reform will only succeed if it is rooted in communities and that any changes to our governance landscape must enhance local democracy and bring decisions closer to communities.

“Councils will engage with Ministers to shape the future of local democracy. We will not support reforms that dilute local democracy or remove accountability from the people we serve.

“COSLA’s membership will consider these proposals from Scottish Government and continue constructive dialogue on what may be a fundamental restructuring of governance in Scotland.”

COSLA Leaders will meet on Friday to discuss public service reform proposals.

Earlier this month (11 September) COSLA confirmed that Local Government will engage constructively in the Scottish Government’s proposed three-month dialogue on public service reform, but participation must not be mistaken for agreement to any predetermined structure or transfer of responsibilities.

Councillors are elected by their communities to represent their interests. It is therefore vital to public trust that engagement is meaningful and truly informs any change to public services.

Council Leaders are clear: public service reform must be developed jointly by Local Government and Scottish Government, grounded in evidence, focused on outcomes, and shaped by the communities and workforce who will be most affected.

COSLA President, Cllr Shona Morrison, stated clearly: “Public service reform will only succeed if it is rooted in communities, not organisational charts. Local Government will engage with Scottish Government, but we will not support reforms that dilute local democracy, centralise decision-making or remove accountability from the people we serve.

“Decisions around public service reform must be made in agreement between Local Government and the Scottish Government and have the endorsement of councils on any issue affecting them.”

There will be no “one size fits all” approach

Public services should be designed with the focus being on outcomes, not organisational structures.

Services should remain local and closest to communities by default, work regionally where scale adds value, and operate nationally only where there is a clear benefit. Protecting local accountability of our public services is essential. Councils already have practical proposals for greater collaboration, shared services and stronger partnership working across the public sector.

Social care must remain local

Council Leaders have once again reaffirmed that social care and social work services must remain within Local Government and be accountable to local communities.

Social care and social work should be an equal partner to the NHS not subordinated to it.

Any approach to social care reform must recognise that it is not simply about meeting individual needs, but about removing societal and structural barriers, advancing inclusion, and supporting people have choice, control, and be able to participate in their communities. Local Government must be an equal partner in shaping future arrangements.

Communities and Staff Must Be Heard

COSLA is seeking assurance that communities, the workforce and their Trade Unions will be fully involved, and that evidence is not sidelined by a compressed timetable. Scotland already has a strong foundation for reform through years of work on local democracy and democratic literacy.

The Financial Case for Public Service Reform

Councils need clarity on expected costs, savings, risks and the investment required to make any change successful. Public Service Reform cannot become a vehicle for cutting the Local Government settlement, and we cannot afford to put our communities at risk like that. Sustainable reform requires funding certainty, investment in prevention and resources that match responsibilities.

Looking at the Whole System

A debate on local governance must not focus solely on councils. COSLA believes there is a strong case for considering whether some functions currently delivered nationally could benefit from local democratic accountability. Councils recognise and have been progressing opportunities for greater collaboration across the wider public sector – but these should be underpinned by local knowledge and understanding of needs.

Key Messages from COSLA Leaders

  • A planned approach to Public Service Reform must be agreed jointly between Local Government and Scottish Government, be flexible and asymmetric recognising the different geographies, demographics and needs across Scotland.
  • Consideration should be given to a range of services not currently within the remit of local government that should be brought closer to local democratic accountability, such as public health, transport and further and higher education;
  • Council Tax reform must be delivered on – Local Government has been seeking this for over a decade and the analysis published today shows public support for the case for change.
  • Social care and social work services must remain within Local Government and not be over-medicalised.
  • Communities, staff and trade unions must have a meaningful role in shaping Public Service Reform.
  • Public Service Reform must respect the Verity House Agreement, the European Charter on Local Self Government, and local democratic mandates.
  • Local government elections in May 2027 should not be affected by Public Service Reform proposals, and the election timeline should be considered in this process.
  • The workforce impacts must be carefully considered and addressed, prior to any agreement on change.
  • Greater clarity is needed on the financial implications of Public Service Reform.

Scotland’s public services will be strengthened not by imposing structures from the top down, but by working with councils, communities and the workforce to deliver better outcomes for people.

A Proposal For Reform of Local Governance

Still time to be a MSYP!

There’s still time to stand as a candidate in the next SYP elections!

Being an MSYP gives young people the opportunity to represent their peers, campaign on the issues they care about and develop skills and confidence along the way.

If you know any young person aged 14–25 who lives in Scotland, this could be their chance to get involved.

Find out more: https://syp.org.uk/elections-2026/

Burnham: NO to referendum

PRIME MINISTER CLARIFIES HIS REFERENDUM STATEMENT

PRIME Minister Andy Burnham has responded to John Swinney’s request for a meeting to discuss comments he made at Westminster this week.

In a letter to Scotland’s First Minister, Burnham explained: ‘I was simply highlighting that there is no consensus for an independence referendum in Scotland’ and goes on ‘As I made clear to you personally when we met recently in Glasgow, independence and a referendum are off limits as it would take our focus away from growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living.’

The Scottish Government has not formally responded but Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay said on X: “We have already endured far too many years of obstruction, hurdles and political games from UK governments.

“It has gone on for far too long.

“The Scottish Parliament should have the power to trigger that referendum!”

Swinney writes to Prime Minister on Scotland’s right to decide

Meeting invite to turn principle into legal mechanism

First Minister John Swinney has written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham regarding his comments on the constitutional future of Scotland. The First Minister invited the PM to meet to turn the accepted principle into a legal mechanism for a referendum.

The full text of the First Minister’s letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham: 

Dear Andy

I am writing with regards to your comments at Prime Ministers Question’s in response to my colleague Chris Law MP’s question.

Earlier today, you said; “on that question of a border poll, it is to be considered by the Northern Ireland Secretary when there is a clear consensus in the country – when public opinion has changed to the point where the call has to be considered. I would say that it is exactly the same situation in Scotland.”

The Good Friday Agreement, as implemented in UK domestic law by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, makes clear that if it appears likely that a majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote for Irish unification, a referendum should be held.

Your acceptance of the fact that majority support for independence in Scotland also means that a referendum should take place is welcome.

I am encouraged that you have reconsidered your previous comments that the democratic right of the people of Scotland to choose their own future is “off limits.”

This is a long-overdue acceptance of the reality that the people of Scotland will decide their own future, not the UK Government, and a clear endorsement of the fact that the UK must be a voluntary union.

In May, the SNP won a historic and unprecedented fifth term in office, and the people of Scotland elected more pro-independence MSPs than at any point in the Parliament’s history.

Given that, the previous refusal of the UK Government to consider Scotland’s right to decide its own future was clearly unsustainable.

You have rightly identified that there must be a discussion about where power lies across these islands.

By concluding a clear, understandable mechanism, both sides of the constitutional debate can move forward constructively in the full knowledge of an agreed process by which the Scottish people can exercise their democratic right at a time of their choosing.

Now that you have agreed the principle that Scotland should have a referendum when it is likely that people would vote for independence, it is important for us to meet to discuss how we turn that principle into an agreed legal mechanism, as exists in Northern Ireland.

I have asked my office to take forward the necessary arrangements.

John Swinney MSP

Scottish Parliament is not working, IPPR Scotland says in new report

Former high profile MSPs told the think tank in a series of “exit interviews” that the parliament is not living up to its consensus-building potential, contributing to key targets being missed.

It is not just the public who are deeply frustrated and disillusioned with the way politics and policymaking are working in Holyrood, new research from IPPR Scotland has found.

MSPs themselves have been feeling the same malaise, with a record number of them having chosen not to stand for re-election at this year’s Scottish parliamentary election.

In a series of detailed “exit interviews”, MSPs from across the political spectrum – including former backbenchers and senior cabinet figures – told researchers that the parliament has been underperforming. The findings come at a time of declining trust in politics and growing frustration with the way democratic institutions function. Voter turnout fell dramatically at the 2026 election and various polls showed voters felt Scotland was headed in the wrong direction.  

The Scottish parliament was designed to bring competing ideas together to find productive compromise. But interviewees described a shift towards shallow partisanship, with MSPs increasingly falling back on party lines and formulaic debates where politicians speak past each other.

This disconnect between the parliament’s consensus-building design and adversarial politics undermines the quality of scrutiny and legislation.

The problems show up in the way parliamentary committees operate. When the parliament was set up in 1999, committees were imagined as spaces for sustained, collaborative discussions, allowing MSPs the time to develop subject expertise and contribute meaningfully to policy matters.  

But interviewees said members pay little attention to one another, and serious engagement with the substance of issues is all too rare.

Researchers found that:

  • Short committee tenures are limiting the development of expertise. The median time MSPs serve on committees has hovered around one-and-a-half to two years, compared with five-year parliamentary terms. This restricts their ability to develop the kind of subject expertise that longer tenure would provide.  
  • Instead of interactive discussions, MSPs increasingly resort to monologues. In the first parliamentary session, a committee member spoke an average of 117 words before another member spoke. By the sixth session, this had doubled to 232 words.  

This affects the process of legislation making. Committees were intended to scrutinise legislation in detail, drawing on members’ expertise, expert witnesses and detailed evidence. But MSPs said debate has shifted to the final stages of legislation with poorly thought through amendments introduced at the last minute.

The researchers’ analysis of parliamentary data backs this up. In the first session (1999-2003), final-stage debates were about half as long as committee discussions. By the sixth, (2021-2026) the pattern had reversed, with final debates longer than committee stages.

IPPR Scotland has argued that the parliament needs to strengthen its consensus-building mechanisms, both to build trust with the electorate and because the challenges the country faces need long-term policies with widespread buy-in.  

The think tank recommends that reforms to parliament be designed by a new Citizens’ Commission on Scotland’s Democracy, giving citizens a formal role in reviewing and reporting on the functioning of Scottish democracy through citizens’ assemblies and juries.

Dave Hawkey, senior research fellow at IPPR Scotland, said: “Scotland faces formidable challenges, from cutting emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate crisis to managing the ageing population and reducing inequality.

“Solving each of these will need bold and far-reaching policy, including ideas from every corner of Scottish society.

“Low trust in politics is a major barrier to building the consensus we need to successfully guide Scotland through these changing times. Concretely, if citizens lack trust in politics, they will not agree to pay the taxes we need to fix our shared problems.”

Anonymous MSP1 said: “If you go as a minister to be interrogated by the opposition or backbenchers, the greatest disappointment is always how rubbish their questions are because they’re all sitting on their phones, you get to their shot, they ask a pre-prepared question.

“It’s either political or general most of the time. And then they go back to scrolling on Twitter.”  

Anonymous MSP2 said: “You have legislation that grows arms and bells and whistles. [During recent debates] I was thinking: I cannot believe we’re actually accepting or agreeing to this amendment that, in one line, will give somebody a headline but will cause a huge tail end of policy issues.”  

Rebuilding-Scotlands-New-Politics-IPPR-Scotland-2026-1Download

‘Intense engagement’ shaping Scotland’s public sector reform

IMPROVING SERVICES?

A period of intense engagement is underway to ensure streamlined public services are delivered for Scotland, Public Service Reform Secretary Ivan McKee has said.

This week’s Programme for Government set out how the Scottish Government plans to deliver stronger and efficient public services that are sustainable for generations to come.

Plans include replacing the current 14 territorial health boards with two strategic health boards, removing unnecessary duplication and overlap in public services and seeking a clear shared direction on substantial reform to local governance, including social care.

Mr McKee said: “Public service reform is at the heart of this Government’s priorities for the next five years and this work will help to ensure that every pound of investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to deliver real improvements in public services.

“I will meet public sector leaders and other key partners at the Public Service Reform Summit later this month to discuss the challenges and opportunities posed by public service reform and the agenda set-out in the Programme for Government.

“My colleagues and I are also engaged in intensive dialogue with public bodies, NHS Boards, local government, trade unions, the third sector, businesses and communities to strengthen the work that is already taking place and to ensure that proactive leadership and collaboration are central to our approach.

“Our focus over the coming months is to build a shared understanding of how we will deliver the changes necessary to support the needs of diverse communities across Scotland.”

COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, has responded to Scottish Government’s Programme for Government plans: “The Programme for Government is a significant statement of the Scottish Government’s priorities, and we will take time to consider its detail carefully.

“There are important implications for local government and council services, particularly the proposed NHS reforms and what they will mean for the future delivery of social care.

“Over the coming days, COSLA will engage closely with our member councils and with Scottish Ministers to ensure these proposals are focused on what is best for communities across Scotland and respect the democratic legitimacy of local government.

“Public services work best when decisions are taken as close to communities as possible. We look forward to meaningful engagement with the Scottish Government and believe that the dialogue on the future of local governance must be carried forward with councils and COSLA as the collective voice of local government.”

STUC: Programme for Government ‘reckless rather than revolutionary’

Commenting on the Programme for Government, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “Presenting the public with a misleading choice of cuts packaged as public service reform was disingenuous at best and a falsehood at worst from the Scottish Government.

“Crushing down Scotland’s health boards into two may seem bold on paper but further centralising power when local communities are crying out for health and social care services tailored to their needs seems more reckless than revolutionary.

“This is not the way to do public sector reform. Before the axe is swung on any public service, whether health, council or social care, Scottish Government ministers would do well to engage meaningfully and purposefully with the workers who deliver on the ground.  This cannot be done in the timescales outlined. 

“Measures on food cap prices, childcare, breakfast clubs and bus fare caps are welcome. However, by avoiding the big decisions on wealth redistribution – on council tax reform, wealth taxes and taking national stakes in our energy infrastructure – cost of living measures will always fall short of the radical transformation both our economy and communities require.

“We will be engaging actively with Government on its promise to bring forward a responsible strategy for data centres in Scotland. We need to take stock of how such projects can benefit decent jobs, workers and the communities in which they will reside. We need to move away from industrial strategy that allows our heavy industry, manufacturing and renewables sectors to be sold off to the highest bidders with little public benefit in return.

“Finally, it’s deeply welcome the First Minister has pledged further support for survivors of gender-based violence. It’s time that all organisations, employers and society as a whole adopts a zero-tolerance approach to violence against women and girls and it’s correct that this is a strategic priority for the Scottish Government in which the First Minister will find support from Scotland’s trade unions.”

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 – gov.scot

Greens and Labour win Edinburgh by-election seats

TOUGH NIGHT FOR SNP

The results of the Southside/Newington (Ward 15) and Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) by-elections have been announced at Waverley Court.

Ruth Elliott (Scottish Labour Party) and Lorenzo Martinico (Scottish Greens) have been duly elected to serve in the City of Edinburgh Council for Ward 15 and Ward 17 respectively. Ruth Elliot received 2,153 votes, and Lorenzo Martinico (Scottish Greens) received 1,781 votes.

The new councillors were elected through the Single Transferable Vote system.

The turnout was poor – 6,741 votes (27.3%) in Ward 15 and 6,427 votes (22.9%) in Ward 17.

The declaration was made in the early hours of this morning (Friday 4 September) by Depute Returning Officer for the City of Edinburgh, Chris Highcock.

Depute Returning Officer for the City of Edinburgh, Chris Highcock, said: “I would like to welcome Councillors Elliot and Martinico into their new roles and wish them all the best as they begin serving their wards.

“My thanks goes to everyone who took part in these by-elections, alongside our elections team and council colleagues, who have been working hard behind the scenes over the last few months.”

SCOTTISH GREENS HAIL HISTORIC BY-ELECTION WIN

Portobello housing campaigner Lorenzo Martinico has made history by becoming the first Scottish Green to win a council by-election in the City of Edinburgh. 

Lorenzo is a local housing campaigner and was previously a postdoctoral researcher at Edinburgh University, specialising in computer security and digital privacy.

Reacting to the result, Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer MSP said: “This is a truly historic day for Edinburgh and the Scottish Greens. For the first time ever our capital has elected a Scottish Green councillor at a by-election, showing the failing Labour administration that Edinburgh demands better.

“By electing Lorenzo, voters in Portobello/Craigmillar have demanded radical change in Scotland’s capital. Just a few months ago, Greens won our first ever Holyrood constituency here in the heart of the city. This result confirms that we are fighting to win next May’s council elections in Edinburgh.”

“I know that Lorenzo will make a huge difference for the people of Portobello/Craigmillar. He will push to deliver urgently needed rent controls, tackle the climate emergency, and build a more affordable Edinburgh.”

Edinburgh Green Group co-convenor and fellow Portobello/Craigmillar councillor, Cllr Alys Mumford said: “Portobello-Craigmillar is now the first ward in Edinburgh to be represented by two Green Councillors, and residents there will benefit hugely from Lorenzo being their new local Councillor.

Alys added: “We’d like to congratulate Lorenzo on his election and also pay tribute to Isabella, who narrowly missed out on securing our second by-election win in Southside/Newington, but whose vote share increase reflects a growing desire for change.

“Green volunteers and activists ran a fantastic campaign across both wards and the results show that our message of hope is resonating with the people of Edinburgh.”

Lorenzo Martinico, the newly-elected Green councillor for Portobello/Craigmillar, said: “I am really honoured that my neighbours in Portobello/Craigmillar have chosen me to represent them as their councillor.

“I would like to thank the hundreds of Scottish Greens volunteers and supporters who have spent the last two months campaigning for us, securing our first by-election wins in the city. 

“It’s been an honour to be part of such a positive and energetic campaign. When I first moved to Edinburgh, I could never have imagined I would be elected as a councillor.

“There are thousands of people like me who weren’t born here but have chosen to make Edinburgh their home – I hope my election gives them a bit of hope, at a time when some in our community feel unsafe because of how they sound when they speak, because of the colour of their skin or their religion.

“I am looking forward to working to make a difference for the people of Portobello/Craigmillar.”

The by-elections were initiated by the resignation of two SNP city councillors who were elected as MSPs in May’s Scottish Parliament elections. Another two city councillors – Green Kayleigh Kinross‑O’Neill and Lib-Dem Sanne Dijstra Downie – also became MSPs in the Holyrood elections but both decided to stay on as councillors, carrying out dual roles until next May’s council elections.

Full details of the by-election results are available on the Council website.

Council by-elections this Thursday

By-elections in Southside/Newington (Ward 15) and Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) take place this Thursday (3 September).

We’re urging residents in these wards to remember their polling cards and to cast their votes.

Residents in these wards who are aged 16 or over and have registered to vote can participate in Thursday’s by-elections.

One new councillor will be elected for each ward. The current electorate for Ward 15 is 24,666 and for Ward 17 it’s 28,062.

Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence said: “With these by-elections fast approaching, I encourage residents in these wards to take this opportunity to have their say on Thursday. Please remember your polling cards and check your polling place. These new councillors will represent your communities on issues affecting your local area and Edinburgh as a whole.

“Our elections pages provide useful information on how the Single Transferable Vote system works – you can rank candidates in order of preference, choosing as many or few as you’d like.

“If you’re voting by post, please return your completed ballot as soon as possible to make sure your vote is counted.

Please check your polling place as this may have changed since the last time you voted. If you bring your polling card to vote this will help us and speed up the process, but this isn’t mandatory.

A full list of the candidates standing in both wards is available on the Council’s website.

Further information on voting in Ward 15 and Ward 17, including accessibility information and spoken ballot papers are also on the Council’s website.

Polling places will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 3 September.

Polling Places (Ward 15):

  • Nelson Hall Community Centre (New for 2026)
  • Blackford and Grange Parish Church Centre
  • St. Catherine’s Argyle Church
  • Newington Trinity Church
  • Reid Memorial Church Hall
  • 75th Braid Scouts’ Millar Hall
  • Cameron House Community Education Centre

Polling Places (Ward 17):

  • Portobello Library (New for 2026)
  • Branch Out Together
  • St Mark’s Episcopal Church (New for 2026)
  • Bingham Community Centre
  • St Martins Parish Church
  • Craigmillar Library
  • Hays Business Centre
  • Newcraighall Leith Victoria FC

The by-elections will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, where voters rank candidates in order of preference, rather than using a single cross. Voters can rank as many or as few candidates as they like.

The electronic count will take place at Waverley Court, starting at the close of poll at 10pm on September 3. 

“IS EDINBURGH  POLITICS AS LEFT AS IT THINKS IT IS?”

 The Communist Party of Britain’s (CPB) candidates in Edinburgh’s two by-elections have called out political opinion in the city.

The party is standing candidates Richard Shillcock (Southside/Newington ward) and Peter Olech (Portobello/Craigmillar ward) in the September 3rd council by-elections.

The Communist candidates note Edinburgh’s reputation for liberal politics. Many voters—particularly young ones—across Labour, Greens and the SNP see themselves as voting for a much better, new kind of Scotland.

But Communists are presenting crucially different policies to what is on offer from the other parties.

Communists say particular policies of Edinburgh’s established parties might sound good in isolation but they are overshadowed by the liberal commitment to rejoining the EU and/or to Scottish “independence”.

The EU. Rejoining the EU means accepting the EU’s foundational principles of the free movement of capital, goods and services, and its restrictions on state funding of industry.

Communists say we need to trade extensively with Europe but we need to be able to control the movement of capital and we need to be able to direct state-led investment if working people are ever to own and control a rebuilt productive economy.

“Independence”. Similarly, we need to control our own currency. A separate Scotland, in or out of the EU, means losing our central bank. Greece’s debt crisis had its roots in adopting the euro and losing its central bank.

Communists say the Scottish people have the right to decide whether to secede from the UK, but that better prospects for working people lie in strengthening working class organisation across Britain to win deeper and deeper federal autonomy in which working people own and control the productive economy.

Housing. Few idealistic voters would say “just let the market sort out housing”. But that is exactly what is happening when other parties’ housing policy is for a mix of measures like “affordable housing” at the expense of council housing. Communists say only large-scale, permanent investment in council housing, owned and run by the local authority, can solve the housing problem.

Women’s rights. Communists say that we need to urgently implement the Supreme Court ruling on sex in the Equality Act 2010. Local government should fully uphold women’s rights and protections under the Act, including the right to single-sex services. The Scottish Government should enforce the Act.

Violence against women. Liberal activists have been arguing that prostitution is “sex work”, that it is a mutually consensual transaction, that it can be empowering and that it should be decriminalised and destigmatised.

Communists say prostitution is not work. A woman’s body is not a workplace. Prostitution is unique sexual exploitation, reflecting class and sex inequalities. We need to support women to exit prostitution, with zero tolerance towards the sexual exploitation of women by men. 

Caring for each other. There is strong liberal support—in the Greens, LibDems and SNP—favouring assisted dying.

Communists stand with disabled activists in opposing assisted dying. It cannot be made safe. It will disproportionately endanger disabled people. Communists call for adequate funding for end-of-life care.

The local by-elections were triggered following the resignation of two local SNP councillors who were recently elected as MSPs to Holyrood. 

The Communist Party urges voters across Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar to use their ballot papers to vote for the policies they believe in—ones that will defend and extend the rights and the quality of life of working people.