The Scottish election is well and truly over and the work of governing Scotland begins. Our new and returning MSPs have been sworn in, and the work of Holyrood will recommence. For new MSPs the immediate tasks will be practical; setting up their offices, recruiting staff, and finding their way around their new workplace. For all, questions of what briefs they might be given and what committees they might end up on will be front of mind. 

For John Swinney, the formalities of his re-appointment as First Minister will be complete tomorrow and he will soon after announce his new ministerial team. Then, he will be required to turn his focus to the challenge before him: how to build a fairer and more just Scotland? And it is his ability to respond to that challenge that will define his legacy. 

If the election told us one thing, it is that Scotland is politically fragmented. But among that fragmentation and polarisation, people are looking for the same things; a stable and secure home, access to the healthcare they need when they need it, and the resources to put food on the table, cover their bills, and live a decent life. 

Because right now, too many people across our communities are struggling for those essentials. For them, their everyday rights – like the right to housing, to an adequate standard........

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