The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Swinney commits to a more pro-business government with 'urgent' reforms consi...
22 May 2026 at 2:33pm
John Swinney has signalled that his new government is to take a more pro-business approach as he promised to 'urgently' consider reforming business rates.


'Extremely fast': Decision on social media ban for children expected by end o...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
22 May 2026 at 2:31pm
Kanishka Narayan MP made the comments after speaking to parents, youth workers, and teenagers at The Citadel community centre in Leith on Friday morning. 


Senior minister cannot be 'Cabinet Secretary for 20,000 job cuts', warns unio...
22 May 2026 at 5:00am
The leader of Scotland's largest trade union Unison has warned the new Scottish Government that the newly-appointed senior minister Ivan McKee cannot become the "Cabinet Secretary for 20,000" job cuts.


'Extremely disappointing': Anger as women's health minister scrapped in Scotland
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
22 May 2026 at 5:00am
The Scottish Government faces criticism after dropping the women?s health minister role amid a maternity review and pressures on women's healthcare.


Has John Swinney downgraded energy and oil and gas from his government priori...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
21 May 2026 at 4:48pm
The First Minister has been signalling a shift in his position towards the energy sector and the future of oil and gas for months. But his Cabinet appointments may have revealed how he really feels.


Channel 4 quizzed by MPs following allegations about Married at First Sight
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
21 May 2026 at 4:11pm
A group of MPs have written to Channel 4?s chief executive raising serious concerns about allegations linked to the programme Married at First Sight and calling for urgent reforms to safeguarding practices across reality television


New Presiding Officer announces major shake up to First Minister's Questions
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
21 May 2026 at 3:55pm
Holyrood's new Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson has announced a historic shake-up of First Minister's Questions, introducing an unscripted Tuesday session for backbenchers and a rotating opposition format that John Swinney branded "bring it on".


SNP to bring Scottish independence vote before Holyrood on Tuesday
21 May 2026 at 3:46pm
First Minister John Swinney will bring a motion on Scottish independence to a Holyrood vote on Tuesday, he has said


Scots detainees on Global Sumud Flotilla among those released by Israel
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
21 May 2026 at 1:27pm
Israel has begun deporting activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, after video of the far-right security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, taunting detainees sparked outrage


Swinney accused of 'dividing' Scotland over refusal to apologise for Sinn Féi...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
21 May 2026 at 2:06pm
Veterans have accused John Swinney of dividing the country over his defence of working with Sinn Féin.


What will Màiri McAllan's cabinet job mean for Scotland's arts industry?
by brian.ferguson@newsquest.co.uk | Brian Ferguson
21 May 2026 at 12:59pm
Scotland's new culture secretary will also be responsible for education and the Gaelic language.


Fuel duty freeze ignores 'crisis' in Scottish industry, UK Government told
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
21 May 2026 at 5:30am
Pausing the fuel duty increase will not lift the construction industry from ?breaking point?, the UK Government has been warned.


Rosebank oil field firm hikes payouts to investors
by mark.williamson@newsquest.co.uk | Mark Williamson
21 May 2026 at 4:30am
North Sea heavyweight makes progress with controversial oil field developments as Iran war fallout boosts appeal of UK assets.


Open University's earn-and-learn study is working to strengthen Scottish work...
21 May 2026 at 10:10am
A flexible method of helping Scotland tackle its employee shortages across health, care and education is a lesson in strategic focus, writes Martin Boyle, Principal, The Open University in Scotland

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Swinney pledges to 'urgently' address business concerns over rates hikes
22 May 2026 at 3:52pm

The First Minister said he had heard the ?strong? concerns expressed by firms

Lord McConnell urged the Scottish government to restrict the use of vapes

Hannah Mary Goodlad MSP may only just be in the door to parliament, but she is already a government minister.

CBI Scotland has said that the projected budget blackhole means the new Scottish Government must make economic growth a priority

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Scotland said Rachel Reeves? plans ?could make the difference between surviving another year and being forced to pull down the shutters.?

Wings over Scotland

Only An Excuse
21 May 2026 at 7:45pm
Despite what you or we might think, in the eyes of the Scottish Football Association this ISN’T a pitch invasion. This is simply what a football match in progress looks like. Because according to the absolutely extraordinary statement they’ve released this evening, that was game time. The clock was still running, nothing was being added …

The Queer Parliament
20 May 2026 at 1:36pm
We were excited to discover this old footage of a very young John Swinney. ? How thrilled he must be that he’s managed to make his dream come true. Because in the Scottish Parliament at least, there are now no men and no women, and indeed pretty much only wankers. Just days into its five-year …

The Land Of No Laws
17 May 2026 at 2:20am
This game of football is not over. Except for viewers in Scotland, where no laws apply. Don’t get us wrong, readers. In the (minimum of) 32 seconds that were left to play, it was highly unlikely that Hearts were going to score the two goals they needed to win the league. It is improbable that …

Steadying The Ship
15 May 2026 at 3:20pm
Looks like this, apparently.

The Broken Rainbow
13 May 2026 at 2:04pm
The image below is a graph illustrating how many seats each party won in last week’s supposedly “proportional” Scottish Parliament election, compared to how many they would have won if the electoral system had been actually proportional. The SNP and Greens are now over-represented by 37% and 50% respectively, while the Unionist parties are all …

The Hills Of Far Away
12 May 2026 at 10:01am
Anyone seeking to make a compelling argument for the proposition that Scotland’s politicians and lawmakers are simply too farcically incompetent to ever be trusted with running an independent country had a gift-wrapped Godsend delivered to them last week by the idiot student children of Edinburgh. But we can’t really put the blame on the colourfully-haired, …

And Nothing Happened Forever
9 May 2026 at 3:22am
Well, we told you so. We told you in March (and indeed long before then) that the 2026 Holyrood election was a giant waste of time and money that would deliver exactly the same useless Parliament we already had, and so it proved. The SNP ended up giving half-a-dozen seats to the Greens, Labour donated …

Pick Your Poison
7 May 2026 at 12:43am
At the end of last year we noted the unusual and persistent levels of divergence in Scottish political polling. As polls have become much more frequent during the election campaign, nothing about that has changed. The final polls, published yesterday, are so far apart from each other that they tell us basically zip. Analysing this …

The value bet
6 May 2026 at 4:25pm
To pass the time on (praise be to Baby Jeebus) the last day of the Holyrood election campaign, we thought we’d do a catch-up summary of all the seat projections we could find from last month and this month. Here it is. Now, as it happens we think the potential seat ranges are significantly wider. …

Anas Sarwar is a winner
6 May 2026 at 3:14am
Specifically, of the Single Most Toe-Curlingly, Face-Palmingly Cretinous Thing Said In The 2026 Holyrood Election Campaign, And Possibly Any Election Ever, Prize. We mean, wow. We could easily write a 1000-word article purely on the top 10 things that are fatuously, obviously idiotic about those three short sentences, and so could you. So imagine how …

Craig Murray

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

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE
13 May 2026 at 6:03am

While the Court of Appeal has now stopped the High Court contempt of court action against Rajiv Menon KC for defending his client, this is purely on procedural grounds. They ruled that Judge Johnson had to go via the Attorney General to the High Court, not direct. It is now referred back to Johnson who …

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK?s Central Nervous System
11 May 2026 at 7:32pm

Unquestioning Zionism has for decades been the entry ticket to the British political and media Establishment. Anybody who was not a fully certified and compliant zionist would find their career limited – as Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Duncan, Robin Cook and David Mellor all found. Most others, of course, were never allowed to progress that far. …

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK’s Central Nervous System

The 2026 Scottish Elections
6 May 2026 at 5:40pm

We get so trapped inside the logic of the UK’s crazy electoral systems we often do not see what is really happening. Two thirds of active voters, voted against Starmer’s Labour at the last general election. He was always highly unpopular. Just as Starmer’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election was based on only …

The 2026 Scottish Elections

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

BBC Scotland

Candidates for by-elections to replace former MPs announced
22 May 2026 at 5:57pm
Stephen Flynn and Stephen Gethins stood down as MPs after being elected to Holyrood earlier this month.

Man guilty of sending threatening letter to lord advocate
22 May 2026 at 6:24pm
Matthew Sylvestre sent threatening handwritten notes to Dorothy Bain KC and emails to Nadia El-Nakla, wife of former first minister Humza Yousaf.

Toilets and changing rooms must be used on basis of biological sex, guidance ...
21 May 2026 at 7:30pm
The guidance was published on Thursday following the landmark Supreme Court ruling last year.

Extra FMQs session confirmed in Holyrood shake?up
21 May 2026 at 5:57pm
Two first ministers question times will be held each week, one for party leaders and one for backbenchers.

Scotland's benefits bill not too high, new deputy FM says
21 May 2026 at 10:03am
Jenny Gilruth, who has also been named as finance secretary, says she "makes no apology" for the country's welfare system.

Not a continuity cabinet: Swinney signals change with familiar faces
20 May 2026 at 9:19pm
Seven of its nine members were already there but everyone except the first minister has a new job.

Swinney urged by council chief to help tackle 'jobs crisis'
21 May 2026 at 5:37pm
Private healthcare company Cigna has put 129 jobs at risk in Greenock, adding to hundreds of job losses in the area.

John Swinney announces new Scottish cabinet
20 May 2026 at 9:00pm
Stephen Flynn has joined the senior ministerial team, while Jenny Gilruth has been appointed deputy FM.

Greens candidate claims she was told to withdraw over student visa
20 May 2026 at 6:09am
Another candidate, Q Manivannan, did run despite also being in the UK on a student visa and they were elected as an MSP.

Scottish Parliament removes gender search function for MSPs
20 May 2026 at 9:42am
It follows the election of Holyrood's first two trans MSPs - Greens Iris Duane and Q Manivannan - earlier this month.

Prisoner numbers at record high despite 600 releases in six months
20 May 2026 at 11:40am
Numerous attempts to address overcrowding have failed to make a long-term impact and the population has reached critical levels.

John Swinney wins vote to be re-appointed first minister
19 May 2026 at 5:01pm
The SNP leader is to be formally sworn in on Wednesday before he chooses a new cabinet.

Scot Goes Pop

BOMBSHELL polling suggests Andy Burnham will NEVER be "King" of the UK's True...
22 May 2026 at 7:48am
*  *  *Catch up with last Wednesday's critically-acclaimed blogpost: "S*** just got real, lads. The famously always wrong blogger "Stew", who said there was "zero chance, barring nuclear war or an ...

For one post only: a KC amnesty
21 May 2026 at 1:12pm
Someone suggested yesterday that I should start publishing KC's comments again, because it would boost the overall posting rate by motivating others to "take him down".  Believe it or not, KC does ...

Optimism grows that John Swinney will keep his promise to give the people of ...
20 May 2026 at 1:27pm
*  *  *Catch up with last Wednesday's critically-acclaimed blogpost: "S*** just got real, lads. The famously always wrong blogger "Stew", who said there was "zero chance, barring nuclear war or an ...

The Welsh language double-edged sword for the new Plaid Cymru government
19 May 2026 at 11:11am
There's been some social media chatter in recent days suggesting that the new Cabinet of the Plaid Cymru government in Wales is composed exclusively of fluent Welsh speakers and will be conducting ...

Israel's need to artwash the genocide continues to bring Eurovision to its kn...
17 May 2026 at 2:32am
At this time last year, someone left a comment on this blog to say that they'd actually been hoping for an Israeli win, because the prospect of a contest in Tel Aviv would have caused the whole hou...

How rigged will Eurovision be in favour of Israel this time?
16 May 2026 at 6:33pm
That, I'm afraid, is the correct way of posing the question, because there is no doubt that the voting system remains wide open to abuse by Israel's supporters across Europe, who will not only cast...

It's all or nothing for Andy Burnham - the by-election of the century will ta...
15 May 2026 at 1:32pm
Catch up with Wednesday night's blogpost: "S*** just got real, lads. The famously always wrong blogger "Stew", who said there was "zero chance, barring nuclear war or an alien invasion" of the Holy...

Two crucial Scottish parliamentary by-elections have been triggered - one sho...
14 May 2026 at 4:22pm
So the moment that couldn't be avoided has now arrived: Reform UK have, at least for the time being, overtaken the SNP as the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons due to Stephen Flynn and S...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

John Swinney hosts first meeting of ?streamlined? Scottish cabinet
22 May 2026 at 3:05pm
The Scottish First Minister announced a scaled-down cabinet earlier this week

What do the Andrew files tell us?
21 May 2026 at 6:16pm
A wad of documents dropped today reveals the details surrounding the appointment of former prince Andrew as the UK?s trade envoy in 2001

VAT slashed to 5% on summer attractions in chancellor Rachel Reeves? cost of ...
21 May 2026 at 3:11pm
Rachel Reeves also announced a 10p per mile increase in tax-free mileage rates and cut import tariffs on more than 100 food products

Green candidate: ?I was made to withdraw from election over student visa?
21 May 2026 at 11:32am
Another Green candidate, Dr Q Manivannan, ran and won despite being on a student visa

John Swinney unveils slimmed-down Scottish Government Cabinet
20 May 2026 at 3:34pm
The new Cabinet of nine, including the First Minister, is down from twelve before the election.

Scottish Parliament removes gender search function for MSPs
20 May 2026 at 2:07pm
It comes after two transgender MSPs, Iris Duane and Q Manivannan from the Scottish Greens, were elected

Jenny Gilruth appointed Deputy First Minister by John Swinney
20 May 2026 at 12:51pm
The former education secretary was the first to arrive at Bute House on Wednesday

Starmer to face Commons grilling as Streeting plans resignation speech
20 May 2026 at 12:00pm
The Prime Minister has faced calls to resign from dozens of Labour MPs

Swinney sworn in as First Minister ahead of appointing Cabinet
20 May 2026 at 7:01am
John Swinney was sworn in at the Court of Session on Wednesday

Nothing off the table in responding to Celtic disorder, says justice secretar...
19 May 2026 at 6:25pm
Some 900 police officers responded to the unrest, Angela Constance told MSPs.

John Swinney ready to ?get on with the job? as he is re-elected First Minister
19 May 2026 at 4:17pm
The SNP leader, whose party is the biggest in the Scottish Parliament, was voted back into the role in Holyrood on Tuesday

MSPs to elect new First Minister after Scottish elections
19 May 2026 at 6:57am
John Swinney says he is confident of winning the vote at Holyrood on Tuesday.

First Minister John Swinney to look at football banning orders and pitch inva...
18 May 2026 at 1:08pm
John Swinney said the scenes that unfolded at Celtic Park on Saturday were 'completely and utterly unacceptable'

Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain tells First Minister John Swinney she intends to s...
15 May 2026 at 8:55am
Dorothy Bain came under fire earlier this year after it emerged she told John Swinney of the charges against Peter Murrell before they were made public

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

John Swinney urged to implement EHRC biological sex ruling 'without delay'
22 May 2026 at 2:34pm
The SNP Government has said it will consider "carefully" Equalities and Human Rights Commission guidance.

Call for ban on indoor vaping as pressure stepped up for sweeping restrictions
22 May 2026 at 4:30am
Former Labour First Minister Jack McConnell urged politicians and society to work together.

Scottish Labour official issues brutal verdict on Anas Sarwar after election ...
22 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Linda Clarke, a member of Scottish Labour's governing body, has hit out at Sarwar and his deputy Jackie Baillie.

SNP Government prepares to build a bonfire of the quangos to save billions
21 May 2026 at 5:00pm
With the NHS budget untouchable and no appetite to reduce spending on welfare, the SNP Government is likely to go after public sector jobs to save money, says Chris McCall

John Swinney urges Celtic fans to behave ahead of Scottish Cup final against ...
21 May 2026 at 1:33pm
The First Minister is anxious to avoid a repeat of the scenes around Glasgow Cross last weekend where around 3,000 fans celebrated in the streets - forcing police to move in.

Charity run by Reform leader Malcolm Offord accused of 'law breaking' over Sc...
21 May 2026 at 1:04pm
Charities watchdog OSCR said The Badenoch Trust, which lists Offord as a trustee, should apply to register.

Jenny Gilruth claims public sector reform is 'really exciting' despite 10,000...
21 May 2026 at 9:50am
The SNP Government faces a £5 billion blackhole in its finances after it agreed a series of above inflation pay deals and oversaw a huge rise in welfare spending.

UK Government warned sending £1.9bn Faslane contract overseas would be 'betra...
21 May 2026 at 7:34am
EXCLUSIVE: Engineering yards in Fife and Belfast should be given a "once in a generation" MOD order to protect jobs and boost local employment, the GMB has demanded.

John Swinney signals public sector job cuts are on the way as he unveils Cabi...
20 May 2026 at 5:17pm
The First Minister has chosen to surround himself with familiar faces when extremely difficult decisions on public spending are required, says Chris McCall

Stephen Flynn denies he's after John Swinney's job after being handed top Sco...
20 May 2026 at 4:13pm
John Swinney has denied appointing a minister for job cuts after Ivan McKee was handed a role specialising in "Public Service Reform".

The National

The National | Politics

Is Hannah Spencer right to say Westminster boozing should be banned?
22 May 2026 at 5:55pm

I am ashamed to say I can?t agree with Green MP Hannah Spencer that boozing in Parliament should be banned ...

Tom Hunter called out for bizarre 'false claim' about Scottish tax system
22 May 2026 at 5:43pm

SCOTTISH multi-millionaire Tom Hunter has been urged to correct his ?highly misleading claim? that just 250 super-rich individuals pay 60% of all Scottish income tax ...

3 crucial Westminster by-elections on the same day ? what you need to know
22 May 2026 at 4:59pm

WESTMINSTER by-elections are a bit like buses, you wait ages for one and then three come along at once.

Scottish lawyer guilty of misconduct given power over £20m UK Government fund
22 May 2026 at 4:29pm

A SCOTTISH Labour council appointee set to oversee delivery of a £20 million UK Government fund was previously found guilty of professional misconduct for mishandling client?s money, The National can reveal ...

Plan to safeguard Highland dark skies goes before committee
22 May 2026 at 4:15pm

A NEW planning policy aimed at protecting the Highlands? famous dark skies and tackling light pollution is set to be considered next week.

Andy Burnham 'could set out stall in debate on Israeli meddling in UK politics'
22 May 2026 at 3:58pm

ANDY Burnham? first act as an MP could be speaking in a debate on reviewing ?pro-Israel lobbying? in the UK politics, according to a campaigner.

Andy Burnham offers 'broad support' for Shabana Mahmood immigration reforms
22 May 2026 at 3:02pm

ANDY Burnham has offered his ?broad support? to Labour?s controversial planned immigration reforms.

UK equalities watchdog bathroom guidance leaves trans people with 'less rights'
22 May 2026 at 2:58pm

TRANSGENDER people have been left with ?less rights? following the publication of the UK equalities watchdog?s guidance on single-sex spaces, an advocacy group has said

Pro-Israel lawyers reported for 'intimidation' of anti-genocide campaigners
22 May 2026 at 2:23pm

PRO-ISRAEL barristers have been reported to the legal standards watchdog for alleged ?intimidation? of anti-genocide activists.

Scottish journalism ?in crisis? as media body calls for local press funding
22 May 2026 at 2:22pm

The organisation set up to promote and protect journalism in Scotland has asked Holyrood?s new minister with responsibility for the media to respond to a Westminster initiative to ??supercharge?? public interest news south of the Border

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Social media companies strengthen child protection but Ofcom says more to be ...
22 May 2026 at 4:17pm
Some firms failed to set out how they would improve safety on their platforms ? particularly in relation to feeds

Scottish Conservatives reshuffle top team
22 May 2026 at 12:53pm
All bar one of their MSPs have been given a role

Reform unveils Scottish frontbench
21 May 2026 at 6:17pm
Leader Malcolm Offord has taken on the economy and public sector reform portfolios

Presiding Officer says ?status quo not an option? amid parliamentary shake-up
21 May 2026 at 5:08pm
There will now be two sessions of FMQs each week - on Tuesday and Thursday

SNP: UK Government is copying our homework on cost of living
21 May 2026 at 3:32pm
Douglas Alexander defends Treasury plan amidst 'copycat' claims

Green candidate claims she was made to withdraw from election over student visa
21 May 2026 at 1:17pm
The Scottish Greens have said that no candidates were blocked from standing due to their visa status

Chancellor Rachel Reeves to announce food price action
21 May 2026 at 8:08am
Treasury grocery plan comes weeks after SNP manifesto pledge

Jenny Gilruth named as new deputy first minister and finance secretary
20 May 2026 at 4:34pm
A slimmed down cabinet has been announced by John Swinney

New virtual security service launched to strengthen cyber resilience
20 May 2026 at 1:30pm
The vCISO service is designed to provide organisations across the country with senior-level cyber security leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.

AI companies adopting playbook of ?Big Tobacco and Big Pharma? to influence p...
20 May 2026 at 12:41pm
Researchers said they had found examples of how AI firms employed 'corporate capture' in similar ways to so-called Big Pharma or Big Tobacco.

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Streeting says he resigned because Labour ?in fight of our lives against nati...
20 May 2026 at 5:18pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereLabour is in a curious, transitional state at the moment. Officially Keir Starmer is committed to staying as leader and prime minister until the next election. There is no formal leadership contest underway. But, informally, it has alre...

ChatGPT and other AI bots made huge errors before Scottish election, study finds
20 May 2026 at 3:56pm
Exclusive: Electoral Commission calls for new controls as Demos finds tools made up fake scandals, invented candidates or gave wrong dateUK politics live ? latest updatesThe Electoral Commission has called for new legal controls over misinformation from AI chatbots, after a thinktank found they h...

UK supermarkets urged to consider voluntary price caps on essential foods
20 May 2026 at 12:03am
Retail sources rebuff government proposal as ?unjustified? and likely to push costs up across boardUK supermarkets have been asked by the government to consider freezing the prices of some essential foodstuffs to protect the public from inflation fuelled by the Middle East conflict.They would be ...

Minister defends Mandelson file redactions and says documents to be released ...
19 May 2026 at 5:15pm
Darren Jones says release will be ?one of the largest government publications ever laid in this house?On Friday parliament?s intelligence and security committee issued a damning statement about the government?s response to the humble address requiring the release of documents relating to the appo...

Starmer has ?full confidence? in Streeting despite health secretary?s allies ...
13 May 2026 at 6:00pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:Streeting to resign and challenge Starmer, allies sayLibby Brooks is the Guardian?s Scotland correspondent.An odd dispute of interpretation has emerged overnight between the Scottish and UK governments. Yesterday evening a Scottish gov...

Streeting to meet Starmer on Wednesday as the prime minister defies calls to ...
12 May 2026 at 9:22pm
A number of Streeting?s allies resigned from their ministerial posts on Tuesday and called for Keir Starmer to quitStarmer tells cabinet he will not quit without leadership challengeHere are some pictures from No 10 this morning.Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the PM, is now being interviewe...

2026 UK elections: full results from local, Scottish and Welsh votes
12 May 2026 at 8:35am
From devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales to councils and mayoralties in England, find out what happened in your areaElections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions Continue reading...

2026 elections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions
11 May 2026 at 7:43am
Keir Starmer?s party lost out to Reform and the Greens, with no respite in Scotland, Wales or England. These maps show the scale of the historic resultsFull results from England, Scotland and WalesLabour has suffered heavy losses across England, Scotland and Wales, losing ground to opponents on t...

Minority groups brace for surge in racism after Reform UK election gains
11 May 2026 at 6:00am
Members of minority communities in Birmingham and elsewhere fear results could lead to rise in hostile rhetoricConceding defeat at the election count at Birmingham?s Utilita Arena on Friday, the outgoing Labour leader of the city council, John Cotton, made a plea. ?What I would encourage the next...

Angela Rayner calls blocking Andy Burnham?s return to parliament a mistake as...
10 May 2026 at 6:09pm
Catherine West issues ultimatum for PM as ex-minister Josh Simons joins calls for prime minister to quitAt the start of her programme Laura Kuenssberg addressed Catherine West and Bridget Phillipson who were sitting waiting for the main interviews.Kuenssberg told West she wanted a cabinet ministe...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

John Swinney fires the starting gun on independence push
22 May 2026 at 1:30pm
He’s not mucking about. On the back of Holyrood’s record pro-independence majority, John Swinney has announced that there will be a debate and vote in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday on securing a Section 30 order for an independence referendum. With 72 pro-independence MSPs in the chamber, the motion will pass easily despite the predictable …

The British media is hiding Holyrood?s independence majorities
20 May 2026 at 5:01pm
Something interesting, and entirely predictable, has been happening in the British media since the SNP comprehensively defeated the parties of Westminster rule in this month’s Holyrood elections, being returned for a fifth term in office in a Scottish Parliament which has its largest ever pro-independence majority, making this the fourth Scottish Parliament in a row …

Something wicked this way comes
17 May 2026 at 1:27pm
We are rightly concerned about Reform UK, which has now gained representation in the Scottish Parliament, although as I had hoped, it performed more poorly than most polls forecast and failed to win a single constituency seat, narrowly missing out to the SNP in the Banffshire and Buchan Coast constituency which had been widely tipped …

The Celtic Alliance can break Westminter?s constitutional logjam
15 May 2026 at 6:33pm
One of the biggest developments in British political history came to pass after the recent parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, yet it predictably went all but unnoticed by a British media which struggles to comprehend England outwith the M25 and for which Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are terra incognita marked “here be dragons” …

Labour?s rigged electoral system has bitten it on the bum
13 May 2026 at 3:51pm
Ever since the Holyrood election last week in which the SNP won a crushing victory over the dependency parties, those parties and their client media have been crowing that John Swinney must drop his “obsession” with independence because the SNP “failed” in the election and did not win an outright majority for the SNP. Alex …

John Swinney is right to lock out Reform
12 May 2026 at 3:02pm
It hasn’t even been a week since the Holyrood election which took the SNP to its record fifth election win in a row, securing more MSPs than all the anti-independence parties combined, and winning more seats than Labour ever has. The British parties and their friends in the press are getting their hysteria and outrage …

Labour and the British media, stuck in the first stages of grief
10 May 2026 at 7:37pm
They’re not taking it at all well are they. Ever since the SNP handsomely won the Holyrood election, for the fifth time in a row, winning more seats than all the branch office parties combined, and together with a record performance from the Scottish Greens, the two pro-independence secured the largest ever independence majority in …

Mission (almost) accomplished
9 May 2026 at 2:40pm
Originally I had intended to blog yesterday as the results came in, but they arrived later than I had expected and we did not have the certainty that the new Scottish Parliament would have a pro-independence majority until well into the evening. The final set of results, the allocation of list seats for the Highlands …

The British media is getting its excuses in early
6 May 2026 at 1:58pm
The British media in Scotland is getting its excuses in early. Gina Davidson, the Scotland political editor of LBC, wrote on social media that the SNP falling a couple of seats short of an absolute majority – based on the YouGov poll published the day before the election – would be a “poor result for …

Thomas Kerr, the Dumb Corleone of Scottish politics
5 May 2026 at 4:22pm
Reform’s opportunistic Thomas Kerr has completed his transformation from one nation liberal Tory to complete heid banging fascist. On Tuesday, Shettleston’s Dumb Corleone doubled down on his party’s exciting new election tactic of threatening the voters, proving that Reform UK struggles to grasp the difference between a democratic election and a protection racket. Kerr released …

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

Calls for cancellation of HS2 white elephant would mean Scots taxpayers savin...
22 May 2026 at 11:38am
In the Guardian today, the above and: So it is official, as if that makes a difference. After a 15-month review by the new chief executive, the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, has revealed that HS2 will now cost up to £102.7bn and trains may not start until 2039. Alexander called the original design a ?massively over-specced folly? and called the increase in time and costs ?obscene?. Inde...

Hardworking Scots taxpayers lost more than £500 million just last year for di...
22 May 2026 at 10:17am
In the Guardian today, the above, and: Cancelled government projects such as the Rwanda deportation scheme and the road tunnel under Stonehenge are wasting billions of pounds of taxpayer money a year, parliament?s spending watchdog has found. About £6.6bn was written off by government departments last year alone ? state spending that did not achieve its intended objectives or create any value f...

Swinney need not apologise for Sinn Fein ?links? as IRA was not responsible f...
22 May 2026 at 8:51am
I understand why the relatives of Scottish soldiers, often just boys at the time, will be upset by links with Sinn Fein but their anger would be better directed at the UK government and senior officers who sent them, ill-prepared, into a brutal civil war, in the first place. The UK has full diplomatic relationships with political parties of government in countries, from Ireland, through Kenya, ...

BBC Scotland?s report on one ?senior? doctor?s call for more obesity drug rol...
22 May 2026 at 8:30am
jabs to patients with obesity. The latest figures say one in three Scots are obese. Dr Mark Strachan is president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and says more people need access to what he calls the ‘astonishing drug.’ NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde says it’s looking into the prescribing of weight loss jabs (sic) Mounjaro and Wegovy. BBC Scotland‘s insert in BBC Breakfast this m...

Stephen Flynn already facing pressure on A96 dualling? Oh no he?s not because?.
21 May 2026 at 6:25pm
From Collisions on the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness: FOI release Published 21 April 2026: The total number of collisions on the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness, broken into a table to reflect every financial year since 2021-22 From the post pandemic peak in 2023/2024 of fatal/very serious and total collisions, we can see a dramatic fall in 2024/2025, contrary to that claimed in the med...

Scottish Government has done more to support vulnerable young care leavers
21 May 2026 at 6:00pm
Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: In the Guardian today, the above and: More than 100 young people have died after leaving the care of social services in England in the past year, according to data released by the government. In the year to April 2026 there were 106 reported deaths of care leavers, with 91 deaths reported in the 12 months before. Most of those who died were aged 16 to 2...

Shocking latest US research finds 80 000 unnecessary breast and other cancers...
21 May 2026 at 2:08pm
From A national analysis of the impact of proximity to nuclear power plants on lung, breast and colon cancer mortalities in the U.S., 2000?2020 in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology 5.5 impact factor- which is good to strong for a science journal published yesterday: Results Proximity to nuclear power plants was associated with elevated mortality from breast, colon, ...

Since 2007 SNP Government has built 73% more affordable homes than Labour Wal...
21 May 2026 at 2:04pm
From Housing shortages, targets and delays in delivery information: EIR release published yesterday: Information requested 1) Internal communications, briefing notes or guidance relating to how housing shortages, housing targets, or delays in delivery should be presented or communicated publicly. 2) Any records discussing media handling, messaging, or reputational risks relating to housing supp...

The blind spot in researchers? apocalyptic water shortages predictions ? the ...
21 May 2026 at 8:58am
In the Guardian today, the above and: Rainwater harvesting, the use of grey water in homes and an urgent campaign to reduce water usage across society are vital to prevent water shortages of 5bn litres a day by 2055, the government has been told. Without intervention, England will face severe water shortages in the coming decades, as climate change-induced weather patterns, population growth an...

The reports of surging school violence at the same time as recorded violent c...
21 May 2026 at 8:35am

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

John Swinney's indyref2 motion published ahead of Holyrood debate ? see the f...
22 May 2026 at 10:51am
John Swinney's indyref2 motion published ahead of Holyrood debate ? see the full text  The National Scot

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

Independence motion to face Holyrood vote on Tuesday, says John Swinney - The...
21 May 2026 at 2:48pm
Independence motion to face Holyrood vote on Tuesday, says John Swinney  The Scotsman

Caught between the UK and EU: What?s next for young Scots? - France 24
27 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Caught between the UK and EU: What?s next for young Scots?  France 24

A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain - Reuters
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain  Reuters

Starmer agrees to meet Swinney in face-to-face meeting - BBC
12 May 2026 at 8:00am
Starmer agrees to meet Swinney in face-to-face meeting  BBC

The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit - Britannica
18 May 2026 at 6:00am
David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit  Britannica

First independence vote 'settled it for 20 to 30 years', BBC host Fiona Bruce...
22 May 2026 at 12:32pm
First independence vote 'settled it for 20 to 30 years', BBC host Fiona Bruce claims  The National Scot

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP wins 58 seats as Labour and Reform tie for second with 17 each - BBC
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
SNP wins 58 seats as Labour and Reform tie for second with 17 each  BBC

Kemi Badenoch: Aberdeen is dying because of the SNP - The National Scot
22 May 2026 at 5:56pm
Kemi Badenoch: Aberdeen is dying because of the SNP  The National Scot

The SNP may have won again but Scottish politics has been upended | Scottish ...
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
The SNP may have won again but Scottish politics has been upended | Scottish elections 2026  The Guardian

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

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

More in Common Final Holyrood MRP - moreincommon.org.uk
4 May 2026 at 8:00am
More in Common Final Holyrood MRP  moreincommon.org.uk

SNP on track for majority ? and fresh referendum on breaking up the UK - The ...
15 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
SNP on track for majority ? and fresh referendum on breaking up the UK  The Telegraph

John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victo...
8 May 2026 at 8:00am
John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victory | Scottish politics  The Guardian

MSPs are sworn in and elect SNP's Kenneth Gibson as presiding officer - BBC
14 May 2026 at 7:54pm
MSPs are sworn in and elect SNP's Kenneth Gibson as presiding officer  BBC

Historic win for SNP but change and challenges ahead at Holyrood - BBC
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
Historic win for SNP but change and challenges ahead at Holyrood  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

John Swinney's indyref2 motion published ahead of Holyrood debate ? see the f...
22 May 2026 at 10:51am
John Swinney's indyref2 motion published ahead of Holyrood debate ? see the full text  The National Scot

Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum - ...
12 May 2026 at 1:00am
Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit - Britannica
18 May 2026 at 6:00am
David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit  Britannica

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

Independence motion to face Holyrood vote on Tuesday, says John Swinney - The...
21 May 2026 at 2:48pm
Independence motion to face Holyrood vote on Tuesday, says John Swinney  The Scotsman

The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
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

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

The Scottish Parliament elections and the constitution: what do the manifesto...
7 May 2026 at 5:56am
The Scottish Parliament elections and the constitution: what do the manifestos say?  The Constitution Unit Blog