Holyrood election May 2026 – The NEN

Charity urges parties to strengthen support for Scotland’s veterans

The Forces Employment Charity is calling on all candidates to commit to meaningful, long‑term action to improve employment and justice support for veterans and their families across Scotland.
Long‑term, specialist employment and justice services deliver proven benefits for veterans, communities and Scotland’s economy.
The charity has created a Veterans Employment and Justice Pledge, urging those standing for election to back practical measures that would strengthen Scotland’s workforce, reduce reoffending and ensure veterans are supported with dignity and fairness.

With the Scottish Parliament election just weeks away, the Forces Employment Charity is calling on all parties to commit to meaningful, long‑term action to improve employment and justice support for veterans and their families across Scotland.

Veterans and their families make a significant contribution to communities and the economy. However, many face barriers to sustainable employment, while some veterans are at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system.

The charity has created a Veterans Employment and Justice Pledge, urging the political parties to back practical measures that would strengthen Scotland’s workforce, reduce reoffending, and ensure veterans are supported with dignity and fairness.

The Forces Employment Charity delivers specialist employment and career transition support to thousands of Service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families every year, helping them to succeed beyond service. In addition, through its justice service NOVA Scotland, the charity provides dedicated, trauma-informed support to vulnerable veterans in contact with the criminal justice system, enabling them to rebuild their lives and establish long-term stability.

The charity is urging parties to support three key commitments in their election campaign:

1. Fair Access to Employment

Support measures that ensure veterans, their families, and the families of those still serving can access meaningful employment opportunities. This includes:

Protecting long‑term funding for specialist employability programmes
Encouraging Armed Forces‑friendly recruitment practices
Supporting skills development, career transition and employer engagement initiatives that recognise the value of military experience

These steps would help veterans thrive in civilian careers and contribute to Scotland’s economic growth.

2. Specialist Justice Support

Commit to protecting long‑term funding for specialist veterans’ services within the justice system. These services deliver:

Prevention, diversion and early intervention
Community‑based alternatives such as addiction treatment, volunteering and unpaid work
Rehabilitative support tailored to veterans’ needs

These interventions would address the underlying causes of offending and reoffending, ensure veterans receive the specialist help they need to rebuild their lives, and help to build safer communities.

3. Standardised Recording of Veteran Status

Support standardised recording of veteran status across the justice system so Scotland can design evidence-based, trauma-informed and cost-effective responses that improve outcomes and reduce reoffending. Improved identification would:

Strengthen throughcare
Reduce recalls and reoffending
Improve evidence‑based policy and prevention planning
Ensure Scotland meets its Armed Forces Covenant commitments

This change would not alter sentencing or create preferential treatment, but would ensure veterans receive appropriate, cost‑effective support.

Alistair Halliday, Chief Executive of the Forces Employment Charity, said: “Every day, Scotland benefits from the experience and dedication of its veteran community, yet too many still face barriers to establishing sustainable civilian careers or accessing tailored justice support; support which saves lives and transforms futures.

“In this election, we ask all parties to support practical measures that will strengthen Scotland’s workforce, create safer communities, and ensure fairness and opportunity for those who have given so much. We hope to see these commitments taken forward in the next parliamentary term so that veterans and their families receive the long-term specialist support they deserve.”

Find out more by reading the charity’s Veterans Employment and Justice Pledge.

Letter: It’s time for politicians to hear deaf people

Dear Editor,

With just a few weeks to go before a pivotal election in Scotland, now is the time to urge our local representatives to address a major public health issue that has been overlooked for far too long.

As I write, the needs of the 1.5 million people in Scotland who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are being neglected, and this must change.

It’s unacceptable that people with hearing loss in Scotland face routine waits of up to 18 months for audiology services, with some forced to wait even longer.

Too often, healthcare services in Scotland also fail to meet the communication needs of deaf people and those with hearing loss, such as providing an accessible alternative to the telephone, or a BSL interpreter for those who need one. This leaves people unable to fully understand or participate in decisions about their own care.

We want Scotland to be a country where the 1.5 million deaf people and people with hearing loss or tinnitus are fully included and treated with respect, dignity and understanding.

In the run up to the election, RNID is urging people to raise these issues with their local MSP candidates. You can contact your local candidates by visiting www.rnid.org.uk or by clicking here.

Regards,

Ruth MacLeod,

Health Policy Advisor, RNID – the national charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.

No place for abuse and intimidation at May election: Electoral Commission

The Electoral Commission is calling for the Scottish Parliament Election on May 7 to be free of abuse and intimidation.

In recent elections, candidates have faced unacceptable behaviour while campaigning, including harassment, threats and physical intimidation. Following the UK Parliament General Election in 2024, Commission research found over half (55%) of candidates felt that they had some kind of problem with harassment, intimidation, or abuse, with one in ten (13%) reporting it as a serious issue.

This led to more than half (56%) of respondents avoiding some kind of campaign activity due to fear of abuse. Women were also found to be twice as likely, and ethnic minorities three times more likely, to report serious abuse.

With the poll still six weeks away, the Electoral Commission is acting now to tackle the issue alongside partners including the Electoral Management Board for Scotland and Police Scotland. This includes supporting electoral administrators to ensure the safe and effective delivery of the election, including through providing guidance on their powers at polling stations and the count, so everyone can participate freely and without intimidation.

The Commission has published a set of principles to guide campaigning at the May elections, with a focus on maintaining respect, safety and honesty during robust debate. Created in response to recommendations made by the Speaker’s Conference on the security of MPs, candidates and elections, the principles build on common themes across parties existing codes of conducts, and aim to put in place a common, minimum standard of behaviour, to make sure that campaigners feel supported and protected.

Education also plays a critical role in tackling abuse by preparing young people to participate in democracy. The Commission is delivering democratic education for young people and New Scots to support media literacy and improve understanding of the role of the Scottish Parliament and its politicians.

Cahir Hughes, Acting Head of the Electoral Commission Scotland, said: “Abuse and intimidation should not be seen as part of the job for candidates , elected officials or electoral staff. This behaviour is unacceptable and harms democracy.

“Clear principles to help people take part in respectful campaigning are available, and we would encourage all parties and candidates to engage with the safety resources and briefings provided by Police Scotland.

“We will also continue to speak out against online harassment and threats directed at those taking part in elections and have made recommendations to social media companies to strengthen their response to abusive content.”

Malcolm Burr, Convener of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, said: “Returning Officers and their staff will not hesitate to exclude anyone from polling places or the count if they disrupt proceedings.

“Any poor behaviour from candidates and agents undermines trust in the whole system. Voters must have confidence that the election will be run in a free, fair and safe manner for all.”

Chief Superintendent Neil MacDougall, Police Scotland, said: “Advice and briefings are being provided by Police Scotland to maximise the safety of candidates, minimise any risk of disruption and ensure a peaceful democratic process. All reports of criminality will be subject to an investigation.

“We continue to work with partners, including the Electoral Commission, and will liaise closely with local authority returning officers across Scotland regarding security at polling places.”

NO such problems at the Edinburgh Northern Hustings organised by Drylaw Telford Community Council at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre last night.

It was all very civilised – we even had a Conservative candidate agreeing with his Communist opponent! – Ed.

Young journalist from Portobello aims to tackle election misinformation

A new youth-led broadcast project is set to tackle misinformation and disinformation during the upcoming Scottish Elections, giving young people across the country a platform to investigate claims and engage voters with fact-checked reporting.

Launched yesterday (25 March 2026) Future Proof is an innovative initiative led by the Scottish Youth Film Foundation (SYFF). Six young journalists from across Scotland have been recruited to report on election campaigns through the lens of misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content.

One of the six journalists is Rory Kirkpatrick from Portobello. Rory said: “As misinformation seems to get more and more prevalent, bringing attention to the truth only becomes more important.

“I believe we all must adapt to the ways that the spread of misinformation is changing in the age of social media.

“I’m joining SYFF’s Future Proof newsroom with the aim of helping people stay informed so that they can make decisions based off facts.”

Also joining Rory will be Emilie from Fort William, Robert from Kiltarlity, Rachel and Santi from Glasgow, and Tom from Kirkcaldy. Together, they offer a broad and diverse perspective on the issues affecting young people across the country.

Starting from 8 April, the team will produce four weekly live shows on YouTube, broadcasting every Tuesday at 6pm until 29 April. Each programme will investigate misleading claims, fabricated facts and AI generated content circulating during the campaign, while highlighting the issues that matter most to young voters.

Following each broadcast, the team will host a companion interactive webinar, allowing young people across Scotland to question the journalists directly and engage with expert guests on the key topics shaping the election.

The sessions aim to support engagement among young and first-time voters, while also providing relevant discussion material for teachers and pupils in schools.

David Barras, co-founder of the Scottish Youth Film Foundation, said:
“It’s fantastic that Rory is supporting this really important project. Future Proof puts young people at the heart of one of the most important conversations in modern democracy – how we recognise truth in an age of misinformation.

“By giving young journalists the tools to investigate claims and question narratives, we’re helping ensure that the next generation of voters is informed, confident and ready to engage.

“The project was inspired by a discussion on media literacy and disinformation at the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics in summer 2025. Building on that conversation, Future Proof invites young people to articulate the issues that go beyond party political priorities and bring their perspectives to the centre of election debate.”

The post-show webinars are being delivered with support from Scotland’s Development Education Centres, working collectively on media literacy as part of global citizenship education under the umbrella of Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA).

The project is being advised by Huw Owen, a former BBC Scotland News Editor who is also the Co-Chair of the Education Committee of SIDA.

Huw Owen said: “The impact of malicious and careless communication via digital and social media is now having a profound effect on all our lives. Supercharged by AI fakes, it is fuelling polarisation and fear within and between many of our communities here in Scotland and beyond. It is a clear threat to civilised debate and long shared democratic values.

“Across the globe, the distortion or misinterpretation of facts about conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and now Iran, or the undermining of well-established research on the climate crisis, must be combated with up-to-date guidance and support to help us turn the tide towards truth, honesty and decency in our politics.

“As a global citizenship community across Scotland and beyond, we firmly believe this effort must start in our schools and other places of learning. We need to reaffirm universal values of fairness and tolerance along with up-to-date tools and techniques to actively combat disinformation.

“This must be an overarching priority for whichever government is elected at Holyrood. It’s not too late to future proof our democracy.”

The initiative also brings together a range of national partners supporting young people’s participation in democratic debate.

Global fact-checking organisation Full Fact will provide training to the young journalists. The organisation has warned about the growing threat of AI-driven misinformation during election campaigns and continues to call for stronger responses to protect democratic processes.

Mark Frankel from Full Fact says: “These elections are taking place against a backdrop of an unprecedented distortion of facts. The public feels ill-equipped to deal with the manipulation of information they see before them and the threat of AI as they see it.

“Things are emerging online which are being pushed to them and they don’t know whether to believe it. It’s clear that this is undermining trust in our politicians, trust in the political system and the future of our democracies.”

Additional partners include Young Scot and the Scottish Youth Parliament, whose report “Young People and Politics” has informed the project and whose networks will help bring young voices into the conversation through guest speakers and participation opportunities.

The John Smith Centre will also contribute guest speakers and provide access to a youth hustings event taking place at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on 26 April.

Future Proof will stream live on YouTube at 6pm on 8, 15, 22 and 29 April. Each broadcast will be followed by an interactive webinar open to schools, youth organisations and young people across Scotland.

Long ED waiting times in Scotland could take generations to recover if the issue isn’t a political priority

ROYAL COLLEGE of EMERGENCY MEDICINE RELEASES NEW REPORT

Without a sustained political focus on reducing extreme long waits in Scotland’s Emergency Departments, it could take more than 200 years to reduce the number of people enduring these waits down to levels seen in 2016.

That’s the warning from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine following new analysis published today (24 March).

Last year, more than 75,077 people waited 12 hours or more to be admitted, discharged or transferred from major EDs in Scotland.

While this number is an ever so slight improvement from 2024 (76,510), at the current rate (a reduction of 1.8% a year) it would take 237 years to reduce these extreme long waits to their 2016 levels (1,005).

These statistics and latest analysis are contained in RCEM’s ‘State of Emergency Medicine in Scotland’ report, published today. It sets out what patients and staff faced in Emergency Departments across the country last year, including the very real impact long waits are having on patients.

Further analysis for the previous year (2025) reveals of those patients who waited 12 hours or more, 58,870 were waiting to be admitted to a hospital ward for further care.

Using the Standard Mortality Ratio – a method which calculates that there will be one additional (excess) death for every 72 patients that spend eight–12-hours in ED prior to their admission – RCEM conservatively estimates that there were 818 associated excess deaths related with long waiting times in 2025.

That’s the lives of 16 people lost every week. And remains unchanged from the previous year.

Dr Jayne McLaren, RCEM’s Vice Chair in Scotland, said: “It’s deeply concerning, and put bluntly, a national disgrace, that over the course of a year, there has been no meaningful improvement in the number of patients waiting 12 hours or more in Emergency Departments across the country.

“A small reduction of just over 1,400 patients waiting this long in the space of a year is nothing to celebrate. Because look at the sheer scale who still waited this long – 75,077. These are people not just numbers. And more often than not, they would’ve experienced this extreme wait on a trolley in a corridor, or another inappropriate space that was never designed to deliver care in.

“But what’s most upsetting, as an Emergency Medicine consultant, whose whole profession is to help people in their time of need, is seeing how many people died because of the system not working as it should.

“Ultimately, because there wasn’t an inpatient bed for them when they needed to be moved to a ward.

“People are losing their lives. And today’s figures suggest that the same number of people died in association with long waits as in 2024.

“This is a conservative estimate too. We know there may well be many more tragic deaths linked to long stays because this methodology only applies to one group of patients.

“That needs to spark anger and upset from those in power to bring about the changes that are desperately needed in our hospital system.

“Our State of Emergency Care report should serve as essential reading for ministers, NHS leaders and policymakers. It sets out clear, practical recommendations to make our emergency care system something that we can be proud of once again.

“Patients, and those working within our Emergency Departments deserve so much better – a service that is safe, timely, and fit for purpose.”

rcem-report Download

Alliance to Liberate Scotland hails “standing room only” launch

Pledge to Turn Wasted List Votes into Working Class Independence Voice at Holyrood

The Alliance to Liberate Scotland (ATLS) has hailed Thursday night’s packed Glasgow candidate launch at the Renfield Training and Conference Centre as “the moment Glasgow’s working class put Holyrood on notice that wasted list votes are no longer acceptable.”

Speaking to an overflowing audience, Glasgow Regional List lead candidate Tommy Sheridan argued that the old “SNP 1 & SNP 2” message has repeatedly failed to deliver additional independence representation for Glasgow on the regional list, and has instead handed list seats to Labour and the Conservatives in a city that votes Yes.

In Glasgow alone, around 245,000 SNP second votes (SNP2-Regional List Vote) across the last two Holyrood elections failed to elect a single SNP list MSP, while Labour and the Tories took all seven regional seats in our Yes city.

Sheridan pointed to the Scottish Parliament elections of 2016 and 2021, where the SNP swept all nine Glasgow constituency seats yet failed to secure a single additional regional list MSP in the city, despite topping the regional vote on both occasions.

In 2021, Glasgow’s regional list MSPs were returned as four Labour, two Conservative and one Green, but zero SNP list MSPs, even though the SNP won the largest share of the list vote.

Tommy Sheridan said: “The facts are crystal clear. In Glasgow, in both 2016 and 2021, tens of thousands of SNP list votes did not elect a single additional pro-independence MSP. Those ‘SNP 2’ votes were effectively wasted, while Labour and Tory unionists walked into Holyrood from the Glasgow list. That cannot be allowed to happen again in a Yes city.

The Alliance to Liberate Scotland exists to give Glasgow’s working class a hard, effective independence vote on the list. A list vote for ATLS is not a gesture – it is the serious business of putting more pro-independence fighters into parliament and cutting the number of unionist MSPs sent from this city.”

Independent analysis of past elections has repeatedly highlighted how large blocks of list votes for parties already dominant in the constituencies can fail to translate into list seats under Scotland’s Additional Member System, particularly in regions such as Glasgow, where one party already holds most or all constituency seats.

Second-placed Glasgow list candidate Dhruva Kumar, who chaired the event, said the campaign would speak directly to working-class voters across all of Glasgow’s communities:

Dhruva Kumar said: “Last night showed that Glasgow’s working people – old and new, from every background – are hungry for a serious, disciplined independence strategy.

“This campaign is about unity and action. When people give their list vote to the Alliance, they are turning frustration into seats, anger into votes, and hope into hard numbers for independence at Holyrood. Glasgow’s working class built this city, now we intend to help them win the power to shape its future.”

Glasgow list candidate Gail Sheridan stressed that ATLS offers determined, grassroots-rooted representation rather than careerist politics. She said: “I’ve stood with Tommy through every major battle for justice and independence in this city.

What we heard from the floor last night was clear: people are tired of politicians who talk about independence but park it the day after the election.

The Alliance to Liberate Scotland is different. We are rooted in working-class Glasgow, we are organised, and we are ready to fight tooth and nail in Holyrood for decent wages, warm homes and real self-determination. A list vote for ATLS is an independence vote that counts.”

Glasgow list candidate Hilda McMahon drew a direct line from Glasgow’s radical history to the new Alliance campaign. She said: “Glasgow has never begged for change; it has organised for it.

“From Mary Barbour to Jimmy Reid and John Maclean, our city’s heroes understood that real power comes when working people stand together. The Alliance to Liberate Scotland is carrying that flame into the 2026 Holyrood election.

“We are deadly serious about increasing the number of pro-independence MSPs and finally delivering the self-determination that the people of Scotland demand.”

The Alliance to Liberate Scotland insists that, in the 2026 Holyrood election, a Glasgow Regional List vote for ATLS is the most effective way for independence supporters in the city to turn previously wasted list votes into additional pro-independence MSPs, strengthening the voice of Glasgow’s working class at the heart of Scotland’s democracy.

Dentists challenge parties: Future proof service or lose it

Voters are looking to the next Scottish Government to go further and faster to guarantee the future of NHS dentistry

New polling from YouGov shows:

Taking into account all the different priorities facing the country, 65% of Scots say the Scottish Government should be doing more on dentistry. Only 20% believe they are doing all they reasonably can.
Dentistry is now a major doorstep issue in Scotland, with 15% ranking it as the most important issue in their local area, on a par with crime (16%)
Estimated unmet need for NHS dentistry stands at nearly 1/5 of Scotland’s adult population, with 12% saying they were unable to secure an appointment in the last 2 years, and a further 7% having effectively given up trying, assuming they would be unable to get one.

The BDA has published its own manifesto stressing a new administration must act to ‘future proof’ the service. While the current Scottish Government took forward payment reform of NHS dentistry in 2023, the professional body say this cannot be viewed as ‘mission accomplished’.

It stresses that concerted action is required to improve access and reduce inequalities that are already widening [2] and create the dental workforce Scotland needs via a fully funded workforce plan.

The BDA is encouraging parties to double down on prevention, expand the pioneering Childsmile programme, and adopt policies to encourage families to make healthier choices. It says practices need to be protected from surging costs, including rises in National Insurance from the UK Government which have already been mitigated in Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland.

Albert Yeung, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Council, said: “If we want NHS dentistry in Scotland to remain a going concern in the 21^stcentury, it will require a sustained plan of action.

“It means closing an oral health gap between rich and poor that’s already widening. To call time on postcode lotteries of care that remain the norm.

“It requires the next government to ensure we have the dental team members we need on the frontline.

“And it means doubling down on prevention. This country can’t rest on its laurels when decay remains the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children.

“The public are clear the next Scottish Government needs to go further, and faster. We must future-proof dentistry in Scotland, because failure to do so will come at a steep financial, human and ultimately a political cost.

“This is already an issue on the doorstep. It will remain one until voters see real change.”

bda-scotland-manifesto-2026 Download

Drylaw Telford Community Council to host Holyrood Elections Hustings

MONDAY 30th MARCH 6.30pm

at DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

WE’RE HOSTING A HUSTINGS!

Ever wanted to ask your parliamentary candidates the questions that REALLY matter to YOU?

Monday, 30th March 2026

6:30 PM

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

Edinburgh Northern Constituency Mini Hustings

Hosted by Drylaw/Telford Community Council

This is YOUR chance to:

Hear directly from candidates

Ask YOUR questions

Make an informed choice

Tickets are LIMITED and are FREE

Get your Ticket! https://north-edinburgh-mini-hustings.eventbrite.com

Candidate lineup announced soon!

This is democracy in action, right here in OUR community.

NSPCC calls for early years support  for children to be election priority

NSPCC Scotland is urging politicians in all parties to help prevent harm to children and prioritise early support for families in future plans and investment decisions, as the charity publishes an overview of early years policies since devolution.

The report calls for a strategic, long‑term commitment to the early years to ensure every child in Scotland has the best possible start in life.

Published on the NSPCC Learning website it provides a descriptive summary of early years policymaking in Scotland over the past 25 years.

The NSPCC believes there are clear opportunities for improvement in current early years policy and is calling on the next Scottish Government to prioritise it. This is one of the charity’s five priority areas for child protection that it will be setting out next month in the run up to the Scottish Parliament elections.

Early years – the period from pregnancy until a child turns five – is widely recognised as a critical stage in child development during which the foundations of learning, behaviour and lifelong mental and physical health are established.

In 2024, nearly half (45%) of the children on the child protection register in Scotland were under the age of four. This consisted of 93 unborn children and 913 aged newborn to four years old.¹

Despite the youngest children in Scotland being the most vulnerable to harm, the 0-3 age group in particular can often be overlooked. It’s been called the ‘baby blindspot’.

Babies and very young children rely on sensitive and responsive care to grow and thrive. Evidence shows that investing in children’s earliest years not only reduces the need for costly interventions later in life but also helps tackle inequalities and ensures every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

In this report, the NSPCC sets out how the Scottish Government’s strongest focus on the early years can be traced back to 2011–12, with multi-agency initiatives that were designed to improve outcomes for children, reduce inequalities for those who were particularly vulnerable, and shift services toward prevention and early intervention.

However, the charity’s analysis reveals that strategic focus on the early years has not been maintained as attention shifted toward tackling the poverty-related attainment gap and addressing the long-term effects of childhood adversity in adulthood.

This has meant that targeted support for families and children, from pre-birth to age five, to prevent problems from developing or getting worse, has inadvertently declined.

The NSPCC’s view is that these days early years policy is too often viewed by the Government as meaning early learning and childcare provision, rather than as a broader agenda, which focuses on supporting families to build nurturing, responsive caregiving relationships.

Rachel Love, NSPCC Scotland Senior Policy Officer and report author, said: “Investing in early childhood provides significant long-term benefits for children, their families, and communities, including improved educational attainment, reduced health inequlaities and economic returns.

“Our analysis shows that prioritisation of early years has been inconsistent, leading to gaps in service planning and delivery; and when it has been a priority, funding and resourcing has not matched ambitions.

“As we approach the Scottish Parliament elections, all political parties have an important opportunity – and responsibility – to place the early years at the heart of future policy and public investment in Scotland.

“The NSPCC wants the new Government to give families the support they need, so every child gets the best possible start – ensuring Scotland keeps The Promise to its youngest children.”

The charity wants the new Government to:

Reestablish early years as a cross-party priority, with a clear focus on parent–infant relationships and holistic family support that prioritises prevention and early help.
Create a dedicated Early Years Strategy, led by a Minister for Early Years, to ensure focused and sustained national leadership.
Strengthen statutory guidance on Children’s Services Planning to reinforce its emphasis on early years prevention and intervention, and introducing long-term, ringfenced funding so local areas can deliver high-quality family and parenting support.
Advance implementation of The Promise and Children’s Rights, making sure the needs and rights of babies and under-fives are central to decisions about policy, legislation and practice.

For the full report visit:

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/2026/over-25-years-of-early-years