The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Donald Trump says U.S Navy will blockade the Strait of Hormuz after Iran talk...
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
12 Apr 2026 at 2:32pm
Donald Trump has said the United States will blockade the Strait of Hormuz and if Iran tries to stop them they will be "blown to Hell" after peace talks broke down


Hungarians in Scotland go to the polls in Edinburgh as Viktor Orbán could los...
12 Apr 2026 at 12:51pm
Hungarians living in Scotland have gathered in Edinburgh to cast their votes in the country's general election


How the Scottish Greens can send three Edinburgh MSPs to Holyrood next month
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
12 Apr 2026 at 12:00pm
Leading the charge in Edinburgh Central, former co-leader Lorna Slater will face off against SNP minister Angus Robertson.


'They're not having one' - Wes Streeting rules out second Scottish independen...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
12 Apr 2026 at 11:51am
Wes Streeting rules out a second Scottish independence referendum, saying the UK has ?had enough of chaos? and accusing the SNP of deflecting from its record


Boris Johnson turns on Donald Trump as he criticises President over Iran and ...
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
12 Apr 2026 at 9:00am
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Donald Trump made a "huge mistake" in attacking Iran


Party leaders set for first debate of 2026 Holyrood election
by Rachel Keenan
12 Apr 2026 at 8:30am
The leaders of Scotland?s main political parties will take part in the first TV election debate of the campaign on Sunday


Surely Sarwar must realise only indyref2 can save Scotland from SNP's eternal...
12 Apr 2026 at 6:15am
SOME shallow rationales get dusted down to explain the SNP?s abiding popularity in Scotland.


Immigration is dominating the Holyrood election debate - but there's a wider ...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
Immigration is now part of the Scottish election debate in a way that it never has been before.


John Swinney: I won't allow UK Government to refuse a second independence re...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
In the third of The Herald's interviews with party leaders, John Swinney reflects on the SNP?s 2017 losses and why he is now putting independence back at the centre of his pitch to voters.


Scottish Greens pledge nationwide rollout of safe drug consumption rooms
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
The Scottish Greens have pledged to roll out safe drug consumption rooms across Scotland as part of their election manifesto, due to be published this week.


Scottish Labour plans tougher oversight of water pollution and costs
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
Scottish Labour has unveiled plans to overhaul the management of Scotland?s water system, targeting pollution, rising household bills and governance concerns at Scottish Water.


Swinney: 'Dangerous' Reform running 'blatantly racist' Holyrood campaign
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
John Swinney has accused Reform UK of ?dangerous? and ?racist? campaigning as polls suggest a major electoral breakthrough for Nigel Farage's party.


'Dangerous and delusional': Union alarm over SNP plan to cut thousands of jobs
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
Unison's Scottish leader Lilian Macer has warned Scottish Government plans which experts say would axe nearly 20,000 jobs are "dangerous" and "delusional".


Reform candidate sparks backlash over England workers plan for care crisis
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
12 Apr 2026 at 12:41pm
A Reform UK candidate has suggested workers from England could help plug Scotland?s social care staffing crisis, drawing criticism from rival parties ahead of the Holyrood election.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP vows to abolish 'crime of passion' murder defence
12 Apr 2026 at 2:24pm

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the defence was ?outdated?

The UK Health Secretary said the country has had ?enough of chaos?

Ailsa Henderson said parties relying on older voters ?will probably be more secure in their vote share? if turnout is low

The Scottish Liberal Democrats warned GPs are ?weighed down by constant workload pressures?

Stephen Jardine spoke to The Scotsman ahead of a special episode of Debate Night on BBC One Scotland tonight

The latest whispers, gossip and nonsense from the Holyrood campaign trail

Wings over Scotland

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

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

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

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 …

Craig Murray

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

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

The Strait of Hormuz

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

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

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez

The Caracas Metro
26 Mar 2026 at 6:46am

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

The Caracas Metro

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

BBC Scotland

How tax and welfare are shaping the vote in the Scottish election
12 Apr 2026 at 9:42am
In recent years Scotland has struck out on a different path to the rest of the UK when it comes to income tax and social security.

SNP pledges 'first refusal' for tenants to buy private rental homes
10 Apr 2026 at 11:21am
John Swinney says it would help renters get on the housing ladder but other parties say the SNP is to blame for the housing emergency.

CalMac ferries problems dominate election campaigning
8 Apr 2026 at 5:21pm
Scotland's political leaders turn their attention to the problems facing ferry services as campaigning continued for Holyrood.

Tax rebate not intended for millionaire pensioners, Findlay says
8 Apr 2026 at 10:54am
The Scottish Tories say they will give £500 to pensioners - but the party's leader says he hopes millionaires will not apply.

Scottish Conservatives pledge tax cuts in election manifesto
7 Apr 2026 at 4:20pm
Leader Russell Findlay announces his party's plans ahead of next month's Holyrood poll.

Green candidate backs abolition of Scotland's prisons
7 Apr 2026 at 1:17pm
The comments, made by Edinburgh and Lothians East hopeful Kate Nevens, have been branded "monumentally stupid".

Scottish Conservative election manifesto at-a-glance
7 Apr 2026 at 6:23pm
The party's priorities include cutting tax bills, raising school standards and delivering faster GP appointments.

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.

Scot Goes Pop

REVEALED: The hard science that makes Both Votes SNP such an effective strate...
12 Apr 2026 at 6:24pm
OK, the title of this blogpost is mainly there to wind up Stew, but there is actually a very serious point behind it, and it's one that may make you think about the importance of voting SNP on the ...

Even YouGov now say the Union Jack could soon be LOWERED as sensational MRP p...
10 Apr 2026 at 10:55pm
MRP Seats projection (YouGov / Sky News / The Times, 23rd March-8th April 2026):SNP 67Reform UK 20Labour 15Greens 11Liberal Democrats 9Conservatives 7Now, I've estimated the chances of the SNP winn...

The "Make Mine A Double" voting craze that is sweeping the nation: why all th...
9 Apr 2026 at 7:41pm
 There's actually a serious point here, because Stew is far from the only right-wing commentator who has argued that a Green return to government would be an unmitigated catastrophe - we've heard t...

The crazy, topsy-turvy logic (and in some cases hypocrisy) of the "tactical v...
9 Apr 2026 at 11:05am
I'm beginning to think I'm going to have to mute certain accounts on Twitter to get through the rest of the Holyrood campaign with my sanity intact.  Every single time I log in, I see retweet after...

Pro-independence parties on course to win an astonishing 62% of seats in the ...
8 Apr 2026 at 12:55pm
Scottish Parliament constituency ballot (Ipsos, 26th-31st March 2026):SNP 39% (+3)Reform UK 15% (-1)Labour 15% (-5)Conservatives 11% (+2)Liberal Democrats 10% (-)Greens 7% (-)Scottish Parliament re...

Catastrophe for Starmer as Labour slump to joint all-time low in weekly YouGo...
8 Apr 2026 at 12:07pm
YouGov have suddenly and belatedly started including Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain and Jeremy Corbyn's Your Party as options in their weekly GB-wide polls, which on the whole is a good thing becaus...

More on the MRP poll: the 67-seat projection for the SNP may even be an under...
7 Apr 2026 at 5:52pm
Some more details of the Find Out Now MRP poll for The National have been published on the Electoral Calculus website.  Whoever wrote the article (presumably Martin Baxter) doesn't seem to be fully...

Find Out Now - ZAP WHAM POW - that a new MRP poll shows the SNP on course for...
6 Apr 2026 at 7:07pm
As you may have seen, a new Find Out Now MRP poll commissioned by The National is suggesting that the SNP are on course for an overall majority at the Holyrood election.  They would take 67 seats, ...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar stands by call for Keir Starmer to resign ...
10 Apr 2026 at 9:15am
The Scottish Labour leader told Scotland Tonight the Prime Minister will not be part of his party's Holyrood campaign

Nicola Sturgeon opens up on arrest, divorce and ?secret rendezvous?
9 Apr 2026 at 7:00pm
Scotland?s former first minister has opened up about her personal life

Children?s specialists call for ?greater and sustained investment? in services
9 Apr 2026 at 7:22am
They urged politicians to ?seize a critical opportunity? with ?decisive action? to help improve the lives of children across the country.

Starmer: Work still to do to end US-Iran conflict and reopen Strait of Hormuz
8 Apr 2026 at 4:43pm
Sir Keir Starmer has said there was a ?sense of real relief? at the ceasefire in...

SNP extends lead while Scottish Labour support slumps, poll shows
8 Apr 2026 at 12:00pm
The SNP remains set to be the largest party at Holyrood

Findlay vows to give ?everything? to stop ?living nightmare? of SNP majority
7 Apr 2026 at 4:46pm
The Scottish Tory leader was speaking as he launched his party?s manifesto ahead of the Holyrood election next month

Swinney apologises to islanders again over ferry disruption
7 Apr 2026 at 2:19pm
Scotland?s west coast ferry network has struggled in recent weeks, with eight vessels out of service at the same time at one point

Tories blast ?permanent crisis? in A&E as waiting times figures published
7 Apr 2026 at 12:23pm
Public Health Scotland published new A&E waiting times figures for both the month of February and the final full week of March

Swinney demands action as he warns cost of living crisis to ?get worse?
7 Apr 2026 at 12:21pm
The Scottish First Minister said the UK Government must protect consumers

Scottish Labour pledge pothole fund to fix ?sorry state? of Scotland?s roads
7 Apr 2026 at 12:17pm
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is vowing to fix Scotland?s roads

Scottish Tory manifesto to launch with focus on tax and cutting benefits bills
7 Apr 2026 at 8:54am
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay is set to make a speech in Edinburgh on Tuesday

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

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Scottish politics today: No IndyRef2 if SNP wins majority, warns Wes Streeting
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the big stories in Scottish politics.

Scottish independence referendum won't happen 'even if SNP wins majority', sa...
12 Apr 2026 at 2:22pm
The UK Health Secretary insisted "we are not going to introduce chaos into the UK by having an independence referendum, absolutely not".

Scotland's party leaders to take part in first TV election debate tonight
12 Apr 2026 at 9:05am
Leaders of the Scottish National Party, Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Greens, Scottish Liberal Democrats and Reform UK Scotland will take part in Debate Night on the BBC.

Ex-Scottish Youth Parliament boss 'who failed Jordan Linden victims' landed n...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
Ben McKendrick stood down as SYP CEO in 2023 in the wake of criticism of his handling of the Linden scandal.

Suspended Labour MSP left in limbo for 7 months over anonymous complaints
12 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
Foysol Choudhury, suspended by the party in September amid an investigation into his conduct, is urging a review of Labour's complaints process.

John Swinney 'has right to demand' IndyRef2 if SNP majority prediction comes ...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
Prof Sir John Curtice said the result forecast in a YouGov poll would make it "more difficult" for Keir Starmer to resist Swinney's indy drive.

'Billions' lost to benefit fraud in Scotland 'should be recouped to cut taxes...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
One of Scotland?s most successful businesswomen, Dr Marie Macklin, has said politicians at Holyrood must get tougher on welfare abuse.

Suspended councillor who fought Flamingo Land Loch Lomond bid launches 'David...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
Sid Perrie, 75, was suspended for six months without pay in February over bullying allegations.

Rip-off Tartan Army train fares at World Cup in Boston 'must be rethought'
12 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
The SNP's Paul McLennan wrote to transport officials in Massachusetts, US where Scotland fans face quadruple rail fares.

Anas Sarwar pledges to end rough sleeping in five years if he becomes First M...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
The Scottish Labour chief made the pledge as charity Crisis Scotland urged all parties to commit to eradicating homelessness by 2040.

The National

The National | Politics

Donald Trump has now verified that Gaza was a template genocide
12 Apr 2026 at 6:33pm

AS Israel cut its genocidal path through and across Gaza, too many media outlets, with very few exceptions, refused to acknowledge or accept the news coming from the media personnel in Gaza.

SNP mock 'cringey' Scottish Labour and LibDem leaders over unearthed 'love yo...
12 Apr 2026 at 6:13pm

THE LibDems have been accused of being ?simply a foil for the Labour Party? after an unearthed social media exchange between the two parties? leaders showed them joking about having a ?bromance? ...

Labour MSP hopeful mocked over 'embarrassing' Scottish elections blunder
12 Apr 2026 at 5:09pm

IF you are a Labour candidate at the Scottish parliament elections, the first thing you'll want to do is make sure you understand the voting system ...

UK bases in Cyprus 'non-negotiable', armed forces minister says amid 'colonia...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:38pm

THE armed forces minister has dismissed doubts about the future of Britain?s bases in Cyprus, after the island?s president called for talks about their status once the Iran war is over ...

Reform UK deputy leader's company 'broke law by not paying £120k in tax'
12 Apr 2026 at 4:04pm

REFORM UK deputy leader Richard Tice?s business broke the law when it failed to pay almost £120,000 in tax ...

'Patently untrue': SNP minister accuses Jackie Baillie of telling lies in BBC...
12 Apr 2026 at 3:00pm

AN SNP minister accused Jackie Baillie of telling lies during a heated debate on the BBC on Sunday ...

US will 'immediately' blockade Strait of Hormuz after failed Iran talks, Trum...
12 Apr 2026 at 2:17pm

THE US will blockade the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump has said after his administration?s talks with Iran ended without agreement.

Fury as Labour 'stick two fingers up' at Scots over independence vote
12 Apr 2026 at 1:49pm

LABOUR have been accused of ?sticking two fingers up? at Scots after Wes Streeting said the UK Government is not going to allow a second referendum even if the SNP win a majority ...

No second referendum for Scotland even with SNP majority, Wes Streeting says
12 Apr 2026 at 12:30pm

WES Streeting has said it does not matter if the SNP win a majority in the Holyrood elections, the UK Government is not going to ?give? the people of Scotland a referendum on independence ...

'UK Government can't stand in our way of independence,' John Swinney warns
12 Apr 2026 at 11:45am

JOHN Swinney has warned that the UK Government ?can't stand in the face? of Scottish independence if the SNP are voted back into power in the Holyrood elections in May ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Domestic abuser jailed after wife?s suicide in Scottish legal first
10 Apr 2026 at 12:30pm
Lee Milne subjected Kimberly Milne to sustained abuse

Renters to be given ?first refusal? on house sales under SNP plan
10 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
First Minister John Swinney said his party would introduce new legislation to give renters priority to buy their home at a fair market price.

Local Authorities Guide: South Lanarkshire Council
9 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
Council leader Joe Fagan answers questions about local authority

Poll: Greens to become Scottish Parliament?s second biggest party
8 Apr 2026 at 6:00pm
Scottish Labour predicted to slump to worst-ever result

Scotland must act now on screen time for under-fives, says expert
8 Apr 2026 at 4:52pm
Many children aged five and below are exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for screen time

Conservative manifesto ?may not survive contact with reality?, think tank claims
8 Apr 2026 at 3:00pm
Doubts over Russell Findlay's 'costed and credible' plan

Holyrood editor shortlisted for Scottish Press Awards
8 Apr 2026 at 12:44pm
Mandy Rhodes is nominated in the Interviewer of the Year category

Local Authorities Guide: South Ayrshire Council
8 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
Council leader Brian Connolly answers questions about local authority

Opposition anger as Glen Sannox ferry pulled from service again
7 Apr 2026 at 1:04pm
CalMac blames engine troubles

Scottish Conservatives to launch manifesto focused on lowering income tax and...
7 Apr 2026 at 2:49am
The party will outline its plans today in Edinburgh, with its leader, Russell Findlay, expected to focus on the cost-of-living crisis

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Votes for populist parties in May elections will put NHS at risk, Streeting says
12 Apr 2026 at 4:55pm
Exclusive: Health secretary warns of dangers of protest vote as he pitches NHS as key elections battlegroundVoters in May?s local and devolved elections risk putting the NHS in jeopardy if they vote for populist parties, Wes Streeting has said, as he sought to make the health service a key battle...

Starmer implies he didn?t tell Trump he was ?fed up? about his impact on risi...
10 Apr 2026 at 4:30pm
Prime minister says conversation with US president on Thursday night focused on need for ?practical plan? to open strait of HormuzTony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, has joined those saying the government should allow drilling for oil and gas in the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields in the No...

Four in 10 UK parents struggle to afford essentials for newborns, study says
9 Apr 2026 at 3:02pm
Exclusive: Survey of 2,000 people by Barnardo?s also finds almost half feel their child has missed opportunities due to costFour in 10 parents across the UK are struggling to afford essential items for the care of their newborn babies, according to research.The survey of 2,000 parents with childr...

UK politics: Starmer warns ?lot of work to do? to make ceasefire permanent at...
8 Apr 2026 at 6:00pm
PM will meet leaders in the region to discuss diplomatic efforts to support the ceasefire agreed between the US and IranOpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is proposing the extension of the four-day working week, as a response to AI taking over some of the work done by humans. But for the Conserv...

Scottish Labour pledges £30m to top up artists? income to a living wage
8 Apr 2026 at 4:34pm
Anas Sarwar says scheme would be part of overhaul of arts funding in ScotlandLabour has pledged to spend £30m on giving Scottish artists and musicians a living wage, mirroring a similar scheme in Ireland guaranteeing artists a basic income.Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said the scheme ...

UK politics: Farage says Trump?s Iranian ?civilisation will die? threats went...
7 Apr 2026 at 6:28pm
The Reform UK leader says he is ?shocked? by the remarks which were ?over the top in every single way?The Green party is backing resident doctors who are on strike. This morning the party issued a statement on the dispute from its co-deputy leader, Mothin Ali, saying:Rather than shifting goalpost...

?Seismic change?: how election wins for nationalists in Celtic nations could ...
7 Apr 2026 at 6:00am
With polls suggesting Plaid Cymru, the SNP and Sinn Féin could be in power after May vote, constitutional challenges may lie aheadIn four weeks, the shape of British politics is likely to change dramatically. For the first time, nationalists who aspire to break up the UK are expected to be in con...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Anas Sarwar, the Wile E Coyote of Scottish politics
10 Apr 2026 at 9:34pm
You can smell the desperation from Scottish Tory Holyrood leader Russell Findlay. At a campaign event, the soon to be sacked Findlay, pulled out the anti-English racism card against the SNP, accusing them of basing many of their policies on “a pretty bitter streak of anglophobia.” That’s rich, coming from a man who has doubled …

Daring to dream of an SNP majority
7 Apr 2026 at 11:35am
Yet another opinion poll has placed the SNP on track to win a majority in its own right in May’s Holyrood election, a majority which First Minister John Swinney has said would trigger a second independence referendum. The new poll, by Find Out Now for The National, projects the SNP to take 67 seats, giving …

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 …

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

Energy Minister shanks hails Scots having to clean up after a French-owned nu...
12 Apr 2026 at 5:44pm
In the Irvine Times on 10 April 2020: Energy minister Michael Shanks on Hunterston takeover – ENERGY Minister Michael Shanks MP has hailed the UK Government?s takeover of Hunterson B as ?a very significant moment? in the site?s long history. In an exclusive interview, Mr Shanks – who was born in Irvine and attended school in Prestwick – said returning to Hunterston brought back memories of visi...

Scots to meet £400 million cost of their share of £5 billion to nationalise B...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:56pm
BBC Lincolnshire today has: British Steel ‘needs nationalising by the summer’ – British Steel needs to be brought into public ownership by the summer if a deal between its Chinese owner and the government fails, an MP has said. Labour MP Nic Dakin told the BBC that was “the best outcome” for the business to move forward and get investment while talks with firm Jingye are ongoing, as the tenure ...

NHS Scotland trains nearly TWICE as many nurses, per capita, as NHS England e...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:25pm
The Herald and other press operating in Scotland today have this story from the Royal College of Nursing: Scotland is currently missing the equivalent of an entire year?s cohort of nursing students, with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) warning that rapid action is necessary to address the declining number of people applying to study nursing. The RCN has stated that more than 3,500 fewer stud...

Barnardo?s find 7 in 10 ?UK? parents want the SNP Baby Box which may have ste...
10 Apr 2026 at 7:56am
In the Guardian today: Four in 10 UK sic parents struggle to afford essentials for newborns, study says – Exclusive: Survey of 2,000 people by Barnardo?s also finds almost half feel their child has missed opportunities due to cost and four paragraphs down well away from the ‘UK’ headline: In Scotland, all parents are eligible for a box of baby essentials that includes clothes, books, a changi...

Why would there be an explosion at ?a dockyard in Fife? where the local Labou...
9 Apr 2026 at 5:37pm
From BBC Scotland: Edinburgh, Fife & East today: Firefighters tackling scrap metal blaze at Rosyth dockyard – Firefighters are tackling a scrap metal fire at a dockyard in Fife. The Scottish Fire Rescue service (SFRS) were called to the scene at the Port of Rosyth at about 03:00. Locals reported hearing an “explosion” and “loud bang” in the early hours of the morning on social media. https://ww...

CalMac ferries problems definitely not dominating real election campaign as t...
9 Apr 2026 at 5:21pm
BBC Scotland today and yesterday: CalMac ferries problems dominate election campaigning – Ferries and the problems besetting CalMac’s services have dominated many of the day’s exchanges on the election campaign. First Minister John Swinney travelled to Stornoway, where he announced a new SNP government would set up a £10m resilience fund to help communities and businesses affected by the recent...

Why do only 202 out of more than 5 423 Scottish GPs , 3.7% (!) ?fear patients...
9 Apr 2026 at 5:05pm
Sometimes I can’t believe they’d do it then they do. The Herald today has the above and: How many GPs are there in Scotland? 5 423. So, this survey has the responses of 285 or 5%. 5%! Was the sample constructed scientifically to be representative, as the pollsters do? No, is was self-selecting, ‘squeaky wheel’. Only those who could be bothered and 95% could not. 71% of the 285 said patient safe...

2 out of 30 ferry services cancelled, one for a day ? The Great Scottish Ferr...
9 Apr 2026 at 9:37am
So, above and below, this is what BBC Scotland correctly calls ‘widespread disruption across the West coast network‘ but which many call a ‘crisis’ and one ‘newspaper’ has compared to the Highland Clearances! Here’s the key to the symbols: The Oban-Colonsay cancellation is only for Thursday. The Mallaig-Lochboisdale-Oban cancellation is until Friday 17 April. The other 28 services, despite, acc...

A resident of Islay is frustrated despite services running normally because?t...
9 Apr 2026 at 9:11am
it’s redeploying the island’s new ferry to a different route, amid widespread disruption across the West coast network. The MV Isle of Islay only started serving the island’s route last week, but today it will be redeployed to Barra to restore a normal service there. The ferry operator says the MV Alfred will move to cover Islay as a second vessel alongside the MV Finlaggan from tomorrow aftern...

CalMac ?concerns? predicted to have almost no effect on Holyrood election res...
8 Apr 2026 at 2:05pm
The Ipsos poll published today has Public transport/roads 10th, with 18%, in the list of issues respondents say will affect their vote. Perhaps surprisingly, given the MSM obsession with them, no poll ever asks about ferries explicitly. An AI estimate, based on media coverage, of the breakdown is Potholes up to 50% of the 18% or 9%; CalMac 25-35% or 6%, A9 dualing 10-20% or 4% and others 10-15%...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote - The ...
12 Apr 2026 at 2:14pm
'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote  The Herald

Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026 - YouGov
8 Apr 2026 at 10:34am
Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026  YouGov

'UK Government can't stand in our way of independence,' John Swinney warns - ...
12 Apr 2026 at 3:11pm
'UK Government can't stand in our way of independence,' John Swinney warns  The National Scot

Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos? -...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:19pm
Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos?  The Irish News

'Absolutely not': Wes Streeting rules out second independence referendum - Th...
12 Apr 2026 at 1:16pm
'Absolutely not': Wes Streeting rules out second independence referendum  The Scotsman

Scottish politics today: No IndyRef2 if SNP wins majority, warns Wes Streetin...
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
Scottish politics today: No IndyRef2 if SNP wins majority, warns Wes Streeting  Daily Record

This deluded Green fanatic will kill off Scottish independence for good - The...
11 Apr 2026 at 6:00am
This deluded Green fanatic will kill off Scottish independence for good  The Telegraph

Five years on: Why the SNP is still the party to beat in Scotland - BBC
29 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Five years on: Why the SNP is still the party to beat in Scotland  BBC

Sir Keir Starmer must treat 'any move towards independence as a threat' to UK...
12 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
Sir Keir Starmer must treat 'any move towards independence as a threat' to UK  Scottish Daily Express

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election - BBC
28 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election  BBC

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

First YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election suggests the SNP could win a m...
10 Apr 2026 at 10:14pm
First YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election suggests the SNP could win a majority  YouGov

SNP pledges 'first refusal' for tenants to buy private rental homes - BBC
10 Apr 2026 at 11:21am
SNP pledges 'first refusal' for tenants to buy private rental homes  BBC

SNP extend their lead while Scottish Labour support slumps - Ipsos
8 Apr 2026 at 9:33am
SNP extend their lead while Scottish Labour support slumps  Ipsos

'Patently untrue': SNP minister accuses Jackie Baillie of telling lies in BBC...
12 Apr 2026 at 3:18pm
'Patently untrue': SNP minister accuses Jackie Baillie of telling lies in BBC clash  The National Scot

SNP and Labour clash over NHS ahead of Scottish elections TV debate - Morning...
12 Apr 2026 at 3:52pm
SNP and Labour clash over NHS ahead of Scottish elections TV debate  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

'The SNP has become a hostile environment for feminists and gender critical w...
12 Apr 2026 at 6:21am
'The SNP has become a hostile environment for feminists and gender critical women'  The Herald

Power in Scotland will be the SNP's to lose once again - Gulf Today
12 Apr 2026 at 5:07pm
Power in Scotland will be the SNP's to lose once again  Gulf Today

SNP calling, haplotype phasing and allele-specific analysis with long RNA-seq...
30 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
SNP calling, haplotype phasing and allele-specific analysis with long RNA-seq reads  Nature

SNP vows to abolish 'crime of passion' murder defence - The Scotsman
12 Apr 2026 at 2:24pm
SNP vows to abolish 'crime of passion' murder defence  The Scotsman

Landlords to be banned from selling to highest bidder under SNP plans - The T...
10 Apr 2026 at 2:01pm
Landlords to be banned from selling to highest bidder under SNP plans  The Telegraph

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

No second referendum for Scotland even with SNP majority, Wes Streeting says ...
12 Apr 2026 at 12:41pm
No second referendum for Scotland even with SNP majority, Wes Streeting says  The National Scot

Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos? -...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:19pm
Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos?  The Irish News

'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote - The ...
12 Apr 2026 at 2:14pm
'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote  The Herald

Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026 - YouGov
8 Apr 2026 at 10:34am
Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026  YouGov

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

Scottish independence referendum won't happen 'even if SNP wins majority', sa...
12 Apr 2026 at 2:22pm
Scottish independence referendum won't happen 'even if SNP wins majority', says Wes Streeting  Daily Record

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election - BBC
28 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election  BBC

Fury as Labour 'stick two fingers up at Scots' over independence vote - The N...
12 Apr 2026 at 3:21pm
Fury as Labour 'stick two fingers up at Scots' over independence vote  The National Scot

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