Holyrood 463 / 31 March 2021

Interview with Jackie Weaver, the 'voice of authority'. Plus the election 2021 campaigns begin, and a special pull-out section looking at Public Health.

3 Editor’s note
In the final analysis, it is the words of the two women complainants at the heart of this that should hang heaviest on the FM’s conscience.

5 Roundup
Pictures and numbers from the past two weeks

6 Talking Point
Be kind to those on the election campaign trail

8 In Context
The MSP code of conduct

9 Political Spotlight: Cleared for duty
The First Minister has been exonerated by an independent inquiry but she could be left with a point to prove

12 Election 2021: Campaign begins
Candidates battle for votes while Scotland battles the pandemic

Public health: special pull-out section pp15-34

17 Overview: The year of COVID
What lessons can be learned from the pandemic and applied to other public health problems?

24 Interview: Linda Bauld
The professor of public health on why we shouldn’t be going on foreign holidays this year

28 Q&A: Mairi Gougeon
The new public health minister on taking on the portfolio in the middle of a pandemic

32 Focus: Smoking ban at 15
Jack McConnell, Andy Kerr and Stewart Maxwell tell the story of how Scotland stubbed out a filthy habit

35 Cover Story: Jackie Weaver
What gives the woman catapulted into the local government limelight the authority?

39 Event Report
A look at the role of vaping in achieving a smoke-free Scotland

42 Getting to Know You
Edinburgh’s Returning Officer, Andrew Kerr, on his love of history and running

44 Comment
If the measure of a nation is how it treats its most vulnerable, we’re failing

45 Life stories
Neil Findlay shares his reading habits

46 Diary
Baby names, wrong names and rebranding

47 Last Word
Sketch: Where will we find Stewart Stevenson next?

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