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 has highlighted the record funding going to City of Edinburgh Council after the Scottish Budget was passed at Holyrood this week, providing a £1 billion increase in funding to local authorities.
After the budget received cross-party support – despite Labour and Tory MSPs sitting on their hands – City of Edinburgh Council is set to receive an increase in funding worth £60 million.
This increases funding for local priorities, teachers, and additional support for learning and to tackle the climate emergency. It also facilitates pay increases agreed for teachers, social care workers, refuse collectors and more.
Gordon Macdonald MSP said: “This year’s Scottish Budget provides record funding for Edinburgh Council which will help deliver the services people rely on and ensure our communities get the investment they need.
“After over a decade of austerity and a Labour tax hike which is set to cost councils £100 million, our local authorities have been repeatedly betrayed by Westminster parties.
“Under the SNP, we are not only investing in our local councils, but we are mitigating the impact of Westminster decisions, to the tune of £144 million for the National Insurance hike alone.
“This SNP government is delivering for the city, and I am pleased parliament has backed this budget to ensure that continues.”
The 2025-26 Scottish Budget has been approved by Parliament, including £21.7 billion for health & social care and more than £15 billion for local councils, alongside social security measures supporting an estimated two million people.
The Budget invests:
£21.7 billion in health and social care services, including almost £200 million to cut waiting times and help reduce delayed discharge
£6.9 billion in social security, expected to support around two million people in 2025‑26
£4.9 billion in climate-positive investment
more than £7 billion for infrastructure
more than £2 billion for colleges, universities and the wider skills system
an additional £25 million to support the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster, taking total investment to almost £90 million
Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: “I am pleased that Parliament has approved the Scottish Government’s Budget – confirming plans to invest in public services, lift children out of poverty, act in the face of the climate emergency and support jobs and economic growth.
“This is a Budget by Scotland for Scotland. It includes record NHS investment, social security spending to put money in the pockets of low income families and action to effectively scrap the two-child benefit cap next year. We are delivering a universal winter heating payment for the elderly, providing record funding for local government and increasing investment in affordable housing.
“This Budget has been developed through effective engagement and negotiation across Parliament to build broad support. It is through this compromise that we are delivering spending plans that will most effectively strengthen services and support Scotland’s communities.”
Statement on our letter of 22 December to Nicola Sturgeon MSP.
The text of the letter can be read here:
22 December 2024
Dear Ms Sturgeon
We are groups based in Scotland concerned about threats to women’s rights, as protected in domestic and international law. This time two years ago, many of us were sitting in the public gallery of the Scottish Parliament as MSPs voted for the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.
In the run up to this, we engaged extensively and seriously with the government’s proposals to move to a system of self-declaration for gender recognition. We submitted detailed written evidence to the Scottish Government consultation. We also provided written and/or oral evidence to the parliamentary committee tasked with scrutinising the bill at Stage One.
Most of us wrote to and met with our MSPs in the months and years before the bill was introduced, and encouraged and assisted other women to do so. We undertook detailed work and analysis on the government’s proposals, highlighting the risks to women and girls. We organised meetings, street stalls and rallies with hundreds of other Scottish women, or attended those. In fact, this issue attracted some of the largest rallies that have ever been seen outside the Scottish Parliament in 25 years of devolution. Our campaigning efforts were widely covered in the Scottish press.
It was clear that getting the bill passed was a personal priority for you.
We watched as you dismissed concerns raised by women like us as ‘not valid’, comparing objectors to your proposals to racists and homophobes.
In the last week, you are reported to have said:
“There are people who have muscled their way into that debate no doubt because they are transphobic but also because they want to push back rights generally.” (Diva, 16 December 2024)
“There were forces that muscled into that debate who, I think, you know, had a bigger agenda in terms of rights more generally.” (The Guardian, 16 December 2024)
You are not the first politician to make such a claim. However, your prominence as Scotland’s longest serving first minister, and its first female first minister, mean that your comments carry weight. You have also intimated that you intend to write about this episode in your forthcoming autobiography.
If you believe that there are groups or individuals with an agenda to ‘push back rights generally’ who are ‘muscling in’ on Scottish politics, you have a duty to state who or what you believe they are, and how you believe they are operating in Scotland, as precisely as possible. Then, the influence of any such groups or individuals can be properly investigated and challenged, as necessary.
As it stands, regardless of your intentions, a person might reasonably believe you are referring to those groups or individuals who played a leading part in criticising the Scottish Government’s proposals.
We therefore invite you to move away from dropping broad hints of potential wide application, and to take the more responsible step of making clear who you do, and do not, mean in the comments above, and to put the evidence on which your comments are based into the public domain without delay.
A high-profile community meeting hosted by Scottish Parliament Member for the Lothian Region, Foysol Choudhury has reignited long-standing calls for a dedicated Muslim cemetery in Lothian, as the community faces an alarming shortage of burial spaces.
For years, Edinburgh’s Muslim population has struggled with limited burial provisions, creating distress due to the religious obligation for swift burials. Despite ongoing discussions, existing spaces are rapidly depleting—only 80 plots remain at Ratho Cemetery, with 200 allocated in Midlothian.
Future developments, like Craigmillar Castle Park Cemetery, remain uncertain, leaving families in limbo. Despite progress, the number of dedicated burial sites remains insufficient to meet the needs of the growing Muslim population.
At the meeting, policymakers, community leaders, and stakeholders stressed the urgent need for a long-term solution, calling for a dedicated, faith-based, and not-for-profit Muslim cemetery, similar to London’s Garden of Peace.
In response, over the past several years, Choudhury has been actively engaging with Edinburgh Council’s Heritage Team, Bereavement Services, and planning departments to identify viable sites, including Mortonhall House and Prestonpans, though no final decisions have been made.
This meeting provided an update on ongoing efforts and offered a platform for community voices to be heard.
Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “The current situation is unsustainable. Our community needs a permanent burial solution that respects Islamic traditions and provides dignity for generations to come.”
Attendees urged swift collaboration between government officials and local authorities to secure land and establish a sustainable cemetery that will serve the community for the next 100 years.
Mr Choudhury emphasised this sentiment, summarising: “Community leaders, policymakers, and officials must collaborate to secure land for a permanent Muslim cemetery that can serve future generations.”
In anticipation of International Mother Language Day and the upcoming Bhasha Glasgow Language Festival 2025, a roundtable discussion on “Language Loss in Today’s World” was hosted at the Scottish Parliament.
This panel discussion, chaired by Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian Region, Foysol Choudhury, was organised by the Bangladesh Association Glasgow and brought together leading experts to address the pressing global issue of language extinction.
As globalisation accelerates, linguistic diversity is under threat, with many languages facing the risk of extinction. This roundtable provided an essential platform to discuss the impact of language loss and explore strategies to safeguard endangered languages.
The discussion was driven by an esteemed panel of experts from academia, policy, and advocacy, including Dr. Antonella Sorace, Professor of Developmental Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh and founding director of Bilingualism Matters; Dr. Alison Phipps OBE, Professor of Languages and Intercultural Studies at the University of Glasgow and UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts; Fhiona Mackay, Director of Scotland’s National Centre for Languages; and Dr. Cristina Clopot, Policy Advice Officer of The Royal Society of Edinburgh.
This engaging discussion aimed to generate awareness and foster actionable solutions to mitigate or prevent language extinction. The theme of language loss demonstrates the global efforts of prevention.
This theme was present throughout the roundtable with Dr. Saif D Khan, trustee from the Bangladesh Association Glasgow, moderating an insightful discussion focused on key examples of how the language loss is being prevented globally, with a case study focus on Scots and Gaelic.
Abdullah Al Wasif with Unityflow AI provided an insightful presentation on next-generation speech recognition for underserved languages in enterprise.
This revealed that many languages are fading due to limited digital and technological support, such as Gaelic, which has been classified by UNESCO as “definitely endangered.”
Other languages that need attention include Scots, which lacks digital integration; Sylheti and Bengali, spoken in communities but under-represented; Polish and Romanian, spoken by large migrant groups but underserved in voice technology.
By implementing data tools, it is possible to preserve Scotland’s linguistic diversity and increase accessibility for public services for minority and migrant languages.
The insights from this session will contribute to broader conversations at the Bhasha Glasgow Language Festival 2025, which launches on February 18, 2025, coinciding with International Mother Language Day.
The President of Bangladesh Association Glasgow, Mr. Ehtesham Hasnain, invited the roundtable participants to attend the upcoming events from this year’s festival.
Commenting on the significance of the event, Choudhury stated, “Language is more than just communication; it embodies culture, identity, and heritage.This discussion is a timely call to action, ensuring that no language disappears without a fight.”
Scottish politicians have been urged to listen to ‘marginalised’ voices within coastal communities, as part of a major multi-media touring exhibition showcased at the Scottish Parliament.
The Coastal Testimonies project features over 60 portraits of people all around Scotland about their first-hand experiences of Scotland’s inshore seas.
The exhibition has been commissioned and curated by the Our Seas Coalition, an alliance of 140+ coastal businesses, community groups, fishermen’s associations and environmental organisations who are campaigning for the environmental recovery of Scotland’s coastal marine environment and the revival of sustainable inshore fisheries.
The exhibition gives a voice to often marginalised and underrepresented perspectives, including a large proportion of fishermen, with an aim to uncover the issues that go unnoticed in areas of Scotland where the coast is not as engaged.
The exhibition also aims to give a platform to cultural knowledge on the coastal ecosystems and communities throughout Scotland. The exhibition which has so far toured venues in Stornoway, Eyemouth, Lochaline, Glasgow, Ullapool and Ardfern, arrives at Holyrood as the Scottish Government publicly consults on its Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement programme.
The Coastal Testimonies project has so far gathered testimonies from all eleven Scottish marine regions, including coastal businesses, marine conservationists, divers, commercial fishermen, sea anglers, local politicians, scientists, community groups, and those with recreational interests.
Portraits of each person are accompanied by a verbal testimony about their own connections to the sea, including moving witness-style accounts of environmental changes and reflections on sustainability and political decision-making.
Everyone in Scotland can participate in this #CoastalTestimonies project, by contributing a testimony of their own on the Our Seas website www.ourseas.scot.
A parliamentary reception featuring the exhibition was hosted by Rhoda Grant MSP and attended by politicians from all major parties, including acting Minister for Climate Action Alasdair Allan MSP. Copies of ‘Coastal Testimonies – Speaking up for Scotland’s seas’ were distributed to all 129 MSPs.
Speaking on behalf of the Our Seas Coalition at the Scottish Parliament, Alasdair Hughson, scallop diver and chair of the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation said: “We need clear plans that acknowledge the public benefits and support for protecting our seas and safeguarding sustainable inshore fishing.
“This means urging government action and effective parliamentary scrutiny to make sure that such plans are implemented. This is why I implore our MSPs to take some time to read through the testimonies and consider the power of the voices within our own communities.
“There is bravery in these testimonies. It’s difficult to speak up. We must change. We are looking for you to make these changes and decisions for our future generations.”
Sponsor of the Coastal Testimonies event at Scottish Parliament, Rhoda Grant MSP said: “Community-led marine management leads to fair resource allocation and sustainability, and there’s many ways to help communities become involved and more active.
“There are groups of organizations…that we can learn from that are currently leading the way on this. Nobody wants to see fish numbers dwindle and habitats degraded, and equally, nobody wants to see livelihoods at risk with people leaving their communities due to a lack of opportunity.”
Acting Minister for Climate Action Alasdair Allan MSP said: “This exhibition showcases life at the water’s edge through striking photographs and moving testimonies, celebrating the interconnected roles of fishers, scientists, artists, and local communities in shaping Scotland’s coastal heritage.
“Fishing is an integral part of life in many of our coastal communities, and we all want a sustainable Scottish fishing industry; one with space to thrive alongside other users of the sea, and one that can fully capitalise on a healthy marine environment and improving fish stocks.
“Yet, we must also acknowledge that our seas are under pressure, placing unprecedented demands on marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Challenges such as climate change and pressure from human activities calls for collective action, and they remind us that the responsibility to protect and enhance our seas lies with all of us.”
Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian Region, Foysol Choudhury attended the event, emphasising: “The current consultation for the National Marine Plan 2 needs to be comprehensive and the Scottish Government should not remove key sectors like fisheries.
“We need to protect our shores, from Portobello to Cramond.”
Hayley Wolcott, Coordinator of the Our Seas Coalition said: “The primary focus of the Coastal Testimonies project is to promote a better understanding of inshore environmental and fisheries issues through the collection of personal accounts and inspire greater dialogue and action within communities.”
“The testimonies speak for themselves and are now empowering people within their communities to speak up, share their first-hand experiences and talk with each other about how to safeguard their precious interconnections with our seas.
“We encourage anyone to get involved, be it a community organisation or local business, you can host an event or contribute a testimony of your own. Please get in touch.”
New guidance that aims to improve equal participation and representation of women in parliaments around the world has today been published by the Scottish Parliament.
The development of Gender Sensitising Parliaments: A Practical Guide was led by academics from the University of Edinburgh, Professor Sarah Childs, Personal Chair of Politics and Gender, and Professor Meryl Kenny, Professor of Gender and Politics.
The Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer, Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, commissioned an audit, with participation from a cross-party group of MSPs and external experts, to assess its own progress towards being gender sensitive.
The audit reported that, while the Parliament had made good progress, the equal representation of women was not yet embedded.
The Scottish Parliament Audit, A Parliament for All, recommended a package of changes that were designed to strengthen equal representation and participation of women and the mainstreaming of gender equality across the Parliament’s work, which the Scottish Parliament is working towards implementing.
The development of a Practical Guide was one of the recommendations in the Audit.
The new Guide outlines core principles and practices of a gender sensitive parliament and sets out a six-step process to evaluate and enhance gender sensitivity in parliaments.
It also highlights the importance of a broad understanding of gender sensitivity, enthusiastic leadership, collaborative ethos, robust research, and institutional support in working towards equal participation and representation in parliaments.
Reflecting on the publication of the Guide, Presiding Officer Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, said: “I am delighted to see The Guide published and would like to express my gratitude to Professor Childs and Professor Kenny for their work.”
“Research shows that the strength of democracy is improved by having greater diversity in our parliaments. When a parliament better reflects the communities it serves, better decisions are made.
“This guidance includes lessons from our Gender Sensitive Audit, which itself was informed by ground-breaking work from organisations across the globe. I hope it is useful and look forward to hearing of other legislatures’ experiences as they work towards equal participation and representation.”
Professor Sarah Childs said: “More and more parliaments are undertaking gender sensitive audits. This can only be a good thing.
“This Guide provides lessons learned from the Scottish Parliament audit, which can help showcase why it matters, and how to undertake, a gender sensitive audit. We hope that it will encourage even more parliaments to embrace the principle and practices of gender sensitising parliaments.”
Professor Meryl Kenny said: ““Scotland is one of an increasing number of countries around the world committed to reforms that will gender sensitise its parliament.
“This Guide takes this ongoing work forward by sharing the Scottish Parliament’s experiences, and offering a practical route map to gender sensitising a parliament on the ground. A parliament that is inclusive of and responsive to women, in all their diversity, is a more representative and effective parliament.”
A Bill that would allow all pupils in state and grant-aided schools to have at least four nights and five days of residential outdoor education during their school career has been supported by a Holyrood committee.
Following a vote, members of the Education, Children and Young People Committee agreed with the general principles of the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill. However, the Committee unanimously agreed that concerns related to the costs, provision for pupils with additional support needs and the impact on teachers need to be resolved if the Bill is to become law.
The Bill was introduced by Liz Smith MSP against a backdrop of declining provision of residential outdoor education, with only a quarter of Scotland’s primary pupils and a third of secondary pupils having the chance to attend.
During evidence the Committee heard strong arguments for the Bill based on the “life-changing benefits” residentials have on pupils’ confidence and resilience. Several witnesses also spoke about the positive impact this can have on pupil-teacher relationships and attainment.
The Committee heard that residential outdoor education could be particularly beneficial to pupils from more deprived areas, however these pupils were often not able to go on trips as they were unaffordable for many parents.
The Committee identified several practical concerns that would need to be overcome though for the Bill to be delivered, with costs proving a significant barrier.
Estimates suggest delivering the Bill would cost the Scottish Government between £20 million and just over £40 million a year. However, in its report, the Committee says that national funding of residential outdoor education is a good example of preventative spend where the benefits are well documented.
The report also raises concerns about staffing, which currently is provided by teachers on a voluntary basis. While teachers were positive about their experiences, if residential education became statutory it might lead to a renegotiating of teachers’ terms and conditions, adding further barriers to delivering the Bill.
Douglas Ross MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee: “Throughout this inquiry we heard about the hugely positive impact that outdoor residential education can have on the development and attainment of children and young people.
“While we agree with the general principles of the Bill, there are financial challenges attached to the delivery of outdoor residential education that need to be overcome for it to become law.
“We want to see the Scottish Government and the Member who introduced the Bill, Liz Smith MSP, work together to resolve these.”
In a wide-ranging report on the Scottish Budget 2025-26 published today – ahead of two parliamentary debates on the Scottish budget – the committee emphasises the need for more detail on behavioural responses to tax policy, the impact of Employer National Insurance Contributions and rising social security spending.
The cross-party committee also highlights the need to help Scotland’s educational institutions and businesses drive investment and growth, while urging the Scottish Government to publish its over-due infrastructure plan and ‘hit the ground running’.
Repeated delays and unanswered concerns are indicative of a lack of medium and long-term financial planning, says the committee’s report.
Finance and Public Administration Committee Convener Kenneth Gibson MSP said:“As the Scottish Government is aware, we are strongly of the view that more research is needed on behavioural responses to tax policy.
“We also set out in this report recommendations which we consider would help to support growth in earnings and revenues in Scotland.”
On Employer National Insurance Contributions, Mr Gibson added: “The Committee is aware that the expected shortfall in UK funding for increased Employer National Insurance Contributions for the direct costs to the public sector will be significant and we ask what plans the Scottish Government has in place to meet these.”
Rising social security costs are of concern. He commented: “Given that the Scottish Government has not included any funding in the 2025-26 Budget to cover the lifting of the two-child cap, the Committee asks for details of where this funding will be found if it’s introduced early, as well as potential impacts on other areas of spend.
“The Committee also seeks greater transparency around the overall public sector pay bill.”
On growing the economy and capital spending, the convener said:“We look forward to receiving evidence from the Cabinet Secretary on the sustainability of higher education and work to improve the flexibility and responsiveness of the college sector to enable skills to match the needs of business and the economy.
“We note the creation of a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Investment and Economy to ‘help create a business environment that drives investment and growth.’
“The Committee ask the Scottish Government how it is maximising opportunities to enable Scotland’s universities and the high-performing sectors of the economy to be globally competitive.
“The significant increase in capital spending in 2025-26 allows the Scottish Government to restart paused capital projects and make some new commitments.
“We strongly urge the Scottish Government to prioritise its capital commitments to ensure it’s in the best possible position to ‘hit the ground running’ with infrastructure projects from the start of the next financial year.”
On delays to key strategic financial documents, Mr Gibson concluded: “Regarding delays in publishing key strategic financial documents, the committee repeatedly expressed concerns. This is indicative of a wider problem where vital medium and longer-term financial planning within the Scottish Government is lacking.”
