Holyrood Garden Party and Political Awards 2022

Tweet of the Day in association with 8x8

This award will be presented to the MSP who has used Twitter to best effect to be witty, to inform and even to shut down critics. The judges will be looking for eloquence, dignity, humour and grace, and all in the best possible taste.

MSP of the Year in association with Coca Cola Europacific Partners

While awards of this nature tend to always be reserved for the party leaders, there are many talented MSPs who sit squarely behind the leader and help their star shine bright, so nominations for this award should cast the net a little wider than just the usual suspects and answer, ‘who has really shone?’

Political Staffer of the Year in association with Siemens Mobility

Awarded to someone who has demonstrated a real commitment to digging that bit deeper, going the extra mile and unearthing facts, figures and human stories that assist politicians in making good policy or in simply changing one person’s life.

Backbencher of the Year in association with Stromar & Partners

It takes a certain type of MSP to be able to make their presence felt without the natural platform of a frontbench position. Who has made themselves noticed, gone against a conventional party line or simply put forward a point that forcibly cuts through a lot of party-political rhetoric?

One to Watch in associaion with Holyrood Magazine

The May 2021 election saw an enormous turnover in terms of the MSPs now sitting in the parliament for its sixth session. A much more diverse Chamber with new voices and a whole range of life experiences. Who has already made a mark in the debating chamber or gained a reputation in committee and is the one to watch from the 2021 intake?

Political Hero of the Year in association with AB-INBev

Sometimes a cause or a campaign inspires a politician or a group of MSPs to cross party lines or to just work tirelessly to do the right thing. This award will go to an MSP who has gained respect from across the chamber for their work in championing a particular cause or for achieving a tangible result.

Flushable Motion of the Year in association with Scottish Water

Parliamentary motions are used by MSPs as a way to initiate debate or suggest a particular course of action but increasingly have become more and more obtuse vehicles to offer support or endorse a particular product. They go from congratulating a local football team to questioning a reduction in the size of a chocolate bar. This award will recognise the most absurd motions to be lodged.

The Powering Change Award in association with SSE

This award will recognise the real powerhouses of the parliament, its committees. The committees provide a crucial role in bringing expertise to bear on the legislative process and test theories, assumptions, and practice. Which committee or convenor has helped inspire change through the rigorous gathering of evidence and questioning of witnesses?

Speech of the Year in association with Drax

A good speech can silence the chamber, bring a tear to a glass eye and surprise in its ability to capture a moment in time. This award will go to the MSP who has managed to impress with their ability to articulate their views on an issue with passion, intellect and emotion.

Best Scot at Westminster in association with Chivas Brothers

Which parliamentarian has best made the case for Scottish interests at Westminster? Is there an MP that stands out for presenting Scotland in the best light, for pushing a Scottish cause and really standing up for their constituents and the nation?

Open All Hours Award in associaton with Scottish Grocers' Federation

Which MSP gets your vote for going the extra mile to help their constituents, colleagues and staff, whose door is always open and for whom the words ‘business closed’ never feature? This is a parliamentarian who can be relied upon to get a job done and whose tenacity to get a problem fixed knows no bounds.

Green Giant Award in association with Scottish Power

With the First Minister declaring a Climate Emergency and Glasgow being named as the host city for COP26, the fight against climate change raced up the political agenda during the last parliamentary session in Scotland. Which MSP has really embraced the challenge and made a difference to the environment?

Lifetime Achievement Award in association with Royal Bank of Scotland

Awarded to someone who had dedicated their life to Scottish politics and has managed to cut across party-political boundaries to demonstrate a commitment to public service, statecraft and the democratic process. Someone woven into Scotland’s political fabric. (This award will not be open to nominations.)