The Herald

The Herald | Politics


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.


Jason Arday who 'claimed to be Glasgow University professor' quits Cambridge ...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
6 Aug 2026 at 9:46am
A University of Cambridge professor at the centre of a high-profile plagiarism row has resigned after being placed under investigation.


'Very disappointed' and 'shameful': Councillor's anger over fire fund for cap...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
6 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
Speaking after the funding announcement, Ms Gilruth defended the actions of the Scottish Government, saying that negotiations had taken place behind the scenes.


Peter Murrell?s taxpayer-funded legal aid bill in SNP embezzlement case ?set ...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Peter Murrell's legal aid bill is set to rise significantly despite his early guilty plea for embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP.


Scottish ministers accused of dodging past failures in ?sham? maternity review
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
The Scottish Government chose a forward-looking maternity review over a model focused on historic harm, accountability and redress, FOI reveals.


'Literally crumbling': New data show extent of NHS Scotland in need of urgent...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
More than a third of Scotland's NHS estate is in need of urgent repair, the Scottish Government has admitted.


Glasgow City Council told to take urgent action on sexual violence in city ce...
by Rose Kendall
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Recorded rape and sexual assault in Glasgow city centre have risen nearly fivefold since 2000, FOI data reveals, as human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar demands urgent action on lighting, CCTV and free night transport.


New Scottish train station within two years priority for company chief
by ian.mcconnell@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Ian McConnell
6 Aug 2026 at 4:40am
John Hamilton heads a company leading the development of 3,800 homes and highlights a new train station as a key priority

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Lockerbie bombing: Suspect's alleged confession to be used in US trial, judge...
7 Aug 2026 at 10:35am

Families of the victims of the UK?s greatest terror attack say it is ?another step in our long fight for justice?.

?The financial package is very welcome, but I don't think it's right we have had to wait four weeks? - Cllr Stephen Jenkinson

The Scottish Secretary, along with junior minister Melanie Ward and Scottish whip Gregor Poynton, are understood to be remaining neutral in the race.

The union?s Regional Labour Party Liaison Committee recommended endorsing Ms Lennon at a meeting on Tuesday.

The SNP has lost 74,000 members since 2019 as the party has endured a period of turmoil.

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

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

The Ditching of Nigel Farage
11 Jul 2026 at 8:36am

Nigel Farage is the most consequential British politician of the 21st century. Certainly a more important historic figure than any of the last eight Prime Ministers. Tony Blair is the only realistic rival. Without Farage, the UK would never have left the European Union. Farage’s role in forcing the issue to the top of the …

The Ditching of Nigel Farage

BBC Scotland

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.

Minister defends decision to reject UK military help to fight wildfire
27 Jul 2026 at 2:42pm
Neil Gray said the military was unable to fulfil a "specific request" to send waterbombing helicopters to the Cairngorms.

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

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

£8.4 billion investment in UK?s Dreadnought nuclear submarines
30 Jul 2026 at 10:50am
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said tens of thousands of jobs will be supported with the money

Can the SNP learn from Andy Burnham?s social care reforms?
29 Jul 2026 at 4:58pm
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans to reform the care sector

I get policy ideas from speaking to people in Greggs and pubs, Andy Burnham t...
29 Jul 2026 at 2:45pm
The new Prime Minister told This Morning on STV that he is about to get around the country to 'chat to people'

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

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.

John Swinney defends SNP election campaign after Nicola Sturgeon attack
5 Aug 2026 at 4:39pm
Swinney refused to criticise Sturgeon but insisted he ran a ?strong? election campaign.

Police Scotland must take 'robust' action against far-right protests or risk ...
5 Aug 2026 at 4:07pm
Campaigning lawyer Aamer Anwar claimed the far-right plays "a central role in the frequent random attacks on people of colour on the streets of Glasgow."

'Michael Marra is the best street fighter Scottish Labour has'
5 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
Writing for the Record, MP Zubir Ahmed backs Michael Marra to become the next Scottish Labour leader.

SNP 'not ready' to consider leadership change as Stephen Flynn backed to repl...
4 Aug 2026 at 2:30pm
Swinney has previously insisted he plans to serve a full five-year term as First Minister and plans to lead the party into the 2031 Holyrood election.

The National

The National | Politics

Too wee, too poor, too stupid? Doubt cast on 'independent' Scottish Labour
7 Aug 2026 at 3:11pm

THEY say that every accusation is a confession.

Labour urged to cut whisky duty amid planned Diageo job cuts
7 Aug 2026 at 2:00pm

LABOUR must support Scotland's whisky industry by cutting duty after a major firm announced dozens of jobs are at risk.

'Basic respect for humanity' needed as town faces violent anti-immigration di...
7 Aug 2026 at 1:45pm

PEOPLE involved in violent disorder that saw crowds attempt to storm homes they believed to be linked to asylum seekers will face the "full force of the law", police chiefs have warned.

£5000 fee to stand as Scottish Labour leader blasted as ?scam? by ex-MSP
7 Aug 2026 at 1:22pm

THE £5000 fee that candidates standing to be the next Scottish Labour leader must pay to enter the contest has been branded a ?scam? by a former MSP ...

Andy Burnham urged to tone down 'blokeish' social media posts by officials
7 Aug 2026 at 12:23pm

ANDY Burnham has been told to tone down his ?blokeish? social media output, it has emerged.

Campaigners call on Edinburgh International Festival to drop Baillie Gifford
7 Aug 2026 at 9:40am

CAMPAIGNERS have called on the Edinburgh International Festival to end its partnership with investment firm Baillie Gifford, accusing the organisation of benefiting from companies linked to Israel?s military and fossil fuel industry

Scottish Labour councillor says leadership hopeful presided over ?severe bull...
7 Aug 2026 at 9:30am

A SCOTTISH Labour councillor has accused leadership contender Joe Fagan of presiding over ?severe bullying? during his time as Labour group leader on South Lanarkshire Council ...

It?s time to ditch the complacency of ?this could never happen in Scotland?
7 Aug 2026 at 5:00am

FOR decades Scotland has ? with some justification ? considered itself impervious to the occasional rises in racism, bigotry and extreme right-wing rhetoric which have gained traction south of the Border. It?s time to ditch that complacency. This year has seen a catalogue of events which show the dangers here are every bit as concerning as anywhere else in the UK. This time it?s different.

No, Nicola Sturgeon hasn?t joined Greens ? but she valued our vision
7 Aug 2026 at 5:00am

Even as a regular National reader, it was a different paper that made me do a double-take this week

Tories 'in the gutter' as they plan to evict foreign nationals from council h...
6 Aug 2026 at 10:30pm

THE Tories have been accused of ?following Reform to the extremes? as they unveiled plans to evict foreign nationals from council homes.

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

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,...

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

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

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://...

?What can Dublin teach us?? The SNP?s competence in government endlessly reve...
7 Aug 2026 at 1:51pm
This last 12 years, I’ve regularly read UK politicians and even academics talk of looking elsewhere for ideas on how to resolve one of England’s many worries, from knife murders, to protecting women, to hospital safety, to fire safety in tower blocks and to social housing demands. I’ve even written to the academics to then be told how they love Scotland and to be politely thanked for my help, t...

Explaining how the ?SNP?s £22m tax blunder? is just a 0.05% ?rounding error? ...
7 Aug 2026 at 9:07am
The Telegraph today repeating the already discredited claim above from ‘tax expert’ Dan Neidle. I’ll leave you to read the detailed, complex for me, but very persuasive, rebuttal by Laurie Macfarlane at: https://www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/587-has-scotland-s-48-tax-rate-really-reduced-public-revenue or watch his excellent explanation at: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GfSEQfKPNsA There’s a sim...

Scottish Government?s reluctance to support and caution on e-bike/scooter tri...
7 Aug 2026 at 8:35am
In the Guardian today, the above, and: Electric scooter riders are three times more likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries than motorcyclists, according to an analysis of accidents in England and Wales ? which found women were particularly at risk of serious harm. Brain injuries accounted for more than a third of adult injuries on e-scooters, but riders also sustained more internal organ and...

Corridor care is much less common in Scotland but the Glasgow Times exploits ...
7 Aug 2026 at 8:19am
In March 2026, ITV News made it very clear, above, just how rare corridor care in Scotland was, in comparison with other parts of the UK – 4 times as common in Wales, nearly 4 times in Northern Ireland, and nearly 3 times as common across England. Today, the Glasgow Times tries to exploit a single case in an effort to mislead its readers as to the true situation and to damage trust in local hos...

Listeners ?short changed? on quality and accuracy by BBC Radio Scotland
6 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
By Liz S BBC ?Scotland? is at it again?.but then, (big sigh), that is what we have all come to know and expect by this British propaganda outfit that works relentlessly for the sustainment of their UK State. MSM Monitor added a post via BBC Radio Scotland (sourced from an accusation by the Labour leader of the Council in Edinburgh against the Scottish government- the SNP). The BBC Radio Scotlan...

More than one year later Great British Energy has recruited 13 of the 10 000 ...
6 Aug 2026 at 5:02pm
Thanks to rtpscott for this From Business Green today: Publicly-owned clean energy investor and developer confirms first major solar-thermal investment will create up to 140 jobs. Great British Energy has today announced £7.5m investment in Crawley-headquartered tech firm Naked Energy to fund a new UK manufacturing facility and create up to 140 jobs. https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4534032/g...

In England 0% of estuaries and coastal waters score ?high? for ecological con...
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm
From BBC Climate today, the above and: England’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters remain in a challenging state with only around one in seven classed as being in good ecological condition, according to the first comprehensive assessment of their health in six years. Data from the Environment Agency shows that while 15% of rivers are classed as good, fewer than 7% of lakes reached that level. No...

In the time wealthy Washington State build NO new ferries Scotland builds TEN
6 Aug 2026 at 1:14pm
Details at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/08/06/in-the-time-wealthy-washington-state-waits-for-just-one-new-ferry-scotland-builds-ten-despite-having-only-one-third-of-the-economy/

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - aljazeera.com
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  aljazeera.com

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

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

Burnham: Scottish independence is ?off limits? - The Telegraph
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Burnham: Scottish independence is ?off limits?  The Telegraph

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

SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts - BBC
6 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts  BBC

Fire funding row intensifies as SNP accuse council chief of 'petty party poli...
7 Aug 2026 at 9:34am
Fire funding row intensifies as SNP accuse council chief of 'petty party politics'  The Herald

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

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

5 things we learnt from SNP accounts as membership continues to fall - The Na...
6 Aug 2026 at 10:43pm
5 things we learnt from SNP accounts as membership continues to fall  The National Scot

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

SNP writes off £100k motorhome while party membership plummets - The Times
6 Aug 2026 at 3:11pm
SNP writes off £100k motorhome while party membership plummets  The Times

Sturgeon's criticisms of Swinney reveal tensions in SNP ranks - BBC
6 Aug 2026 at 11:01pm
Sturgeon's criticisms of Swinney reveal tensions in SNP ranks  BBC

The SNP has hoarded power in the central belt ? Labour must break its grip - ...
7 Aug 2026 at 6:37am
The SNP has hoarded power in the central belt ? Labour must break its grip  The Herald

SNP cannot simply rely upon the haplessnes of opposition parties - The Nation...
6 Aug 2026 at 7:23pm
SNP cannot simply rely upon the haplessnes of opposition parties  The National Scot

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - aljazeera.com
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  aljazeera.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

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

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?

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

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

Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum -...
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum  Holyrood Website