The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Police believe Ann Widdecombe was attacked 24 hours before body found
by Press Association Reporters
11 Jul 2026 at 1:43pm
Police believe former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe was attacked in her home nearly 24 hours before her body was discovered and said they are hunting for a white male suspect.


Police investigating Ann Widdecombe?s death release man from custody
by John Besley
11 Jul 2026 at 8:46am
A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe has been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation, police said.


The businessman who funded more than a third of Reform's local campaign
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
11 Jul 2026 at 5:00am
A Port Glasgow businessman?s £5,000 donation made up more than a third of Malcolm Offord?s declared Inverclyde campaign spending.


?You?d think Glasgow was like Disneyland before migrants came. What nonsense?
11 Jul 2026 at 6:00am
On a night walk along Clyde Street and through Union Street, Kevin McKenna tests social media claims that Glasgow?s riverside has become a dystopian migrant ?no-go? zone. Instead he finds a neglected but lively city centre of pubs, taxis and immigrant communities, and argues the real culprit is years of council-led decay and planning failure, not the people who now inhabit these streets.


Andy Burnham urged to cut National Insurance and promises 'growth in every po...
by jade.wright@newsquest.co.uk | Jade Wright
11 Jul 2026 at 12:01am
New analysis shows employers are paying more than £1,000 extra in National Insurance for the average worker following recent tax changes.


Man arrested on suspicion of murdering former MP Ann Widdecombe
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
10 Jul 2026 at 5:49pm
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe


BBC Scotland political editor awarded honorary doctorate by Edinburgh Napier
by rose.moncur@newsquest.co.uk | Rose Moncur
10 Jul 2026 at 5:33pm
BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell has received an honorary doctorate from Edinburgh Napier University.


Top KC says SNP donors could be owed refunds plus years of interest
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
10 Jul 2026 at 11:13am
A leading KC says SNP donors who gave to referendum fundraising appeals could be entitled to refunds plus interest as campaigners prepare legal action.


John Swinney quietly axes Scottish Government's flagship tax advisory group
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
10 Jul 2026 at 10:30am
The Scottish Government has quietly disbanded its Tax Advisory Group following years of internal friction, leaving high-profile economic experts surprised.


Amnesty labels JK Rowling's sexual assault centre Beira's Place as 'anti-rights'
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
10 Jul 2026 at 9:51am
Beira's Place, the sexual assault support centre launched by JK Rowling, has been labelled anti-rights.


Highland Council under fresh scrutiny after rapist granted taxi operator licence
10 Jul 2026 at 8:53am
The former chair of Highland Council?s licensing committee has said a convicted abuser?s crimes were not ?presented? to them when the committee was asked to decide if he was a ?fit and proper person? to hold a short-term let licence.


Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe dies aged 78
by David Lynch
10 Jul 2026 at 7:24am
Ann Widdecombe, the former MP and MEP who also featured on Strictly Come Dancing, has died aged 78.


Gilruth faces £728m budget squeeze as Scottish tax growth lags behind England
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Jul 2026 at 5:12pm
The Scottish Government has defended its tax regime and called for greater fiscal flexibility, warning that upcoming population updates and standard budget reconciliations will alter Holyrood's available funding ahead of December's final statement.


Sorry, Alan Cumming: Pitlochry snubbed as Bute, Leith and Lerwick eye £3m jac...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Jul 2026 at 5:00pm
Leith, Lerwick, and the Isle of Bute have secured spots on the 15-strong shortlist for the UK's first Town of Culture, winning £60,000 each to develop bids for a final £3 million grant.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Why Russian disinformation may be fuelling violence and protests in Glasgow
11 Jul 2026 at 6:00am
Disinformation in Glasgow is stirring up trouble in a similar way to false claims sourced to the Kremlin that inflamed the Southport riots


Princes Street fire: Developer behind hotel project at former Debenhams store...
11 Jul 2026 at 6:00am

?It will likely be a gap site for sometime to come? - property insider

Thomas Widrow said the charity is being ?led over a cliff-edge?

James Hynd had reportedly been under investigation for giving a false statement under oath

Wings over Scotland

It just takes a beat
10 Jul 2026 at 12:58pm
Looks like we turned that round pretty fast, gang. Six weeks ago: And today: Amazing what a draft document and a KC opinion can do, eh? A casual observer might be forgiven for thinking that the SNP was absolutely cold-sweat desperate to avoid a civil case that would set a powerful precedent for a legal …

The Only Notes That Really Count
9 Jul 2026 at 8:01pm
Wings has this evening received a formal legal opinion from Roddy Dunlop KC with regard to the prospects of success of a claim of fraudulent breach of trust by the SNP against donors to the “ringfenced” referendum campaign fundraisers. We attach it below. We continue to seek more people to join the group – if …

Your Call Is Important To Us
9 Jul 2026 at 2:43pm
We’ve had TWO emails from the Crown Office already this week, neither of which says anything except “Please hold”. We’ve added them to our “in due course” collection, also featuring Police Scotland. We’re sure that the answers, whenever they eventually arrive, are going to be absolute bangers. Everyone’s certainly taking the time to have a …

The Interests Of The Many
7 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
As we told you last week, we’ve now had counsel draft our application for a group proceedings action on behalf of donors to the “ringfenced” independence referendum campaign funds which were stolen and spent by the SNP on party business. The draft can be read below. We’ve already gathered dozens of people who are unhappy …

Search And Replace
5 Jul 2026 at 3:34pm
Here’s a passage from Crown Agent John Logue’s recent BBC interview in which he described the crime for which Peter Murrell was just sentenced to five years and three months in prison. You’ll note that we’ve highlighted a few words and phrases in red. JOHN LOGUE: I think the best way I can describe it …

Narrowing the options
3 Jul 2026 at 12:12pm
We’ve just sent this letter to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Dear Sirs/Madams, Thank you for your response, which I have considered with care. I note you have advised that ?full consideration was given to whether the crime of fraud could be established. That investigation did not disclose sufficient evidence of fraud, or …

Fob, Fob, Fobbing Along
2 Jul 2026 at 4:49pm
We have received a further reply from the Crown Office. Alert readers may note that while Wings has repeatedly noted that the misappropriation of the fundraiser money by the SNP could constitute either fraud OR embezzlement (or both), entirely separate to the embezzlement FROM the SNP by Peter Murrell, the Crown Office continues – as …

Tuning In The Shine
2 Jul 2026 at 1:39pm
For any of you who haven’t caught it yet, my interview from Monday’s BBC Scotcast (which is also available on Spotify). ? Sadly due to a summer scheduling quirk the video version won’t go out on the telly, and seemingly not on the BBC YouTube page either, so you’ll just have to listen to the …

Strike A Pose, There?s Nothing To It
1 Jul 2026 at 12:05pm
We’ve already discussed the contents of the videos released last week by the BBC containing interviews with Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston of Police Scotland and Crown Agent John Logue of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. But videos (especially lengthy ones) are always a bit of a pain to reference, and these are …

ACC Houston, We Have A Problem
1 Jul 2026 at 12:04pm
We’ve already discussed the contents of the videos released last week by the BBC containing interviews with Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston of Police Scotland and Crown Agent John Logue of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. But videos (especially lengthy ones) are always a bit of a pain to reference, and these are …

Craig Murray

The Ditching of Nigel Farage
11 Jul 2026 at 8:36am

Nigel Farage is the most consequential British politician of the 21st century. Certainly a more important historic figure than any of the last eight Prime Ministers. Tony Blair is the only realistic rival. Without Farage, the UK would never have left the European Union. Farage’s role in forcing the issue to the top of the …

The Ditching of Nigel Farage

Palestine Action Proscription: We Fight Back
1 Jul 2026 at 12:50pm

I publish below in full the Note we have submitted to Court today to re-establish the separate Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. Not only is the state doubling down on prosecution of pro-Palestine activists, a new National Security State Threats Bill is being fast tracked through parliament to extend the attack …

Palestine Action Proscription: We Fight Back

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism
29 Jun 2026 at 9:50am

The provisional surrender document signed by Donald Trump appeared to represent a triumph for Iran and indeed for the world; but neither the USA nor Israel has the slightest sense of honour and they cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith. Iran knows this – after all, the USA twice attacked Iran actually during …

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism

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

BBC Scotland

McGill's files legal action after £4.3m electric bus funding rejected
11 Jul 2026 at 4:39pm
The Greenock-based operator failed to secure support from the third phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund.

Police take no action against senior civil servant over Salmond inquiry evidence
10 Jul 2026 at 6:42pm
James Hynd was investigated over whether he gave a false statement under oath to the Alex Salmond inquiry in 2020.

Struggling pig farmers say £2m support package 'not enough'
10 Jul 2026 at 2:30pm
Farmers welcome the Scottish government funding but say it's not enough to stop them losing about £1m a month

Restore Britain leader describes Dunblane tragedy as 'one murder'
9 Jul 2026 at 4:02pm
Rupert Lowe criticised the ban of handguns in the UK, saying it was "because there was a murder in Dunblane".

Town's residents urged to drop 'destructive' negativity
10 Jul 2026 at 6:18am
Provost Tracey Little urges people in Dumfries not to believe the town's best days are behind it.

Farage is victim of by-election 'stitch-up', claims Reform's Scottish leader
8 Jul 2026 at 4:37pm
Malcolm Offord made the remark as major parties have confirmed they will not contest the vote triggered by Farage's resignation, describing it as a political stunt.

SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
8 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
Chris Birt was one of six male councillors who voted to take no action on David Brown's operator's licence

Police inquiry into Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
The group campaigned in favour of Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum.

Four councillors quit after vote for rapist taxi driver to keep operator licence
7 Jul 2026 at 2:16pm
The four have resigned from Highland licensing committee after voting to allow David Brown to keep an operator's licence.

'Mansion tax' could double rates on Scotland's most expensive homes
6 Jul 2026 at 1:34pm
SNP ministers have has proposed a steep council tax increase for properties worth more than £1m.

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
The Labour MP, who is expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, has ruled out agreeing to a vote.

I was 'slam dunk' for SNP leadership until revealing gay marriage views - Forbes
3 Jul 2026 at 6:23am
The former deputy first minister says she was advised to lie about her opinions on same-sex marriage.

Scot Goes Pop

Why so many Scots want NORWAY to beat England in the World Cup: three CRACKIN...
10 Jul 2026 at 2:20pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Disaster for Burnham as Labour languish in JOINT THIRD in YouGov...

Disaster for Burnham as Labour languish in JOINT THIRD in YouGov Scottish sub...
8 Jul 2026 at 3:01pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Another stunning SNP by-election GAIN as the Tories go into FREE...

Another stunning SNP by-election GAIN as the Tories go into FREEFALL in the n...
4 Jul 2026 at 2:11pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE. A great reply semi-ruined by the final sentence. Stew? In Scotland?! The very ...

"IS THAT IT, ANDY?!" Only a 2% Burnham bounce for Labour with YouGov, as SNP ...
1 Jul 2026 at 11:59am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Burnham in danger of making government from Manchester as remote...

King of the South: Andy Burnham will make rule from Manchester as detested in...
30 Jun 2026 at 3:42am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP do...

Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP are dominant in...
29 Jun 2026 at 2:28am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.As regular readers may recall, I've been an elected member of the SNP's Policy Devel...

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...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Burnham urged to reverse national insurance rise costing firms £1,000 per worker
11 Jul 2026 at 10:05am
For those on the real living wage of about £26,228 a year, employers are paying an average of £890 extra in tax a year, according to new analysis

Pig farmers say £2 million government support isn?t enough
10 Jul 2026 at 5:09pm
Prices have dropped because there?s too much pork in the market and not enough demand

Ann Widdecombe, former Tory MP and Reform UK member, dies aged 78
10 Jul 2026 at 7:12am
The death of the 78-year-old was announced on Friday

MP calls Dunblane massacre ?one murder? on Joe Rogan podcast
9 Jul 2026 at 10:28am
On March 13, 1996, 16 pupils and their teacher were shot dead at Dunblane Primary School

Burnham poised for coronation as last potential rival rules out leadership bid
8 Jul 2026 at 11:03pm
Al Carns, thought to be the final remaining potential challenger to the former Greater Manchester mayor, has ruled himself out of the running.

Chancellor accepts Nigel Farage?s resignation as MP for ?farce? by-election
8 Jul 2026 at 1:39pm
Rachel Reeves said she wouldn't stop Farage spending his summer "arguing with a bin".

Nigel Farage victim of by-election ?stitch-up?, says Reform?s Scottish leader...
8 Jul 2026 at 1:10pm
Parties from across the political spectrum have said they will not contest the Clacton by-election sparked by the Reform leader?s resignation

Al Carns: Who is the Scottish Royal Marines colonel who hasn?t backed Andy Bu...
7 Jul 2026 at 1:45pm
One Labour MP has very publicly refused to make up his mind about the former Manchester mayor

Nigel Farage to resign as MP to trigger by-election
7 Jul 2026 at 12:12pm
The Reform UK leader will fight the forthcoming vote in Clacton in a contest he said was the 'people versus the establishment'

SNP MSP breaks with Scottish Government on Jackdaw and Rosebank
7 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
The announcement comes after the party lost the Aberdeen South by-election last month

Nato to unveil multibillion defence plans to prove its firepower to Trump
7 Jul 2026 at 8:40am
Donald Trump has previously said he was disappointed that some Nato allies refused to join the Iran war.

Consultation opens on Scottish Government?s ?mansion tax? proposals
6 Jul 2026 at 12:00pm
Deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth said the Scottish Government?s approach was 'based on fairness'

Andy Burnham should scrap ?short-sighted? NI tax hike ? new SNP MP
5 Jul 2026 at 11:18am
Lara Bird said the policy was ?choking-off? economic growth in Scotland.

Scots counting cost of two years of ?disastrous? Labour government, Tories say
4 Jul 2026 at 10:04am
Scottish Conservatives deputy leader Rachael Hamilton says Sir Keir Starmer?s time in office had been 'disastrous'

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Who owns Scotland? Meet the campaigner uncovering who profits from owning our...
11 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
Scotland has one of the most concentrated patterns of land ownership anywhere in the world. It's long been a subject of political debate. But who owns what? Andy Wightman has spent years finding out.

Malcolm Offord 'must answer' whether crypto donations are funding Reform UK i...
10 Jul 2026 at 11:51am
EXCLUSIVE: The SNP said it was in the "interests of transparency" to ask whether two donors who gave millions to Nigel Farage have also contributed to Reform's campaigns in Scotland.

Donors to SNP online fundraiser could be in line for 'double their money back...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:46am
John Swinney previously admitted his party had already spent the more than £660,000 of donations that were raised in two separate online fundraisers.

The 5 political scandals Scotland has almost forgotten
9 Jul 2026 at 5:00pm
The conviction of Peter Murrell for embezzling £400,000 from the SNP has been described as the biggest scandal of the devolution era. The Record looks back at some of the other major political rows...

Football banning orders in Scotland to be toughened in crackdown on pyro use ...
9 Jul 2026 at 2:37pm
The crackdown is hoped to finally deter fans from using pyros in stadiums after their use exploded in recent years.

Fury as Rupert Lowe describes Dunblane massacre as 'one murder' on Joe Rogan ...
9 Jul 2026 at 9:13am
The Restore Britain leader, who was previously kicked-out of Nigel Farage's party, is facing a backlash over his "astonishingly insensitive" remarks on the deadliest mass shooting in UK history.

Scottish Government spending £159m to mitigate UK policies as SNP challenges ...
9 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The SNP is challenging Andy Burnham - who is expected to enter Downing Street later this month - to set out his plans for reducing poverty.

'Young people have the power to save lives' Ex cop's message in wake of Amen ...
9 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
Violence reduction expert Graham Goulden - who spent 30 years in policing - makes an emotional plea to young people after 15-year-old Amen's fatal stabbing.

'Horrific' Beastie House case needs public inquiry to probe Glasgow City Coun...
8 Jul 2026 at 1:26pm
Two girls and a boy were violently and sexually assaulted on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019 at a disgusting flat in Townhead.

SNP could face two legal actions from Scots who donated to 'ring-fenced' refe...
8 Jul 2026 at 10:52am
Two separate groups of donors to the SNP's 2017 and 2019 referendum fighting funds are considering legal action against John Swinney's party.

The National

The National | Politics

US blockade forces island-wide blackout in Cuba for second time this week
11 Jul 2026 at 11:17am

CUBA faced an island-wide blackout for the second time this week on Friday as the nation of nearly 10 million people grapples with a crumbling power grid and fuel shortages stemming from a US energy blockade.

Man released from custody as police continue Ann Widdecombe murder probe
11 Jul 2026 at 8:15am

THE 26-year-old man who on Friday was arrested on suspicion of murdering former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe has been released from custody

What Count Binface tells us about winning Scottish independence
11 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

COULD you wish for a better summer companion? Never mind your arts and music festivals, or teeming contemporary novel. Instead, just dip into your phone every day to witness

Nato vastly outspends Russia on nuclear weapons and that must change
11 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

NATO outspends Russia 10 to one on nuclear weapons, yet this has seemingly not bought adequate ?security? for the nuclear alliance.

Holyrood data row ?undermines decades of work on women?s representation?
11 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

A SCOTTISH Parliament survey has exposed a wider problem with collecting data on the basis of biological sex and could undermine ?decades worth? of work on women?s representation, an expert has said.

JK Rowling claims Amnesty 'don't believe women deserve rights' in report row
10 Jul 2026 at 7:26pm

JK Rowling and other gender-critical campaigners have reacted furiously after a report from human rights organisation Amnesty International criticised their work.

Journalist under fire after 'old maid' Ann Widdecombe comments to Sky News
10 Jul 2026 at 7:02pm

A JOURNALIST has been criticised for describing Ann Widdecombe as a "spinster" and "old maid" following her death.

Rupert Lowe remains silent after backlash to 'despicable' Dunblane massacre c...
10 Jul 2026 at 7:00pm

RUPERT Lowe has remained silent despite outrage at his dismissal of the Dunblane massacre as ?one murder?.

Politicians react as man arrested on suspicion of murdering Ann Widdecombe
10 Jul 2026 at 6:25pm

POLITICIANS have been reacting to the news that a 26-year-old white British man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe.

Glasgow Caledonian University staff to strike over restructuring plans
10 Jul 2026 at 6:14pm

STAFF at Glasgow Caledonian University have voted to back strike action in a dispute over redundancies.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

SNP face group legal action over ?ring-fenced? independence fund
10 Jul 2026 at 1:25pm
Legal advice concludes that a ?civil claim for fraudulent breach of trust is close to irresistible?

Football banning orders expanded to tackle pitch invasions
9 Jul 2026 at 4:12pm
It comes as the government published analysis of a recent consultation on FBO legislation, which received more than 900 responses including from fans, the SFA, SPFL and Police Scotland.

Former Tory MSP advising new Reform group
9 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
Maurice Golden stepped down from parliament at the election

Rupert Lowe dismisses Dunblane school massacre as ?one murder?
9 Jul 2026 at 11:54am
The Restore Britain MP's comments have been described as ?insulting? and ?despicable? by local politicians

Offord says Farage by-election boycott is ?establishment stitch-up?
8 Jul 2026 at 4:23pm
All the major parties have declined to field candidates against Farage in Clacton

SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
8 Jul 2026 at 3:22pm
Highland Council's licensing committee has been under fire after six male councillors voted to take no action

Scott Arthur named MP of the Year for Rare Cancers Act
8 Jul 2026 at 1:24pm
The MP brought the legislation forward as a private members? bill not longer after being elected

Scotland could block hyperscale data centres over environmental concerns
8 Jul 2026 at 12:54pm
The SNP is looking at planning guidance amid concerns over the environmental impact of the facilities

Farage to resign as MP for Clacton as he rails against the media in televised...
7 Jul 2026 at 3:42pm
The Reform leader said he would contest the resulting by-election. It comes amid increased scrutiny of his finances.

Scottish A&E in ?permanent crisis? as thousands wait 12 hours or more
7 Jul 2026 at 2:11pm
The new data shows that one in eight patients waited 12 or more hours before being admitted, discharged or transferred in May 2026

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Celtic leaders doubt Burnham?s devolution drive will go beyond England?s borders
6 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
Would-be prime minister has made basic missteps in pitches to Wales, Scotland and Northern IrelandAndy Burnham?s devolution promises are yet to impress sceptical Celtic administrations hoping for a reset with Westminster, sources in Cardiff and Edinburgh have said.Burnham, who is expected to take...

Celtic nations begin to plan for breakup of UK in event of Reform election win
4 Jul 2026 at 7:00am
Politicians brace for constitutional turmoil if Nigel Farage?s party ends up in government ? or even as a strong oppositionThe rise of Nigel Farage has prompted political leaders across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to game the unthinkable: the breakup of the United Kingdom.Unioni...

Badenoch urges Burnham to condemn defence investment plan as No 10 says fundi...
1 Jul 2026 at 6:00pm
Minister and MPs have raised concerns that his ?poisoned chalice? plan will take cash from much-needed road projectsMinister and MP ?furious? over cuts to road projects to fund defence planDan Sabbagh is the Guardian?s defence and security editor.Andy Burnham is a ?true patriot? who will provide ...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Alister Jack?s colonialism remains a threat to Scotland
9 Jul 2026 at 5:15pm
The former colonial governor of the northern province, Alister Jack, who was given a peerage by Rishi Sunak as part of a back room deal. Jack rejected an earlier nomination by Boris Johnson in 2023 to avoid triggering a by-election while he was still an MP, only later to stand down for the 2024 General …

The Farage facade cracks
7 Jul 2026 at 6:53pm
Poor Nigel Facade, sorry Farage, the wee lamb has had an almighty hissy fit at the sheer audacity of the media daring to subject him to a tiny fraction of the scrutiny that is par for the course for the SNP. It was all very Trumpian. In a self-pitying Reform UK party political broadcast during …

The junkies and their dealers
5 Jul 2026 at 4:40pm
A number of peculiar developments have taken place in Scotland since the Holyrood election in May. These have been disguised by the anti-SNP media feeding frenzy which took place after the conviction of Peter Murrell for the crime of embezzlement, a crime whose victim was the SNP, despite the efforts of the British media in …

Labour?s attempted theft of the Holyrood election is being aided by the media
3 Jul 2026 at 3:32pm
Something is seriously wrong with democracy in Scotland, but the media has told us vastly more about Peter Murrell’s cruet sets than it has about what can only be described as an attempt by the Labour party to steal the Holyrood election. In fact the attempted subversion of the result of the recent election has …

Labour?s nuclear power, an offer we can refuse
2 Jul 2026 at 3:30pm
It’s an offer we can refuse. The Labour government has identified a number of sites across Scotland on which it would like to build new nuclear power plants. A report was published this week by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the political ashtray Michael Shanks, the most disappointing MP in a …

Burnham, the GB Energy of devolution
29 Jun 2026 at 9:06pm
Andy Burnham’s big plan for the UK is still lacking in detail, but it’s already looking suspiciously like another of Westminster’s power grabs at the expense of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. Burnham’s big speech on Monday during which he unveiled his plans for a Number Ten North. No, Scotland, not THAT north, Burnham’s north. …

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 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

SNP?s progressive policies have not destroyed growth and may have helped
11 Jul 2026 at 2:23pm
Thanks to Dottie again for this one: From What can Scotland teach Andy Burnham about devolution? Scotland’s economy has outperformed its neighbours in Future Economy Scotland yesterday, the above and: and: and my favourite: and: Taken together, the evidence is difficult to dismiss. Whether measured by GDP, productivity, earnings, disposable income or the prevalence of low pay, Scotland has gene...

UK may follow US lowering nuclear safety standards to increase worker risk of...
11 Jul 2026 at 2:19pm
From the highly-respected Scientific American, yesterday: A proposed rule from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) would ease the standard for low-dose radiation exposure. The NRC argues the change will bring more clarity to the nuclear industry, but the health effects of this rule on the public are not so clear. And if the change takes effect, then people living near nuclear facilities cou...

The Wretched of Scotland?s Independence Movements
11 Jul 2026 at 9:03am
While AI has often been taught to favour broadly establishment positions, reinforced by their dominance of the media landscape it relies upon, I have found that, if you keep your wits about you and counter those positions with evidence you have, it will often come to offer a more independent evidence-based answer than you will get from even the most respected but all-too-human academic, like me...

16th/17th Century English Propaganda ? so good even I (!) knew nothing of thi...
11 Jul 2026 at 7:30am
Hearing that a 17th Spanish galleon replica is to visit Ayr in August this year, I had one of those memory flashes. This: Watching Lucy Worsley in December 2022, I was shocked, deeply, to hear of the disastrous Counter Armada of 1599 when more than 20 000 lost their lives, twice the Spanish losses the previous year. Following the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Queen Elizabeth I of Englan...

Don?t mention Sir Francis Drake or Walter Raleigh to these Spanish sailors
11 Jul 2026 at 7:28am
When I saw the above I couldn’t but think ‘Time heals all wounds?’ Why? There’s no mention in the blurb above of the deep irony of a replica Spanish merchantman of the 17th Century making it to Ayr without it having been captured and plundered on the way by one of England’s piratical heroes of the day like Drake or Raleigh. How much in ships and booty did Elizabethan England steal from Spanish ...

Knife murders fall in England & Wales but overall murder remains higher than ...
10 Jul 2026 at 4:47pm
From Sky News today: New Home Office figures reveal the number of knife murders across the UK has dropped by 27% in two years. Overall knife crime has been cut by 10% and more than 1,900 knives were removed from the streets in the same time span. Meanwhile, in the 2025 to 2026 period, 2,833 county lines were closed and 7,381 people were arrested – with the Home Office saying this is the “best y...

Three Police Chiefs say leading anti-immigration protesters don?t come from S...
10 Jul 2026 at 4:21pm
Thanks to Capella for spotting this: In Police issue hate crime warning after hundreds gather in Glasgow street, today, eight paragraphs down: Chief Supt Stevie Dolan said he believed there are individuals outwith the local communities and probably outwith Glasgow or central Scotland who are seeking to “influence” the actions of local members of the public. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c...

Anti-immigrant hate crime arrests at protests/riots in England are running at...
10 Jul 2026 at 2:03pm
From BBC Scotland yesterday: Police have issued a warning about hate crime and violent disorder after hundreds of people gathered outside a property in Glasgow. The protest, during which windows were said to have been smashed, took place in Tormusk Road, Castlemilk, at about 18:50 on Wednesday. It follows another incident on Tuesday when police were called to a large gathering of people who had...

Scotland?s ambulances are between 2 and 3 times faster thousands of times but...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:59am
The Daily Record today, above: On 26 June 2026: 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...

Fires fall dramatically to lowest in 10 years and staffing climbs to put Prin...
10 Jul 2026 at 9:59am
The Scotsman above pushing the ill-informed scare story about fire service cuts in an evidence vaccuum. Badly mixing my metaphors let me shine some light on that vacuum. From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: March 2026 published today, the above and : Number of fires fell 5% in the last year. In 2024-25, there were 22,925 fires in Scotland, down 5% on 2023-24 and th...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim - BBC
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim  BBC

What Count Binface tells us about winning Scottish independence - The Nationa...
11 Jul 2026 at 5:09am
What Count Binface tells us about winning Scottish independence  The National Scot

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

Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum - The Telegraph
5 Jul 2026 at 1:09pm
Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum  The Telegraph

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

Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum - thecanar...
7 Jul 2026 at 10:00am
Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum  thecanary.co

Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum - The Times
5 Jul 2026 at 5:03pm
Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum  The Times

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP food price cap threatens British farmers, industry warns - The Times
11 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
SNP food price cap threatens British farmers, industry warns  The Times

SNP ?has had enough of experts? as tax advisory panel axed - The Times
10 Jul 2026 at 3:49pm
SNP ?has had enough of experts? as tax advisory panel axed  The Times

Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, co...
2 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, court told  The Guardian

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

Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter M...
30 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell  Sky News

Former Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling $540,000 - R...
25 May 2026 at 8:00am
Former Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling $540,000  Reuters

SNP back calls for temporary ban on AI data centre developments - The Nationa...
6 Jul 2026 at 5:11pm
SNP back calls for temporary ban on AI data centre developments  The National Scot

Sturgeon wishes she had not kept Murrell on as SNP chief executive - BBC
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Sturgeon wishes she had not kept Murrell on as SNP chief executive  BBC

I was 'slam dunk' for SNP leadership until revealing gay marriage views - For...
2 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
I was 'slam dunk' for SNP leadership until revealing gay marriage views - Forbes  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim - BBC
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim  BBC

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

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 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

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

SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence refere...
8 Jul 2026 at 11:08am
SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence referendum'  The National Scot

SNP donors could be owed double their money back, KC claims - The Herald
10 Jul 2026 at 11:27am
SNP donors could be owed double their money back, KC claims  The Herald

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