Holyrood 504 / 27 March 2023

SNP - A party torn apart
The new leader must fix a party pulling in different directions

3 Editor’s note - In a wealthy country, poverty is a political choice, and it has deep ramifications for a nation that already has the poorest life expectancy in the UK
5 Roundup - Pictures and numbers from the past two weeks
7 Talking Point - The ferries fiacso is a microcosm of wider problems in Scottish politics
8 In Context - Bail and Release from Custody Bill
9 Political Spotlight: Picking Up the Pieces - The Sturgeon era is over. How does the SNP recover from so much self-inflicted damage?
12 Overview: An Unhealthy Situation - Deep structural inequalities are driving Scots to an early grave
16 Public Health interview: Maree Todd - The public health minister warns the cost-of-living crisis will make Scots’ health poorer
24 Public Health interview: Michael Marmot - The world-leading health expert on why Westminster isn’t listening to his warnings
28 Public Health: Vaping - As concerns grow about the number of teenagers regularly vaping, calls are being made to restrict their availability
30 Public Health: Drug Deaths - Action on Scotland’s drug-death crisis has been slow, but there are at least signs of a political will to tackle it
32 Public Health: Alcohol - Is the government’s proposed ban on alcohol marketing a draconian measure or a necessary public health approach?
36 Political Interview: Gillian Mackay - Central Scotland’s first Green MSP on how she entered politics by accident
40 Getting to know... Natalie Don MSP on parenthood and her love for WWE
42 Comment - Andy Wightman contemplates the value of carbon offsetting
43 Politicians’ pets - Scottish Borders Council leader Euan Jardine and his dogs Jenny and Lulu
44 Diary - Loose Women and Frankensteins
45 Political spin - Jackson Carlaw loathes karaoke
46 Last Word - Sketch: Christine Grahame talks about her love life

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