The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Iran rejects U.S ceasefire deal despite Donald Trump deadline looming
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
6 Apr 2026 at 4:01pm
Iran has reportedly rejected a ceasefire offer put forward to end the war


What the hell is going on with Reform UK? Inside the Holyrood election turmoil
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
6 Apr 2026 at 3:39pm
Reform UK's support in Scotland appears to be on the decline, if polls can be believed. Nine candidates have been lost amid internal drama What's going on?


Swinney says he has no knowledge of claims Murrell was told of Linden allegat...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
6 Apr 2026 at 1:29pm
John Swinney faces fresh questions over claims senior SNP figures were alerted to allegations years before Jordan Linden?s conviction. The row raises deeper questions how complaints were handled inside the party.


People should expect progress at fire-hit site in Glasgow, says council leader
by stewart.paterson@eveningtimes.co.uk | Stewart Paterson
6 Apr 2026 at 9:23am
Susan Aitken said various ideas for the future of the Union Corner site showed promise, including a hotel or a residential development


'Most expensive in history': Swinney calls on FIFA to act on World Cup ticket...
by Katrine Bussey
6 Apr 2026 at 7:01am
John Swinney has called on football chiefs to act on ticket prices which have seen this summer?s World Cup become the ?most expensive in history?.


Scottish Labour vows to block Glasgow congestion charge bid
6 Apr 2026 at 12:05am
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has vowed to block any prospect of a congestion charge for motorists driving into Glasgow.


Prisoners to be sent overseas under Conservative plan to end 'reckless' early...
6 Apr 2026 at 12:02am
Scottish Conservatives have announced plans to send prisoners overseas to complete their sentences ? with leader Russell Findlay insisting the ?common sense? move could end the SNP?s ?reckless? policy of early release.


Private schools face a new tax under Scottish Greens Holyrood plans
5 Apr 2026 at 3:07pm
The Scottish Greens are proposing to introduce a new tax on private schools in a bid they say to offer more support to state schools and education services.


Alison Johnstone: My relationship with Douglas Ross has 'absolutely not' brok...
5 Apr 2026 at 1:18pm
Holyrood's outgoing Presiding Officer has insisted her relationship with the former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has not broken down.


John Swinney: Independence referendum could be in 2028
5 Apr 2026 at 11:24am
John Swinney has insisted there could be an independence referendum in 2028 if the SNP win next month's Holyrood election.


Scotland?s next government faces tough choices on tax and spending
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
5 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
Scotland?s next government will inherit a £4.7bn funding gap, rising demand for public services and shrinking room to manoeuvre on tax. The real challenge isn?t ambition ? it?s what can realistically be afforded.


Scottish Labour's bid for Nicola Sturgeon's seat 'in meltdown' amid voter 'co...
5 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
Rivals say Scottish Labour's battle to win Nicola Sturgeon's Holyrood seat is in 'meltdown' following the original candidate's suspension and the last minute selection of a successor.


'They kill me once, they can't do it again: why I am hunting rapist war crimi...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
5 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
More than 30 years after the Bosnian war, survivors of Srebrenica are still fighting for justice, recognition and truth in a country shaped by denial.


Poll: Reform support plummets after 'disastrous' start to Holyrood election c...
5 Apr 2026 at 9:45am
Support for Reform UK in Scotland has plummeted to its lowest level in more than a year after a poor start to the party?s Holyrood campaign, a new poll has found.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Next Scottish government urged to rule out further income tax rises
6 Apr 2026 at 11:09am

Scottish Financial Enterprise wants Scotland?s political parties to commit to a package of measures aimed at boosting growth

Findlay says his party would draw up legislation to allow Scotland to send criminals to prisons in other countries to serve the rest of their sentences

Alison Johnstone is stepping down at the election

Wings over Scotland

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

Clocks And Calendars
30 Mar 2026 at 1:06pm
We think the lads at The Scotsman might have gotten a bit confused and/or carried away when it came to putting the clocks forward at the weekend. At 6am on Sunday morning they tweeted this: But the link was a 404. We checked the print edition of Scotland On Sunday but there was nothing there …

Sicknote Slippers
29 Mar 2026 at 6:09pm
The turnout at the “independence march and rally” yesterday was so abysmally poor that it seems almost unfair to pick on any of the scores of SNP elected representatives who didn’t bother to show up. But dear old Cosy Feet Pete Wishart had the most chef’s-kiss excuse of all. The reason he didn’t fancy getting …

Protest But Don?t Survive
28 Mar 2026 at 5:20pm
If events in Edinburgh today are anything to go by – when a march and rally announced with great fanfare seven months ago, backed by both the “independence” parties in the Scottish Parliament and featuring the First Minister as main speaker, attracted perhaps 1,500 people at the most to Calton Hill on a bright and …

Let?s Call The Whole Thing Off
24 Mar 2026 at 12:59pm
The last faint hope of any remotely positive or at least interesting outcome of May’s election just left the building. It wasn’t MUCH of a hope, and it’s absolutely no surprise in the wake of the comically shambolic, belief-defyingly inept farce that has been the birth of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s fringe-of-the fringe party, …

Irony you can?t buy
20 Mar 2026 at 12:09pm
Posted without comment. But the reason you can’t buy the irony is that she doesn’t need the money. So that’s quarter of a million pounds just for running away when things got a bit sticky, on top of the circa £225,000 in wages she’s trousered since resigning as FM despite never turning up for work …

Looking up at the stars
10 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
A fascinating line from the BBC this evening: The number of parties who got MSPs elected at the last election is? five. (Though in fairness there are now six, Reform having a single MSP after Graham Simpson defected from the Tories. The Lib Dems are even outnumbered by independents, of whom there are seven.) Also …

Scotland?s Most Frightened
4 Mar 2026 at 5:52pm
This was just two months ago. (Longer version here.) ? And we’ll bet you anything you like he’s already wishing he hadn’t said it. Because a recent study suggested that Swinney might just achieve the impossible task he set for himself, and if he does then he’s REALLY screwed. Now, we don’t actually think that’ll …

Two Men Unalike
28 Feb 2026 at 1:41pm
So Cathy Newman of Channel 4 News got herself a scoop last night. And to be honest, readers, we were a bit confused. “Gender critical views” are not only lawful things to hold and express, they’re one of a small subset of opinions that are explicitly protected as such in law. And why would a …

The Tactics Of Suicide
26 Feb 2026 at 1:48pm
Sorry, readers, we’ve been too busy boiling with rage at revolting, cretinous Americans for the last few days to trust ourselves with writing a full-length article, but we’ve just about calmed down enough in time for this month’s polling analysis. Which is handy, because today is also the day of the Gorton and Denton by-election …

Craig Murray

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

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

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez

The Caracas Metro
26 Mar 2026 at 6:46am

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

The Caracas Metro

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag
24 Mar 2026 at 12:04pm

The notion that the Iranian state would discredit itself by choosing to attack an ambulance service in London is crazy. Iran has not even attacked any hospitals or ambulances in Israel. Iran has absolutely zero record of attacks on healthcare facilities. That is of course in stark contrast to Israel which specifically targets them in …

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag

Seeing Trump Clearly
21 Mar 2026 at 12:19pm

What if Trump’s apparently chaotic thought processes and intuitive decision making are all a blind, a charade? What if we are really witnessing, in the Middle East and more widely, a carefully constructed plan with very definite objectives? Has Trump in fact “planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway”, while flinging the …

Seeing Trump Clearly

Radicalism and Scottish Independence
14 Mar 2026 at 4:18pm

There is no place like home, and a few hours after arriving back in Scotland I was in Glasgow giving a talk to Pensioners for Independence. I still covered quite a wide sweep, but my focus came back to what I care about more than anything – the freedom, prosperity and just position in the …

Radicalism and Scottish Independence

Has Venezuela Abandoned Socialism?
13 Mar 2026 at 5:48pm

I interviewed a prominent academic who is a profound critic of the Venezuelan government, and in contrast a strong academic supporter. The conversations were relaxed, open and I believe worthwhile. There is no serious dispute that the Venezuelan government shifted to some degree towards economic liberalism under President Maduro. The question is to what extent …

Has Venezuela Abandoned Socialism?

BBC Scotland

SNP chief told of Linden complaints 10 years ago, says ex-official
6 Apr 2026 at 12:51pm
Former council leader Jordan Linden was last month found guilty of five sexual assaults against young men.

What we learned from Scotcast's interviews with party leaders
4 Apr 2026 at 9:18am
The leaders of Scotland's six biggest parties spoke to the BBC's Scotcast ahead of the election.

How does the NHS in Scotland compare with the rest of the UK?
3 Apr 2026 at 6:21am
BBC Verify looks at key measures to see what progress is being made and whether Scotland can be compared with other nations.

'An awful experiment': Cash boost for families as two-child limit scrapped
2 Apr 2026 at 11:00pm
The nine-year policy that capped financial help at two children has been removed.

Swinney softens stance on North Sea drilling as oil prices soar
2 Apr 2026 at 2:01pm
The first minister said energy security should be a primary concern when making decisions on oil and gas projects.

More than 4.2 million registered to vote in Scottish Parliament election
2 Apr 2026 at 11:16am
The overall total, and that of 16 and 17-year-olds, is slightly down on last year.

Navy investigated links between nuclear sub commander and MP
1 Apr 2026 at 5:44pm
No disciplinary action was taken over the allegations of an inappropriate relationship with Scottish MP Joani Reid.

SNP candidate ditched over handling of Linden complaints
1 Apr 2026 at 3:08pm
Tracy Carragher was a deputy council leader when it was reported that her former colleague had made unwanted advances towards a teenager.

Labour drops election candidate after fraud charge
1 Apr 2026 at 2:37pm
Glasgow Southside hopeful Mohammed Ameen made no plea when he appeared in court last week.

Call for business rates reform as Scots face cost of living crunch
1 Apr 2026 at 4:50pm
One live music bar firm in Glasgow says it is facing a near six-fold increase and may have to lay off staff.

The huge task of rewiring Britain's electricity grid from top to bottom
1 Apr 2026 at 9:12am
The massive task of getting the power from where it is generated to where it is used involves a massive upgrade of the grid.

Green candidate replaced by rival who complained about him
31 Mar 2026 at 5:22pm
Guy Ingerson was due to top the North East list for the party until he was dropped due to an unresolved complaint.

Scot Goes Pop

Bombshell GB-wide Ashcroft poll is the first not to show Reform in an outrigh...
6 Apr 2026 at 12:37am
So this is a genuine landmark for the reasons given in the title, and it's also worth making the point that the data tables (unless I'm misinterpreting them, but I don't see how I can be) show that...

"C'est trop bruyant!": The settled will klaxon is so piercing tonight that it...
4 Apr 2026 at 9:36pm
Tonight brings word of the latest in the regular series of Norstat polls for the Sunday Times, and although the newspaper has buried the results of the independence question at the bottom of the wr...

"But what if that other voice we all know so well responds by saying 'we say ...
3 Apr 2026 at 9:18pm
A former commenter on this blog from way back in the 2014 indyref period got in touch with a question a few days ago, and I've been so busy that I haven't responded to him yet - but it's an interes...

My plans for Scot Goes Pop's coverage of the Holyrood election campaign
2 Apr 2026 at 8:30pm
This post will come as a relief to some of you, because I've decided to temporarily go back to conventional blogging for the remainder of the Holyrood campaign.  The emphasis is on the word "tempor...

Joani of (Noah's nuclear-armed) Arc
1 Apr 2026 at 5:04pm
The senior naval officer Reid was reported for 'inappropriate' behaviour with at Faslane is *separate* to the captain she is linked to tonight by the FT's @LOS_FisherThe captain has reportedly step...

Shock poll portends weather boffin coup threat for Atlas chief Lyon
1 Apr 2026 at 8:57am
You've probably seen the propaganda poll from yesterday that the hapless Alliance to Liberate Scotland, aka "the Atlas", commissioned from Find Out Now.  It used the infamous Archie Stirling questi...

The Alliance to Liberate Scotland and their "Big Lie": the Sovereignty Party ...
31 Mar 2026 at 3:06am
My latest Holyrood constituency profile for The National is Edinburgh Northern.

A brief reply to Ballot Box Scotland about my profile of the Edinburgh Centra...
30 Mar 2026 at 2:27am
Allan Faulds, the former serial Scottish Green Party candidate who runs the psephological Ballot Box Scotland site, has taken a passive-aggressive swipe at me because of something I wrote in my pro...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

SNP calls for inquiry into Trident security after Joani Reid reports
3 Apr 2026 at 1:23pm
The party wants an probe after the Labour MP, whose husband is accused of spying for China, allegedly behaved inappropriately with Navy officers

Unpaid carers should have £400 uplift in support, say Lib Dems
3 Apr 2026 at 12:09pm
Alex Cole-Hamilton said unpaid carers formed the ?backbone? of care in Scotland

?We?ve got the beating of the SNP at this election?, says Scottish Lib Dem le...
3 Apr 2026 at 10:10am
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader tells Scotland Tonight that his party can defeat the SNP in ten constituencies

SNP will deliver revolution in childcare if it wins election, says Jenny Gilruth
3 Apr 2026 at 9:37am
The education secretary said her party would extend support to every family in the country for children from nine months to the end of primary school

Labour will end ?scandalous? failures on young mental health support ? Sarwar
3 Apr 2026 at 9:33am
The Scottish Labour leader unveiled a package of new measures Labour plan to deliver if they win the Holyrood election

Reform has brought ?race-baiting? to Holyrood election campaign, says Sarwar
3 Apr 2026 at 9:30am
The Scottish Labour leader hit out at the party?s new billboard campaign as well as an earlier advert which directly attacked him

Swinney: Rooting out predators from party is more important than independence
3 Apr 2026 at 9:28am
The SNP leader was speaking after a candidate was sacked over claims she did not act on allegations about sex offender Jordan Linden

?I?m in it to win it?: Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord vows to becom...
3 Apr 2026 at 9:20am
Malcolm Offord says he has 'the vision and the capability' to lead the country.

40% of 16 and 17-year-olds not registered to vote in Scottish election
2 Apr 2026 at 11:12am
Scots have until midnight on April 20 to register to cast their ballot in the Holyrood poll

Next government must ensure Scots get ?fair share? of green wealth ? campaigners
2 Apr 2026 at 9:04am
A poll has found about two thirds of Scots are in favour of energy projects being owned by communities and locally authorities

Greens to pledge free bus travel for all as they launch campaign
2 Apr 2026 at 9:01am
The party will promise to expand on the policy they championed while in government

PM urges Farage to sack Reform housing spokesman over ?shameful? Grenfell remark
2 Apr 2026 at 8:54am
Reform's housing spokesperson Simon Dudley said housing safety regulations had gone too far in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Swinney calls on PM to recall House of Commons to deal with UK energy ?crisis?
2 Apr 2026 at 8:53am
Scotland?s First Minister said Keir Starmer was ?sleepwalking? into an ?unprecedented energy crisis?

Royal Navy investigated relationship between nuclear submarine commander and MP
2 Apr 2026 at 8:50am
Joani Reid stepped down from the Labour party last month after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Anas Sarwar needs a plan to combat the Scottish Greens if he is to turnaround...
6 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says Scottish Labour needs to squeeze the left-wing Greens and right wing Reform to succeed on May 7th.

SNP has 'one rule for themselves and another for everybody else' when dealing...
6 Apr 2026 at 1:19pm
Senior Nationalists have faced questions over when they first became aware of complaints raised against former North Lanarkshire Council leader and convicted sex abuser Jordan Linden.

Glasgow congestion charge 'would punish drivers for going to work or seeing f...
6 Apr 2026 at 10:26am
Glasgow City Council has repeatedly warned it is struggling to afford the maintenance of the Clyde Tunnel, which is not classed as being part of the national road network.

Keir Starmer must scrap fuel duty rise and offer more support to Scots strugg...
6 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
In his regular column for the Record, the First Minister argues that a planned rise in UK fuel duty should not go ahead.

Tax super rich Scots to ensure universal benefits like free bus passes can co...
5 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: Ross Greer said he "rejects completely" that popular policies such as free prescriptions and free university tuition for Scots are becoming unaffordable.

John Swinney claims he will 'press on' with Scottish independence referendum ...
5 Apr 2026 at 11:05am
Scottish Labour said "no one buys John Swinney?s flimsy pretence that this election is about independence".

Reform UK support in Scotland dropping is 'bad news' for SNP hopes of winning...
5 Apr 2026 at 9:40am
Nigel Farage's right-wing populists have faced a chaotic start to their election campaign with multiple candidates dropping out of the race.

Private schools would be hit with new tax under Scottish Greens proposals
5 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
The party's Holyrood election manifesto says the levy would be applied using non-domestic rates and could bring in millions.

Thousands of Scots 'disenfranchised by poverty' in upcoming Holyrood election
5 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
Research by the Poverty Alliance has found an 11 per cent gap in voter turnout between the richest and poorest constituencies.

Monklands hospital branded 'death trap' as wait for replacement goes on
4 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
Ward closures because of mould infection are only the latest example of the challenges faced by a 1970s hospital still going in the 2020s.

The National

The National | Politics

All the results as major new MRP poll predicts winner of every Scottish seat
6 Apr 2026 at 6:00pm

A MAJOR new poll of more than 4000 Scots has predicted the winner of every constituency in Scotland ? and the MSPs to be elected from the eight regional lists ...

SNP set for outright majority in Scottish elections, major new MRP poll finds
6 Apr 2026 at 6:00pm

THE SNP are set to have an outright majority at Holyrood after the Scottish parliament elections in May, according to a major new poll ...

Donald Trump aims 'Neville Chamberlain' jibe at Keir Starmer over Iran war
6 Apr 2026 at 5:39pm

DONALD Trump has appeared to compare Keir Starmer to Neville Chamberlain as his war of words with the Prime Minister continued.

'Pocket money' minister Darren Jones 'turfed out' of No 10
6 Apr 2026 at 5:27pm

A KEY figure in Keir Starmer?s big Downing Street ?reset? has been ?turfed out?, it has been claimed.

Pro-Palestine activists target Scottish police station over 'ludicrous' terro...
6 Apr 2026 at 5:21pm

A group of Pro-Palestine activists have protested outside a Scottish police station over the Palestine Action terror ban

'Serious questions' as US military planes pictured arriving at Glasgow Airport
6 Apr 2026 at 5:07pm

THE arrival of US military planes at Glasgow Airport amid the war in the Middle East ?raises serious questions?, according to the Scottish Greens ...

Meet the classical pianist fighting to secure a Holyrood seat for SNP
6 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm

PLAYING piano is like meditation, SNP candidate Pauline Stafford tells me, as she looks back on her musical career that preceded her foray into politics.

Suspended MP says Labour are reaching 'point of no return' under Keir Starmer
6 Apr 2026 at 4:44pm

A suspended Labour MP has said that Keir Starmer has taken the party 'almost to the point of no return'

Pro-Palestine activists target major Scottish festival over links to Israel
6 Apr 2026 at 4:04pm

A major Scottish festival has been targeted by pro-Palestine activists over its links to Israel

Fury as Scotland-based oil firm ?takes over illegal Gaza gas project?
6 Apr 2026 at 4:00pm

A SCOTTISH-BASED oil firm is now looking to lead a widely condemned project to extract gas from Palestinian waters, according to reports ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Scottish Child Payment must change to end child poverty, think tank says
2 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
The next Scottish Government must be 'clear-eyed' on the problem, it is claimed

Local Authorities Guide: Shetland Islands Council
2 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
Council leader Emma Macdonald answers questions about local authority

SNP candidate dropped over handling of Jordan Linden complaints
1 Apr 2026 at 3:00pm
The SNP councillor has been accused of ignoring or downplaying allegations about Linden in a council motion. ?

MP Joani Reid in submarine base conduct allegations
1 Apr 2026 at 1:19pm
Reports emerge of separate incidents

AI NHS integration a ?significant challenge?
1 Apr 2026 at 11:27am
Good governance and building public trust must be part of the rollout, an innovation agency has said

Local Authorities Guide: Scottish Borders Council
1 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
Council leader Euan Jardine answers questions about local authority

SNP and Labour blame each other amid jobs risk at Alexander Dennis
31 Mar 2026 at 4:55pm
Up to 115 roles are at risk of redundancy

Scottish university partners with bank on agentic AI research programme
31 Mar 2026 at 12:01pm
Experiments to test the efficacy of agentic AI in software teams

Poll: SNP miss majority but well ahead of nearest rivals
31 Mar 2026 at 11:06am
Reform would be second largest party, beating Labour by one seat

John Swinney says SNP's NHS plan 'working'
31 Mar 2026 at 1:01am
The first minister is expected to be in Dundee today, where he will highlight that the SNP?s NHS ?plan is working?

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

UK politics Q&A, as it happened: Andrew Sparrow answers your questions on Sta...
2 Apr 2026 at 5:50pm
This blog is now closedQ: Do you agree with the Tories about wanting more oil and gas drilling from the North Sea?Davey says Kemi Badenoch claims she can get an extra £2.5bn in tax revenue by allowing more exploration in the North Sea. He says she is ?just lying?. He says everyone knows that that...

Reeves criticises Trump for starting Iran war with no ?clear plan? to get out...
1 Apr 2026 at 5:15pm
This blog is now closedStarmer says he understands why people are concerned about the cost of living.He says he has already set out a five-point plan to deal with the crisis.Just look at what?s happening today. Today your energy bills will be cut because of the action that we took at the budget. ...

Starmer pledges to tackle new cost of living crisis at May elections campaign...
30 Mar 2026 at 3:11pm
Prime minister says 7 May vote is coming at time of ?war on two fronts? as Labour braces for heavy losses at pollsUK politics live ? latest updatesThe 7 May elections are taking place against a backdrop of ?war on two fronts?, Keir Starmer has said, as he pledged action to tackle the resurgent co...

Glasgow arts hub tenants condemn ?unsustainable? rent rises by landlord
30 Mar 2026 at 8:17am
City Property, which manages buildings for council, accused of ?coercive and unfair? increases and issuing eviction noticesTenants at one of Glasgow?s leading cultural hubs are battling what they describe as ?unsustainable? rent increases, with critics describing the landlord responsible as a ?ro...

Reform busy firefighting in Scotland but may yet set Holyrood?s politics ablaze
26 Mar 2026 at 6:29pm
With Nigel Farage?s party neck and neck with Labour for second place behind the SNP, disruption seems likely Hope, change, progressive change, change with fairness at its heart ? from a harbour north of Edinburgh to a hipster arts venue in Glasgow?s Barras Market, Scotland?s political parties sp...

UK politics: Trump says UK?s aircraft carriers are just ?toys? ? as it happened
26 Mar 2026 at 6:00pm
The comments were part of a broader address in which he condemned Nato alliesYesterday the Conservative party said that it wanted to ban political parties from distributing campaign literature in a foreign language. Announcing a plan to propose an amendement to the representation of the people bi...

UK politics: Tories claim McSweeney has ?serious questions? to answer about p...
25 Mar 2026 at 5:52pm
Shadow cabinet officer minister claims ?this whole thing stinks to high heaven?Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question at PMQs.Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has urged people to reject ?conspiracy? theories about the loss of Morgan McSweeney?s phone. Continue reading...

What?s at stake for UK in May?s elections: six key questions
23 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
Reform, Plaid Cymru, the SNP and the Greens are all banking on big gains and nationwide repercussionsOn 7 May, three of the UK?s four nations go to the polls in a series of elections with much potential significance, not just for who ends up governing various bodies, but also for the future polit...

?Anyone but Labour? or ?anyone but Reform?? Clash of animosities likely to de...
23 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
While Labour braces for a rout that could see off Starmer, a rising drive to keep out Farage is complicating expectationsSmall swings, high drama: why UK polls are less volatile than they seem ? in chartsLocal elections are often regarded as a referendum on the sitting government, with many previ...

Labour dismisses Reform UK MSP candidates as ?hopeless Tory rejects and oddba...
20 Mar 2026 at 4:50pm
This blog is now closedSeverin Carrell is the Guardian?s Scotland editor.Malcolm Offord, Reform UK?s Scottish leader, has doubled down on his defence of the party?s vetting by dismissing remarks by candidates backing Tommy Robinson or describing Humza Yousaf as an ?Islamist moron? (see 10.12am) a...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Shettleston doesn?t need Reform?s racism, it needs to be part of an independe...
2 Apr 2026 at 1:10pm
On Wednesday, April Fool’s Day, Reform UK unveiled its racist and scaremongering advert for the Scottish election next month. It was appropriate that they did so on April Fool’s Day because they are taking the electorate for mugs. The consists of image showing apparent migrants crowded onto a small inflatable dinghy with text reading “Scotland …

It?s not just independence which is at stake in this election
31 Mar 2026 at 6:13pm
The weekend kicked off the election campaign with a well attended march and rally for independence held in Edinburgh on Saturday. I’m sure you all followed the reports about it on BBC Scotland, oh, right. It was far too busy talking about the ferries again wasn’t it. Every political party talks up its chances during …

The rapid implosion of Reform?s Scottish campaign
26 Mar 2026 at 3:05pm
As the saying goes, you’d need a heart of stone not to laugh. Within just a few days of Reform UK launching its Scottish election campaign to much fanfare and racist ‘jokes’ about tartan burqas, the wheels are already coming off Farage’s septic tank pumper wagon. The party has already lost no less than four …

James Dornan MSP looks back on his career
24 Mar 2026 at 1:49pm
A guest post by James Dornan MSP   Today veteran SNP MSP James Dornan makes his last speech in the Scottish Parliament, and steps down to retirement and to give way to a new generation. To mark the occasion, he has very kindly written a guest post for this blog in which he looks back …

Reform?s chaotic launch and the implications of the Iran war for May?s election
20 Mar 2026 at 8:53pm
Nigel Farage came to Scotland on Thursday to launch his party’s manifesto for the Scottish elections on 7 May and to introduce Reform UK’s almost half former Tory slate of totally well vetted candidates. Reform UK there, promising to fix Broken Britain with a slew of the former Conservatives who were responsible for breaking it …

Thoughts on the failure of the assisted dying bill
18 Mar 2026 at 2:46am
Back in 1998, after we had moved to Spain, my late husband Andy and I became very close friends with our new neighbour, a Norwegian woman called Ellie who had moved to Spain after retiring from a career on the Norwegian oil rigs in the North Sea. She was looking forward to spending her final …

Scotland: Too wee?
17 Mar 2026 at 9:11am
Is it time to look again at the long-debated theory that Scotland is ?too wee? to be a successful independent country? A guest post by Diane Izzett https://bsky.app/profile/dizzyscot.bsky.social With the yes voters taking a lead in recent polls, do the facts support this or is it just the final death throes of a coloniser losing …

Lessons from 2014 for next time round
14 Mar 2026 at 6:23pm
An important new academic book looking at the 2014 Scottish independence referendum has just been published. The snappily titled “Discourse, Voice, and the Politics of Participation in the Scottish Independence Referendum” by Dr Maike Dinger, a Lecturer in Communications, Media and Culture at the University of Stirling is available on Amazon for £104.99 hardback or …

So-called muscular unionism is a sign of Westminster?s fragility
12 Mar 2026 at 4:30pm
The Labour party has responded to the leak of a memo from Starmer to cabinet ministers in which he tells them not to be “deferential” to the devolved governments and not to hesitate to override them even on devolved matters. Starmer was questioned about the memo by SNP MP Stephen Gethins at Prime Minister’s Questions …

Devolution has run out of road
10 Mar 2026 at 6:48pm
This always happens, every time I decide to take a bit of time off, a big news story breaks and it’s back to the keyboard. On Tuesday, a Labour government memo was leaked which proves that Keir Starmer is hell bent on undermining the devolution settlement. In the memo, sent to all members of the …

The Courier

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Scottish Politics News From Holyrood and Westminster | The Courier

Could Rosyth-Europe ferry set sail thanks to Brexit reset?
27 May 2025 at 6:01am
Hopes have been raised for a simple solution to a cross-border problem.

Kirkcaldy MP demands pro-suicide forum is torn down
26 May 2025 at 6:01am
Around 100 suicides have been linked to the sickening forum which provides guidance to people on ending their life.

UHI Perth aviation students warn of ?unsettling times? after training firm?s ...
26 May 2025 at 6:00am
Worried Samuel Hughes, 19, is among students sharing their fears at a time of crisis for Perth College.

Fresh Dundee University strike begins over compulsory Levehulme Centre job cuts
26 May 2025 at 6:00am
University staff are taking five days of industrial action as the institution pushes ahead with plans to axe the forensic research hub.

NHS Fife nurse at centre of controversial trans tribunal suing her own trade ...
25 May 2025 at 2:32pm
A&E medic Sandie Peggie is now taking legal action against the Royal College of Nursing.

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University still to strike rescue deal with government
23 May 2025 at 5:46pm
Opposition MSPs have expressed concern at the time taken to agree a deal almost a month after the fresh recovery plan was unveiled.

6 senior figures who left Dundee University during financial crisis
23 May 2025 at 5:10pm
Several university chiefs have moved on since £30m financial black hole emerged.

Dundee University activist artist leads degree show protest over financial cr...
23 May 2025 at 4:45pm
Duncan of Jordanstone student Finn Millar says he wants to play a part in "keeping the university alive".

John Swinney admits constituents have expressed Perth leisure concerns to him
23 May 2025 at 6:01am
The first minister wants further talks between both sides of Perth leisure debate.

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University chief operating officer Jim McGeorge quits
22 May 2025 at 1:58pm
Dr Jim McGeorge ? who was responsible for good governance - had been on a period of extended leave.

Talking up Scotland

Talking-up Scotland

Daily Record suggests Canadian bus company already given £62 million to stay ...
6 Apr 2026 at 5:59pm
Alexander Dennis (ADL), owned by a Canadian multinational, NFI Group Inc., had already signalled major restructuring and at least partial withdrawal from full bus-building in Scotland. They had £58 million from you since 2020 and in September 2025, a further £4.1 million. In March 2026 won a Scottish Government contract for 123 buses but Chinese manufacturer Yutong won a contract for 166. On Ma...

Before we get another Annie Wells fib in the media operating in Scotland duri...
6 Apr 2026 at 3:28pm

As thyroid cancer surges globally a serious warning from Japan for Scotland o...
6 Apr 2026 at 3:24pm
From researchers working outside the Japanese government departments and those higher education institutions dependent on funds from that government or the nuclear industry itself, the above headline and this: As we approach the 15-year mark since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNS) disaster, brought about by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Japanese government, the g...

Unlike in Trumpish Labour?s England, the Responsible SNP Government actively ...
6 Apr 2026 at 3:23pm
Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: From the BMJ 2 April 2026: A thousand extra training places for resident doctors in England will no longer be available this April, the government has said. The axing of the posts came after the government issued an ultimatum to the doctors? union the BMA as part of the ongoing dispute over pay and jobs. The prime minister, Keir Starmer, wrote in the Ti...

Reposted to give the Great Scottish Ferry Inconvenience some context
6 Apr 2026 at 12:21pm

Reposted as the Great Scottish Ferry Inconvenience loses the plot and compare...
6 Apr 2026 at 12:20pm

As senior detectives, now passed, are conveniently being scapegoated, the Emm...
6 Apr 2026 at 12:15pm

Make that 72!
6 Apr 2026 at 12:15pm

Canadian ferry misses rocks by only 1m in same place as another ferry ran agr...
6 Apr 2026 at 8:59am
From CBC in British Columbia on 3 April 2026: B.C. Ferries released details Thursday about a “rare operational incident” involving a vessel sailing in rough weather off the northern B.C. coast, almost a month after the vessel sailed close to a rock shoal ? with only about a metre to spare. The Northern Adventure ? a vessel that regularly sails between Port Hardy, Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii ?...

Herald writer ?admits? to cycling a bike while under the affluence but wants ...
5 Apr 2026 at 3:31pm
In Kevin McKenna‘s piece yesterday in the Herald: In Scot­land, in recent years, the Scot­tish Gov­ern­ment, egged on by the Greens, has con­ferred sac­red status on cyc­ling lanes, turn­ing them into a sort of lux­ury Cale­do­nian cam­ino for the middle-classes. ‘I?ve got noth­ing against cycle travel, but how many middle-aged, work­ing-class women have you seen rid­ing a bicycle into the city...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Scotland?s Unionist parties are sleepwalking into a farce - The Telegraph
6 Apr 2026 at 6:50pm
Scotland?s Unionist parties are sleepwalking into a farce  The Telegraph

Scottish independence supporters should heed Bob Dylan's words - Thenational ...
6 Apr 2026 at 5:03am
Scottish independence supporters should heed Bob Dylan's words  Thenational Scot

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

John Swinney: Independence referendum could be in 2028 - The Herald
5 Apr 2026 at 11:38am
John Swinney: Independence referendum could be in 2028  The Herald

John Swinney wants to ?press on? with Scottish independence referendum if SNP...
5 Apr 2026 at 2:00pm
John Swinney wants to ?press on? with Scottish independence referendum if SNP wins majority in Holyrood elections  lbc.co.uk

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
26 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

Repositioning Independence - nation.cymru
15 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
Repositioning Independence  nation.cymru

John Swinney claims he will 'press on' with Scottish independence referendum ...
5 Apr 2026 at 11:05am
John Swinney claims he will 'press on' with Scottish independence referendum in 2028  Daily Record

Swinney says independence 'within our grasp' as he unveils childcare plan - H...
14 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
Swinney says independence 'within our grasp' as he unveils childcare plan  Holyrood Website

John Swinney wants 2028 independence referendum as he adopts Salmond's 'fast ...
4 Apr 2026 at 7:41pm
John Swinney wants 2028 independence referendum as he adopts Salmond's 'fast and dirty' timetable  Scottish Daily Express

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP chief told of Linden complaints 10 years ago, says ex-official - bbc.com
6 Apr 2026 at 12:51pm
SNP chief told of Linden complaints 10 years ago, says ex-official  bbc.com

SNP set for outright majority in Scottish elections, major new MRP poll finds...
6 Apr 2026 at 6:03pm
SNP set for outright majority in Scottish elections, major new MRP poll finds  Thenational Scot

Scottish ruling party backs controversial new oil and gas fields - politico.eu
2 Apr 2026 at 3:07pm
Scottish ruling party backs controversial new oil and gas fields  politico.eu

SNP must end opposition to nuclear weapons in a dangerous world - The Times
6 Apr 2026 at 4:00pm
SNP must end opposition to nuclear weapons in a dangerous world  The Times

One rule for SNP and another for everyone else, says Anas Sarwar - The Scotsman
6 Apr 2026 at 4:37pm
One rule for SNP and another for everyone else, says Anas Sarwar  The Scotsman

SNP calling, haplotype phasing and allele-specific analysis with long RNA-seq...
30 Mar 2026 at 11:16am
SNP calling, haplotype phasing and allele-specific analysis with long RNA-seq reads  Nature

Scottish Election 2026 - Jim Fairlie: "We cannot rely on Westminster to get i...
6 Apr 2026 at 6:29pm
Scottish Election 2026 - Jim Fairlie: "We cannot rely on Westminster to get it right for rural Scotland"  Farmers Guardian

'Risky business: Flynn should be wary of becoming SNP leader' - The Herald
6 Apr 2026 at 6:30am
'Risky business: Flynn should be wary of becoming SNP leader'  The Herald

SNP candidate ditched over handling of Linden complaints - bbc.com
1 Apr 2026 at 3:08pm
SNP candidate ditched over handling of Linden complaints  bbc.com

Former SNP candidate accused of sex offences - BBC
31 Mar 2026 at 5:03pm
Former SNP candidate accused of sex offences  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

John Swinney: There could be a referendum in 2028. I want to press on - The T...
4 Apr 2026 at 6:00pm
John Swinney: There could be a referendum in 2028. I want to press on  The Times

John Swinney: Independence referendum could be in 2028 - The Herald
5 Apr 2026 at 11:38am
John Swinney: Independence referendum could be in 2028  The Herald

I want to ?press on? with independence referendum in 2028, says John Swinney ...
5 Apr 2026 at 11:20am
I want to ?press on? with independence referendum in 2028, says John Swinney  Thenational Scot

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

John Swinney says he wants to ?press on? with independence referendum in 2028...
5 Apr 2026 at 2:49pm
John Swinney says he wants to ?press on? with independence referendum in 2028  standard.co.uk

John Swinney wants to ?press on? with Scottish independence referendum if SNP...
5 Apr 2026 at 2:00pm
John Swinney wants to ?press on? with Scottish independence referendum if SNP wins majority in Holyrood elections  lbc.co.uk

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
26 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

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

John Swinney claims he will 'press on' with Scottish independence referendum ...
5 Apr 2026 at 11:05am
John Swinney claims he will 'press on' with Scottish independence referendum in 2028  Daily Record

First Minister John Swinney?s speech to the SNP?s 2026 Campaign Conference - ...
14 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
First Minister John Swinney?s speech to the SNP?s 2026 Campaign Conference  snp.org