The Herald

The Herald | Politics


The five Holyrood battlegrounds that could shape this election
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
4 May 2026 at 3:14pm
The outcome of the next Holyrood election is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in the history of the Scottish Parliament.


John MacKay urges end to STV pay dispute and makes election strike admission
by brian.ferguson@newsquest.co.uk | Brian Ferguson
4 May 2026 at 2:23pm
Long-time new anchor says it would be 'fundamentally wrong' for STV to fail to provide full election coverage.


Fresh hope for reconnection of historic Scots railway line featured in BBC's ...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
4 May 2026 at 1:57pm
There is fresh hope for a historic railway line in the highlands, which was closed in the 1960s and has starred as a filming location for several TV shows, including the BBC's The Traitors.


Pro-Palestine group demands Aberdeen theatre cancels show starring Maureen Li...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
4 May 2026 at 12:11pm
Aberdeen Performing Arts has said they will not cancel Dame Maureen Lipman?s show Allegra after a Pro-Palestine group organised a campaign targeting the actress.


Reform to build detention centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh seats with Greens ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
4 May 2026 at 10:13am
Reform UK has said it will place ?migrant detention facilities? in constituencies with Scottish Green MSPs, if it forms the next UK Government.


Scottish Labour faces defeat in safest seat of Edinburgh Southern, poll suggests
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
4 May 2026 at 9:53am
Long seen as the party?s safest constituency, the defeat would portend significant challenges for Anas Sarwar.


??Unspun Election Briefing: Beginning of the end
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
4 May 2026 at 7:58am
Just three full days of campaigning to go until Scotland goes to the polls. Here's everything you need to know for the day ahead.


Reform UK?s candidate for East Kilbride resigns from party days out from elec...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
4 May 2026 at 6:49am
Dr Tim Kelly, Reform UK?s candidate in East Kilbride, has resigned days before the Holyrood election, attacking the "infantilising" party leadership.


Scotland's local government workforce 'in crisis' as job cuts loom warns unio...
4 May 2026 at 5:00am
Scotland's local government workforce is 'in crisis' new research has found with the country's public sector facing thousands of job cuts by the end of the decade.


SNP set to win Holyrood as Labour faces collapse, poll suggests
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
4 May 2026 at 5:00am
New MRP poll suggests SNP will win Holyrood but fall short of a majority, while Scottish Labour could drop to just 13 MSPs as undecided voters remain high.


'Failure': Lib Dems criticise SNP as under 1 per cent of EV chargers are fast...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
4 May 2026 at 5:00am
Under 1 per cent of SNP-funded electric vehicle chargers are ultra-rapid, new figures show, as Scottish Liberal Democrats criticise rollout and set out transport plans.


UK facing constitutional shock in Scottish and Welsh elections, Stephen Flynn...
by Katrine Bussey
3 May 2026 at 11:33am
The UK is facing a ?constitutional shock? in key elections in Scotland and Wales this week that could see Sir Keir Starmer unseated as Prime Minister, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has warned.


The war in Gaza is over, but these protestors say the fight is just beginning
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
3 May 2026 at 10:00am
The precautions are not without reason. Last July, three people were arrested on terror-related charges after a van was driven into the fence surrounding the site.


?Scunnered Scotland?: What impact will the meh factor have on Thursday's vote?
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
3 May 2026 at 5:00am
Voters are feeling a bit 'meh' about the upcoming Holyrood election, raising fears of historically low turnout.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


John Swinney: 'Doom-monger' opponents are 'dull, boring and uninspiring'
4 May 2026 at 3:49pm

The Scotsman sat down with First Minister John Swinney for an exclusive interview just days before polling day.

The Scottish Labour leader also told those who are undecided - which the More in Common poll suggested was 20 per cent of voters - that ?this election is not about protest?

New seat has become scene of fierce contest

The next Holyrood administration must urgently use the powers they have to address a palpable sense of social malaise

A total of 18 per cent have yet to make up their minds

Scotland?s Jewish community has spoken of increasing safety fears as Mark Diffley, who is not Jewish, was the target of shocking abuse

Wings over Scotland

Binfire Of The Vanities
4 May 2026 at 3:52pm
For a nation that prides itself on hating the Tories, this is very odd. And if you don’t see how, let us illustrate. If you simply combined the Tory and Reform votes from the latest poll, the election would be on a knife-edge, with the right-wing alliance just three points behind the SNP on the …

Seven Days Too Long
30 Apr 2026 at 1:57pm
It’s nearly over, readers. Just one more week of this to endure. The most miserable election campaign of all time will end next Thursday with an election which will deliver Scotland’s most miserable devolved government of all time. Only the exact form, colour and shape of the misery remains to be determined. So as the …

Push The Button
25 Apr 2026 at 12:43pm
We’ve been thinking about this all morning, readers. To the point where we’d vote for any party pledging to implement it at once. It’s the best such moral-dilemma question we’ve ever seen, and the absolute key to the state of humankind as a species. It’s a near-perfect practical illustration of the concept of “suicidal empathy”, …

How To Get Away With Crimes
22 Apr 2026 at 6:03pm
After many years of vindictively, vexatiously and maliciously plaguing innocent people, it seemed in February this year that disgraced and deranged former policeman Lynsay Watson‘s campaign of terror might be finally beginning to draw to a close. ? Attending the Civic Justice Centre in Manchester as part of an ongoing attempt to persecute the feminist …

The Pit Of Vipers
19 Apr 2026 at 2:50pm
It’s hard to know where to start with the Sunday Mail’s lead story today. Especially if one doesn’t want sent to prison. So we hope you’ll forgive us if we’re extra-careful. The article contains things even we’d never read before. The Mail has redacted some of the names, but – well, we’re not going to …

The Narcissism Of No Differences
17 Apr 2026 at 3:29pm
So that’s the full set of manifestos in. You can download them all here in a oner, if you’re REALLY bored. But we don’t advise it, because we can just tell you what they say in a couple of minutes. SNP: “If you’re even reading this we know you’re absolute idiots, so here are a …

Happy Anniversary
16 Apr 2026 at 10:56am
It was exactly one year ago today that the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in the case of For Women Scotland Vs The Scottish Ministers, a judgment which has still not been implemented by the Scottish or UK governments, so it was quite bold of the SNP to choose it as the launch date for …

Do You Believe In The Westwood?
10 Apr 2026 at 12:27pm
As all alert readers will know, this site likes to keep a watchful eye on the shady and disturbing activities of paedophilia-plagued charity LGBT Youth Scotland. So we were naturally intrigued to hear that they’d hired a new convenor last month. And if you’re sitting there thinking, “Blimey, AI Christopher Walken looks very very ill”, …

Not So Octopus
9 Apr 2026 at 1:48pm
Alert readers will have noticed something of a minor furore in recent days around a boneheaded Scottish Greens candidate (as if there were any other kind) calling for the complete abolition of prisons. So far Kate Nevens – who on the latest polling has a very reasonable chance of being elected on the list – …

The quality of mercy
3 Apr 2026 at 1:09pm
Let’s just deal with this quickly. Because the truth is that we should all be quietly sending BBC Scotland bouquets in appreciation for doing the independence movement a favour for once. Belief in an independent Scotland IS as strong as ever, which is to say it’s pretty much where it’s been since 2014 – two …

Craig Murray

The Morass of Injustice
2 May 2026 at 11:24am

A vast cloying morass of injustice has visibly submerged the British legal systems in anything connected to Palestine. In a quite incredible series of linked and kinked events this week, the senior KC representing one of the Palestine Action activists in the Filton trial was in the Court of Appeal arguing against being found in …

The Morass of Injustice

An Inspiring Story
21 Apr 2026 at 7:54am

In 2018, at the height of the economic crisis in Venezuela through crippling sanctions, Kellogg’s announced the overnight closure of their Maracay factory with hundreds of redundancies – and massive knock-on effects in the local community. The workers refused to accept the closure and, with government assistance, restarted the factory. It is still running eight …

An Inspiring Story

Vote for the Alliance to Liberate Scotland
15 Apr 2026 at 12:48pm

It was not my intention to run for election to the Scottish parliament from a hospital bed in Caracas, but sometimes we have to take what life gives us. I went to a clinic a week ago feeling dizzy and was immediately rushed to hospital. My heart rate was fluttering and below 20 bpm. I …

Vote for the Alliance to Liberate Scotland

The Strait of Hormuz
8 Apr 2026 at 5:02pm

In international law, Tehran has every right to close the strait of Hormuz to nations with which it is in armed conflict. Two vital points: 1) States who permit attacks on Iran to be launched from their territory can be blocked 2) Iran can block neutral ships from trading with states with which it is …

The Strait of Hormuz

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez
31 Mar 2026 at 1:16pm

As I was leaving the University of the Communes in Tocuyito, after a joyful and uplifting visit, an earnest young Professor came up to me and pulled me aside. Very quietly, he asked me what was going to happen. A number of the students were terrified there would be regime change and they, picked as …

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez

The Caracas Metro
26 Mar 2026 at 6:46am

The extreme nature of sanctions against Venezuela made it very challenging to keep economic activity going. One example is Caracas’s impressive five-line Metro system, where for almost twenty years they had to keep things running with no spares or maintenance support from the train manufacturers. Yet resilience and ingenuity kicked in, and Venezuela actually reverse …

The Caracas Metro

BBC Scotland

Hundreds more prisoners released early but jails still full
4 May 2026 at 1:13pm
New data shows more than 600 prisoners have been released early from Scotland's jails since November but it has done little to ease overcrowding.

Parties hit the road for final week of campaigning
4 May 2026 at 2:19pm
On Thursday, voters will head to their polling stations to choose who they want to lead the next Scottish government.

SNP's free childcare plans branded a 'gimmick' in education debate
3 May 2026 at 1:11pm
Plans from the SNP to roll out more free childcare have been criticised by the Labour and Conservative parties.

Nature haven 'trashed' after four-year wait for protection decision
3 May 2026 at 9:14am
Activists claim developers are damaging the area while NatureScot considers whether or not to designate it a protected site.

The big issues and key flashpoints from Scotland's election campaign
2 May 2026 at 9:19am
BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell examines what we have learned during the Holyrood election campaign.

Whisky tariffs deal sparks political squabble over who claims credit
1 May 2026 at 4:34pm
Party leaders quickly changed their campaign plans after Donald Trump's announcement on the tariffs deal.

Will 'scunnered' voters decide Scotland's election?
1 May 2026 at 6:20am
Pollsters say there are plenty of undecided voters - but few have a positive view of politicians.

The city caught in the middle of the big energy shift debate
30 Apr 2026 at 1:08am
Is the UK fumbling the shift away from oil and gas jobs?

Trump to remove whisky tariffs after King's visit
1 May 2026 at 8:52am
The US president said he would lift restrictions on Scotland's ability to work with the state of Kentucky on whisky and bourbon.

'Stable marriage' the priority for Scottish Family Party
30 Apr 2026 at 6:01am
The party promotes marriage between heterosexual couples and opposes abortion in all but "very extreme" cases.

Reform's Scottish leader says he owns six houses, six boats and five cars
28 Apr 2026 at 10:30pm
Malcolm Offord was criticised as "entitled" during an STV leaders debate ahead of next week's election.

What did Scottish party leaders do before politics?
29 Apr 2026 at 2:26pm
Reform's Malcolm Offord bought six boats with a fortune made in banking - but other leaders had a life before politics too.

Scot Goes Pop

Alex Massie looks in the mirror and thinks he sees the true Scotland staring ...
3 May 2026 at 10:18pm
Alex Massie's basic problem is that he doesn't just disapprove of the Scottish Government and want it changed. He also disapproves of the Scottish voters and wants them changed. "The problem with S...

Scotland moves a step closer to independence as earth-shaking Norstat poll sh...
2 May 2026 at 8:44pm
See what I mean about the way in which the unionist media seeks to bury independence polling results these days?  This is clearly a hugely significant result - it's the eighth poll in a row from th...

Stonehaven REVELATION as "most accurate pollster" puts the SNP on course for ...
2 May 2026 at 9:11am
To be clear, the bit about "most accurate pollster" is Stonehaven's own self-description, but I always put that in because it upsets our resident unionist troll KC.  It was Stonehaven who, a few mo...

"Stew-pid. Just Stew-pid." The advice that controversial blogger "Stew" wou...
1 May 2026 at 10:14pm
The controversial Somerset-based blogger "Stew" seems to have had a screw loose ever since Kezia Dugdale psychologically damaged him by defeating his vanity libel case - a drubbing that not only br...

Which group of voters did Offord actually intend to impress with his boast ab...
1 May 2026 at 11:19am
Paul Hutcheon's contributions to this campaign have been somewhat less than constructive, but I did think he was absolutely correct when he said that Malcolm Offord's boasts about his wealth were m...

In a democracy, there has to be a route by which the most fundamental changes...
29 Apr 2026 at 9:20am
It's a reminder of just how comprehensively Somerset Stew has moved over to the other side that right in the middle of a Holyrood election campaign, he has approvingly tweeted an article from the p...

The Diffley difference: new poll tilts this election in the SNP's favour - an...
28 Apr 2026 at 11:19pm
Unlike our occasional commenter Declan, I'm not particularly given to punching the air upon seeing an opinion poll, but if I was ever going to do that, yesterday would have been the day.  There wer...

EXCLUSIVE SCOT GOES POP / FIND OUT NOW POLL: By a more than 2-1 majority, the...
27 Apr 2026 at 12:56pm
Labour's UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting was recently asked in an LBC interview whether there would be an independence referendum if the Scottish people vote in favour of holding one at the Scott...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Greens vow to examine Donald Trump?s wealth
3 May 2026 at 3:16pm
The party said it would open an inquiry into how the US president funded his Scottish golf courses if it wins next week?s election.

Scotland has suffered nearly 7,000 days of failure under SNP, Findlay says
3 May 2026 at 3:11pm
The Scottish Tory leader accused John Swinney?s party of having a ?reverse Midas touch?.

Only SNP vote can bring ?fresh start of independence? and block Farage ? Swinney
3 May 2026 at 3:10pm
First Minister John Swinney is expected to make the announcement later on Sunday in a visit to the Aberdeenshire area.

Sarwar vows to give NHS waiting lists ?the chop? as he visits karate dojo
3 May 2026 at 3:08pm
The Scottish Labour leader said the NHS ?is not safe with John Swinney and the SNP?.

Lib Dems to ?fight any attempt? by Reform to bring in fracking in Scotland
3 May 2026 at 3:05pm
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton made the commitment ahead of Thursday?s Holyrood election.

Reform aiming to become ?main opposition party? in Scotland
3 May 2026 at 3:05pm
Thomas Kerr said that a single MSP elected would be a "good result" for the party

Reform candidate ?attacked? while campaigning in Glasgow
2 May 2026 at 10:30am
Councillor Thomas Kerr is said to have been attacked while delivering leaflets in Shettleston on Friday.

John Swinney thanks Donald Trump ?personally? after US whisky tariffs set to ...
1 May 2026 at 3:25pm
Swinney visited a whisky distillery on Friday after the US President announced he would drop the 10% levy

SNP leader John Swinney stands by food price cap policy despite industry crit...
1 May 2026 at 11:05am
Swinney said the policy was a matter of public health, despite the Scottish Retail Consortium branding it a 'potty gimmick'

Scottish Reform leader Malcolm Offord ?owns six houses, six boats and five cars?
29 Apr 2026 at 11:08am
Lord Malcolm Offord asked if the Greens wanted more or fewer people like him in Scotland

Party leaders engage in fiery final debate on STV
28 Apr 2026 at 9:13pm
The Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Greens, Scottish Labour, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party and Reform UK had the chance to grill each other in front of the nation

Watch Live: Scottish election leaders debate on STV
28 Apr 2026 at 7:06am
The STV Leaders? Debate will be broadcast live from Edinburgh?s Signet Library tonight at 7pm

Scotland?s political parties accused of ?lack of realism? over manifesto plans
27 Apr 2026 at 9:56pm
The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the parties running in the Holyrood election did not appreciate ?just how tough the fiscal challenges will be?.

Keir Starmer to face sleaze inquiry vote over Peter Mandelson job
27 Apr 2026 at 5:48pm
It's a similar series of events that led to Boris Johnson?s departure as prime minister in 2022

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Teenage killer of bus driver Keith Rollinson released from prison after just ...
4 May 2026 at 3:37pm
The release of the teenager was described as being typical of "the way decent Scots are treated with contempt by the SNP's weak justice system".

Reform UK candidate brands politicians without children as 'reckless' and 'ou...
4 May 2026 at 1:22pm
EXCLUSIVE: Otto Inglis also criticised same-sex marriages and once claimed "nature makes it much easier for mixed-sex couples to meet their children?s needs".

John Swinney's indyref2 demand could rally the anti-SNP majority in Scotland
4 May 2026 at 11:02am
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says the First Minister is only talking to one half of Scotland with his indyref2 call.

John Swinney to demand immediate talks with Downing Street on indyref2 if he ...
4 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The First Minister said he will call for a summit with the UK Government straight after May 7.

John Swinney says Nicola Sturgeon was a 'better First Minister and person' th...
4 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: John Swinney made clear he preferred Sturgeon to Salmond politically and personally.

A vote for the SNP is a vote for my trusted and experienced leadership
4 May 2026 at 4:30am
In his regular column for the Record, the First Minister says Thursday's election is a chance to vote for a different kind of Scotland.

Labour could be reduced to 13 MSPs but poll finds 20% of Scots voters still u...
4 May 2026 at 4:30am
The latest MRP poll puts the SNP out in front on 60 MSPs, five short of a majority, with Reform second.

Jack backs Jack as former first minister campaigns for Labour namesake in Hol...
4 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Former first minister Jack McConnell was out knocking doors for Labour candidate Jack McConnel in the Galloway and West Dumfries constituency.

Stephen Flynn predicts Keir Starmer will be out of Downing Street by next wee...
3 May 2026 at 12:18pm
The SNP leader at Westminster predicted "there is going to be a constitutional shock on these isles" following Thursday's elections.

Scottish town halls gripped by 'censorship culture' 10 years on from free spe...
3 May 2026 at 4:30am
In 2016, independent Argyll and Bute councillor Mike Breslin was cleared of code of conduct charges after 'robustly' criticising council officials.

The National

The National | Politics

BBC responds as Laura Kuenssberg criticised for Scottish election error
4 May 2026 at 5:10pm

THE BBC has responded after Laura Kuenssberg was criticised for a "shocking" error about the Scottish election.

I went door-knocking with an SNP 'rising star'. Here's how it went
4 May 2026 at 4:56pm

?PEOPLE think that once you become a candidate, that?s it,? Calum Kerr, the former SNP MP now running for the Scottish Parliament, tells me ...

Refugee charity slams ?confused? Thomas Kerr over Reform UK detention centre ...
4 May 2026 at 4:41pm

A SCOTTISH refugee charity has hit out at Thomas Kerr over Reform UK?s new migrant detention centre policy ...

What to expect from The National's coverage of the election this week
4 May 2026 at 4:18pm

With the election coming up this week, we thought it would be worth letting you know what you can expect from our coverage.

The state of play in every Scottish constituency explained ? find yours here
4 May 2026 at 4:08pm

The National is publishing a profile for every constituency in the upcoming Holyrood elections on May 7 ? here's how to find information about your area

What have you made of the Scottish Parliament election campaign? Have your say
4 May 2026 at 3:39pm

AS we reach the final stretch of the 2026 Scottish Parliament campaign, we thought we?d take a moment to reflect on the race so far.

Scottish Greens vow to ensure rent controls are brought in within 12 months
4 May 2026 at 2:36pm

The Scottish Greens have pledged to work with local councils to ensure that rent controls are brought in across the country within 12 months ...

Artwork by Palestinian artists killed in genocide displayed in Scottish exhib...
4 May 2026 at 2:35pm

A PALESTINIAN artist exhibiting in Dundee has spoken of the trauma and resilience behind her work, and that of two fellow Gaza artists whose pieces are on show despite their deaths ...

Reform Holyrood candidate blasted for saying politicians without kids are 're...
4 May 2026 at 2:16pm

A Reform UK candidate in the upcoming Holyrood elections has been blasted after saying politicians without children are 'reckless' and 'out of step with normal people' ...

Reform UK blasted over plan to ?build migrant detention centres in Green MSP ...
4 May 2026 at 12:22pm

REFORM UK have been condemned after announcing they will place ?migrant detention facilities? in constituencies with Scottish Green MSPs if they form the next UK Government ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

AI is ?defining currency? of our age, says Liz Kendall
28 Apr 2026 at 5:22pm
The minister pledged to work with other ?middle power nations? on AI to improve global security

Morgan McSweeney: Mandelson revelations were a knife to my soul
28 Apr 2026 at 3:22pm
Prime minister's former chief-of-staff appears before Foreign Affairs Committee

UK Government will ?impose some form? of social media restrictions for children
28 Apr 2026 at 1:22pm
Ministers have stopped short of implementing a blanket ban

John Swinney vows to bring forward Holyrood vote in bid to secure second inde...
27 Apr 2026 at 4:39pm
The SNP leader pledged to 'hit the ground running' if his party remains in power after the election

SNP maintains lead in new Scottish election poll
27 Apr 2026 at 4:05pm
A single-party majority government is the most popular option for voters, research finds

Scottish university builds first simulated freight truck journey in UK
27 Apr 2026 at 12:39pm
It will help to improve understanding of the carbon footprint of goods that are shipped between road and air freight

To finally end Scotland's drugs deaths, we need to plan now for 2036
27 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
This is one area where we simply must work together to build the Scotland we all want in the future.

Former New Labour spin doctor compares Keir Starmer to George W Bush
27 Apr 2026 at 1:01am
Alastair Campbell also warned the UK would end up in "pretty dark place" if Labour did not turn things around

Former HIV Scotland chief and SNP adviser admits embezzlement
24 Apr 2026 at 4:33pm
Sentencing will take place in May

Zack Polanski: ?Outrageous? that pro-independence parliament would not secure...
24 Apr 2026 at 2:25pm
The GPEW leader put down his party's surge to ?resentment and anger at the Labour government?

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Reform UK plan to set up migrant detention centres in Green-voting areas cond...
4 May 2026 at 5:10pm
Nigel Farage?s party proposed to place detention centres in places that vote for Green council leaders or MPsKeir Starmer has said that Europe has to face up to the fact that its alliance with the US is under strain.He made the remark in public comments during the plenary session at the European ...

Reform?s toxic thinking has infected Scottish politics ? this week?s Holyrood...
4 May 2026 at 10:00am
For so long, the Scottish government has made a point of welcoming migrants. But I now see troubling changes in my countryJasmeen Kanwal is an educator and writer who lives in EdinburghAs Scotland prepares to elect a new parliament on 7 May, immigration is dominating the political discourse as n...

End of Trump tariffs on whisky sparks row between Scottish parties over claim...
1 May 2026 at 3:33pm
First minister John Swinney says he played significant role but Labour rejects claim and accuses SNP of hypocrisyDonald Trump?s announcement that he will lift punishing US tariffs on scotch whisky has been overshadowed by a row between rival Scottish party leaders over claiming credit for the dec...

Will Reform dominate the local and devolved elections? ? podcast
30 Apr 2026 at 5:21pm
Pippa Crerar is joined by the election analyst Prof Rob Ford to look at the upcoming local and devolved elections. Will Reform dominate across England? Can the Greens remove Labour?s longstanding hold over London? And will the nationalists win in Scotland and Wales? Continue reading...

Polanski criticised for reposting comment suggesting police arresting Golders...
30 Apr 2026 at 4:55pm
Home Office minister says ?the Green Party has hit a new low? after party leader?s repost on X On BBC Radio Merseyside the presenter, Tony Snell, put it to Kemi Badenoch that Merseyside was a lost cause for the Tories. He said that Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, had been on the programme yes...

?Reform is an acute threat to Scottish self-government,? says John Swinney
30 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
Polling puts Reform, led in Scotland by former peer Malcolm Offord, neck and neck with Labour for second placeReform UK represents an acute threat to Scottish self government, John Swinney has warned, adding that nationalist victories in Scotland and Wales in May could ?irrevocably change? the dy...

Farage reported to parliament?s standards watchdog over undeclared £5m donati...
29 Apr 2026 at 5:33pm
Farage was given £5m by the Thai-based billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before announcing he would stand in the 2024 general electionExclusive: Farage was given undisclosed £5m by crypto billionaire in 2024Here is the running order for PMQs.Nigel Farage was given £5m by the crypto billion...

Reform?s Scottish leader called ?tone deaf? after boasting about his houses, ...
29 Apr 2026 at 11:27am
SNP leader John Swinney suggests Malcolm Offord and other leaders should publish tax returns before 7 MayUK politics live ? latest updatesThe leader of Reform UK in Scotland, Malcolm Offord, has been dismissed as ?tone deaf? and ?entitled? after he boasted in a televised election debate about the...

No 10 publishes previously confidential memo to refute claim that Starmer mis...
27 Apr 2026 at 6:13pm
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle earlier confirmed that MPs will decide whether to let inquiry into Keir Starmer?s statements over Peter Mandelson proceedDowning Street has said that the UK is ?in a good position? to handle the global supply problems caused by the Iran war not being resolved.Speaking at...

Free bus travel to first-homes fund: what Scottish parties are promising on t...
27 Apr 2026 at 2:00pm
Advent of Reform has radically altered the dynamics of the campaign and parties are responding accordinglyPolls predict a gravity-defying fifth term at Holyrood for the Scottish National party ? albeit on a much reduced vote share ? but the advent of Reform UK has radically altered the dynamics o...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Reform UK, the bastard offspring of Oswald Mosley and Coco the Clown
4 May 2026 at 5:17pm
  Reform has introduced a novel new campaigning tactic in the days leading up to the Holyrood election. Vote for us or we’ll put a concentration camp in your neighbourhood. It’s certainly a ‘bold’ move, but only if you define bold as utterly insane and disgustingly vile. On Monday Reform’s chairman Zia Yusuf, who is …

Shooting for the Moon on Thursday
3 May 2026 at 3:41pm
Shoot for the moon, as the saying goes, even if you miss, you’ll land amongst the stars. With that in mind that’s what independence supporters need to do on Thursday. An opinion poll by the traditionally No-friendly Norstat for the Sunday Times records a whopping 55% Yes response. The media in Scotland have been very …

Whisky, Labour?s leadership, and polling, fingers crossed for a record pro-in...
2 May 2026 at 4:09pm
We’re on the home straight now for the Scottish election on Thursday, and we are well into that nail biting phase when things seem to be going well but we are always aware of the uncanny ability of Scots to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The overwhelmingly anti-independence British media in Scotland is …

George Monbiot is right, the Union has nothing good for Scotland
1 May 2026 at 3:03pm
In an interview with The National, environmental campaigner George Monbiot, perhaps the highest profile person on the English left to have come out in favour of Scottish independence during the 2014 independence referendum campaign, has said that there is “nothing in the Union” for Scotland. In 2014 independence campaigners constantly asked Better Together supporters for …

Six houses, five cars, six yachts and zero self-awareness
29 Apr 2026 at 8:39pm
I didn’t watch the STV leaders’ debate as we had visitors, which meant I missed the moment that Malcolm Offord torpedoed Reform UK’s “We’re the party which is opposed to the elite” schtick. It was always bollocks, but on Tuesday night Offord slipped up. When you are cos-playing as the party which is on the …

A new chapter in the quest for independence starts next week
27 Apr 2026 at 2:55pm
First Minister John Swinney has promised that on the first day the new Scottish Parliament is in session, a vote would be brought forward to “approve the development of a Section 30 Order to give Scotland the power to hold an independence referendum.” He also promised that a referendum bill would be introduced within the …

A tale of three polls which give hope for a pro-indy majority in May
26 Apr 2026 at 3:29pm
Three opinion polls came out over the weekend which were not asking about voting intention in the Holyrood election which is now only a week and a half away. Nevertheless, all these polls are instructive about the kind of country Scotland could be, and their trust in the various parties contesting the election, and that …

The anti-independence hysteria of Alex Cole-Hamilton
23 Apr 2026 at 8:30pm
I don’t normally blog about Alex Cole-Hamilton, partly that’s because in Scotland the Lib Dems are a minor regional party who only win representation because their support is concentrated in a few areas and whose importance in Scotland is boosted far beyond their true relevance as they are the Scottish branch of the UK party …

Sarwar and Starmer are on borrowed time
22 Apr 2026 at 8:20pm
When Labour came to power in Westminster in 2024, the party promised to put an end to the cronyism, chaos, sleaze, and corruption which characterised the last fourteen years of Conservative rule. How’s that working out then. Labour has continued all of them and added an unhealthy dose of lies and deceit. This week, Keir …

Labour?s Holyrood campaign lurches from one crisis to another
19 Apr 2026 at 2:26pm
There’s less than three weeks to go until the Holyrood election and the wheels have well and truly come off the Labour campaign. With the headlines being dominated by the Mandelson story – Anas Sarwar’s erstwhile old friend – and mounting speculation about how long Starmer can survive as Prime Minister, Sarwar, talking to the …

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

?The SNP?s childcare proposals build on a sustained, multi?year expansion wit...
4 May 2026 at 12:41pm
From BBC Scotland yesterday, the above and: The SNP’s plans to expand free childcare have been criticised by Scottish Labour and the Scottish Conservatives as a “gimmick” and lacking in detail. Is that true? Let’s ask an intelligent speedy independent source: Look at the actual proposals and the Scottish Government’s history of action on free childcare, including relative to England or Wales to...

Not one Scottish Jew has been physically assaulted in an anti-semitic attack ...
4 May 2026 at 8:48am
So, a non-Jew on his way to a non-Jewish event is ‘pushed and spat at‘ by someone shouting ‘anti-semitic abuse’ in Edinburgh is a sign that Scotland’s Jews too must now fear events comparable to the actual stabbing, in London, of two men wearing Jewish headgear, by a man with a long history of mental health problems and who had earlier that day tried to murder a Muslim man? You’d think even the...

NHS Scotland has 46% more psychiatrists than NHS England, sees 82% on time, b...
4 May 2026 at 8:28am
mental state as physical health. Speaking ahead of Thursday’s Holyrood election, the Royal College say the current system is in crisis and that they’re prepared to work with all parties to improve services. I’ll spare you full detail of the supposed current failures. Here’s why this is just another trade union sharing the same interests as BBC Reporting Scotland, undermining the SNP Government ...

?Scotland lacks powers to shut shops linked to organised crime gangs? because...
3 May 2026 at 3:37pm
In the Herald today, not the above but: Scotland lacks powers to shut shops linked to organised crime gangs – Scotland is being left exposed to organised crime on its high streets because authorities lack the legal powers to shut down rogue shops, ministers have been warned. Trading standards teams are concerned that criminal gangs are operating out of seemingly legitimate businesses ? selling ...

Birmingham gang dealing new more powerful drugs across Northern Scotland reve...
3 May 2026 at 3:35pm
A middle of the day exchange of gunfire, yesterday in Birmingham between the ‘Captain’ and ‘Frankie’ County Lines gangs fighting over territory – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybfZbacJy4M I recognized the name ‘Frankie’. They get around. From the Ross-shire Journal, in November 2024: County Lines drug gangs reach as far north as Alness, police confirm. THE Highlands are grappling with the gri...

Prioritising citizens over corporations ? Scottish Government sets a preceden...
3 May 2026 at 7:50am
According to Secret Glasgow on 24 April 2026, the above and: Global attention is currently fixed on the Scottish Government, which has successfully introduced an Act that sets a precedent most nations have yet to follow. Although it hasn?t dominated local headlines, international media and social platforms are praising the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Act 2026 for its commitment to prio...

Attacker of two Jewish men in London had earlier tried to murder a Muslim but...
2 May 2026 at 3:00pm
Readers may feel we're straying into an area not directly related to our mission but as Liz S points out this is another example of the duplicity of the UK media that we must surely want to leave behind. By Liz S Much of the media and the Met Police are obscuring something else that happened on the same day a man attacked, as in stabbed, two Jewish men in London. Most of the media and the Met p...

Innovative high capital cost projects commonly overrun in costs and time but ...
2 May 2026 at 11:01am
It’s been ages, two days, since the last ferry fiasco story, likely to affect the voting behaviour of almost no voters of course but you can be sure there will be a big one on Wednesday night, maybe even on the day of the vote? Look and laugh. What will you not hear? Well-known examples 1. Hinkley Point C (UK nuclear power) 2. Crossrail (London rail project) 3. Boeing 787 Dreamliner (aviation) ...

Youth unemployment far lower in Scotland ? short video
2 May 2026 at 10:03am
Sources: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/05/02/19-years-of-the-snp-in-charge-and-uk-youth-unemployment-is-shocking-55-higher-than-in-scotland-which-has-one-of-the-lowest-rates-in-western-europe/

Reposted as Anas Sarwar tries to save himself by blaming a whole health board...
2 May 2026 at 9:22am

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

John Swinney should face reality and drop independence for now - The Times
4 May 2026 at 3:53pm
John Swinney should face reality and drop independence for now  The Times

The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 1:48pm
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

A fairer, greener and independent Scotland is in reach - Scottish Greens
3 May 2026 at 8:26am
A fairer, greener and independent Scotland is in reach  Scottish Greens

Caught between the UK and EU: What?s next for young Scots? - France 24
27 Apr 2026 at 12:34pm
Caught between the UK and EU: What?s next for young Scots?  France 24

The Scottish independence lie - The Spectator
29 Apr 2026 at 5:15am
The Scottish independence lie  The Spectator

John Swinney to give speech on independence today ? how and when to watch - T...
1 May 2026 at 8:20am
John Swinney to give speech on independence today ? how and when to watch  The National Newspaper

The pros and cons of Scottish independence - The Week
22 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The pros and cons of Scottish independence  The Week

The great independence charade - Financial Times
16 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The great independence charade  Financial Times

Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026 - YouGov
8 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026  YouGov

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP believe majority within reach but may hinge on just a few hundred votes -...
4 May 2026 at 5:52pm
SNP believe majority within reach but may hinge on just a few hundred votes  The National Newspaper

SNP's free childcare plans branded a 'gimmick' in education debate - BBC
3 May 2026 at 1:11pm
SNP's free childcare plans branded a 'gimmick' in education debate  BBC

First Minister vows SNP will 'always stand with energy workers' during Aberde...
4 May 2026 at 4:37pm
First Minister vows SNP will 'always stand with energy workers' during Aberdeen visit  Aberdeen Live

SNP set to win Holyrood as Labour faces collapse, poll suggests - The Herald
4 May 2026 at 5:06am
SNP set to win Holyrood as Labour faces collapse, poll suggests  The Herald

Scottish Parliament Manifestos: What will the SNP do to answer your concerns?...
4 May 2026 at 3:00pm
Scottish Parliament Manifestos: What will the SNP do to answer your concerns?  Inverness Courier

More in Common Final Holyrood MRP - More in Common UK
4 May 2026 at 7:34am
More in Common Final Holyrood MRP  More in Common UK

SNP set to win but fall short of a majority in Holyrood election - The Times
2 May 2026 at 5:50pm
SNP set to win but fall short of a majority in Holyrood election  The Times

The big issues and key flashpoints from Scotland's election campaign - BBC
1 May 2026 at 10:57pm
The big issues and key flashpoints from Scotland's election campaign  BBC

?Oddball constituencies? like Shetland could seal SNP?s Holyrood majority, Pr...
4 May 2026 at 2:00pm
?Oddball constituencies? like Shetland could seal SNP?s Holyrood majority, Professor Sir John Curtice says  Shetland Times

SNP soft-touch justice shamed as teenage killer of bus driver is back on the ...
4 May 2026 at 3:13pm
SNP soft-touch justice shamed as teenage killer of bus driver is back on the streets  Scottish Daily Express

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 1:48pm
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

The great independence charade - Financial Times
16 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The great independence charade  Financial Times

The pros and cons of Scottish independence - The Week
22 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The pros and cons of Scottish independence  The Week

Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026 - YouGov
8 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026  YouGov

Mega-poll predicts SNP majority in 'thumping' landslide for pro-independence ...
2 May 2026 at 9:34am
Mega-poll predicts SNP majority in 'thumping' landslide for pro-independence parties  The National Newspaper

Will the Scots Get a Second Referendum? - Irish Border Poll
19 Apr 2026 at 7:05am
Will the Scots Get a Second Referendum?  Irish Border Poll

Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland - BBC
2 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland  BBC

Scottish National Party's manifesto pledges analysed - BBC
16 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish National Party's manifesto pledges analysed  BBC

Scottish first minister says a May majority means new independence push - Reu...
18 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish first minister says a May majority means new independence push  Reuters