Holyrood 490 / 20 June 2022

Mamma Mia - Here we go again!
Eight tumultuous years on from the first independence referendum, Nicola says, ‘Take a chance on me’

3 Editor’s note
The fact Johnson is on borrowed time is obvious, but it’s much less clear whether his personal frailties make the argument for independence any greater

5 Roundup
Pictures and numbers from the past two weeks
7 Talking Point
Do we really want to join Russia in shunning respect for human rights?
8 In Context
On votes of confidence
9 Political Spotlight: Here We Go Again
Nearly eight years on from the independence referendum, Scotland is back where it started
12 Political Interview: Lord John McFall
From council estate to Westminster, the peer reflects on a life in politics
17 Overview: Rural Economy
When it comes to policy making, the government needs to realise that ‘rural’ means so much more than farms and crofts
19 Q&A: Mairi Gougeon
The rural affairs secretary talks about the challenges facing Scotland’s farming and rural communities
23 Rural Economy: Acts of War
Putin’s war on Ukraine has disrupted supply chains and sent inflation sky-rocketing, endangering Scotland’s farms
26 Rural Economy: Island Life
Delayed and overbudget ferries are the tip of the iceberg for connectivity issues – and islanders have had enough
32 CONSTITUTION: The Lords
Peers have inflicted a record number of defeats on the government. What does it all mean?
35 Political Interview: John Alexander
The leader of Dundee City Council talks kicking down doors and changing the narrative

38 Event Report
Holyrood’s eighth annual Digital Transformation event
40 Getting to know...
Maggie Chapman on her South African roots
42 Comment: 25 years on from a famous community buyout, power is increasingly being centralised, says Andy Wightman
43 Politicians’ pets
Edinburgh Councillor Alys Mumford introduces Daisy and Henry
44 Diary
Unicorn feet, mistaken identities and unusual comooters

45 Political Spin
Graham Simpson can’t stop the music from going to his feet
46 Last Word
Sketch: Angus Robertson blames you

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