Scottish Politics Explained 2022

Scottish Pol

In 2022, the referendum and legislation which ultimately led to the re-convening of the Scottish Parliament will mark its 25th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, Holyrood Events presented this exclusive Scottish Politics Explained event.  

This landmark for the 1997 referendum and legislation, which created the settlement that remains the foundation for Scotland’s system of governance today, provides an ideal time to reflect. In this Politics Explained event, we explored some key areas of devolved governance and questioned how well the settlement has delivered for the people of Scotland over the last 25 years. We heard from insiders and some prominent commentators on Scottish politics as they provided their expert analysis on how devolution has evolved and how it operates in 2022.

Holyrood’s long-running Politics Explained events have always been about informing those who want to know (for work, study or interest) more about how the Scottish political system actually works and how to navigate it.

So, whether you don’t know where to start, you know anything between a little and a lot but would like to know more, or you would like to expand your network of contacts, this event is everything you could need or want in the one place!

By watching this event, you will:

  • Learn how Scotland’s modern system of governance works, including the structure of the various levels of government; how laws are made; the roles of the various political institutions and who to speak to about what.
  • Get the inside scoop from those working at the highest levels in Whitehall and the Scottish and local government.
  • Hear from experienced lobbyists on legitimate methods for influencing policy outcomes through this system to drive change.
  • Benefit from our network and be able to engage with an eclectic mix of public affairs professionals, parliamentarians, government officials, academics and changemakers in Scotland

Watch now as we commemorated this milestone for devolution in Scotland with only the best insider and expert analysis on contemporary Scottish politics. This unique, commemorative Holyrood Politics Explained event is one to watch!

This event is CPD certified in principle

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Jillian Evans
NHS Grampian
Mark Ballard
National Deaf Children’s Society
Ken Thomson Headshot
Ken Thomson
The Scottish Government
Prof. Sir Tom Devine
University of Edinburgh
Meghan Gallacher MSP Headshot
Meghan Gallacher MSP
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee | Motherwell West
Laurence Rockey Headshot
Laurence Rockey
UK Government
Professor James Mitchell Headshot
Prof. James Mitchell
University of Edinburgh
Roseanna Cunningham
Formerly Scottish Government
Anna Fowlie
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
Henry McLeish Headshot
Henry McLeish
Henry McLeish is a Scottish politician, author and academic who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2000 to 2001.

25 years on from the democratic mandate and the subsequent White Paper to re-convene the Scottish Parliament, Scotland’s national historian, Professor Sir Tom Devine, will open the event by putting this past 25 years in historical context.

Questions and Discussion

Speakers:

Since 2007, Politics Explained has been the quintessential gathering for those who want to learn about the basics of Scottish politics for work, study or interest.

You will hear exclusive insider perspectives about how modern government at both a devolved and a UK-wide national level works within Scotland, the structure of the Scottish political system and how to foster change within that from an experienced lobbyist and changemaker.

Role of the Scottish Government

The UK Government in Scotland

Delivering Change

Questions and Discussion 

Speakers:

Local Governance in Scotland

In the immediate aftermath of last year’s Scottish parliamentary elections, the then-Minister for the Cabinet Office, Michael Gove MP, remarked that “Scotland has two governments”.  Whilst superficially true in terms government from the centre from either Edinburgh or London, it is a statement that overlooks the layers of overlapping multi-level governance that more accurately represents how Scotland works. Most conspicuously, it trivialises the role of local government and governance in Scotland.

In light of this statement, and in advance of the local elections in April, this session will explain and interrogate the particular role of local government in Scotland. 

Questions and Discussion

Speakers:

The point of devolution, in political phraseology, was to deliver “Scottish solutions to Scottish problems”. If devolution has achieved this, it can be reasonably said to represent a good system of governance.  

But how has devolution actually delivered in terms of policy outcomes for the people of Scotland? 

This session will feature some notable sectoral contributors within Scottish public life. We will examine specific areas of policy where the approach in a devolved Scotland has been a notable outlier relative to the UK-wide Government, and discuss what devolutionary settlement’s 25th-anniversary epitaph for Scotland ought to be.

Policy Focus: Social Care in Scotland

Questions and Discussion 

Policy Focus: Climate Change 

Questions and Discussion

Policy Focus: Public Health and COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Question and Discussion

Speakers:

Moving Beyond Explanation? Understanding Where we are Going

In this final session and at this critical juncture, we will look at the overall political landscape in Scotland and where that may lead in the future. 

Questions and Discussion

Speakers:

    Event Details
    • Pricing Structure

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    • Event Hashtag

      #PolEx22

    • Start Date
      31 Mar 2022 10:00 am
    • End Date
      31 Mar 2022 3:00 pm
    • Status
      Expired
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    • Category
    • Network
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