Politics

Fig. ME.S.P0,01; Author's Own, Protest Sketch

RESEARCH JUSTIFICATION

This section examines Scotland’s political trends, including key funding priorities to understand how they affect vulnerable populations.

How do current political trends influence local communities?

Current Political Climate

Fig. ME.S.PO,02; Author's Own, Holyrood Sketch

The current political climate is quickly changing. The rise of far-right politics in England & Wales, under Reform UK, has not fully translated to Scotland. While there has been some increase in support for Reform, this is perhaps linked to the waning relevance of the Conservative party in both in Scotland and the UK (Bella Caledonia, 2025).

Support for Scottish independence remains significant, with recent polls indicating approximately 52% of the nation are  in favour. EU membership continues to be a central issue for many Scots, reinforcing the independence debate, and EU citizens have also shown increasing openness to an independent Scotland re-joining the EU (The National, 2025). However, despite growing public support for Scottish independence, wider geopolitical instability, such as the threat posed by Russia and the potential of a far right Government coming to power, may reduce the likelihood of independence in the near future. 

Scottish politic power was devolved from the UK Government in 1999, granting the Scottish Parliament greater control over public services, the environment and agriculture. However, devolution does not provide full autonomy as the UK Government retains authority over macro-level issues such as foreign affairs, defence and taxation (Scottish Governement, 2022).

The limitations of the current political system were most evident during the 2016 EU referendum: despite 62% of Scottish voters choosing to remain, Brexit was implemented at a UK-wide level, with limited influence from the Scottish Parliament.

(Ewan Cameron, Britannica, 2025)

Planning Policy Structures

Scotland’s planning system is structured around the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). This framework integrates climate and placemaking policy, guiding Local Development Plans and planning applications across the country.

NPF4 promotes sustainable and compact development, prioritising reuse over new build, biodiversity restoration and the creation of 20-minute neighbourhoods.

(Scottish Government, National Planning Framework 4, 2023)

Regional Spatial Strategies address cross-boundary growth, while Local Development Plans translate national objectives into site-specific strategies. Communities are further supported through Local Place Plans, which aims to provide residents and local groups with a formal role in shaping development in their areas (Scottish Government, National Planning Framework 4, 2023).  While NPF4 represents a form of centralisation in strategic planning, it's delivery is increasingly decentralised. This represents a hybrid model that combines national direction with local implementation,

Fig. ME.S.PO.05; National Planning Framework Cover (NPF4, accessed 2025)

Power of Community Takeovers

Scotland has one of the most developed frameworks for community ownership and land reform in the UK, rooted in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the subsequent Right to Buy legislation. These tools enable communities to acquire previously private land and assets, supporting sustainability and long term economic resilience.

Community Land Trusts like the Assynt Foundation use ownership to restore rural land, promote sustainable forestry and support local enterprises. Revenues are reinvested into housing and small-scale economic activity, linking environmental management with local social and economic benefits (Assynt Foundation, accessed 2025).

Rural Communities including the Isle of Eigg and Isle of Gigha demonstrate how buyouts can reshape communities. In both cases, communities now manage renewable energy, develop housing and generate income through tourism, with profits reinvested locally (Highlands & Islands Enterprise, accessed 2025, Community Land Scotland, accessed 2025).

Urban Communities have also acquired underused public assets through community takeover frameworks, such as former schools or community buildings, to provide social and economic infrastructure, demonstrating the adaptability of the model (Scottish Community Development Centre, accessed 2025).

Across these examples, the combination of national legislation and local agency allows communities to direct investment and build resilience. This model shows how decentralised ownership can support economic, social and environmental objectives, enabling outcomes that reflect local priorities while contributing to wider goals for sustainability and equity.

Fig. ME.S.P0,06; Author's Own, Community Takeovers Sketch

Fig. ME.S.P0,07; Author's Own, Village Sketch

Funding Priorities

The Scottish Government’s funding priorities are shaped by objectives linked to equity and a green economy. Recent programmes, including the Programme for Government 2024/25 and the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, direct investment toward net zero infrastructure, renewable energy and place based regeneration, with an emphasis on circular economy principles and community wellbeing (Scottish Government, 2024, Scottish Government, 2022).

“This Government will focus our efforts and resources on our four key priorities: eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency, and ensuring high quality and sustainable public services.”

-John Swinney FM 2025 (Scottish Government, 2024).

Fig. ME.S.PO.03; Author's Own, John Swinney Sketch

There is a shift toward distributed development rather than centralised growth, with emphasis on regional resource networks and rural sustainability. Investment in areas such as timber innovation, renewable energy systems and skills transition programmes suggests a future economy focussed on material circularity and local production rather than extraction and export.

This funding approach reflects a broader policy direction that links environmental repair with social regeneration. This is illustrated in the above graph, which indicates that national wellbeing is a central priority for the Scottish Government.

Fig. ME.S.PO.04; Scottish Government Expenditure 2024 (D. Clark, Statista, 2025)