Bob’s Rant : Holyrood's Broken Promises: The Case for Scottish Parliament Abolition

The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has failed to deliver on its promises after twenty-one years, becoming a costly and ineffective institution that has deepened divisions rather than healing them. A radical solution is proposed: abolish Holyrood entirely and chart a new course for Scotland's governance.

• Donald Dewar's neglected statue in Glasgow symbolises the decline of the Parliament's reputation and purpose
• Holyrood costs £802 million annually while core services have significantly deteriorated
• The Parliament has become known for scandals, controversies and poorly attended debates on niche issues
• Three developments signal a turning tide: the rise of Reform UK, a new vision of direct devolution to communities, and defensive rhetoric from Holyrood's leadership
• Abolishing Holyrood would eliminate waste and division while enabling practical local governance

Scotland deserves governance that works, not a costly monument to broken promises.

Chapters

• 0:00 The Case Against Holyrood

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:16

The Case for Abolishing the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, once heralded as a triumph of devolution and a new dawn for Scottish democracy, has instead become a costly, ineffective and widely ridiculed institution. After twenty-one years of existence, it has failed to deliver on its promises, squandered vast resources and drifted far from the people it was meant to serve. The time has come to abolish it and chart a new course for Scotland's governance. A Symbol of Neglect Donald Dewar's Statue. At the top of Glasgow's Buchanan Street stands a statue of Donald Dewar, scotland's first First Minister, dubbed the Father of the Nation and Architect of Devolution. Yet this monument to Dewar's legacy is a picture of neglect and disrespect Vandalized repeatedly, adorned with traffic cones and other paraphernalia, and subject to frequent damage, most notably to Dewar's glasses, necessitating adjustments to the plinth. The statue is largely ignored by passers-by, although the occasional seagull pays it a visit. Some individuals have even mistaken it for a tribute to Sven Goran Eriksson, the late England manager. This sorry state mirrors the fate of Dewar's Grand Vision the Scottish Parliament itself, an institution that has similarly fallen into disrepair and disrepute.

Speaker 1: 1:40

A record of failure. The Parliament was established with lofty goals to bring democracy closer to the people, improve local services and temper the divisiveness of nationalism. It has failed on all counts. Far from being a responsive, people-centred body, holyrood feels distant and detached. Core services have significantly deteriorated and, rather than uniting Scots, the Parliament has deepened divisions. Its chambers have become a stage for poorly attended, often unwatchable debates on niche issues gender, gaza, migrant rights that fail to address the everyday concerns of most Scots.

Speaker 1: 2:20

Holyrood's history is marred by scandals and controversies, from the ongoing influence of figures like Nicola Sturgeon, who still casts a shadow over the institution with the occasional cameo appearance, to a litany of financial, sexual and ethical missteps. The Parliament has earned its reputation as a national embarrassment. The 2022 Gender Recognition Reform Bill exemplifies its reckless governance. A flawed law that would have allowed biological men identifying as women unrestricted access to women's spaces passed despite the rejection of sensible safeguards proposed by the Conservatives, such as barring men on trial for sex offences from benefiting the financial burden. The cost of this dysfunction is staggering. The Scottish Parliament consumes £802 million annually, a figure that excludes the untold millions wasted on pet projects and legal battles over failed progressive initiatives Derided as the we Pretendie Parliament by Billy Connolly and the Shortbread Senate by others. Holyrood represents a gross misuse of resources that could be better directed elsewhere.

Speaker 1: 3:27

A shift in the winds. Yet there is hope in the growing apathy and disillusionment among Scots. Many pay little attention to Holyrood's antics, which may have spared it a greater backlash. However, this indifference is now giving way to something stronger a questioning of its very purpose. Three developments signal a turning tide.

Speaker 1: 3:46

First, the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform UK, despite its limited foothold in Scotland, points to a broader rejection of the status quo. Predictions suggest that the party could win 20-30 seats in the 2026 Holyrood elections, fuelled by disgust with the major parties and the devolution experiment. While Reform UK has not explicitly called for abolition, its assent reflects a willingness among Scots to entertain radical alternatives. Second, a new vision of devolution is emerging, one that bypasses Holyrood entirely. Imagine powers devolved directly to local communities Shetlanders securing their own ferries, perthshire residents tackling the deadly A9 road, aberdeen controlling its oil and gas future, and Highlanders managing their rural estates. This decentralised approach promises responsiveness and efficiency, free from Holyrood's waste and grandstanding.

Speaker 1: 4:42

Third, the Parliament's own leadership has unwittingly fuelled the case for abolition. First Minister John Swinney's warnings that Reform UK might dismantle Holyrood reveal how deeply the idea has taken root. If its defenders must resort to fear-mongering, it betrays their insecurity about its worth. A better way forward. It betrays their insecurity about its worth. A better way forward. Abolishing Holyrood would lift a burden from Scotland. The division, waste and pomp it generates would fade, replaced by practical local decision-making. Potholes filled on time, roads made safer, ferries running reliably. In Glasgow, donald Dewar's statue could stand as a cautionary relic of a failed experiment or be quietly removed, sparing it further indignity and allowing the father of the nation to rest. The Scottish Parliament has had its chance and squandered it. Abolition is not just an option, it's a necessity. Scotland deserves governance that works, not a costly monument to broken promises.