What do recent election results mean for public affairs practitioners in Scotland and Wales
By Clare Jones, Co-Chair of CIPR public affairs group committee and managing director of Grasshopper.
and Lucy Ozanne, PA Committee member and Governance and External Affairs Lead, Scottish Police Authority.
23 June 2026
The May devolved elections have reshaped the political landscape across Wales and Scotland. With long standing assumptions overturned and new political dynamics emerging, the operating environment for public affairs professionals engaging with devolved governments has shifted decisively.
For practitioners, the task now is to quickly understand the new centres of power, the personalities shaping policy direction, and the opportunities and risks that come with more fragmented legislatures.
Scotland
Holyrood has undergone a significant refresh with almost half of MSPs elected for the first time. Not all are unfamiliar faces, with several former MPs and a special advisors making the move to the Scottish Parliament.
The independence debate has renewed momentum with pro-independence parties retaining a majority of seats – however, this is not echoed when translated across to unionist/nationalist vote share.
The SNP returns to government facing tough fiscal choices and, without an overall majority, will need to build support issue by issue. The Liberal Democrats made no secret of their negotiating priorities, effectively putting their bargaining chips on the table in their manifesto.
There were plenty of firsts too. For the first time since devolution, there is no Ewing in Holyrood. The Greens secured their first constituency seats, and Labour and Reform emerged tied as the second-largest opposition force. Reform's 17 MSPs were elected entirely from the regional list in contrast to every Liberal Democrat seat being won in constituencies, illustrating the different tactics deployed by campaign teams.
The new government's slimmed-down Cabinet offers an early indication of priorities including a dedicated Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform, a topic which ran as a golden thread through all the party manifestos. There are changes to chamber business too, with a weekly FMQs dedicated to backbenchers for the first time.
With party spokespeople and committee memberships now confirmed, the priority for public affairs professionals is clear: revisit the manifestos, build relationships across party lines, and get to know a parliament where influence will depend more than ever on collaboration.
Wales
The 2026 Senedd election delivered the most significant political realignment in Wales since devolution in 1999. Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party for the first time, winning 43 of the Senedd’s 96 seats, while Reform achieved 34 seats, firmly securing their role as the official opposition.
Welsh Labour suffered a historic collapse, falling to just nine seats and losing control of the Welsh Government after more than two decades in power. No party secured the 49 seats required for a majority, resulting in Plaid Cymru forming a minority administration under First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth.
For public affairs professionals, this election outcome creates a fundamentally different operating environment in Wales. Engagement strategies, key messaging and policy asks will need to be reassessed to reflect the new political balance. Organisations will need to focus on building relationships with Plaid Cymru and relevant ministers, whilst considering the policy specific position of other groups within the Senedd and where alignment is likely to exist.
Essentially, Plaid will need to work collaboratively with other political groups to secure the number of votes needed to progress legislation. Relating to this, one of the biggest opportunities as well as potential challenges, will be the number of newly elected Members of the Senedd who may have limited experience of government and policymaking.
The election also means increased scrutiny on a number of policy areas including; health, education, economic growth, lobbying rules and the wider devolution agenda. With a minority government needing to rely on cross-party support, evidence-based advocacy and coalition-building will become increasingly important. Public affairs teams should monitor emerging policy commitments closely, engage early in consultations, and position their organisations as constructive partners in delivering outcomes for Wales during a period of significant political change.
Implications for practitioners
Taken together, the devolved elections mark a decisive shift towards more pluralistic, less predictable politics across the UK’s nations. For public affairs teams, the implications are immediate: influence will rely less on long standing relationships and more on agility, coalition building and a deep understanding of the policy levers available in minority government environments.
The organisations that succeed in this new landscape will be those that invest early in understanding new parliamentarians, tailor their engagement to the priorities of refreshed Cabinets, and position themselves as credible, solutions focused partners.