The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Scottish Government faces legal action threat over Monklands hospital redesign
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
28 Jun 2026 at 12:40pm
North Lanarkshire Council could sue the Scottish Government after ministers ordered a redesign of the £2.1bn Monklands Hospital replacement plan.


Scottish Labour could consider breaking away from UK party in summer review
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
28 Jun 2026 at 10:49am
Former MSP Monica Lennon says Scottish Labour breaking away from UK Labour is ?an option? as the party prepares a summer review after its Holyrood defeat.


A night at the museum: I went to a soiree marking America's 250th and left un...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
28 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Greeted by bunting and balloons festooned with the red, white, and blue of the flag, I am offered a glass of prosecco.


Triumphant Tartan Army defied Trump to save what was destined to be worst Wor...
28 Jun 2026 at 7:56am
WHEN my three boys announced they were buying my husband a flight to Boston for his 60th birthday so he could join the oldest and the youngest on their World Cup adventure, I was conflicted.


Criminologist links Murrell's escalating crime spree to marriage breakdown
28 Jun 2026 at 5:01am
A leading criminologist has linked Peter Murrell's escalating spending on luxury goods using money embezzled from the SNP to the unravelling of his marriage to Nicola Sturgeon.


The man with the money: How Peter Murrell is able to repay £400,000 SNP embez...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Peter Murrell once bragged he was "the man with the money". We take an in-depth look at how the former SNP chief built his fortune.


'Demonisation': Citizens Advice Scotland's fury at far-right manipulating com...
28 Jun 2026 at 6:15am
As extremists target Scotland?s poorest areas, the Citizens Advice service tells our Writer at Large of its plans to tackle demonisation and misinformation head on


King Charles urges MSPs to 'protect Scotland's extraordinary environment'
by Tom Jeffreys
27 Jun 2026 at 2:23pm
The King told the Scottish Parliament to protect ?Scotland?s extraordinary natural environment? as he and the Queen attended the opening of its new session on Saturday


'Intolerance and conspiracy' fuelling division and fear after Edinburgh attacks
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 Jun 2026 at 8:45am
People who 'promote intolerance and conspiracy' are making Muslims feel less safe and fuelling division, two MSPs have said


'He was abused instead of loved': Partner says Tony's life shows why care mus...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
27 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Nicola Ferguson's late partner Tony McDonald suffered years of physical and emotional abuse in Scotland's care system.


Labour tax rises blamed as Scottish construction firms 'on the brink'
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
27 Jun 2026 at 5:00am
Nearly half of construction machinery hire firms expect to cut entry-level jobs as tax rises and soaring costs threaten apprenticeships and housing targets.


Council which spent £75k to avoid public consultation will hold public consul...
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
A Scottish council spent close to £75,000 fighting a court battle to avoid holding a public consultation over the sale of a piece of land - only to announce it would hold one anyway


Parties respond to Holyrood remote working crackdown
27 Jun 2026 at 5:02am
Political parties have responded to a crackdown by Holyrood's new Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson on remote working by MSPs.


CalMac's new ferries bought early as Turkish yard faces financial pressure
by jody.harrison@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Jody Harrison
26 Jun 2026 at 1:08pm
Two of the ferries are due to be delivered this year - with the third coming in 2027

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Senior figures say Labour united behind Burnham and dismiss prospect of election
28 Jun 2026 at 2:39pm

Mr Burnham defied national trends to increase Labour?s vote share in the Makerfield by-election

Monica Lennon, who lost her seat at last month's election, said nothing should be off the table as the party debates its future

Former colleagues are struggling to come to terms with Murrell?s crimes

The North Sea industry is pleading with Andy Burnham to end the Labour UK government?s opposition to oil and gas.

Holly Bruce is the new MSP for Glasgow Southside - and has big plans now she has made it to Holyrood.

While the country basked in the sunshine this week, one thing became glaringly obvious - we are not remotely ready for the new normal.

Wings over Scotland

Ping-Pong-Fiddle-Aye-No
27 Jun 2026 at 2:44pm
Alert readers will have found it hard not to notice that Wings is currently focused on trying to solve one mystery above all others: why nobody has been prosecuted for a massive theft of hundreds of thousands of pounds, which took place in open sight, beyond any dispute, and is openly admitted by someone who …

The Promise
26 Jun 2026 at 3:18pm
This is the letter the SNP sent donors to the ringfenced 2017 fundraiser. The terms are right there in the first sentence, and repeated several more times. The money will be “ring fenced for a future referendum”. It’s to “build up a sizeable war chest to fight the campaign when the time comes”. It’s to …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Craig Murray

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

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

The UK Joins the Pirates

Sentencing the Innocent
13 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm

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

Sentencing the Innocent

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

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

The Joy of Resistance

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

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

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland

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

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

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review – Stitch-Up Incoming?

Dr Manivannan
14 May 2026 at 6:00pm

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

Dr Manivannan

BBC Scotland

Scottish Labour's election 'disaster' due to unpopular PM - Lennon
28 Jun 2026 at 12:43pm
Former Labour MSP Monica Lennon says voters could not get beyond Keir Starmer's unpopularity.

King urges MSPs to help build a 'fair and prosperous society'
27 Jun 2026 at 1:13pm
The ceremony, which featured pageantry, poetry, drama and music, marked the beginning of the seventh session of Holyrood.

Ferries agency pays in full for unfinished CalMac ships built in Turkey
26 Jun 2026 at 3:31pm
CMAL has taken legal ownership of three ships as the shipyard faces economic challenges.

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

Why is the King opening the Scottish Parliament during summer recess?
26 Jun 2026 at 6:20am
King Charles and Queen Camilla will be at Holyrood on Saturday to mark the official start of the 7th session of the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish government rejects £2bn hospital replacement plans
26 Jun 2026 at 4:20pm
The health secretary said the Scottish government was unable to approve the plans in the current financial climate.

Big changes proposed to reduce Scotland's prison population
26 Jun 2026 at 7:25am
The changes would see fewer criminals jailed and hundreds of prisoners get out of jail earlier in an attempt to tackle the prisons overcrowding crisis.

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

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

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

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

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

Scot Goes Pop

By-election sensation as SNP *gain* seat in Aberdeen - John Swinney's party a...
27 Jun 2026 at 8:40pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsamp...

Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsample result in ...
26 Jun 2026 at 9:27am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Andy Burnham's plan to rip up the Barnett Formula means he is ri...

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

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

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

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

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

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

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Scotland?s safety put at risk by Westminster?s armed forces cuts, says SNP
27 Jun 2026 at 7:27pm
Analysis commissioned by the party shows the size of the UK armed forces has been cut by every Labour and Tory government for nearly half a century.

King calls for debate with ?respect? at opening of Scottish Parliament session
27 Jun 2026 at 2:27pm
Charles and Camilla also met local heroes nominated by MSPs for their ?extraordinary contribution? to communities

How are Scottish Labour MPs handling Keir Starmer?s resignation?
26 Jun 2026 at 6:42pm
Andy Burnham is the party's latest MP, and also looks set to take the reins from Starmer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Peter Murrell scandal puts role of Crown Office in the 'spotlight' after Doro...
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
The Crown has repeatedly denied Dorothy Bain had any role in the decision to prosecute Peter Murrell and drop an investigation into Nicola Sturgeon.

Andy Burnham is not a 'messiah' for Scottish Labour as party needs 'more cont...
28 Jun 2026 at 11:50am
Monica Lennon, who lost her seat at last month's Holyrood election, has previously called for Scottish Labour to break away from the UK party.

'SNP officials were so devoted to Nicola Sturgeon - one offered to take a bul...
28 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
Party whistleblowers told how Sturgeon loyalists 'cried for Nicola' in 2021 SNP NEC meeting when news of Alex Salmond inquiry emerged.

Scottish Government 'break pledge' to reform 30-year rules on sewage dumping ...
28 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
Sewage leaked into Scottish waters at least 23,672 times in 2025, discharging 22billion litres of waste water into the environment.

John Swinney slammed for giving MSP at heart of scandals new top job
28 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
Newly elected MSP Kirsten Oswald handpicked by Swinney for top team despite involvement in raft of SNP scandals.

SNP 'fears' inquiry into Peter Murrell scandal as 'many members were complici...
27 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: An expert on the party said SNP whistleblowers who tried to speak out were "harassed, bullied and marginalised" by other members.

SNP accused of 'deception and betrayal' after axing Monklands hospital replac...
26 Jun 2026 at 10:39am
A former health secretary warned the decision to axe a £2.1 billion plan to build a new hospital in North Lanarkshire was a "hammer blow to one of the poorest communities in Scotland".

Ex-SNP branch secretary warned about party's 'financial problems' three years...
26 Jun 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The former Nationalist office bearer said John Swinney's refusal to support an independent inquiry into the Peter Murrell scandal made him "very suspicious".

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

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

The National

The National | Politics

Expert rubbishes Scottish media claim 'SNP want to ban short prison terms'
28 Jun 2026 at 12:37pm

AN expert has called out an ?inaccurate? Scottish media claim that the SNP ?wants to ban all prison sentences of less than five years? ...

Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figu...
28 Jun 2026 at 10:50am

SCOTTISH Labour will reconsider its position on independence and a second referendum, a former party leadership contender has said ...

Thousands join anti-racism demo in Edinburgh week after terrorism-linked stab...
28 Jun 2026 at 9:54am

THOUSANDS of protesters took to the streets of Edinburgh in an anti-racism demonstration after a racist attack in the city, stating that ?an injury to one is an injury to all? ...

Andy Burnham wants to 'change devolution powers,' Labour minister says
28 Jun 2026 at 9:23am

ANDY Burnham ?wants to change? devolution powers days after he rolled back claims he wanted to ?tear up? the funding mechanism for Holyrood, a Labour minister has claimed ...

Ruth Wishart: Royal taxation simply a reminder of how much they are 'earning'
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

A VICTORY for royal transparency? Hardly. To cough up nearly £13 million to the taxman, King Charles has had to have an income not far short of £27m from ?his? Duchy of Lancaster estate.

Meet the Ukrainian MP on a mission in search of peace
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

UKRAINIAN MP Anna Skorokhod is a woman with a mission. I met her at last week?s Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where she had come to persuade delegates of the urgent necessity of a peace deal with Russia, and she agreed to talk to me for the Sunday National.

Is Andy Burnham heading to Downing Street Labour?s last chance?
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

ANDY Burnham is heading to Downing Street as the eighth Labour PM in history and the seventh UK PM in a decade. Labour do not historically move against and dislodge leaders but MPs finally reached for the ejector switch with Keir Starmer ? the first Labour leader to be removed since George Lansbury in 1935.

Will the SNP need to rethink independence in Andy Burnham?s UK?
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

Experts weigh in on whether the UK's prime-minister-in-waiting could cause problems for Scottish independence campaign

Police, plants and perspective in a world losing its moral compass
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

?AS a gardener myself?, says the helpful police officer, assigned to my case, ?I would be outraged if someone had cut back my prime specimen without

Andrew Tickell: Custodial sentencing sleight of hand is serving no-one well
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

I WENT to a conference presentation a few weeks back, which posed a provocative question. Can it be right that our courts are routinely imposing prison sentences which have only a remote relationship with reality?

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

John Swinney urged to apologise to former SNP members ?bullied into quitting?...
26 Jun 2026 at 6:00pm
Tory leader Russell Findlay raised the issue at FMQs

Kate Forbes: Christian viewpoints being squeezed out of UK politics
26 Jun 2026 at 11:28am
Former deputy first minister of Scotland gave speech at Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference

Why the summer of sport matters for businesses and communities in Scotland
26 Jun 2026 at 7:00am
Scotland's summer of sport creates an opportunity to strengthen communities and ensure the benefits of these events are felt long after the crowds have gone home.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The feeding frenzy
26 Jun 2026 at 12:13pm
Peter Murrell was sentenced on Tuesday for a crime of which the SNP was the victim. That has not diminished the appetite of the media in Scotland to continue its witch hunt. Ever since Murrell pleaded guilty the media in Scotland has descended into a feeding frenzy. You’d be forgiven for thinking that it was …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Per capita Scotland?s international football team performs 8 times better tha...
28 Jun 2026 at 12:54pm
Correlate population with international footballing results to show how countries like Scotland and England compare Analyses of FIFA rankings and population show a positive but moderate correlation (roughly Pearson r ? 0.5 between population rank and FIFA rank). Larger populations tend to produce better-ranked teams on average because they offer more potential players to select from. England vs...

All three of the first major hydropower projects in ?Great Britain? in 40 yea...
28 Jun 2026 at 12:26pm
From the Guardian today: Great Britain?s first new major hydropower projects in more than 40 years are expected to move ahead after the energy regulator gave a provisional green light to three proposals as part of a plan to reduce the country?s reliance on energy imports. All three of the new pumped storage hydroelectric power station projects are due to be built in northern Scotland, where the...

Scotland?s Immigration Problem ? Very well done by the Scotland Channel and v...
28 Jun 2026 at 10:43am
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgkuPZxeFxc According to YouGov only 26% of those who were born in England, Wales or Northern Ireland voted Yes, little more than half the equivalent figure (49%) amongst those born in Scotland. In contrast, the division of the vote amongst those who were born outside the UK (many of whom would have been Irish, Commonwealth or EU citizens) was much less d...

8.1% of the population but only 3.9% of the defence spending ? does this Aber...
28 Jun 2026 at 9:49am
Aberdeen-born, former Royal Marine Commando and MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, Al Carns, is being platformed as a ‘dark horse’ in the Labour leadership story. From BBC England today: Former defence minister Al Carns has said a major economics speech due to be given by Andy Burnham will help him decide whether to challenge the Labour leadership favourite. Carns resigned as Armed Forces Minister ea...

Scottish Government agency having to rescue three unfinished ferries for isla...
27 Jun 2026 at 3:55pm
From the UK Defence Journal yesterday, indicating the kind of broader definition of national security, we hear more of today: Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited has taken ownership of the three remaining vessels under construction at the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey as a precautionary measure to support their completion and delivery, the publicly-owned ferry operator stated. The three ships, MV Loc...

Such is BBC bias they gave as much effort to reporting an SNP figure who embe...
27 Jun 2026 at 11:41am
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, left, and Peter Murrell former CE of the SNP, right. Did you know Donaldson’s rape victim was a 7 or 8 year-old primary school pupil? That detail is being suppressed but the Telegraph, 5 days ago, did refer to it, if quietly: Would you expect these two, quite different cases, to get differing levels of media coverage? On the ...

Will the Scottish Labour MPs protest the tax breaks for the ?shameful? Palant...
27 Jun 2026 at 11:05am
From Open Democracy yesterday: Palantir is benefiting from millions of pounds of tax deductions that allow it to pay very little corporate tax in the United Kingdom despite soaring profits, an investigation by openDemocracy reveals. The controversial tech firm has won at least £670m in UK public contracts in recent years, which have helped to make the country its second-largest market by revenu...

Be Careful What You Sound Like
27 Jun 2026 at 10:36am
By Mark E. Saunders of ?The Scottish Minuteman? https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 When we read through today?s article abovefrom The Daily Express, it appears to be little more than comedy gold worthy of Armando Iannucci. Read it in the context of Scottish history, however, and it becomes something rather more sinister. The debate is supposedly about authenticity. But auth...

Scotland?s football decline attributed by researchers to loss of balance, rhy...
26 Jun 2026 at 2:06pm
It’s been suggested by leading Ayrshire academic dancer, Gavin Ochiltree, that: ‘Scotland’s football went backwards when Scottish country/highland dancing was done away with in schools. Balance and fleetness of foot were what gave us the edge when we had decent Scottish football teams.’ Is there evidence to support this? Scottish country dancing involves precise footwork, quick changes of direc...

Scotland?s ambulances between 2 and 3 tines faster thousands of times but Dai...
26 Jun 2026 at 10:42am
There are some minor problems in comparing the data for England and Scotland but you can be sure that were they to favour the former, they?d be widely reported. Here?s why they?re not: In January 2024, BBC UK made direct comparison possible: Via the BBC?s How long do patients wait for an ambulance? app, we can confirm that the average waiting time for a Scottish ambulance was 8 min and 46 secs:...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

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

Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell - Enlighten - Scotland's Independ...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell  Enlighten - Scotland's Independent Think Tank

Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figu...
28 Jun 2026 at 10:58am
Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figure says  The National Scot

Why should Scots stick with UK after Starmer debacle? - The Australian
26 Jun 2026 at 9:10am
Why should Scots stick with UK after Starmer debacle?  The Australian

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

EU expert gives verdict on Scottish European relations ten years after Brexit...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
EU expert gives verdict on Scottish European relations ten years after Brexit vote  The Herald

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

Friend or foe? How Andy Burnham will deal with the SNP - The Times
27 Jun 2026 at 6:00pm
Friend or foe? How Andy Burnham will deal with the SNP  The Times

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

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Dishwasher cleaner used to wash floors at SNP super-hospital - The Times
26 Jun 2026 at 3:38pm
Dishwasher cleaner used to wash floors at SNP super-hospital  The Times

Peter Murrell scandal puts role of Crown Office in the 'spotlight' after Doro...
28 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
Peter Murrell scandal puts role of Crown Office in the 'spotlight' after Dorothy Bain briefed John Swinney  Daily Record

Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unw...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unwrapped  BBC

How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled ...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled  BBC

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

In pictures: The shopping spree Peter Murrell went on with money embezzled fr...
23 Jun 2026 at 10:32am
In pictures: The shopping spree Peter Murrell went on with money embezzled from SNP funds  Sky News

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

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

Sturgeon defends 'no comment' police interview after SNP funds probe arrest -...
27 May 2026 at 8:00am
Sturgeon defends 'no comment' police interview after SNP funds probe arrest  BBC

Sturgeon showed 'remarkable lack of curiosity' over SNP finances, Cherry says...
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Sturgeon showed 'remarkable lack of curiosity' over SNP finances, Cherry says  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figu...
28 Jun 2026 at 10:58am
Scottish Labour to rethink stance on independence and referendum, senior figure says  The National Scot

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

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

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

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

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

How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years s...
19 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years since the referendum?  YouGov

Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell - Enlighten - Scotland's Independ...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell  Enlighten - Scotland's Independent Think Tank

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