In just a few weeks’ time, voters will go to the polls to cast their ballot in the 2026 Scottish parliament election.
After almost two decades in power, the SNP remain the party to beat.
Ahead of the election on 7 May, we took to the streets of Clackmannanshire to ask voters what key challenges they want the next Scottish government to prioritise.
The local authority area – known as the Wee County – often reflects the opinion of Scotland as a whole.
Indeed, the late former first minister Alex Salmond once told Sky News that he began to write his concession speech during the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 after Clacks was the first to declare, and it was a resounding “no”.
Here are some of the top issues voters want to see tackled.
Alleviating the cost of living crisis
The UK barely emerged from the COVID pandemic before it plunged into a cost-of-living crisis.
Years on, the situation is yet to improve for households across the country.
All those we spoke to highlighted their financial woes – from having to spend more on food and general bills, to watching their energy costs soar.
Jackie Conroy and Karen McInroy, who work at Coalsnaughton Post Office and Premier store, said they had noticed a change since the pandemic.
Ms McInroy said: “Everything is getting dearer and dearer and dearer.
“Even when your wages go up, they’re not going up enough to cover everything else. Something needs to be done about that.”
Many spoke of their concern over the negative effects of the Ukraine-Russia and US/Israel-Iran conflicts.
Ms McInroy said the recent warring in the Middle East had cost her extra at the petrol pump, with further fears a potential fuel shortage could affect her ability to travel to work.
Liz and Grant Gillespie
Married couple Liz and Grant Gillespie also…
