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HOLYROOD returns from recess this week and MSPs are looking at a packed parliamentary term as the 2026 election looms.
There is quite a lot on the agenda, so let’s take a look at what is likely to define the last term of this session.
Fall-out from Colin Smyth arrest
Suspended Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth was arrested and charged for possession of indecent images, and subsequently charged with installing a camera in a Holyrood toilet. He "strongly refutes" the allegations.
Parliamentary officials confirmed a sweep of the estate had been undertaken, which included the creche. It emerged over the weekend that MSPs, staff, and a journalist had been contacted in relation to the investigation.
Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone has been urged to make a statement to MSPs when they return to the chamber, and SNP MSP Michelle Thomson has got the ball rolling on removing Smyth from his role as convener on the Economy and Fair Work Committee.
And, after it emerged that Smyth visited Holyrood after he was charged and before his pass was revoked, Holyrood officials will be facing serious questions for a while yet. It may even reinvigorate the debate to create a recall process to remove MSPs, which currently does not exist.
Reform MSP and anti-refugee protests
Speaking of recall petitions, Reform are set to have their second MSP in the party's history (remember Michelle Ballantyne?) after Graham Simpson defected from the Tories last week.
How politicians handle Simpson acting as Farage’s spokesperson and trying to push the conversation to the right in regards to immigration will frankly be a big test for them all. With protests outside of hotels housing asylum seekers becoming a weekly occurrence in Scotland, there are also calls for the Scottish Government to make a statement to parliament.
With the far-right using social media to whip up hatred and spread disinformation, the way MSPs respond will be more important than ever.
The usual suspects will be looking to capitalise on this, with Alistair McConnachie’s A Force for Good (AFFG) set to hold a protest outside of Holyrood on Saturday.
Pro-Palestine campaigners and All Under One Banner (AUOB) are also set to hold marches in Edinburgh this weekend.
Protests
And that’s not all the protests Holyrood will witness. On Thursday, the day of the first FMQs after MSPs return from recess, we're expecting a powerful protest relating to Gaza (but more details on that to come soon).
Gender critical campaigners For Women Scotland are also set to hold a protest outside the Parliament from 11am.
Independence activists are also holding a protest after FMQs from 1pm.
I will be in Holyrood on Thursday, and I’m expecting an exceptionally busy day.
Next week, Justice for Innocent Men Scotland (JIMS) have planned a “silent protest” on Tuesday September 9 claiming to represent “innocent people caught in broken justice systems”. The group, who have been accused of trolling rape victims, are set to be challenged by sexual abuse survivors.
Expect weekly protests to be an ongoing feature of this term.
Palestine
MSPs are set to debate the genocide in Gaza on Wednesday, after a statement from First Minister John Swinney. At the moment, details are thin on the ground as the Parliament hasn’t published the Government’s motion yet, but with the UK Government continuing to supply arms to Israel and mulling signing a £2 billion contract with an Israeli weapons firm, it’s going to be a tough one for Scottish Labour.
Earlier today, Anas Sarwar’s speech in Glasgow was interrupted by a protester demanding he call the situation in Gaza a genocide, which he did publicly for the first time.
Our political reporter Steph Brawn will be in Holyrood to cover the statement and debate, and Laura Pollock will be outside speaking to campaigners, so make sure to check out their coverage on the day.
Legislation
Of course, it wouldn’t be a parliamentary term if there wasn’t a raft of legislation for MSPs to work their way through. While there are a lot of factors that can impact how swiftly legislation makes its way through the stages of scrutiny, the fact that MSPs will only have between now and May to get them passed will undoubtedly be the biggest challenge.
The Assisted Dying Bill, introduced by LibDem Liam McArthur, will likely be a free vote, as views on allowing terminally ill patients to be provided with assistance by health professionals to end their own life vary widely across the chamber. The bill passed the first stage, and will now move on to committee scrutiny, before a final vote by MSPs.
The Housing Bill is a bit further on, and only has the third stage to go, but with the Greens and others lodging a lot of amendments over the summer, expect a lot of back and forth when the vote finally makes it to the chamber.
The Land Reform Bill, which was initially introduced in March 2024, is also set for a stage three debate, as is the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill.
Members' bills, many of which are still at stage one, are less likely to make it through – but don’t rule them out completely.
Alba’s Ash Regan is currently seeking to criminalise buying sex, while Monica Lennon is hoping to bring in a new criminal offence for ecocide.
And it wouldn’t be Holyrood if there weren’t a couple of dog-related bills – readers, this is genuinely a special interest of mine – Greens MSP Mark Ruskell is seeking to ban greyhound racing, while Tory MSP Maurice Golden is hoping to make dog theft a statutory offence. Golden’s bill would duplicate existing common law, so it’s unlikely to go any further.
Electioneering
One thing we won’t be able to forget – there’s an election coming. Expect Scottish Labour to continue to attack the Government over the NHS and social care, and the Tories to, well, probably try and fail to outflank Reform on the right. Expect some rowdy FMQs exchanges between the party leaders, and some outrageous attempts to sneak in election campaigning to day to day parliamentary business.
It’s going to be a busy one.
