The Herald

The Herald | Politics


UN committee finds Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian children
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
23 Jun 2026 at 7:05pm
A United Nations committee has accused Israel of deliberately targeting children in Gaza, including IDF soldiers "shooting teenage boys in a game of target practice"


Glasgow: The Next Chapter - The Herald's new series explores the future of th...
by joe.donnelly2@newsquest.co.uk | Joe Donnelly
23 Jun 2026 at 12:00pm
The Herald's latest in-depth investigative series explores the future of Scotland's largest city through the lens of culture, business, people and more.


I know the Holyrood press 'pen' seems like a diddy wee row but it matters
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
23 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm
The decision to corral political journalists into a designated pen after First Minister's Questions threatens the historic culture of openness at Holyrood.


Liberal Democrat MP ordered to apologise after breaching bullying rules
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
23 Jun 2026 at 1:45pm
A Liberal Democrat MP has been ordered to apologise for breaching Parliament?s rules on bullying


Trans prisoners to be moved from women's jails in Scotland after Ministers ba...
by jody.harrison@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Jody Harrison
23 Jun 2026 at 1:25pm
Ministers have decided not to appeal a ruling which found the practice 'unlawful'


Edinburgh councillor calls for stronger knife laws after Nowak and Leith attacks
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
23 Jun 2026 at 1:21pm
On Monday, a 36-year-old man appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court charged with five counts of attempted murder.


'I am a forgiving person': John Swinney reacts to Peter Murrell's prison sent...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
23 Jun 2026 at 1:20pm
John Swinney has spoken of his profound sense of betrayal following the sentencing of Peter Murrell. The former SNP chief executive was jailed for over five years at the High Court in Edinburgh after admitting embezzling £400,000.


Scottish newspaper editors tell journalists to defy Holyrood 'pen'
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
23 Jun 2026 at 11:48am
Every major Scottish newspaper editor has ordered journalists to defy a controversial new 'pen' at Holyrood, warning that the restrictions risk bringing the Scottish Parliament into disrepute.


'Beyond outrageous': Nicola Sturgeon issues new statement after Peter Murrell...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
23 Jun 2026 at 11:01am
Nicola Sturgeon has said it is 'beyond outrageous' she is being asked to comment on images of the luxury motorhome purchased by Peter Murrell during his SNP embezzlement spree.


Explained: How the SNP gets back party money stolen by Peter Murrell
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
23 Jun 2026 at 10:30am
The former SNP chief executive intends to repay the money he embezzled, but a separate court process will determine how much he must give back and how the funds can be returned to the party.


What Edinburgh's £32m budget underspend reveals about the capital's financial...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
23 Jun 2026 at 10:00am
The council?s provisional funding position was made public as part of the local authority?s unaudited 2025/26 accounts.


Peter Murrell sentenced to five years - read the judge's remarks in full
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
23 Jun 2026 at 9:57am
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison. Read the full courtroom sentencing remarks from Lord Young detailing how the calculated £400,000 embezzlement campaign unfolded over twelve years.


WATCH: 'You're thieving off them': Peter Murrell interviewed for Operation Br...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
23 Jun 2026 at 9:56am
Videos of Peter Murrell being interviewed by Operation Branchform investigators have been released.


This is why Nicola Sturgeon was not charged in Operation Branchform probe
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
23 Jun 2026 at 9:53am
New details have been revealed outlining why Nicola Sturgeon was not charged in the Operation Branchform investigation.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Questions mount for Sturgeon and SNP as Murrell jailed for five years
23 Jun 2026 at 5:38pm

Judge tells former party chief executive he is guilty of a ?calculated crime of dishonesty?

Peter Murrell?s case will call at the High Court again for a Proceeds of Crime hearing - but what does that actually mean?

Scottish ministers say they will not appeal the court?s decision in favour of For Women Scotland.

It looks like there will be a new Chancellor of the Exchequer in post in the next few weeks.

The 61-year-old used the funds to make hundreds of extravagant purchases, including a £124,550 motorhome, cars, jewellery, luxury homewares and designer stationery.

Today brings the case against Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband to a close.

The 61-year-old sat silent and impassive as detectives challenged him on his ?outrageous? spending on pens and other items that he bought with money embezzled from the SNP.

Lord Young imposed a sentence of five years and three months on Peter Murrell at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday

Andy Burnham was sworn in as an MP yesterday and is the favourite to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.

Newsbrands Scotland and the journalists? union have written to Holyrood bosses condemning the move.

Wings over Scotland

Hey Lord Don?t Ask Me Questions
23 Jun 2026 at 2:13pm
This really isn’t going to go away. No matter how hard Nicola Sturgeon gets Aamer Anwar to scream about it. Because every time anyone says anything in an attempt to shut down questions, it just raises a whole bundle more questions. The reported comments by Police Scotland today are a remarkable case in point. What …

Job Half Done
23 Jun 2026 at 10:01am
Nobody?s beating this tweet today. But as Peter Murrell begins a five-years-and-three-months prison sentence – more than we were expecting, in truth – let?s not lose sight of the key fact that the theft of hundreds of thousands of pounds of independence supporters? money by the SNP, which accidentally exposed Murrell?s entirely separate crime of …

The End Of Law
20 Jun 2026 at 2:05pm
This really is the most extraordinary statement. The short version is “We’re going to keep breaking the law every day while we think about whether we want it to apply to us or not”. And the really depressing thing is that that’s very much par for the course in the world of the Scottish establishment. …

A Fishy Tale
19 Jun 2026 at 9:54am
It is, if you’re a bit dim, almost possible to believe this. But not for very long. Because while the Labour vote collapsed by a staggering 87% in Aberdeen South last night, the Tory vote only went up by about a third of that. Labour lost 10,000 votes but the SNP also lost 7,000 and …

Response Level Upgrade
12 Jun 2026 at 12:48pm
Our first letter was answered/dismissed by “Service Adviser 1989847”, so this reply to our second one, while it doesn’t say much, definitely feels like a step up. Our KC has offered all possible assistance to the Cyber and Fraud Unit in relation to the matter, and we’ll keep you posted with any developments, readers.

Wider Than A Mile
10 Jun 2026 at 1:06pm
In this scene, John Swinney is portrayed by Stewie Griffin (the baby), and the faithful membership of the SNP is portrayed by Brian Griffin (the dog). ? We’re not sure any words are needed after that, but what the heck, we’re here now. Because it’s really, really difficult to overstate the blind idiot gullibility of …

The Ever-Changing Lie
9 Jun 2026 at 12:28pm
We have an update, folks. Because they don’t even care about keeping their bullshit straight. So the full sequence now runs: (1) “The money isn’t missing, it’s all still there and ringfenced for a second indyref. Anyone who says otherwise is a loony conspiracy theorist.” (Feb 2020) (2) “Okay, it’s not ringfenced, it’s woven in …

The Massive Face Of Truth
7 Jun 2026 at 11:01am
If you?d like to watch a 21-minute video of me banging on about Operation Branchform and whatnot to the Scottish Sun, click the image below. If you?d rather not watch that, best not to click it.

In pursuit of clarity
6 Jun 2026 at 11:12am
Wings has today sent the following emails. - The Chief Constable Police Scotland 5 Fettes Avenue Edinburgh EH4 1RB 6 June 2026 Thank you for your (very swift) reply to my letter. However, I am afraid that it leaves more questions than answers. Firstly, you state that Police Scotland ?have been advised? that the information …

The Interesting Words Round
5 Jun 2026 at 7:42pm
We received two emails today, just a few minutes apart. There are a couple of notable things about them. The first came from Claire Somebody at the Crown Office. The second one, even more thrillingly, came from Service Advisor 1989847 at Police Scotland, which we assume is some sort of advanced crime-fighting robot. In one …

Craig Murray

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

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review ? Stitch-Up Incoming?
27 May 2026 at 12:58am

The proscription of Palestine Action was sold to MPs and the media on the basis of a deliberate campaign of lies, fronted by Yvette Cooper, then Home Secretary, and Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan police. Both have deep commitment to Israel. Cooper is owned by the Israel lobby. What is worse, they then attempted …

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review – Stitch-Up Incoming?

Dr Manivannan
14 May 2026 at 6:00pm

The furore around the election of Dr Manivannan to the Scottish Parliament is deeply troubling. There is no argument whatsoever that they were eligible to stand for election. The law was changed specifically in order for those on temporary visas to be able to stand in Scottish parliamentary elections. I confess I am not sure …

Dr Manivannan

BBC Scotland

Peter Murrell jailed for more than five years for embezzling SNP funds
23 Jun 2026 at 1:29pm
The former party chief executive had admitted embezzling more than £400,000 over a 12-year period.

New pictures show dozens of items bought illegally by Peter Murrell
23 Jun 2026 at 10:59am
The images include a range of luxury bags, watches and pens, as well as fresh pictures of a £124,550 motorhome.

Shame and ridicule - but no motive: Five things we learned as Peter Murrell i...
23 Jun 2026 at 1:51pm
As the former SNP chief executive is jailed for embezzlement, what did we learn from his latest court appearance?

Trans inmates leaving women's prisons following court ruling
23 Jun 2026 at 3:20pm
John Swinney confirms he will not appeal the judgement that prisoners should be housed according to biological sex.

Vape shops in Scotland to be excluded from business rates relief
23 Jun 2026 at 4:34pm
Scottish ministers also announced an independent review of how the property tax is calculated.

Sexual crimes in Scotland hit record high levels
23 Jun 2026 at 2:11pm
Recorded sexual crimes increased by 10% last year and are at their highest level since the 1970s.

Who is Peter Murrell? The former SNP chief who stole from his party
23 Jun 2026 at 10:24am
An influential political figure who shunned the limelight, Murrell's crimes placed him in the full glare of publicity.

Alleged anti-Muslim attacks are 'intolerance wake-up call' - Swinney
22 Jun 2026 at 5:52pm
The first minister said increasingly intolerant rhetoric in the Scottish Parliament is linked to division among communities.

Sarwar 'proud' of work with Starmer despite resignation call
22 Jun 2026 at 1:35pm
The Scottish Labour leader was the first major party figure to call for the prime minister to quit.

Sturgeon and Gove to team up for reality TV 'wargame'
22 Jun 2026 at 10:47am
The former first minister is to serve as deputy prime minister in a simulation of a Russian attack on the UK.

Historic by-election win sends message to Labour and SNP - Badenoch
19 Jun 2026 at 2:20pm
Kemi Badenoch hailed the Scottish Conservatives' first by-election win since 1973, after the party took Aberdeen South from the SNP.

Judge rules Scottish guidance for housing trans prisoners is unlawful
19 Jun 2026 at 4:05pm
Judge Lady Ross said sex segregation in prisons must be based on biological sex, based on a Supreme Court ruling last year.

Scot Goes Pop

Grim news for Labour, but good cheer for the SNP, in first poll of the Burnha...
23 Jun 2026 at 2:27pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Keir Starmer's resignation as Prime Minister has made Scottish i...

Keir Starmer's resignation as Prime Minister has made Scottish independence I...
22 Jun 2026 at 3:17pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos: SNP settle for one by-election win out of two - but Keir Starme...

SNP settle for one by-election win out of two - but Keir Starmer will only be...
19 Jun 2026 at 2:27pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos: New low for BBC as they abuse Scottish World Cup coverage as a ...

By-election analysis
19 Jun 2026 at 10:50am
Just a quick note to let you know that I have a new article at The National analysing last night's three by-election results, which you can read HERE.  I'll try to make a video later on as well, al...

Burnham still in the danger zone in Makerfield by-election, say two out of th...
17 Jun 2026 at 7:49am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos: New low for BBC as they abuse Scottish World Cup coverage as a ...

New low for BBC as they abuse Scottish World Cup coverage as a licence fee en...
14 Jun 2026 at 3:01pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos: BOMBSHELL as French Government reveals there was Israeli interf...

BOMBSHELL as French Government reveals there was Israeli interference in the ...
12 Jun 2026 at 7:10pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos: Of course Good Morning Britain should apologise for its anti-Sc...

Of course Good Morning Britain should apologise for its anti-Scottish chauvin...
10 Jun 2026 at 1:49pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos: Sparkling YouGov subsample puts spring in SNP's step as crucial...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Lib Dem MP ordered to apologise for grabbing staff member?s security pass
23 Jun 2026 at 3:01pm
Parliament?s complaints service found Angus MacDonald broke the rules by grabbing a contractor?s security pass

Andy Burnham to receive Government briefings as Keir Starmer looks to make po...
23 Jun 2026 at 2:30pm
Starmer has authorised Civil Service access talks to begin with 'prospective candidates'

Trans prisoners to be moved out of female jails in Scotland from today
23 Jun 2026 at 1:02pm
Ministers lost a legal battle last week over a policy of placing transgender prisoners in female jails at the Court of Session

First photos of Peter Murrell?s £124,000 motorhome parked outside mum?s house
23 Jun 2026 at 10:28am
Further details of the former SNP chief executive's embezzlement have been revealed

SNP chief Peter Murrell?s police interviews released
23 Jun 2026 at 10:15am
Murrell, the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, embezzled funds from the SNP between August 2010 and October 2022

Scottish independence ?challenge of the next decade?, says minister
23 Jun 2026 at 7:08am
The UK backed Brexit on June 23 2016, with 52% of voters opting to leave the EU ? despite 62% of Scots voting to remain

Peter Murrell to be sentenced for embezzling £400,000 from SNP
23 Jun 2026 at 6:46am
Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband will find out how long he will spend in prison on Tuesday morning

Sir Keir Starmer resigns as Prime Minister as Andy Burnham set to step up
22 Jun 2026 at 9:23am
Former mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has announced he will stand to replace Sir Keir

Keir Starmer ?on brink of resigning? as Andy Burnham returns to Westminster
22 Jun 2026 at 5:56am
Burnham is due to be sworn in as Makerfield's MP on Monday, while the PM is reported to have spent the weekend mulling over his political future.

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to play UK deputy prime minister in new...
21 Jun 2026 at 8:39pm
The four-part show sees an impressive cross-party cast of highly experienced public figures who must navigate a war with Russia.

?I wish him well?: Trump says Starmer will resign as Prime Minister
21 Jun 2026 at 5:44am
Several senior Labour voices, including the Foreign Secretary, have urged the prime minister to step down.

Starmer under pressure to quit after Burnham?s by-election win
19 Jun 2026 at 11:02pm
Sir Keir Starmer is understood to have spoken to a number of Cabinet ministers on Friday.

Commons leaders pressed over ?safeguards? for public cash after Peter Murrell...
19 Jun 2026 at 3:57pm
Patricia Ferguson, the chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, has written to both the Clerk of the House of Commons and the Speaker on the issue

Scottish Government loses legal challenge over trans prisoners in female jails
19 Jun 2026 at 12:28pm
In a case at the Court of Session, For Women Scotland won its bid to challenge the existing guidelines and to have them struck down.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Nicola Sturgeon let down SNP members over the Murrell scandal and should apol...
23 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon said Murrell's theft happened when Sturgeon was SNP leader and she should apologise.

Peter Murrell jailed LIVE as Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband banged up fo...
23 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm
The former long serving chief executive of the SNP, who was once one of the most powerful men in Scottish politics, now faces years behind bars.

John Swinney says Peter Murrell scandal has been 'agony' after ex-SNP chief e...
23 Jun 2026 at 1:42pm
Swinney, who was a teenage friend of Murrell before later hiring him as SNP chief executive, said the embezzlement case had been "distressing" and "hurtful".

Nicola Sturgeon's lawyer attacks ?disgraceful and beyond outrageous? police a...
23 Jun 2026 at 10:59am
Aamer Anwar hit out after it emerged the police wanted to ask the former First Minister, who was arrested but released without charge, to answer more questions.

Newspaper editors urge journalists to ignore Scottish Parliament media 'pen'
23 Jun 2026 at 10:10am
Newsbrands Scotland director John McLellan said the decision by Holyrood chiefs brought the Parliament into "disrepute".

Peter Murrell's Montblanc pen haul worth staggering £24k shown in new images
23 Jun 2026 at 9:56am
Images released by prosecutors have revealed some of the high-end items seized by cops when they searched a home shared by Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon and SNP HQ in 2023. Scroll down for the ...

Branchform cops had more SNP cash questions for Sturgeon after ex-FM gave no ...
23 Jun 2026 at 9:52am
The Record understands detectives had hoped to further quiz the ex-SNP leader as part of their Operation Branchform investigation.

'Calculated and dishonest' Peter Murrell jailed for 5 years for embezzling ov...
23 Jun 2026 at 9:50am
The former SNP chief executive has been imprisoned after stealing from the party he once helped run.

Keir Starmer resignation LIVE as Prime Minister confirms he will quit with An...
22 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
Andy Burnham could win the Labour leadership contest unopposed after Wes Streeting today declared he would support the Manchester mayor's bid to become PM.

What Andy Burnham as Prime Minister could mean for Scotland if he replaces Ke...
22 Jun 2026 at 3:15pm
Andy Burnham could be installed as the next Prime Minister as soon as next month. But what could that mean for Scotland?

The National

The National | Politics

It may be Wes Streeting?s turn to be prime minister before too long
23 Jun 2026 at 7:30pm

WES Streeting?s backers must be very pleased with the success of his campaign so far. His resignation from the UK Government lit the touch paper for Sir Keir Starmer?s resignation and for his support of Andy Burnham he will no doubt be rewarded with a major role in government.

UK under PM Andy Burnham will be just as bleak as it is now
23 Jun 2026 at 7:30pm

WITH Starmer set to go, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will soon have its seventh Prime Minister in ten years. It also happens to be ten years since the very same United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union ? a coincidence? I think not.

We deserve to know what Stephen Flynn means about the next election
23 Jun 2026 at 7:21pm

I FEEL I must enter the fray regarding a ridiculous statement made by Stephen Flynn regarding the humiliation in Aberdeen. He said that the SNP would win back the seat at the next General Election.

Scottish Government announces urgent review of business rates hikes
23 Jun 2026 at 6:26pm

THE Scottish Government has commissioned an independent review into ?anomalous? business rates hikes ...

Israel committing genocide against Palestinian children, UN inquiry says
23 Jun 2026 at 6:22pm

ISRAEL has committed genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity across Palestine, a UN commission of inquiry has said ...

Scottish Reform UK candidate slammed for misogynistic Instagram posts
23 Jun 2026 at 6:00pm

THE REFORM UK candidate in an upcoming Aberdeenshire by-election is under fire over ?abhorrent? and misogynistic social media posts ...

Donald Trump to present World Cup trophy to winners, says Gianni Infantino
23 Jun 2026 at 5:48pm

DONALD Trump is set to hand over the World Cup trophy to the winners at the final on July 19, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said

Andy Burnham wants to 'tear up' funding model for Scottish Parliament
23 Jun 2026 at 5:26pm

BRITAIN?S likely next prime minister wants to ?tear up? the funding mechanism for Holyrood, The National can reveal.

SNP write to Presiding Officer over Reform leader's ?misleading? refugee remarks
23 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm

THE SNP have written to the Presiding Officer accusing Malcolm Offord of ?misleading? the Scottish Parliament ...

MPs reject 'antisemitism' allegation amid call for probe into Israel lobby in UK
23 Jun 2026 at 4:53pm

ACCUSATIONS that a call to investigate pro-Israel meddling in UK politics is ?antisemitic? were slapped down by MPs.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Lib Dem MP apologises for grabbing man?s security pass in bullying row
23 Jun 2026 at 5:03pm
Angus MacDonald said he had no recollection of clash with contractor

Five Eyes warns of increasing cyber threat from AI
23 Jun 2026 at 4:07pm
The timeline for more sophisticated threats was ?not years, it is months?

?Beyond outrageous? to ask Sturgeon to comment on police briefings, says lawyer
23 Jun 2026 at 2:06pm
Nicola Sturgeon?s lawyer has said it is ?disgraceful and beyond outrageous? that she has been asked to comment on background briefings to the media by police and the Crown Office

Scottish Government will not challenge trans prisoner ruling, Neil Gray confirms
23 Jun 2026 at 1:53pm
For Women Scotland case confirmed Scottish Prison Service policy was 'unlawful'

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell jailed for five years and three months
23 Jun 2026 at 10:24am
Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband had previously admitted to embezzling over ?400,000 from the party

Economic drivers
23 Jun 2026 at 7:00am
The Highlands and Islands offer a microcosm of all the sectors required to grow the Scottish economy.

Wes Streeting backs Andy Burnham, paving way for coronation
22 Jun 2026 at 2:00pm
Streeting said the result had ?proven that Labour can still win if we have the courage to change?

Keir Starmer announces resignation in Downing Street statement
22 Jun 2026 at 1:04pm
The prime minister said he would stay on until a successor is in place

PM reflecting on 'political realities', admits cabinet ally
22 Jun 2026 at 10:00am
A cabinet minister has admitted that Keir Starmer is taking time to think through ?the political realities? he faces amid growing expectations that he will agree to resign

Thomas Kerr: Don't call me a grifter
22 Jun 2026 at 9:00am
Speaking to?Holyrood, Kerr also supported Nigel Farage's assertion there is 'two-tier policing' which discriminates against white people

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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...

UK defence spending plan ?well short of what?s required? and harder choices n...
16 Jun 2026 at 6:08pm
Ex-defence secretary John Healey and ex-defence minister Al Carns have given resignation statements to MPsSpeaking to reporters at the G7, Keir Starmer also defended the defence investment plan (DIP) draft that led to John Healey?s resignation as defence secretary last week. Starmer confirmed tha...

France accuses Israeli firm of interfering in Scottish elections and targetin...
12 Jun 2026 at 3:00pm
Cyber agency says BlackCore targeted John Swinney, as well as interfering in New York and French electionsFrance?s cybersecurity agency has accused the Israeli tech company BlackCore of interfering in the Scottish elections earlier this year by targeting the first minister, John Swinney.The disin...

Dan Jarvis named new defence secretary as Al Carns quits government ? UK poli...
11 Jun 2026 at 10:53pm
Government confirms Jarvis?s move from role as security minister to replace John HealeyRyan Henderson, assistant chief constable for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, is about to hold a press conference about last night?s rioting.Andy Burnham is facing criticism after saying that he thinks ...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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 …

Sarwar learns the law of unintended consequences
11 Jun 2026 at 11:52am
Anyone with two functioning braincells knows that the only reason the anti-independence parties and the SNP’s enemies are so keen on an inquiry into the Murrell scandal is because they seek to make political capital out of it, damage a party that keeps defeating them at the ballot box, and with it hinder progress to …

Westminster goes Trumpian and the media in Scotland jumps the SNPbad shark
7 Jun 2026 at 7:26pm
At the behest of Tory MP Andrew Six Chips Bowie, Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee is to vote next week on whether to hold an inquiry into the finances of the SNP. Bowie is of course only interested in good governance and looking after the best interests of the SNP members whose money was stolen by …

The historic failure of the media in Scotland
4 Jun 2026 at 1:28pm
The issues in my left eye, my better eye, seem to be getting a bit better so I’m only half blind now. Many thanks to everyone who left kind messages of support. Hopefully after 16 June when I have the cataract operation my eyesight will improve markedly. The Murrell scandal is of course still rumbling …

Seeing the path ahead clearly
31 May 2026 at 2:45pm
I’m not going to be blogging so much over the next couple of weeks. For the past year or so I’ve had a cataract in my right eye, which has rapidly worsened over recent months such that at an eye test at the opticians last week I found to my horror that I could not …

The first salvos have been fired in the latest stage of the independence camp...
27 May 2026 at 4:20pm
On Tuesday, the first working day of a new Scottish Parliament, with a record pro-independence majority, the fourth such majority in a row, MSPs voted by 72 to 55, a majority of 17 to adopt a motion calling on the Westminster government “to make a Section 30 order under the Scotland Act 1998 to devolve …

Explaining a parliamentary mandate for the staunch of hearing
26 May 2026 at 3:16pm
Today Holyrood gets the ball rolling on putting into action the pro-independence mandate given to it by the people of Scotland at the recent election, which as we all know by now resulted in the largest ever majority of pro-independence MSPs in the history of the Scottish Parliament. I’ll blog about the debate and vote …

Branchform?s over and the SNP is still standing
25 May 2026 at 1:41pm
Well, after five long years, murder tents, and over £2 million in police costs, it’s all over bar the inevitable shouting, and of course the not insignificant matter of what is likely to be a substantial custodial sentence. Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party. …

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

After 20 years of centre-left government protecting services and the poorest ...
23 Jun 2026 at 3:30pm
From Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2025-26 published today, the above table of Total number of recorded crimes per 10,000 population, Scotland, 2025-26 in each council area. https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2025-26/pages/total-recorded-crime/ How do these compare with parts of England? Note the national average pushing 20% higher, the rates far higher than any in Scotland...

Scottish Government funds Transport Scotland?s award-winning motorcycle safet...
23 Jun 2026 at 2:43pm
From the Road Safety Trust today, the above image and: A report recently published on The Road Safety Trust?s website has confirmed that Transport Scotland?s award-winning motorcycle safety initiative is continuing to save lives on Scotland?s trunk road network. Believed to be the largest motorcycle behaviour investigation of its kind, Project PRIME set out to improve rider safety through the u...

Reconviction Rates in Scotland fall to tiny percentage per head of those in E...
23 Jun 2026 at 2:25pm
From Reconviction Rates in Scotland: 2022 to 2023 Offender Cohort, published today: Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/reconviction-rates-in-scotland-2022-2023-cohort/ What might account for this? There are currently 5 576 ?band 4? probation officers in England.2 Scotland does not have ?probation officers? as a distinct role. The equivalent is Justice Social Workers (also called criminal...

Did the media get Murrell 5 years in jail? In 2019 a Labour councillor stole ...
23 Jun 2026 at 2:03pm
From BBC Scotland in 2019: A former Labour councillor has been convicted of taking more than £8,000 from a local charity where she worked. Yvonne Kucuk, 52, was the company secretary for the People’s Development Trust in Dalmarnock, Glasgow. The trust ran the £3.5m Commonwealth Games legacy hub in the area, which was launched by football legend Sir Kenny Dalglish in 2015. But, later financial...

Scotland in top ten for foreign direct investment out of more than one thousa...
23 Jun 2026 at 11:13am
The above table is from this report published today: The EY UK Attractiveness Survey 2026, the latest in our series of annual reports exploring the performance and perceptions of the UK as a destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). It?s now been 25 years since EY first published this study. Over that time, it has become an eagerly awaited and indispensable reference point for business l...

?Alleged anti-Muslim attacks are ?intolerance wake-up call? but there are pos...
23 Jun 2026 at 8:58am
From BBC Scotland yesterday: The first minister has said a series of alleged anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh should be a “wake-up call” to Scotland over intolerance towards others. John Swinney said he was “terrified” the incidents, which left five men injured in the north and west of the city on Friday, were the product of intolerance being “legitimised”. He accused Reform MSPs at the Scottis...

Shetland business woman tell complete lie about how Scottish Government funds...
22 Jun 2026 at 3:09pm
So, a representative of some Shetland Islands business group gets to tell the Westminster Scottish Affairs committee that ferry transport is underfunded in Scotland. Watch now a Labour member of that committee invite the PM to damn the SNP Government with that claim. is the claim true? How do the relative subsidies for ferry transport in Scotland, Norway, British Columbia, Washington State, UK ...

Huge surge in child exploitation ? carrying drugs in body cavities and sexual...
22 Jun 2026 at 2:36pm
From Human Trafficking NRM referrals re county lines – 10yrs published by Police Scotland today, that ‘referrals made by Police Scotland to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) where county lines and suspected criminal exploitation was a factor‘ was: Under 16 year-olds – from 6 in 2020/2021 to 39 in 2025/2026, almost a seven-fold increase. 16-17 year-olds, from 16 to 65, a four-fold increase. ...

Near-Shore Underwater Data Centres with Waste Heat Recovery ? A Distinctly Sc...
22 Jun 2026 at 2:03pm
By Jim Mennie: Short version Scotland?s oil and gas industry still has a future, but that future is heavily constrained. Successive Westminster governments of all parties ? Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat ? have retained control over energy policy because it remains a reserved matter. As a result, Scotland has had little meaningful say over the pace of development, licensing decisions...

Nottingham Police?s investigation into NHS Nottingham Maternity?s ?horrendous...
22 Jun 2026 at 11:19am
Am I over-reacting to the possibility of confusion among some, even in Perth, Scotland, when a major police investigation in Nottingham adopts that title? What is it all about? From the Guardian today: The report of the inquiry into the biggest maternity scandal in NHS history will outline ?horrendous? failings in the care provided to women in Nottingham, the Guardian can reveal. A catalogue of...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

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

Scotland Office blocks release of files discussing Section 30 and independenc...
21 Jun 2026 at 6:47am
Scotland Office blocks release of files discussing Section 30 and independence  The National Scot

Is Scotland still divided on independence? - The Week
28 May 2026 at 8:00am
Is Scotland still divided on independence?  The Week

Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell - Enlighten - Scotland's Independ...
16 Jun 2026 at 4:02am
Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell  Enlighten - Scotland's Independent Think Tank

Ipsos Polling confirms Holyrood26 as the ?loveless election? in Scots minds -...
3 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Ipsos Polling confirms Holyrood26 as the ?loveless election? in Scots minds  Ipsos

Scottish independence ?challenge of the next decade?, says minister - STV News
23 Jun 2026 at 7:18am
Scottish independence ?challenge of the next decade?, says minister  STV News

Nationalist Governments Now in Both: The 2026 Parliamentary Elections in Scot...
31 May 2026 at 8:00am
Nationalist Governments Now in Both: The 2026 Parliamentary Elections in Scotland and Wales  Open Canada

Scottish independence ?challenge of the next decade?, says minister - The Ind...
23 Jun 2026 at 12:01am
Scottish independence ?challenge of the next decade?, says minister  The Independent

Govern today, independence tomorrow: the changing nature of nationalist parti...
22 Jun 2026 at 1:12pm
Govern today, independence tomorrow: the changing nature of nationalist parties  palatinate.org.uk

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Peter Murrell jailed for five years after embezzling £400,000 from SNP - The ...
23 Jun 2026 at 9:52am
Peter Murrell jailed for five years after embezzling £400,000 from SNP  The Guardian

Peter Murrell latest: Former SNP chief jailed for £400,000 embezzlement of pa...
23 Jun 2026 at 2:34pm
Peter Murrell latest: Former SNP chief jailed for £400,000 embezzlement of party funds  Sky News

The Extraordinary Embezzlement Case That Rocked Scottish Politics - The New Y...
23 Jun 2026 at 5:18pm
The Extraordinary Embezzlement Case That Rocked Scottish Politics  The New York Times

Former SNP chief Peter Murrell sentenced to more than five years for embezzli...
23 Jun 2026 at 1:00pm
Former SNP chief Peter Murrell sentenced to more than five years for embezzling party funds  BBC

Peter Murrell jailed for more than five years for embezzling SNP funds - BBC
23 Jun 2026 at 1:29pm
Peter Murrell jailed for more than five years for embezzling SNP funds  BBC

Ex-SNP chief jailed for £400,000 embezzlement - BBC
23 Jun 2026 at 2:50pm
Ex-SNP chief jailed for £400,000 embezzlement  BBC

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

SPICe general election Scotland 2026 results and analysis - SPICe Spotlight
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
SPICe general election Scotland 2026 results and analysis  SPICe Spotlight

Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of a majority  YouGov

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

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years s...
19 Jun 2026 at 9:55am
How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years since the referendum?  YouGov

Scottish Bonds to Create ?Financial Referendum? on Independence - Bloomberg.com
15 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Bonds to Create ?Financial Referendum? on Independence  Bloomberg.com

Scotland Office blocks release of files discussing Section 30 and independenc...
21 Jun 2026 at 6:47am
Scotland Office blocks release of files discussing Section 30 and independence  The National Scot

The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional chan...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional change back on the agenda  Institute for Government

Ipsos Polling confirms Holyrood26 as the ?loveless election? in Scots minds -...
3 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Ipsos Polling confirms Holyrood26 as the ?loveless election? in Scots minds  Ipsos

Govern today, independence tomorrow: the changing nature of nationalist parti...
22 Jun 2026 at 1:12pm
Govern today, independence tomorrow: the changing nature of nationalist parties  palatinate.org.uk

Investors warn Scotland to avoid long-term debt to limit independence premium...
8 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Investors warn Scotland to avoid long-term debt to limit independence premium  Financial Times

Is Scotland still divided on independence? - The Week
28 May 2026 at 8:00am
Is Scotland still divided on independence?  The Week