Scottish Greens MSP Q Manivannan, elected in May 2026, faces criticism for 2025 podcast comments suggesting rape exists on a 'spectrum' and questioning the 'monster rapist' stereotype, with opponents accusing them of minimising the crime's severity.
John Swinney will press for independence powers on the first day of the next Scottish parliament even without an overall SNP majority, relying on Scottish Greens support. The First Minister's stance marks a shift from his previous position that a majority was a precondition, despite it being in the party's 2026 manifesto. The UK government has repeatedly refused to approve a referendum, and the Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that only Westminster can legislate for one.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has appealed to voters to give his party five years to "fix the Scottish National party’s mess," pledging tax cuts, more homes, and a smaller public sector in a bid to reverse declining support ahead of the May 7 Holyrood election.
