Holyrood 561 / 27 April 2026

That sinking feeling: The election that's not making waves

3 Editor’s note:
A year on from the Supreme Court judgment, there’s little to celebrate

6 Opinion:
Louise Wilson
Chris Marshall

8 Feature:
Women in politics
Scottish politics is going backwards on female participation

10 Opinion:
Ruaraidh Gilmour
Kirsteen Paterson

12 Spotlight:
The loveless election
Why an SNP win is not a vote of confidence in the status quo

16 Spotlight:
Election address
Amid boundary changes, voters are unsure where they stand

20 Feature:
Climate change
The government’s plan has been published but questions remain

24 Minister:
Gillian Martin

26 Feature:
Gambling
Harms are clearer than ever but support for addiction is limited

30 Minister:
Tom Arthur

32 Connect:
Data centres
Demand for AI is increasing but so are the enviromental concerns

36 Feature:
The Huddle
How can we prevent the harms of social media addiction?

38 Interview:
Alistair Campbell
The former ‘king of spin’ gives his view on the Scottish election

44 Event Report:
Holyrood Connections

46 Exit Interview:
Michelle Thomson reflects on her time at Holyrood

48 Diary
Note to SNP MSPs – don’t make ferry jokes

49 Political Spin:
Susan Murray MP opens up on her record collection

50 Last Word:
Sketch
The parties are manifesting victory