Our live coverage of the Scottish Parliament election campaign trail on 1 May is drawing to a close.

In a day dominated by whisky, here are the headlines.

• Donald Trump said he would remove all tariffs on whisky imports in honour of King Charles's state visit to the US
• This led to a row between Scotland's larger political parties over who should get the credit for the whisky deal
• Both the SNP's John Swinney and Labour's Anas Sarwar managed to get access to whisky distilleries, while the Conservatives' Russell Findlay visited a bar
• John Swinney said he'd got a message from Donald Trump last night expressing gratitude for his contribution to the deal
• It later emerged the message from Trump read: "Congratulations John - you were a very big part of my thinking on the matter of Scotland/Kentucky! President DJT"
• Finally there was a call between Trump and Swinney this afterrnoon, allowing the FM to thank the president
• For Labour, the Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander praised the King for playing a "diplomatic blinder" in Washington and he pointed out many senior SNP politicians had not wanted the state visit to go ahead
• Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar argued Swinney should not claim "false credit" for the deal
• Scottish Conservatives lead Russell Findlay laughed off the suggestion Swinney had sealed the deal and accused the first minister of dishonesty
• Ross Greer, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, welcomed the whisky deal, but warned Trump could change his mind and still maintained the state visit should not have gone ahead
• King Charles was praised by Reform UK Scotland candidate Thomas Kerr who said it was wrong for politicians to take credit
• Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the King had achieved what Starmer and Swinney could not

That's all from the live page team today. The editor was Paul McLaren and the writers were Craig Hutchison and Claire Thomson. Thank you for joining us. We'll be back next week as the campaign continues.

Whisky tariffs: a complicated decision made by a mercurial US presidentpublished at 16:54 BST

16:54 BST

Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent

We're less than a week out from polling day, so no surprise - there's a big political argument about the whisky deal.

The Scottish government has been pro-active in making clear the extent of the communication between the president and the first Minister on the lifting of tariffs.

A presidential message yesterday and a nine-minute call this afternoon were mentioned to demonstrate that an idea from John Swinney was a "big part" of the president's thinking.

This was the Kentucky issue - basically the tariffs were depressing whisky exports which rely on Kentucky bourbon barrels so there was a quid pro quo for lifting the levy.

The president mentioned Kentucky in his original social media posting and when speaking to journalists - and he also spoke about the King and Queen and doing this in honour of them.

Labour and the Conservatives are essentially accusing Swinney of the old crime of lèse-majesté, basically offending the dignity of the Crown by supposedly "taking credit" for the deal.

The Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander used a BBC interview to praise the King, saying he "secured the deal" in an "extraordinary piece of international diplomacy".

So, that's the background to a complicated decision made by a mercurial US president.

Meanwhile, in a moment of non-partisanship, the Scotch Whisky Association praised the prime minister, the first minister and the King for each having a “moment” to get this “over the line.”

Has Scotland’s civil service grown by 80% in 10 years?published at 16:46 BST

16:46 BST

BBC Scotland: Aimee Stanton

The Scottish Conservatives posted on X.com, external that “the SNP have increased the size of Scotland’s civil service by 80% in the last 10 years. Are your services 80% better?”

Public sector employment data, external published by the Scottish government suggests the number of civil servants in Scotland has grown over the last decade but by slightly less than 80%.

Scotland’s devolved civil service headcount grew by 72.6% over the last 10 years, rising from 16,800 in 2015 to 29,000 in 2025, while full-time equivalent staff increased by 73.6%, from 15,900 in 2015 to 27,600.

Part of this can be explained by the expansion of Scottish government powers over this period - including a new social security agency being set up, which now has more than 4,000 staff.

Debbie Muir, BBC Scotland News

As we enter the final week of campaigning we look at the six-way battle for the Dumfriesshire seat which has been held by the Conservatives since 2016 after taking it from Labour.

During a hustings candidates heard questions from members of the public.

Infrastructure was a popular theme. The first question was about bus services and lack of them over weekends and evenings.

Next up was a question put to the candidates about two bridges -The Cuthbertson Memorial and Diamond Jubilee – which collapsed in Annan during storms in 2021. Were they going to help get a bridge over the river?

There was debate over what role the council should play in their maintenance were they to be replaced but consensus that it was up to the community to raise the funds to build both or one of them.

For years Dumfries and Galloway Council and the NHS have been using various incentives to draw families to live and work in the region and that very topic was raised by a listener.

The 35-year-old had been born in the region but left due to what he described as the “lack of economic opportunities”. He wanted to know how the candidates would reverse the region’s population decline, the “brain drain” of young talented workers and lack of affordable housing.

You can listen to the debate by clicking on BBC Sounds here

Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland political editor

BBC’s Reporting Scotland programme is getting ready to broadcast an hour-long election special tonight.

The programme, presented by Laura Goodwin, will come live from Holyrood to mark one week until votes are counted in the Scottish Parliament election.

I will look at the problems facing the health and social care services — getting to see a doctor, getting treatment after diagnosis and for some people, getting out of hospital after treatment.

I have met patients at a GP surgery in East Lothian who explain how difficult it can be to get an appointment.

"At eight in the morning you can be number 60 in the queue" said one.

"The appointments are snapped up by two minutes past eight,” said another.

I also look at people trying to get into hospital. Cathy Duff from near Lockerbie was waiting for a hip replacement and was in so much pain she borrowed £15,000 to go private.

She said: "it feels like a two-tier system - those that can afford it get it done, those that can't have to sit in the queue and suffer."

And in Oban, I hear about someone desperate to get out of hospital. It’s more than a year since Teresa Russell's husband John was admitted and treated for a stroke.

Former nurse Teresa explains that her husband has been well enough to come home and that a social care package was in place and then nothing happened.

“My biggest fear is that John is still in the hospital and ends up being there and possibly dying there which would be horrific for me" she said.

In that case, the Argyll and Bute health and social care partnership has apologised for his delayed discharge from hospital.

These stories will be explored on Reporting Scotland on BBC One and BBC Scotland from 18:30.

Here's the final party reaction to the whisky tariffs story, with Scottish Lib Dem deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain MP saying the King is owed a real vote of thanks.

Chamberlain, who also chairs the Scotch Whisky All-Party Parliamentary Group, says he has "achieved what neither Keir Starmer and John Swinney have been able to do".

"I hope he will be able to enjoy a dram of his favourite whisky today and take satisfaction in a job well done," she says.

“At the same time though, it is important to remember that Trump’s whims can change like the weather so it’s essential that we are ready the next time his mood changes."

She says Scotland needs to be building its economy's resilience so it can weather future Trump tariff "tantrums" - and that must mean going further and faster to deepen trade ties with Europe and the Commonwealth.

Richard Forbes
BBC Scotland News

John Swinney has labelled an "international laughing stock" by the Scottish Conservatives leader.

Russell Findlay us accusing the first minister of stealing credit for the whisky tariffs deal, and says “people are sick and tired of SNP misinformation”.

He adds that “John Swinney went to the United States, came back empty-handed, the same with the prime minister and other Labour politicians".

The Scottish Tory leader, who was campaigning in an Edinburgh pub, raised a glass to the King.

Findlay says the deal is a testament to the soft power of the monarchy and the strength of remaining in the United Kingdom.

Findlay also criticises the Lib Dems and the Greens for opposing this week's state visit.

He says if the trip had been cancelled then this deal wouldn't have happened.

Image source, Getty Images

It feels like the Scottish election campaign has been dominated by one huge issue today - did Donald Trump really thank John Swinney for helping to get US whisky tariffs scrapped, or is Swinney "bigging up" his part?

Well, here is the text message received by the first minister's office. Make up your own mind.

Douglas Alexander says the UK government is expecting whisky tariffs and restrictions be lifted "as a result of what has been achieved by His Majesty the King in Washington".

The Secretary of State for Scotland adds: "This is fabulous news for a key industry in Scotland." And he reiterates his praise for the King, saying he did an "extraordinary piece of diplomacy in Washington".

King Charles was able to secure the deal people have been working on for "many, many months", Alexander says.

The Labour MP points out there were many senior SNP politicians who did not want the state visit to the US to go ahead, yet the result of the King's visit shows the benefit of being part of the UK and having a monarch.

Have crime levels in Glasgow increased?published at 15:36 BST

15:36 BST

BBC Scotland: Aimee Stanton and Phil Sim

Reform UK’s Thomas Kerr has issued a comment which appears to link immigration with crime in Glasgow.

In it he says: "Under the SNP we've seen our city become lawless with a rapid rise in rapes and sexual assaults - mass illegal migration is pushing Glasgow to breaking point and anarchy.”

This follows the party’s Scottish leader Malcolm Offord previously saying that police had been put under pressure by “a record number of strangers coming to Glasgow with different cultures and values to our own, making the city less safe for women and girls”.

Looking at Glasgow, when the SNP took control of the council in 2017 the total crime rate was 901 per 10,000 people. This has since fallen to 829, according to Scottish government, external figures.

Last year police recorded 800 sexual assault crimes in Glasgow and 494 crimes of rape and attempted rape. Not all crimes will have occurred in the same year they were reported - Police Scotland has said that across Scotland, 25% of sexual crimes reported in 2024/25 had occurred at least one year previously.

Overall the sexual assault crime rate in Glasgow was 13 per 10,000 people last year, the same level as 2017/18, while the crime rate for rape and attempted rape was eight per 10,000 last year, up from six in 2017/18.

There is no way to prove or disprove a link between these figures and “illegal migration”.

The Scottish government does not publish data on the immigration status of offenders, and Police Scotland's crime reporting system also does not include a marker for asylum or immigration status.

BBC Verify has previously asked Reform for statistics to back up its claim and received no response.

Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent

The first minister has thanked Donald Trump for lifting the US tariffs on whisky exports after receiving a call from the president this afternoon.

John Swinney says the nine-minute discussion gave him an opportunity to thank him personally for ending the tariffs.

Scotch whisky is aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels and the first minister had made the suggestion that lifting the tariffs would benefit the state.

Swinney says the president was "clear" that the idea "formed a very big part of his thinking" - and that he said "he was pleased to be able to do this for Scotland, together with His Majesty the King".

Swinney also says they briefly discussed international affairs and that included the conflict in Iran.

Earlier, the first minister had set out that he had received a written message from the President congratulating him for his part in getting the deal done.

How will the former MSPs now running as independents fare?published at 15:05 BST

15:05 BST

Kirsten Campbell
BBC Scotland political correspondent

A number of MSPs from the last session of parliament are standing again, this time round as independents.

Image source, Getty Images

Fergus Ewing has been sitting in the Scottish Parliament since it opened. As the son of SNP legend Winnie Ewing he was literally born into the party. But his antipathy towards the power-sharing agreement with the Greens prompted so many rebellions he lost the whip and ultimately quit the SNP. He's now standing as an independent, promising to put the constituency before party politics.

Image source, Getty Images

Ash Regan was a leadership contender for both the SNP and the Alba party over the last few years, before deciding to go it alone. Her mini manifesto "Making Holyrood Work for Scotland" talks about joining the dots from evidence to action, by identifying problems and solutions, prioritising them and then delivering real-world improvements.

Image source, Getty Images

Jeremy Balfour resigned from the Conservative party last year. He is now standing as an independent on a commitment to break down barriers for disabled people and upgrade key transport infrastructure.

It's not easy to get elected as an independent, but it has been done before. Dennis Canavan represented Falkirk West in 2 sessions of the Scottish Parliament. He'd been a Labour MP, but failed to be chosen by the party as a Holyrood candidate, so he stood on his own record and won.

Margo Macdonald was an SNP MSP in the first term, but was dropped so far down the party's list rankings she'd have lost her seat in 2003. She too decided to go solo and was successfully re-elected in the Lothians region 3 times before her death in 2014.

Dr Jean Turner won the constituency seat of Strathkelvin and Bearsden in 2003, as an independent campaigner to Save Stobhill hospital.

But it doesn't always go to plan. Andy Wightman, who left the Scottish Greens, failed to be elected as an independent on the Highlands and Islands list in 2021.

Fergus Ewing is standing in the Inverness and Nairn constituency, where the candidates are:

Neil Alexander (Lib Dem)

Fred Campbell (Reform)

Fergus Ewing (ind)

Shaun Fraser (Labour)

Emma Roddick (SNP)

Steve Skerett (Advance UK)

Ruraidh Stewart (Conservative)

Ash Regan and Jeremy Balfour are both standing in the Edinburgh and Lothians East Region, where the candidates are:

Advance UK

Alliance To Liberate Scotland

Animal Welfare Party

Communist Party Of Britain

Edinburgh & East Lothian People

Equality Party

Independence For Scotland Party

Independent Green Voice

Reform UK

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Scottish Family Party

Scottish Green Party

Scottish Labour Party

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Scottish Libertarian Party

Scottish National Party (SNP)

Scottish Socialist Party

Scottish Workers Party Of Britain

Independent - Balfour, Jeremy Ross

Independent - Bonnie Prince, Bob

Independent - Davies, Morgwn Carter

Independent - Regan, Ash

BBC Scotland has already held a special Debate Night highlighting the concerns of younger voters and tonight, a special one-hour Reporting Scotland will bring a host of young voices to you.

It's coming from outside the Scottish Parliament and begins at 18:30.

As part of the programme, BBC Scotland has been to Bellahouston Secondary in Glasgow to ask young first-time voters what issues matter to them, what their impressions are of the party policies and how they would shape the country they live in.

Caleb Fagan is 16 and sitting his Highers at the moment. He wants to study sport and fitness when he leaves school. So it’s no surprise that he would prioritise the NHS.

"I think that health is definitely the most important thing. I think politicians and parties should put their funding towards that” he says.

We'll bring you more young voices throughout the day.

Richard Forbes

The whisky might be slipping down a treat, but Russell Findlay is finding the first minister's whisky tariff claims more difficult to swallow.

Propping up the bar in an Edinburgh pub, the Scottish Conservative leader laughed at the suggestion John Swinney had sealed the deal.

Findlay instead said the credit must go to King Charles for persuading President Trump to drop the additional duty.

Simon Smith
BBC News

Reform UK in Scotland has welcomed the lifting of import tariffs on whisky by Donald Trump.

The US president announced the deal after the King’s visit to Washington.

Reform's Thomas Kerr praised the role of the monarch in delivering the deal and said there had been lots of work behind the scenes by the industry to get the threat of tariffs lifted.

Kerr said it was wrong for politicians to take the credit.

He was speaking in Glasgow while campaigning for improvement to town centres across Scotland.

Image source, PA Images / Alamy

Ian Macleod Distillers brand directorIan Shackleton describes the US whisky deal as "great news for our company and for our industry".

"We can now put behind us the saga and disruption caused by the uncertainty of the past year.

"The USA is a vital and growing marketplace for us."

Regarding the timing of President Trump’s decision, Shackleton adds: “We are grateful to His Majesty The King for his support

"We thank President Trump for his decision. Their efforts will have widespread and positive repercussions."

Image source, PA Media

Politicians cannot claim "false credit" for Donald Trump removing whisky tariffs on Scotch, according to the Scottish Labour leader.

Anas Sarwar is instead joining in the praise for King Charles for getting the deal "over the line."

Last night, the US president announced he was scrapping the restrictions "in honour of the King" but the SNP leader, John Swinney, was quick to claim that his meeting at the White House last year had paid off.

Sarwar also applauded the role of trade negotiators, saying it was "great news" for Scotland's whisky industry.

Has Trump scrapped whisky tariffs for good?published at 13:50 BST

13:50 BST

David Henderson
BBC Scotland news correspondent

Donald Trump is a man of surprises.

So his out-of-the-blue decision to scrap tariffs on Scotch whisky in honour of the King and Queen, fits a well-established pattern.

But there's notable caution on this side of the pond about what exactly he means by it.

Is he scrapping all whisky tariffs - or just some of them?

His post on Truth Social doesn’t make that clear.

In April 2025, the US president hit Scotch with a 10% tariff and the industry said that alone was damaging UK exports by £4m per week.

But much tougher tariffs - set at 25% - are also looming and due to take hold in July.

The last time similar tariffs were in place, distillers of Scotch complained it cost them £1m per day.

So does this sweeping gesture from President Trump consign all these tariffs to the bin for good?

The industry and UK ministers are cautiously optimistic.

But Donald Trump has been known to change his mind.

So there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.

Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent

The Scotch Whisky Association says it has received “lots of messages” from across the industry welcoming the news that US import tariffs are to be lifted.

Speaking at the Deanston distillery in Stirlingshire, the SWA's Graeme Littlejohn says the body is delighted an agreement has been reached, adding how important a market it.

He says almost £1bn worth of whisky is exported to the US every year - around 20% of the industry’s global exports.

Littlejohn adds that the industry has been suffering under tariffs, to the extent of losing about £4m a week in lost exports.

He praises the prime minister, the first minister and the King for each having a “moment” to get this “over the line”, with work now beginning on looking at the detail of the announcement.

Image source, PA Media

Russell Findlay is accusing John Swinney of "dishonesty" following the removal of US tariffs on whisky products by President Donald Trump.

The Scottish Conservatives leader says Swinney has "pathetically and shamelessly" tried to claim credit for the deal which was secured following a state visit to the US by King Charles.

He says: "Dishonest John Swinney is shamelessly, pathetically and disrespectfully trying to claim credit after the King secured a deal with the US president to remove Scotch whisky tariffs.

"The people of Scotland will see right through this typically tawdry SNP misinformation as they raise a glass to His Majesty."