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

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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.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Case for Abolishing the Scottish
Parliament at Holyrood.
The Scottish Parliament atHolyrood, once heralded as a
triumph of devolution and a newdawn for Scottish democracy, has
instead become a costly,ineffective and widely ridiculed
institution.
After twenty-one years ofexistence, it has failed to
deliver on its promises,squandered vast resources and

(00:21):
drifted far from the people itwas meant to serve.
The time has come to abolish itand chart a new course for
Scotland's governance.
A Symbol of Neglect DonaldDewar's Statue.
At the top of Glasgow'sBuchanan Street stands a statue
of Donald Dewar, scotland'sfirst First Minister, dubbed the
Father of the Nation andArchitect of Devolution.

(00:44):
Yet this monument to Dewar'slegacy is a picture of neglect
and disrespect Vandalizedrepeatedly, 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 ignoredby passers-by, although the

(01:04):
occasional seagull pays it avisit.
Some individuals have evenmistaken it for a tribute to
Sven Goran Eriksson, the lateEngland manager.
This sorry state mirrors thefate of Dewar's Grand Vision the
Scottish Parliament itself, aninstitution that has similarly
fallen into disrepair anddisrepute.
A record of failure.

(01:25):
The Parliament was establishedwith lofty goals to bring
democracy closer to the people,improve local services and
temper the divisiveness ofnationalism.
It has failed on all counts.
Far from being a responsive,people-centred body, holyrood
feels distant and detached.
Core services havesignificantly deteriorated and,

(01:47):
rather than uniting Scots, theParliament has deepened
divisions.
Its chambers have become astage for poorly attended, often
unwatchable debates on nicheissues gender, gaza, migrant
rights that fail to address theeveryday concerns of most Scots.
Holyrood's history is marred byscandals and controversies, from
the ongoing influence offigures like Nicola Sturgeon,

(02:09):
who still casts a shadow overthe institution with the
occasional cameo appearance, toa litany of financial, sexual
and ethical missteps.
The Parliament has earned itsreputation as a national
embarrassment.
The 2022 Gender RecognitionReform Bill exemplifies its
reckless governance.
A flawed law that would haveallowed biological men

(02:29):
identifying as womenunrestricted access to women's
spaces passed despite therejection of sensible safeguards
proposed by the Conservatives,such as barring men on trial for
sex offences from benefitingthe financial burden.
The cost of this dysfunction isstaggering.
The Scottish Parliamentconsumes £802 million annually,

(02:51):
a figure that excludes theuntold millions wasted on pet
projects and legal battles overfailed progressive initiatives
Derided as the we PretendieParliament by Billy Connolly and
the Shortbread Senate by others.
Holyrood represents a grossmisuse of resources that could
be better directed elsewhere.
A shift in the winds.

(03:12):
Yet there is hope in thegrowing apathy and
disillusionment among Scots.
Many pay little attention toHolyrood's antics, which may
have spared it a greaterbacklash.
However, this indifference isnow giving way to something
stronger a questioning of itsvery purpose.
Three developments signal aturning tide.
First, the rise of NigelFarage's Reform UK, despite its

(03:34):
limited foothold in Scotland,points to a broader rejection of
the status quo.
Predictions suggest that theparty could win 20-30 seats in
the 2026 Holyrood elections,fuelled by disgust with the
major parties and the devolutionexperiment.
While Reform UK has notexplicitly called for abolition,
its assent reflects awillingness among Scots to

(03:55):
entertain radical alternatives.
Second, a new vision ofdevolution is emerging, one that
bypasses Holyrood entirely.
Imagine powers devolveddirectly to local communities
Shetlanders securing their ownferries, perthshire residents
tackling the deadly A9 road,aberdeen controlling its oil and
gas future, and Highlandersmanaging their rural estates.

(04:18):
This decentralised approachpromises responsiveness and
efficiency, free from Holyrood'swaste and grandstanding.
Third, the Parliament's ownleadership has unwittingly
fuelled the case for abolition.
First Minister John Swinney'swarnings that Reform UK might
dismantle Holyrood reveal howdeeply the idea has taken root.

(04:38):
If its defenders must resort tofear-mongering, it betrays
their insecurity about its worth.
A better way forward.
It betrays their insecurityabout its worth.
A better way forward.
Abolishing Holyrood would lifta burden from Scotland.
The division, waste and pomp itgenerates would fade, replaced
by practical localdecision-making.
Potholes filled on time, roadsmade safer, ferries running

(05:02):
reliably.
In Glasgow, donald Dewar'sstatue could stand as a
cautionary relic of a failedexperiment or be quietly removed
, sparing it further indignityand allowing the father of the
nation to rest.
The Scottish Parliament has hadits chance and squandered it.
Abolition is not just an option, it's a necessity.
Scotland deserves governancethat works, not a costly

(05:25):
monument to broken promises.