Holyrood Magazine issue 415 / 17 December 2018

"Nothing has changed"

3 Editor’s note
This isn’t resilience or having what Ruth Davidson described as “cojones of steel”, it is about bloody-minded obduracy

6 Roundup
Pictures and numbers from the past two weeks

7 Talking Point
Scotrail need to give more than apologies

9 Digital Highlights
The best of Twitter and Holyrood’s online content

10 Political Spotlight
Theresa May clings on, but at a huge political cost

14 Poverty: Overview
Poverty is a political choice, the UN special rapporteur concluded, but new human rights legislation could compel action

20 Poverty: Shirley-Anne Somerville
The social security secretary on Scotland’s new welfare approach

26 Poverty: Homelessness
Homeless families should not have to spend more than a week in temporary accommodation, but they are

29 Poverty: The Holyrood baby
Will Kirsty be noticed by services, and will her rights be protected?

32 Feature: Party grandees at Christmas
Prominent politicians spread some festive cheer

38 Interview: Brian Whittle
The South Scotland MSP defends UK welfare policy

42 Event Report
The winners from Holyrood’s Public Service Awards 2018

46 Comment
Dani Garavelli: Children’s hearings appear to be struggling

48 Diary
Rattresses, fake robots and friends with benefits

49 Plates
Aileen Campbell gives a pavlovian response

50 Last Word
Sketch: With UK politics sliding into ever deepening chaos, the one upshot is that we still have the People’s Mace