Shortlists announced for Holyrood magazine political awards

Former Labour MSP Johann Lamont has made the shortlist in four categories at Holyrood magazine’s political awards, with the one-time party leader’s strong and unwavering advocacy for the rights of women and girls impressing the judges.

Lamont, who stood down from Holyrood at the end of the last session, is in the running for Backbencher of the Year, MSP of the Year, Political Hero of the Year and Speech of the Year.

The winners of all 14 gongs will be announced at the Holyrood Garden Party and Political Awards, which take place at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh on 16 September.

In the MSP of the Year category, where she was singled out for her work on the so-called ‘six-word amendment’ to the Forensic Medical Services Bill, Lamont is up against party colleague Jackie Baillie and SNP finance minister Kate Forbes.

Baillie made the final three after impressing judges with her forensic questioning of witnesses at the Salmond Inquiry, while Forbes was shortlisted in recognition of her adept handling of one of the toughest ministerial briefs.

In the Political Hero of the Year category, Lamont was again mentioned for her work on amending the Forensic Medical Services Bill as well as her contribution to the passing of the Hate Crime Bill.

The other nominees for Political Hero are former Green MSP Andy Wightman - who has been recognised as a 'classic political hero' willing to put principle before party and unafraid to speak truth to power - and Labour’s Monica Lennon and Aileen Campbell of the SNP, who jointly steered the period products bill.

Other categories up for grabs at the event include Best Scot at Westminster, One to Watch and Staffer of the Year. In the Tweet of the Day award health secretary Humza Yousaf is going head-to-head with first minister Nicola Sturgeon, with both impressing the judges with the adept way in which they use social media. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also gets a nod in the Speech of the Year category after being nominated for an emotional address on Black Lives Matter in which he called out the lack of BAME representatives in the Scottish Parliament and across all of civic society in Scotland.

In addition to the 12 contested categories, Holyrood will be presenting Lifetime Achievement and End of an Era awards on the night.

The full shortlist for the awards is as follows:

Backbencher

• Neil Findlay (Scottish Labour)
• Johann Lamont (Scottish Labour)
• Joan McAlpine (SNP)

Best Scot at Westminster

• Joanna Cherry (SNP)
• Philippa Whitford (SNP)
• Alister Jack (Scottish Conservatives)

Flushable Motion

• Liam McArthur (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
• Neil Findlay (Scottish Labour)
• Tom Mason (Scottish Conservatives)

Green Giant

• Roseanna Cunningham (SNP)
• Claudia Beamish (Scottish Labour)
• Maurice Golden (Scottish Conservatives)

MSP

• Johann Lamont (Scottish Labour)
• Jackie Ballie (Scottish Labour)
• Kate Forbes (SNP)

One to Watch

• Michael Marra (Scottish Labour)
• Pam Duncan Glancy (Scottish Labour)
• Dr Sandesh Gulhane (Scottish Conservatives)

Open All Hours

• Jackie Baillie (Scottish Labour)
• Daniel Johnson (Scottish Labour)
• John Scott (Scottish Conservatives)

Political Hero

• Andy Wightman (Independent)
• Johann Lamont (Scottish Labour)
• Monica Lennon/Aileen Campbell (Scottish Labour/SNP)

Speech

• Anas Sarwar (Scottish Labour)
• Johann Lamont (Scottish Labour)
• Donald Cameron (Scottish Conservatives)

Staffer

• Heather Wolfe (SNP)
• Elizabeth Humphreys (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
• Nathan Wilson (Scottish Conservatives)

Tweets of the Day

• Humza Yousaf (SNP)
• Liam McArthur (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
• Nicola Sturgeon (SNP)

WAG

• Jackson Carlaw (Scottish Conservatives)
• Alex Neil (SNP)
• Willie Rennie (Scottish Liberal Democrats)