Democracy in Scotland

• Democracy

  A system of government in which people choose their rulers by voting for them in elections
• Choosing representatives in Scotland

  1. Elect Members of Parliament (MPs)

  2. Elect Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

  3. Elect local councillors
• Voting system

  Governments are elected by the people through a system of voting
• Voting in Scotland

  • Vote to send representatives to the Scottish Parliament
  • Vote to send representatives to the UK Parliament
  • Vote in national referendums
• Political parties

  Different political parties have different ideas about how the country should be run
• Main political parties in Scotland

  • Scottish Conservatives
  • Scottish Green
  • Scottish Labour
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats
  • Scottish National Party
• Freedom to express views

  People are allowed to voice their opinion, including criticising the government
• Ways to express views in Scotland

  • Protest in public spaces
  • Join protest marches
  • Voice opinion on social media
  • Newspapers support different political parties or causes
• Rights and responsibilities

  All Scottish citizens have rights and responsibilities
• Rights of Scottish citizens

  • Right to life
  • Right to freedom of thought, belief and religion
  • Right to freedom of expression
  • Right to protection from discrimination
  • Right to a fair trial
  • Right to privacy
  • Right to vote
  • Right to education and healthcare
  • Right to join a pressure group
  • Right to join a political party
  • Right to protest
  • Freedom from torture, inhuman or degrading treatment and slavery
• Responsibilities of Scottish citizens

  • Not to harm or endanger other people
  • To respect other people's thoughts, beliefs and religions
  • To act within the laws of the country
  • Not to discriminate against others
• Devolved powers

  Powers held by the Scottish Parliament, including health, education, law and order, health and social services, local government, aspects of transport, housing, tourism, economic development
• Reserved powers

  Powers held by the UK Parliament, including defence, foreign policy, economic policy, social security
• Following the Scotland Act 2012, the Scottish Parliament can vary the rate of Scottish tax by 10% and has borrowing powers of up to £5 billion
• In 2016 the Scottish Parliament received additional powers and control over all rates and bands for Scottish Income Tax, VAT receipts, welfare and benefits
• First Minister

  Leader of the Scottish Government, usually the leader of the political party with the most elected members of the Scottish Parliament
• Responsibilities of the First Minister

  • Deciding the priorities of the Scottish Government
  • Choosing Depute First Minister, cabinet secretaries and other ministers
  • Chairing the Scottish Cabinet
  • Nominating the appointment of the Lord Advocate, Solicitor General and judges
  • Representing Scotland at home and abroad
  • Answering questions and defending decisions at First Ministers Question Time (FMQs)
• MSPs

  Members of the Scottish Parliament, elected representatives who make decisions on devolved matters
• How MSPs are elected

  1. Scotland is divided into 73 constituencies, each electing one MSP

  2. There are also an additional 56 regional or List MSPs, making 129 MSPs in total

  3. MSPs are elected to the Scottish Parliament every four or five years
• Parliamentary work of an MSP

  • Debating issues raised in the Parliament
  • Challenging and questioning the actions of the government
  • Voting on decisions and new laws
  • Trying to deal with problems experienced by the people they represent
  • Sitting on Committees to consider proposed new laws (Bills) and scrutinising the work of government departments
  • Asking questions at First Minister's Question time
• Constituency work of an MSP

  • Holding surgeries where constituents can bring their problems and questions
  • Attending local meetings and events to discuss important issues with constituents
  • Responding to letters, emails and social media communications from local people and organisations
  • Contacting a Government minister, starting a debate or asking a Parliamentary question, or introducing a Members' Bill or proposing an amendment to a Bill to address a constituent's problem
• Committees in the Scottish Parliament

  • Propose, discuss and scrutinise legislation
  • Review the work of the Scottish government
  • Investigate issues or make recommendations
• Committees have the power to require anyone to give evidence before them and to produce reports in connection with their enquiries
• When sitting on a committee, MSPs represent the people of their area by asking questions, using a committee to change an existing law, and voting on whether or not a new law should be passed
• The Scottish parliamentary election in 2016 returned 129 MSPs, of which 58 were women (45% of Parliament), 10 openly identified as LGBT (7% of Parliament), and 6 were from BAME communities (4.6% of Parliament)
• Efforts to improve representation of women and minority groups

  • Raising awareness about diversity and the need for wider representation
  • Actively encouraging women and people from minority groups to get involved in politics
  • Making increased representation part of the party's manifesto pledge
  • Reflecting diversity on party websites, social media and literature
  • Ensuring wider representation on party lists for Additional Member and Single Transferable voting systems
• Opportunities for individuals to participate in Scottish democracy


  • Joining a political party
  • Attending political meetings and events
  • Helping a candidate during the campaign
  • Canvassing in the local area
  • Contributing financially to an election campaign
  • Voting in elections
  • Standing as a candidate
  • Joining a pressure group
• Political parties in Scotland

  Organised groups of people who share the same political ideology or views, and put forward candidates for elections to the Scottish Parliament
• Manifesto

  A publication issued by a political party before a general election, containing the set of policies the party stands for and aims to implement if elected
• Canvassing

  Political parties going door to door to speak with the public in an attempt to increase voter awareness and secure more votes
• Campaigning activities

  • Distributing leaflets with information on the candidate and policy commitments
  • Attending public meetings (hustings) where candidates are questioned by the public
  • Candidates and volunteers speaking to voters directly
  • Senior party figures taking part in televised debates
  • Senior party figures using a 'battle bus' to travel and publicise policies
  • Using social media to communicate policies and raise candidate profiles
• Decline in voting

  Some people do not vote because they don't identify with any of the main political parties, feel there are too many occasions to vote, or have lost confidence and trust in politicians
• SNP

  • Has 150,000 Twitter followers
  • Social media enables parties to deliver campaign messages to those unable to be reached through traditional methods, such as canvassing
• People in Scotland have the right not to vote
• Voter apathy

  Decline in voting in Scotland and the UK which some observers put down to
• Reasons for decline in voting

  • Don't identify with any of the main political parties
  • View political parties as being too similar
  • Don't agree with their policies
  • Too many occasions where people are required to vote
  • Believed that their candidate has little or no chance of winning
  • Lost confidence and trust in politicians
  • Believe that there are better alternative ways to make their voices heard
• First Past the Post voting

  The voter puts a cross on the voting slip next to the name of the candidate they wish to represent them in parliament. The candidate with the most votes wins the seat and becomes elected.
• Proportional Representation


  Elects candidates to parliament based on the number of votes gained by their political party
• Additional Member System (AMS)


  Scotland uses a combination of First Past the Post and Proportional Representation to elect MSPs to the Scottish Parliament
• Advantages of AMS


  • Voters have more choice
  • Fairer to all parties
  • More representation
  • Retains some element of FPTP voting
  • All votes count