Meeting of the Parliament 03 March 2026 [Draft]
I thank members for their contributions to this reconsideration debate, because local democracy is not just an abstract principle but the foundation of how essential public services are delivered in every community in Scotland. Scottish Labour will support the bill, as we did when it was first passed. We support incorporating the European Charter of Local Self-Government into Scots law. The principle has always commanded consensus across the chamber, but we cannot ignore how we arrived here. The Supreme Court did not reject the purpose of the bill; it identified flaws in the drafting that meant that the bill strayed into reserved matters. That was constitutional theatre and it was entirely avoidable. Instead, an entire parliamentary session passed before reconsideration was initiated.
Meanwhile, councils’ autonomy and financial certainty have been steadily eroded by this Government. Partnership has to mean more than just words on a paper agreement. Over the past decade, councils have absorbed increasing demands while navigating shrinking budgets. Decisions have been made about them, not with them, by an SNP Government that is obsessed with keeping power as close as possible to itself.
Embedding rights in law is a basic premise of government. As we know, this Government systematically fails to get the basics right. Local government in Scotland has every right to demand enshrined fiscal sustainability and a genuine respect for local decision making. This reconsideration should not have taken six years. It should not even have been necessary in the first place and could and should have been avoided with more competent drafting and more timely action. However, we will not extend that delay any further today. We will finally approve a competent bill, avoid any further referral to the Supreme Court and deliver the legal clarity that local government was promised.
We must ensure that the principles of local self-government are not just in legislation but, from now on, are reflected in how our Scottish Government works with, respects and funds Scottish local authorities.