The Herald

The Herald | Politics


SNP sends £2.1bn Monklands hospital back to drawing board weeks after election
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
25 Jun 2026 at 4:37pm
The £2.1bn Monklands hospital plan has been sent back for redesign, casting doubt on its 2031 opening just weeks after the SNP election campaign.


John Swinney defends Nicola Sturgeon against bullying allegations in SNP row
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 Jun 2026 at 3:51pm
John Swinney has defended Nicola Sturgeon after whistleblowers accused her of 'bullying' when they tried to raise concerns over Peter Murrell and SNP finances.


Presiding Officer defends Holyrood media pen amid editors' backlash
25 Jun 2026 at 2:57pm
Holyrood's Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson has defended the parliament's decision to put up a media "pen" after a backlash from journalists.


First Minister considers new rules for 'hungry' AI data centres
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
25 Jun 2026 at 2:35pm
John Swinney is considering new planning guidance for hyperscale AI data centres as Greens press for a moratorium over energy and climate concerns.


Poll: 'Scots would rather SNP works with Sinn Féin than Burnham's Labour'
by Katrine Bussey
25 Jun 2026 at 1:15pm
Ipsos Scotland managing director Emily Gray said the polling ?sums up the scale of the challenge facing Andy Burnham in Scotland?.


Plans to host asylum seekers in Highland barracks axed over key legal point
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
25 Jun 2026 at 9:44am
Plans to host 300 asylum seekers at a former barracks in Inverness have been abandoned by the Home Office


Glasgow: The Next Chapter - The Herald's new series explores the future of th...
by joe.donnelly2@newsquest.co.uk | Joe Donnelly
25 Jun 2026 at 9:00am
The Herald's latest in-depth investigative series explores the future of Scotland's largest city through the lens of culture, business, people and more.


Former Tory MSP says 'robotic' Russell Findlay a 'disaster' and calls for new...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
25 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Former Conservative MSP Edward Mountain has launched a scathing attack on leader Russell Findlay, branding him "robotic" and a "disaster" following the party's catastrophic fifth-place finish in the May 2026 Scottish Parliament elections.


Martin Compston SNP donation revealed as Malcolm Offord election spending lai...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
25 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Line of Duty star Martin Compston donated to the SNP?s Inverclyde campaign as Malcolm Offord recorded the constituency?s highest spending per vote.


Why veteran restaurateur Alan Tomkins makes a very good point about Glasgow
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
25 Jun 2026 at 4:33am
Glasgow hospitality veteran Alan Tomkins declares it the city had a better PR message


Why Nicola Sturgeon should apologise over Peter Murrell scandal
25 Jun 2026 at 3:45pm
Ahead of Peter Murrell's sentencing on Tuesday, the men who triggered Police Scotland's Operation Branchform investigation into SNP finances back in March 2021 demanded that both the former party's chief executive and the former leader Nicola Sturgeon should apologise...


Scotland breaking UN rules on prisoner rights, says inspector
24 Jun 2026 at 8:34pm
Scotland?s jails are breaking the UN?s so-called Nelson Mandela rules on prisoner rights, a watchdog has said.


Scottish Greens call for urgent renewable energy push to lower household bills
by rose.moncur@newsquest.co.uk | Rose Moncur
24 Jun 2026 at 4:52pm
The Scottish Greens are urging the UK Government to accelerate investment in renewable energy, saying it could cut household bills and reduce emissions.


Car hire firm apologises for classifying Shetland family as 'overseas' customers
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
24 Jun 2026 at 2:09pm
Car hire giant Europcar has apologised and offered a Shetland family a full refund after a row over a policy that classified residents of UK island communities as "overseas" customers.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Vladimir Putin celebrated Brexit and he'll be revelling in Labour's disarray ...
25 Jun 2026 at 5:46pm
As Keir Starmer is ousted in what looks somewhat like a coup, those who want a democratic, peaceful and sustainable future must forge new alliances


John Swinney refuses to apologise to 'bullied' SNP whistleblowers
25 Jun 2026 at 5:36pm

The First Minister was accused of being in a state of ?denial?

SNP ministers are also proposing changing the definition of a short-term prisoner from four to five years, allowing more inmates to be released early.

The local MP says he has been told the plans to house hundreds of asylum seekers in the Inverness base have been ditched.

Andy Burnham has taken another step forward to becoming the next Prime Minister.

The former first minister previously revealed she had sent detectives a ?very detailed? written document

Wings over Scotland

The Guilty Party
25 Jun 2026 at 1:47pm
These are the people whose job it was to stop the leadership of the SNP from stealing almost £700,000 of “ringfenced” fundraiser money from independence supporters, and who utterly failed at that job. It was also their job to stop Peter Murrell stealing the best part of £500,000 from the SNP, in a separate but …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Craig Murray

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

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

The UK Joins the Pirates

Sentencing the Innocent
13 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm

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

Sentencing the Innocent

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

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

The Joy of Resistance

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

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

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland

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

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

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review – Stitch-Up Incoming?

Dr Manivannan
14 May 2026 at 6:00pm

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

Dr Manivannan

BBC Scotland

SNP whistleblowers were 'intimidated' for raising finance concerns
25 Jun 2026 at 6:23pm
Cynthia Guthrie and Allison Graham said they had been blocked from carrying out their jobs auditing the party's finances.

Big changes proposed to reduce Scotland's prison population
25 Jun 2026 at 6:26pm
The changes would see fewer criminals jailed and hundreds of prisoners get out of jail earlier in an attempt to tackle the prisons overcrowding crisis.

Further delay to completion of £209m HMP Highland
25 Jun 2026 at 5:22pm
The new jail being built in Inverness was originally to be finished in 2020.

New SNP MP vows to 'serve the people' after Commons oath row
24 Jun 2026 at 7:56pm
Lara Bird appeared to have her fingers crossed as she was sworn in as the new MP for Arbroath & Broughty Ferry.

Mugs in drawers and watches in cupboards: What police pictures say about Pete...
24 Jun 2026 at 6:30am
Dozens of new images released by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service now show some of the items he purchased illegally.

Dundee council leaders urge ministers to prevent further university cuts
24 Jun 2026 at 11:49am
The university has already cut 675 jobs through voluntary redundancies since it revealed it was facing a financial crisis.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scot Goes Pop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

John Swinney blasts ?baseless claims? of SNP ?cover-up? over Peter Murrell?s ...
25 Jun 2026 at 3:49pm
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay had insisted the First Minister was ?at the heart of the cover-up?.

John Swinney to face FMQs following Peter Murrell sentencing for SNP embezzle...
25 Jun 2026 at 2:02pm
MSPs will pose questions to the First Minister in the final FMQs before summer recess

?Concerning gap? between intent and progress in post-school education reform
25 Jun 2026 at 6:48am
A new report said the Scottish Government?s intentions for reform lack a clear delivery plan and progress is slow

Keir Starmer bats away criticism of front and backbenchers in PMQs bout
24 Jun 2026 at 4:55pm
Kemi Badenoch launched barbs at members of Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet on Wednesday

Scotland breaking UN rules on prisoner rights, says inspector
24 Jun 2026 at 1:10pm
It comes as the prison estate has struggled with overcrowding issues in recent years

Scottish Government to exclude vape shops from business rate relief
24 Jun 2026 at 9:45am
Deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth revealed a proposal to make vape businesses exempt from relief as of April 1, 2027

SNP urges Burnham to give ?straight answers? on Downing Street plans
24 Jun 2026 at 6:51am
The former Manchester mayor is the leading candidate to take over from Keir Starmer, who announced on Monday he would stand down

Keir Starmer to face PMQs for first time since he announced resignation
23 Jun 2026 at 11:03pm
The prime minister is likely to face questions about the scope of what his government can now achieve in his final weeks in office.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Why Andy Burnham is Labour's best hope to tame nationalism across the UK
25 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says a Burnham premiership is Labour's last chance to stop Reform and the SNP.

Monklands hospital replacement delayed again as SNP Government rejects NHS bu...
25 Jun 2026 at 4:39pm
The crumbling 1970s Monklands hospital will require at least £45m-worth of repairs just to keep the vital facility open.

John Swinney refuses to apologise to former SNP members who tried to blow the...
25 Jun 2026 at 3:22pm
Cynthia Guthrie and Allison Graham quit the Nationalists' finance and audit committee in 2021 after alleging they were on the receiving end of a "hostile" backlash.

MSPs and Holyrood staff 'don't know which toilet to use' since new gender rul...
25 Jun 2026 at 1:39pm
Parliament chiefs were forced to rip-up the previous policy on access to toilets and changing rooms after a landmark Supreme Court ruling.

Anas Sarwar branded 'bed blocker' and 'squatter' over plan to stay on as Scot...
25 Jun 2026 at 11:00am
EXCLUSIVE: Senior Scottish Labour figures are furious Sarwar said it is his "intention" to stay on for another five years.

MPs to back joint Westminster and Holyrood investigation into Peter Murrell s...
25 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Members of the Scottish Affairs Committee want to explore the option of a joint inquiry before deciding whether to go it alone.

Nicola Sturgeon urged to publish written statement to Police Scotland after P...
25 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
The former first minister hit out this week after the Record revealed Operation Branchform cops had hoped to ask her more questions following her "no comment" interview in 2023.

Keir Starmer says SNP has 'giant' questions to answer after Peter Murrell jai...
24 Jun 2026 at 1:40pm
The outgoing PM mocked John Swinney's party as being one routinely calls "for transparency and accountability for everybody else".

Former SNP candidate and Tory defector lands top role with Reform UK at Holyrood
24 Jun 2026 at 12:03pm
EXCLUSIVE: Joe McGurk joined Reform after stints in the SNP and the Conservatives.

SNP would rather 'throw away the key' on Peter Murrell than question how he g...
24 Jun 2026 at 12:00pm
A former leader of Scottish Labour claimed the Nationalists' priority was now dodging scrutiny over how they spent more than £600,000 of donations supposedly "ring-fenced" for an IndyRef2 campaign.

The National

The National | Politics

John Swinney hits back at ?baseless? claims of SNP ?cover-up? of Murrell?s cr...
25 Jun 2026 at 7:05pm

JOHN Swinney has hit back at claims he was involved in an SNP cover-up of Peter Murrell?s crimes, with the First Minister insisting such suggestions are ?utterly and totally baseless?

Three reasons Irish reunification could be nearer than we think
25 Jun 2026 at 7:00pm

TODAY?S panel event organised by the Social Democratic and Labour Party exploring constitutional change, coinciding with the 10-year anniversary of Brexit, has given plenty food for thought for the people on the island of Ireland

How long can Anas Sarwar continue limping along as Scottish Labour leader?
25 Jun 2026 at 5:44pm

Since Scottish Labour?s poor Holyrood election last month, Anas Sarwar has had the air of a dead man walking ...

Call for 'no more delays' on Holyrood conversion therapy ban after UK plans u...
25 Jun 2026 at 5:49pm

THE Scottish Government has been warned there ?can be no more delays? to banning anti-LGBT conversion therapy after Westminster unveiled plans to outlaw the ?form of torture?.

What the SNP's new anti-Ed Miliband crusade tells us about direction of the p...
25 Jun 2026 at 5:18pm

ANDY Burnham is considering appointing a familiar face as his chancellor.

Scottish Government ?pausing? work on £2.1 billion Monklands replacement hosp...
25 Jun 2026 at 4:56pm

SCOTLAND'S Health Secretary has updated parliament on the next steps for replacing Monklands Hospital in Airdrie

Labour unveil leadership election timetable to replace Keir Starmer
25 Jun 2026 at 4:29pm

LABOUR have set out a timetable for the potential leadership contest to replace Keir Starmer.

Campaigner welcomes First Minister?s new position on Scotland?s AI data centres
25 Jun 2026 at 3:31pm

A PROMINENT campaigner has welcomed the First Minister?s changing position on hyperscale data centres in Scotland ? but added that it should be accompanied by an urgent pause on all applications ...

John Swinney brands Reform MSP 'disgrace' for 'trivialising Edinburgh terror ...
25 Jun 2026 at 3:07pm

THE First Minister has called a senior Reform MSP an ?absolute disgrace?, accusing him of "trivialising" the terror-linked anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh last week ...

Scottish Government to 'consider planning guidance' for AI data centres
25 Jun 2026 at 2:37pm

JOHN SWINNEY has confirmed that the Scottish Government is "considering planning guidance? for the proposed AI data centres across Scotland ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

John Swinney urged to apologise to former SNP members ?bullied into quitting?...
25 Jun 2026 at 4:11pm
Tory leader Russell Findlay raised the issue at FMQs

John Swinney shortlisted for Holyrood?s MSP of the Year
25 Jun 2026 at 11:48am
Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson and Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie are also in the running

Reform councillor censured for ?aggressive? shouting at official
25 Jun 2026 at 10:49am
Alan Buchan found in breach of code of conduct

Why better environmental data matters for Scotland?s rural economy
25 Jun 2026 at 7:00am
Climate action and rural economic resilience are intrinsically linked. With better evidence, Scotland has an opportunity to shape better decisions for farmers, food production and rural communities.

Jenny Young: It can be easy to label the other side as bad people
25 Jun 2026 at 2:00am
The former teacher turned Labour MSP for Central Scotland and Lothians West on how she hopes to improve education standards

Keir Starmer: SNP?s refusal to hold inquiry into Murrell scandal is ?totally ...
24 Jun 2026 at 3:38pm
The prime minister was asked to set up a UK inquiry into the matter at today's PMQs

SNP finance committee members who quit over accounts break silence after Murr...
24 Jun 2026 at 11:38am
The trio have confirmed they resigned from the committee after just six weeks over concerns over the party?s financial health and governance

The heartbeat of the Games: why volunteers make Scotland shine on the world s...
24 Jun 2026 at 7:00am
As the official Learning and Development Partner of Glasgow 2026, Allwyn is investing in the people who will shape the Games experience. Through its Social Value Fund, it is ensuring that every volunteer is equipped with the training, skills and confidenc

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

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

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

The Guardian view on the politics of Scotland: like Labour, the SNP is in nee...
23 Jun 2026 at 6:25pm
The sentencing of Peter Murrell brings limited closure to a major scandal. But John Swinney?s government faces new challenges in a changing landscapeThe Scottish National party (SNP) is accustomed to presenting Westminster dysfunction as a boost to its case for independence. But the political dra...

Peter Murrell jailed for five years after embezzling £400,000 from SNP
23 Jun 2026 at 2:29pm
Estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon is sentenced for stealing from party over 12-year periodMontblanc pens to Le Creuset ramekins: police photos show Peter Murrell?s spending habitPeter Murrell has been sentenced to five years and three months in jail after he admitted embezzling more than £400,...

Montblanc pens to Le Creuset ramekins: police photos show Peter Murrell?s spe...
23 Jun 2026 at 1:37pm
Haul is only a fraction of what the former SNP chief executive bought using embezzled party moneyPeter Murrell jailed for five years after embezzling £400,000 from SNPThe white police evidence tags on the unused Montblanc pens, picnic sets, Le Creuset ramekins and the chrome Alessi teapot tell a ...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Affluent Canadian region hangs on to far older, unreliable and frankly pot ug...
25 Jun 2026 at 6:57pm
CalMac‘s oldest ferry, the MV Isle of Cumbrae (above) is 50, launched in 1976. the MV Isle of Arran is 43 and there are another 4 built in 1986, so 40 years-old. In British Columbia‘s (Canada) archipelago ferry service – BC Ferries – which operates in an economy with twice the GDP of Scotland, with only a fraction of government subsidy to keep ticket prices down and in warmer, less stormy, more...

Scotland need not be ashamed as colonialism explains world cup success
25 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm
Thanks to Kath for prompting this. There is a correlation between national football team success and countries with imperial/colonial pasts, especially those involved in the transatlantic slave trade and exploitation of West Africa. Recent research directly quantifies this. A University of Zurich AI study in 2026 simulated the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 1,500 times and found that colonial history con...

In the whole world only Norway has a murder rate just lower than Scotland aft...
25 Jun 2026 at 3:48pm
From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report June 2026 released today, the above chart and: There were 45 homicide victims recorded by the police in Scotland in 2024-25, a 21% decrease from 2023-24 and a 24% decrease from 2015-16. https://www.gov.scot/publications/safer-communities-and-justice-statistics-monthly-data-june-2026/pages/statistics-on-crime-in-general/ That’s 0....

A one-year increase is pounced on by the media but overall crime in Scotland ...
25 Jun 2026 at 10:25am
From Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2025-26 published two days ago, the above line graph and: The total number of crimes recorded by the police in Scotland in 2025-26 was 315,357. This is 16,246 crimes (or 5%) higher than the level recorded in 2024-25. Over the past 10 years, total recorded crime in Scotland has increased by 6%. This represents a more stable period than the previous 10 years (2006...

As the Guardian today says: ?Horrific? maternity care failings at Nottingham ...
25 Jun 2026 at 9:42am

Three fungal infections among thousands of cancer patients treated and no pro...
25 Jun 2026 at 9:36am
The Times today reporting cases of fungal infections in a QEUH cancer ward apparently declared safe by John Swinney. He’s a busy man. There’s no mention of a direct connection between these infections and deaths but a death with no mention of an infection is mentioned. What are the chances of anyone actually having been seriously harmed by these fungal infections? Near zero but it’s a popular m...

Murrell purchases map onto established features of a mental health disorder m...
24 Jun 2026 at 6:11pm
The judge clearly knows little of mental health conditions judging by his statement reported by the Scotsman, above. Looking at the purchases made by Peter Murrell over 12 years, the low-utility or barely-used nature of many of his purchases strengthens the case for significant compulsive or impulse-driven elements more than a purely rational, strategic “deliberate crime” model. In classic deli...

Add the DUP to the history of the Tories, Liberals and Labour in covering-up ...
24 Jun 2026 at 4:01pm
The astonishing apathy of the MSM in reacting to the above sexual abuse of children contrasts with their frothing pile-on of a man clearly with a mental health problem relating to spending but it’s part of wider historical pattern. By JB Independent Inquiry Child Sex Abuse From the 2012 investigation  ?Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster?. ?This investigation concerns instit...

Multiple academic research studies suggest sexual crimes in Scotland are far ...
24 Jun 2026 at 1:24pm
No tasteless, titillating for some, exploitative Getty images of tearful young women victims of sexual violence here, unlike in BBC Scotland reporting. From BBC Scotland today: Sexual crimes in Scotland hit record high levels. Sexual crimes recorded by Police Scotland increased by 10% last year and are now at their highest level since 1971, official figures show. The message here is wrong, so w...

Edinburgh TV Festival had become costly, exclusive, elitist and in decline so...
24 Jun 2026 at 1:21pm
The Edinburgh TV Festival has become notoriously expensive for hotels and venues. Critics argue this prices out freelancers, emerging talent, working-class voices, and a broader range of attendees, making the event feel elitist or inaccessible. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/nov/20/edinburgh-tv-festival-could-move-cost-working-class-voices Long-time observers claim it has declined from ...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform - RNZ
10 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform  RNZ

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum - ...
11 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

New SNP MP vows to 'serve the people' after Commons oath row - BBC
24 Jun 2026 at 7:56pm
New SNP MP vows to 'serve the people' after Commons oath row  BBC

SNP MP in crossing-fingers row accused of faking Scottish accent - The Times
24 Jun 2026 at 1:08pm
SNP MP in crossing-fingers row accused of faking Scottish accent  The Times

Who is Peter Murrell? The former SNP chief who stole from his party - BBC
23 Jun 2026 at 10:24am
Who is Peter Murrell? The former SNP chief who stole from his party  BBC

Shame and ridicule - but no motive: Five things we learned as Peter Murrell i...
23 Jun 2026 at 1:51pm
Shame and ridicule - but no motive: Five things we learned as Peter Murrell is jailed  BBC

New pictures show dozens of items bought illegally by Peter Murrell - BBC
23 Jun 2026 at 10:59am
New pictures show dozens of items bought illegally by Peter Murrell  BBC

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

Tories and SNP win Scottish by-elections - as Labour come fourth in both race...
19 Jun 2026 at 10:51am
Tories and SNP win Scottish by-elections - as Labour come fourth in both races  Sky News

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

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

EXCLUSIVE: Arbroath and Broughty Ferry SNP byelection candidate Lara Bird ope...
11 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
EXCLUSIVE: Arbroath and Broughty Ferry SNP byelection candidate Lara Bird opens up on Angus background  The Courier

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

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

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

Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote - NZ Herald
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote  NZ Herald

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

Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform - RNZ
10 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform  RNZ

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

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

Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum - ...
11 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

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