Ruth Davidson named Politician of the Year for second time

Ruth Davidson has been named Scotland's Politician of the Year for the second year in a row.

In 2016, the Scottish Conservative leader became the first Tory to win the title, awarded by the Herald newspaper.

She repeated her success after her party had its best Westminster result for decades in June's general election.

SNP MP Alison Thewliss was named Best Scot at Westminster, for her pursuit of the UK government over welfare changes branded as the "rape clause".

In the snap general election in June, the Tories south of the border lost MPs while Ms Davidson's Scottish party ended up winning 13 seats in Scotland.

Speaking at a ceremony at Edinburgh's Prestonfield House Hotel, she said: "I accept this as the team captain of a side that outperformed all expectations over the last 18 months, and I am very proud of the team I am building."

Powerful speech

Ms Davidson saw off competition from both Brexit Minister Mike Russell and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie to take the honour.

The Conservative leader was also named as the E-Politician of the Year for her use of Twitter.

As part of reforms to the benefits system which came in in April, families can only claim tax credits for their first two children, although women are exempt from this if they can show that a child was conceived by rape.

Amanda Kopel has campaigned for a change in the law since her husband Frank's death

A powerful speech by Kezia Dugdale, condemning the system as an "an absolutely sickening state of affairs", saw the former Scottish Labour leader win the Donald Dewar Debater of the Year award.

As MSPs in Holyrood sat in silence, Ms Dugdale read out an email she had received from a woman who had had a baby as a result of rape, in which she said there was "no way I could complete that awful form of shame, no matter what the consequences".

The Public Campaigner of the Year award went to Amanda Kopel, the widow of the former Dundee United footballer Frank Kopel, for her work to extend the provision of free personal care to those aged under 65 with degenerative conditions.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced in her programme for government this year that the change will be made.

Speaking at the time, Mrs Kopel said she felt like she had "scored a winning goal after 52 months of campaigning".

But now she said the changes may not come in until 2019 and vowed that her campaign was "going into extra time".

As she accepted her award she urged politicians to act sooner, saying: "I'm not ashamed to stand here tonight and to ask and to plead and to beg, and the ask the powers that be, please help these people."

Monica Lennon shared her experiences in the Scottish Parliament

Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who was elected to Holyrood in 2016, picked up the award for One to Watch.

She was honoured for her work to combat period poverty. She has also sought to end the stigma surrounding drug and alcohol abuse, making a moving speech at Holyrood about her father's battle with alcoholism.

Former health secretary Alex Neil was named as the Committee MSP of the Year for the work he had done on Holyrood's Public Audity Committee in holding the Scottish Police Authority to account.

Green MSP Andy Wightman collected the honour for Community MSP of the Year for his efforts to combat problems caused by holiday lets in Edinburgh.

The Politics in Business Award went to Conservative finance spokesman Murdo Fraser after he repeatedly challenged the Scottish government on the impact of its business rates revaluation.

Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing was chosen as the Scottish Local Politician of the Year, after defying Labour Party bosses to form a coalition administration with the Conservatives after May's local government elections.