The Herald

The Herald | Politics


IFS hits back at Reform after party attacks thinktank's independence
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
23 Mar 2026 at 4:34pm
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has defended its independence after Reform UK branded it the ?siren voice of the status quo?.


Findlay claims Starmer could 'flip-flop' on opposition to second independence...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
23 Mar 2026 at 3:55pm
Russell Findlay says Sir Keir Starmer could bow to pressure for a second independence referendum if the SNP secures a Holyrood majority.


Reform candidate controversy went from bad to worse. Should we have expected ...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
23 Mar 2026 at 3:26pm
Nigel Farage describes past vetting as 'piss poor' - it's only got worse.


No 'evidential basis' to justify quizzing Swinney or Sturgeon over QEUH says ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
23 Mar 2026 at 3:08pm
Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney will not be recalled to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry over the troubled QEUH opening, but a new note still criticises government oversight and reveals how ministers were left unaware of critical risks.


Workers who lost jobs after Mossmorran shutdown could benefit from £9m cash b...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
23 Mar 2026 at 3:05pm
The UK Government announced the cash infusion on Monday, seven weeks after production halted at the plant in early February.


?Unapologetic feminist? to stand for Scottish Greens in key target seat
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
23 Mar 2026 at 2:45pm
Kate Nevens will contest the Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith constituency, the veteran campaigner announced on Monday.


SNP to hold on to power at Holyrood for fifth term despite Reform and Green s...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
23 Mar 2026 at 2:07pm
Participants generally believed that the SNP would lose seats, while Reform and the Greens would see large gains.


Mhairi Black swaggers onstage with a can of Tennent?s and within minutes I?m ...
by Ashley Davies
23 Mar 2026 at 1:40pm
Mhairi Black: Difficult Second Album, Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, four stars: Democracy?s loss is entertainment?s gain, and a packed house at the gloriously refurbished Citizens? Theatre laps up her easy-going schtick


?Catastrophic breakdown?: Scottish home care leaders warn of funding gap
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
23 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
Home care services in Scotland are heading towards a "catastrophic breakdown" unless the funding deficit is brought under control, experts have warned.


Russell Findlay: Conservatives on right side of public opinion on key issues
23 Mar 2026 at 5:01am
The Scottish Conservatives are on the right side of public opinion on all key issues, party leader Russell Findlay will say.


Maternity standards aim to end ?postcode lottery? after safety concerns raised
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
23 Mar 2026 at 10:16am
New maternity care standards aim to improve safety and consistency across Scotland as concerns grow over inequality, staffing and access to services.


Students reveal why they vandalised historic Glasgow University building
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
22 Mar 2026 at 4:20pm
Students have been engaged in a years-long battle to convince senior managers to relinquish investments in the defence sector.


Anti-war protestors picket at Prestwick amid row over US military planes
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
22 Mar 2026 at 3:50pm
First Minister John Swinney has repeatedly said that he does not have the power to do so, as foreign affairs is a policy area reserved to the UK Government.


Reform candidate claimed asylum seekers 'pose higher sexual risk' to women
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
22 Mar 2026 at 2:43pm
Ms Holt wrote: ?Politicians may be loath to link the unprecedented rise in sexual crime in Glasgow to its status as the UK?s asylum-seeker capital"

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


New details emerge over Lord Advocate's Murrell memos to John Swinney
23 Mar 2026 at 1:23pm

The issue of who was told what, when and why over Peter Murrell?s indictment for fraud have plagued the Lord Advocate

Russell Findlay has warned Reform will not protect the union as he took aim at ?extremists? in Nigel Farage?s party.

Enquiries are ongoing.

The report comes after a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) was launched into the suicides of Katie Allan and William Lindsay

Labour MP Euan Stainbank urged the Scottish Government to be ?honest? and ?drop the political posturing?.

It?s beyond tiresome how Scotland has been conducting itself lately

But an energy expert warned that increased drilling in the North Sea would not reduce energy prices.

Wings over Scotland

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 …

When the law breaks the law
19 Feb 2026 at 1:33pm
There is a not particularly funny joke that is sometimes told in legal circles about why a law student failed to finish his coursework ? because he had no conviction. With rare exceptions lawyers aren?t renowned for their sense of humour but I can?t help thinking someone, at the highest levels of our justice system, …

The Future Is Yesterday
18 Feb 2026 at 2:10pm
So on the one hand there’s obviously very little point paying attention to the SNP’s regional list candidates for May’s Holyrood election, because as this website has comprehensively demonstrated over recent months, the chances of the SNP having any list MSPs elected are remote. However, nothing is impossible, so let’s take a look at the …

Scotland In Numbers
17 Feb 2026 at 11:30pm
Cost of keeping vital rape crisis services in Glasgow operating: £500,000. Amount of money wasted by the Scottish Government fighting and losing court cases to try to remove women’s rights: £1.14 million. Angry yet?

The Longest Road
16 Feb 2026 at 1:23pm
As the six-year fight for justice for Alex Salmond continues, we thought you might like to see this clip from this morning’s Mike Graham Show, interviewing Paul McManus, the businessman and drummer in Glasgow rock band Gun who’s stepped up to fund the Salmond family’s case against the Scottish Government despite disagreeing with much of …

The Modern Politician
10 Feb 2026 at 5:17pm
A play in three acts: And you thought ours were spineless. Poor old Anas, though. If 24 hours is a long time in politics these days, a week is forever. And a month hardly even bears thinking about. As for a year and a half, well, the less said the better.

Craig Murray

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?

Fighting Back Against Zionist Control of the UK
12 Mar 2026 at 8:06am

I today met our legal team and instructed them to submit an application for interim relief in the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. If successful this will immediately lift the proscription in Scotland, pending the review. Scores of people in Scotland face imminent conviction for terrorist offences simply for exercising free …

Fighting Back Against Zionist Control of the UK

Metro Workers of Caracas
10 Mar 2026 at 6:39am

President Nicolás Maduro is a working-class man, a bus driver who worked his way to office through the trade union movement. Compare that to the Western “elite”. In Caracas I joined a rally of his fellow Metro workers, many of whom know him personally, demanding his release after kidnap by the US. I intend to …

Metro Workers of Caracas

Joy at Death and Destruction
7 Mar 2026 at 12:39pm

The United States and Israel are both revelling in inflicting the maximum possible death and suffering on Iran. After the genocide in Gaza, on a far larger field in Iran, those in power in Israel and the USA have a lust to kill and they revel in impunity. The Epstein files reveal the same dynamic. …

Joy at Death and Destruction

BBC Scotland

Ministers 'did not know' about problems at scandal-hit hospital before opening
23 Mar 2026 at 6:03pm
An update from the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry says any political pressure to open the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital was applied "in ignorance".

UK government announces £9m Mossmorran investment
23 Mar 2026 at 5:26pm
The chemical plant in Fife ended production after 40 years and is expected to be fully decommissioned by 2028.

Has Scotland's NHS recovered from the Covid pandemic?
23 Mar 2026 at 6:20am
The sixth anniversary of Scotland going into lockdown also marks the final phase of a £1.2bn plan to help the NHS bounce back from Covid - did it work?

Outgoing MSPs leave Holyrood with relief, regret and unfinished business
22 Mar 2026 at 9:16am
A record 42 MSPs are stepping down, from grandees to first timers - they share their reasons why.

Reform UK suspends Scotland candidate over financial allegations
20 Mar 2026 at 6:54pm
Scotland leader Malcolm Offord told BBC Radio Scotland that the party had "spent a lot of time on vetting" candidates

The council where no administration can get its budget passed
22 Mar 2026 at 9:20am
Every administration in Dumfries and Galloway has seen its spending plans defeated since 2022.

How could AI change Scotland's public services?
21 Mar 2026 at 9:41am
Ministers forecast an explosion in AI and want to reap the benefits for services and the economy.

Police separate protestors at Holyrood anti-immigration rally
21 Mar 2026 at 4:46pm
Officers kept protestors apart outside Holyrood as an anti-immigration rally sparked a counter demonstration.

Reform vows to cut Scottish income tax below UK rate
19 Mar 2026 at 8:15pm
Nigel Farage's party has launched a manifesto and unveiled its candidates for the Holyrood election.

Mould alert over damp wall panels at new Aberdeen hospital
20 Mar 2026 at 5:20pm
Plasterboard and insulation at the Baird Family Hospital and The Anchor Centre have been stripped out after they were allowed to get wet.

Concern over high number of women on remand at HMP Stirling
20 Mar 2026 at 10:38am
HMP Stirling's deputy governor says soaring numbers of inmates on remand are hampering rehabilitation.

Reform UK's Scottish manifesto pledges analysed
19 Mar 2026 at 7:33pm
BBC Scotland journalists have analysed some of the policies in Reform's manifesto for the 2026 Holyrood election.

Scot Goes Pop

Thank you, your lordship! Sensational Ashcroft poll shows SNP on highest vot...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:58am
The contents have it!  I'll try to make a video about this poll when I have a spare moment, but for now the basic facts deserve mentioning, because they bode extremely well for the SNP.  Lord Ashcr...

A further thought on the defeat of the assisted dying bill
23 Mar 2026 at 12:53am
I just want to comment briefly on Andrew Tickell's column about the Scottish Parliament's rejection of the assisted dying bill.  He argues that the opponents of the bill, if they want to be logical...

Are the results of independence polls being deliberately manipulated by organ...
22 Mar 2026 at 12:32am
As explained in the previous blogpost, my main concern about the data tables from the Survation / Scotland in Union propaganda poll is that they show beyond all reasonable doubt that some responden...

Survation cross a Rubicon by actively and knowingly pushing a fraudulent prop...
19 Mar 2026 at 10:46pm
As I pointed out in my video last night, the polling company Survation have seemingly prided themselves over the years on maintaining a particularly high standard of political neutrality and balanc...

Greens stay ahead of Labour for THIRD week in a row - SNP lead by 5 in Scotland
19 Mar 2026 at 12:52am
Later in this video I also give some preliminary thoughts on the ever-absurd latest outing for the Survation / Scotland In Union propaganda poll - although there's a limit to what I can say about i...

Why the new ScotRail minimum fare is unfair for passengers
18 Mar 2026 at 7:37pm
I only discovered a couple of days ago that ScotRail are introducing a minimum fare of £10 for tickets bought on the train, except when you've boarded at a station where there is no ticket office o...

Stephen Daisley owes the Scottish Parliament an apology tonight
17 Mar 2026 at 10:51pm
The vote on assisted dying went the way I hoped it would, although even three hours ago I was still very pessimistic.  I think one thing all of us can agree on is that the standard of debate was ex...

Reddit tries to explain Stew - but struggles
17 Mar 2026 at 10:28am
Today is going to be an unpleasant day, because the stakes are high and the outcome is unpredictable, so I thought you might appreciate some light relief.  A Reddit thread suddenly appeared yesterd...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

UK Government pledges £9m to support workers at Mossmorran plastics plant
23 Mar 2026 at 3:00pm
ExxonMobil closed the Fife plant early last month after claiming it was no longer financially viable.

Do not hammer families with massive passport price hike, SNP tells Starmer
23 Mar 2026 at 7:45am
Pete Wishart said it was wrong for the Prime Minister to allow inflation-busting cost spikes to go when the cost-of-living crisis is rising.

Violent incidents in schools more than doubled since last election ? Labour
22 Mar 2026 at 2:39pm
John Swinney has been accused of ?sitting on his hands? as school violence reaches ?crisis point?

Swinney rejects assertion he cancelled briefing on US military use of airport
20 Mar 2026 at 1:22pm
The First Minister was due to be briefed on the situation on Thursday

Reform suspends Holyrood candidate less than 24 hours after being announced
20 Mar 2026 at 12:08pm
The party said it is investigating reports surrounding Stuart Niven?s financial conduct

Reform?s Scottish leader defends candidates after ?fruity? comments emerge
20 Mar 2026 at 10:17am
Malcolm Offord said everybody in their lives has ?said something intemperate?

John Swinney and Kate Forbes set for last joint engagement
20 Mar 2026 at 10:06am
The First Minister and his deputy will be in Ayrshire for an ?exciting announcement? for Scotland?s economy

Nicola Sturgeon says leaving Holyrood is a ?wrench? as she makes final speech
19 Mar 2026 at 9:00pm
The former first minister of Scotland is stepping down from Holyrood at the next election

Scotland at a crossroads ahead of ?critical? election, says Reform?s Offord
19 Mar 2026 at 6:21pm
Party members met on Thursday as Reform?s candidates were announced and the policy platform was launched

Nigel Farage says all mass religious observances should be banned
19 Mar 2026 at 5:02pm
He said the Open Iftar in Trafalgar Square on Monday was an ?attempt to overtake, intimidate and dominate our way of life?

Swinney to consider planning law change in wake of Glasgow fire
19 Mar 2026 at 3:52pm
An MSP has suggested transport bodies should have more say on which businesses can operate near key hubs

John Swinney to face MSPs at Holyrood for FMQs after Assisted Dying Bill defe...
19 Mar 2026 at 11:54am
The First Minister will take questions from MSPs at Holyrood from noon.

Greyhound racing banned in Scotland in ?landmark win for animal welfare?
18 Mar 2026 at 10:01pm
MSPs backed a bill to make it an offence to operate a racing track for greyhounds

Anas Sarwar apologises over ?deeply disappointing? stroke comments
18 Mar 2026 at 8:43pm
The Scottish Labour made a joke about being photographed in a 'stroke pose' during a live-streamed press conference

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Moaning Malcolm Offord in rant about media exposes on extreme Holyrood candid...
23 Mar 2026 at 5:31pm
Reform UK's leader in Scotland lashed out after a barrage of negative publicity on his party's slate of Holyrood candidates.

Why the UK is a global leader in helping rid the world of deadly mines
23 Mar 2026 at 2:03pm
In an article for the Daily Record, Labour MP Alan Gemmell writes of his experience of demining in Angola and the vital work carried out by the HALO charity.

Scottish politics today: Reform Scotland candidate chaos continues
23 Mar 2026 at 1:46pm
The Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the day's Scottish politics news.

Scottish Labour promise 1,500 extra classroom assistants in schools if they w...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:20am
The promise was made after Labour announced a series of attack ads on the SNP Government on their record on schools.

Reform Scotland's Holyrood candidates part of 'racist' and anti-Muslim Facebo...
23 Mar 2026 at 8:48am
The revelation comes after a number of Reform candidates were exposed for extreme views.

Scottish Labour needs sharp dividing lines with the SNP if they are to put up...
22 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says Labour are miles behind the SNP in the polls and need to ditch their innate caution and small c conservatism.

Nearly three quarters of Reform's Holyrood constituency candidates are men
21 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Reform in Scotland has been blasted for their record on gender balance.

Action needed more than words amid call for 'tailgating' ban in Scotland
21 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
Record View says Holyrood should mirror the Unauthorised Entry Act and bring in banning orders for those who sneak into matches.

Parties must be clear in the election on how they will reduce child poverty
21 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
In an article for the Record, IPPR Scotland Director Stephen Boyd says benefits play a huge role in tackling poverty.

Scottish politics today: Reform Scotland meltdown over Holyrood candidates
20 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the day's Scottish politics news.

The National

The National | Politics

Why North Sea drilling will not solve the UK's energy security problems
23 Mar 2026 at 6:06pm

POLLING showing overwhelming public support for using oil and gas resources in the North Sea to strengthen the UK?s energy security misses some important context.

Scottish ministers learned of hospital problems years after opening, inquiry ...
23 Mar 2026 at 5:26pm

SCOTTISH ministers were not aware of issues with the water and ventilation systems at a flagship Glasgow hospital until years after it was opened, a new document from the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry has revealed.

Iranian man charged after 'trying to enter Faslane' released from custody
23 Mar 2026 at 5:22pm

AN Iranian man who was charged after allegedly trying to enter the naval base where Britain?s nuclear submarines are based has been released from custody pending further inquiries, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has said.

Al Jazeera journalist 'intimidated' while reporting on Golders Green arson at...
23 Mar 2026 at 5:17pm

FOOTAGE has shown an Al Jazeera journalist being "intimidated" while reporting on the Golders Green ambulance arson attack in London

UK deploys military planners into US central command as part of Iran war
23 Mar 2026 at 4:44pm

THE Ministry of Defence (MoD) has deployed military planners into US central command forces to ?develop options? in the war with Iran, the Defence Secretary has said.

Scottish Tories target children and disabled people in benefits cut plans
23 Mar 2026 at 4:19pm

Russell Findlay has railed against benefits spending and wants to cut payments for children.

Second Tory MSP accused of using AI to generate 1400 Holyrood questions
23 Mar 2026 at 3:46pm

A second Tory MSP has been accused of using AI to generate hundreds of questions for the Scottish Government costing the public purse 'over £200,000 in one year'

Keir Starmer: Iran war could go on for some time
23 Mar 2026 at 3:42pm

KEIR Starmer has suggested the conflict in Iran "could go on for some time" despite Donald Trump saying he was considering "winding down" operations.

BBC?s ?dumbest question?? The Laura Kuenssberg-Israel row explained
23 Mar 2026 at 3:40pm

The latest episode of The National?s podcast is now online

Despots will keep wreaking havoc until our political systems change
23 Mar 2026 at 3:00pm

JONATHON Shafi?s article (West?s attitude to killing shows colonial mindset, Mar 17) is certainly partially correct but misses the fact that many killings, atrocities and genocides are ordered by individuals who have risen to power within democratically defunct political systems.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Bridging the survival divide
23 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
The Scottish Government has made ?2.5m of funding available for the provision of 1,000 community defibrillators, something British Heart Foundation Scotland believes will improve survival rates in disadvantaged communities

Paul O?Kane: I regret turning off my critical thinking on gender reforms
23 Mar 2026 at 1:00am
The Labour MSP said there was ?a lot that I regret? about the passage of the bill

Reform?s self-financing tax cuts ?a mirage?, says Institute for Fiscal Studies
20 Mar 2026 at 3:40pm
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said self-funding tax cuts were a ?mirage? created by a ?misunderstanding or misrepresentation? of the devolution settlement.

Scottish Reform candidate suspended over Covid loan
20 Mar 2026 at 11:40am
Stuart Niven under investigation as Malcolm Offord defends 'fruity' candidate comments

FOI requests handled with ?impartiality and integrity?, John Swinney says
19 Mar 2026 at 3:53pm
The Scottish information commissioner said last week he could no longer trust ministers with the Salmond files

Malcolm Offord pledges to cut taxes as he sets out Reform's Holyrood manifesto
19 Mar 2026 at 3:42pm
Speaking at Reform?s conference at Bishopton near Glasgow, Malcolm Offord said he wanted to create a ?wealth economy? and that Scotland was ?broken?, languishing in ?middle-table mediocrity?.

John Swinney unable to block use of Prestwick for US jets involved in Iran war
19 Mar 2026 at 1:20pm
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay made the call for the ban during FMQs

Ivan McKee: Public sector data quality limiting new tech potential
18 Mar 2026 at 5:08pm
Scotland?s public sector?s data maturity landscape is ?uneven?,?Ivan McKee has said, which is limiting the ability to adopt new technologies

Liam McArthur rules out fresh assisted dying bill after election
18 Mar 2026 at 3:31pm
But he said he was ?confident? that the next attempt to legalise it would pass

AI copyright opt-out scrapped as UK Government seeks more time for reform
18 Mar 2026 at 3:00pm
Labelling to be considered for AI-generated content

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

?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...

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...

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...

Reform UK suspends Scottish candidate less than a day after announcing him
20 Mar 2026 at 2:24pm
Stuart Niven found to have diverted Covid grants to personal account as party faces criticism for candidates? Islamophobic remarksReform UK has suspended one of its Scottish candidates after it emerged he had been struck off as a company director, and the party faces growing attacks for fielding ...

Supporters of Scotland?s assisted dying bill frustrated by lack of backing fr...
18 Mar 2026 at 6:41pm
Just three of Labour?s 20 MSPs in Holyrood voted for bill, despite support for legislation in House of CommonsSupporters of Scotland?s assisted dying bill have said they are frustrated a significant majority of Labour MSPs voted against the proposals, despite Labour?s substantial support for the ...

Scottish parliament votes against legalising assisted dying
17 Mar 2026 at 10:44pm
MSPs reject bill after concerted campaign to block it and despite amendments intended to placate criticsThe Scottish parliament has voted against legalising assisted dying after critics and religious groups led a concerted campaign to block the measures.MSPs voted 69 to 57 to reject the proposals...

The Guardian view on the fragile politics of the union: Labour?s woes have co...
17 Mar 2026 at 6:41pm
Following May?s elections, first ministers committed to independence could be in place in Edinburgh, Cardiff and BelfastThe general election of July 2024 did not just call time on a decade and a half of Conservative rule. It also delivered the most pro-Union parliament since the early 2010s, when...

Zelenskyy says Europe is a ?global force? that can stand against any other po...
17 Mar 2026 at 6:22pm
Keir Starmer previously reassured that the war in Iran would not distract the UK from supporting Ukraine Nigel Farage is speaking now at the Reform UK event.The website promoting the lottery is up. It is called nigelcutmybills.com. Continue reading...

Trump says he is ?not happy? with UK as he criticises Starmer for being overl...
16 Mar 2026 at 6:19pm
President says PM should be more supportive over strait of Hormuz Keir Starmer is speaking at his press conference.The war is entering its third week, he says.First, we will protect our people in the region.Second, while taking the necessary action to defend ourselves and our allies, we will not ...

UK faces ?seismic moment? as nationalists target election wins, says John Swi...
14 Mar 2026 at 6:22pm
SNP leader hails prospect of success for parties in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland that want to break up unionThe UK is facing an ?absolutely seismic moment?, John Swinney has said, with the prospect of the election of first ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in May who are a...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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 …

What the end of Alba means for May?s election and the broader independence mo...
9 Mar 2026 at 5:35pm
Well that’s it. The Alba party has gone and will not be contesting the Holyrood election in May, or indeed any elections in the future. Unlike some, I am not gloating about the party’s demise even though I was never a supporter of it. I kept my thoughts about Alba largely to myself despite coming …

Labour?s dangerous plans for NHS Scotland
8 Mar 2026 at 4:33pm
The Holyrood elections are just eight weeks away. This will be a critical election for Scotland’s future and it is more important than ever that Scotland returns a pro-independence majority, ideally an SNP majority to the Scottish Parliament. It’s not just the future of hopes for independence which is at stake. This election is also …

A personal milestone and yet more good polling news
5 Mar 2026 at 4:19pm
I’m going to start on a personal note. Almost eight years after we got married and over ten years that we have been together, my husband has finally become a British, or should I say Scottish citizen. It’s been a long, expensive, and stressful journey, but we got there, and now we are immune to …

The BBC?s odd indy poll, more polls, and BBC Scotland?s double standards
4 Mar 2026 at 3:38pm
There are some very odd things going on with the BBC’s Savanta poll on Scottish independence. An analysis of the polling data by Independent Voices, @indyvoices.bsky.social on BlueSky, also pointed out by the regular poster Statgeek in the comments section of this blog, notes that the poll reports a peculiarly high percentage of those who …

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

Eight prisoners die in cell-fires in England, none in Scotland after SNP impl...
23 Mar 2026 at 1:47pm
Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this. In the Guardian today: Tens of thousands of prisoners in England and Wales at risk of cell fires – Earlier this week, the Guardian reported on the inquest of Clare Dupree, a woman with severe mental illness who died in a fire in her cell at HMP Eastwood. There have been at least eight other deaths in cell fires in prisons since 2011. https://www.theguar...

Tory Lord ?s less 2014-like poll puts SNP close to 40%, Tories sixth and last...
23 Mar 2026 at 11:06am
Who owns Lord Ashcroft Polls: Michael Anthony Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft, KCMG, PC (born 4 March 1946)1 is a British-Belizean businessman, pollster and politician. He is a former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party. Ashcroft founded Michael A. Ashcroft Associates in 197223 and was the 132nd richest person in the UK, as ranked by the Sunday Times Rich List 2021, with an estimated fortu...

How can there be ?home care facing catastrophic breakdown? in a system which ...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:41am
Today, the Herald has: Home caring services are heading towards a ?catastrophic breakdown?, Scottish ministers have been told as industry leaders warn the funding deficit is becoming uncontrollable. Concerns over the sustainability of social care in Scotland have been growing in recent years, with local government body Cosla warning £750 million is needed just to stabilise the vital industry. I...

Reposted to counter Herald front page today ? Carers in Scotland now better o...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:24am

BBC Reporting Scotland Down, todays latest lie ? Prisons inspector did not sa...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:02am
facing people being held in young offender institutions. BBC Reporting Scotland in their BBC Breakfast inserts, today, repeatedly. What are the risks of? Suicide. What is the evidence? Two suicides in 2018. ‘Urgent action‘ still required after 8 years? No, the full BBC Scotland website report does not feature the word ‘urgent‘ at all. The Reporting Scotland Down editor has agreed that for effec...

As Canada today remembers a ferry sinking with two lives lost in 2004, there...
23 Mar 2026 at 12:08am
From Global News today: Twenty years after the sinking of the Queen of the North, a former chief executive of BC Ferries says the tragedy remains one of the darkest moments in the company?s history. In an interview with Global News, former president and CEO David Hahn recalled the night the ferry struck Gill Island in Wright Sound and sank, saying the situation was ?bewildering? and ?very scary...

To hit London, Iran would need a missile launch site in Europe, maybe Albania...
22 Mar 2026 at 6:48pm
BBC UK tonight telling us that Iran, after hitting Diego Garcia, could hit European cities including London with one of its long range missiles and showing us the above ranges. It was like 2003 and Iraq’s missiles, we were told then, a threat within only 45 minutes of hitting the UK. Then we got this blobby image. Why didn’t they, as expected, draw perfect circles around Tehran? Do they think w...

Reposted as Scotsman today lies through its?.How can violent crime by childre...
22 Mar 2026 at 4:39pm

Local press unafraid to tell the truth about where this Country Lines drug cu...
22 Mar 2026 at 3:49pm
Thanks to Graham for alerting me to this. In the P&J two days ago: Once more, the local press unafraid to tell the truth about where this curse originates though the term ‘North West of England’ means Liverpool. How bad is this?

Scottish Labour laughably claim 450 ?high paid? airport jobs but at only £11k...
22 Mar 2026 at 3:31pm
The SNP saved Prestwick airport from closure just over 12 years ago, protecting around 3 200 jobs in the airport and in the surrounding area and boosting the local economy by £61 million annually. https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/report/the-scottish-government%E2%80%99s-purchase-of-glasgow-prestwick-airport We’re used to having a wee laugh at Scottish Labour sums but that £5 million won’t go f...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

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

Russell Findlay 'finally right about something' as SNP take dig at indy claim...
23 Mar 2026 at 6:50pm
Russell Findlay 'finally right about something' as SNP take dig at indy claims  Thenational Scot

Findlay claims Starmer could 'flip-flop' on opposition to second independence...
23 Mar 2026 at 4:14pm
Findlay claims Starmer could 'flip-flop' on opposition to second independence vote  The Herald

John Swinney will use independence push to hide major cuts to Scottish public...
23 Mar 2026 at 1:26pm
John Swinney will use independence push to hide major cuts to Scottish public services - and tax rises  Scottish Daily Express

Exclusive: Lord Ashcroft poll puts SNP ahead as Labour struggles before Holyr...
23 Mar 2026 at 12:10am
Exclusive: Lord Ashcroft poll puts SNP ahead as Labour struggles before Holyrood vote  Holyrood Website

John Swinney says Scotland can only get control over energy through independe...
23 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
John Swinney says Scotland can only get control over energy through independence amid Iran crisis  Daily Record

SNP maintain polling lead in Scotland but four in ten say they may change the...
4 Mar 2026 at 12:16pm
SNP maintain polling lead in Scotland but four in ten say they may change their minds  Ipsos

All for Independence ? the Many Faces of George Galloway - Bella Caledonia
22 Mar 2026 at 7:20pm
All for Independence ? the Many Faces of George Galloway  Bella Caledonia

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

George Galloway to 'campaign and vote for Yes' after U-turn on Scottish indep...
22 Mar 2026 at 11:05am
George Galloway to 'campaign and vote for Yes' after U-turn on Scottish independence  Thenational Scot

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP 'downplayed' complaints about former council leader, trial hears - BBC
23 Mar 2026 at 3:36pm
SNP 'downplayed' complaints about former council leader, trial hears  BBC

SNP to hold on to power at Holyrood for fifth term despite Reform and Green s...
23 Mar 2026 at 2:07pm
SNP to hold on to power at Holyrood for fifth term despite Reform and Green surge  The Herald

SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner SE: Release according to Article 40, Secti...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:10am
SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner SE: Release according to Article 40, Section 1 of the WpHG the German Securities Trading Act with the objective of Europe-wide distribution  TradingView

Sexual offences trial of former SNP council leader hears from alleged victim ...
18 Mar 2026 at 4:58pm
Sexual offences trial of former SNP council leader hears from alleged victim  BBC

The records of the Conservatives, Labour and the SNP have condensed into ?a s...
23 Mar 2026 at 3:02am
The records of the Conservatives, Labour and the SNP have condensed into ?a strong need to give someone a sore face?: My latest polling from Scotland  Lord Ashcroft Polls

Favourability towards Reform UK dips in Scotland while the SNP?s ratings hold...
18 Mar 2026 at 6:51pm
Favourability towards Reform UK dips in Scotland while the SNP?s ratings hold up  Ipsos

Blow for Unionist parties as Scottish business leaders favour SNP in new poll...
23 Mar 2026 at 5:10am
Blow for Unionist parties as Scottish business leaders favour SNP in new poll  Thenational Scot

Exclusive: Lord Ashcroft poll puts SNP ahead as Labour struggles before Holyr...
23 Mar 2026 at 12:10am
Exclusive: Lord Ashcroft poll puts SNP ahead as Labour struggles before Holyrood vote  Holyrood Website

SNP Government 'had year to prepare' for church upkeep fund changes - despite...
23 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
SNP Government 'had year to prepare' for church upkeep fund changes - despite claiming it found out in January  The Scotsman

Douglas McAllister MP opinion: "Every aspect of Scottish life is broken or in...
23 Mar 2026 at 4:16pm
Douglas McAllister MP opinion: "Every aspect of Scottish life is broken or in crisis"  Clydebank Post

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

George Galloway to 'campaign and vote for Yes' after U-turn on Scottish indep...
22 Mar 2026 at 11:05am
George Galloway to 'campaign and vote for Yes' after U-turn on Scottish independence  Thenational Scot

George Galloway says he will 'campaign and vote for' Scottish independence - ...
22 Mar 2026 at 10:11am
George Galloway says he will 'campaign and vote for' Scottish independence  The Herald

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

Swinney could ?bludgeon? Starmer into referendum, claims Findlay - Ireland Live
23 Mar 2026 at 1:27pm
Swinney could ?bludgeon? Starmer into referendum, claims Findlay  Ireland Live

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

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

Scottish leader John Swinney says SNP winning majority in May election would ...
17 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney says SNP winning majority in May election would be green light for indyref2  Sky News

No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says - BBC
27 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says  BBC

Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK's political landscape shi...
24 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK's political landscape shifts  Courthouse News