The Herald

The Herald | Politics


The transparency watchdog?s battle over Operation Branchform is about to begin
25 Aug 2026 at 3:24pm
Having spent five years relentlessly pursuing the Scottish Government over the so-called "Salmond Files", Scotland's information commissioner is about to have Operation Branchform in his sights.


Reported rapes and attempted rapes up almost one third in four years
by jody.harrison@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Jody Harrison
25 Aug 2026 at 12:57pm
Annual crime stats have revealed an alarming rise in crime


Council defends controversial tourist tax as it collects £5m in first month
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
25 Aug 2026 at 11:31am
Council leader Jane Meagher said that the 5% charge on overnight stays is expected to generate millions for the capital in the first weeks since its launch.


Council leader urges culture chiefs to 'stop using the media' to fight fundin...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
25 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
Labour councillor Jane Meagher said she wants to engage directly with festival organisers about the funding impasse.


Cash-strapped NHS Glasgow used emergency powers on £134k 'chandelier corridor...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
25 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde invoked emergency procurement powers to spend £134,000 refurbishing senior managers' offices, bypassing competitive tendering.


Dalzell crisis - GFG admits Kazakh steel bought in and pension payment failures
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
25 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
GFG Alliance has confirmed its Dalzell plant is sourcing steel from Kazakhstan while pension payments remain stuck and allegations of theft, missing funds and crumbling equipment go unanswered.


Burnham's Goldilocks moment means a snap election is more likely than meteors
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
24 Aug 2026 at 4:15pm
Andy Burnham keeps insisting there is no early election but his careful choice of tense, a £2.56m Labour fundraising deficit, and a Scottish party still reeling from Anas Sarwar's exit tell a more complicated story.


Marra: Reform UK is 'a gateway to something much darker'
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
24 Aug 2026 at 3:06pm
Michael Marra says he would allow Labour councillors to strike deals with other parties after next year's local elections ? but has ruled out any arrangement with Reform UK, branding the party 'incredibly dangerous'.


'Ministerial office is not right for me at this time:' SNP minister quits gov...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
24 Aug 2026 at 2:37pm
Ben Macpherson has resigned as a Scottish Government minister, saying he needs to prioritise his mental and physical wellbeing.


'No basis' for Jenny Gilruth bullying claims says First Minister
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
24 Aug 2026 at 2:03pm
First Minister John Swinney says claims Jenny Gilruth bullied staff are "baseless" and indicated there will be no investigation


Michael Marra has 'no regrets' about telling Andy Burnham to 'shut up'
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
24 Aug 2026 at 1:21pm
Michael Marra has launched his Scottish Labour leadership campaign with a speech declaring the party's crisis is systemic and its structure outdated,.


SNP: Scotland?s universities ?hammered? by post-Brexit drop in EU students
by Katrine Bussey
24 Aug 2026 at 8:07am
SNP MSP Alyn Smith branded the drop a ?disastrous consequences? of the vote to leave the EU


Shadow hangs over future of Edinburgh private schools as 'tipping point' reached
24 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
Private school leaders warn of an 11% drop in pupil numbers and growing pressure on state schools. Edinburgh councillors say the evidence tells a different story.


Tax rises call as SNP told public sector job cuts will not solve £4.7bn fisca...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
24 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
An expert has warned there must be honest conversations about increasing taxes as Scotland faces a £4.7bn funding shortfall by the end of the decade.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP told to end prisoner release 'madness' after 'disgraceful' sexual crimes ...
25 Aug 2026 at 1:35pm

The latest crime statistics show a rise in the vast majority of crime types - while overall crime has increased by seven per cent in the space of a year.

Deaths outnumbered births for the eleventh year in a row

?Devil will be in the detail? as Scottish government grapples with £5bn black hole, says head of Audit Scotland

The polling expert said ?culture war? issues are now a key fault line

Wings over Scotland

You?ll Have Had Your Supper
24 Aug 2026 at 6:22pm
Great news, everyone – Scottish Labour has finally worked out how to talk to the people of Scotland. This video featuring the party’s MP Melanie Ward just appeared on the Scotland Office’s LinkedIn page, and it explains the complexities of the interlinked Scottish and UK economies in terms that the UK government hopes all of …

Before Action
20 Aug 2026 at 8:20pm
Our solicitors have today sent the letter below to Police Scotland. (Click pics to enlarge.) It’s worth remembering what this is about. – Peter Murrell was recently sentenced to over five years in prison for misappropriating approximately £400,000 from the SNP, which is the crime of embezzlement. – John Swinney recently admitted that the SNP …

The Land Of Do-As-You-Please
17 Aug 2026 at 12:15pm
The contempt for the Scottish public being openly shown by public servants paid from the public purse to answer to the public has at this point reached such endemic levels that we’re not sure an acceptable level of trust can ever be salvaged. The reply above is not just evasive, not even just pathetic, it’s …

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 …

Craig Murray

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism
25 Aug 2026 at 5:50pm

We still don’t have a decision on whether the Scottish judicial review of Palestine Action can proceed. Lord Young is thinking about it. Last Thursday’s hearing went about as well as it could go. The UK government produced no written argument and barely seemed to be trying. They moved in court for the Scottish judicial …

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism

Scottish Judicial Review Hearing Tomorrow
19 Aug 2026 at 10:05pm

After eight months of obstructionism from the Labour Friends of Israel government of the UK, tomorrow is the day on which the Scottish Court of Session will finally decide whether to go ahead with the judicial review it granted in January, or kowtow to Downing St. I publish below two of the three main papers …

Scottish Judicial Review Hearing Tomorrow

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

BBC Scotland

More than £700m to be cut from Scottish Budget next year
25 Aug 2026 at 4:11pm
The Scottish Fiscal Commission said the reduction would correct the difference between forecast and actual income tax revenues.

Scottish National Investment Bank makes 'painful' £138m net loss
24 Aug 2026 at 3:06pm
The publicly-owned body, which operates independently, has invested in several firms that collapsed last year.

Swinney visits 'crisis' towns asking for help after 1,500 job losses
24 Aug 2026 at 4:40pm
Inverclyde has been hit hard with job losses after decades of deindustrialisation and population decline.

Bullying claim against deputy first minister Gilruth is 'baseless' - Swinney
24 Aug 2026 at 12:40pm
The first minister has denied that his deputy issued an email naming staff she wanted to be removed.

Free school bags for primary pupils to come in different colours
24 Aug 2026 at 4:13pm
Concerns had been raised about the chaos of multiple children owning the same schoolbag, but the government said pupils can personalise their bags.

Scottish government minister Ben Macpherson resigns
24 Aug 2026 at 3:05pm
Ben Macpherson, the minister for innovation, technology and tertiary education, has quit.

SNP councillor reinstated after probe into Jordan Linden complaints
23 Aug 2026 at 12:50pm
North Lanarkshire SNP group said Tracy Carragher had been cleared by an independent advocate and it had full confidence in her.

Scotland's NHS is putting reputation before patient safety - officials
21 Aug 2026 at 12:51pm
Senior health officials say there is a "culture of cover-up" and problems with patients' concerns being ignored in the NHS.

John Swinney defends £45,000 business-class flights to World Cup
20 Aug 2026 at 1:33pm
The Scottish government spent almost £100,000 on official visits to the United States in June.

Taxpayers will foot bill for shortfall on PFI hospital upgrades
19 Aug 2026 at 5:56am
Tens of millions of pounds will be needed to bring the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh up to scratch when it transfers to public ownership next year.

Ferguson shipyard to cut a quarter of its workforce
18 Aug 2026 at 1:56pm
The state-owned yard on the Clyde will lose 70 of its 283 staff through a voluntary redundancy process as it awaits confirmation of promised new orders.

Lennon criticises 'nasty' Scottish Labour as leadership bid fails
17 Aug 2026 at 5:39pm
Michael Marra and Joe Fagan secured enough to support to run to replace Anas Sarwar.

Scot Goes Pop

The BBC will ALWAYS be fearlessly neutral and even-handed and ask all the imp...
24 Aug 2026 at 10:06pm
*  *  *I'm still urgently trying to make progress towards my blogging and YouTube videos becoming financially sustainable.  If you'd like to help me continue to create content by becoming a support...

Warning - Danger - MASSIVE BLACK HOLE APPROACHING and Stew wants to chuck YOU...
22 Aug 2026 at 10:04pm
Probably because I grew up during the period in which the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six were released, I've always been deeply troubled by the persistent recurrence of severe miscarriages o...

Concerns mount that the "Scottish Daily Express" may be written by clueless H...
22 Aug 2026 at 12:21pm
If it wasn't so outrageous, the latest anti-Gaelic rant from the Scottish Daily Express would be hysterically funny.  The paper reports that "one Holyrood source" (translation: an unspecified Tory ...

Douglas Alexander tacitly admits the choice for Labour is: a) change course o...
21 Aug 2026 at 12:26pm
My seven-day conventional text-blogging blitz to help promote my Ko-Fi fundraising page is now over, and it certainly wasn't a waste of time because it led to several new sign-ups as recurring mont...

YouGov poll suggests Andy Burnham is faring about as well in Scotland as the ...
19 Aug 2026 at 1:24pm
History doesn't record whether the Roman Emperor tried to win over the reluctant Caledonian tribes by setting up a "Senate North" somewhere really northern and close to them (like Milan), but even ...

Liberation Scotland's wish to disenfranchise one million "incomers" - isn't t...
17 Aug 2026 at 11:02pm
I was thinking of writing a blogpost tonight about the latest chapter in Stew's prolonged temper tantrum about the Crown Office and Police Scotland impertinently refusing to accept that he is their...

"Yeah, you know that John Major guy? The Council of Europe FORCED him to giv...
17 Aug 2026 at 1:02pm
As I said in a recent video, I've tried hard to remain open-minded about Salvo's approach to independence campaigning - not because I think there's the remotest chance of them achieving their state...

Some free - and mostly sincere - advice for Scottish Labour
16 Aug 2026 at 10:30pm
Scottish Labour have finally learned the lessons of two decades of defeats and realised what they need is another soul-crushing machine politician from Lanarkshire that no-one has ever heard of. Be...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Why Andy Burnham?s trip to Ukraine matters
24 Aug 2026 at 3:59pm
Burnham has made his first foreign trip as Prime Minister, but it comes at a time of personal tumult for the Ukrainian leader

?Devil will be in the detail? of public sector reform, says watchdog
24 Aug 2026 at 3:28pm
The Scottish Government has put public service reform at the centre of its agenda

Junior education minister Ben Macpherson resigns
24 Aug 2026 at 3:21pm
The Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith MSP did not provide a specific reason for his resignation

Ferguson Marine ferries have taken an ?obscene amount of time?, Flynn says
23 Aug 2026 at 6:53pm
Transport secretary Stephen Flynn however said the Scottish Government had made a ?huge investment? in trying to improve CalMac?s fleet

Scottish Government denies deputy first minister ?bullying? claims
23 Aug 2026 at 3:32pm
The Scottish Sun on Sunday alleged that Gilruth wrote an email naming and shaming officials in her new department

Scottish minister urges more action on energy bills from UK Government
22 Aug 2026 at 5:20pm
Scottish households need ?real support?, energy minister Stephen Gethins has said

Scottish Greens call on SNP to guarantee free childcare from third birthday
22 Aug 2026 at 1:29pm
Gillian Mackay said it would end the burden for families who have to pay nursery fees until the next school term

Decision on Rosebank and Jackdaw fields needed as soon as possible ? Badenoch
21 Aug 2026 at 5:08pm
Consultations on both sites have closed in recent weeks, with the final decision now to be taken by the UK Government

Malcolm Offord diagnosed with prostate cancer on day of Holyrood election
20 Aug 2026 at 4:44pm
The Reform UK Scottish leader said he had surgery last week and is now 'raring to go'

Swinney defends £45,000 business class flights to World Cup
20 Aug 2026 at 4:30pm
The First Minister made the trip in June as the Scotland men?s national football team took part in its first World Cup in 28 years

Scottish Labour leadership candidates clash in lively STV debate
19 Aug 2026 at 9:44pm
Michael Marra and Joe Fagan went head to head in a special Scotland Tonight debate.

Scottish Labour leadership contenders to face off in Scotland Tonight hustings
19 Aug 2026 at 11:47am
STV political editor Colin Mackay will moderate debate between Michael Marra and Joe Fagan.

Hatred and extremism have no place in Scotland ? First Minister
18 Aug 2026 at 10:30am
John Swinney will bring together anti-racism organisations on Tuesday

Reform?s welfare pledges aim to please pensioners
17 Aug 2026 at 5:06pm
Reform UK announced that the party wants to stop foreign nationals receiving benefits ? including EU citizens with settled status

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Trans rights vote dodge made my female allies unhappy, says Scottish Labour l...
25 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: Michael Marra has provided more details of the day he skipped the vote on the SNP Government's controversial Bill on gender self-ID.

SNP Education Secretary ?fundamentally disagrees? no catastrophic failings in...
25 Aug 2026 at 1:07pm
Mairi McAllan hit out after an email exchange between her and Glasgow council's top official was published.

SNP Government mansion tax plan falls ?desperately short? of raising cash for...
25 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
The STUC believes the plan lacks ambition and does not raise a significant amount of money.

Scottish Labour leadership candidate promises to intervene in bitter row over...
24 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm
Michael Marra said he would make sure local members in Edinburgh receive the answers to questions after questions were raised on how Irshad Ahmed topped the Edinburgh and Lothians East regional List.

SNP Minister Ben Macpherson quits citing "mental and physical wellbeing"
24 Aug 2026 at 3:30pm
The Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith MSP did not give a specific reason for his decision to stand down.

Scottish Labour leadership candidate defends telling Andy Burnham to 'shut up'
24 Aug 2026 at 12:47pm
Michael Marra said his comments were made at a time when UK Labour briefing wars were damaging the Scottish party.

New twice-weekly First Minister's Questions blamed for Swinney's 'staggering'...
23 Aug 2026 at 8:24am
Sources said a revamped format for First Minister's Questions had 'affected travel plans' for Swinney and his private secretary.

Scots workers 'moving to England' to escape SNP's higher income tax rates
22 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
Businesses questioned for an official review of Scotland's income tax system warned higher rates north of the Border were causing a "brain drain" to England.

'Seeking an answer is not misconduct' Councillor Fiona Higgins speaks out on ...
21 Aug 2026 at 12:40pm
Writing for the Record, Councillor Fiona Higgins explains why elected representatives must be free to question unelected council officials when it comes to public spending.

Scots councillor wins legal victory against ethics commission in freedom of s...
21 Aug 2026 at 10:17am
Fiona Higgins challenged a misconduct probe into her in a case her supporters said was about protecting free speech.

The National

The National | Politics

Reform Scotland considering 'married couples first' social housing policy
25 Aug 2026 at 5:15pm

REFORM UK?s Scottish branch is considering adopting a ?cruel? proposal to give British-born married couples with children priority for social housing, The National can reveal.

Minister flounders as Scotland Office attempts Government by TikTok
25 Aug 2026 at 5:08pm

THE Scotland Office has, for some reason, decided that the best way to explain how the Barnett Formula works is by flinging chips about ...

Andy Burnham completely avoids Scotland on UK 'listening tour'
25 Aug 2026 at 4:46pm

Andy Burnham has been branded 'the first Prime Minister of England' after his so-called 'listening tour' of the UK completely avoided Scotland

Malcolm Offord demanded Holyrood bosses knock down walls for double sized office
25 Aug 2026 at 4:12pm

MALCOLM Offord demanded Holyrood bosses knock down walls to give him a double sized office, The National understands.

Scottish watersports centre given £1.1m towards 'world-class' venue transform...
25 Aug 2026 at 4:00pm

A WATERSPORTS centre in North Lanarkshire has been awarded more than £1 million from the Scottish Government to go towards efforts to transform it into a ?world-class? venue.

New consultation on mobile phone use in Scottish schools opens
25 Aug 2026 at 3:13pm

The Scottish Government has opened a consultation on restricting mobile phones in schools

BrewDog given £1.3m in Scottish Government funding before falling into admini...
25 Aug 2026 at 2:38pm

BREWDOG received more than £1.3 million in funding from the Scottish Government before it fell into administration, with hundreds of jobs lost as it closed dozens of bars across the country, The National can reveal ...

Andy Burnham teaches Ukrainians how to cringe with Smiths guitar serenade
25 Aug 2026 at 2:33pm

SPARE a thought for the poor people of Ukraine.

Donald Trump 'seriously considering' renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'
25 Aug 2026 at 1:29pm

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump is considering changing the name of Lake Ontario to ?Lake America? as the trade war between the United States and Canada intensifies ...

Scottish island set to be used for major NATO military exercise
25 Aug 2026 at 1:11pm

THE MOD is planning on using a Scottish island as a base during a NATO live-fire military exercise.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Scottish Government must find extra ?720m amid already ?challenging? fiscal o...
25 Aug 2026 at 5:43pm
The forecaster said while the financial position for this year is improved, the outlook for 2027-28 and beyond will be more difficult

Scottish Government seeking views on phone ban in schools
25 Aug 2026 at 12:36pm
The public consultation into proposed legislation that looks to improve children's education and wellbeing has opened today

Crime is on the rise in Scotland, figures show
25 Aug 2026 at 11:26am
Justice Secretary Neil Gray 'extremely concerned' by domestic abuse increase

Bullying claim made against Jenny Gilruth 'baseless', says John Swinney
24 Aug 2026 at 4:52pm
Claims of bullying by Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth have been dismissed by John Swinney as "baseless"

Ben Macpherson resigns as government minister
24 Aug 2026 at 3:59pm
Ben Macpherson has resigned from the Scottish Government for health-related issues

Michael Marra: ?Small? Scottish Labour faces systemic problems
24 Aug 2026 at 2:12pm
MSP calls to party to rediscover 'moral purpose'

Digital twin city blueprint to accelerate UK's transport decarbonisation publ...
24 Aug 2026 at 12:33pm
Researchers have developed a new standardised approach to digital twinning for transport decarbonisation across road, rail, air and maritime transport

Malcolm Offord diagnosed with prostate cancer on day of Holyrood election
20 Aug 2026 at 5:40pm
The leader of Reform UK in Scotland told an audience at the Edinburgh Fringe with Matt Forde that he had an operation last week to remove his prostate

From Cloud-First to AI-First: Why Scotland?s Public Sector Must Lead from the...
20 Aug 2026 at 7:00am
The foundation is there; now we must build on it.

Use facial recognition tech to stop football fan disorder, HM inspector?s rep...
20 Aug 2026 at 1:01am
Drone use could boost public safety, authorities told

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

?Never seen this level of objection?: Scotland pushes back against datacentre...
25 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
Holyrood ?inching towards moratorium? amid concerns over massive proposed developments in Auchtertool and beyondIn a village 21 miles north of Edinburgh, a real estate consultancy plans to build a datacentre larger than the village itself ? 35 metres high, with an area larger than 100 football pi...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Wind turbines and threats to national security
25 Aug 2026 at 1:12pm
Scotland’s enormous potential for renewable energy could turn the country into a literal European powerhouse and generate immense revenues for an independent Scotland as well as giving Scotland some of the cheapest electricity in Europe, which in turn could generate huge inward investment as companies seek to build factories in Scotland, taking advantage of low …

Graham Grant?s glaikit attack on the Scots language
20 Aug 2026 at 1:48pm
You have probably never heard of Graham Grant, which is a great blessing. Grant is the home affairs editor of the Scottish Daily Mail, a far right rag which devotes itself to stories about celebs and royalty and informing its elderly readership of Tory and Reform UK supporters of all the many and myriad ways …

The BBC?s Glasgow hit piece says more about the BBC than Glasgow
19 Aug 2026 at 6:20pm
I’ve already briefly mentioned BBC Scotland’s disgraceful hit job on Glasgow which was broadcast earlier this week, but it’s worth exploring the issues around the programme in more detail, as the programme and its broadcast tell us far more about the priorities and concerns of the BBC in Scotland than they do about the state …

The BBC, the Reform UK Broadcasting corporation
17 Aug 2026 at 4:04pm
Although in recent weeks the Reform UK bandwagon looks as though it has hit a roadblock in the form of scandals about the party’s addiction to dodgy donations, the media in the UK continues to do its utmost to treat Farage’s party as the government in waiting. Reform has a mere eight MPs, it is …

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 …

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

Why might BBC Scotland snub the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce?s big news abou...
25 Aug 2026 at 3:49pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 BBC Scotland even before they lose any staff, above with space for several minor stories but apparently none for the one above, and: 402,000 new companies incorporated across the UK in...

SNP actions on destitution such as Scottish Child Payment reduce it to lowest...
25 Aug 2026 at 3:47pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From Ending Destitution Together: Phase Two Delivery Plan, published yesterday: What is destitution? Destitution should be unthinkable in a modern Scotland. However, it remains a daily...

Scotland does not leave care leavers alone at 18
25 Aug 2026 at 3:45pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 In the Guardian yesterday, the above and: David?s death is one of a number examined in a landmark review into the deaths of more than 100 care leavers aged 18-24 in 2025. The review fi...

Independence cover-up: We would be rich
25 Aug 2026 at 3:42pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By Mark E. Saunders of ?The Scottish Minuteman? https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 You Can?t Handle the Truth! The above image is quite the newspaper clipping. Don...

Overall crime in Scotland still lower than 15 years ago, far lower than in En...
25 Aug 2026 at 3:38pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 In 2011-12 , in Scotland, there were 598 crimes and offences per 10 000 population with 121 murders, down from 142, when the SNP took over in 2007-08.1 Today, from Recorded Crime in Sc...

Yet another area of good public service performance in Scotland that cannot b...
25 Aug 2026 at 5:57am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By stewartb Evidence of yet another area of relatively good public service performance in Scotland that cannot ? must not ? be acknowledged, far less lauded, either by the MSM and or b...

Not safeguarding vulnerable children? Will Labour and Lib Dem figures ever be...
25 Aug 2026 at 5:55am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By shiny592bc990af The 1999 inquiry ? formally ?The Report of the Edinburgh Inquiry into Abuse and Protection of Children in Care? ? was commissioned in response to serious allegations...

The conspicuously non-Scottish membership of neo-Nazis on Princes Street
25 Aug 2026 at 5:53am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Thanks to Arty Hetty for alerting us to this: From the Edinburgh Inquirer, today: Police are investigating a far-right demonstration where neo-Nazi, ?white nationalist? and banned terr...

Newly created Mayors and far less powers for the Scottish government ? That?s...
25 Aug 2026 at 5:51am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By Liz S ?Far more probation officers and far less re-offending ? that?s where you live, really? Also potentially ?far more? newly created Mayors and ?far less? powers for the Scottish...

The power of nightmares ? the real reasons why the BBC made THAT Glasgow docu...
24 Aug 2026 at 7:07pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 You can listen to what they have to say at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0030l7g?at_ptr_name=twitter&at_campaign_type=owned&at_medium=social&at_campaign=Social_Flow I have a weak...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Scots agree with Murray?s no-referendum independence proposal - thecanary.co
25 Aug 2026 at 6:22pm
Scots agree with Murray?s no-referendum independence proposal  thecanary.co

A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse - mi...
20 Aug 2026 at 2:44pm
A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse  mironline.ca

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

Paralysis by Plebiscite? Lessons for Canada from Separation Referendums Elsew...
24 Aug 2026 at 3:24pm
Paralysis by Plebiscite? Lessons for Canada from Separation Referendums Elsewhere  Policy Magazine

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 the SNP can learn about Scottish independence from movement in Wales - T...
19 Aug 2026 at 4:43pm
What the SNP can learn about Scottish independence from movement in Wales  The National Scot

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

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

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP ?in denial? of NHS waiting lists, Scottish Labour says - Morning Star | T...
25 Aug 2026 at 4:17pm
SNP ?in denial? of NHS waiting lists, Scottish Labour says  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

Dry your eyes, Flynn. Why shouldn't we scrutinise SNP spending? - The Herald
25 Aug 2026 at 5:23pm
Dry your eyes, Flynn. Why shouldn't we scrutinise SNP spending?  The Herald

Prove free school bag claim isn?t just a gimmick, SNP challenged - The Times
25 Aug 2026 at 6:25pm
Prove free school bag claim isn?t just a gimmick, SNP challenged  The Times

Empowering Na h-Eileanan an Iar ? Scottish National Party - snp.org
25 Aug 2026 at 3:55pm
Empowering Na h-Eileanan an Iar ? Scottish National Party  snp.org

SNP councillor reinstated after probe into Jordan Linden complaints - BBC
23 Aug 2026 at 12:50pm
SNP councillor reinstated after probe into Jordan Linden complaints  BBC

SNP told to end rapist prisoner early release 'madness' as sexual and domesti...
25 Aug 2026 at 1:35pm
SNP told to end rapist prisoner early release 'madness' as sexual and domestic abuse crimes increase  The Scotsman

SNP hit out at Andy Burnham over reported nationalisation U-turn - The Nation...
25 Aug 2026 at 12:37pm
SNP hit out at Andy Burnham over reported nationalisation U-turn  The National Scot

Shetland ?at the heart? of SNP?s expansion plans - Shetland News
25 Aug 2026 at 10:58am
Shetland ?at the heart? of SNP?s expansion plans  Shetland News

What's going on with the SNP free school bag policy? - The Herald
25 Aug 2026 at 4:32pm
What's going on with the SNP free school bag policy?  The Herald

Delivering equal pay justice in Glasgow ? Scottish National Party - snp.org
25 Aug 2026 at 4:39pm
Delivering equal pay justice in Glasgow ? Scottish National Party  snp.org

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Scots agree with Murray?s no-referendum independence proposal - thecanary.co
25 Aug 2026 at 6:22pm
Scots agree with Murray?s no-referendum independence proposal  thecanary.co

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

A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse - mi...
20 Aug 2026 at 2:44pm
A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse  mironline.ca

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

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

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

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

SNP must forget ?secret plans? and get behind de facto referendum - The Natio...
20 Aug 2026 at 3:03pm
SNP must forget ?secret plans? and get behind de facto referendum  The National Scot

Beyond Constitutional Groundhog Day: The 2026 Scottish Parliamentary Election...
15 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Beyond Constitutional Groundhog Day: The 2026 Scottish Parliamentary Election  Verfassungsblog

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?