2024 marks twenty five years of the Scottish Parliament and although the General Election is expected this year, the next election for the Scottish Parliament is two years away. Freed from the alternative truths that can be peddled during elections, Scotland has the opportunity to be more reflective and inclusive about how it should reset the governance of Scotland and create a … [Read more...] about Scottish devolution – time to reboot
A fresh start: time to make devo really work
Spring 2023 could mark the start of a new journey for the Scottish people and its democratically elected organisations - the Scottish Parliament and Scottish local authorities. With Humza Yousaf now elected as leader of the SNP and also appointed as Scotland’s sixth First Minister (FM) could we anticipate the possibility of a new form of devolved government, one that … [Read more...] about A fresh start: time to make devo really work
What have local councils ever done for us?
In the second of our series on local government's past, present and future from the Mercat Group of former local council CEOs, George Thorley urges much greater voter turnout in May's crucial elections than the 47% we saw in 2017. Voting is a fundamental right, he argues – and it matters for more reasons than we probably know. Why Vote?It’s councillors and councils that take … [Read more...] about What have local councils ever done for us?
Scottish devolution and the new democratic deficit
Yes, that’s a whopping 111 National Public Bodies (quangos) for Scotland's 5.4m people. Sceptical Scot's guiding editorial principle is rejection of the prevalent binary approach to Scottish politics – as if being pro or anti indy is all that matters. In line with that policy, we favour articles such as those by James Mitchell, John McLaren and Walter Humes who … [Read more...] about Scottish devolution and the new democratic deficit