Friday 10 February 2012
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Holyrood

24 articles, sorted by name / date
Pages:12

Scots believe Holyrood should run the country »

A majority of people (74 per cent) in Scotland believe Holyrood should have the most influence in running the country, according to a recently-published government survey. The social attitudes survey, conducted between June and November 2010, also sh...

Wed 02 Nov 2011 by Dominique Cottee | Read more »

A new phase of Scottish politics »

Four years ago, in May 2007, an insurgent SNP made Scottish electoral history, pushing Labour to their first Holyrood defeat in the history of the devolved parliament. “It’s time,” sermonised Alex Salmond in party broadcasts. “I...

Wed 09 Feb 2011 by Evan Beswick | Read more »

Scotland goes to the polls »

With the Scottish Parliament elections scheduled for 5 May, voters will determine whether to grant Alex Salmond's SNP government another four years in office. Since devolution in 1999, Scottish voters have been entitled to elect their own government a...

Wed 09 Feb 2011 by Jonathan Baldie | Read more »

Edinburgh academics grilled at Holyrood »

Professors Drew Scott and Andrew Hughes of the University of Edinburgh have written a letter to Alex Fergusson, the Presiding Officer of Scottish Parliament, claiming that they were ambushed and interrogated by MSPs. The letter makes allegations that ...

Wed 26 Jan 2011 by Jonathan Baldie | Read more »

Parties unite behind freeze on MSP pay »

£1.5 million is to be saved in real terms by a cross-party agreement to freeze MSPs’ pay and allowances for two years. It is hoped that the gesture will boost public appreciation of MSPs in the wake of spending cuts issued by Westminster. ...

Wed 24 Nov 2010 by Andrew Redmond Barr | Read more »

Labour conference sparks rivalry ahead of May elections »

The rivalry between Scottish Labour and the Scottish National Party (SNP) has risen to new heights after both parties have drawn their annual conferences to a close, with the Holyrood elections fast approaching. Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour Party...

Wed 10 Nov 2010 by Andrew Barr | Read more »

Scottish Tories indicate support for fees »

The Scottish Conservatives have indicated support for a £9,000 per annum fee cap for undergraduates studying north of the border, mirroring proposals set out for England and Wales. Tory MSP Liz Smith, party spokesperson for education, appeared t...

Wed 10 Nov 2010 by Jonathan Baldie | Read more »

Clegg announces plans to move Holyrood poll »

Scottish Parliament

Nick Clegg’s plans to change the timetable of Holyrood’s 2015 election have been met with claims the Deputy Prime Minister was showing “gross disrespect." The Westminster and Holyrood elections are due to be held on the same dat...

Wed 29 Sep 2010 by Marcus de Wilde | Read more »

Reviving our 'dead parrot' democracy »

Democracy in the UK is stone dead. Democracy is no more. It has expired and gone to meet its maker. It is bereft of life. It rests in peace. If we didn’t engage in the charade of voting every five years it would be pushing up the daisies. Its met...

Wed 29 Sep 2010 by Alex Cole-Hamilton | Read more »

Scottish Ministers propose set price for alcohol »

Scottish officials have suggested a ‘floor price’ plan on alcohol in an attempt to tackle the nation's drinking problems. The new report by the Alcohol Commission, set up by the Scottish Labour Party, proposes amongst a number of other gui...

Tue 14 Sep 2010 by George Lumbers | Read more »

Whose oil is it anyway? »

Alasdair Allan

Scottish oil wealth must leave a lasting legacy for the country, and the SNP government has advanced the case for an oil fund for Scotland—similar to that in other countries who have benefitted from this natural resource. An oil fund would i...

Wed 21 Apr 2010 by Alasdair Allan | Read more »

Catholic Church vows to fight assisted suicide bill »

Catholic Church vows to fight assisted suicide bill

The Catholic Church in Scotland has promised to fight the right-to-die bill launched by MSP Margo Macdonald. The bill—in its early stages of consideration in the Scottish Parliament—aims to legalise assistance for those wishing to end thei...

Wed 03 Feb 2010 by Joe Pike | Read more »

Holyrood campaigners highlight domestic violence against men »

Domestic Violence against men

Male victims of domestic abuse have told MSPs about their experience of abuse, neglect and torture as campaigners brought their concerns to the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee last week. The two men, identified as Mr A and Mr B ...

Wed 03 Feb 2010 by Joe Pike | Read more »

Give drink-driving powers to Scotland, say MSPs »

Drink-driving

MSPs have called for the devolution of drink drive limits following a poll showing that four out of five Scots would welcome a cut to the alcohol intake of drivers. The Scottish Government-commissioned poll surveyed 1,008 people with 79 percent in fav...

Wed 03 Feb 2010 by Matthew Moore | Read more »

Scottish parties scrap over dual mandates »

Dual Mandates

The SNP has accused two Conservative and two Labour MSPs of “lacking respect for voters” over their decisions to stand as MPs in the upcoming general election. ‘Dual mandates’—as holding office in two parliaments is known...

Wed 20 Jan 2010 by Joe Pike | Read more »

The Spring conference round-up »

In the first batch of the spring party conferences, future political strategy and the question of a constitutional referendum unsurprisingly permeated the speeches of both Iain Gray, leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, and Tavish Scott, leader of t...

Mon 23 Mar 2009 by David Livey | Read more »

Holyrood debates democratically elected health boards »

The Scottish Parliament

In a move aimed at reducing a perceived “democratic deficit” in the provision of health care, the Scottish Parliament has assented to support the key principles of the Health Boards Bill. The bill, which has the support of both Labour and ...

Wed 28 Jan 2009 by Liam Martin | Read more »

Still independent »

Margo MacDonald

“Now, I now I’m not going to be able to eat all of this, so I’m going to give you a piece of it, right?” insists Margo Macdonald, passing a fat slice of red meat across the table. I’ve been easily persuaded by the MSP to ...

Fri 16 Jan 2009 by Evan Beswick | Read more »

Salmond stalling independence, says MSP »

Margo MacDonald

A prominent MSP has claimed that Alex Salmond is holding back Scotland’s path towards independence, arguing that the government “has not campaigned enough” on the issue and criticising Alex Salmond’s uncompromising style of lead...

Mon 12 Jan 2009 by Evan Beswick | Read more »

Calls for a "Victims' Commissioner" in fight against crime »

Gordon Brown

Scottish Labour has demanded the establishment of an dedicated commissioner to champion the rights of victims of crime. Accordingly, the Consultation of the Victims’ Commissioner (Scotland) Bill is to be launched by the party within the next for...

Sun 11 Jan 2009 by Anthea Humphreys | Read more »

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