The Herald

The Herald | Politics


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.


When Orwell's telescreens learned to walk: Scotland and the threat of spy gla...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
7 Aug 2026 at 2:41pm
George Orwell?s 1984 warned of surveillance?s human cost. Smart glasses now pose a similar threat to privacy in Scotland?s public spaces.


Jeremy Corbyn to take part in Scottish Borders festival later this month
by rose.moncur@newsquest.co.uk | Rose Moncur
7 Aug 2026 at 11:50am
Jeremy Corbyn will return to the Beyond Borders International Festival later this month, joining Nicola Sturgeon, Lyse Doucet and other high-profile speakers.


Fire funding row intensifies as SNP accuse council chief of 'petty party poli...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
7 Aug 2026 at 9:00am
Four weeks after the blaze at 109-112 Princes Street, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth met with council leader Jane Meagher to confirm the funding package.


?Unacceptable for Scotland?: Fresh row over Napier University course
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
7 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
A Scottish Government paper has branded Edinburgh Napier?s largely online neonatal nurse course ?unacceptable for Scotland?, amid wider fears over staffing, skills and safety in maternity care.


SNP auditors ramp up fraud measures post-Murrell
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
6 Aug 2026 at 7:00pm
New accounts for SNP reveal surplus as auditors signal areas of 'heightened risk of fraud'


'The uncomfortable truth': Is it time for us all to pay a little more tax?
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
6 Aug 2026 at 5:06pm
Two economists have spent a fortnight arguing over whether Scotland's top income tax rate lost £22 million or nothing at all. Both agree it barely matters because the real problem is a £4.7 billion gap that only a broader conversation about who pays can begin to close.


Financial support announced for businesses affected by Cairngorms wildfire
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
6 Aug 2026 at 4:25pm
Businesses which have been affected by the Cairngorms wildfire will receive financial support worth up to £3million


SNP writes off £100k motorhome bought by Peter Murrell but party still owes h...
6 Aug 2026 at 12:11pm
The SNP has written off the value of the motorhome bought by former chief executive Peter Murrell with party funds from its accounts, the documents show.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Nicola Sturgeon: I will not visit Peter Murrell in jail or speak to him again
8 Aug 2026 at 3:13pm

The former first minister said she felt like a ?mug? for worrying about her estranged husband

The former first minister also took aim at former SNP MP Joanna Cherry, calling her book ?sh*t?

Henry McLeish said the party should ?get the hell out of any personality conflicts?

The taxpayer-funded Queer Milk?s support for ?chestfeeding? transwomen has caused controversy

97 per cent of students from the most deprived areas continued with their studies

Highlanders say the Scottish Outdoor Access Code needs to be updated to introduce stricter enforcement and fines.

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 hasn't 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

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...

Scotland is now in a FORCED union, not a "voluntary" one: Burnham makes it of...
24 Jul 2026 at 1:35pm
There is no unambiguous outcome to yesterday's readers' poll about the future of Scot Goes Pop as the result currently stands - so far traditional text-blogging is somewhat more popular than videos...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

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?.

Joani Reid readmitted to Labour Party after investigation into husband
30 Jul 2026 at 8:59pm
The East Kilbride and Strathaven MP was formally suspended following the arrest of her partner David Taylor

When will the Scottish Labour leadership election begin?
30 Jul 2026 at 1:58pm
Nominations will open on August 3, but three MSPs have already signalled their plans to run for leader

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

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

NHS Scotland buildings 'crumbling under the SNP' as maintenance backlog grows
6 Aug 2026 at 2:12pm
Many hospital buildings are in a poor state of repair as a maintenance backlog across the NHS grows.

Michael Marra pledges to give Scottish Labour 'back to its members' if electe...
6 Aug 2026 at 10:32am
The leadership contender said Labour could not "argue for power to be devolved across Scotland while holding it ever tighter at the centre of our own party".

SNP membership drops by 10% as party vows to recover 'full amount' embezzled ...
6 Aug 2026 at 10:20am
The SNP's annual accounts said the party would be seeking to recover "the full amount embezzled" by its former long-serving chief executive, who was jailed for five years in June.

The National

The National | Politics

Zack Polanski calls out 'absurd' BBC double-standards for Greens and Reform UK
8 Aug 2026 at 5:59pm

GREEN leader Zack Polanski has criticised ?absurd? editorial decisions from the BBC ...

Keir Starmer was 'not remotely unlikeable', Wes Streeting claims
8 Aug 2026 at 3:56pm

KEIR Starmer?s unpopularity with the UK public was difficult to understand because he was not ?remotely dislikeable?, Wes Streeting has claimed ...

'Sexism is fuelling claims I knew about Peter Murrell's crimes', Nicola Sturg...
8 Aug 2026 at 3:31pm

NICOLA Sturgeon has said that ?sexism and misogyny? are a big part of the reason that people have alleged that she knew about Peter Murrell?s criminal behaviour while it was ongoing ...

Scottish Labour in chaos after insider?s ?untrue? claims about leadership can...
8 Aug 2026 at 3:20pm

Scottish Labour have descended into chaos after insiders accused one leadership candidate of plotting to sack party staff

Nicola Sturgeon pans media over 'narrative everything in Scotland is shit'
8 Aug 2026 at 1:52pm

Nicola Sturgeon has accused the media of peddling a narrative that ?everything in Scotland is shit? ...

Nicola Sturgeon mocks 'obsessed' JK Rowling and Joanna Cherry in Fringe show
8 Aug 2026 at 1:31pm

NICOLA Sturgeon has hit out at both JK Rowling and Joanna Cherry, claiming the pair are ?obsessed? with her ...

Q Manivannan responds to 'deeply misleading' criticism over 'rape spectrum' c...
8 Aug 2026 at 11:44am

A Scottish Greens MSP has said their comments have been 'clearly misrepresented' by Reform after they were accused of 'trivialising the trauma of rape'

Net zero targets could be watered down under UK Government plans
8 Aug 2026 at 9:59am

Andy Burnham?s Government could water down some of Labour?s net zero targets, the Energy Secretary has signalled

Edinburgh festivals show 'Scotland is a welcoming country', Scottish Governme...
8 Aug 2026 at 8:39am

Edinburgh's festivals are sending a clear message that Scotland is an open and welcoming country, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth has said

Vigils remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki are not just about looking back
8 Aug 2026 at 5:00am

Communities across Scotland have gathered for vigils marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

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

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 junkies and their dealers
5 Jul 2026 at 4:40pm
A number of peculiar developments have taken place in Scotland since the Holyrood election in May. These have been disguised by the anti-SNP media feeding frenzy which took place after the conviction of Peter Murrell for the crime of embezzlement, a crime whose victim was the SNP, despite the efforts of the British media in …

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

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 ...

Does Michael Marra still think Andy Burnham should ?shut up??
8 Aug 2026 at 1:40pm
By Liz S Daily Record 28 September 2025. ?A senior Labour MSP has told wannabe party leader Andy Burnham to ?shut up? amid speculation he plans to launch a bid to topple Keir Starmer? Guess who the ?senior? Labour MSP was? None other than one of the contenders for the Labour Branch office manager?s post i.e. Michael Marra. Embarrassing now is it not . That is , it would be embarrassing for any ...

Why do I have such a go, especially at BBC Scotland, day after day?
8 Aug 2026 at 10:56am
Some younger followers may wonder why I have such a go, especially at BBC Scotland, day after day? Here’s a reason: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/i-was-bullied-bbc-over-academic-report-indyref-bias-scottish-media-blackout-must

NHS England plans further cuts to mental health care for children to further ...
8 Aug 2026 at 10:28am
From the Guardian today, the above, and: Millions of adults and children in England face being forced to wait longer for mental health care, with more than two-thirds of NHS providers planning to cut services and half expected to axe jobs, the Guardian can reveal. With mental health services already under extraordinary pressure amid soaring demand for support, experts warned the proposed cuts ?...

?Destroyer Disaster? as Royal Navy destroyer still not in service after 23 ye...
8 Aug 2026 at 9:32am
HMS Daring, a Type 45 destroyer’s mission was to replace the aging Type 42 destroyers after lessons learned during the Falklands War. She was laid down in the BAE Systems yard on the Clyde , 28 March 2003, launched in 2006, commissioned in 2009 and entered active service in 2010 – 7 years later. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Daring_(D32) Leaving aside the 21-year delay between the Falklands...

How Scottish Government caution on government-backed e-scooter rental schemes...
7 Aug 2026 at 4:34pm
Details – https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/08/07/scottish-governments-reluctance-to-support-and-caution-on-e-bike-trials-will-have-massively-reduced-traumatic-brain-injuries/

Just as Burnham would never come to Dunsinane ? In 2024, the Bishop, the thi...
7 Aug 2026 at 1:55pm
You won?t be surprised to hear how in May 2024, campaigning for Labour, there was not a word, from Gordon Brown, this Labour Party elder, of Scotland?s far lower child poverty nor of how the SNP?s child payment is leading to its disappearance in Scotland, nor of Labour?s refusal to end the cruel two-child benefit cap, if elected. Maybe the Archbishop would mention poverty in Scotland and the Ch...

English newspaper looked 10 000 miles south to report opioid crisis in Austra...
7 Aug 2026 at 1:53pm
The Guardian in September 2024 had: Australian demand for overdose drug naloxone more than doubles after spike in synthetic opioid deaths but no mention of Scotland in the report. Why might it have? This: Scotland was the first country in the world 2011 to introduce a national naloxone programme, empowering individuals, families, friends and communities to reverse an opiate overdose. https://...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - 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 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

It's vital Scottish independence media survives. Only you can help - The Nati...
5 Aug 2026 at 5:14am
It's vital Scottish independence media survives. Only you can help  The National Scot

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.co.uk

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

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

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

Sturgeon hasn't spoken to Murrell since he was jailed for embezzling SNP fund...
8 Aug 2026 at 5:46pm
Sturgeon hasn't spoken to Murrell since he was jailed for embezzling SNP funds  bbc.co.uk

SNP approved £23m for unfinished ferries without a business case - The Times
8 Aug 2026 at 4:33pm
SNP approved £23m for unfinished ferries without a business case  The Times

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

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

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

I?m SNP to my core, says Sturgeon as she rules out joining Greens - The Indep...
8 Aug 2026 at 4:23pm
I?m SNP to my core, says Sturgeon as she rules out joining Greens  The Independent

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

It?s open season on Nicola Sturgeon for the SNP - The Spectator
8 Aug 2026 at 1:50pm
It?s open season on Nicola Sturgeon for the SNP  The Spectator

SNP auditors ramp up fraud measures post-Murrell - The Herald
6 Aug 2026 at 7:10pm
SNP auditors ramp up fraud measures post-Murrell  The Herald

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

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 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

Nicola Sturgeon proposes plan to break 'undemocratic' indyref2 stalemate - Th...
6 Aug 2026 at 8:35pm
Nicola Sturgeon proposes plan to break 'undemocratic' indyref2 stalemate  The National Scot

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.co.uk

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

Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum - ...
11 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum  ConstitutionNet