Staffer David Hill set to be honoured at Holyrood Political Awards

Conservative staffer David Hill, who tragically died earlier this year, is set to be honoured at the annual Holyrood Garden Party and Political Awards.

Tributes were paid to Hill from across Scottish politics after he died at the age of 30 while playing rugby for the cross-party Scottish Parliament team in March.

Hill, who worked for Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene, will be named Political Staffer of the Year at this year’s awards following a unanimous decision by the judges.

The Holyrood Garden Party and Political Awards has already become an unmissable fixture in the Scottish political calendar for politicians, their staff, political journalists, the business community, and the public affairs sector.

This year the event will take place on Thursday 15th September at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.

Holyrood managing director Mandy Rhodes said: “David Hill was a well-known and much-loved figure in Scottish politics whose untimely death shocked us all.

“The judges were unanimous that the award for Political Staffer of the Year should go to him in recognition both of his work but also the impact he made on all those he worked alongside.”

She added: “This year’s shortlist is one of the strongest we’ve ever had, with nominees from across Scottish politics. After returning to normal last year following the pandemic, I’m very much looking forward to welcoming everyone back again to one of the biggest nights in the Scottish political calendar.”

The nominations have been selected by judges from across Scottish public life, including MSPs, journalists, broadcasters and political scientists.

The MSPs on the judging panel include Pauline McNeill, Donald Cameron, Kate Forbes, Neil Bibby, Gillian Martin, and Rachael Hamilton, while Sir John Curtice, Mandy Rhodes, Michael Crow, The Right Hon Ken MacIntosh, Kieran Andrews, Mark Diffley, Rachel Watson and Brian Taylor round off the judging panel.

The nominations are as follows:

Speech of the year: Christine Grahame (SNP), Liam Kerr (Con), Richard Leonard (Lab).

Tweet of the day: Murdo Fraser (Con), Edward Mountain (Con,), Humza Yousaf (SNP).

MSP of the year: Jackie Baillie (Lab), Neil Gray (SNP), Liam McArthur (LD).

The powering change award: Petitions Committee, Public Audit Committee, Stephen Kerr (Con), for his work on the Parliamentary Bureau.

Green giant award: Sarah Boyack (Lab), Maurice Golden (Con), Michael Matheson (SNP).

Flushable motion of the year: Clare Adamson (SNP), Christine Grahame (SNP), John Mason (SNP).

Best Scot at Westminster: Wendy Chamberlain (LD), Stephen Flynn (SNP), Stewart McDonald (SNP).

Backbencher of the year: Fergus Ewing (SNP), Gillian Martin (SNP), Graham Simpson (Con).

Open all hours award: Jackie Baillie (Lab), Alex Cole-Hamilton (LD), Kenneth Gibson (SNP).

Political hero of the year: Pam Duncan-Glancy (Lab), Gillian Mackay (Green), trio of Jackie Baillie (Lab), Alex Cole-Hamilton (LD) and Sandesh Gulhane (Con).

One to watch: Meghan Gallacher (Con), Neil Gray (SNP), Gillian Mackay (Green).

The lifetime achievement award is set to be announced on the night.