Elections 2026
As we look ahead to elections across the UK in Spring 2026, access insights and evidence from University of Glasgow experts, to inform and contribute to the conversation.
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Contact the Centre for Public Policy team at public-policy@glasgow.ac.uk.
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New UofG Spotlight series: On the elections
- Episode 1: The Polls and the Policies So Far
- Episode 2: An Election in the Shadow of War?
- Episode 3: The Rise of the Right
- Episode 4: The Manifestos
- Episode 5: Can the Next Scottish Government Revive the Economy?
- Episode 6: Can the Next Scottish Government Fix Public Services?
- Episode 7: In England and Wales
Live webinar series
Register:
- What just happened? Unpacking the election results Monday 11 May, 1-2pm
Catch up on the recordings:
- Does Scottish independence still matter to voters? Thursday 30 April, 12-1pm
- WATCH: What can devolved governments do to address the cost-of-living crisis? Tuesday 21 April, 1-2pm
- WATCH: What are the parties' plans on tax, spending and the economy? Monday 27 April, 1.30-3pm
Manifestos analysis grid - Elections 2026
What do the party manifestos say, at a glance, on the big topics facing Scotland? Access the Centre for Public Policy's new manifesto grid analysis on what each party is pledging on topics from health, to transport, to energy.
Read and download our new manifestos analysis grid
Policy Insights and blogs
The Centre for Public Policy's Policy Insights shares expert voices from across the University of Glasgow on the key issues facing the country.
What do the polls tell us about the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election?
6 May 2026: Ahead of tomorrow's election in Scotland, Mark McGeoghegan writes that the final polls say the broad outcome seems clear, that the SNP will remain the largest party in the Parliament, however, there are areas of uncertainty. Will they win a majority? Who will be the largest opposition party?
2026 Election Policy Insights: The Global Economy and Scotland
5 May 2026: Next up in our Election Policy Insights series, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli examines Scotland's economic outlook amid growing global instability, writing that the pressures sharpen the case for renewed focus on Scotland's economic growth.
New report finds that while salience has dropped, Scottish independence still matters to voters
1 May 2026: A new report, based on February and March 2026 polling by Ipsos, explores the drivers of voting behaviour in Scotland. It finds that constitutional preferences remain the strongest determinant of voting intention among Scottish voters.
Unfinished business: Why closing the poverty–attainment gap must be an election priority
6 May 2026: Professor Edward Sosu looks at the poverty-attainment gap in schools in Scotland, writing that while there is cross-party agreement on the need to close the gap, it remains 'unfinished business'. He says that sustained support from the next parliament is essential to deliver lasting progress.
Scottish justice at a crossroads: Prison, policy, and the need for decarceration
6 May 2026: University of Glasgow academics examine decarceration in Scotland, writing that without confronting the limits of punishment, decarceration will remain politically fragile. Ahead of a new parliamentary term, they look at how feasible decarceration might be and how the parties talk about it in their manifestos.
2026 Election Policy Insights: Education
1 May 2026: Professor Christopher Chapman and Honorary Professor Graham Donaldson set out the challenge ahead for Scottish education, proposing seven steps the next government in Scotland could take to create a more dynamic approach to policymaking and bridge the gap with the classroom.
2026 Election Policy Insights: Fiscal
29 April 2026: Professor Graeme Roy examines the fiscal reality facing Scotland's next Parliament. He writes that the next group of MSPs will need to grapple with a gap – not unique to Scotland – between what any government would like to do and what they can sustainably afford to do.
2026 Election Policy Insights: Migration
28 April 2026: Dr Dan Fisher explores migration - a policy area reserved to the UK Parliament but with far‑reaching consequences for devolved responsibilities in Scotland. He writes that changing UK and Scottish political dynamics are likely to make the implementation and contestation of migration policy increasingly complex in the coming parliamentary term.
Care at the margins: How political parties frame unpaid care in the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election
23 April 2026: Following her first blog that set out the issue, Dr Louise Lawson argues that unpaid care, largely carried out by women, remains undervalued and marginal in most Scottish party manifestos, despite its major social and economic impact.
Price caps and the UK Internal Market Act
21 April 2026: Professor Nicola McEwen examines the proposed essential food price cap in the SNP manifesto. She explains the 'roadblocks' this policy might face and especially whether it would be compatible with the UK Internal Market Act.
2026 Election Policy Insights: Justice
9 April 2026: In the first in our series of 2026 Election Policy Insights tackling the big policy issues ahead for the country, Fiona McPhail examines Justice. She outlines the case for reforming legal aid in Scotland, which she writes would allow the country to reap the economic and social benefits legal aid systems provide to wider society.
Unpaid care and women’s work: The missing piece in Scotland’s policy debate
16 April 2026: Dr Louise Lawson writes that unpaid care remains one of the biggest drivers of economic inactivity, with women continuing to be impacted most. She shares findings from her research to illustrate the impact of unpaid care and urges politicians in Scotland to recognise care as requiring long-term investment and infrastructure.
Progress without parity: Ethnic and racial minority participation at Holyrood
7 April 2026: Professor Nasar Meer and Dr Timothy Peace look ahead to the Scottish elections in May, noting that while Scotland is more diverse than at any point in its electoral history, representation in the Scottish Parliament lags behind.
CPP on Elections 2026: Informing the debate with political and policy analysis
1 April 2026: The Centre for Public Policy's Mark McGeoghegan and Professor Kezia Dugdale write that the link between politics and policy is broken in most coverage and analysis of British and Scottish politics. During the Spring elections in the UK, the Centre will work to bridge that gap. Read this blog for more on what the impact is of this 'decoupling' of analysis, and what to expect from the Centre in the coming weeks.
Whatever its outcome, the election is a reset moment for Scotland
13 March 2026: With the 2026 Scottish election rapidly approaching and following a keynote speech at the Centre for Public Policy's recent Stop/Start event, Professor Nicola McEwen emphasises why this election is an important reset moment and an opportunity to reflect on what has worked, what hasn't, and what we can collectively do better.
Media enquiries
The Centre for Public Policy harnesses policy expertise from across the University of Glasgow and our researchers can provide insight and analysis for the media.
Contact us: public-policy@glasgow.ac.uk
