The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Offord says rivals 'feart of Farage' as parties boycott Clacton by-election
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 Jul 2026 at 11:29am
Reform UK's Scottish leader claims rivals are too "feart" to fight the Clacton by-election, leaving satirical candidate Count Binface as Farage's only challenger.


Union Street to fully re-open as council gives update on plans for site
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
8 Jul 2026 at 10:58am
Glasgow City Council has announced that Union Street will fully re-open later this month following the devastating fire in March


Net zero uncertainty risks holding back new social homes, housing association...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
8 Jul 2026 at 5:00am
SFHA chief Richard Meade warns uncertainty over Scotland?s net zero housing rules could delay social homes and push costs onto tenants.


SNP faces court action from donors demanding repayment of independence funds
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 Jul 2026 at 5:00am
The SNP faces a legal challenge at the Court of Session as independence donors launch group proceedings. Activists argue that "ring-fenced" referendum funds were diverted for general party business.


Unwelcoming attitude to overseas students costing economy £3bn says new report
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
8 Jul 2026 at 12:01am
For the 2024-25 academic year there were 36,300 international first-year students living in Scotland


SNP suspends Highland Council member pending disciplinary action amid taxi dr...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
7 Jul 2026 at 7:10pm
The SNP has suspended a Highland Council member pending disciplinary action over his role in the row around the taxi licence of a convicted rapist, it has been reported.


Nigel Farage will not face Labour or Conservative candidates in Clacton by-el...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
7 Jul 2026 at 7:01pm
Nigel Farage will not face candidates from Labour or the Conservatives at the by-election he triggered, as both parties have refused to stand in Clacton.


John Swinney's first year as FM breaks record for spend on special advisers
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
7 Jul 2026 at 5:54pm
The Scottish Government spent a record £2.16 million on political special advisers during John Swinney's first year as First Minister, marking the highest layout since devolution began, sparking fierce criticism from political opponents.


Welcome to Nigel Farage's one-man political circus over £5m gift row
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
7 Jul 2026 at 4:13pm
Nigel Farage triggering a by-election in Clacton uses the electorate as props in a political theatre.


Nigel Farage resigns as MP to force by-election amid probe into £5m donation
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
7 Jul 2026 at 2:00pm
The Reform UK leader has dramatically resigned his seat in parliament following intense pressure over a £5 million donation and undeclared financial staffing support from a convicted fraudster.


SNP MSP breaks ranks and calls for Jackdaw and Rosebank oil fields approval
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
7 Jul 2026 at 1:38pm
An SNP MSP has broken with his party, calling for the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil fields to be approved by the UK Government.


Just £1m of £10m Scottish emergency heating oil fund paid out to households
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
7 Jul 2026 at 1:05pm
Only £1 million of a £10 million Scottish Government emergency fund for soaring heating oil costs has reached struggling households, sparking fierce criticism.


Nigel Farage to make statement on political future amid funding probe
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
7 Jul 2026 at 12:24pm
The Reform UK leader is set to make a high-stakes address regarding his future in Westminster following intense pressure over a £5 million donation and undeclared financial assistance from a convicted fraudster.


Heriot-Watt graduate Kaci McEwan designs official America250 commemorative ta...
by rose.moncur@newsquest.co.uk | Rose Moncur
7 Jul 2026 at 11:47am
A Heriot-Watt University graduate has designed the official America250 commemorative tartan.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP being sued by independence referendum fund donors over 'fraudulent breach...
8 Jul 2026 at 10:22am

A draft summons on behalf of the donors has accused the SNP of a ?fraudulent breach of trust?.

Nigel Farage has announced he is resigning as the MP for Clacton to trigger a by-election that he intends to stand in.

Ground movement in the former mining village is showing ?no signs of stopping? weeks after hundreds were evacuated.

He served as Lord Chancellor under Margaret Thatcher and John Major

The Reform UK leader has come under intense pressure recently over unregistered donations of cash and support.

The Reform UK leader said in a post on social media that he would be making the statement at 2pm on Tuesday.

The Scottish government has not called for the two North Sea fossil fuel projects to be approved.

Wings over Scotland

The Interests Of The Many
7 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
As we told you last week, we’ve now had counsel draft our application for a group proceedings action on behalf of donors to the “ringfenced” independence referendum campaign funds which were stolen and spent by the SNP on party business. The draft can be read below. We’ve already gathered dozens of people who are unhappy …

Search And Replace
5 Jul 2026 at 3:34pm
Here’s a passage from Crown Agent John Logue’s recent BBC interview in which he described the crime for which Peter Murrell was just sentenced to five years and three months in prison. You’ll note that we’ve highlighted a few words and phrases in red. JOHN LOGUE: I think the best way I can describe it …

Narrowing the options
3 Jul 2026 at 12:12pm
We’ve just sent this letter to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Dear Sirs/Madams, Thank you for your response, which I have considered with care. I note you have advised that ?full consideration was given to whether the crime of fraud could be established. That investigation did not disclose sufficient evidence of fraud, or …

Fob, Fob, Fobbing Along
2 Jul 2026 at 4:49pm
We have received a further reply from the Crown Office. Alert readers may note that while Wings has repeatedly noted that the misappropriation of the fundraiser money by the SNP could constitute either fraud OR embezzlement (or both), entirely separate to the embezzlement FROM the SNP by Peter Murrell, the Crown Office continues – as …

Tuning In The Shine
2 Jul 2026 at 1:39pm
For any of you who haven’t caught it yet, my interview from Monday’s BBC Scotcast (which is also available on Spotify). ? Sadly due to a summer scheduling quirk the video version won’t go out on the telly, and seemingly not on the BBC YouTube page either, so you’ll just have to listen to the …

Strike A Pose, There?s Nothing To It
1 Jul 2026 at 12:05pm
We’ve already discussed the contents of the videos released last week by the BBC containing interviews with Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston of Police Scotland and Crown Agent John Logue of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. But videos (especially lengthy ones) are always a bit of a pain to reference, and these are …

ACC Houston, We Have A Problem
1 Jul 2026 at 12:04pm
We’ve already discussed the contents of the videos released last week by the BBC containing interviews with Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston of Police Scotland and Crown Agent John Logue of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. But videos (especially lengthy ones) are always a bit of a pain to reference, and these are …

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

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

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

Craig Murray

Palestine Action Proscription: We Fight Back
1 Jul 2026 at 12:50pm

I publish below in full the Note we have submitted to Court today to re-establish the separate Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. Not only is the state doubling down on prosecution of pro-Palestine activists, a new National Security State Threats Bill is being fast tracked through parliament to extend the attack …

Palestine Action Proscription: We Fight Back

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism
29 Jun 2026 at 9:50am

The provisional surrender document signed by Donald Trump appeared to represent a triumph for Iran and indeed for the world; but neither the USA nor Israel has the slightest sense of honour and they cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith. Iran knows this – after all, the USA twice attacked Iran actually during …

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism

The UK Joins the Pirates
15 Jun 2026 at 1:21pm

I was genuinely surprised by the Starmer regime’s refusal to state that the Israeli boarding of the Global Sumud flotilla on the High Seas was illegal. I did not realise it was because the UK was planning to undertake similar illegal seizure itself. The Gaza Flotilla seizure was illegal: while for obvious reasons freedom of …

The UK Joins the Pirates

Sentencing the Innocent
13 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm

Judge Johnson had proved his fascist credentials through rulings much earlier in the Filton trial than his vicious sentencing. Indeed, he had arguably already shown them when he released Tommy Robinson from a prison sentence, or when as a barrister he had chosen to work for the intelligence services and Ministry of Defence. But in …

Sentencing the Innocent

The Joy of Resistance
6 Jun 2026 at 9:51am

Just a quick note to say that I am very aware that lately I have been rather bitter, which is not good for anybody, especially me. The disappointments and state outrages have been no worse than usual; my frustration at my poor health, and the subsequent constraint of my ability to fight back, has rather …

The Joy of Resistance

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland
28 May 2026 at 7:50am

I went through yesterday’s preliminary hearing in the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action with a sense of mounting horror. We had the same judge as at the permission hearing, Lord Young. We had exactly the same arguments and the same case law being deployed again by the UK government as at …

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland

BBC Scotland

SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
8 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
Chris Birt was one of six male councillors who voted to take no action on David Brown's operator's licence

Farage is victim of by-election 'stitch-up', claims Reform's Scottish leader
8 Jul 2026 at 11:35am
Malcolm Offord made the remark as major parties have confirmed they will not contest the vote triggered by Farage's resignation, describing it as a political stunt.

'Mansion tax' could double rates on Scotland's most expensive homes
6 Jul 2026 at 1:34pm
SNP ministers have has proposed a steep council tax increase for properties worth more than £1m.

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
The Labour MP, who is expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, has ruled out agreeing to a vote.

Four councillors quit after vote for rapist taxi driver to keep operator licence
7 Jul 2026 at 2:16pm
The four have resigned from Highland licensing committee after voting to allow David Brown to keep an operator's licence.

Police inquiry into Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
The group campaigned in favour of Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum.

I was 'slam dunk' for SNP leadership until revealing gay marriage views - Forbes
3 Jul 2026 at 6:23am
The former deputy first minister says she was advised to lie about her opinions on same-sex marriage.

Burnham showed 'lack of knowledge' about Scotland - Swinney
1 Jul 2026 at 12:07pm
The first minister has criticised the Labour MP after he suggested power north of the border was too centralised.

What does the Royal Navy's drone warship plan mean for Scotland?
1 Jul 2026 at 6:15am
The UK government's long-awaited defence spending plans are out, but is it good or bad news for Scottish shipbuilders?

Charges for hate crimes in Scotland soar to record high
30 Jun 2026 at 11:55am
A total of 7,115 charges with at least one element of hate crime were recorded in 2025-26.

Andy Burnham vows to decentralise power in Scotland
29 Jun 2026 at 2:18pm
The Labour MP, who is expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, said he wants to take power away from devolved parliaments and empower communities.

Scottish Labour's election 'disaster' due to unpopular PM - Lennon
28 Jun 2026 at 12:43pm
Former Labour MSP Monica Lennon says voters could not get beyond Keir Starmer's unpopularity.

Scot Goes Pop

Another stunning SNP by-election GAIN as the Tories go into FREEFALL in the n...
4 Jul 2026 at 2:11pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE. A great reply semi-ruined by the final sentence. Stew? In Scotland?! The very ...

"IS THAT IT, ANDY?!" Only a 2% Burnham bounce for Labour with YouGov, as SNP ...
1 Jul 2026 at 11:59am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Burnham in danger of making government from Manchester as remote...

King of the South: Andy Burnham will make rule from Manchester as detested in...
30 Jun 2026 at 3:42am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP do...

Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP are dominant in...
29 Jun 2026 at 2:28am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.As regular readers may recall, I've been an elected member of the SNP's Policy Devel...

By-election sensation as SNP *gain* seat in Aberdeen - John Swinney's party a...
27 Jun 2026 at 8:40pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsamp...

Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsample result in ...
26 Jun 2026 at 9:27am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Andy Burnham's plan to rip up the Barnett Formula means he is ri...

How it is still mathematically possible for Scotland to qualify for the secon...
25 Jun 2026 at 2:12pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Andy Burnham's plan to rip up the Barnett Formula means he is ri...

REVEALED: Andy Burnham wants to rip up "The Vow", making a second independenc...
24 Jun 2026 at 3:47am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Grim news for Labour, but good cheer for the SNP, in first poll ...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Nigel Farage victim of by-election ?stitch-up?, says Reform?s Scottish leader...
8 Jul 2026 at 1:10pm
Parties from across the political spectrum have said they will not contest the Clacton by-election sparked by the Reform leader?s resignation

Al Carns: Who is the Scottish Royal Marines colonel who hasn?t backed Andy Bu...
7 Jul 2026 at 1:45pm
One Labour MP has very publicly refused to make up his mind about the former Manchester mayor

Nigel Farage to resign as MP to trigger by-election
7 Jul 2026 at 12:12pm
The Reform UK leader will fight the forthcoming vote in Clacton in a contest he said was the 'people versus the establishment'

SNP MSP breaks with Scottish Government on Jackdaw and Rosebank
7 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
The announcement comes after the party lost the Aberdeen South by-election last month

Nato to unveil multibillion defence plans to prove its firepower to Trump
7 Jul 2026 at 8:40am
Donald Trump has previously said he was disappointed that some Nato allies refused to join the Iran war.

Consultation opens on Scottish Government?s ?mansion tax? proposals
6 Jul 2026 at 12:00pm
Deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth said the Scottish Government?s approach was 'based on fairness'

Andy Burnham should scrap ?short-sighted? NI tax hike ? new SNP MP
5 Jul 2026 at 11:18am
Lara Bird said the policy was ?choking-off? economic growth in Scotland.

Scots counting cost of two years of ?disastrous? Labour government, Tories say
4 Jul 2026 at 10:04am
Scottish Conservatives deputy leader Rachael Hamilton says Sir Keir Starmer?s time in office had been 'disastrous'

Starmer must say what he will cut to fund £15bn defence rise, SNP says
2 Jul 2026 at 6:57am
Dave Doogan, the party?s Westminster leader, warned the PM's 'unfunded' plans could take 'vital' money away from schools and hospitals

Westminster asks Holyrood about joint inquiry into SNP Murrell scandal
1 Jul 2026 at 5:25pm
The Scottish Affairs Committee is writing to MSPs in a bid to work together

Former MSP to face trial accused of causing crashes while drink-driving
1 Jul 2026 at 2:33pm
Colin Smyth, 53, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday

Starmer accuses SNP of ?pretending? not to know about Peter Murrell crimes
1 Jul 2026 at 1:45pm
Murrell was jailed for five years and three months for embezzling more than £400,000 from the party over a 12-year period.

Swinney rejects Burnham?s claim Scots feel distant from Holyrood
1 Jul 2026 at 10:56am
The First Minister accused the Labour leadership hopeful of trying to ?lecture? him and described his comments as ?polemics?

Nigel Farage declares £270,000 payment for promoting gold bullion
30 Jun 2026 at 8:23pm
This is Farage's single biggest payment for work outside his role as an MP.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

'Horrific' Beastie House case needs public inquiry to probe Glasgow City Coun...
8 Jul 2026 at 1:26pm
Two girls and a boy were violently and sexually assaulted on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019 at a disgusting flat in Townhead.

SNP could face two legal actions from Scots who donated to 'ring-fenced' refe...
8 Jul 2026 at 10:52am
Two separate groups of donors to the SNP's 2017 and 2019 referendum fighting funds are considering legal action against John Swinney's party.

Stephen Flynn blasts HS2 costs and says £100bn project is 'symbolic of Westmi...
8 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government's new Transport Secretary described HS2 as "one of the most over-budget and delayed projects ever".

Nigel Farage to quit as MP and force by-election in Clacton after facing ques...
7 Jul 2026 at 2:32pm
The Reform UK leader used an online video to rant about how unfairly he was being treated by sections of the media.

Andy Burnham criticised by Scots health campaigners over call to end ban on f...
7 Jul 2026 at 1:28pm
The sale and consumption of alcohol at football grounds has been banned in Scotland for more than 40 years and has become an emotive issue.

Scotland can 'no longer pretend' its immune to racism and hatred, warns Humza...
7 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
Writing for the Record, the former first minister called for "the good and decent people of Scotland" to stand up to "fascists and Nazis" who spread hatred and violence.

Patients are paying the price for Scotland's ambulance crisis
6 Jul 2026 at 5:57pm
In his regular column for the Record, the Scottish Labour leader warns many Scots in serious pain are being left waiting for hours for an ambulance due to an on-going crisis in the service.

Currency is a question Scottish independence supporters would rather not answer
6 Jul 2026 at 5:02pm
Scots deserve clarity on the SNP's currency plans now if the party is serious about an IndyRef2, says Chris McCall

Mansion tax could raise £16m with plan for new levies on most valuable Scots ...
6 Jul 2026 at 2:04pm
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth insisted the Government?s tax approach was ?based on fairness?.

Independent Scotland would commit to joining Euro as condition of joining EU,...
6 Jul 2026 at 11:31am
Alyn Smith even suggested a second referendum may be required to ask Scots if they were in favour of ditching the pound.

The National

The National | Politics

Speaker cuts off Scottish Labour MP for failing to ask question at PMQs
8 Jul 2026 at 1:02pm

A SCOTTISH Labour MP had to be stopped by the Speaker after he used his chance to speak at Prime Minister?s Questions (PMQs) to list the UK Government policies rather than ask a question ...

Betting odds slashed for Count Binface beating Nigel Farage in Clacton by-ele...
8 Jul 2026 at 12:13pm

BOOKMAKERS have slashed the odds of Count Binface beating Nigel Farage in the upcoming Clacton by-election ...

Could Nigel Farage be forced to 'debate a bin all summer' after by-election s...
8 Jul 2026 at 11:47am

NIGEL Farage could be left to fight a by-election against Count Binface after all major parties refused to stand against him in Clacton.

UK politicians line up to attack SNP MP for not supporting England in World Cup
8 Jul 2026 at 11:38am

A NEWLY elected SNP MP has faced abuse from her Westminster colleagues for the crime of not supporting England in the World Cup ...

Andy Burnham?s plan to bring growth to ?every postcode? in UK is simply not c...
8 Jul 2026 at 11:29am

?WESTMINSTER has not been working for people,? declared Andy Burnham in his first major policy speech since Keir Starmer?s resignation. ?I am going to do things differently. I will build a team of all the talents and reach out to other political parties.? What? Even Reform?

Why is Keir Starmer not at Prime Minister's Questions this week?
8 Jul 2026 at 11:16am

KEIR Starmer is missing from Prime Minister?s Questions today, with his deputy David Lammy filling in ...

Israel ?kills World Cup screening organiser? in Gaza just before kick off
8 Jul 2026 at 11:06am

AN Israeli strike on Gaza just before the kick-off of the Egypt-Argentina World Cup match killed a top Palestinian aid official who was instrumental in efforts to organise public screenings of the game across the enclave, according to local health...

SNP Highland councillor suspended after backing taxi licence for rapist
8 Jul 2026 at 11:05am

THE SNP Highland group has suspended one of its councillors after he voted in favour of allowing a rapist taxi driver to keep his operator's licence ...

SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence refere...
8 Jul 2026 at 10:55am

THE SNP are facing a group proceedings action in court over donations the party received for a ?ring-fenced? independence referendum fund ...

Malcolm Offord squirms in fiery BBC interview over Nigel Farage's donations s...
8 Jul 2026 at 9:25am

MALCOLM Offord has suggested he would have declared the £5 million gift that has engulfed Nigel Farage in a donation scandal during a fiery BBC radio appearance in which he floundered to defend the Reform leader ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
8 Jul 2026 at 3:22pm
Highland Council's licensing committee has been under fire after six male councillors voted to take no action

Scott Arthur named MP of the Year for Rare Cancers Act
8 Jul 2026 at 1:24pm
The MP brought the legislation forward as a private members? bill not longer after being elected

Scotland could block hyperscale data centres over environmental concerns
8 Jul 2026 at 12:54pm
The SNP is looking at planning guidance amid concerns over the environmental impact of the facilities

Farage to resign as MP for Clacton as he rails against the media in televised...
7 Jul 2026 at 3:42pm
The Reform leader said he would contest the resulting by-election. It comes amid increased scrutiny of his finances.

Scottish A&E in ?permanent crisis? as thousands wait 12 hours or more
7 Jul 2026 at 2:11pm
The new data shows that one in eight patients waited 12 or more hours before being admitted, discharged or transferred in May 2026

Police investigating Yes Scotland over ?missing? ?1.5m
6 Jul 2026 at 1:00pm
A complaint has been made about the finances of the company which campaigned for independence

SNP MSP calls for free-to-air TV for Commonwealth Games
6 Jul 2026 at 12:00pm
Glasgow MSP David Linden said it is ?simply wrong? that the games will be broadcast on a subscription-based service

The public sector has a duplication problem. And we?re all paying for it.
6 Jul 2026 at 10:33am
How shared digital components can cut duplication, free up staff time and make every pound of public money work harder.

Swinney ?running scared? of inquiry into Murrell scandal
2 Jul 2026 at 6:45pm
Tory MSP Tim Eagle, a member of the standards committee, urged the Scottish Affairs Committee to carry out its own investigation

Lisa Nandy announces government department will leave X
2 Jul 2026 at 6:38pm
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is the second to do so

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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 ...

?This changes everything?: how Brexit altered Scotland?s political landscape
21 Jun 2026 at 12:00pm
Former party leaders reflect on the turbulence that followed the referendum in which most Scottish voters backed the losing sideThe decision to quit the EU bolstered support for Scottish independence, which a decade after the Brexit referendum is at near record levels, according to Scottish Labou...

Burnham calls for ?new path for Britain? as Starmer vows to fight any leaders...
19 Jun 2026 at 6:30pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:Cabinet loyalists tell PM he has weekend to set out timetable for exit?Now is the change moment?: Burnham staff have no doubtsPodcast: will Burnham become prime minister?What would ?change? look like if Burnham becomes PM?David Blunket...

Scottish Conservatives win Aberdeen South in shock loss for the SNP
19 Jun 2026 at 12:29pm
Tories? Douglas Lumsden says city has spoken ?loud and clear? in support of the North Sea oil and gas industryThe Scottish National party has lost the formerly safe seat of Aberdeen South in a shock loss to the Scottish Conservatives.Douglas Lumsden beat the SNP?s Richard Thomson by 6,050 votes, ...

?No friends to the oil and gas industry?: Aberdeen South, the byelection wher...
17 Jun 2026 at 3:00pm
Peter Murrell affair may feature, but contest seen as straight fight between SNP and Tories over energy policyThe contest for Aberdeen South, a constituency that spans urban social housing and detached homes with sculpted gardens, has been dominated by one topic: the future of North Sea oil and g...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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 …

Labour?s attempted theft of the Holyrood election is being aided by the media
3 Jul 2026 at 3:32pm
Something is seriously wrong with democracy in Scotland, but the media has told us vastly more about Peter Murrell’s cruet sets than it has about what can only be described as an attempt by the Labour party to steal the Holyrood election. In fact the attempted subversion of the result of the recent election has …

Labour?s nuclear power, an offer we can refuse
2 Jul 2026 at 3:30pm
It’s an offer we can refuse. The Labour government has identified a number of sites across Scotland on which it would like to build new nuclear power plants. A report was published this week by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the political ashtray Michael Shanks, the most disappointing MP in a …

Burnham, the GB Energy of devolution
29 Jun 2026 at 9:06pm
Andy Burnham’s big plan for the UK is still lacking in detail, but it’s already looking suspiciously like another of Westminster’s power grabs at the expense of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. Burnham’s big speech on Monday during which he unveiled his plans for a Number Ten North. No, Scotland, not THAT north, Burnham’s north. …

The feeding frenzy
26 Jun 2026 at 12:13pm
Peter Murrell was sentenced on Tuesday for a crime of which the SNP was the victim. That has not diminished the appetite of the media in Scotland to continue its witch hunt. Ever since Murrell pleaded guilty the media in Scotland has descended into a feeding frenzy. You’d be forgiven for thinking that it was …

Burnham?s threat to the Scottish budget
25 Jun 2026 at 1:18pm
While the media in Scotland continues to scrabble around in the bins in search of another desperate angle on the Murrell scandal, it’s looking almost certain that there will be no leadership contest in the Labour party. Close Starmer ally Darren Jones, who had been tipped to make a leadership bid, has said he will …

The burst socks of British politics
22 Jun 2026 at 3:49pm
Starmer has gone, a man whose main achievement as Prime Minister was to throw away a landslide majority in the House of Commons and make himself even more unpopular than Liz Truss. The UK is now heading for its seventh prime minister in ten years, meaning that British prime ministers don’t last as long as …

Three by elections and no one cared about the Murrell affair
19 Jun 2026 at 12:42pm
The Tories are celebrating their Westminster by election win in Aberdeen South today. But just as Labour celebrated its Holyrood by election win in Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse in 2025 only to go on to lose this year’s Holyrood election, all this by election result really tells us is that tactical voting in by elections …

The world?s crappiest whodunnit
17 Jun 2026 at 12:20pm
I’ve had my cataract operation, the op was a couple of days early as there was a cancellation. The recovery period is four weeks, but I already notice a massive improvement in my eyesight. The fog has lifted and I’m now able to read much more comfortably. I’m hugely relieved it’s over. Right now, there’s …

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

Six years after the devolution of disability payments to Scotland, 240 associ...
8 Jul 2026 at 12:32pm
The Guardian today has two pieces very critical of the disability benefits system in England: Disability benefits in England and Wales not fit for purpose, Timms review to find1 and What is the Timms review into Pip and what is it likely to conclude?2 Extract: The review by the disability minister, Stephen Timms, which was commissioned in the aftermath of Keir Starmer?s U-turn on welfare cuts, ...

The hidden reason why Scotland?s Accident & Emergency Services are far far be...
8 Jul 2026 at 12:31pm

Murder by minors in Scotland plummets to a quarter of the level under Labour ...
8 Jul 2026 at 9:49am
The Daily Record in its never-ending pursuit of ‘children’ stabbed to death, for who knows how many times now front pages an image of a world that on the facts is disappearing. From ITN on 1 May 2025: ITN Productions? new 1 x 90? documentary for 5, looks at the rise in murder convictions for 12-17-year-olds in the UK, from those affected by these harrowing crimes and experts offering insight an...

Labour Government planning to ?go soft? on sex offenders and domestic abusers...
8 Jul 2026 at 8:37am
Thanks once more to Dottie for alerting me to this. From Channel 4 last night, the above, and: Thousands of killers, rapists and sex offenders could be released early this September under the government?s latest plans to ease overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales. But there are growing calls for sex offenders to be excluded from the scheme. Source: https://www.channel4.com/news/survivors...

1 in 7 English bathing spots is not recommended for swimming but it?s only 1 ...
8 Jul 2026 at 8:17am
BBC Scotland‘s insert this morning in BBC Breakfast shows them keen to make something of three recent warnings about swimming in Scottish bathing spots at Ardrossan, Portobello and Kinghorn in Fife. There is no fuller account on their website. All three warnings appear to have been lifted but that doesn’t seem to be ‘the news‘ for the public in Scotland as we begin a wee heatwave. What’s the bi...

If NHS Scotland had the same level of admissions per head of population to A&E...
7 Jul 2026 at 4:32pm
In May 2026 63.6% of 129 279 attending Type 1 A&E in Scotland were seen within 4 hours. The equivalent percentage for England was 61.9% of 923 959 admissions. If you were a Scottish MSM journo, you’d be quick to claim that’s little different. 1.7% better but: First, 1.7% of those 129 279 attending is 2 198 more treated on time who would not have been had they live in England. Tell them they’re ...

Deeply impressive ? month after month, year after year, NHS Scotland is staff...
7 Jul 2026 at 4:26pm
From Cancelled planned operations Month ending 31 May 2026, published today, we can extract the above in a graphical form and read: There were 24,951 operations planned to take place across NHS Scotland. This is 0.5% less (-116) than the number planned in May 2025 (25,067). Over the course of the last 12 months, from June 2025 to May 2026 (308,249), there was a 7.7% increase (+21,911) compared ...

BBC Scotland?s Endometriosis claims are based on an unreliable survey
7 Jul 2026 at 4:25pm
Under a tasteless image of a woman grimacing in pain, BBC Scotland today is using the news on new testing for endometriosis to suggest waiting times are longer in NHS Scotland than in NHS England based on the average. Using this measure, we hear it’s 10 years and 2 months in Scotland but 9 years and 4 months in England. There’s a problem. This is not based on Public Health Scotland officially c...

Serendipitous National Party Government has ?failed to exploit potential? in ...
7 Jul 2026 at 4:24pm
From BBC England this morning, the above, and: The cost of damages paid out to people injured in the UK by e-scooters and e-bikes has topped £110m, the BBC has learned. It is only seven years since the first claim was made, with the biggest individual payout being for £20m. Such claims have also led to premiums for drivers being pushed up, to effectively cover the bill for insurers. https://www...

As Sky News worries about killers and rapists released early from prison in E...
7 Jul 2026 at 9:14am
Both Sky News and BBC Breakfast today have reported concerns about early prisoner release in England including killers and rapists. BBC Scotland has no equivalent today though they have tried before to be Reporting Scotland Down this way. They struggled. Here’s why: On 17 June 2026 officers is raising concerns about the early release of hundreds of prisoners over the past two years. The early r...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum - The Telegraph
5 Jul 2026 at 1:09pm
Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum  The Telegraph

Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum - thecanar...
7 Jul 2026 at 5:52pm
Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum  thecanary.co

SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence refere...
8 Jul 2026 at 11:08am
SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence referendum'  The National Scot

Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell - Enlighten - Scotland's Independ...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell  Enlighten - Scotland's Independent Think Tank

Scottish 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

Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum - The Times
5 Jul 2026 at 5:03pm
Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum  The Times

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

SNP faces court action from donors demanding repayment of independence funds ...
8 Jul 2026 at 5:16am
SNP faces court action from donors demanding repayment of independence funds  The Herald

Andy Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum - The Scotsman
5 Jul 2026 at 10:57am
Andy Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum  The Scotsman

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP Highland councillor suspended after backing taxi licence for rapist - The...
8 Jul 2026 at 11:40am
SNP Highland councillor suspended after backing taxi licence for rapist  The National Scot

SNP MSP breaks with Scottish Government on Jackdaw and Rosebank - Newswav
7 Jul 2026 at 1:55pm
SNP MSP breaks with Scottish Government on Jackdaw and Rosebank  Newswav

Former SNP chief Peter Murrell leaves court as new images show items bought w...
2 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Former SNP chief Peter Murrell leaves court as new images show items bought with embezzled funds  BBC

We know what former SNP chief Peter Murrell bought with £400,000 of embezzled...
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
We know what former SNP chief Peter Murrell bought with £400,000 of embezzled funds. What I?d like to know is why  The Guardian

How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled ...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled  BBC

Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter M...
30 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell  Sky News

Former Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling $540,000 - R...
25 May 2026 at 8:00am
Former Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling $540,000  Reuters

Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, co...
2 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, court told  The Guardian

Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unw...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unwrapped  BBC

Sturgeon wishes she had not kept Murrell on as SNP chief executive - BBC
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Sturgeon wishes she had not kept Murrell on as SNP chief executive  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim - BBC
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim  BBC

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum - thecanar...
7 Jul 2026 at 5:52pm
Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum  thecanary.co

Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum - The Times
5 Jul 2026 at 5:03pm
Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum  The Times

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

Andy Burnham REJECTS second Scottish independence referendum if he becomes PM...
5 Jul 2026 at 10:14am
Andy Burnham REJECTS second Scottish independence referendum if he becomes PM  The National Scot

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

Andy Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum - The Scotsman
5 Jul 2026 at 10:57am
Andy Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum  The Scotsman

Andy Burnham tells Scottish Labour MPs he will not agree to independence refe...
5 Jul 2026 at 11:03am
Andy Burnham tells Scottish Labour MPs he will not agree to independence referendum  The Herald