Susan Dalgety Susan Dalgety

Will a more female Holyrood make a difference to women’s lives?

Nicola Sturgeon and Kaukab Stewart. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The new Scottish Parliament has never looked more female. The number of women MSPs has jumped from 47 to 58 (45 per cent) making it the highest since Holyrood was established. There are veterans of the 1999 parliament, like Labour’s legendary Jackie Baillie, whose stunning victory in Dumbarton may well have helped save the UK. And her wise counsel, honed after 22 years in Holyrood, may well help Anas Sarwar save Scottish Labour. The SNP’s Christine Grahame is now the Mother of the House.

The effervescent Lorna Slater, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, will bounce into the chamber to take her seat next to Patrick Harvie. And at last, Scotland has two women of colour in Holyrood: the SNP’s Kaukab Stewart and Pam Gosal of the Tories. Ruth Davidson may have left Holyrood for the more genteel benches of the House of Lords, but councillor Meghan Gallacher has joined Douglas Ross’s 31-strong team.

Susan Dalgety
Written by
Susan Dalgety
Susan Dalgety is an author, Scotsman columnist and was press secretary to former Scottish First Minister, Lord McConnell.

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