Scottish Labour Deputy Leader and MSP for Dumbarton since 1999
The SNP faces renewed scrutiny over its Monklands Hospital project amid revelations that the project was deemed unaffordable before the election. New documents show ministers knew the cost problems, prompting calls for accountability and answers for Scottish voters.
Scottish Labour is facing a leadership race after Anas Sarwar's departure to accept a UK government role. The contest centers on infighting and a push to impose five budget tests if elected, aiming to secure concessions from the SNP ahead of next year’s council elections.
Scottish Labour candidates have pledged to rebuild and unite the party after its worst Holyrood defeat. Monica Lennon, Joe Fagan and Michael Marra are campaigning to become leader, promising to change the party’s culture, seek local coalitions, and place working people at the heart of budget decisions.
Scotland’s NHS is facing renewed scrutiny as whistleblowers describe a “nothing to see here” culture, with concerns about patient safety and governance raised by BMA Scotland and Scotland’s patient safety commissioner. The BBC and The Scotsman report ongoing calls for top-down cultural change amid past hospital failings.
Big changes to England and Wales’ criminal justice system are moving forward as overcrowding drives policy decisions. Government plans to accelerate prison construction and expand early release schemes have been revised after public backlash and safety concerns. Officials are also deporting foreign prisoners and reviewing IPP sentences to free up space, with new measures to monitor released prisoners.
The Scottish government has announced a pilot to GPS-track individuals on bail, including domestic-abuse suspects, with a rollout aimed for 2027 in Tayside, Fife and Central regions. Survivors call for broader reforms and safeguards, while lawmakers debate the balance between protection and justice.