The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Nicola Sturgeon: 'I should have paused controversial gender reforms'
10 Aug 2025 at 5:06pm
Nicola Sturgeon told ITV News she should have paused gender reforms in light of significant concerns about women's rights.


Nicola Sturgeon warned to apologise urgently following Alex Salmond memoir cl...
10 Aug 2025 at 1:56pm
Nicola Sturgeon has faced calls to apologise after making claims about Alex Salmond's sexual misconduct investigation in her memoir Frankly.


Police Scotland strategy for monitoring Palestine protests revealed
10 Aug 2025 at 6:30am
Dubbed ?Operation Tarlac?, the coordinated approach was developed by the NPCC, and sought to support local police and counter terrorism forces.


Could a gambling tax pay for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap?
10 Aug 2025 at 6:00am
Gordon Brown has publicly called for the UK Government to scrap the two child benefit cap, adding a gambling tax could fund the policy.


'Powerhouse' Nicola Sturgeon's memoir and the battle of reclaiming her legacy
10 Aug 2025 at 5:30am
How will Nicola Sturgeon's memoir describe her legacy? Regardless, it will do little to change the minds of her critics.


Kate Forbes exit makes new Bute House deal 'easier' for SNP and Greens
10 Aug 2025 at 5:00am
Kate Forbes's exit from Holyrood makes a new post election Bute House Agreement (BHA) between the SNP and the Scottish Greens easier, according to Ross Greer.


Ross Greer: 'I ended up in hospital twice because of bullying from within my ...
10 Aug 2025 at 5:00am
Ross Greer had to be hospitalised on two occasions because of the emotional and physical toll a campaign of "bullying" against him by opponents in the Scottish Greens.


Ross Greer reveals 'bullying' campaign against him inside the Greens
9 Aug 2025 at 9:00pm
MSP Ross Greer has lifted the lid on the toll a campaign of bullying against him by opponents inside the Scottish Greens.


Nicola Sturgeon: 'Alex Salmond admitted complaint against him was true'
9 Aug 2025 at 6:33pm
Nicola Sturgeon has revealed the details of the scandal which saw their partnership break down.


Kevin McKenna: 'A warm welcome for me from Sturgeon but confessions leave me ...
9 Aug 2025 at 2:30pm
It?s been a few years since we last spoke, and a lot of bodies have passed under the bridge, but Nicola Sturgeon greets me warmly, nonetheless.


Nicola Sturgeon: 'Israel's war in Gaza is genocide'
9 Aug 2025 at 11:50am
Nicola Sturgeon has said that Israel?s action in Gaza is genocide, describing the war against the Palestinian territory as ?absolutely horrific?.


Police Scotland ?planning? for US vice president visit as he holidays in UK
8 Aug 2025 at 8:24pm
US vice president JD Vance may be about to visit Scotland


Nicola Sturgeon warns politicians against 'cosying up' to Donald Trump
8 Aug 2025 at 8:08pm
Nicola Sturgeon urges leaders to resist aligning with Donald Trump, days after John Swinney pledged £180,000 public cash to a Trump golf event.


Nicola Sturgeon: 'I have never considered my sexuality to be binary'
8 Aug 2025 at 6:51pm
Nicola Sturgeon made the candid admission in her memoir Frankly

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Nicola Sturgeon says Alex Salmond could have leaked probe against him and add...
10 Aug 2025 at 9:05am

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed what she ?found hardest to come to terms with? as Alex Salmond was accused of sexual harassment by several women.

Wings over Scotland

The Last Marble
9 Aug 2025 at 7:30am

Snowflake Patrol
8 Aug 2025 at 3:49pm
We’ve written a couple of articles about the media coverage of this already, but as the slow summer season continues it’s worth taking a little time to have a proper look at the source material, because it’s your cash that’s being spent on it, and used to shape public policy in Scotland. And it’s very …

The Churn
7 Aug 2025 at 1:57pm
A little over two years ago, three SNP MSPs contested the leadership of the party in the wake of the sudden resignation of Nicola Sturgeon. All were full of grand plans and dreams for the future of the party, the nation and the independence movement. None of the three is leader now, and in nine …

Trying To Understand
6 Aug 2025 at 1:56pm
It can be very hard to follow the arguments of people trying to convince you to vote for the SNP on the regional list at next year’s election. Here’s one just a month ago: So that’s clear – indy supporters MUST IGNORE the “siren voices” telling them to vote for smaller indy parties, because they …

The Deafening Echo Of Nothing
3 Aug 2025 at 3:07pm
These two Sunday front pages three weeks apart sounded awfully similar. But it turned out to be a lot worse than we thought. Not just because the Sunday Post ran basically the exact same story seven years ago: But because the Post’s piece is based on the exact same piece of garbage non-news that the …

The Changemakers
3 Aug 2025 at 11:48am
When we get bored in the summer silly season, we often start poking around in stats. This week we’d been pondering the complete waste of everyone’s time Anas Sarwar’s four and a half years in charge of Scottish Labour have been, and the open goal he’s missed in failing to capitalise on a period of …

The Empty Hearse
30 Jul 2025 at 2:20pm
There’s been a very unfortunate typo here. “Scotland’s independence” should read “SNP’s gravy bus”. Because it couldn’t be any clearer what Robertson means. The first sentence, it should be noted, is a lie. The basis for the 2014 referendum was Alex Salmond persuading David Cameron to grant it in the belief that it would result …

From May To July
29 Jul 2025 at 10:06am
Oh, it?s a long, long while. They have little to offer, but the songs they sing.

Scotland?s Saviour
28 Jul 2025 at 2:18pm
No, wait, hear us out. It’s not what you think. John Swinney’s been insulting everyone’s intelligence again today. If you’re an indy supporter and you’re not offended at being asked to swallow that idiot drivel again, then we’re sorry, but you’ve got stale custard and gravel for brains and shouldn’t be allowed to go to …

Safety First
26 Jul 2025 at 6:20am

Craig Murray

The Music of My Life
7 Aug 2025 at 12:56pm

The first record I ever bought, age 11, was Artur Rubinstein playing Chopin Polonaises 1 to 7. For a year I saved up the pocket money my grandfather gave me to get it. I played it on our record player, which was like a sideboard with built in speakers. I had watched, on our little …

The Music of My Life

Your Party (Working Title)
5 Aug 2025 at 2:12pm

If I were living in England, I would join Corbyn’s new party, and I urge people in England to do so. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland there are other factors, which I shall come on to. I also say this with great respect for my friend George Galloway, whose Workers Party kindly hosted my …

Your Party (Working Title)

Huda Ammori Wins a Judicial Review of Palestine Action Proscription
2 Aug 2025 at 2:08am

On Wednesday we were crammed into the unsalubrious court 73 at the Royal Courts of Justice to hear the judgment from Judge Chamberlain on whether Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action would be granted a judicial review of the proscription of the organisation. Judge Chamberlain breezed in and went immediately into a summary of his …

Huda Ammori Wins a Judicial Review of Palestine Action Proscription

Malicious Mischief
28 Jul 2025 at 1:31pm

The Starmer regime’s attitude to the law, both domestic and international, has been diseased by the doctrine of unquestioning support of Israel. This morning the Handala became the second vessel flying the Red Ensign to be illegally seized by Israel, without a single word from the UK, which has a duty to protect its vessel …

Malicious Mischief

The Nestlé Cadbury Fallacy and Shut Down Leonardo
18 Jul 2025 at 2:29pm

Nestlé and Cadbury are not the same organisation. They both have exactly the same purpose and extremely similar methods of achieving that purpose. Their chocolate products, retail technique, marketing, manufacturing process and ingredients are in essence the same kind of thing. Police Scotland and the famously corrupt Crown Office (the Scottish prosecution service) are treating …

The Nestlé Cadbury Fallacy and Shut Down Leonardo

The Big Chill
17 Jul 2025 at 9:05am

The three female activists arrested on Tuesday for the direct action against the Leonardo weapons factory in Edinburgh are being treated as terrorists. They have been held now for 40 hours, without either being charged or being brought before a judge, under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act. They are from the organisation Shut Down …

The Big Chill

BBC Scotland

Salmond allies dismiss Sturgeon memoir leak claims
10 Aug 2025 at 2:53pm
Sturgeon denied releasing details about a sexual misconduct investigation into the former SNP leader.

Sturgeon denies 'conspiracy to destroy' mentor Salmond
9 Aug 2025 at 7:17pm
In a fresh extract from her memoir Sturgeon describes the breakdown of her relationship with her late mentor.

Sturgeon memoir describes arrest as 'worst day of my life'
8 Aug 2025 at 7:40pm
The first extracts from the former first minister's new memoir are being serialised by The Times.

Scottish Secretary attacks 'snobby' council over Oasis comments
7 Aug 2025 at 9:16pm
Ian Murray told a Fringe event the local authority's attitude towards fans of the band was 'classist'.

Families demand change to parole rules for missing body murders
6 Aug 2025 at 6:59pm
Relatives of Arlene Fraser and Suzanne Pilley are backing proposals to change the law in Scotland.

Holyrood childcare provision 'doesn't make sense' - Forbes
5 Aug 2025 at 4:26pm
The Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP announced on Monday that she would not seek re-election next year.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes to stand down as MSP
4 Aug 2025 at 2:40pm
The Highlands MSP said she did not want to "miss any more of the precious early years of family life".

Pro-Palestinian protests disrupt FM's Fringe event
2 Aug 2025 at 6:51pm
The first minister said he believed Gaza was subject to "a genocide" after being heckled at the event.

One of world's largest offshore wind farms approved
31 Jul 2025 at 5:10pm
Up to 307 turbines will be built in the project despite concerns about the impact on seabirds.

Call to simplify Scottish disability benefits system
31 Jul 2025 at 6:08am
A report commissioned by ministers said the Adult Disability Payment is "more compassionate" than the rest of the UK.

Trump parting shot at 'terrible first minister' Sturgeon
30 Jul 2025 at 5:29pm
The US president made an unprompted remark while addressing journalists on Air Force One.

Four arrests after 7,000 police deployed for Trump visit
30 Jul 2025 at 4:01pm
The deployment included 6,144 Police Scotland officers and another 1,197 from other UK forces

Scot Goes Pop

Eighty years on from the horrors of Nagasaki, Scotland must redouble its dete...
9 Aug 2025 at 3:09am
Today is exactly 80 years since the atomic bombing of Nagasaki - only the second use of a nuclear weapon in warfare, and also the last to date.  It self-evidently must remain the last if human civi...

Scot Goes Pop Fundraiser 2025: Another update, and a crunch-point
9 Aug 2025 at 12:20am
Click here to go straight to the crowdfunder page.Many thanks to everyone who has donated since the last update.  Progress has been made, although the fundraiser is still only 46% funded with less ...

Controversial Wings blogger boasts it will be "easy" for him to DESTROY the S...
8 Aug 2025 at 4:23am

Here's why the independence plan of the "SNP rebels" is MORE workable than Jo...
6 Aug 2025 at 3:09pm
I suppose on some level you have to admire the chutzpah of John Swinney, winner of the coveted 100% rating in the 2025 Guide To The World's Worst Plans For Winning The Independence Of A Country, in...

Triumphant SNP romp to 24-point lead over Labour in epic YouGov crossbreak
5 Aug 2025 at 4:07pm
For today's YouTube commentary, I bring you the results of the weekly GB-wide poll from YouGov, which are unusually good for the SNP on the Scottish subsample.  I also discuss Andy Maciver's view t...

Kate Forbes' departure feels like a setback for the SNP and for independence ...
4 Aug 2025 at 2:29pm
Today's YouTube commentary is of course about the shock news that Kate Forbes, who would have been one of the two clear frontrunners to succeed John Swinney as First Minister, has taken herself out...

Should the State of Palestine possess an independent nuclear deterrent?
4 Aug 2025 at 2:48am
Tonight's YouTube commentary is a sort of challenge to the minority of Scot Goes Pop readers who I discovered a few months ago actually believe that nuclear deterrence is a valid concept that works...

"This doesn't make sense!" x 12: My reaction to the full text of John Swinney...
2 Aug 2025 at 2:08pm
For today's YouTube commentary (which as a thrilling experiment is in actual video form!), I look at the full text of John Swinney's proposed motion on independence strategy.  I point out the numer...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Nicola Sturgeon admits she should have paused gender reform legislation
10 Aug 2025 at 5:04pm
In her first TV interview, the former first minister of Scotland doesn't rule out the possibility of a same-sex relationship in the future and speaks of the 'horror and shame' of her husband's arrest.

Salmond may have leaked sexual misconduct inquiry details, claims Sturgeon
9 Aug 2025 at 7:21pm
In an excerpt of her new memoir, Frankly, published by The Times, Sturgeon insisted she was not the one who had leaked the outcome of the Scottish government investigation.

Netanyahu ?not a partner in peace?, says Scottish Labour leader Sarwar
9 Aug 2025 at 12:01pm
Sarwar hit out at the Israeli premier as he announced plans to take over Gaza City in a new offensive.

Nicola Sturgeon: Day of arrest, sexuality and miscarriage
9 Aug 2025 at 8:58am
In an extract from the former first minister's memoir she addresses 'the worst day of her life', the pain of her miscarriage and rumours about her sexuality.

Nicola Sturgeon says she considered quitting politics after first term
9 Aug 2025 at 7:51am
The former first minister spoke of feeling she had ?failed? when she did not win the constituency she stood in at the first Scottish Parliament election.

Nicola Sturgeon: First in-depth interview exclusive on STV
8 Aug 2025 at 6:32pm
The former first minister of Scotland sat down for the wide-ranging conversation with News at Ten presenter Julie Etchingham.

Glasgow could become first Scottish council to trial automatic voter registra...
8 Aug 2025 at 2:50pm
The scheme would see people being registered to vote for elections without having to apply themselves.

Israel?s decision to take over Gaza City ?utterly unacceptable?, says Swinney
8 Aug 2025 at 9:29am
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that his security cabinet has approved a plan to retake control over the entire territory.

US vice-president JD Vance arrives in UK for holiday
8 Aug 2025 at 8:50am
The foreign secretary David Lammy is expected to host Vance on Friday.

Report suggests billions in tax hikes to pay for SNP minimum income guarantee
8 Aug 2025 at 6:49am
The report estimates the cost of the minimum income guarantee policy to be around £8.1bn a year.

Talk of Blackford running should be taken ?with huge dose of salt?, says Forbes
7 Aug 2025 at 8:25pm
The deputy First Minister announced on Monday she would not be standing for re-election next year.

Scottish Government opens £10m fund to create up to 150 new disabled toilets
7 Aug 2025 at 1:21pm
Changing Places Toilets offer facilities for people with disabilities whose needs cannot be met through standard toilets.

First small boat migrants detained under ?one-in, one-out? treaty with France
7 Aug 2025 at 9:37am
The deal will see those who cross the Channel in small boats exchanged with France for asylum seekers.

Nicola Sturgeon shows off first-ever tattoo during appearance at Edinburgh Fr...
6 Aug 2025 at 6:16pm
The former first minister also said she was planning to write a fiction novel after her retirement from politics next year.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Nicola Sturgeon 'not rushing into a relationship with anyone' after separatin...
10 Aug 2025 at 5:42pm
The ex-SNP leader said she strongly felt the "rights of women and the interests of trans people are not irreconcilable at all."

Nicola Sturgeon memoir would be a 'short read' if it detailed ex-SNP leader's...
10 Aug 2025 at 3:52pm
The former first minister is back in the spotlight as she prepares for the publication of her long-awaited memoir, Frankly,

Glasgow domestic waste sent to Spain as part of SNP council recycling drive
9 Aug 2025 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The cost to Glasgow Council of transporting and treating waste in other parts of the UK and overseas comes to nearly £13m.

Nicola Sturgeon opens up on sexuality as she addresses gay affair rumour
8 Aug 2025 at 6:55pm
The former First Minister addressed her sexuality in an extract of her memoir serialised in a newspaper.

Labour council leader breached code of conduct over financial connection to c...
8 Aug 2025 at 4:35pm
EXCLUSIVE: The Inverclyde council leader has apologised for the "inadvertent breach" of the councillors' code of conduct.

John Swinney blasts Gaza takeover plan by Israeli government as 'utterly unac...
8 Aug 2025 at 10:43am
The First Minister spoke out amid growing international condemnation of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Scots carers waiting twice as long for key benefit as people living in England
8 Aug 2025 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Average processing times for Carer Support Payment have jumped to over 50 days.

Rangers and Celtic fans warned over online ticket scams as fraudsters target ...
8 Aug 2025 at 4:30am
The Glasgow giants are among the UK clubs most targeted by fraudsters who market non-existent briefs for sale on social media.

Digital ID cards would be required for every Scot under plan by Labour MP
8 Aug 2025 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Livingston MP Gregor Poynton says a modern identity card could bring huge benefits

Kate Forbes declines to back Stephen Flynn or Mairi McAllan to become next SN...
7 Aug 2025 at 7:13pm
The Deputy First Minister shocked Scottish politics this week when she announced she would not stand for re-election as an MSP.

The National

The National | Politics

Nicola Sturgeon says she should have paused gender reform legislation
10 Aug 2025 at 5:31pm

Nicola Sturgeon has said that she should have paused gender reform legislation ...

More than 500 people now arrested after protest in support of Palestine Action
10 Aug 2025 at 3:51pm

More than 500 people have now been arrested under the Terrorism Act for showing support for Palestine Action at a protest in London

The indy dream has not died, but have we lost the map to get there?
10 Aug 2025 at 12:00pm

Kate Forbes is stepping down. I wasn?t sure what to say, mainly because I?ve been weighing it up ...

The answer to the indy question is staring us in the face
10 Aug 2025 at 12:00pm

For too long, the debate over Scotland?s constitutional future has been mired in grandstanding and unworkable strategies ...

The tax haven firms given cash by the Scottish Government revealed
10 Aug 2025 at 11:00am

A company controlled by billionaire media baron Rupert Murdoch, a US military aircraft producer, and a Clyde port owner with an alleged history of tax avoidance are among the tax haven firms given £77 million by the Scottish Government ...

Ross Greer says bullying within Scottish Greens left him hospitalised twice
10 Aug 2025 at 10:56am

Ross Greer has said that he had to be hospitalised twice due to ?bullying? within the Scottish Greens ...

Radioactive water 'leaked into loch' from nuclear weapons base, investigation...
10 Aug 2025 at 10:06am

RADIOACTIVE water "leaked into a loch" from a nuclear weapons base after old pipes repeatedly burst, official files have revealed ...

Nicola Sturgeon says Boris Johnson has 'least emotional intelligence in polit...
10 Aug 2025 at 9:37am

Nicola Sturgeon has said that Boris Johnson has the "least emotional intelligence" in politics ...

Nicola Sturgeon claims Alex Salmond may have leaked probe against him
10 Aug 2025 at 9:00am

Alex Salmond may have leaked details about an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against him, Nicola Sturgeon has claimed.

5 communities across Scotland that are boycotting Israel amid Gaza genocide
10 Aug 2025 at 5:00am

There is a growing Scottish movement to boycott Israel amid its genocide in Gaza ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Council sick leave at record high as strain falls on ageing workforce, watchd...
7 Aug 2025 at 1:01am
Call for 'robust' planning to include 'meaningful' engagement with staff

Which MSPs are standing down in 2026?
6 Aug 2025 at 3:59pm
Major change ahead across parties

Ian Blackford mulling Holyrood run after Kate Forbes calls it quits
6 Aug 2025 at 12:12pm
He represented the overlapping Ross, Skye and Lochaber seat in the Commons until last year

Aberdeen councillor suspended for breaching code of conduct
6 Aug 2025 at 8:48am
Councillor Jennifer Stewart received a four-month suspension from the Standards Commission

Exam results day: Storm Floris delay warning for Scottish students
5 Aug 2025 at 8:34am
Marks out for 147,000 pupils

Kate Forbes to stand down at election
4 Aug 2025 at 12:00pm
The deputy first minister said she had made the decision to spend more time with family

Mary-Ann Stephenson named as next chair of equality watchdog
31 Jul 2025 at 5:46pm
Trans rights campaigners had attempted to block Stephenson?s appointment due to her ?gender critical? views

'Major step' as ministers greenlight wind farm big enough to power all Scotti...
31 Jul 2025 at 1:05pm
UK Government welcomes announcement

Protect and simplify disability benefit, review urges Scottish Government
31 Jul 2025 at 2:00am
'Kinder' system is still 'anxiety-inducing', ministers are told

John Swinney: Culture investment is the smart thing to do
31 Jul 2025 at 1:00am
First Minister to give speech in Edinburgh

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Nicola Sturgeon says facing criminal inquiry was like ?mental torture?
8 Aug 2025 at 11:21pm
Ex-Scottish first minister describes despair at police raid over her husband?s alleged misuse of party finances in upcoming memoirNicola Sturgeon has described the time she faced criminal investigation over her ex-husband?s alleged fraudulent activities as ?like a form of mental torture?.In an ex...

The Guardian view on the SNP?s future: cracks are beginning to show | Editorial
7 Aug 2025 at 6:46pm
Scotland?s ruling party has lost two charismatic women in Kate Forbes and Mhairi Black. The future offers both rewards and dangersIn July, Scotland?s first minister, John Swinney, set out a three-stage plan to achieve separation from the United Kingdom. Part one would ?build the highest levels of...

Support for hardline anti-immigration policies linked to ignorance about migr...
5 Aug 2025 at 5:10pm
Almost half of voters either strongly or somewhat support ?admitting no more new migrants and requiring large numbers who came in recent years to leave?, says YouGovPlaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, is celebrating its centenary today. In a statement to mark the occasion, Rhun ap Iorwerth,...

Scottish ministers criticised for slow progress in exam passes for poorer stu...
5 Aug 2025 at 3:20pm
Attainment gap between pupils from wealthy and deprived areas closes only slightly despite being SNP?s core missionMinisters in Scotland are facing intense criticism over a sluggish increase in exam passes by teenagers from deprived areas after repeated promises to greatly improve performance.Opp...

UK politics: No 10 says Hamas won?t have ?veto? over UK recognition of Palest...
4 Aug 2025 at 5:20pm
Downing Street indicates that further hostage releases are not required for move to go ahead next monthGeorge Finch, the Reform UK leader of Warwickshire county council, goes next. (Aged 19, he is the youngest council leader in the country.)He claims the police have opposed his attempts to expose...

Scottish first minister calls Israel?s actions in Gaza ?genocide? for first time
2 Aug 2025 at 3:56pm
John Swinney is second UK leader, after Sinn Féin?s Michelle O?Neill, to use term in relation to Israel?s actions in GazaJohn Swinney has described for the first time Israel?s actions in Gaza as a ?genocide?, with the Scottish first minister saying it was indisputable.Swinney became the second le...

Zack Polanski claims he can ?cut through? at Green party leadership hustings ...
30 Jul 2025 at 9:24pm
Would-be co-leader, standing with Adrian Ramsay, faces ?eco-populist?Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, was doing a media round this morning. The Conservatives have been strongly critical of Keir Starmer?s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood (unless Israel meets conditions which w...

Starmer defends investment in wind turbines after Trump wrongly claims it is ...
28 Jul 2025 at 6:52pm
UK PM meets US president at his golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, where they discuss energy, Gaza and tradeThis liveblog is now closed. Read our report on today?s developments hereIn a column for the Daily Record, John Swinney, Scotland?s first minister, has said that, if the SNP get a majority...

John Swinney says he will raise Gaza?s ?unimaginable suffering? with Trump
25 Jul 2025 at 12:01am
President?s visit is ?landmark moment?, says first minister, as SNP puts pressure on him to take strong stance on PalestineJohn Swinney has pledged to raise ?the unimaginable suffering we are witnessing in Gaza? when he meets Donald Trump over the weekend.The leader of the Scottish National party...

Merz says he ?deplores deeply? UK?s decision to leave EU after signing UK-Ger...
17 Jul 2025 at 5:43pm
UK PM and German chancellor answered media questions after signing first treaty between two countries since second world warWhile Rushanara Ali is answering the urgent question in the Commons, Keir Starmer is speaking at the event where he is announcing a ?civil society covenant?.There is a live ...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Scotland and the United Nations, an unlikely path to independence
10 Aug 2025 at 12:17pm
There has been some pushback online from Liberation Scotland/Salvo supporters about the comment I made in my previous piece about the UK employing its veto as a permanent member of the UN Security Council in order to block any potential UN resolution demanding the decolonisation of Scotland should Liberation Scotland/Salvo succeed in their bid to …

Breaking the constitutional logjam
8 Aug 2025 at 6:18pm
There has been a lot of discussion in the past few weeks about various strategies to achieve independence. These include John Swinney’s plan, which I wrote about a few days ago. There is also the decolonisation initiative which Salvo, the campaigning wing of Liberation Scotland is presenting to the United Nations, which in my opinion …

Thoughts on the SNP?s independence strategy
4 Aug 2025 at 5:07pm
We are back from our trip to England, and before writing anything else I have to tell you that both my other half and I are completely besotted with our new baby granddaughter. I realise that I am contractually obliged to be biased, but Ivy is gorgeous. She’s a very happy little girl, full of …

Trump?s visit to Scotland
24 Jul 2025 at 1:35pm
On Friday Scotland will be infested with the presence of Donald Trump, a convicted criminal, abuser of women and best friend of deceased child sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein – and those are his best qualities. The orange skinned authoritarian is coming here to play golf, taking yet another publicly funded holiday from his day job …

The BBC?s institutional bias
18 Jul 2025 at 2:09pm
Professor Richard Murphy has ended his chances of ever being invited back on BBC Scotland. On Wednesday morning he called out the Corporation’s obvious biases on the issues of Scottish independence, Israel-Palestine, and its constant platforming of right wing views and right wing news framing. During a phone-in on BBC Radio Scotland’s Mornings Show discussing …

Starmer, the Don Quixote of British politics
15 Jul 2025 at 11:48am
In the great novel of classical Spanish literature, Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, widely considered the first modern novel in European literature, the eponymous hero Don Quixote (an older spelling of Quijote which has become established in English ever since the book was first translated into English in 1612, in …

Starmer?s warped priorities only legitimise the far right
11 Jul 2025 at 3:55pm
This week President Emmanuel Macron of France was on a state visit to the UK. With so much going on in the world right now, you might have thought that Macron and Britih Prime Minister Keir Starmer would have had plenty to discuss. There’s the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the chances that war with Iran …

Starmer?s year of lies and betrayals
4 Jul 2025 at 3:43pm
It’s exactly a year since the Labour party under Keir Starmer swept to power in the Westminster general election and won a landslide majority of over 170 seats in the Commons, albeit on a mere 34% of votes cast, such is the distorting effect of the first past the post system. In fact, fewer people …

The importance of wording: ?nationalism? vs ?unionism? and ?welfare? vs ?soci...
30 Jun 2025 at 8:33pm
Language is important, and the choices we make with words can have an important and even decisive influence on how we understand and perceive a topic. As a linguist and a lover of words and language I am acutely aware of how important it is to choose the correct words when discussing an issue, although …

Some good news for a change
27 Jun 2025 at 11:54am
In an increasingly dangerous and uncertain world in which the far right is on the rise, and war and death stalk increasingly large parts of the globe, it’s nice to be able to report a hopeful development for a change. God knows we need it. Democratic primaries in an American mayoral contest are not generally …

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 [Collective]

It?s only North Britain after all ? MoD Pollution & Legacy Sites in Scotland
10 Aug 2025 at 11:29am
By stewartb It?s only North Britain after all, a part of the ?precious? Union without sufficient clout to make a difference in Westminster and Whitehall as to how the MoD operates! Here is a bullet-point list of MoD Pollution & Legacy Sites in Scotland that have received some public profile over the past c.20 years (courtesy of ChatGPT and not checked further by me): Radioactive and Nuclear Leg...

STV simply lie about police numbers in little more than a Labour campaign lea...
10 Aug 2025 at 10:38am
Professor John Robertson OBA STV, only 5 days ago had the above inaccurate claims, overtime figures found by the thoroughly discredited friend of Labour, the 1919 magazine, with an extended rant from Scottish Labour‘s Pauline McNeill. The STV report is utterly devoid of reliably sourced facts such as these: From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: July 2025 published t...

Latest Labour Government ?Farage Panic? to reduce prison population as Scotla...
10 Aug 2025 at 9:49am
Professor John Robertson OBA In the latest unconvincing Labour Government attempt to appear tough, win back Reform UK supporters and free-up prison spaces, currently at 89 042 (98.9%) capacity in England & Wales1 and projected to hit as much as 114 800 by 20282, the situation in Scotland is not being reported. From the data tables for Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report...

Reluctantly reported then sanitised falsely by ?your? media the radioactive t...
9 Aug 2025 at 6:57pm
Professor John Robertson OBA Today, from BBC Scotland, the above and: Radioactive water from a Royal Navy nuclear weapons base leaked into a loch after old pipes repeatedly burst, according to official files. The Guardian, external and The Ferret, external found the material was released into Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, after a six-year battle to access documents which involved Scotland’s Infor...

Scotland?s ?top pillar? patient safety ignored as rogue BMA Scotland?s anti-S...
9 Aug 2025 at 11:48am
Professor John Robertson OBA The above report, two days ago, in the Times, is just the latest in a stream of BMA Scotland activity which diverges from the BMA UK‘s tendency to report favourably on the Scottish Government’s handling of the NHS (more on this below). The findings referred to are from the General Medical Council‘s 2025 National Training Survey.1 In it, the word ‘safety‘ appears 9 t...

Despite computerised systems, DNA evidence from Nicola?s hairbrushes, mobile ...
9 Aug 2025 at 10:34am
Professor John Robertson OBA, Crime Correspondent As Nicola Sturgeon speaks of the ordeal of being arrested and as MSM Monitor‘s question above waits to be answered, the trial of the SNP CE looks suspiciously likely to be set for the days just before the Holyrood election in May 2026. The Yorkshire Ripper investigation ran from August 1975 to January 1981, 5 years and six months, before Peter S...

Gaza protests ? Why not target those who are part of the complicit Labour UK ...
8 Aug 2025 at 2:07pm
By Liz S ?Pro-Palestinian protesters STORM John Swinney?s Fringe appearance? There is a video on YouTube of this (via The Daily Mirror , the client media of the Labour party)?..call me cynical but there are (were) other political interviews during the Fringe and I wonder if some of these same ?protestors? or others will ?protest? or did ?protest? at these other political events (interviews) on ...

Academic?s research confirms that County Lines gangs plaguing Scottish towns ...
8 Aug 2025 at 10:27am
Professor John Robertson OBA In the Law Society of Scotland Journal in July 2025: Criminologist Ross Deuchar presents insights from his research into Scottish gang culture, and makes the case for the courts to apply supportive, problem-solving approaches to the teenagers and young adults affected. While in England young people are sent out from their own towns with drugs to be sold in provincia...

Scotland does a better job of monitoring bathing water quality than England does
8 Aug 2025 at 10:00am
Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: In the Guardian today, the above map, and: England?s swimming waters five times more likely to be polluted than in EU, research finds Experts warn country is in danger of becoming ?dirty man of Europe? as it falls to bottom of bathing water leader board. The campaign group Best for Britain analysed the quality of bathing wat...

This headline is, factually inaccurate, misleading and offensive in a democracy
8 Aug 2025 at 9:25am
By stewartb Another example of the Daily Record plumbing the depths of political journalism in support of a British Labour Party politician choosing to mislead (or just lie) whilst talking down Scotland? (With apologies for the length of what follows but it seems to me to be an interesting illustration of engaging with an AI research tool.) I posed a series of questions to ChatGPT: ?The Scottis...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

John Curtice lays out 'most likely' route to new Scottish independence refere...
6 Aug 2025 at 5:06am
John Curtice lays out 'most likely' route to new Scottish independence referendum  TheNational.scot

Brian Cox: Trump talking 'b*******s' on Scottish independence - Sky News
1 Aug 2025 at 8:00am
Brian Cox: Trump talking 'b*******s' on Scottish independence  Sky News

In the UK, Scottish independence and Irish reunification have lost their appe...
10 Jan 2025 at 8:00am
In the UK, Scottish independence and Irish reunification have lost their appeal  Le Monde.fr

Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014...
27 May 2025 at 8:00am
Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014  The Conversation

Is Scottish independence inevitable? The relationship between birth cohort an...
18 Apr 2025 at 8:00am
Is Scottish independence inevitable? The relationship between birth cohort and secessionism in Scotland.  Centre on Constitutional Change

In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland indepen...
3 Jun 2025 at 8:00am
In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

Starmer says no independence referendum while he is prime minister - BBC
3 Jun 2025 at 8:00am
Starmer says no independence referendum while he is prime minister  BBC

Most Europeans would back independent Scotland?s EU bid, new poll finds - Ana...
15 Jul 2025 at 8:00am
Most Europeans would back independent Scotland?s EU bid, new poll finds  Anadolu Ajans?

Europeans would welcome an independent Scotland into the EU - YouGov /Research
15 Jul 2025 at 8:00am
Europeans would welcome an independent Scotland into the EU  YouGov /Research

The pros and cons of Scottish independence - The Week
24 Mar 2025 at 7:00am
The pros and cons of Scottish independence  The Week

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

The Guardian view on the SNP?s future: cracks are beginning to show | Editori...
7 Aug 2025 at 6:46pm
The Guardian view on the SNP?s future: cracks are beginning to show | Editorial  The Guardian

Why next year's Scottish elections could get messy - Sky News
8 Aug 2025 at 5:09am
Why next year's Scottish elections could get messy  Sky News

Former MP Mhairi Black announces she has left the SNP - BBC
25 Jul 2025 at 8:00am
Former MP Mhairi Black announces she has left the SNP  BBC

SNP urged to ?get a grip? on NHS spending on consultancy - Morning Star | The...
10 Aug 2025 at 3:50pm
SNP urged to ?get a grip? on NHS spending on consultancy  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

Ross Greer: Forbes exit makes post election SNP Greens deal 'easier' - The He...
10 Aug 2025 at 5:02am
Ross Greer: Forbes exit makes post election SNP Greens deal 'easier'  The Herald

Salmond allies dismiss misconduct leak claims in Sturgeon memoir - BBC
10 Aug 2025 at 2:53pm
Salmond allies dismiss misconduct leak claims in Sturgeon memoir  BBC

Phylodynamic assessment of SNP distances from whole genome sequencing for det...
28 Mar 2025 at 7:00am
Phylodynamic assessment of SNP distances from whole genome sequencing for determining Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission | Scientific Reports  Nature

SNP?s conference agenda must let us debate routes to independence - TheNation...
8 Aug 2025 at 12:07pm
SNP?s conference agenda must let us debate routes to independence  TheNational.scot

An advanced 10K SNP panel for genotyping tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) via...
20 May 2025 at 8:00am
An advanced 10K SNP panel for genotyping tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) via targeted genome sequencing  Frontiers

Optometry Scotland: Eyecare can be delivered far cheaper and closer to home -...
10 Aug 2025 at 6:00am
Optometry Scotland: Eyecare can be delivered far cheaper and closer to home - if SNP ministers back us  The Scotsman

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

SNP majority only way to secure second referendum - Swinney - BBC
28 Jul 2025 at 8:00am
SNP majority only way to secure second referendum - Swinney  BBC

In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland indepen...
3 Jun 2025 at 8:00am
In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

John Curtice lays out 'most likely' route to new Scottish independence refere...
6 Aug 2025 at 5:06am
John Curtice lays out 'most likely' route to new Scottish independence referendum  TheNational.scot

Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014...
27 May 2025 at 8:00am
Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014  The Conversation

Starmer says no independence referendum while he is prime minister - BBC
3 Jun 2025 at 8:00am
Starmer says no independence referendum while he is prime minister  BBC

Scottish independence poll 2025 - Statista
23 Jun 2025 at 8:00am
Scottish independence poll 2025  Statista

In the UK, Scottish independence and Irish reunification have lost their appe...
10 Jan 2025 at 8:00am
In the UK, Scottish independence and Irish reunification have lost their appeal  Le Monde.fr

Is Scottish independence inevitable? The relationship between birth cohort an...
18 Apr 2025 at 8:00am
Is Scottish independence inevitable? The relationship between birth cohort and secessionism in Scotland.  Centre on Constitutional Change

Michael Gove 'in agreement' with SNP leader John Swinney over independence - BBC
17 May 2025 at 8:00am
Michael Gove 'in agreement' with SNP leader John Swinney over independence  BBC

Europeans would welcome an independent Scotland into the EU - YouGov /Research
15 Jul 2025 at 8:00am
Europeans would welcome an independent Scotland into the EU  YouGov /Research