'Politics is necessarily the sort of job that requires public scrutiny and press scrutiny, but it also seems to be one of the few roles in society where that level of public humiliation is seen as socially acceptable.'

MSPs on their mental health holyrood.com/inside-politic…

The new edition of Holyrood - out Monday

Post Office stripped of status as specialist reporting agency after Horizon scandal

scotsman.com/news/politics/…

Justice secretary Angela Constance has confirmed that prisoners will be released early to ease overcrowding in Scottish jails. Seems like a good time to reshare this Holyrood magazine article from last year that found the current system isn't fit for purpose holyrood.com/inside-politic…

Additional context to keep in mind:

The SNP in government previously declared a “climate emergency” and a “drug deaths emergency.”

Later, climate targets were abandoned and Scotland continues to have Europe’s high rate of drug deaths.

A declaration doesn’t solve the problem.

Seeing as today is the 25th anniversary of the first meeting of the Scottish Parliament, here's my piece from the latest issue of Holyrood magazine - A new dawn: Is it time to rethink what devolution means for Scotland? holyrood.com/inside-politic…

Why Kate Forbes is more liberal than her priggish critics, writes ⁦alexmassie⁩

thetimes.co.uk/article/2680a2…

Deputy FM Kate Forbes has come under renewed scrutiny for her religious beliefs. In an in-depth interview with Margaret Taylor last year she said there is 'a complete illiteracy about faith and religion and what it means for someone who believes' holyrood.com/inside-politic…

There's been much talk of religion in the chamber this week. Last year I toured Scotland for this long-read on whether faith should play a role in a secular society. The answer? Secular societies contain a multitude of views - parliament must reflect that holyrood.com/inside-politic…

“I knew there was a possibility I would die – I was conscious of my faith, it was a comfort.” I spoke to Lord Wallace Jim Wallace about 25 years of devolution, the role of religion in politics, and the day he nearly died. In latest issue Holyrood magazine holyrood.com/inside-politic…

“I knew there was a possibility I would die – I was conscious of my faith, it was a comfort.” I spoke to Lord Wallace Jim Wallace about 25 years of devolution, the role of religion in politics, and the day he nearly died. In latest issue Holyrood magazine holyrood.com/inside-politic…

As the parliament celebrates its 25th year questions have been raised over how fit it is to face the next quarter century, writes Margaret Taylor

holyrood.com/inside-politic…

A quarter of a century after the first Holyrood election, and with numerous Scottish bills failed or shelved, is it time to rethink what devolution means for Scotland? My piece for latest edition of Holyrood magazine holyrood.com/inside-politic…

For the avoidance of doubt, jokes about suicide, lynching or political violence are not, in fact, brilliant.

The new edition of Holyrood - out Monday

Honestly, this is so poor - imagine relying on it to inform you about what is actually happening in Scotland right now

This is interesting - could it lead to the kind of mass exoneration (ie the Lord Advocate saying she would not oppose any further appeals, based on this judgment) people in Scotland have been calling for?

This seems like a good time to reshare my in-depth Holyrood magazine interview with Kate Forbes MSP from last year. I've interviewed a lot of smart people in a lot of senior roles in a lot of different countries - she's up there with the most impressive holyrood.com/inside-politic…

Wow, can't believe this interview I did with Frank Field was actually 13 years ago but them the hair [on both of us] tells a different story!

Tommy Nicol, who stole a car, described his prison sentence as the “psychological torture of a person who is doing 99 years”. Eight months later he took his life. This is the first of my series on the IPP scandal
theguardian.com/society/2024/a…