Holyrood elections May 2026

[GrabADrink]

I’m at a loss with who to vote for, nearly all candidates are under the spell of the gender woo. It’s totally depressing. What is everyone doing: not voting, spoiling their ballot or voting for the best of a bad bunch?

It really is thoroughly depressing - all of my candidates are in thrall to the genderists, not sure I can ever trust Labour again so it’s looking like I’ll be voting Tory which is a first for me😬
Unless a decent independent turns up, but that’s looking less and less likely at this stage.

I’m horrified at the expected rise in Green MSPs, I just can’t believe anyone let alone women would vote for them. Then there’s all the women who will vote SNP, why would you?!

We have NINE Green candidates on the list for our region, it is actually terrifying😨
Trying not to despair…

I have no clue who to vote for it will need to be a candidate that knows what a woman is

They appear to be like hens teeth though.

Whoever it takes to get rid of the SNP and keep the Greens out, who seem to have become a genuinely dangerous liability. As environmental issues matter a lot to me, this is quite painful.

But yes, I am not inspired by anyone, OP. It's disheartening.

Perhaps the least dispiriting approach is to vote according to individual.candidate rather than party? There are better and worse candidates in almost all the parties, I think.

Ash Regan is now independent and has been staunch in her defense of women.

Some very admirable Tories - Pam Gosal, Tess White (sadly standing down), Russell Findlay.

Some SNP MSPs have defied the whip and stood up for women. But Kate Forbes has gone awfy quiet and is I think standing down?

Labour, too, have had a few willing to state support for single sex spaces. Sarwar has expressed his support, but I find it hard to trust him for various reasons. Joani Reid, although that may be a problematic option.

Libdems none, I dont think?

Greens none. Expelled or left.

I think a lot of the MSPs that are onside are standing down and those that are coming in absolutely terrify me. I’m trying to find out where hustings will
be in my area, at the Westminster election they weren’t very well advertised and often I didn’t find out about them untiL after the fact. So trying to be more vigilant this time round and not miss my opportunity to ask questions of the people who want my vote.

You can also write with questions, to candidates but also the parties.