Holyrood must do more to engage voters: Presiding Officer

The voices of the people must be heard in the Scottish Parliament following the unprecedented voter turnout at the independence referendum, Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick has told MSPs.

Speaking at Time for Reflection, at the first meeting of the Parliament following the vote, Ms Marwick said that more had to be done to engage the people in Parliament’s business, particularly young women and people from deprived communities. Having already reformed Holyrood’s sitting patterns, she promised renewed ways of engaging the public as the next phase of her reform programme.

Referring to the 3.6m voter turnout – nearly 85% of the electorate – the Presiding Officer commented: “I have been truly humbled by the clear wish of so many of our fellow Scots to be involved, many for the first time. How often have we heard people say they were not going to bother voting because it wouldn't make any difference?

“Not this time. Let us be clear about the scale of this unprecedented level of involvement and what it means for all of us. It is now for us to embrace and nurture that desire for political expression... It is now our duty to make sure that all those who have expressed their wish for the power to be heard, are heard in this Parliament and by this Parliament.”

Ms Marwick said the referendum vote had "changed Scotland forever", posing challenges for politicians, for political parties and for the institutions in Scotland.

"It cannot and must not be business as usual. People have come off their settees, out of their homes into the streets and public meetings, and then into the polling station. They are not going back", she stated.

"It is for the political parties to make their own decisions about how they involve young people, those living in our most deprived communities and women in the future.

"However, this Parliament like other institutions in Scotland must also respond and I pledge to you and to our fellow citizens my determination to do so."

The Presiding Officer already plans to hold a conference in the spring for young women of school age, and she has now asked the Parliament's officials to draw up a programme to expand the Parliament Days – when the Parliament meets at alternative venues around Scotland – into the most deprived communities. "Our committees also need to continue to assess their own programmes to consider when they meet, where they meet and who is invited to speak to them", she added.

Referring to people who inspire politicians to get involved in politics, Ms Marwick said her own "inspiration as a teenager" was Senator Robert Kennedy, brother of President John F Kennedy, and his "ripples of hope" speech in 1966 to young people in South Africa, at the height of apartheid and when Nelson Mandela was in prison.

Senator Kennedy said: "The first element of this individual liberty is the freedom of speech; the right to express and communicate ideas... above all, the right to affirm one's membership and allegiance to the body politic – to society – to the men with whom we share our land, our heritage, and our children's future."

Hand in hand with freedom of speech went "the power to be heard" -- to share in the decisions of government that shape our lives.which shape men's lives. "Therefore, the essential humanity of man can be protected and preserved only where the Government must answer, not just to the wealthy, not just to those of a particular religion, not just to those of a particular race, but to all of the people."

Ms Marwick concluded: "It is now our duty to make sure that all those who have expressed their wish for the power to be heard, are heard in this Parliament and by this Parliament."