Political Editor ✍🏻 Holyrood magazine 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Policy geek 🤓 Board game lover 🎲 Not-bad climber 🧗🏻‍♀️ Newbie crocheter 🧶 She/herhttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlo7i7hmg222McArthur has now written to MSPs confirming his intention to stand in the PO election. He has pledged to ensure the "rights of backbenchers are properly safeguarded" if he wins. [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 May 2026 16:29 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlo7i7hmg222https://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlnnlhrbw222Lots being said about the election of Q Manivannan as an MSP, who is in the UK on a temporary student visa. I explain here how it was possible - a rule change unanimously agreed by parliament, and Home Office rules that elected office is not classed as employment. https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,how-q-manivannan-became-an-msp-despite-having-a-temporary-visa12 May 2026 11:08 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlnnlhrbw222https://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlnnlhrbw222Lots being said about the election of Q Manivannan as an MSP, who is in the UK on a temporary student visa. I explain here how it was possible - a rule change unanimously agreed by parliament, and Home Office rules that elected office is not classed as employment. https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,how-q-manivannan-became-an-msp-despite-having-a-temporary-visa12 May 2026 11:08 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlnnlhrbw222https://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlnmoczvpc22Listeners in Orkney will have heard me this morning talking about the role of presiding officer, with local MSP Liam McArthur set to make a run for it. You can listen back to that here, from about 7 mins in. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002wwl612 May 2026 10:52 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlnmoczvpc22https://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlg5gvj5z224I already told Allan how useful his website was yesterday, but just wanted to give a public shout out to @ballotbox.scot for the absolute heroic effort he put in yesterday (and will continue to do over the coming days).09 May 2026 11:31 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlg5gvj5z224https://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlfwtize7k27Final Results! https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,snp-wins-election-with-labour-and-reform-tied-in-second-place09 May 2026 09:32 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlfwtize7k27https://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlfpgtzzqk24Highlands and Islands regional seats: 2 Reform 2 Green 1 SNP 1 Lib Dem 1 Conservative (Posting for completeness, as I was asleep by the time the result actually came in...!)09 May 2026 07:20 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlfpgtzzqk24https://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlelgrr5f22eCentral Scotland and Lothians West regional seats: 3 Reform 2 Labour 1 Green 1 Conservative08 May 2026 20:36 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlelgrr5f22ehttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlekzriho22eWest Scotland regional seats: 2 Reform 2 Green 2 Labour 1 Conservative08 May 2026 20:29 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlekzriho22ehttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlehsnl5fs2aThis means there is no Conservative representation in Glasgow anymore at Holyrood, with no constituencies or list seats. An unwelcome first for the party. [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 May 2026 19:31 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlehsnl5fs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlehkzrmxs2aGlasgow regional list seats: 3 Labour 2 Reform 2 Green08 May 2026 19:27 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlehkzrmxs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlehecjnwk2aSouth Scotland regional list seats: 3 Reform 2 Labour 1 Green 1 Lib Dem08 May 2026 19:23 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlehecjnwk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlegc7kwes2uThe fall of a 99er: Fergus Ewing is out. He comes third in the Inverness and Nairn race, having contested as an Independent. The SNP's Emma Roddick returns to parliament with 11k+ votes. Lib Dems not far behind in second.08 May 2026 19:04 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlegc7kwes2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mleexl4tu22uNorth East regional seats: 2 Reform 2 Conservative 1 Green 1 Labour 1 Lib Dem08 May 2026 18:40 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mleexl4tu22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mleer3krxc2uEdinburgh and Lothians East regional list seats: 3 Green 2 Labour 1 Reform 1 Conservative08 May 2026 18:36 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mleer3krxc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mleebkggl22uMid Scotland and Fife regional seat allocation: 2 Reform 2 Conservative 2 Labour 1 Green08 May 2026 18:28 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mleebkggl22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlebdafgpc2tWe always knew there was going to be a very high turnover for this election. So far, by my count, we've got 30 brand new MSPs so far. [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 May 2026 17:35 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlebdafgpc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mle7kexbdc2tState of play with 69 seats declared. Four constituencies left, all list seats still to be announced.08 May 2026 17:03 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mle7kexbdc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlduydbho22tOne bright spot for Labour. Could this be the only positive story for the party today? Anas Sarwar earlier effectively conceded defeat. [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 May 2026 13:54 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlduydbho22thttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mldudlqxac2tThis was Reform's best chance for a constituency win, only narrowly missing out. Relief for the SNP here. [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 May 2026 13:42 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mldudlqxac2thttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mldmxyv5i22tLib Dems hold Orkney - first result of the Holyrood election. Does it tell us anything? Not really. This has long been a LD stronghold and not targeted by the SNP in the same way as neighbouring Shetland. Winner Liam McArthur is one of the names being rumoured to be a possible presiding officer.08 May 2026 11:31 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mldmxyv5i22thttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mlde4m5nos2dNews Hound is ready for results to start rolling in.08 May 2026 08:52 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlde4m5nos2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/louisewilso.bsky.social/post/3mkmpvxmpfc2tDeal or no deal: What might the next Scottish Government look like? https://www.holyrood.com/comment/view,deal-or-no-deal-what-might-the-next-scottish-government-look-like29 Apr 2026 08:52 +0000at://did:plc:2fhulqpoh6e7qcocgp6albb5/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkmpvxmpfc2t