The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Peter Murrell in fresh legal aid row as he prepares for SNP embezzlement repa...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
3 Jun 2026 at 4:00pm
Peter Murrell faces a fresh row over his eligibility for legal aid after his lawyer told the High Court he was able to repay the sum he embezzled from the SNP.


Did Swinney put loyalty to Sturgeon and Murrell above party?s interests?
3 Jun 2026 at 3:42pm
John Swinney failed to listen to concerns from members about party finances when they were raised in Spring 2021.


'I have no plans to meet Donald Trump during World Cup trip to US', says John...
3 Jun 2026 at 3:25pm
John Swinney has no plans to meet Donald Trump when he heads to the US for the World Cup, he has said.


Q Manivannan given front bench role in new Scottish Green shadow cabinet
by Rachel Keenan
3 Jun 2026 at 2:16pm
The Scottish Greens have given key roles to new MSPs as their new front bench team is announced


Swinney admits SNP independence £600,000 fund was spent on 'general party bus...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
3 Jun 2026 at 1:51pm
John Swinney admitted the SNP has spent the independence fund earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning.


Date of Edinburgh by-election confirmed by council after SNP pair resign
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
3 Jun 2026 at 12:39pm
The surprising decision has sparked dual by-elections in Southside/Newington ward and Portobello/Craigmillar ward on September 3.


Criminologist speculates Murrell 'will have felt pressure from position in so...
by Katrine Bussey
3 Jun 2026 at 12:10pm
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell will have rationalised his embezzlement of more than £400,000, acting on a possible internal pressure to have the ?lavish lifestyle that he craved but could not afford? a criminologist suggested.


National drugs charity backs proposed drug consumption room in capital
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
3 Jun 2026 at 10:00am
The Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) said they welcomed Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership?s consultation about opening a site in the Old Town.


Two SNP councillors resign after three weeks at Holyrood, sparking dual by-el...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
3 Jun 2026 at 8:30am
MSPs Kate Campbell (Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent) and Simita Kumar (Edinburgh South Western) had initially planned to stay on in both roles.


Rescue boat contractors face abuse after 'being confused for Flamingo Land wo...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
2 Jun 2026 at 9:07pm
Contractors working for a rescue boat crew on the shores of Loch Lomond have been "subject to abuse" after confusion over why they are clearing a site in the area.


High Court hears how Peter Murrell hid £400,000 SNP embezzlement using fake i...
by Andrew Learmonth, Rebecca McCurdy and Kathleen Nutt
2 Jun 2026 at 5:59pm
The full, breathtaking scale of Peter Murrell?s £400,000 embezzlement has been laid bare at the High Court in Edinburgh, revealing how the former SNP chief executive used stolen party cash to fund an extravagant array of luxury personal purchases.


Scottish council consistently late in paying its bills 'as far back as record...
2 Jun 2026 at 5:42pm
Highland Council has consistently failed to meet targets for paying bills on time, according to a new report.


Scotland to ban mobiles in schools under new phone?free classroom law
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
2 Jun 2026 at 5:28pm
Scottish ministers will bring in a new law to make all classrooms phone?free, with only limited exemptions for pupils who need mobiles for medical reasons or caring responsibilities.


Holyrood's new Presiding Officer refuses to take 'boring' Murrell questions a...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
2 Jun 2026 at 4:31pm
Holyrood?s new Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson is facing fierce criticism from Labour and Tory MSPs after not taking any questions regarding the Peter Murrell embezzlement scandal during the debut of a revamped First Minister?s Questions.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Alex Cole-Hamilton: Pro-indy parties 'gamed the system' at 2026 Holyrood elec...
3 Jun 2026 at 6:00am

The Scottish Lib Dems have long called for electoral reform, and say the flaws in the system allowed the SNP to win a fifth term in office

The methods Peter Murrell used to embezzle SNP funds have been revealed in court documents.

David Martin?s review of Historic Environment Scotland finds major issues - and makes suggestions for significant changes

Peter Murrell?s thoughts must have turned to what might have been as he sat in the dock of the High Court, Edinburgh

Ivan McKee needs to tackle a massive black hole in the public purse, but insists his new government job is not about ?doing less with less?

New court documents have listed a fitted home library and a wooden library ladder amongst the items paid for with embezzled SNP funds.

The rise of Reform UK does not indicate a country that is becoming more socially conservative - instead it shows a party that has been able to appeal to a distinct group of voters.

Follow along for live updates as Peter Murrell appears in court.

The SNP leader has warned there were a lack of ?adequate controls? within the party at the time Peter Murrell was able to embezzle £400,000 of party funds

Peter Murrell has appeared in court for an agreed narrative relating to his embezzlement of SNP funds was read out.

Details of how Murrell bought the motorhome - and how he used it to stash items bought with party funds - have emerged

Estimated cost of restoring block to acceptable standard doubles to £500,000 per flat

Wings over Scotland

Up The Hill And Down The Slope
3 Jun 2026 at 9:12am
On Sunday, Nicola Sturgeon told Laura Kuenssberg that the SNP’s accounts “went up and down” as her excuse for not noticing that hundreds of thousands of pounds had suddenly vanished from them overnight. ? Several things leap out immediately from that clip. One, there absolutely very much WAS “something glaringly suspicious in the accounts that …

Pandora?s Campervan
2 Jun 2026 at 11:48am
To tell you the truth, readers, we’re suffering from a little bit of option paralysis at the moment, although happily not in the same way Peter Murrell is. The endless torrent of revelations following on from Murrell’s conviction a week ago isn’t just fascinating in its own right – it also forces numerous historical issues …

The View From Row Z
31 May 2026 at 3:11pm
Sadly, this turned out to be prescient this morning. Laura Kuenssberg did give Nicola Sturgeon an uncomfortable time in their interview on her Sunday programme on BBC News, but when confronted with the one gaping open goal that Sturgeon has no answer for – and even when Sturgeon TWICE set it up on a plate …

Nicola?s Summer Reading List
30 May 2026 at 4:16pm
Now that Nicola Sturgeon is finally free of her gruelling MSP workload, which could give her anything up to two extra hours of spare time a week, she might like to start making a proper dent in the contents of her fully-loaded bookshelves. (At least until they’re seized and sold under the Proceeds Of Crime …

Marvola The Memory Woman
29 May 2026 at 7:53am
The multi-statement meltdown that has been the unravelling of Nicola Sturgeon this week has been quite something to behold. Last night, for example, we swear our Twitter feed presented these two tweets one after the other. But then we read something even more extraordinary. Firstly, as Conor Matchett of the Scottish Sun noted, that is …

Friends Without Benefits
28 May 2026 at 1:16pm
We’ll be honest with you, readers, if we were in a situation where a lawyer was issuing statements for us, this isn’t what we’d want to hear. “If my client had been charged, she’d be in prison right now” is a worrying distance short of a vote of confidence in your client’s innocence. But the …

All The Dirt From My Eyes
27 May 2026 at 12:21pm
So, having made a statement on Monday morning which asserted that she wouldn’t make any further statements, then making another statement on Monday afternoon, Nicola Sturgeon and her solicitor issued a third statement in 36 hours last night. And while we acknowledge that this is a very high bar to clear, it contained one of …

No Money Back, No Guarantee
26 May 2026 at 9:39am
Peter Murrell wasn’t even locked up in his cell at Saughton (we hope it’s the same one as Craig Murray’s) when the chump-suckering resumed. And as the Nicola Sturgeon Loyal, led by her most faithful of lieutenants, set out to try to take control of the post-conviction narrative, let’s take a look at just what …

The Final Robbery
25 May 2026 at 1:09pm
So there it is. We did tell you so. There will be no trial, no cross-examination, no explanation. The people of Scotland, the members and supporters of the SNP, the wider Yes movement, none of us will ever know what really happened. Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? We’ll never find out how this …

Only An Excuse
21 May 2026 at 7:45pm
Despite what you or we might think, in the eyes of the Scottish Football Association this ISN’T a pitch invasion. This is simply what a football match in progress looks like. Because according to the absolutely extraordinary statement they’ve released this evening, that was game time. The clock was still running, nothing was being added …

Craig Murray

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

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

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland

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

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

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review – Stitch-Up Incoming?

Dr Manivannan
14 May 2026 at 6:00pm

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

Dr Manivannan

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE
13 May 2026 at 6:03am

While the Court of Appeal has now stopped the High Court contempt of court action against Rajiv Menon KC for defending his client, this is purely on procedural grounds. They ruled that Judge Johnson had to go via the Attorney General to the High Court, not direct. It is now referred back to Johnson who …

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK?s Central Nervous System
11 May 2026 at 7:32pm

Unquestioning Zionism has for decades been the entry ticket to the British political and media Establishment. Anybody who was not a fully certified and compliant zionist would find their career limited – as Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Duncan, Robin Cook and David Mellor all found. Most others, of course, were never allowed to progress that far. …

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK’s Central Nervous System

The 2026 Scottish Elections
6 May 2026 at 5:40pm

We get so trapped inside the logic of the UK’s crazy electoral systems we often do not see what is really happening. Two thirds of active voters, voted against Starmer’s Labour at the last general election. He was always highly unpopular. Just as Starmer’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election was based on only …

The 2026 Scottish Elections

BBC Scotland

Scottish government found in contempt over Salmond files
3 Jun 2026 at 3:03pm
The Court of Session said the Scottish government repeatedly missed dates to disclose information requested by FOI.

Swinney says £660,000 independence fund used on SNP 'objectives'
3 Jun 2026 at 2:45pm
Questions over the fund led to the police investigation that has exposed Peter Murrell's £400,000 embezzlement.

Scottish Secretary did not declare meeting with Mandelson's firm
3 Jun 2026 at 2:58pm
Newly-released files confirm Douglas Alexander met with Global Counsel in summer 2024 but it was not publicly declared until earlier this year.

Will Aberdeen's energy future decide the by-election?
3 Jun 2026 at 6:26am
The forthcoming poll in the north-east is a reflection of a local and national debate about Scotland's energy future.

We now know how Peter Murrell embezzled from the SNP - but not why
3 Jun 2026 at 6:26am
Details revealed in court show the persistence, cynicism and devious tactics used by the former chief executive.

Murrell used fake invoices to cover up £400,000 spending spree
2 Jun 2026 at 4:08pm
The former SNP chief executive is facing a lengthy jail sentence after admitting embezzling funds from the party.

How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled
2 Jun 2026 at 6:30am
BBC Scotland News has collated all of the goods bought by ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell in his £400,000 embezzlement.

Schools urged to act on mobile phone use ahead of law change
2 Jun 2026 at 5:41pm
A consultation on legislation and new national guidance will be launched by the end of June.

In pictures: Motorhome and wine coaster among items embezzled by Murrell
2 Jun 2026 at 12:51pm
Peter Murrell appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday when details of the way he tried to cover up his crimes were read out.

What we now know about how Peter Murrell hid his embezzlement
2 Jun 2026 at 1:23pm
For the first time we hear how Peter Murrell, the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, used SNP funds to illicitly purchase more than 1,000 items

Record high number of children refused mental health help
2 Jun 2026 at 1:42pm
Scottish ministers say the CAMHS service is only right for certain young people with serious mental health difficulties.

Scottish Parliament to restore MSP gender search after trans survey
1 Jun 2026 at 9:49pm
The Scottish Parliament has asked MSPs to disclose their sex and trans status as part of a new survey.

Scot Goes Pop

ONE-FIFTH of Reform UK voters in Scotland would vote Yes to independence, say...
1 Jun 2026 at 2:25pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE. Other recent videos: ASTOUNDING poll surge for SNP: how Stew's "Accidental Clouseau" moment may have SAVED party he hatesMore polling ...

ASTOUNDING surge for SNP in new Norstat poll: how Stew's "Accidental Clouseau...
31 May 2026 at 3:27am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE. Other recent videos: More polling reassurance for SNP as by-elections approach, while Greens reclaim second place GB-wideGreens almost...

More polling reassurance for SNP as by-elections approach, while Greens recla...
30 May 2026 at 2:21am
In view of recent requests, I've also uploaded a podcast version of the above video on Soundcloud as a trial run, just to see if there's any interest in the audio-only format.  It's on Spotify too....

Unveiling the new funding model for Scot Goes Pop
28 May 2026 at 7:26pm
Click here to visit my new Ko-Fi page.On Sunday I published a blogpost explaining that my experiment of using YouTube as a more sustainable funding model for Scot Goes Pop wasn't really working out...

Greens almost draw level with Labour in GB-wide YouGov poll, SNP have double-...
28 May 2026 at 8:00am
In view of recent requests, I've also uploaded a podcast version of the above video on Soundcloud as a trial run, just to see if there's any interest in the audio-only format.  It's on Spotify as w...

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION: Newly-elected Scottish Parliament decides by 72 votes to...
27 May 2026 at 8:36am
Other recent videos: Is Scottish independence "closer now than on the day before the 2014 referendum"?What was the REAL vote share for pro-independence parties at the 2026 Holyrood election?First M...

As "Self-determination Tuesday" dawns, is Andy Maciver right to say independe...
26 May 2026 at 2:05pm
For anyone who would like to help support my YouTube channel, I've set up a new Ko-Fi page HERE, which offers the options of either a small recurring monthly subscription, or a one-off donation.  (...

Let's examine the evidence: does RevStew's "brave" Ba'athist propagandist com...
25 May 2026 at 11:02pm
The controversial far-right blogger "Stew" has done yet another of his tweets about me without mentioning me by name - he does this regularly so that he can later do his schtick of "look! search fo...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Scottish Government found in contempt over Salmond files
3 Jun 2026 at 3:58pm
Judge Lady Poole said the government had shown a 'lack of respect' for the Information Commissioner.

Keir Starmer faces questions after Henry Nowak case triggers violent clashes
3 Jun 2026 at 12:18pm
The student?s killer claimed he had been the victim of a racial attack while Mr Nowak was handcuffed by police as he lay dying

Swinney pledges to expand mental health support
3 Jun 2026 at 6:43am
Swinney said his Government would support the 'valuable work' the Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) has done.

Education secretary urges schools to act ahead of new legislation on mobiles ...
2 Jun 2026 at 10:07pm
The education secretary insisted there was a 'spectrum of harm' linked to the use of mobile phones and similar devices

What did the second tranche of the Mandelson files reveal?
2 Jun 2026 at 5:18pm
A second tranche of documents on Mandelson's appointment have been released

John Swinney tells of ?horror? at Murrell?s ?colossal breach of trust?
2 Jun 2026 at 2:10pm
The former husband of Nicola Sturgeon stole more than £400,000 from the SNP over 12 years

Peter Murrell?s £124,000 motorhome only ?driven four miles?
2 Jun 2026 at 10:30am
Further details of the former SNP chief executive's embezzlement have been revealed

Serious questions remain over Lord Mandelson appointment despite files releas...
1 Jun 2026 at 5:47pm
Dave Doogan, the party's Westminster leader, said the appointment of Mandelson showed a 'deep rot' at the heart of the government

UK will not have to pay Rwanda millions of pounds over failed migrant deal
1 Jun 2026 at 10:54am
The east African nation sued Britain for more than £100 million after Labour scrapped the Tories' plan under which four people had been deported.

No 10 braced for further embarrassment as more Mandelson papers to be published
1 Jun 2026 at 5:22am
The release of documents is expected to include messages between Lord Mandelson and ministers and government advisers.

Nicola Sturgeon says Murrell has never explained his embezzlement crimes to her
31 May 2026 at 3:43pm
Murrell pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh this week to embezzling the sum from the SNP between 2010 and 2022

Nicola Sturgeon: ?I feel I am serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit?
31 May 2026 at 10:15am
Murrell pleaded guilty this week to embezzling the sum of £400,000 from the SNP between 2010 and 2022.

Sturgeon: I didn?t shut down people raising concerns about SNP finances
29 May 2026 at 8:45pm
Scotland?s former first minister said critics were saying things about her that were ?not true?.

Sturgeon ?learned of items bought by husband with SNP money in the papers?
29 May 2026 at 6:12pm
The former first minister spoke to audiences at a book festival in Wales on Friday as the fallout from her estranged husband's conviction continues

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

The SNP's Holyrood election win is tainted by the Peter Murrell guilty plea
3 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says voters cast their ballots on May 7th without crucial knowledge of Murrell's corruption.

John Swinney admits SNP has spent £650,000 donations 'ring-fenced' for indepe...
3 Jun 2026 at 1:59pm
Concerns over how the supposedly "ring-fenced" cash was spent by the SNP ultimately led to the Operation Branchform investigation and the conviction of Peter Murrell.

Activist who campaigned for far right in France given taxpayer-funded job by ...
3 Jun 2026 at 1:43pm
EXCLUSIVE: John White is doing "comms and research" for Glasgow MSP Thomas Kerr.

Peter Murrell house sale proceeds 'would go to Government and not the SNP' un...
3 Jun 2026 at 11:39am
Money clawed back by prosecutors from any assets owned by Peter Murrell would not flow directly back to John Swinney's party, a leading KC explained.

Nicola Sturgeon's top ally backs inquiry into Peter Murrell corruption scandal
3 Jun 2026 at 9:27am
EXCLUSIVE: Noel Dolan, who was by Sturgeon's side for years as Deputy First Minister, threw his weight behind calls for an investigation.

John Swinney urged to explain if taxpayers' cash helped fund Peter Murrell em...
3 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
Prosecutors said the spending spree undertaken by Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband was funded "principally" by SNP membership fees and donations - leading for calls to explain where the rest of ...

John Swinney admits SNP governance was 'not adequate' after Peter Murrell fle...
2 Jun 2026 at 3:41pm
Swinney appointed Murrell SNP chief executive during his first term as party leader in 2001.

8 things Peter Murrell bought with SNP cash which reveal how he covered up em...
2 Jun 2026 at 1:46pm
As SNP chief executive for 20 years, Peter Murrell had privileged access to the SNP's internal accounting systems and expense accounts. And it allowed him to use some creative descriptions to justi...

Peter Murrell treasure trove rivals the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb for pub...
2 Jun 2026 at 12:17pm
The ham-fisted excuses thought up by Peter Murrell to justify his huge embezzlement are scarcely believable and raise more questions about why he wasn't caught sooner, says Chris McCall

Peter Murrell scandal is 'embarrassing' for Scotland on the world stage, says...
2 Jun 2026 at 11:05am
Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband pled guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP.

The National

The National | Politics

SNP candidate on how Peter Murrell scandal has impacted campaign
3 Jun 2026 at 4:00pm

THE SNP's candidate in a crucial Westminster by-election has said the Peter Murrell scandal has left members with a "sense of betrayal" but remains confident the party can hold onto the seat.

Former SNP convener calls for 'structural reforms' amid Murrell embezzlement ...
3 Jun 2026 at 2:46pm

A FORMER SNP convener has called for ?structural reforms? after Peter Murrell pleaded guilty to embezzling over £400k in party funds ...

Scottish Greens announce frontbench MSPs ? see full list
3 Jun 2026 at 2:43pm

The Scottish Greens have announced their frontbench team, giving key roles to a number of new MSPs

Former Labour MSP Colin Smyth appears in court over drink-driving allegations
3 Jun 2026 at 2:05pm

A FORMER Labour MSP has attended court over allegations he caused multiple crashes in central Edinburgh while over the drink-drive limit ...

Did you donate to the SNP's independence 'fighting fund'? We want to hear fro...
3 Jun 2026 at 2:10pm

DID you donate to the SNP's independence 'fighting fund'? We want to hear from you

I have no plans to meet Donald Trump during World Cup trip, says John Swinney
3 Jun 2026 at 1:52pm

JOHN Swinney has no plans to meet Donald Trump when he heads to the US for the World Cup, he has said

MPs turn on 'unforgivable' Nigel Farage amid Henry Nowak murder
3 Jun 2026 at 12:33pm

FURIOUS MPs collectively turned on Nigel Farage as he ignored calls to condemn riots in England following the murder of Henry Nowak.

John Swinney admits £600k independence 'fighting fund' has been spent
3 Jun 2026 at 12:19pm

JOHN Swinney has admitted that the £600,000 independence fighting fund has been spent, stating that it was ?part of the resources available? within the SNP for campaigning.

Anger as Peter Mandelson introduced Douglas Alexander to lobbying firm
3 Jun 2026 at 11:44am

THE SNP are stepping up pressure on Labour?s Douglas Alexander to quit as Scottish Secretary after files showed Peter Mandelson introduced him to a lobbying firm he set up with links to Russia and China.

Keir Starmer urged to remove Peter Mandelson peerage after files release
3 Jun 2026 at 10:46am

The SNP have called for Keir Starmer to remove Peter Mandelson?s peerage and £75,000 ?golden goodbye? ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

John Swinney says ring-fenced independence fighting fund was used for ?SNP ac...
3 Jun 2026 at 5:40pm
More than ?660,000 was raised through donations between 2017-19 to help campaign for a second referendum

Scottish Government found in contempt of court for not releasing Salmond file...
3 Jun 2026 at 5:30pm
The information commissioner has said ministers must ?reflect carefully? on the ruling

Douglas Alexander meeting with Mandelson firm left off lobbying list 'in error'
3 Jun 2026 at 4:07pm
Talks with Global Counsel held weeks after trade appointment

Scottish Greens confirm frontbench team
3 Jun 2026 at 1:17pm
Three of the party's new MSPs take on cabinet-level portfolios

Scottish Government urges schools to act on mobile phones ahead of legislation
3 Jun 2026 at 12:31pm
Education secretary M?iri McAllan confirmed to parliament that the government will launch a consultation on phone-free classrooms within the first 100 days of government

Peter Murrell campervan was filled with embezzled goods, court hears
2 Jun 2026 at 11:43am
Ex-chief executive's false files revealed

MSPs asked to disclose trans status as Holyrood moves to restore sex data
2 Jun 2026 at 10:46am
A non-binary category was first added to the listing for male and female members after the election before the information was removed altogether

Scottish private hospital admissions reach record high in 2025
2 Jun 2026 at 1:01am
Private hospital admissions in Scotland increased by six per cent last year

Biometrics commissioner urges primary legislation on facial recognition in po...
1 Jun 2026 at 6:30pm
The commissioner has written to the justice secretary asking him to consider legislating for the creation of a statutory basis and framework for the ?limited and proportionate? use of LFR by Police Scotland

Jack McConnell calls for joint Holyrood-Westminster inquiry into Murrell scandal
1 Jun 2026 at 10:25am
The former first minister said the Commons' Public Accounts Committee should hold a probe with the equivalent Holyrood committee.

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

A new elephant in Nicola Sturgeon?s room | Brief letters
2 Jun 2026 at 5:38pm
Murrell?s motorhome | Hooked on Alan Rickman | Football fans | Nine times table | Beauty of maths | It all adds upFollowing Nicola Sturgeon?s bravura performance on BBC One?s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme (Nicola Sturgeon: I feel as if I?m serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit,...

Starmer says he ?felt sick? watching video of Henry Nowak?s arrest ? as it ha...
2 Jun 2026 at 5:32pm
The prime minister said: ?I have seen the body cam footage, it?s harrowing, and I have to say, as a father of a 17-year-old boy, I felt sick watching it.?BBC Scotland has more details of the Peter Murrell hearing this morning on its live blog. And, on its live blog, Sky News has pictures of some ...

Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, co...
2 Jun 2026 at 1:29pm
High court in Edinburgh hears £125K vehicle was described as a van in faked invoice and stocked with luxury goodsThe luxury motorhome that Peter Murrell bought using money stolen from the Scottish National party was driven for only four miles, sitting unused for more than two years.Murrell, then ...

Mandelson described Starmer?s No 10 operation as ?beleaguered and bereft? in ...
1 Jun 2026 at 6:18pm
Peter Mandelson?s unfiltered remarks to cabinet officials are made public in hundreds of pages of documents relating to his appointment as US ambassador Mandelson files show no mitigation of security concernsAt the Downing Street lobby briefing the PM?s spokesperson said the release of the Mandel...

The Guardian view on the Aberdeen South byelection: the politics of energy ta...
31 May 2026 at 5:30pm
While Westminster?s attention is focused on Andy Burnham and Makerfield, another pivotal byelection is taking place in Scotland?s north-eastThe coming byelection in Makerfield, from where Andy Burnham aspires to make rapid progress towards Downing Street, is perhaps the most consequential in Brit...

Nicola?s only crime was to love too much. And to not notice the Jaguar on the...
31 May 2026 at 5:27pm
Rather than being one of the shrewdest operators in British politics for a decade, it turns out Sturgeon was just too trustingYou know how it is. You wake up and look out the bedroom window. You see a brand new Jaguar worth £81,000 parked in the driveway. You smile to yourself. That?s what you lo...

Nicola Sturgeon: I feel as if I?m serving a sentence for a crime I did not co...
31 May 2026 at 3:47pm
Former Scottish first minister says she will not apologise for actions of her ex-husband found guilty of embezzlementNicola Sturgeon has said she feels as if she is serving a sentence for a crime she did not commit, as she denied ever ?consciously? seeing the motor home bought by her estranged hu...

Nicola Sturgeon: ?I should not be held responsible for the wrongdoing of men?
29 May 2026 at 7:41pm
Ex-SNP leader says she appeared on more front pages than her husband this week, adding: ?I don?t think that?s right?Nicola Sturgeon said she ?should not be held responsible for the wrongdoing of men? after Peter Murrell, her estranged husband, admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of pound...

We know what former SNP chief Peter Murrell bought with £400,000 of embezzled...
29 May 2026 at 6:00am
His guilty plea means motive will for ever be a mystery. It just proves that the world can look as hard as it likes at someone?s marriage and never know what?s going onIt sounds like the haul of an unhappy trophy wife, filling her empty days with retail therapy. Three Fortnum & Mason advent calen...

Sturgeon says she was ?deceived, misled and betrayed? by ex-husband Murrell
28 May 2026 at 9:54pm
Murrell has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to embezzling more than £400,00 from SNPNicola Sturgeon said she was ?deceived, betrayed and lied to? by her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, as he embezzled hundreds of thousands of pounds from the SNP.The former first minister told an ...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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

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

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

Branchform?s over and the SNP is still standing
25 May 2026 at 1:41pm
Well, after five long years, murder tents, and over £2 million in police costs, it’s all over bar the inevitable shouting, and of course the not insignificant matter of what is likely to be a substantial custodial sentence. Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party. …

The supposed ?Once in a generation? pledge is a Westminster myth
23 May 2026 at 12:31pm
On Thursday evening’s edition of BBC Reform Time, Fiona Bruce, the completely unbiased and neutral right wing unionist host, editorialised in aid of Tory MP Harriet Cross who had insisted that the question of independence had been “settled” in 2014 and attempts to revisit the matter “have to end, they have to end.” Bruce interjected …

John Swinney fires the starting gun on independence push
22 May 2026 at 1:30pm
He’s not mucking about. On the back of Holyrood’s record pro-independence majority, John Swinney has announced that there will be a debate and vote in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday on securing a Section 30 order for an independence referendum. With 72 pro-independence MSPs in the chamber, the motion will pass easily despite the predictable …

The British media is hiding Holyrood?s independence majorities
20 May 2026 at 5:01pm
Something interesting, and entirely predictable, has been happening in the British media since the SNP comprehensively defeated the parties of Westminster rule in this month’s Holyrood elections, being returned for a fifth term in office in a Scottish Parliament which has its largest ever pro-independence majority, making this the fourth Scottish Parliament in a row …

Something wicked this way comes
17 May 2026 at 1:27pm
We are rightly concerned about Reform UK, which has now gained representation in the Scottish Parliament, although as I had hoped, it performed more poorly than most polls forecast and failed to win a single constituency seat, narrowly missing out to the SNP in the Banffshire and Buchan Coast constituency which had been widely tipped …

The Celtic Alliance can break Westminter?s constitutional logjam
15 May 2026 at 6:33pm
One of the biggest developments in British political history came to pass after the recent parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, yet it predictably went all but unnoticed by a British media which struggles to comprehend England outwith the M25 and for which Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are terra incognita marked “here be dragons” …

Labour?s rigged electoral system has bitten it on the bum
13 May 2026 at 3:51pm
Ever since the Holyrood election last week in which the SNP won a crushing victory over the dependency parties, those parties and their client media have been crowing that John Swinney must drop his “obsession” with independence because the SNP “failed” in the election and did not win an outright majority for the SNP. Alex …

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

Significant economic growth across Scotland?s industry sectors
3 Jun 2026 at 3:34pm
From: Industry statistics: Economic statistics for industry sectors in Scotland, last updated 3 June 2026  Notice anything? Significant growth over the last 15 years of SNP administration? Growth in the last two years? Growth across the majority of sectors? No media coverage? Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/industry-statistics/

STV News seems unable to tell us how tiny the percentage is in Scotland and t...
3 Jun 2026 at 3:32pm
STV News yesterday had: The number of private healthcare admissions in Scotland has hit record levels for a fifth consecutive year, figures show. Statistics released by the Private Healthcare Information Network (Phin) show about 54,000 admissions to private settings in 2025, an increase of 6%. Some 29,470 people were admitted using their private medical insurance, an increase of 5%. The number...

Fair unbiased and accurate assessment of Scottish Government (SNP-led) action...
3 Jun 2026 at 10:52am
By Jim Mennie Reform raised this at FM’ Questions yesterday 2nd June and @StephenFlynnSNP replied. I think it’s only fair that this should be reported factually. The Scottish Government remains the SNP minority administration (58 MSPs). Reform UK holds 17 regional list MSPs and has no executive power. Only the Government can fund, procure and build these projects. Opposition parties can scrutin...

Who says Scots are not different? Frailty among older people is less common t...
3 Jun 2026 at 10:48am
In the Guardian today: GPs in England are so ?overloaded? that they cannot help older people who are at risk of falling in what NHS bosses accept is an unacceptable failure of care, the House of Commons? public accounts committee has said. Pressure on GPs? time has intensified as a result of the government?s decision to give patients online access to their services, according to a report by the...

Murder by stabbing in Scotland has fallen in a steady trend to half of the le...
3 Jun 2026 at 9:36am
BBC UK is focused today on the terrible murder by knife case and subsequent riots in Southampton and BBC Scotland is doing its best to include Scotland in the wider anxiety. Why is it wrong, uninformative? Murder by stabbing in Scotland has fallen in a steady trend to half of the level 6 years ago ? From Knife crime statistics: FOI release, published today, we see that there were 49 homicides b...

Alexander must resign after a career of closeness to Mandelson
2 Jun 2026 at 5:51pm
What are the full reported instances of Douglas Alexander praising Peter Mandelson AFTER the latter had supported and stayed in the home of the convicted paedophile and child trafficker Geoffrey Epstein? Key Reported Praises by Alexander (Post-2024) These emerged from released documents/WhatsApps in 2026, drawing criticism (e.g., SNP calls for Alexander to resign over “sycophantic” messages): h...

Major increase in operations, longer waits plummet, commitments surpassed but...
2 Jun 2026 at 5:22pm
From Number of NHS operations increases Published 02 June 2026 09:35 New figures show the number of operations carried out in the 12 months to April 2026 increased by 7.3% compared to the same period the year before. New statistics from Public Health Scotland show a total of 281,115 operations were performed during the last 12 months, while 770 operations were carried out per day – an increase ...

Child and young people mental health treatment target smashed for 6th time in...
2 Jun 2026 at 3:27pm
From Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting times Quarter ending March 2026 published today, the above graph showing the 90% target beaten for 6 quarters (3 months) in a row, and: 91.2% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, which is an increase from 90.0% for the previous quarter. 3,858 people started treatment in CAMHS. This is an increase of 2.4% (91) f...

NHS Scotland sees significant increase in planned operations, cancellations f...
2 Jun 2026 at 2:52pm
From Cancelled planned operations Month ending 30 April 2026 published today, the above graph and: There were 24,453 operations planned to take place across NHS Scotland. This is 4.7% higher (+1,093) than the number planned in April 2025 (23,360). Over the course of the last 12 months, from May 2025 to April 2026 (308,365), there was a 7.6% increase (+21,716) compared to the previous 12 months ...

Despite increased referrals 80% of psychological therapies begin within targe...
2 Jun 2026 at 2:49pm
From Psychological therapies waiting times Quarter ending March 2026 published today, the above graph and: 79.4% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, which is an increase from 78.6% for the quarter ending March 2025. 19,285 people started PT treatment. This is an increase of 4.3% (796) from the 18,489 starting treatment in the previous quarter, and also an increase of 0.8% (...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

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

Swinney admits SNP independence £600,000 fund was spent on 'general party bus...
3 Jun 2026 at 2:00pm
Swinney admits SNP independence £600,000 fund was spent on 'general party business'  The Herald

Is Scotland still divided on independence? - The Week
28 May 2026 at 1:34pm
Is Scotland still divided on independence?  The Week

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

Did you donate to the SNP's independence 'fighting fund'? We want to hear fro...
3 Jun 2026 at 2:21pm
Did you donate to the SNP's independence 'fighting fund'? We want to hear from you  The National Scot

New poll finds Scots would vote for independence in second referendum - Yahoo...
1 Jun 2026 at 12:21pm
New poll finds Scots would vote for independence in second referendum  Yahoo News UK

Scottish Nationalists Hang On to Power, Without Authority - Jacobin
29 May 2026 at 1:42pm
Scottish Nationalists Hang On to Power, Without Authority  Jacobin

UK Government rejects Scottish parliament's call for new independence referen...
27 May 2026 at 2:00am
UK Government rejects Scottish parliament's call for new independence referendum  The Brussels Times

Scottish independence calls grow after Labour losses shake Starmer?s leadersh...
10 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence calls grow after Labour losses shake Starmer?s leadership  France 24

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

We now know how Peter Murrell embezzled from the SNP - but not why - BBC
3 Jun 2026 at 6:26am
We now know how Peter Murrell embezzled from the SNP - but not why  BBCMotorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, court told  The GuardianPeter Murrell latest: How ex-SNP chief guilty of £400k embezzlement kitted out motorhome 'configured for pleasure'  Sky News

Swinney admits missing SNP funds were spent on day-to-day costs - The Telegraph
3 Jun 2026 at 3:34pm
Swinney admits missing SNP funds were spent on day-to-day costs  The Telegraph

SNP councillors step down after being elected MSPs - BBC
3 Jun 2026 at 4:04pm
SNP councillors step down after being elected MSPs  BBC

Swinney says £660,000 independence fund used on SNP 'objectives' - BBC
3 Jun 2026 at 2:45pm
Swinney says £660,000 independence fund used on SNP 'objectives'  BBC

Former SNP convener calls for 'structural reforms' amid Murrell embezzlement ...
3 Jun 2026 at 2:58pm
Former SNP convener calls for 'structural reforms' amid Murrell embezzlement scandal  The National Scot

SNP accused of defrauding members over 'ring-fenced' referendum fund - The Sc...
3 Jun 2026 at 1:45pm
SNP accused of defrauding members over 'ring-fenced' referendum fund  The Scotsman

SNP candidate on how Peter Murrell scandal has impacted campaign - The Nation...
3 Jun 2026 at 4:38pm
SNP candidate on how Peter Murrell scandal has impacted campaign  The National Scot

Did Swinney put loyalty to Sturgeon and Murrell above party?s interests? - Th...
3 Jun 2026 at 4:21pm
Did Swinney put loyalty to Sturgeon and Murrell above party?s interests?  The Herald

Did you donate to the SNP's independence 'fighting fund'? We want to hear fro...
3 Jun 2026 at 2:21pm
Did you donate to the SNP's independence 'fighting fund'? We want to hear from you  The National Scot

Date of Edinburgh by-election confirmed by council after SNP pair resign - Th...
3 Jun 2026 at 12:42pm
Date of Edinburgh by-election confirmed by council after SNP pair resign  The Herald

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

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

Swinney says £660,000 independence fund used on SNP 'objectives' - BBC
3 Jun 2026 at 2:45pm
Swinney says £660,000 independence fund used on SNP 'objectives'  BBC

Is Scotland still divided on independence? - The Week
28 May 2026 at 1:34pm
Is Scotland still divided on independence?  The Week

Swinney admits SNP independence £600,000 fund was spent on 'general party bus...
3 Jun 2026 at 2:00pm
Swinney admits SNP independence £600,000 fund was spent on 'general party business'  The Herald

Nicola Sturgeon | Biography, Facts, & Scottish Independence - Britannica
31 May 2026 at 6:00am
Nicola Sturgeon | Biography, Facts, & Scottish Independence  Britannica

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

Scottish Devolution: Section 30 Orders - The House of Commons Library
25 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Devolution: Section 30 Orders  The House of Commons Library

Scottish Parliament to move on new independence vote - RTE.ie
26 May 2026 at 5:30am
Scottish Parliament to move on new independence vote  RTE.ie

SNP is Scotland's biggest winner with pressure for independence vote likely t...
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
SNP is Scotland's biggest winner with pressure for independence vote likely to follow  Sky News