2026 Scottish Parliament election

Under the Scottish Elections (Reform) Act 2020, an ordinary general election to the Scottish Parliament would normally be held on the first Thursday in May five years after the 2021 election, i.e. on 7 May 2026.^[18] This Act superseded the Scotland Act 1998, which had set elections in every fourth year.^[19] The date of the poll may be varied by up to one month either way by the monarch, on the proposal of the Presiding Officer, making 4 June 2026 the latest possible date for this election, assuming the convention of holding elections on a Thursday stands.^[19]

If Parliament itself resolves that it should be dissolved, with at least two-thirds of the members (i.e. 86 Members) voting in favour, the Presiding Officer proposes a date for an extraordinary general election and the Parliament is dissolved by the monarch by royal proclamation. It does not necessarily require a two-thirds majority to precipitate an extraordinary general election, because under the Scotland Act Parliament is also dissolved if it fails to nominate one of its members to be First Minister within certain time limits, irrespective of whether at the beginning or in the middle of a parliamentary term. Therefore, if the First Minister resigned, Parliament would then have 28 days to elect a successor (s46(2)b and s46(3)a). If no new First Minister was elected then the Presiding Officer would ask for Parliament to be dissolved under s3(1)a. This process could also be triggered if the First Minister lost a vote of confidence by a simple majority (i.e. more than 50%), as they must then resign (Scotland Act 1998 s45(2)). No extraordinary general elections have been held to date. Any extraordinary general elections would be in addition to ordinary general elections, unless held less than six months before the due date of an ordinary general election, in which case they supplant it. The subsequent ordinary general election reverts to the first Thursday in May, five years after the previous ordinary election.^[18][20]

The close of nominations was 1 April.^[21][22] The count will start at 9am on 8 May.^[21][23] The reason given for this is to ensure staff welfare and to reduce the risks relating to accuracy of the count process.^[24]

A record number of MSPs are not seeking re-election,^[25][26][27] with 42 as of April 2026.^[28] Eight of those stepping down were first elected at the formation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, but only five have had unbroken service. Richard Lochhead briefly resigned his regional seat to contest a Moray by-election in 2006; Rhoda Grant lost her seat in 2003 and returned at the 2007 election; Sarah Boyack lost her seat in the 2016 election and returned in 2019. Of the original MSPs from 1999 with unbroken service, there are only three contesting the 2026 election: Jackie Baillie, Fergus Ewing and John Swinney.^[25]

The total number of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) elected to the Parliament is 129. The Scottish Parliament uses an additional member system (AMS), designed to produce approximate proportional representation for each region. There are eight regions, each sub-divided into smaller constituencies. There are a total of 73 constituencies. Each constituency elects one MSP by the plurality (first past the post) system of election. Each region elects seven additional MSPs using an additional member system. A modified D'Hondt method, using the constituency results, is used to elect these additional MSPs.^[76][77][78]

The Scottish Parliament constituencies have not been coterminous with Scottish Westminster constituencies since the 2005 general election, when the 72 former UK Parliament constituencies were replaced with a new set of 59, generally larger, constituencies (see Scottish Parliament (Constituencies) Act 2004). The boundaries used for the Scottish Parliament elections were then revised for the 2011 election. The Boundary Commission also recommended changes to the electoral regions used to elect "list" members of the Scottish Parliament,^[79] which were also implemented in 2011. The Second Periodic Review of constituency and regional boundaries began in September 2022 and was completed by May 2025.^[80][81] The proposals were formally approved in October 2025, establishing the constituencies and regions that will form the basis for the 2026 election.^[82]

According to Professor John Curtice main campaign issues include the economy, cost of living, health and social care services and immigration.^[83] Other issues include energy, housing and Scottish independence.^[84] Another issue is Starmer's leadership after Sarwar called for him to resign.^[85] On 10 March 2026, BBC Scotland's podcast Scotcast started airing leader interviews with the party leaders in the run-up to the election.^[86]

On 19 March, Malcolm Offord and Nigel Farage launched Reform UK's manifesto in Bishopton, Renfrewshire, positioning itself as a challenger to the established parties with a platform centred on tax cuts, immigration control and economic deregulation. A key proposal is to reduce Scottish income tax to levels below those in the rest of the UK, alongside broader commitments to cut public spending and roll back green policies in order to lower energy costs. The party has also emphasised stricter law and order measures, opposition to what it describes as “net zero ideology”, and support for domestic energy production and business growth through reduced regulation.^[87] They also unveiled their constituency candidates.^[88] The following day, Stuart Niven, the candidate for Dundee City West, was suspended following revelations that he was disqualified as a company director.^[89] In the days that followed, four more candidates stood down from standing for Reform UK^[90].

On 21 March, the Scottish Greens announced a commitment to raising the minimum wage for care workers to £15 per hour.^[91] Other policies announced by the party include, expanding funded childcare, higher tax on the super rich, big businesses, big banks, as well as casinos and bookies, and a commitment to free bus travel for everyone in Scotland via a bus network under public control.^[92]

On 27 March, The National announced that they would be hosting a hustings which would feature representatives of the six main parties to be hosted on 7 April however the Conservatives and Labour declined to appear^[93], and on 6 April, the day before the hustings, Thomas Kerr, the Reform representative pulled out, criticising The National and accusing them of spreading misinformation on his party's stance on corporal punishment in schools.^[94] The Holyrood Sources podcast announced that they would host a hustings event with the party leaders on 1 April.^[95]

On 31 March, Guy Ingerson was replaced by Maggie Chapman as top candidate in North East Scotland.^[96] On 1 April, Scottish Labour candidate for Glasgow Southside Mohammed Ameen was replaced by Rashid Hussain following criminal charges.^[97] SNP candidate for and leader of the SNP group on North Lanarkshire Council Tracy Carragher was suspended from the party and dropped as an election candidate.^[98]

On 4 April, the Scottish Greens announced a commitment to end all NHS dental charges, ensuring free dental care for all in Scotland.^[99] The party also stated that it would expand the role of dental therapists in order to speed up waiting times.^[99]

Russell Findlay launched the Scottish Conservatives manifesto in Edinburgh on 7 April with a strong emphasis on the cost of living, positioning the election as a choice between continued public spending under the SNP and lower-tax, “common sense” economic policies. Key proposals included cutting income tax, supporting North Sea oil and gas development, and reducing what the party describes as wasteful government spending. The party has also focused on improving public services such as healthcare and education, alongside a broader agenda centred on economic growth, law and order, and opposition to further tax rises.^[100][101]

On 12 April, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated on LBC that the UK Government would never grant the Scottish Parliament the powers to hold a second independence referendum. These comments were criticised by the SNP and Scottish Greens. LBC journalist Gina Davidson stated that Streeting’s comments might have just made the election catch fire and result in SNP supporters to go and turnout to vote.^[102] The subject was brought up in the leader’s debate hosted in Paisley that evening where Anas Sarwar was challenged and refused to answer on what mechanism would need to be in place for a second referendum to be granted.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar launched his party’s manifesto in Edinburgh on 13 April, presenting the election as an opportunity to “fix” public services after nearly two decades of SNP government, appealing to the public to give him “five years to fix the SNP’s mess”. The manifesto outlined a programme focused on economic reform and public service investment, including plans to build over 50,000 affordable homes, recruit additional teachers, and reduce business rates. It also proposed tax changes aimed at easing pressure on middle-income earners, reforms to public bodies, and support for sectors such as the arts, alongside a more centrist economic approach that includes openness to new nuclear energy projects.^[103][104] On 14 April, the internal pro-LGBT group Scottish Labour Against Bigotry attacked the manifesto as "explicitly transphobic" due to its stated commitment to "single-[biological] sex spaces, in NHS wards, schools, sport and everyday life", and urged the electorate not to vote for the party.^[105]

On 14 April, the Scottish Greens launched their manifesto in Glasgow, presenting promises such as taking bus services into public ownership, introducing a universal basic income, and widening access to funded childcare.^[106][107]

The SNP launched their manifesto on 16 April in Glasgow with key pledges including capping the price of essential food items, introducing a £2 nationwide bus fare cap, and supporting business through a new “major projects office” and high-growth unit. The party has committed to no income tax increases for most earners while proposing targeted taxes on large corporations, alongside increased investment in healthcare and education. Additional policies include banning smartphones in classrooms and a £10,000 deposit support scheme for first-time buyers, with Scottish independence remaining a central objective.^[108]

The Liberal Democrats launched their manifesto on 17 April.

Constituency vote

Regional vote

Key

  SNP – Scottish National Party
  Conservative – Scottish Conservatives
  Labour – Scottish Labour
  Lib Dem – Scottish Liberal Democrats
  Green – Scottish Greens
  Alba – Alba Party
  Reform – Reform UK

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