CaSE have been working hard to engage the new cohort of politicians in Scotland and Wales following the 2026 elections.

The Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections have brought a range of new – and many returning – faces to Holyrood and the Senedd. In this changing political world, the research and development (R&D) sector cannot be complacent in its advocacy, nor presume that cross-party consensus on R&D’s value will endure without concerted action. 

This is why CaSE has been working to engage all representatives in Holyrood and the Senedd. Our sector must capitalise on the opportunity offered by these elections to build and strengthen connections with the new cohort of MSs and MSPs, demonstrating how R&D is improving lives and livelihoods across their nations.  

Two months in, and with meetings already in the diary, CaSE has been busy helping this new cohort of politicians get settled in and highlighting the R&D happening right on their doorstep.  

To broaden our reach, and with the support of our project sponsors, CaSE has sent physical Welcome Packs to all 225 politicians across Scotland and Wales. These packs encourage and equip them to become champions for R&D in their constituency, nation and parliament. Each personalised pack includes insights from CaSE’s new public opinion research for their constituency, nation-specific policy recommendations that offer clear paths to action, and a set of case studies of local R&D. 

CaSE’s public opinion research consistently shows that place and purpose are vital connection points when engaging both the public and politicians, and we couldn’t have asked for a better set of examples to reinforce our messaging. The R&D case studies we have gathered from the sector cover a huge breadth of disciplines and geographies across Scotland and Wales.   

It is clear the R&D sector has a vast array of inspiring stories at its fingertips, and we can’t wait to share these with MSs and MSPs.  

Over the coming months, CaSE will be forging new connections for the sector with politicians in Holyrood and the Senedd, sharing and building on the insights gathered from across Scotland and Wales, and urging them to become advocates for R&D in their parliaments.  

We hope that CaSE’s rich evidence on public attitudes to R&D in the two nations and local R&D examples will help your organisation engage with MSs and MSPs. We encourage R&D advocates to join us in calling on politicians of all stripes to help R&D thrive in the UK’s four nations.