The BBC visited the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency in Scotland to find out what
issues matter most to voters ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections. The main concerns
identified were the National Health Service, rising living costs, and immigration policy. With only six
weeks until the election, this will be a significantly different parliament as one-third of current
Members of the Scottish Parliament are not seeking re-election. The report aims to understand what
ordinary voters are thinking about as they prepare to cast their ballots.
BBC Scotland correspondent Lorna Gordon conducted a constituency-level analysis of voter
priorities in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections,
identifying healthcare provision, cost of living pressures, and immigration as primary concerns. The
upcoming election represents a significant parliamentary transition, with approximately one-third of
sitting MSPs not seeking re-election, potentially reshaping the composition and dynamics of
Holyrood. This constituency research reflects broader patterns in Scottish political discourse, where
bread-and-butter issues often compete with constitutional questions for voter attention. The focus on
NHS performance and household economics demonstrates the continued salience of devolved
policy areas in Scottish electoral politics. Immigration, while primarily reserved to Westminster,
remains a key concern that influences Scottish voting patterns and party positioning. The timing of
this voter consultation, six weeks before polling day, suggests these issues may prove decisive in
determining both constituency outcomes and the overall balance of power in the Scottish
Parliament. Such grassroots political sentiment analysis provides crucial insight into how national
policy debates translate into local electoral dynamics within Scotland's complex multi-party system.