The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Anas Sarwar defends moving to House of Lords amid Scottish Labour infighting
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
9 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
Anas Sarwar has defended taking up a post in the House of Lords and resigning as Scottish Labour leader.


Israel rejects Trump's 'historic' 15-point peace plan for Gaza
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
9 Aug 2026 at 3:43pm
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Donald Trump's "peace plan" for Gaza, insisting Israeli troops will not withdraw until Hamas has been fully disarmed.


Sturgeon insists SNP position on North Sea unchanged despite Swinney's softening
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Aug 2026 at 1:57pm
Nicola Sturgeon has insisted the SNP's formal position on oil and gas "hasn't changed" since she left office, despite John Swinney's softening on new developments in the North Sea.


'Out! Out! Out!': Inside the chaotic Nicola Sturgeon event that erupted into ...
9 Aug 2026 at 1:07pm
Kevin McKenna reviews Nicola Sturgeon's Eastwood Theatre appearance, where questions about Alex Salmond, Peter Murrell, JK Rowling and Scottish independence sparked a heated and revealing evening


Rent controls, co-ops, and AI bans: Meet the Greens on the march in Edinburgh
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
9 Aug 2026 at 8:00am
The Edinburgh Greens face their first big test since the heady days of May, as a pair of by-elections loom in the two local authority wards.


Has Nicola Sturgeon handed the Greens their biggest advantage over the SNP?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
9 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
Nicola Sturgeon delivered a scathing assessment of the SNP. But worse than that, she gave the Scottish Greens advice on beating the SNP.


The ?burden? of Nicola Sturgeon: Inside the SNP fallout over Swinney criticism
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
9 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Nicola Sturgeon's criticism of the SNP has left activists torn over their loyalty to John Swinney and the former first minister.


Is Iran?s brinkmanship set to dictate Trump?s midterm election fortunes?
by david.pratt@heraldandtimes.co.uk | David Pratt
9 Aug 2026 at 6:15am
Trump is now trapped in a war that is not going down well at home and Tehran senses his political vulnerability writes Foreign Editor David Pratt


Sturgeon rules out prison visit as she says Murrell lied to her until guilty ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 Aug 2026 at 2:41pm
Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Nicola Sturgeon revealed that Peter Murrell was still lying to her on the day he admitted embezzling £400,000 from the SNP.


Nicola Sturgeon on JK Rowling: 'My God, that woman is obsessed with me'
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 Aug 2026 at 1:58pm
Nicola Sturgeon used an Edinburgh Fringe interview to dismiss JK Rowling as obsessed, and branded Joanna Cherry's memoir as "s***".


Edinburgh councillors demand review of tram storage facilities amid fire disr...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
8 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
At the time of the blaze, which took place overnight on July 9, the entire trams fleet was stabled at the Gogar depot, in the south-west of Edinburgh.


'I came to Glasgow with my family to study - so I can go back to Gaza and reb...
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
8 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
The SNP pledged before the Holyrood election to set up a scholarship scheme for students from Gaza if re-elected


Smart glasses: Can Scots law protect you from being filmed without giving con...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
8 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
As concerns over smart glasses grow, we examine whether Scots law protects people from being filmed without consent and what Holyrood could do next.


Scottish Labour leadership candidate accused of plotting to ?sack party staff?
7 Aug 2026 at 5:41pm
The Scottish Labour leadership contest has been rocked by claims Michael Marra plotted to 'sack' party staff.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Anas Sarwar says 'my interest is in government' as he defends joining Lords
9 Aug 2026 at 4:34pm

The former Scottish Labour leader caused outrage among party members last month when it was announced he was ditching Holyrood for a peerage and a job in Andy Burnham?s UK Government.

The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) needs the funding to fix faults in the building.

The former chancellor had been due to at an event with comedian Matt Forde on August 18.

It is a difficult debate because I can understand the frustration on both sides - but surely building more facilities is the answer here?

The Scottish government has been warned the cancellation figures are ?astonishing? as the NHS grapples with a huge waiting list backlog.

As the paperback edition of her memoir Frankly hits bookshops, Nicola Sturgeon has revealed she?s working on a crime novel about a former First Minister with a dark secret. With speculation rife about how close Sturgeon will sail to the truth, columnist Euan McColm imagines that fiction debut with his extract from ?The Intolerably Long Goodbye?

Wings over Scotland

The Party Of The Dead
6 Aug 2026 at 2:17pm
The SNP’s latest accounts are out. And the zombie shambles on for another year. The headline figures sound reasonable – the party has turned a 2024 deficit of nearly £400,000 into a surplus of just over £500,000. Unfortunately that’s only had the effect of increasing its bank balance by around £110,000 to £384,320. And that …

Anatomy Of A Grift
5 Aug 2026 at 2:48pm
It’s sometimes tempting to believe that transactivists, and in particular the extra-loud attention-seeking type, are simply mad and/or stupid. But that’s not always the case, because this sounds like some actually pretty cunning work. (Click pic to enlarge.) But let’s start at the beginning. In May this year, the former Scottish Greens candidate Euan “Sophie …

The Plague
4 Aug 2026 at 3:32pm
Ever-alert Wings readers will be aware that for the past three and a half years or so I’ve been the target of a campaign by disgraced former policeman Lynsay Watson, who over that period has relentlessly attempted to get me arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned for knowing – and saying – that human beings can’t change …

Or Something
3 Aug 2026 at 9:37am
We have today sent the following email to the Crown Office. – 3 August 2026 Thank you for your letter of 30 July. I offer one last chance to reconsider. I do so having, once again, taken advice from the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. On 1 July, you wrote to me saying inter …

The Deaf Eyes
2 Aug 2026 at 12:03pm
This email actually came in a couple of days ago, but we’ve been too dumbstruck to respond to it until now. Because, like, wow. Firstly, let’s take a moment to note the weird font change halfway through that central paragraph, as though someone else entirely butted in. Which in a sense they have, as the …

The Nobodies
27 Jul 2026 at 5:10pm
Apologies for the slightly shonky quality of this video, readers, which is due to the fact that ITV are such monumental self-sabotaging clowns that it’s not actually possible to screencap any sort of digital broadcast of theirs – screw YOU, viral content! – so we had to do this by videoing our iPad with our …

Ain?t it funny how things change?
22 Jul 2026 at 11:29am
Then, and now. (Click pic to enlarge.) Scottish politics: where repeated catastrophic failure is just another way to succeed.

The Wheels Of Industry
20 Jul 2026 at 2:49pm
Last Friday’s edition of The National ran this guff: And as we often are, we were put in mind of the greatest politics book ever written. We’d really need to quote a much longer section to fully convey the point – ideally just read all of the piece linked above – but this passage will …

Progressing To Oblivion
19 Jul 2026 at 3:21pm
It’s now more than three years since this site drew attention to the curious case of Progress Scotland, the zombie “polling company” run by the SNP’s Angus Robertson that had no employees and hadn’t published any polls since October 2020, but was apparently still accepting, and soliciting, donations from subscribers, and appeared to have disposed …

These Words Are My Own
17 Jul 2026 at 9:59pm
It’s been another fabulous day on the front pages for Nicola Sturgeon. The stories were triggered by a speech in the House Of Commons from Tory MP Sir David Davis, which you can watch below. ? (It was meant to be a much longer speech, but Davis had to truncate it on the hoof from …

Craig Murray

A Tide in the Affairs of Men
7 Aug 2026 at 9:20pm

Between ten and five years ago, specifically in the light of Brexit, it was not in the least unusual for Scottish Independence supporters to discuss a declaration of Independence as the way forward. Debate more often centred on who should make the declaration – the Scottish parliament or some form of national convention or assembly. …

A Tide in the Affairs of Men

The Hard Right Packing of the UK Supreme Court
2 Aug 2026 at 7:00pm

Unlike the USA, where it is obsessively watched, the UK has no political culture of scrutinising the political composition of its Supreme Court. This is a big mistake. The UK Supreme Court has been deliberately and openly, even ostentatiously, packed with hard-right judges selected on the specific criterion that they will not oppose the will …

The Hard Right Packing of the UK Supreme Court

Scottish Independence: Set the Date!
29 Jul 2026 at 6:30pm

  The Scottish Government urgently needs a bold and radical approach to achieving Independence in spite of the firm London veto on a referendum. It is plain that there is no plan at present. The Scottish Parliament has a pro-Independence majority and government. This is how to achieve Independence consistent with international law and practice. …

Scottish Independence: Set the Date!

Narratives of Moral Conflict: Karim Khan and Delcy Rodriguez
26 Jul 2026 at 6:09am

Social media is not conducive to nuance. In the interest of reach, cut and dried positions are more effective and binary moral judgement expected. This leads to over-simplification of complex issues, and to skipping over facts inconvenient to your chosen narrative. There are issues affecting two high-profile people where it is worth considering the detail …

Narratives of Moral Conflict: Karim Khan and Delcy Rodriguez

Where Are We Going?
20 Jul 2026 at 1:25pm

An advert for the RNLI caught my attention because it indicated that the majority of their income comes from bequests in wills. The pitch was that, after you provide for your loved ones, you should leave money to the RNLI. I have no problem with this, having generations of lifeboatmen in my ancestry, but it …

Where Are We Going?

Extreme Unionism and Res Judicata
14 Jul 2026 at 5:02pm

Unsurprisingly, today at the Court of Session Lord Young refused to lift his suspension or “sist” of the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. He did however grant us leave to appeal against this decision. What was surprising was an extreme extension of the UK government’s argument. The UK government stated that …

Extreme Unionism and Res Judicata

BBC Scotland

Sturgeon has not spoken to Murrell since he was jailed for embezzling SNP funds
8 Aug 2026 at 5:46pm
The former first minister also told a podcast she would not visit her estranged husband in prison.

Sturgeon's criticisms of Swinney reveal tensions in SNP ranks
6 Aug 2026 at 11:01pm
The former first minister's attack on the SNP's 2026 election campaign has led to rebukes from ex-colleagues.

SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts
6 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
The luxury vehicle was bought for £124,550 by the party's former chief executive as part of a £400,000 embezzlement.

Which area has the best grades? Key takeaways from Scotland's exam results
4 Aug 2026 at 2:52pm
More than 130,000 Scottish students have found out how they did in their exams.

Nominations open in Scottish Labour leadership contest
3 Aug 2026 at 10:23am
Candidates in the race to replace Anas Sarwar have two weeks to secure the support needed to reach the ballot.

Amnesty apologises to JK Rowling's sexual violence support centre
31 Jul 2026 at 6:50pm
The centre, funded by the Harry Potter author, had threatened Amnesty with legal action after it was labelled "anti-rights".

Scotland MP Joani Reid readmitted into Labour Party after suspension
31 Jul 2026 at 7:39am
She voluntarily suspended herself after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China but no further action is being taken against her

Burnham says he 'can't ignore resource' of North Sea oil and gas
30 Jul 2026 at 5:19pm
Andy Burnham says he told the US president he couldn't ignore North Sea resources when people are struggling.

Which MSPs believe they can turn Scottish Labour's fortunes around?
29 Jul 2026 at 4:45pm
Nominations to be the next leader of Scottish Labour officially open on Monday.

Joe Fagan becomes third MSP to join Scottish Labour leadership race
28 Jul 2026 at 8:12pm
The South Scotland MSP said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent by-election victory demonstrated that Labour could "win back trust".

GP walk-in clinics see low attendance leading to accusations of failure
28 Jul 2026 at 3:44pm
Scotland's health secretary says it's early days for the scheme and she is enouraged "thus far" - but critics say it should be scrapped.

Michael Marra joins race to become Scottish Labour leader
27 Jul 2026 at 7:40pm
It comes as the party confirmed they will have a new leader in place by its conference in September.

Scot Goes Pop

Bafflement as Gerry Hassan claims the 1979 devolution referendum, in which Sc...
9 Aug 2026 at 1:49pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have sixteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to a new sign-up a few h...

Robin McAlpine wants us to stop using the ballot box to try to win independen...
7 Aug 2026 at 12:02pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have fifteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to someone new signing u...

"Does PALESTINE need nuclear weapons?" - a perfectly logical question if nucl...
6 Aug 2026 at 9:04pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have fifteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to someone new signing u...

The BBC's attempts to sabotage the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will never...
4 Aug 2026 at 11:12am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I currently have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters.  I reckon if I could get...

The Craig Murray and Xander Elliards blueprints for securing Scottish indepen...
30 Jul 2026 at 9:20pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I currently have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters.  I reckon if I could get...

John Swinney's strong denunciation of Burnham's outrageous "off-limits" comme...
27 Jul 2026 at 7:37pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I'm delighted to say I now have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, as a resu...

No. 10 North: How Burnham is signalling with his choice of name that "England...
26 Jul 2026 at 1:56pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.More people have become Ko-Fi supporters of my content over the last twenty-four hou...

Scottish poll DISASTER for Burnham: SNP have massive lead in his first YouGov...
25 Jul 2026 at 12:33pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Many thanks to the several people who became Ko-Fi supporters of my content yesterda...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Scottish Labour leadership race about finding ?party?s missing soul? ? Lennon
9 Aug 2026 at 10:42am
Monica Lennon is yet to gain the support required to be on the membership ballot

Andy Burnham to go on national tour to hear cost of living concerns
8 Aug 2026 at 9:48pm
The PM says he will be in 'listening mode' during his summer tour of the country, but the Lib Dems describe his trip as a 'vanity tour'.

I?m SNP to my core, says Sturgeon as she rules out joining Greens
8 Aug 2026 at 7:21pm
The former first minister had been critical of the SNP campaign in the new foreword to her book

Nicola Sturgeon feels like a ?mug? over Murrell and won?t visit him in prison
8 Aug 2026 at 3:53pm
Peter Murrell, the SNP?s former chief executive, was jailed for embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP.

Unison backs Monica Lennon to become Scottish Labour leader
7 Aug 2026 at 7:48pm
The MSP still needs the backing of at least one more Holyrood colleague to enter the contest

SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell motorhome but party still owes him £60,000
6 Aug 2026 at 12:45pm
The vehicle was bought by Murrell as part of a £400,000 embezzlement from the SNP

Double Scotland?s organic farmland by 2031, charities urge government
6 Aug 2026 at 7:07am
Scottish Environment LINK said increasing organic farming could help farms, reduce climate emissions and boost nature by cutting pesticide use.

?We?re with Ukraine until they win?, says defence secretary on visit to Kyiv
5 Aug 2026 at 4:00pm
Wes Streeting's visit to Kyiv came just hours after fresh Russian strikes on the city.

The prime minister is on holiday, so who is in charge?
4 Aug 2026 at 2:48pm
Unlike most of his Labour party predecessors, Andy Burnham chose not to appoint a deputy prime minister, so who takes the reins when he is having a break?

MSP Clark rules herself out of Scottish Labour contest as nominations open
3 Aug 2026 at 10:47am
Katy Clark has urged the eventual winner to push for the selection of a more diverse range of candidates

Scottish Government making ?woeful progress? on bringing down waiting lists, ...
3 Aug 2026 at 7:06am
Scottish Labour said figures show there were 3,239 ongoing waits of two years or more across outpatient, inpatient and day case lists

Swinney pledges ?personal leadership? on domestic abuse after scale ?laid bare?
2 Aug 2026 at 12:09pm
It comes after two women, Vikki Soloman and Stcey Mair, were both allegedly killed by their ex-partner and husband respectively

Prime Minister Andy Burnham: UK offering Spain ?what help we can? to deal wit...
1 Aug 2026 at 1:41pm
The Prime Minister said he had spoken with Pedro Sanchez after around 60,000 migrants breached the border of its territory in north Africa

Nicola Sturgeon: Women expected to ?carry the can for the behaviour of a man?
30 Jul 2026 at 9:45pm
Ms Sturgeon also said Prime Minister Andy Burnham has a ?very southern view of what it means to be northern?.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Anas Sarwar claims Scottish Labour leader is 'hardest job in British politics'
9 Aug 2026 at 3:24pm
Sarwar told an audience at the Edinburgh Fringe he was still "heartbroken" that Scottish Labour had failed to win the Holyrood election in May.

Scottish Labour leadership contest is most important moment in party's history
9 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
My party has lost its soul but this is the chance to rebuild, says leadership hopeful Monica Lennon.

SNP denied plans to scrap £2bn Monklands super-hospital before election
9 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
The Sunday Mail revealed the scandal in the run up to May's Holyrood election but it was categorically denied by an SNP spokesman.

Green trans MSP facing calls to have whip removed after rape 'spectrum' remarks
8 Aug 2026 at 4:29pm
Q Manivannan told a podcast last year there is a 'demonisation of rape' in comments they insist have been taken out of context.

Nicola Sturgeon claims JK Rowling is 'obsessed' with her and brands Joanna Ch...
8 Aug 2026 at 2:11pm
The former first minister insisted she is not "at war" with the billionaire writer of the Harry Potter novels.

Nicola Sturgeon: I was a mug to worry about Peter Murrell and I won't visit h...
8 Aug 2026 at 1:53pm
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe, the former SNP leader claimed her estranged husband was "lying to me right up until he pled guilty".

John Swinney warned fire service 'cannot take any more cuts' amid devastating...
8 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
Union chiefs have written to SNP ministers to warn firefighters are working themselves "to exhaustion" when responding to major incidents.

Where is Malcolm Offord? Reform UK leader in Scotland 'in hiding' ahead of Cl...
7 Aug 2026 at 12:05pm
Nigel Farage will face off against Count Binface next week after quitting his seat in the Commons to force a by-election in the south-east of England.

Scottish Labour has 'turned to rubble' after repeated Holyrood election defeats
7 Aug 2026 at 11:34am
A former shadow chancellor has backed Monica Lennon's campaign and said her candidacy would allow a "serious debate" within the party.

Donations remain a tricky subject for the SNP despite the party's 'financial ...
6 Aug 2026 at 3:38pm
Donors to the infamous "ring-fenced" referendum fighting fund could yet prove a headache for the SNP, says Chris McCall

The National

The National | Politics

Palestine campaigners raid Aberdeenshire tech firm
9 Aug 2026 at 5:18pm

PRO-PALESTINE activists have been arrested after a report of vandalism and a break-in at a defence technology firm.

Scottish Labour leader is 'hardest job in UK politics', says Anas Sarwar
9 Aug 2026 at 5:08pm

THE leader of Scottish Labour is the hardest job in British politics, Anas Sarwar said as he warned leadership contenders against infighting.

Israeli settlers and chokehold on healthcare 'are existential threat' to Pale...
9 Aug 2026 at 4:19pm

ISRAELI settlements are becoming an ?existential threat? to Palestinians, according to a charity worker based in the West Bank.

Pro-Palestine activists gather in Glasgow for 'festival of resistance'
9 Aug 2026 at 2:01pm

Pro-Palestine activists in Glasgow have gathered for a 'festival of resistance'

Head of 'gimmick' No 10 North commutes weekly from London to Manchester
9 Aug 2026 at 12:40pm

THE top civil servant overseeing Andy Burnham?s attempt to end London-centric government is communing from the city to work at No 10 North, it has been revealed.

Top Labour minister sends all of her children to private school
9 Aug 2026 at 11:57am

A LABOUR Cabinet minister sends all three of her children to private school, it has emerged.

Scottish Labour leadership hopeful admits 'very few people pay attention to us'
9 Aug 2026 at 10:09am

A Scottish Labour leadership hopeful has admitted 'very few people pay attention to us anymore', warning that the party cannot act like a 'private club'

We must drop the victim mentality and take the high road to independence
9 Aug 2026 at 5:00am

Here is a reality check ? the vast majority of Scotland does not persistently talk about independence, as they have more immediate things on their minds

Is Scotland at risk of water shortages as hot summers become the new normal?
9 Aug 2026 at 5:00am

THERE is a general assumption that Scotland has an abundance of water, but with a changing climate and rising temperatures, the picture is much more complicated.

We asked Scotland's 32 councils if they will implement EHRC single-sex code i...
9 Aug 2026 at 5:00am

SCOTLAND?S local authorities will be one of many service providers who will be implementing the UK equalities watchdog?s new guidance on single-sex spaces.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more
6 Aug 2026 at 2:26pm
Annual accounts published

Scottish Government announces fire relief funds
5 Aug 2026 at 3:23pm
Commitments for Edinburgh and Cairngorms

Joe Fagan ?will not stop lobbying? Andy Burnham for Rosebank and Jackdaw appr...
4 Aug 2026 at 3:54pm
Labour made a manifesto commitment not to approve any new licences for North Sea oil

Action call as BP announces North Sea sell-off
31 Jul 2026 at 1:53pm
The Scottish Government has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take ?urgent action? to save jobs after BP announced plans to sell its North Sea operations

Joani Reid has Labour whip restored
31 Jul 2026 at 12:50pm
The MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven voluntarily stepped back from the party over the arrest of her husband David Taylor on suspicion of spying for China

Sovereignty, AI and Matthew Broderick
30 Jul 2026 at 7:00am
In the modern business landscape, there is no option to sit this out.

Joe Fagan announces intention to run in Labour leadership election
29 Jul 2026 at 11:20am
Joe Fagan has said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham?s by-election win in Makerfield showed that the party can ?win back trust? when it is ?serious about changing people?s lives?

Michael Marra and Monica Lennon emerge as Scottish Labour frontrunners
28 Jul 2026 at 3:02pm
Timetable for contest agreed

Andy Burnham appoints eight Scottish MPs to enhanced PPS roles
27 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
The prime minister has given 16 Scottish MPs government jobs

Daniel Johnson: Time is running out for Scottish Labour
27 Jul 2026 at 12:10pm
MSP endorses Michael Marra for leader

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Nicola Sturgeon ?has not spoken to? estranged husband, Peter Murrell, since h...
8 Aug 2026 at 3:50pm
Scotland?s former first minister says she will not visit Murrell in prison, where he is serving five-year sentence for embezzling SNP fundsNicola Surgeon has said she will not visit her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, in prison, has stopped speaking to him and views herself as a ?mug? for worry...

UK politics: Tories? Philp rejects French claim that shots fired from naval b...
28 Jul 2026 at 6:01pm
Shadow minister says there was no warning and ?it looked and sounded like deliberate intimidation?Conservative MP accuses French navy of firing shots near him in ChannelIt is not just the Russians firing on Brits in the English Channel; Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has accused a French...

Poll shows Labour ahead of Reform UK for first time since Burnham became PM ?...
27 Jul 2026 at 5:45pm
New PM says he ?wouldn?t get carried away? by latest polling but says he is pleased if he has ?connected with people?I have already posted lines from Andy Burnham?s BBC interview on reforming social care (see 9.03am), making council tax fairer (see 10.03am), and ruling out an early election (see ...

Evacuated villagers in Cairngorms allowed home after wildfire threat lifts
25 Jul 2026 at 11:08pm
Scottish first minister thanks Nethy Bridge residents and aid workers after earlier requesting UK military aid to fight 10-day fireResidents of Nethy Bridge have been told they can return to their homes after a large fire broke out in the Cairngorms national park.Supt Judy Hill of Police Scotland...

Scottish Labour?s rivals decry ?chancer? Anas Sarwar for resigning to join An...
22 Jul 2026 at 11:17pm
New prime minister has made Sarwar ? the first senior Labour figure to call for Keir Starmer?s resignation ? a peerScottish Labour?s rivals in Holyrood have slammed Anas Sarwar?s shock decision to resign as leader to sit in Andy Burnham?s new government, calling him a ?chancer? and accusing him o...

Celtic leaders doubt Burnham?s devolution drive will go beyond England?s borders
6 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
Would-be prime minister has made basic missteps in pitches to Wales, Scotland and Northern IrelandAndy Burnham?s devolution promises are yet to impress sceptical Celtic administrations hoping for a reset with Westminster, sources in Cardiff and Edinburgh have said.Burnham, who is expected to take...

Celtic nations begin to plan for breakup of UK in event of Reform election win
4 Jul 2026 at 7:00am
Politicians brace for constitutional turmoil if Nigel Farage?s party ends up in government ? or even as a strong oppositionThe rise of Nigel Farage has prompted political leaders across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to game the unthinkable: the breakup of the United Kingdom.Unioni...

Badenoch urges Burnham to condemn defence investment plan as No 10 says fundi...
1 Jul 2026 at 6:00pm
Minister and MPs have raised concerns that his ?poisoned chalice? plan will take cash from much-needed road projectsMinister and MP ?furious? over cuts to road projects to fund defence planDan Sabbagh is the Guardian?s defence and security editor.Andy Burnham is a ?true patriot? who will provide ...

The Guardian view on the politics of Scotland: like Labour, the SNP is in nee...
23 Jun 2026 at 6:25pm
The sentencing of Peter Murrell brings limited closure to a major scandal. But John Swinney?s government faces new challenges in a changing landscapeThe Scottish National party (SNP) is accustomed to presenting Westminster dysfunction as a boost to its case for independence. But the political dra...

Peter Murrell jailed for five years after embezzling £400,000 from SNP
23 Jun 2026 at 2:29pm
Estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon is sentenced for stealing from party over 12-year periodMontblanc pens to Le Creuset ramekins: police photos show Peter Murrell?s spending habitPeter Murrell has been sentenced to five years and three months in jail after he admitted embezzling more than £400,...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The nasty party gets nastier
9 Aug 2026 at 3:04pm
The Tories are on a mission. Having had the title of the Nasty Party wrested away from them by Reform UK and by the even more unpleasant Restore Britain, Kemi Badenoch is determined to prove that the Conservatives are the original and best, or should that be worst, nasties of them all. Last week we …

Even good news is spun into SNPbad by the media in Scotland
5 Aug 2026 at 6:58pm
It’s often said there are two kinds of people in the world, those who say the glass is half full, and those who say it’s half empty. This is in fact inaccurate as there is a third kind, those who say: “Oh my God! That glass is about to shatter into a thousand jaggy shards, …

Burnham?s mini bounce
1 Aug 2026 at 1:39pm
Our visitors have left now. It was lovely to see them. As far as the blog is concerned I’m able to type again. There was a problem with the keyboard on my laptop which has now been repaired. Top tip, don’t spill tea on your laptop. So it’s back to blogging as usual. Andy Burnham …

Why you should subscribe to The National
1 Aug 2026 at 1:15pm
The National’s summer sale is running until Thursday 6 August. During this limited time period you can purchase an annual subscription to Scotland’s only pro-independence newspaper for the bargain price of £20. You might not agree with everything published by The National, but that’s inevitable in a publication which carries the weight of an entire …

Lord Sarwar of Brass Neck
21 Jul 2026 at 9:59pm
It seems to be a law of Scottish politics, or perhaps it’s more likely it’s just a personal curse, but whenever I try and take some time off from the blog a big story breaks and it’s back to the keyboard. What is most definitely a law of Scottish politics is that I’m not nationalist …

Silly season politics
17 Jul 2026 at 4:01pm
With Friday’s coronation of Andy Burnham as leader of the Labour party and his official accession to Ten Downing Street on Monday, the UK is now on its seventh prime minister in ten years. Meanwhile the man who wants to become prime minister after the next general election is fighting a by election with a …

Reform UK?s attack on Scottish languages
14 Jul 2026 at 4:44pm
It’s the greatest attempted Westminster assault on Scottish culture since the Jacobite wars. Reform UK has proposed an amendment to the UK Government’s elections bill which would criminalise the use of any languages other than English or Welsh on electoral material and impose a punishment of up to six months in prison and/or a fine. …

Ich bin ein Bin liner
12 Jul 2026 at 6:08pm
Last week, Nigel Farage announced that he was going to resign as the MP for Clacton in order to fight a by election to become the MP for Clacton. In a pity political broadcast from Reform UK headquarters which was broadcast live by the BBC and Sky News, Farage railed at the media for unfairly …

Alister Jack?s colonialism remains a threat to Scotland
9 Jul 2026 at 5:15pm
The former colonial governor of the northern province, Alister Jack, who was given a peerage by Rishi Sunak as part of a back room deal. Jack rejected an earlier nomination by Boris Johnson in 2023 to avoid triggering a by-election while he was still an MP, only later to stand down for the 2024 General …

The Farage facade cracks
7 Jul 2026 at 6:53pm
Poor Nigel Facade, sorry Farage, the wee lamb has had an almighty hissy fit at the sheer audacity of the media daring to subject him to a tiny fraction of the scrutiny that is par for the course for the SNP. It was all very Trumpian. In a self-pitying Reform UK party political broadcast during …

The Courier

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Scottish Politics News From Holyrood and Westminster | The Courier

Could Rosyth-Europe ferry set sail thanks to Brexit reset?
27 May 2025 at 6:01am
Hopes have been raised for a simple solution to a cross-border problem.

Kirkcaldy MP demands pro-suicide forum is torn down
26 May 2025 at 6:01am
Around 100 suicides have been linked to the sickening forum which provides guidance to people on ending their life.

UHI Perth aviation students warn of ?unsettling times? after training firm?s ...
26 May 2025 at 6:00am
Worried Samuel Hughes, 19, is among students sharing their fears at a time of crisis for Perth College.

Fresh Dundee University strike begins over compulsory Levehulme Centre job cuts
26 May 2025 at 6:00am
University staff are taking five days of industrial action as the institution pushes ahead with plans to axe the forensic research hub.

NHS Fife nurse at centre of controversial trans tribunal suing her own trade ...
25 May 2025 at 2:32pm
A&E medic Sandie Peggie is now taking legal action against the Royal College of Nursing.

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University still to strike rescue deal with government
23 May 2025 at 5:46pm
Opposition MSPs have expressed concern at the time taken to agree a deal almost a month after the fresh recovery plan was unveiled.

6 senior figures who left Dundee University during financial crisis
23 May 2025 at 5:10pm
Several university chiefs have moved on since £30m financial black hole emerged.

Dundee University activist artist leads degree show protest over financial cr...
23 May 2025 at 4:45pm
Duncan of Jordanstone student Finn Millar says he wants to play a part in "keeping the university alive".

John Swinney admits constituents have expressed Perth leisure concerns to him
23 May 2025 at 6:01am
The first minister wants further talks between both sides of Perth leisure debate.

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University chief operating officer Jim McGeorge quits
22 May 2025 at 1:58pm
Dr Jim McGeorge ? who was responsible for good governance - had been on a period of extended leave.

Talking up Scotland

Talking-up Scotland

Reposted after Glasgow Times lets Tory MSP Miles Briggs blame SNP, it was Gla...
9 Aug 2026 at 5:24pm

Scottish Labour Councillors on the board that approved the completion of the ...
9 Aug 2026 at 5:17pm
Glasgow Live today: Taxpayers could face a bill of up to £170 million to repair Glasgow?s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) and adjoining Royal Hospital for Children have been at the centre of a major infection scandal since opening in 2015. The Mail on Sunday has reported that an estimated £120m of further rectification work is now requi...

Reposted to test again if we still fail the Jackie Baillie ethics test
9 Aug 2026 at 12:31pm

Two prisoner release stories make no mention of rehabilitation in England for...
9 Aug 2026 at 12:08pm
In their long-running report on the early release of the killers of PC Andrew Harper and that on a hit-and-run driver (below), there’s not one mention of rehabilitation, probation or of recidivism by BBC UK. BBC Scotland have not even linked to these stories. What don?t they tell us? First, ?recidivism?, re-offending is 5 to 6 times more prevalent in England than in Scotland: The return-to-cust...

An unholy trinity dedicated to lying about Scottish education to please Westm...
9 Aug 2026 at 11:16am
MSM Monitor today, fast and forensic as ever, circles another rabid dissembler on schools in Scotland for the panel in BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show today. Perhaps MSM Monitor only wanted to point to the worst but, when I saw the list, I was frankly gobsmacked by the BBC Scotland editor’s bloody nerve in selecting all three of those assassins, James McAneny, Lindsay Paterson AND Carole Ford. Regul...

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Lost External Power Twice, Raising Nuclear Safety ...
9 Aug 2026 at 10:02am
From Wikipedia: The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in southeastern Ukraine is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world. It has been under Russian control since 2022. It was built by the Soviet Union near the city of Enerhodar, on the southern shore of the Kakhovka Reservoir on the Dnieper river. From 1996 to 2022, it was operated by Energoatom, which o...

Sarwar hasn?t spoken to Baillie since he was ennobled because he ?doesn?t giv...
9 Aug 2026 at 9:28am
Think the above is daft? Think BBC Scotland would never do anything so low-brow so gutter-press? Here’s what they did today:

Talking-up Scotland editor denies Sturgeon to take his job and calls for her ...
8 Aug 2026 at 6:55pm
At last! Free of the reins of power and responsibility, former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon has said just what we’ve been saying here at Talking-up Scotland, for so many times. How many times, is that now? So, 1 381 posts rebutting lies or revealing positive facts, just this year alone so far, around 200 a month, 6-7 a day, since 2014 and increasing our output in recent years, we’d need a yo...

Nearly 20 years since ending Thatcher?s right-to-buy, Scotland has built near...
8 Aug 2026 at 5:11pm
Thanks to Derek Scott for alerting us to this. Lewis is, of course, correct in outlining an emerging housing crisis across the UK but way out on the last near 20 years. In February 2026, aspiring Labour PM, Andy Burnham had this ambition for the UK: Significantly, it is social rent, rather than affordable homes, that Burnham appears keen on building. In February of this year, speaking at the Re...

Scotland has already begun to tackle wasted medicine problem
8 Aug 2026 at 1:57pm
In the Guardian today, the above and: The amount of wasted medicines thrown away in England in one year could fill 75 swimming pools, according to a pharmacy group. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) estimated that 3,400 tonnes of partly used medicines were disposed of in England in 2024-25. The organisation, which analysed data from regional health bodies, also estimated that the problem ...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Could a written UK constitution help or hinder Scottish independence? - The N...
9 Aug 2026 at 10:17am
Could a written UK constitution help or hinder Scottish independence?  The National Scot

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Sc...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Scottish leader  Anadolu Ajans?

Burnham tells Swinney independence is 'off limits' at Commonwealth Games meet...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Burnham tells Swinney independence is 'off limits' at Commonwealth Games meeting  BBC

Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform - RNZ
10 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform  RNZ

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independenc...
21 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independence  BBC

We can grow support for Scottish independence through these ?micro? issues - ...
9 Aug 2026 at 10:17am
We can grow support for Scottish independence through these ?micro? issues  The National Scot

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

John Swinney says he will continue independence push despite Downing Street s...
23 Jul 2026 at 7:15pm
John Swinney says he will continue independence push despite Downing Street saying referendum is ?off limits?  Holyrood Website

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

It?s open season on Nicola Sturgeon for the SNP - The Spectator Australia
9 Aug 2026 at 9:02am
It?s open season on Nicola Sturgeon for the SNP  The Spectator Australia

SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts - BBC
6 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts  BBC

Has Nicola Sturgeon handed the Greens their biggest advantage over the SNP? -...
9 Aug 2026 at 6:35am
Has Nicola Sturgeon handed the Greens their biggest advantage over the SNP?  The Herald

SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell's motorhome but still owes him £60k - S...
6 Aug 2026 at 3:50pm
SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell's motorhome but still owes him £60k  Sky News

SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more - Holyrood Website
6 Aug 2026 at 1:13pm
SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more  Holyrood Website

SNP and Palantir Are Addressing the Manual Work Behind SAP Modernization - ER...
5 Aug 2026 at 10:07am
SNP and Palantir Are Addressing the Manual Work Behind SAP Modernization  ERP Today

Is the SNP turning on Nicola Sturgeon? - UnHerd
8 Aug 2026 at 8:38am
Is the SNP turning on Nicola Sturgeon?  UnHerd

SNP?s £230,000 ?conversion therapy? helpline took only four calls - The Times
8 Aug 2026 at 7:35pm
SNP?s £230,000 ?conversion therapy? helpline took only four calls  The Times

Nicola Sturgeon ?has not spoken to? estranged husband, Peter Murrell, since h...
8 Aug 2026 at 4:31pm
Nicola Sturgeon ?has not spoken to? estranged husband, Peter Murrell, since he was jailed  The Guardian

Zack Polanski just set up a new Greens versus Labour and SNP divide - The Nat...
5 Aug 2026 at 9:13pm
Zack Polanski just set up a new Greens versus Labour and SNP divide  The National Scot

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Sc...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Scottish leader  Anadolu Ajans?

Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote - NZ Herald
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote  NZ Herald

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum - BBC
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum  BBC

Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform - RNZ
10 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform  RNZ

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independenc...
21 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independence  BBC

Polanski in Portobello ? says referendum denial is ?grotesque? - deadlinenews...
8 Aug 2026 at 8:05pm
Polanski in Portobello ? says referendum denial is ?grotesque?  deadlinenews.co.uk

SNP plan for independent Scotland's currency 'not credible', expert warns - T...
6 Aug 2026 at 3:15pm
SNP plan for independent Scotland's currency 'not credible', expert warns  The National Scot