The Herald

The Herald | Politics


New director joins board of troubled Scots shipyard
by jody.harrison@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Jody Harrison
30 Jun 2026 at 10:46am
A new non-executive director has joined the board of the troubled shipyard building Scotland's "fiasco ferries".


Demand for MSPs to investigate impact of landmark ruling on sex offence trials
30 Jun 2026 at 5:01am
Holyrood's new criminal justice committee is being urged to investigate the impact of a landmark ruling on evidence in sex offence trials.


A major shift is underway in Scottish Labour - and Andy Burnham may accelerat...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
30 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Andy Burnham may not yet be in Downing Street, but the prospect of his premiership is reigniting debates about devolution in Scotland and the internal structure of the Labour Party.


'High potential' - the major report that could reignite Scotland's nuclear de...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
29 Jun 2026 at 10:30pm
UK-backed study finds Scotland has strong potential for new nuclear sites, reigniting debate over SNP opposition and future energy policy.


Looked-after children being failed as attainment gap widens, Labour says
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
29 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Scottish Labour claims the SNP is breaking The Promise after figures showed a widening attainment gap and lower positive destinations for looked-after pupils.


Andy Burnham pledges devolution powers for Aberdeen in major speech
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
29 Jun 2026 at 12:42pm
Andy Burnham has pledged to devolve more powers to Scotland as part of what he describes as the "biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen".


Thousands march in solidarity with victims of suspected anti-Muslim attacks
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
28 Jun 2026 at 6:28pm
The ?Reclaim our Streets? rally was organised by Stand up to Racism (SUTR) Edinburgh following the attacks.


Scottish Government faces legal action threat over Monklands hospital redesign
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
28 Jun 2026 at 12:40pm
North Lanarkshire Council could sue the Scottish Government after ministers ordered a redesign of the £2.1bn Monklands Hospital replacement plan.


Scottish Labour could consider breaking away from UK party in summer review
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
28 Jun 2026 at 10:49am
Former MSP Monica Lennon says Scottish Labour breaking away from UK Labour is ?an option? as the party prepares a summer review after its Holyrood defeat.


A night at the museum: I went to a soiree marking America's 250th and left un...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
28 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Greeted by bunting and balloons festooned with the red, white, and blue of the flag, I am offered a glass of prosecco.


Triumphant Tartan Army defied Trump to save what was destined to be worst Wor...
28 Jun 2026 at 7:56am
WHEN my three boys announced they were buying my husband a flight to Boston for his 60th birthday so he could join the oldest and the youngest on their World Cup adventure, I was conflicted.


Criminologist links Murrell's escalating crime spree to marriage breakdown
28 Jun 2026 at 5:01am
A leading criminologist has linked Peter Murrell's escalating spending on luxury goods using money embezzled from the SNP to the unravelling of his marriage to Nicola Sturgeon.


The man with the money: How Peter Murrell is able to repay £400,000 SNP embez...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Peter Murrell once bragged he was "the man with the money". We take an in-depth look at how the former SNP chief built his fortune.


'Demonisation': Citizens Advice Scotland's fury at far-right manipulating com...
28 Jun 2026 at 6:15am
As extremists target Scotland?s poorest areas, the Citizens Advice service tells our Writer at Large of its plans to tackle demonisation and misinformation head on

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Scotland needs 'Manchesterism' even if Andy Burnham fails as Prime Minister
30 Jun 2026 at 6:00am
Persuading the SNP to give Manchester-style powers to Scotland's cities could help kickstart the economy


Andy Burnham promises to devolve more power in 'pitch to Scotland'
30 Jun 2026 at 6:00am

In his first speech since Sir Keir Starmer announced he was resigning, prospective prime minister Mr Burnham vowed to give more devolution to local areas in Scotland

Scotland?s role in Andy Burnham?s plans to revolutionise devolution remains a mystery - but the bold vision could be the bold and positive unionist case that has been missing.

The Makerfield MP, who gave up being Greater Manchester Mayor earlier this month, looks set to become the next Prime Minister.

Wings over Scotland

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Craig Murray

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism
29 Jun 2026 at 9:50am

The provisional surrender document signed by Donald Trump appeared to represent a triumph for Iran and indeed for the world; but neither the USA nor Israel has the slightest sense of honour and they cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith. Iran knows this – after all, the USA twice attacked Iran actually during …

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism

The UK Joins the Pirates
15 Jun 2026 at 1:21pm

I was genuinely surprised by the Starmer regime’s refusal to state that the Israeli boarding of the Global Sumud flotilla on the High Seas was illegal. I did not realise it was because the UK was planning to undertake similar illegal seizure itself. The Gaza Flotilla seizure was illegal: while for obvious reasons freedom of …

The UK Joins the Pirates

Sentencing the Innocent
13 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm

Judge Johnson had proved his fascist credentials through rulings much earlier in the Filton trial than his vicious sentencing. Indeed, he had arguably already shown them when he released Tommy Robinson from a prison sentence, or when as a barrister he had chosen to work for the intelligence services and Ministry of Defence. But in …

Sentencing the Innocent

The Joy of Resistance
6 Jun 2026 at 9:51am

Just a quick note to say that I am very aware that lately I have been rather bitter, which is not good for anybody, especially me. The disappointments and state outrages have been no worse than usual; my frustration at my poor health, and the subsequent constraint of my ability to fight back, has rather …

The Joy of Resistance

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland
28 May 2026 at 7:50am

I went through yesterday’s preliminary hearing in the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action with a sense of mounting horror. We had the same judge as at the permission hearing, Lord Young. We had exactly the same arguments and the same case law being deployed again by the UK government as at …

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review ? Stitch-Up Incoming?
27 May 2026 at 12:58am

The proscription of Palestine Action was sold to MPs and the media on the basis of a deliberate campaign of lies, fronted by Yvette Cooper, then Home Secretary, and Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan police. Both have deep commitment to Israel. Cooper is owned by the Israel lobby. What is worse, they then attempted …

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review – Stitch-Up Incoming?

BBC Scotland

Scottish government has 'no idea' what Burnham's devolution plan involves
30 Jun 2026 at 10:26am
SNP ministers have reacted with scepticism to the Labour MP's proposal to redistribute power across the UK.

Andy Burnham vows to decentralise power in Scotland
29 Jun 2026 at 2:18pm
The Labour MP, who is expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, said he wants to take power away from devolved parliaments and empower communities.

What could Andy Burnham as PM mean for Scotland?
29 Jun 2026 at 6:14am
There are still plenty of unanswered questions about what impact the former Greater Manchester mayor could have on Scotland.

Scottish Labour's election 'disaster' due to unpopular PM - Lennon
28 Jun 2026 at 12:43pm
Former Labour MSP Monica Lennon says voters could not get beyond Keir Starmer's unpopularity.

Scottish Parliament restores online gender search for MSPs
29 Jun 2026 at 5:45pm
Visitors to the Holyrood website are able to search for parliamentarians by their sex and trans status.

King urges MSPs to help build a 'fair and prosperous society'
27 Jun 2026 at 1:13pm
The ceremony, which featured pageantry, poetry, drama and music, marked the beginning of the seventh session of Holyrood.

Ferries agency pays in full for unfinished CalMac ships built in Turkey
26 Jun 2026 at 3:31pm
CMAL has taken legal ownership of three ships as the shipyard faces economic challenges.

SNP whistleblowers were 'intimidated' for raising finance concerns
25 Jun 2026 at 6:23pm
Cynthia Guthrie and Allison Graham said they had been blocked from carrying out their jobs auditing the party's finances.

Scottish government rejects £2bn hospital replacement plans
26 Jun 2026 at 4:20pm
The health secretary said the Scottish government was unable to approve the plans in the current financial climate.

Why is the King opening the Scottish Parliament during summer recess?
26 Jun 2026 at 6:20am
King Charles and Queen Camilla will be at Holyrood on Saturday to mark the official start of the 7th session of the Scottish Parliament.

Big changes proposed to reduce Scotland's prison population
26 Jun 2026 at 7:25am
The changes would see fewer criminals jailed and hundreds of prisoners get out of jail earlier in an attempt to tackle the prisons overcrowding crisis.

Further delay to completion of £209m HMP Highland
25 Jun 2026 at 5:22pm
The new jail being built in Inverness was originally to be finished in 2020.

Scot Goes Pop

King of the South: Andy Burnham will make rule from Manchester as detested in...
30 Jun 2026 at 3:42am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP do...

Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP are dominant in...
29 Jun 2026 at 2:28am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.As regular readers may recall, I've been an elected member of the SNP's Policy Devel...

By-election sensation as SNP *gain* seat in Aberdeen - John Swinney's party a...
27 Jun 2026 at 8:40pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsamp...

Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsample result in ...
26 Jun 2026 at 9:27am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Andy Burnham's plan to rip up the Barnett Formula means he is ri...

How it is still mathematically possible for Scotland to qualify for the secon...
25 Jun 2026 at 2:12pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Andy Burnham's plan to rip up the Barnett Formula means he is ri...

REVEALED: Andy Burnham wants to rip up "The Vow", making a second independenc...
24 Jun 2026 at 3:47am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Grim news for Labour, but good cheer for the SNP, in first poll ...

Grim news for Labour, but good cheer for the SNP, in first poll of the Burnha...
23 Jun 2026 at 2:27pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Keir Starmer's resignation as Prime Minister has made Scottish i...

Keir Starmer's resignation as Prime Minister has made Scottish independence I...
22 Jun 2026 at 3:17pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos: SNP settle for one by-election win out of two - but Keir Starme...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Asylum seekers to pay £10,000 towards cost of accommodation and support
30 Jun 2026 at 6:51am
Under new plans, asylum seekers will have to pay off the full amount before they can be eligible for settled status

What does Andy Burnham?s vision mean for Scotland?
29 Jun 2026 at 6:13pm
Labour's newest MP has called for Westminster's powers to be decentralised and expand devolution

How is Andy Burnham planning to ?fix politics??
29 Jun 2026 at 4:05pm
The likely next prime minister has said "Westminster is broken" and vowed to "do things differently".

Scottish Government failed to provide legally required health checks for arou...
29 Jun 2026 at 2:17pm
The Health and Safety Executive found that the Government made two breaches linked to statutory health surveillance of staff

First Minister John Swinney opens Glasgow?s first walk-in GP service
29 Jun 2026 at 1:01pm
The Cardonald Centre is the ninth practice opened across the country

Andy Burnham won?t take questions after speech setting out vision
29 Jun 2026 at 10:57am
The senior Labour politician is on course to become prime minister in three weeks? time

Scotland?s safety put at risk by Westminster?s armed forces cuts, says SNP
27 Jun 2026 at 7:27pm
Analysis commissioned by the party shows the size of the UK armed forces has been cut by every Labour and Tory government for nearly half a century.

King calls for debate with ?respect? at opening of Scottish Parliament session
27 Jun 2026 at 2:27pm
Charles and Camilla also met local heroes nominated by MSPs for their ?extraordinary contribution? to communities

How are Scottish Labour MPs handling Keir Starmer?s resignation?
26 Jun 2026 at 6:42pm
Andy Burnham is the party's latest MP, and also looks set to take the reins from Starmer

John Swinney blasts ?baseless claims? of SNP ?cover-up? over Peter Murrell?s ...
25 Jun 2026 at 3:49pm
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay had insisted the First Minister was ?at the heart of the cover-up?.

John Swinney to face FMQs following Peter Murrell sentencing for SNP embezzle...
25 Jun 2026 at 2:02pm
MSPs will pose questions to the First Minister in the final FMQs before summer recess

?Concerning gap? between intent and progress in post-school education reform
25 Jun 2026 at 6:48am
A new report said the Scottish Government?s intentions for reform lack a clear delivery plan and progress is slow

Keir Starmer bats away criticism of front and backbenchers in PMQs bout
24 Jun 2026 at 4:55pm
Kemi Badenoch launched barbs at members of Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet on Wednesday

Scotland breaking UN rules on prisoner rights, says inspector
24 Jun 2026 at 1:10pm
It comes as the prison estate has struggled with overcrowding issues in recent years

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Operation Branchform cops' decision to drop SNP donations probe could face ju...
30 Jun 2026 at 10:41am
A decision by detectives in 2023 to focus their probe on Peter Murrell has left some complainers unhappy.

Andy Burnham urged to help Scots councils 'starved of cash' under SNP Government
30 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: A Scottish Labour MP told the Record he wanted to "see less power concentrated in Edinburgh, and more power given to the country's 32 local authorities".

Andy Burnham must tackle the cost of living or hard-up Scots will soon lose p...
29 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
Pledging to devolve more powers away from Whitehall is welcome, but the next PM's honeymoon will be shorter than a Scottish summer if bills don't start coming down, says Chris McCall

Andy Burnham pledges to devolve more power across Scotland away from 'distant...
29 Jun 2026 at 12:20pm
Burnahm told an audience in Manchester "the people of Dundee and Bangor feel just as distant from Holyrood and the Senedd as they do from Westminster".

Yet more chaos in Westminster makes the case even stronger for Scottish indep...
29 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
In his regular column for the Record, the First Minister claims whoever is resident in Downing Street will never operate in the interests of Scotland.

NHS 'wasted' £42m on Monklands hospital replacement plans rejected by SNP Gov...
29 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: NHS Lanarkshire has spent tens of millions of pounds on plans which were last week rejected as unaffordable by Angela Constance.

Peter Murrell scandal puts role of Crown Office in the 'spotlight' after Doro...
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
The Crown has repeatedly denied Dorothy Bain had any role in the decision to prosecute Peter Murrell and drop an investigation into Nicola Sturgeon.

Andy Burnham is not a 'messiah' for Scottish Labour as party needs 'more cont...
28 Jun 2026 at 11:50am
Monica Lennon, who lost her seat at last month's Holyrood election, has previously called for Scottish Labour to break away from the UK party.

John Swinney slammed for giving MSP at heart of scandals new top job
28 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
Newly elected MSP Kirsten Oswald handpicked by Swinney for top team despite involvement in raft of SNP scandals.

'SNP officials were so devoted to Nicola Sturgeon - one offered to take a bul...
28 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
Party whistleblowers told how Sturgeon loyalists 'cried for Nicola' in 2021 SNP NEC meeting when news of Alex Salmond inquiry emerged.

The National

The National | Politics

Islanders told to apply for resident passes to access homes during rocket lau...
30 Jun 2026 at 10:22am

SPACEPORT officials have told islanders living nearby they will need to apply for ?local residents passes? to access their homes during rocket launch windows

Second Scottish council calls for moratorium on new large-scale AI data centres
30 Jun 2026 at 10:21am

A SECOND Scottish council has called for a moratorium on new large-scale ?green data centres? until an official definition is agreed upon ...

First quarter UK growth confirmed but 2025 weaker than first thought
30 Jun 2026 at 8:22am

UK economic growth has been confirmed at 0.6 per cent for the first three months of 2026, but was weaker than first thought at the end of last year, according to official figures

Labour?s boasts on LGBTQ+ history don?t match today?s reality
30 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

The real history of LGBTQ+ rights in the UK is a very different one from that promoted by political parties

Those seeking to divide us come in many forms
30 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

It's been just over a decade since the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, who will forever be associated with a line from the maiden speech she had delivered just a year earlier

UK Government?s new refugee repayment plan branded ?performative cruelty?
29 Jun 2026 at 10:30pm

ASYLUM seekers will be made to pay up to £10,000 towards the cost of their accommodation and support once they start earning, Shabana Mahmood has announced ...

We won?t let hate and violence take over our country
29 Jun 2026 at 8:30pm

I DON?T need to ask what the right and far right of UK politics stands for. For me, it?s writ large every day on our streets. The black clothing, the masked figures.

Compliance with the law as it stands is not ?horrifying?
29 Jun 2026 at 8:07pm

OUT for Independence?s article, ?Westminster is testing our tolerance for rolling back human rights? (Jun 29), objects that the EHRC?s draft Code is ?framed as complying with the law?. That may be because it complies with the law.

Public anger over Glasgow busses revealed in new report amid public ownership...
29 Jun 2026 at 6:01pm

NEARLY nine in 10 Glasgow residents say local busses aren?t good enough, according to a new report into the services.

Legal expert gives verdict on Andy Burnham's vague Scottish devolution plans
29 Jun 2026 at 5:22pm

ANDY Burnham set out ? albeit quite vaguely ? his vision to extend devolution across the UK, including in Scotland ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Fewer than half of MSPs disclose whether they are male or female
30 Jun 2026 at 11:29am
Equalities efforts becoming harder, senior Scottish Parliament official warns

Andy Burnham: ?Broken? Westminster needs ?radical change?
29 Jun 2026 at 1:34pm
The MP pledged to deliver further devolution, including to cities and towns in Scotland

Crime gang members who used encrypted devices sentenced to nearly 350 years b...
29 Jun 2026 at 12:54pm
Operation Venetic, which Police Scotland has been working on alongside the National Crime Agency (NCA) and other international partners, has seen 76 people?sentenced during the six years it has been running

Beyond the Medals: Why Scotland Must Protect Its Pools
29 Jun 2026 at 7:00am
By acting now, we ensure that when Scotland applauds its next generation of sporting heroes, we can also celebrate the thriving community pools that helped foster their success.

John Swinney urged to apologise to former SNP members ?bullied into quitting?...
26 Jun 2026 at 6:00pm
Tory leader Russell Findlay raised the issue at FMQs

Kate Forbes: Christian viewpoints being squeezed out of UK politics
26 Jun 2026 at 11:28am
Former deputy first minister of Scotland gave speech at Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference

Why the summer of sport matters for businesses and communities in Scotland
26 Jun 2026 at 7:00am
Scotland's summer of sport creates an opportunity to strengthen communities and ensure the benefits of these events are felt long after the crowds have gone home.

John Swinney shortlisted for Holyrood?s MSP of the Year
25 Jun 2026 at 11:48am
Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson and Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie are also in the running

Reform councillor censured for ?aggressive? shouting at official
25 Jun 2026 at 10:49am
Alan Buchan found in breach of code of conduct

Why better environmental data matters for Scotland?s rural economy
25 Jun 2026 at 7:00am
Climate action and rural economic resilience are intrinsically linked. With better evidence, Scotland has an opportunity to shape better decisions for farmers, food production and rural communities.

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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,...

Montblanc pens to Le Creuset ramekins: police photos show Peter Murrell?s spe...
23 Jun 2026 at 1:37pm
Haul is only a fraction of what the former SNP chief executive bought using embezzled party moneyPeter Murrell jailed for five years after embezzling £400,000 from SNPThe white police evidence tags on the unused Montblanc pens, picnic sets, Le Creuset ramekins and the chrome Alessi teapot tell a ...

?This changes everything?: how Brexit altered Scotland?s political landscape
21 Jun 2026 at 12:00pm
Former party leaders reflect on the turbulence that followed the referendum in which most Scottish voters backed the losing sideThe decision to quit the EU bolstered support for Scottish independence, which a decade after the Brexit referendum is at near record levels, according to Scottish Labou...

Burnham calls for ?new path for Britain? as Starmer vows to fight any leaders...
19 Jun 2026 at 6:30pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:Cabinet loyalists tell PM he has weekend to set out timetable for exit?Now is the change moment?: Burnham staff have no doubtsPodcast: will Burnham become prime minister?What would ?change? look like if Burnham becomes PM?David Blunket...

Scottish Conservatives win Aberdeen South in shock loss for the SNP
19 Jun 2026 at 12:29pm
Tories? Douglas Lumsden says city has spoken ?loud and clear? in support of the North Sea oil and gas industryThe Scottish National party has lost the formerly safe seat of Aberdeen South in a shock loss to the Scottish Conservatives.Douglas Lumsden beat the SNP?s Richard Thomson by 6,050 votes, ...

?No friends to the oil and gas industry?: Aberdeen South, the byelection wher...
17 Jun 2026 at 3:00pm
Peter Murrell affair may feature, but contest seen as straight fight between SNP and Tories over energy policyThe contest for Aberdeen South, a constituency that spans urban social housing and detached homes with sculpted gardens, has been dominated by one topic: the future of North Sea oil and g...

UK defence spending plan ?well short of what?s required? and harder choices n...
16 Jun 2026 at 6:08pm
Ex-defence secretary John Healey and ex-defence minister Al Carns have given resignation statements to MPsSpeaking to reporters at the G7, Keir Starmer also defended the defence investment plan (DIP) draft that led to John Healey?s resignation as defence secretary last week. Starmer confirmed tha...

France accuses Israeli firm of interfering in Scottish elections and targetin...
12 Jun 2026 at 3:00pm
Cyber agency says BlackCore targeted John Swinney, as well as interfering in New York and French electionsFrance?s cybersecurity agency has accused the Israeli tech company BlackCore of interfering in the Scottish elections earlier this year by targeting the first minister, John Swinney.The disin...

Dan Jarvis named new defence secretary as Al Carns quits government ? UK poli...
11 Jun 2026 at 10:53pm
Government confirms Jarvis?s move from role as security minister to replace John HealeyRyan Henderson, assistant chief constable for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, is about to hold a press conference about last night?s rioting.Andy Burnham is facing criticism after saying that he thinks ...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Burnham, the GB Energy of devolution
29 Jun 2026 at 9:06pm
Andy Burnham’s big plan for the UK is still lacking in detail, but it’s already looking suspiciously like another of Westminster’s power grabs at the expense of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. Burnham’s big speech on Monday during which he unveiled his plans for a Number Ten North. No, Scotland, not THAT north, Burnham’s north. …

The feeding frenzy
26 Jun 2026 at 12:13pm
Peter Murrell was sentenced on Tuesday for a crime of which the SNP was the victim. That has not diminished the appetite of the media in Scotland to continue its witch hunt. Ever since Murrell pleaded guilty the media in Scotland has descended into a feeding frenzy. You’d be forgiven for thinking that it was …

Burnham?s threat to the Scottish budget
25 Jun 2026 at 1:18pm
While the media in Scotland continues to scrabble around in the bins in search of another desperate angle on the Murrell scandal, it’s looking almost certain that there will be no leadership contest in the Labour party. Close Starmer ally Darren Jones, who had been tipped to make a leadership bid, has said he will …

The burst socks of British politics
22 Jun 2026 at 3:49pm
Starmer has gone, a man whose main achievement as Prime Minister was to throw away a landslide majority in the House of Commons and make himself even more unpopular than Liz Truss. The UK is now heading for its seventh prime minister in ten years, meaning that British prime ministers don’t last as long as …

Three by elections and no one cared about the Murrell affair
19 Jun 2026 at 12:42pm
The Tories are celebrating their Westminster by election win in Aberdeen South today. But just as Labour celebrated its Holyrood by election win in Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse in 2025 only to go on to lose this year’s Holyrood election, all this by election result really tells us is that tactical voting in by elections …

The world?s crappiest whodunnit
17 Jun 2026 at 12:20pm
I’ve had my cataract operation, the op was a couple of days early as there was a cancellation. The recovery period is four weeks, but I already notice a massive improvement in my eyesight. The fog has lifted and I’m now able to read much more comfortably. I’m hugely relieved it’s over. Right now, there’s …

Sarwar learns the law of unintended consequences
11 Jun 2026 at 11:52am
Anyone with two functioning braincells knows that the only reason the anti-independence parties and the SNP’s enemies are so keen on an inquiry into the Murrell scandal is because they seek to make political capital out of it, damage a party that keeps defeating them at the ballot box, and with it hinder progress to …

Westminster goes Trumpian and the media in Scotland jumps the SNPbad shark
7 Jun 2026 at 7:26pm
At the behest of Tory MP Andrew Six Chips Bowie, Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee is to vote next week on whether to hold an inquiry into the finances of the SNP. Bowie is of course only interested in good governance and looking after the best interests of the SNP members whose money was stolen by …

The historic failure of the media in Scotland
4 Jun 2026 at 1:28pm
The issues in my left eye, my better eye, seem to be getting a bit better so I’m only half blind now. Many thanks to everyone who left kind messages of support. Hopefully after 16 June when I have the cataract operation my eyesight will improve markedly. The Murrell scandal is of course still rumbling …

Seeing the path ahead clearly
31 May 2026 at 2:45pm
I’m not going to be blogging so much over the next couple of weeks. For the past year or so I’ve had a cataract in my right eye, which has rapidly worsened over recent months such that at an eye test at the opticians last week I found to my horror that I could not …

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

Scotland?s most rebutting ? With greater resourcing Talking-up Scotland is su...
30 Jun 2026 at 10:13am
Halfway through 2026, with increased resources kicking in, Talking-up Scotland is surging. We’re already, for the first six months of 2026, at more than one third more visitors and, crucially, one third more of our fully-researched reports posted, rebutting inaccuracy and revealing hidden truths, at a level (6 per day on average) and in the range of issues covered, way ahead, on this evidence, ...

Labour civil war will go ?nuclear? if Michael Shanks tries to push his small ...
30 Jun 2026 at 8:52am
Headlining on the Herald today, the above fantasy platforming the views of junior minister Michael Shanks (left) and of Ed Milliband. Troubled former Modern Studies teacher, Shanks is still tasked with promoting the building of new small modular reactors in Scotland, regardless of Scottish Labour’s near extinction event in the last Holyrood election and the clear signs of a civil war in the bra...

Desperate and pathetic ? Report damns all maternity services in England as ?n...
30 Jun 2026 at 8:20am
high quality or compassionate care. The top story everywhere in England today, the utterly damning findings of the Amos review of maternity care in England, being investigated by Nottingham Police as curiously ‘Operation Perth!’ You can smell the panic at BBC Scotland as they scrabble around their contacts to find something, anything, bad about NHS Scotland. There is no maternity crisis in Scot...

NHS England authorities paid £33 per patient to remove thousands of them from...
29 Jun 2026 at 4:15pm
In the Guardian today: NHS England authorities have paid providers £33 per patient to remove thousands of them from the lists, many still in great need, and a survey of nearly 2,600 people in England found 16% had used the private sector in the past year. Fewer names on the lists help the government to seem to ?reduce backlogs? and ?meet waiting time targets?. NHS Scotland does undertake regula...

Scotland has only half the TB rate due to lower poverty, more affordable hous...
29 Jun 2026 at 4:13pm
In the Guardian today: One person a week dies with undiagnosed and therefore untreated tuberculosis in England, a study has found. British-born, older men were among those most likely to have TB diagnosed only after death, researchers said, suggesting healthcare workers could be overlooking the possibility of the disease in these patients. Being diagnosed with TB postmortem should be considered...

The real news ? The SNP era sees massive increases in attainment by looked af...
29 Jun 2026 at 2:40pm
In the Herald today, under a frankly creepy image: Scottish Labour has accused the SNP of ?breaking The Promise? after new figures showed the attainment gap between looked-after children and their peers has widened in recent years. Looked-after children are young people in the care of their local authority, including those in foster care, residential care, kinship care or some children living a...

Children used as drugs couriers by English ?county lines? gangs increase in r...
29 Jun 2026 at 10:42am
In the Daily Record today: The numbers of children being ruthlessly exploited by ‘county lines‘ drugs gangs are at record levels, the Daily Record can reveal. County lines operate where criminals from major cities have expanded their trafficking operations into smaller towns often in rural areas. Organised crime groups have been known to use children as mules to transport the drugs long distanc...

Children?s mental health referrals and waiting times soar in England to three...
29 Jun 2026 at 8:48am
In the Guardian today, the above graph and: More than 1 million children were referred to mental health services across England last year, with referrals up 10% from the year previous, according to a report by the children?s commissioner, Rachel de Souza. She said the country faced a ?crisis? in young people?s mental health. The number of patients who had an active referral to children and youn...

Sorry Monica, Scottish Labour collapsed because Anas was so unpopular not bec...
29 Jun 2026 at 8:19am
From BBC Scotland today, the above and: Scottish Labour’s Holyrood election result was a “disaster…made in Downing Street”, according to one of the party’s former MSPs. Monica Lennon, who lost her seat in May’s election, said voters could not get beyond the prime minister’s unpopularity, and therefore “Scottish Labour couldn’t get a hearing.” Mince. They?ve be working this line for years. Last ...

?I see tourists pee in front of my house?? ? the real campervan crisis was in...
29 Jun 2026 at 8:06am
BBC Scotland this morning is going large on: ‘I see tourists pee in front of my house’: The campervan problem on the Isle of Skye. More than 30,000 trips by campervans and motorhomes are made to the Scottish Highlands every year – with many of them touring the Isle of Skye. For islanders, the tourists play an important part in the local economy. But some visitors bring significant challenges to...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

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: More show. Less tell - Enlighten - Scotland's Independ...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell  Enlighten - Scotland's Independent Think Tank

What could Andy Burnham as PM mean for Scotland? - BBC
28 Jun 2026 at 11:08pm
What could Andy Burnham as PM mean for Scotland?  BBC

Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figu...
28 Jun 2026 at 10:58am
Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figure says  The National Scot

Scotland clearly an afterthought for Burnham devolution plans - Scottish Greens
29 Jun 2026 at 1:07pm
Scotland clearly an afterthought for Burnham devolution plans  Scottish Greens

Why should Scots stick with UK after Starmer debacle? - The Australian
26 Jun 2026 at 9:10am
Why should Scots stick with UK after Starmer debacle?  The Australian

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

EU expert gives verdict on Scottish European relations ten years after Brexit...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
EU expert gives verdict on Scottish European relations ten years after Brexit vote  The Herald

Could Andy Burnham's devolution vision be the missing positive case to counte...
29 Jun 2026 at 1:55pm
Could Andy Burnham's devolution vision be the missing positive case to counter Scottish independence  The Scotsman

Friend or foe? How Andy Burnham will deal with the SNP - The Times
27 Jun 2026 at 6:00pm
Friend or foe? How Andy Burnham will deal with the SNP  The Times

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP claims ?nothing of substance for Scotland? from likely PM Andy Burnham - ...
29 Jun 2026 at 2:22pm
SNP claims ?nothing of substance for Scotland? from likely PM Andy Burnham  Newswav

Lawless Glasgow leaves residents terrorised as youth gangs run amok - Scottis...
29 Jun 2026 at 5:41pm
Lawless Glasgow leaves residents terrorised as youth gangs run amok  Scottish Daily Express

How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled ...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled  BBC

Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unw...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unwrapped  BBC

We know what former SNP chief Peter Murrell bought with £400,000 of embezzled...
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
We know what former SNP chief Peter Murrell bought with £400,000 of embezzled funds. What I?d like to know is why  The Guardian

In pictures: The shopping spree Peter Murrell went on with money embezzled fr...
23 Jun 2026 at 10:32am
In pictures: The shopping spree Peter Murrell went on with money embezzled from SNP funds  Sky News

SPICe general election Scotland 2026 results and analysis - SPICe Spotlight
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
SPICe general election Scotland 2026 results and analysis  SPICe Spotlight

Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of a majority  YouGov

Sturgeon defends 'no comment' police interview after SNP funds probe arrest -...
27 May 2026 at 8:00am
Sturgeon defends 'no comment' police interview after SNP funds probe arrest  BBC

Sturgeon showed 'remarkable lack of curiosity' over SNP finances, Cherry says...
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Sturgeon showed 'remarkable lack of curiosity' over SNP finances, Cherry says  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

What could Andy Burnham as PM mean for Scotland? - BBC
28 Jun 2026 at 11:08pm
What could Andy Burnham as PM mean for Scotland?  BBC

Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figu...
28 Jun 2026 at 10:58am
Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figure says  The National Scot

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 Bonds to Create ?Financial Referendum? on Independence - Bloomberg.com
15 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Bonds to Create ?Financial Referendum? on Independence  Bloomberg.com

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

Investors warn Scotland to avoid long-term debt to limit independence premium...
8 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Investors warn Scotland to avoid long-term debt to limit independence premium  Financial Times

How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years s...
19 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years since the referendum?  YouGov

Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell - Enlighten - Scotland's Independ...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell  Enlighten - Scotland's Independent Think Tank

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