The Road to 2026: Strategic communications for the Scottish Government Elections

Event Overview

As the 2026 Scottish Government Elections appear on the horizon, navigating the dynamic political landscape is crucial for effective public engagement. This forward-looking discussion group is designed for public relations and public affairs professionals seeking to sharpen their strategies and deepen their understanding of the evolving political climate in Scotland.

Join our panel as we dissect the current political environment and provide actionable insights for building influential communication campaigns. This interactive session will equip you with the foresight and tools needed to engage effectively with political stakeholders and resonate with public priorities in the lead-up to the election.

Attendees will gain insights into:

• Political landscape: A comprehensive review of current polling data, voter sentiment trends, and the impact of recent political developments on party standings.
• Strategic communication approaches: Learn how to adapt messaging for shifting public priorities, leverage digital platforms for maximum outreach, and draw lessons from successful public affairs campaigns in recent elections.
• Effective stakeholder engagement: Uncover best practices for building robust relationships with policymakers, understanding the influence of political leaders, and navigating their advisory teams (SPADs).

Our Host:

John Morrison

John is the founder and Managing Director of Morrison Media, with more than 30 years of experience in public affairs, and broadcast journalism. A former Europe correspondent, chief political correspondent and Scotland correspondent, and one of the most recognisable faces on BBC News for over two decades, John established Morrison Media in 2012 to offer strategic counsel, media relations and public affairs.

John’s expertise spans political strategy, stakeholder influence, policy engagement, crisis communications, and high-level media training.

A trusted advisor to senior leaders across both public and private sectors, John regularly supports clients navigating complex political and media environments.

Our Panellists:

Ross Laird, Grayling

Ross has over 25 years’ experience as a political and public policy campaigner. Ross advises a wide range of clients on strategic repositioning, political and public affairs campaigns and wider communications. As Head of Scotland for Grayling he heads the seven-strong public affairs team and coordinates the company’s global healthcare activity.

Prior to joining Grayling, he worked at Citigate, the Parliamentary Information Unit of The House Magazine and in the worked in the House of Commons. In his political and public life, he has been a councilor, parliamentary candidate and has sat on various public and voluntary sector boards.

Catriona Matheson, Linco Scotland

Catriona has gained a wealth of experience working in Scottish, UK and European politics. In 2015 she was promoted to Head of Communications for the SNP in the UK Parliament following the landslide win of 56 MPs, later becoming Chief of Staff to the SNP Westminster Leader. 

Catriona returned to Scotland, becoming a Special Adviser to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in the Scottish Government with responsibility for economic policy.

A graduate of the University of Glasgow and the University of Sydney, Australia, Catriona is an Ambassador for the Scottish Business Network and a Trustee of The David Hume Institute.

Grace O’Keeffe, Openreach

As Openreach Public Affairs and Policy Manager for Scotland, Grace is responsible for public affairs engagement and policy development in Scotland. She sits on the Openreach Scotland Board and works closely with various stakeholders across the industry including the Scottish Government Digital Directorate. She also works with the UK Public Affairs, Policy and Sustainability team pushing forward policy asks to senior figures within UK Government and Shadow Cabinets, with the support of think tanks and organisations.

She previously spent over seven years working in Scottish politics as an adviser to MSPs on a variety of campaigns and issues. Notably, as Head of Office for Alexander Burnett MSP. After successfully running a campaign to elect Alexander to the Scottish Parliament in May 2016 for Aberdeenshire West and re-elected in May 2021 with an increased majority, supporting his work as Shadow Energy Minister and Deputy Chief Whip, in turn assisting a further 30 MSPs. Additionally, she advised Liam Kerr MSP as his Head of Office - carrying over her experience of running an effective team and office management, leading to Liam's re-election and increased vote share.

Kirsty Peebles, Consultant

Kirsty is the founder and former director of Newsdirect which grew from a sitting-room start-up in 2000 into a leading provider of UK political intelligence services. The business was recently acquired by DeHavilland to provide a devolved specialism within the Helio Intelligence group.

Kirsty has monitored every Scottish electoral event since 1997, working with public affairs teams to profile candidates, track manifestos, spot opportunities and plan post-election engagement. Now working as a freelance consultant, Kirsty struggles to put a label on what she now does but it includes journalism, events, training, research and generally being a helping hand for public affairs and communications teams.