The Herald

The Herald | Politics


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


King Charles urges MSPs to 'protect Scotland's extraordinary environment'
by Tom Jeffreys
27 Jun 2026 at 2:23pm
The King told the Scottish Parliament to protect ?Scotland?s extraordinary natural environment? as he and the Queen attended the opening of its new session on Saturday


'Intolerance and conspiracy' fuelling division and fear after Edinburgh attacks
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 Jun 2026 at 8:45am
People who 'promote intolerance and conspiracy' are making Muslims feel less safe and fuelling division, two MSPs have said


'He was abused instead of loved': Partner says Tony's life shows why care mus...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
27 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Nicola Ferguson's late partner Tony McDonald suffered years of physical and emotional abuse in Scotland's care system.


Labour tax rises blamed as Scottish construction firms 'on the brink'
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
27 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Nearly half of construction machinery hire firms expect to cut entry-level jobs as tax rises and soaring costs threaten apprenticeships and housing targets.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Drill, Burnham, drill, or you will go the same way as Starmer ? Brian Monteith
29 Jun 2026 at 4:45pm
Brian Monteith is unimpressed by Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham?s big speech


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

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.

A new study said they are a ?national asset of strategic importance?

No political movement, save for a totalitarian one, benefits from unquestioning loyalty to a leader

He is expected to commit to public procurement reform which will centre on ?buying British?

Wings over Scotland

The Fast Track
29 Jun 2026 at 2:32pm
I’ve just recorded an episode of the BBC ScotCast podcast, which should “drop”, as we say in the media biz, around teatime tonight. It focused largely on issues around Operation Branchform, and the fact that only one of the two crimes it concerned has been resolved. Time always flies when you’re having fun, so I …

Ping-Pong-Fiddle-Aye-No
27 Jun 2026 at 2:44pm
Alert readers will have found it hard not to notice that Wings is currently focused on trying to solve one mystery above all others: why nobody has been prosecuted for a massive theft of hundreds of thousands of pounds, which took place in open sight, beyond any dispute, and is openly admitted by someone who …

The Promise
26 Jun 2026 at 3:18pm
This is the letter the SNP sent donors to the ringfenced 2017 fundraiser. The terms are right there in the first sentence, and repeated several more times. The money will be “ring fenced for a future referendum”. It’s to “build up a sizeable war chest to fight the campaign when the time comes”. It’s to …

The Guilty Party
25 Jun 2026 at 1:47pm
These are the people whose job it was to stop the leadership of the SNP from stealing almost £700,000 of “ringfenced” fundraiser money from independence supporters, and who utterly failed at that job. It was also their job to stop Peter Murrell stealing the best part of £500,000 from the SNP, in a separate but …

Hey Lord Don?t Ask Me Questions
23 Jun 2026 at 2:13pm
This really isn’t going to go away. No matter how hard Nicola Sturgeon gets Aamer Anwar to scream about it. Because every time anyone says anything in an attempt to shut down questions, it just raises a whole bundle more questions. The reported comments by Police Scotland today are a remarkable case in point. What …

Job Half Done
23 Jun 2026 at 10:01am
Nobody?s beating this tweet today. But as Peter Murrell begins a five-years-and-three-months prison sentence – more than we were expecting, in truth – let?s not lose sight of the key fact that the theft of hundreds of thousands of pounds of independence supporters? money by the SNP, which accidentally exposed Murrell?s entirely separate crime of …

The End Of Law
20 Jun 2026 at 2:05pm
This really is the most extraordinary statement. The short version is “We’re going to keep breaking the law every day while we think about whether we want it to apply to us or not”. And the really depressing thing is that that’s very much par for the course in the world of the Scottish establishment. …

A Fishy Tale
19 Jun 2026 at 9:54am
It is, if you’re a bit dim, almost possible to believe this. But not for very long. Because while the Labour vote collapsed by a staggering 87% in Aberdeen South last night, the Tory vote only went up by about a third of that. Labour lost 10,000 votes but the SNP also lost 7,000 and …

Response Level Upgrade
12 Jun 2026 at 12:48pm
Our first letter was answered/dismissed by “Service Adviser 1989847”, so this reply to our second one, while it doesn’t say much, definitely feels like a step up. Our KC has offered all possible assistance to the Cyber and Fraud Unit in relation to the matter, and we’ll keep you posted with any developments, readers.

Wider Than A Mile
10 Jun 2026 at 1:06pm
In this scene, John Swinney is portrayed by Stewie Griffin (the baby), and the faithful membership of the SNP is portrayed by Brian Griffin (the dog). ? We’re not sure any words are needed after that, but what the heck, we’re here now. Because it’s really, really difficult to overstate the blind idiot gullibility of …

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

New SNP MP vows to 'serve the people' after Commons oath row
24 Jun 2026 at 7:56pm
Lara Bird appeared to have her fingers crossed as she was sworn in as the new MP for Arbroath & Broughty Ferry.

Scot Goes Pop

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...

SNP settle for one by-election win out of two - but Keir Starmer will only be...
19 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: New low for BBC as they abuse Scottish World Cup coverage as a ...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

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

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

Scottish Government to exclude vape shops from business rate relief
24 Jun 2026 at 9:45am
Deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth revealed a proposal to make vape businesses exempt from relief as of April 1, 2027

SNP urges Burnham to give ?straight answers? on Downing Street plans
24 Jun 2026 at 6:51am
The former Manchester mayor is the leading candidate to take over from Keir Starmer, who announced on Monday he would stand down

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

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".

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.

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.

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.

Scottish Government 'break pledge' to reform 30-year rules on sewage dumping ...
28 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
Sewage leaked into Scottish waters at least 23,672 times in 2025, discharging 22billion litres of waste water into the environment.

'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.

SNP 'fears' inquiry into Peter Murrell scandal as 'many members were complici...
27 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: An expert on the party said SNP whistleblowers who tried to speak out were "harassed, bullied and marginalised" by other members.

The National

The National | Politics

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 ...

The National columnists react to Andy Burnham's pitch to the UK
29 Jun 2026 at 5:15pm

We asked our contributors to give their verdict on Andy Burnham's vision for the UK.

Creative Scotland chief executive steps down after nearly eight years
29 Jun 2026 at 5:12pm

The chief executive of Creative Scotland has announced he will step down from the role

Reform MSP criticised for 'well done' message to Orange marchers
29 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm

A REFORM MSP has been criticised for promoting "one of the most divisive organisations in the country" after he praised the first Orange Order march in the north east of Scotland in 25 years

John Swinney warns Andy Burnham Scotland 'is a nation not a region'
29 Jun 2026 at 4:07pm

John Swinney has responded to Andy Burnham's proposals to "extend devolution" in Scotland

Rishi Sunak's former aide pleads guilty to election date gambling
29 Jun 2026 at 4:04pm

A close aide to former prime minister Rishi Sunak has pleaded guilty to cheating at gambling with bets on the date of the 2024 General Election

Dundee MP hits back after Andy Burnham claim city is 'distant' from Holyrood
29 Jun 2026 at 3:41pm

A DUNDEE MP has slated Andy Burnham after he claimed the people of the city "feel distant" from Holyrood.

Supreme Court rejects Donald Trump?s push to toss verdict in sex abuse case
29 Jun 2026 at 3:21pm

THE Supreme Court has rejected a push by President Donald Trump to throw out a jury?s finding that he sexually abused the writer E Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s and later defamed her ...

Keir Starmer 'wants to be Nato secretary general' after No10 exit, reports say
29 Jun 2026 at 3:19pm

Keir Starmer is eyeing up the role of Nato secretary general following his departure from Downing Street, according to reports

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

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.

Jenny Young: It can be easy to label the other side as bad people
25 Jun 2026 at 2:00am
The former teacher turned Labour MSP for Central Scotland and Lothians West on how she hopes to improve education standards

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

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...

Per capita Scotland?s international football team performs 8 times better tha...
28 Jun 2026 at 12:54pm
Correlate population with international footballing results to show how countries like Scotland and England compare Analyses of FIFA rankings and population show a positive but moderate correlation (roughly Pearson r ? 0.5 between population rank and FIFA rank). Larger populations tend to produce better-ranked teams on average because they offer more potential players to select from. England vs...

All three of the first major hydropower projects in ?Great Britain? in 40 yea...
28 Jun 2026 at 12:26pm
From the Guardian today: Great Britain?s first new major hydropower projects in more than 40 years are expected to move ahead after the energy regulator gave a provisional green light to three proposals as part of a plan to reduce the country?s reliance on energy imports. All three of the new pumped storage hydroelectric power station projects are due to be built in northern Scotland, where the...

Scotland?s Immigration Problem ? Very well done by the Scotland Channel and v...
28 Jun 2026 at 10:43am
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgkuPZxeFxc According to YouGov only 26% of those who were born in England, Wales or Northern Ireland voted Yes, little more than half the equivalent figure (49%) amongst those born in Scotland. In contrast, the division of the vote amongst those who were born outside the UK (many of whom would have been Irish, Commonwealth or EU citizens) was much less d...

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

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

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

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

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

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Dishwasher cleaner used to wash floors at SNP super-hospital - The Times
26 Jun 2026 at 3:38pm
Dishwasher cleaner used to wash floors at SNP super-hospital  The Times

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

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

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

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