MSPs agree on five year term

The next Scottish Parliament term looks likely to be a five-year term, after MSPs agreed in principal to move the 2020 Holyrood election to avoid a clash with the Westminster election.

The Scottish Parliament election is now likely to take place on 6 May 2021, this will give the Scottish government elected this year five years in power.

Council elections due in 2021 will also be moved to 2022 under the proposal.

Minister for Parliamentary Business Joe FitzPatrick said: “We know from our experience in Scotland in 2007 that holding different elections with different voting systems on the same date can lead to unusually high levels of spoiled and rejected ballot papers.”

The power to move to fixed term parliaments is among new powers being transferred to Holyrood under further devolution proposals.

Last night the Scottish Parliament voted on the proposal in principal as part of stage 1 of a Government Bill on the matter.

The decision only affects the next term, and any permanent changes to the timings of Scottish Parliament elections will be taken in the next session of Parliament.