Why you should attend The Scotsman and Scotland 2050 hustings
Readers of The Scotsman are being invited to the conversation about Scotland’s future
Hustings are synonymous with pre-election events in which aspiring politicians are asked a range of questions, often about their respective party’s position on various policy issues, but they are also an opportunity for you - the electorate - to get a sense of what they are about and what matters to them.
Ultimately, hustings will help you decide who to vote for in the forthcoming Scottish parliament election.
I passionately believe that everyone should be part of the conversation about Scotland’s future and attending the Scotland 2050 hustings is part of that.
Irrespective of background, age, status or who you vote for, I’m sure we can all agree that what we want is a better Scotland for the people of Scotland.
To achieve that, we need to move away from a five-year model that is more focused on out manoeuvring political opponents, to one that imbeds a proper long-term plan with a focus on output and delivery.
For example, Scotland has an aging demographic, we know that there will be further pressure on the NHS in terms of patient care and delivery. We know that we need more hospitals to be built, but what we are not doing is taking a pragmatic position on how we achieve that, but if we had a long term plan that took the party politics out of the discussions and started from a base point of an agreed position, I believe more can be achieved in terms of progressive policy and a better form of governance for Scotland.
READ MORE: Holyrood 2026: The constituency boundaries that are changing - and why it migh affect who wins
The Scotland 2050 hustings is the only hustings for the people of Scotland and will take place at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, on March 31. Like the Scotland 2050 conference which takes place at the same venue on June 2, the Scotland 2050 hustings is free to attend.
Dubbed as the “McDavos of Scotland”, Scotland 2050 asks the question of where do we want Scotland to be by 2050 and how will we tackle the issues affecting Scotland today for a better tomorrow.
As Scotland approaches its 27th year of devolution, the need for a different approach is clear. The issues we face – demographic change, NHS pressures, skills shortages, infrastructure demands, climate transition – cannot be resolved within the confines of a five-year electoral cycle. They require a long-term, cross-party commitment to planning, evidence, delivery and accountability.
A Scotland equipped for 2050 must be guided by a plan that transcends individual governments, grounded in political consensus and focused on outcomes for the people of Scotland, but it is us, the people of Scotland, who should be leading the charge for better policy making and better governance.
That starts by engaging with those that are seeking to be in office to make it clear that what we want is real progressive change that takes Scotland in a positive direction going forward - and to settle for anything less won’t do.
-Barrie Cunning, Founder, Scotland 2050
To get tickets to attend the Scotland 2050 hustings, please go to www.scotland-2050.co.uk to secure your free ticket and to be a part of the conversation about Scotland’s future.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.