With just twelve months until Scots head to the polls, the political landscape feels about as predictable as a Scottish summer – which is to say, not at all. Unlike this year’s surprisingly glorious May sunshine, the forecast for Holyrood in 2026 comes with considerably more uncertainty.
Between Westminster’s recent power shift, ongoing constitutional questions, and the ever-present economic pressures facing businesses, the 2026 Scottish Parliament election isn’t just another date in the calendar – it’s a potential inflection point for organisations operating north of the border.
As an agency which spends its days helping tech, renewables, and manufacturing clients navigate Scotland’s complex stakeholder environment, we’ve watched the political terrain shift with increasing speed. What’s becoming crystal clear is that businesses can’t afford to be passive spectators in this evolving landscape.
Here are five things every Scottish business should be doing in the next 12 months:
1. Map your political stakeholders – all of them
If Holyrood politics has taught us anything recently, it’s that influence doesn’t always follow traditional party lines. The days of focusing solely on the government of the day are long gone. Individual MSPs, regardless of party affiliation, are increasingly driving conversations that can impact your sector overnight.
With 129 MSPs, plus local councillors, MPs, and various government agencies, your stakeholder map should be comprehensive. Who sits on committees relevant to your industry? Which backbenchers have shown interest in your sector? Remember, today’s obscure committee member could be tomorrow’s minister making decisions that affect your bottom line.
Don’t wait until manifestos are published to understand where potential allies and challenges might emerge. Start building those relationships now, when MSPs actually have time to engage meaningfully.
2. Translate your business challenges into policy language
Here’s a hard truth: politicians don’t necessarily care about your Q3 targets or your funding rounds. What they do care about is how your challenges connect to their constituents’ lives and Scotland’s economic future.
If grid connection issues are strangling your renewable project, that’s not just your problem – it’s a threat to Scotland’s net zero targets and local job creation. If talent shortages are hampering your tech scale-up, that’s a skills policy issue with implications for Scotland’s digital economy.
The businesses that will thrive post-election are those that can articulate their challenges in terms of policy outcomes. This isn’t about lobbying – it’s about making your business issues relevant to the bigger picture that politicians are elected to address.
3. Forget the constitutional quagmire – focus on practical policy
Yes, independence remains the defining fault line in Scottish politics. No, your business probably shouldn’t wade into that debate publicly unless absolutely necessary.
What often gets lost in the constitutional noise is that Scotland’s government makes countless practical policy decisions affecting businesses daily – from procurement frameworks to planning regulations, from skills funding to export support.
Smart businesses are focusing their engagement on these concrete areas where tangible progress can be made regardless of the constitutional backdrop. Leave the existential questions to the politicians and concentrate on the policy levers that directly impact your operations.
4. Build your local story
Place-based politics isn’t just a Westminster phenomenon – it’s increasingly how Holyrood operates too. MSPs are under mounting pressure to demonstrate their value to local constituencies, especially as economic headwinds intensify.
This creates an opportunity. Can you quantify your economic contribution to specific regions? Do you have compelling stories about local employment, supply chain relationships, or community initiatives? These narratives matter when politicians are weighing which industries to champion.
Remember – “jobs in Scotland” is abstract. “Forty highly-skilled jobs in Paisley” is concrete and resonates with specific representatives who need wins to show voters.
5. Prepare for more polarisation, not less
If global trends tell us anything, it’s that political discourse is becoming even more polarised, not less. The days when businesses could comfortably occupy the centre ground without taking positions are fading fast.
This doesn’t mean your manufacturing firm needs to become a culture warrior. But it does mean you need a clear understanding of where your business stands on issues that matter to your sector – from net zero timelines to immigration policies for skilled workers.
Having thought through positions on potentially divisive issues before they erupt into public debates allows you to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively when the campaign heats up.
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The 2026 Scottish election won’t just determine who occupies Bute House – it will shape the regulatory, economic and policy environment for years to come. For businesses operating in Scotland’s tech, renewables, and manufacturing sectors, the time to prepare isn’t when manifestos are published or when polling cards arrive. It’s now, twelve months out, when you still have time to help shape the conversation.
After all, in politics as in PR, timing isn’t everything – it’s the only thing.
If you’re looking to navigate Scotland’s evolving political landscape and ensure your business’s voice is heard in the right places ahead of the 2026 election, drop us a message – we’re here to help you cut through the noise when it matters most.
