The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Queen Elizabeth 'abhorred' Ian Paisley and his politics says former Irish pre...
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
15 Aug 2026 at 9:32am
The late Queen Elizabeth 'abhorred' DUP founder Ian Paisley and his politics, according to a former president of Ireland


School absences risk creating ?lost generation? of Scotland children
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
15 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Scotland has 'lost generation' of children who are at risk of leaving school without a job, further education or training.


'It's quite unequivocally the most extraordinary organisation I've been part of'
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
15 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Benny Higgins has run banks and advised governments but it is Sistema Scotland's Big Noise, the charity he chairs, based yards from where he grew up, that he says is the most extraordinary.


'It reeks?: Scottish Labour leadership hopefuls urged to probe campaign syste...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
15 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Scottish Labour leadership contenders face calls to probe unanswered questions over campaign system access during the Holyrood election.


Major boost for city of Aberdeen amid BP exit fall-out
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
14 Aug 2026 at 4:30pm
New figures show Aberdeen had strongest quarter for office take-up since before pandemic


Count Binface announces Edinburgh Fringe show following Clacton by-election
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
14 Aug 2026 at 1:07pm
Count Binface has announced a one-off show at the Edinburgh Fringe following the Clacton by-election


Fagan to scrap Sarwar's rule preventing pacts with other parties in town halls
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
14 Aug 2026 at 12:03pm
Joe Fagan has launched his Scottish Labour leadership bid by promising to scrap Anas Sarwar's ban on council pacts and offer John Swinney five tests to unlock Labour support for the next Holyrood budget.


Leadership hopeful Joe Fagan: Scottish Labour must be bold in wake of electio...
by Katrine Bussey
14 Aug 2026 at 12:01pm
Joe Fagan said the party must now look to ?shape what happens next?.


Herald cartoon: Steven Camley on the Scottish Government's lost devices
14 Aug 2026 at 8:10am
What do you think of today's cartoon?


Farage wins in Clacton as police dispute ?credible threat? claim at count
by Harry Taylor
14 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
The results of the by-election were declared just after 6am


Scottish Government insists no data breach despite dozens of devices lost or ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
14 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Freedom of information figures show 78 Scottish Government phones and laptops went missing over 18 months, yet none were reported to the UK data protection watchdog.


Fire service overtime hits almost £6m as system is 'creaking and straining'
by Rachel Keenan
14 Aug 2026 at 12:01am
Scotland?s retained duty firefighter system is ?creaking and straining?, the Liberal Democrats have claimed in light of new statistics.


Scottish Labour lost access to campaign tools after Sarwar called for Starmer...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
14 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Scottish Labour campaigners lost access to key election tools days after Anas Sarwar called for Keir Starmer to resign, The Herald understands.


Scottish Water chiefs' 2026 bonuses are branded 'eye-watering'
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
13 Aug 2026 at 4:31pm
The executive members' remuneration for 2026 has been revealed in publicly owned Scottish Water's annual report, with their bonuses branded "eye-watering."

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Nicola Sturgeon?s SNP book comments were a ?mistake?, says Stephen Flynn
15 Aug 2026 at 2:50pm

The former Westminster leader was asked about the comments whilst speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe event the Political Party with Matt Forde

The Manivannan affair is a test for Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer

Wings over Scotland

Believers In The Ruins
13 Aug 2026 at 2:01pm
Not done with celebrating defeat in an imaginary UDI yesterday, The National has gone with another big polling-based front cover today, and the party’s woke young stormtrooper drones are beside themselves with malignant glee. Let’s just see what they’re cheering about. Oh. That 29% figure is actually one point DOWN on the SNP’s support in …

The Other Kind Of Winning
12 Aug 2026 at 12:28pm
The National runs headlines like this quite often. The sort-of newspaper doesn’t actually have a sports section – it just publishes The Herald’s – but if it did you have to wonder what it would look like. That IS the story, too. The actual figure in the poll The National reports is 35%, almost exactly …

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 …

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

Victims call for sex attackers to be excluded from early release plans
14 Aug 2026 at 6:16am
Scottish government plans could see long-term prisoners released early to free up more space in prisons.

Temporary ban on disposable BBQs as military deployed to help battle wildfires
15 Aug 2026 at 4:58am
Single-use grills pose a "significant risk to the public" in current drought and heatwave conditions, the government warns.

Count Binface to perform at Fringe after by-election defeat
14 Aug 2026 at 2:56pm
The alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey finished second to Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election.

Scottish Labour leader hopefuls warn against party divisions
12 Aug 2026 at 10:20pm
Monica Lennon, Joe Fagan and Michael Marra are competing to fill the post vacated by Anas Sarwar.

Scotland's public spending deficit falls as tax take rises
12 Aug 2026 at 11:43am
Ministers have published the annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) report.

Swinney calls for Burnham rethink on Chinese factory in Highlands
12 Aug 2026 at 4:39pm
The first minister is dismissing claims he is putting political point scoring before national security concerns.

Homes near pylons to get £250 a year off energy bills ? first sites revealed
12 Aug 2026 at 8:30am
Households living within 1,600ft of upgraded pylons will get £250 a year off their electricity bills.

What is happening with the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields?
11 Aug 2026 at 6:03am
The UK government has moved a step closer to making a decision on whether to approve further drilling.

MSP apologises for hurt caused by rape 'demonisation' comments
10 Aug 2026 at 6:22pm
Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan is facing criticism from rape survivors groups and politicians over a podcast interview.

Sarwar stands by call for Lords to be abolished despite accepting peerage
9 Aug 2026 at 6:38pm
The former Scottish Labour leader tells BBC Scotland News he still believes the UK should have an elected senate of the nations and regions.

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

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.

Scot Goes Pop

Seven Days Of Retro Scot Goes Pop - a marathon of conventional text-blogging ...
14 Aug 2026 at 11:45pm
Click here to go straight to my Ko-Fi donation page.Those of you who have been keeping an eye on the footer of each post will know I've been making slow but steady progress towards using Ko-Fi to m...

Analysis of the very strange Clacton by-election result
14 Aug 2026 at 11:07am
Just a quick note to let you know that I was up early this morning to write an analysis piece about the Clacton by-election result for The National, and you can read it HERE.I know that Reform have...

The Scottish REVOLUTION! Almost half of Scottish voters demand U.D.I. in hist...
13 Aug 2026 at 10:17pm
I now have seventeen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to another recent sign-up.  I reckon if I could get up to several dozen monthly supporters that would make it sustainable for me to kee...

Analysis of the first full-scale poll of Scottish voting intentions for Westm...
13 Aug 2026 at 9:47am
Just a quick note to let you know I have a new article in The National about the freshly-released Westminster numbers from the paper's Find Out Now poll, which show: SNP 29%, Labour 18%, Reform UK ...

Scotland wants OUT of Burnham's United Kingdom PRISON, shows dramatic indepen...
11 Aug 2026 at 11:23am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have sixteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters - many thanks to them all.  I re...

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

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

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

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Flynn reveals he resigned as Westminster leader weeks before Holyrood election
15 Aug 2026 at 6:39pm
Former Westminster leader Stephen Flynn made the comments at Edinburgh Fringe event Political Party with Matt Forde.

Swinney urges commentators to ?consider impact of words? after Jason Arday death
15 Aug 2026 at 6:01pm
Scotland?s First Minister described the death of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday as being a ?deeply concerning and sad case?.

Sturgeon?s SNP book comments were a ?mistake?, says Flynn
15 Aug 2026 at 3:58pm
The former Westminster leader was asked about the comments at the Edinburgh Fringe event the Political Party with Matt Forde.

Scottish Labour must be bold in wake of election defeat, says leadership hopeful
14 Aug 2026 at 11:49am
Joe Fagan said the party must now look to ?shape what happens next?

Farage wins in Clacton as police contest ?credible threat? claim at count
14 Aug 2026 at 8:57am
A record 34 candidates were standing, with satirical candidate Count Binface as Farage's main challenger, after the other mainstream parties declined to stand

Scottish Labour has said it must change ? but I can?t see much on offer to do so
13 Aug 2026 at 1:08pm
Colin Mackay looks at how the Scottish Labour leadership contenders fared as they faced each other for the first time at a party hustings

Scottish young people call on Andy Burnham to rethink social media ban
13 Aug 2026 at 7:29am
Youth groups have warned the Prime Minister the plans could lead young people to less regulated parts of the internet.

Swinney urged to meet campaigners demanding pause on hyperscale data centres
12 Aug 2026 at 7:01am
Councils are due to decide on two proposed data centres in Auchertool, Fife, and Larbert, near Falkirk.

Green MSP apologises after rape ?spectrum? comments
10 Aug 2026 at 3:27pm
Manivannan faced backlash from Scotland?s children?s minister, as well as Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

JK Rowling seems to be obsessed with me, says Nicola Sturgeon
10 Aug 2026 at 8:57am
The former first minister made the comments during an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Financial support of £3m announced for islanders affected by ferry disruption
10 Aug 2026 at 7:43am
First Minister John Swinney said that island businesses were too often ?held back by circumstances outside their control?

Andy Burnham faces choice on drilling as North Sea consultation closes
10 Aug 2026 at 7:37am
As Britain braces for its fifth heatwave, environmental groups have urged the Prime Minister to refuse permission for oil and gas production in two areas

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

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

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Stephen Flynn says Nicola Sturgeon's SNP book comments were 'a mistake'
15 Aug 2026 at 2:56pm
The former Westminster leader was asked about the comments which were published in the paperback edition of Ms Sturgeon?s memoir.

Anas Sarwar's legacy as Scottish Labour leader 'demolished' by the candidates...
15 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
In an opinion piece, Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says Sarwar's decisions in charge are facing a barrage of criticism.

Scottish Labour leadership hopeful hits out at Anas Sarwar over support for g...
15 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Joe Fagan said Labour should have abstained on the gender reform law and also said trans rapist Isla Bryson is a man.

Why the UK Government veto on a £1.5 billion energy project is so disappointing
14 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
In an article for the Record, the SNP Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy Stephen Gethins questions the decision to block a major renewables investment.

'TikTok gold rush' as SNP Government uses social media influencers to promote...
14 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: A PR industry figure said the government was scrambling "for the attention of young and apathetic voters" who are turned off by politicians who share "pre-rehearsed soundbites".

Scottish Labour leadership contender calls on Jackie Baillie to stand down as...
13 Aug 2026 at 1:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: Monica Lennon said the post of deputy leader should not be held by an MSP, which would require Baillie to stand down.

Scottish Water chiefs awarded £258,000 in bonuses despite price rises for cus...
13 Aug 2026 at 10:47am
EXCLUSIVE: The bonuses were included in the body's latest accounts.

Scots understand Monica Lennon and her values - that's why she should be next...
13 Aug 2026 at 10:35am
Writing for the Record, Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank backs Monica Lennon to become the next leader of Scottish Labour.

John Swinney 'absolutely right' to intervene on wind turbine factory despite ...
13 Aug 2026 at 10:23am
The plans were originally blocked by the UK Government over national security concerns about the Chinese firm.

Alex Salmond ally announced as lobbyist for anti-abortion charity
13 Aug 2026 at 9:36am
Chris McEleny has taken up the role with the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.

The National

The National | Politics

Media must reflect on 'impact of their words' after Jason Arday?s death, FM says
15 Aug 2026 at 4:56pm

THE First Minister described the death of Jason Arday as a "deeply concerning" case and criticised the media coverage surrounding the former University of Cambridge professor.

Nicola Sturgeon made 'mistake' criticising SNP in book foreword, Stephen Flyn...
15 Aug 2026 at 2:56pm

STEPHEN Flynn has said he thinks Nicola Sturgeon ?made a mistake? publishing comments on the SNP's campaign strategy in the foreword of her book.

BBC seeks to subpoena family of Donald Trump in bid to build defamation defence
15 Aug 2026 at 9:17am

THE BBC is seeking to subpoena several members of Donald Trump's family as the broadcaster prepares its defence in a high-profile defamation lawsuit.

The climate crisis is here. Eco-fascism and denialism is making it deadlier
15 Aug 2026 at 5:00am

?BRITAIN set for glorious 36C highs next week as UK set for 5th heatwave,? cooed The Sun

From independence to Andy Burnham: What we learnt from our exclusive polling
14 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm

THIS week The National has run a series of exclusive polls in which we asked questions most corners of the Scottish press ...

Scots give verdict on Reform UK and growth of far-right politics in new poll
14 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm

THE vast majority of Scots believe that the growth of Reform UK has made far-right extremists ?more confident? to express their views, a new poll has found ...

Why did Andy Burnham speak about Greggs before climate change?
14 Aug 2026 at 4:18pm

I'm a young climate activist and I'm worried about Scotland's future
14 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm

A YOUNG Scottish climate activist has said they are ?terrified? that people seem to ?forget? about the devastating impact of climate change.

Judge says Scottish Government policy on transgender inmates will be quashed
14 Aug 2026 at 2:45pm

A JUDGE has ordered that the Scottish Government?s guidance on transgender prisoners will now be quashed

Glasgow dad launches fundraiser to take Tommy Robinson to court
14 Aug 2026 at 2:00pm

A GLASGOW dad has launched a crowdfunder to take Tommy Robinson to court for defamation.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Scottish Labour leadership contender accuses party of ?sitting on sidelines? ...
14 Aug 2026 at 1:35pm
Joe Fagan also refused to set 'arbitrary rules' over who his party would do deals with

Farage wins Clacton by-election in vote boycotted by main parties
14 Aug 2026 at 8:14am
The Reform UK leader did not attend the election count where he won 22,239 votes

Scottish Government affordable housing target could be missed by 35,000, acco...
14 Aug 2026 at 1:00am
New research suggests affordable home building faces significant delivery challenges unless underlying pressures across the housing and construction sectors are addressed

Michael Marra clears Scottish Labour leadership hurdle thanks to union support
12 Aug 2026 at 6:38pm
Monica Lennon and Joe Fagan are also seeking the role

Spending outstrips revenue raising in Scotland but gap narrows as taxes rise
12 Aug 2026 at 11:42am
National insurance and income tax decisions by both governments raised significant revenue

Youth organisations call for re-think over U-16 social media ban
12 Aug 2026 at 11:09am
Announced in June under then prime minister Keir Starmer, the ban will prevent children accessing platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. It is expected to come into force early next year.

Majority of Scots back restrictions on cancer-linked ?forever chemicals?
12 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
Two Scottish MPs have backed the call to ban hormone-disrupting chemicals until thorough testing takes place

Stroke care target missed for eighth year in row
11 Aug 2026 at 6:14pm
The Scottish Government is still ?failing stroke patients?, a charity has warned

Companies warned over the use of AI chatbots in customer service
11 Aug 2026 at 11:35am
The Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland, a social enterprise, said chatbots and virtual assistants could create new opportunities for criminals if not configured correctly.

Q Manivannan apologises for comments about rape being 'on a spectrum'
10 Aug 2026 at 3:46pm
The Green MSP said the ?mischaracterisation of my words has now returned me to my trauma?

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Police Scotland warns ?robust security? needed to stop attacks on AI datacentres
14 Aug 2026 at 5:05pm
?A great deal of public opposition is likely? to a proposed datacentre near Edinburgh, the force saysPolice in Scotland have issued a stark warning about the need for ?robust security measures? to stop proposed AI datacentres from being attacked by protesters.There has been mounting opposition to...

Polls open in Clacton, where Farage spent more than £10,000 in byelection aga...
13 Aug 2026 at 3:54pm
The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelectionThe number of patients in England being cared for in hospital corridors or makeshift areas has remained above 3,000 a day for the second month in a row, as the NHS experiences a ?summer surge?, the Pre...

UK politics: Burnham urges retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues aft...
12 Aug 2026 at 7:10pm
PM warns extreme heat conditions ?could be with us fo some time yet?Just 20 staff are working on climate adaptation within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the part of government tasked with protecting the environment and maintaining food security, a freedom of information ...

Amnesty International says Farage putting ?hate and inhumanity? over leadersh...
10 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
A spokesperson for the human rights group likened the proposal to ?financial brutality with British taxpayers? money?Farage and Yusuf are now taking questions.Q: From Jack Fenwick from the BBC Are there other countries where you might send foreign offenders? And how much would this cost?We have...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Farage?s pyrrhic victory over a bin
14 Aug 2026 at 11:38am
Of course Farage won the by election in Clacton which he called in an attempt to pre-empt a Parliamentary investigation into his dodgy finances. And of course Farage is crowing about his “decisive victory against the “establishment” candidate, a vainglorious boast when that candidate was a man with a bin on his head and all …

GERSmas Day 2026
11 Aug 2026 at 8:22pm
It’s always welcome to have some good news for independence, but that’s especially true on GERSmas eve as the British media in Scotland and anti-independence campaigners gear themselves up for their annual orgy of too wee too poor too stupid in the form of GERS Figures which purport to demonstrate that Scotland is an economic …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ten countries already routinely issue iodine tablets to those near nuclear fa...
15 Aug 2026 at 9:57am
From the York Daily Record, two days ago: The Pennsylvania Department of Health will be distributing free potassium iodide (KI) tablets to those York County residents that live, learn or work within 10 miles of the Peach Bottom power plant.  According to the York County Office of Emergency Management, the distribution will take place between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Peach Bot...

One tunnel designer accuses Scotland of falling behind on tunnels while anoth...
15 Aug 2026 at 9:23am
In the Herald today the above. Who accuses? This guy, a ‘top’ tunnel designer. How strong is the case for replacing Scotland’s west coast ferries with tunnels? UK Treasury Green Book-style present-value calculations (with discounting) often make high-upfront tunnel capital look less favourable than ongoing ferry replacement and operating costs, even when undiscounted lifetime cash costs favour ...

Glasgow?s ?super-hospital directly downwind of another massive waste treatmen...
15 Aug 2026 at 8:51am
The new South Clyde Energy Centre due west of the QEUH to get the very most of the pollution into the wards. No comparable hospital in the World faces such threat. With this massive incinerator, approved by the Labour-run council in 2012, the QEUH will be exposed to even greater threat than it already faces. By Joe Murray The South Clyde Energy Centre (SCWC) an Energy from Waste (EfW) Incinerat...

What would Scotland?s fiscal position be outside the UK?
15 Aug 2026 at 8:21am
By derekscott1953 Richard Murphy?s argument (above) demonstrates why the independence debate needs two sets of numbers, not one. 1. What is Scotland?s fiscal position inside the UK? GERS addresses that. We may argue about some of the assumptions, and its origins in the 1990s, but Scottish Governments do not disassociate from the analysis. Maybe they should in future in order to move this debate...

STV on youth violence ? Disgusting, shameful, exploitative, scare mongering a...
14 Aug 2026 at 6:34pm
STV tonight in a desperate attempt to win viewers, completely misrepresent the world you live in, with this report based on anecdotal evidence only, and ignore once more the facts, the facts that matter so much to all of us if we are to live a life based on what we can expect to experience. The facts: Murder by minors ? Only a quarter of the level 20 years ago! The trend is clearly and definiti...

As STV claims Scottish Government ?will fail to meet crucial house building t...
14 Aug 2026 at 4:13pm

UK government withholds files on Israeli firm meddling in Scottish elections
14 Aug 2026 at 4:07pm
By Liz S It was reported, three days ago, by The National that ?the UK government withholds files on Israeli firm meddling in Scottish elections?. The key here is obviously the fact that is was a ?Israeli firm? . Now had it been a Russian firm, well the contents of these files would be released and it would be all over the media (24/7). However if you type ?UK government withholds files on Isra...

Naïve SNP dismiss China warnings
14 Aug 2026 at 4:06pm
By Liz S So today, surprise surprise (not), the front pages of the decidedly non Scottish editions of The Daily Mail & The Daily Express state this: The Daily mail ? ?Naïve SNP dismiss China warnings?. The Daily Express ? ?SNP support for Chinese turbine plant poses profound security risk?. I prefer to ?dismiss? anything that the Daily Mail front pages write about either the SNP or Scotland. Al...

Scotland is deliberately having costs dumped on it by Westminster
14 Aug 2026 at 4:05pm
By Liz S Kevin Hague has had a lot to say on the recent released GERS figures via his ?X account , that is in him discrediting anyone who argues that it is not an honest reflection on the reality of Scotland?s finances as a future independent country. Indeed in respect to Richard Murphy arguing that ??Scotland is deliberately having costs dumped on it by Westminster in a way that is entirely un...

SNP £16.23 million investment for new biorefinery in Grangemouth
14 Aug 2026 at 4:04pm
From Celtic Renewables in March 2026 and little covered in MSM to explain TuS missing it at the time: Wednesday 4 March 2026 ? Edinburgh and Grangemouth, Scotland ? Celtic Renewables, the breakthrough Scottish green chemicals firm, has secured £16.23 million in public and private funding to scale its production of high-demand green chemicals. The funding comprises £5 million in new investment f...

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

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?  theconversation.com

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

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?

First independence poll of Burnham era predicts Scotland would leave UK - The...
11 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
First independence poll of Burnham era predicts Scotland would leave UK  The National Scot

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

Salmond?s stars aligned on independence, now numbers don?t stack up - thetime...
12 Aug 2026 at 5:20pm
Salmond?s stars aligned on independence, now numbers don?t stack up  thetimes.com

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

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Nicola Sturgeon?s attack on SNP campaign ?a mistake?, says Stephen Flynn - th...
15 Aug 2026 at 5:30pm
Nicola Sturgeon?s attack on SNP campaign ?a mistake?, says Stephen Flynn  thetimes.com

Scotland's papers: MSP 'rape spectrum' apology and SNP's ferry 'U-turn' - BBC
11 Aug 2026 at 6:36am
Scotland's papers: MSP 'rape spectrum' apology and SNP's ferry 'U-turn'  BBC

The SNP has turned welfare into a political machine - UnHerd
15 Aug 2026 at 8:07am
The SNP has turned welfare into a political machine  UnHerd

Nicola Sturgeon made 'mistake' criticising SNP in book foreword, Stephen Flyn...
15 Aug 2026 at 3:19pm
Nicola Sturgeon made 'mistake' criticising SNP in book foreword, Stephen Flynn says  The National Scot

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  theconversation.com

Sturgeon is right on one thing, there is no vision in SNP - The Scotsman
15 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Sturgeon is right on one thing, there is no vision in SNP  The Scotsman

Sturgeon?s SNP book comments were a ?mistake?, says Flynn - The Independent
15 Aug 2026 at 2:28pm
Sturgeon?s SNP book comments were a ?mistake?, says Flynn  The Independent

SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts - BBC
6 Aug 2026 at 8:00am
SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts  BBC

SNP plans human rights law to ?get around? Supreme Court sex ruling - thetime...
15 Aug 2026 at 8:00pm
SNP plans human rights law to ?get around? Supreme Court sex ruling  thetimes.com

SNP says UK Government may have 'got it wrong' in blocking Chinese turbine fa...
13 Aug 2026 at 1:42pm
SNP says UK Government may have 'got it wrong' in blocking Chinese turbine factory  The Herald

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

First independence poll of Burnham era predicts Scotland would leave UK - The...
11 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
First independence poll of Burnham era predicts Scotland would leave UK  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

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?

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?  theconversation.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

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

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

UK Prime Minister Burnham has ruled out the possibility of a new referendum o...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK Prime Minister Burnham has ruled out the possibility of a new referendum on Scottish independence  unn.ua