The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Next Scottish Parliament urged to be ?much more ambitious? in tackling homele...
by Katrine Bussey
13 Apr 2026 at 6:59am
The next Scottish Parliament must be ?much more ambitious? in tackling homelessness and should ?act quickly? to end rough sleeping, campaigners have insisted.


Labour to guarantee apprenticeships for all qualified applicants
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
13 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
Scottish Labour has unveiled plans to create 9,000 apprenticeships and overhaul the skills system, as Anas Sarwar seeks to tackle shortages, widen access and convince voters his party can deliver change ahead of the Holyrood election.


Malcolm Offord of Reform UK reveals which SNP First Minister he 'admired'
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
13 Apr 2026 at 12:01am
Reform UK's leader in Scotland admits he "admired" Alex Salmond and called him a "good First Minister"


Welcome to the longest weekend for Scotland's post-pandemic public sector
13 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
The Herald revealed last year that more than 9,000 of Scotland?s core civil servants were asked to return to the office for at least two days of the working week. Six months later, they?re still refusing to come out of their houses


'It's all to play for': Reform threatens SNP and Tories in key Holyrood battl...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
13 Apr 2026 at 5:00am
Galloway and West Dumfries is a Holyrood battleground, with Reform threatening to split the vote in a tight contest for the SNP and Conservatives.


SNP and Labour clash over Chinese wind turbine factory in first TV election d...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
12 Apr 2026 at 9:14pm
A row over Chinese investment and national security overshadowed Scotland?s first televised leaders? debate, as independence tensions resurfaced and a frontline NHS worker challenged politicians to reconnect with reality.


How Scotland's Hungarian community voted as Viktor Orbán concedes defeat
12 Apr 2026 at 8:44pm
Viktor Orbán, the longstanding Prime Minister of Hungary and darling of the international right has conceded defeat in the country's general election after 16 years in power


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Sarwar: 'You've given the SNP 20 years - give me five to fix the mess'
13 Apr 2026 at 6:00am

The Scottish Labour leader will launch his party?s manifesto today

The party?s manifesto will commit to expanding the number of graduate apprenticeships to more than 8,000 over the next Holyrood term

The six Holyrood party leaders clashed over health, energy bills and immigration

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the defence was ?outdated?

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

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

Wings over Scotland

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

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

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

Clocks And Calendars
30 Mar 2026 at 1:06pm
We think the lads at The Scotsman might have gotten a bit confused and/or carried away when it came to putting the clocks forward at the weekend. At 6am on Sunday morning they tweeted this: But the link was a 404. We checked the print edition of Scotland On Sunday but there was nothing there …

Sicknote Slippers
29 Mar 2026 at 6:09pm
The turnout at the “independence march and rally” yesterday was so abysmally poor that it seems almost unfair to pick on any of the scores of SNP elected representatives who didn’t bother to show up. But dear old Cosy Feet Pete Wishart had the most chef’s-kiss excuse of all. The reason he didn’t fancy getting …

Protest But Don?t Survive
28 Mar 2026 at 5:20pm
If events in Edinburgh today are anything to go by – when a march and rally announced with great fanfare seven months ago, backed by both the “independence” parties in the Scottish Parliament and featuring the First Minister as main speaker, attracted perhaps 1,500 people at the most to Calton Hill on a bright and …

Let?s Call The Whole Thing Off
24 Mar 2026 at 12:59pm
The last faint hope of any remotely positive or at least interesting outcome of May’s election just left the building. It wasn’t MUCH of a hope, and it’s absolutely no surprise in the wake of the comically shambolic, belief-defyingly inept farce that has been the birth of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s fringe-of-the fringe party, …

Irony you can?t buy
20 Mar 2026 at 12:09pm
Posted without comment. But the reason you can’t buy the irony is that she doesn’t need the money. So that’s quarter of a million pounds just for running away when things got a bit sticky, on top of the circa £225,000 in wages she’s trousered since resigning as FM despite never turning up for work …

Looking up at the stars
10 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
A fascinating line from the BBC this evening: The number of parties who got MSPs elected at the last election is? five. (Though in fairness there are now six, Reform having a single MSP after Graham Simpson defected from the Tories. The Lib Dems are even outnumbered by independents, of whom there are seven.) Also …

Scotland?s Most Frightened
4 Mar 2026 at 5:52pm
This was just two months ago. (Longer version here.) ? And we’ll bet you anything you like he’s already wishing he hadn’t said it. Because a recent study suggested that Swinney might just achieve the impossible task he set for himself, and if he does then he’s REALLY screwed. Now, we don’t actually think that’ll …

Craig Murray

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

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

The Strait of Hormuz

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

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

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez

The Caracas Metro
26 Mar 2026 at 6:46am

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

The Caracas Metro

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag
24 Mar 2026 at 12:04pm

The notion that the Iranian state would discredit itself by choosing to attack an ambulance service in London is crazy. Iran has not even attacked any hospitals or ambulances in Israel. Iran has absolutely zero record of attacks on healthcare facilities. That is of course in stark contrast to Israel which specifically targets them in …

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag

Seeing Trump Clearly
21 Mar 2026 at 12:19pm

What if Trump’s apparently chaotic thought processes and intuitive decision making are all a blind, a charade? What if we are really witnessing, in the Middle East and more widely, a carefully constructed plan with very definite objectives? Has Trump in fact “planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway”, while flinging the …

Seeing Trump Clearly

Radicalism and Scottish Independence
14 Mar 2026 at 4:18pm

There is no place like home, and a few hours after arriving back in Scotland I was in Glasgow giving a talk to Pensioners for Independence. I still covered quite a wide sweep, but my focus came back to what I care about more than anything – the freedom, prosperity and just position in the …

Radicalism and Scottish Independence

BBC Scotland

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028
12 Apr 2026 at 10:07pm
The SNP leader made the claim in the BBC's televised debate ahead of next month's Scottish election.

The BBC Scotland election debate fact-checked
12 Apr 2026 at 11:30pm
Claims made by leaders of six political parties who took part in a TV debate for the 2026 Holyrood election campaign are checked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SNP chief told of Linden complaints 10 years ago, says ex-official
6 Apr 2026 at 12:51pm
Former council leader Jordan Linden was last month found guilty of five sexual assaults against young men.

What we learned from Scotcast's interviews with party leaders
4 Apr 2026 at 9:18am
The leaders of Scotland's six biggest parties spoke to the BBC's Scotcast ahead of the election.

How does the NHS in Scotland compare with the rest of the UK?
3 Apr 2026 at 6:21am
BBC Verify looks at key measures to see what progress is being made and whether Scotland can be compared with other nations.

Scot Goes Pop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SNP calls for inquiry into Trident security after Joani Reid reports
3 Apr 2026 at 1:23pm
The party wants an probe after the Labour MP, whose husband is accused of spying for China, allegedly behaved inappropriately with Navy officers

Unpaid carers should have £400 uplift in support, say Lib Dems
3 Apr 2026 at 12:09pm
Alex Cole-Hamilton said unpaid carers formed the ?backbone? of care in Scotland

?We?ve got the beating of the SNP at this election?, says Scottish Lib Dem le...
3 Apr 2026 at 10:10am
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader tells Scotland Tonight that his party can defeat the SNP in ten constituencies

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Inflation-busting Scottish Water bills will be lowered if Labour wins power, ...
13 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: "Fat cat bonuses" for senior executives at publicly-owned Scottish Water will be reined in under a Labour government at Holyrood, the party's leader has said.

Scottish election campaign LIVE as Anas Sarwar launches Labour manifesto
13 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
The Record brings you all the latest news and reaction from the Holyrood election campaign trail as Labour tries to reduce the SNP's huge lead in the polls.

Years of waste proves the SNP Government cannot be trusted with public money
13 Apr 2026 at 4:29am
Writing in his regular column for the Record, the Scottish Labour leader says his party's election manifesto will focus on how to fix Scotland's struggling public services and reduce child poverty.

Millionaire Malcolm Offord branded a 'chancer' as party leaders blast Reform ...
12 Apr 2026 at 8:57pm
The former Tory peer - who defected to Reform UK last year - accused migrants of "jumping the queues" of public services "to the detriment of local people in our own communities".

John Swinney put on the spot over SNP record on NHS and energy by angry debat...
12 Apr 2026 at 8:37pm
The First Minister and other Scottish party leaders faced an audience of fed-up voters in Paisley who declared they were considering not turning out on May 7.

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

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

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

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

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

The National

The National | Politics

Live updates from the election campaign trail as Labour launch manifesto
13 Apr 2026 at 9:08am

We are live with all the updates from the campaign trail today as Scottish Labour launch their manifesto and Nigel Farage heads to Scotland

Keir Starmer planning EU single market law without Commons vote
13 Apr 2026 at 8:24am

KEIR Starmer?s Government will follow European Union rules without necessarily giving MPs a vote on each piece of red tape under plans which will be unveiled in the King?s Speech

Donald Trump hits out in bizarre attack on Pope Leo in escalating feud
13 Apr 2026 at 8:16am

DONALD Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media on Sunday, saying the first American pope should ?stop catering to the Radical Left?

John Swinney hails 'powerful moment for democracy' as Viktor Orban loses Hung...
13 Apr 2026 at 7:57am

JOHN Swinney has hailed Viktor Orban?s defeat in Hungary?s election as a ?powerful moment for Hungary and for democratic values in Europe?

SNP must stare down the culture warriors after the election
13 Apr 2026 at 5:00am

SCOTS might be forgiven for feeling some whiplash. In 2016, same-sex marriage had become legal, most of Scotland?s political parties were led by women and by openly LGBTQIA+ people, and Scotland was being described as the world?s most equal country.

Companies behind Scotland's huge new AI data centres revealed
13 Apr 2026 at 5:00am

SCOTLAND has a large and growing pipeline of proposed ?hyperscale? data centres ? those with enough processing capacity to handle the vast datasets used to develop generative AI.

Scottish Greens pledge to raise school start age in their manifesto
13 Apr 2026 at 5:00am

THE Scottish Greens have pledged to raise the school starting age in their election manifesto ...

Tommy Sheppard: We will need more than a tip of the hat on our right to decide
13 Apr 2026 at 5:00am

THE election campaign is now halfway through. The first votes will be cast later this week by post. It?ll all be over in 24 days. It?s fair to say that the words ?heather? and ?on fire? won?t be part of anyone?s description of how things are going so far.

Pension funds urged to back Scotland?s economy without risking returns
13 Apr 2026 at 5:00am

OVER the last couple of months, the Scottish Currency Group has, in its articles for The National, been exploring the theme of ?investing in ourselves?.

Richard Murphy: Grim hardships of a true wartime economy are on their way in UK
13 Apr 2026 at 5:00am

I WAS in discussion with a good friend last week ? Professor Steve Keen, one of the world?s leading heterodox macroeconomists. One of the things Steve and I share is the belief that double-entry bookkeeping, the foundation of modern accountancy, is also critical to economics.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Sarwar promises to fix the SNP?s ?mess? as Labour launches its manifesto
13 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
The Labour leader vowed to put the NHS at the centre of his plans for government ahead of next month's election

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UK politics Q&A, as it happened: Andrew Sparrow answers your questions on Sta...
2 Apr 2026 at 5:50pm
This blog is now closedQ: Do you agree with the Tories about wanting more oil and gas drilling from the North Sea?Davey says Kemi Badenoch claims she can get an extra £2.5bn in tax revenue by allowing more exploration in the North Sea. He says she is ?just lying?. He says everyone knows that that...

Reeves criticises Trump for starting Iran war with no ?clear plan? to get out...
1 Apr 2026 at 5:15pm
This blog is now closedStarmer says he understands why people are concerned about the cost of living.He says he has already set out a five-point plan to deal with the crisis.Just look at what?s happening today. Today your energy bills will be cut because of the action that we took at the budget. ...

Starmer pledges to tackle new cost of living crisis at May elections campaign...
30 Mar 2026 at 3:11pm
Prime minister says 7 May vote is coming at time of ?war on two fronts? as Labour braces for heavy losses at pollsUK politics live ? latest updatesThe 7 May elections are taking place against a backdrop of ?war on two fronts?, Keir Starmer has said, as he pledged action to tackle the resurgent co...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Wes Streeting?s attack on Scottish democracy will backfire
12 Apr 2026 at 9:50pm
Just when Anas Sarwar thought that the Labour campaign in the Holyrood election couldn’t get any worse, along comes Wes Streeting. Labour’s oleaginous answer to Michael Gove, the private healthcare loving health secretary in the Labour Government in Westminster, who is currently presiding over an NHS England in chaos due to a junior doctor strike …

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

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

Shettleston doesn?t need Reform?s racism, it needs to be part of an independe...
2 Apr 2026 at 1:10pm
On Wednesday, April Fool’s Day, Reform UK unveiled its racist and scaremongering advert for the Scottish election next month. It was appropriate that they did so on April Fool’s Day because they are taking the electorate for mugs. The consists of image showing apparent migrants crowded onto a small inflatable dinghy with text reading “Scotland …

It?s not just independence which is at stake in this election
31 Mar 2026 at 6:13pm
The weekend kicked off the election campaign with a well attended march and rally for independence held in Edinburgh on Saturday. I’m sure you all followed the reports about it on BBC Scotland, oh, right. It was far too busy talking about the ferries again wasn’t it. Every political party talks up its chances during …

The rapid implosion of Reform?s Scottish campaign
26 Mar 2026 at 3:05pm
As the saying goes, you’d need a heart of stone not to laugh. Within just a few days of Reform UK launching its Scottish election campaign to much fanfare and racist ‘jokes’ about tartan burqas, the wheels are already coming off Farage’s septic tank pumper wagon. The party has already lost no less than four …

James Dornan MSP looks back on his career
24 Mar 2026 at 1:49pm
A guest post by James Dornan MSP   Today veteran SNP MSP James Dornan makes his last speech in the Scottish Parliament, and steps down to retirement and to give way to a new generation. To mark the occasion, he has very kindly written a guest post for this blog in which he looks back …

Reform?s chaotic launch and the implications of the Iran war for May?s election
20 Mar 2026 at 8:53pm
Nigel Farage came to Scotland on Thursday to launch his party’s manifesto for the Scottish elections on 7 May and to introduce Reform UK’s almost half former Tory slate of totally well vetted candidates. Reform UK there, promising to fix Broken Britain with a slew of the former Conservatives who were responsible for breaking it …

Thoughts on the failure of the assisted dying bill
18 Mar 2026 at 2:46am
Back in 1998, after we had moved to Spain, my late husband Andy and I became very close friends with our new neighbour, a Norwegian woman called Ellie who had moved to Spain after retiring from a career on the Norwegian oil rigs in the North Sea. She was looking forward to spending her final …

Scotland: Too wee?
17 Mar 2026 at 9:11am
Is it time to look again at the long-debated theory that Scotland is ?too wee? to be a successful independent country? A guest post by Diane Izzett https://bsky.app/profile/dizzyscot.bsky.social With the yes voters taking a lead in recent polls, do the facts support this or is it just the final death throes of a coloniser losing …

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

As the Daily Record again today campaigns for Labour with one case and withou...
13 Apr 2026 at 7:53am

Toronto replaces iodide tablets to protect those living near nuclear power st...
13 Apr 2026 at 7:38am
From Toronto University’s On the Record 10 April 2026: As of February 2026, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) began the process of sending out replacement potassium iodide pills to people living within 10 kilometres of the two major nuclear generating stations located within the Durham Region, the Pickering and Darlington stations.  While living near these stations can raise concerns for some resi...

Arran ferry cancellations due to mechanical faults plummet by factor of SEVEN...
13 Apr 2026 at 7:25am
The Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald which reports locally on the Arran ferries has a strange wee piece based on a freedom of information request by an unnamed source, headed and followed with: Hundreds of CalMac Ardrossan-Arran ferry cancellations since 2020 – NEW figures released by the Scottish Government show the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry service was cancelled more than 800 times over the la...

Reposted as Sarwar tries the same old trick on Debate Night tonight
12 Apr 2026 at 8:56pm

How actual facts prove there is no two-tier health system in Scotland contrar...
12 Apr 2026 at 8:53pm
In the last three weeks I know of someone who is 83rd in the list of seeing a doctor in accident and emergency. There were 83 patients before them and they had to wait ten hours to be seen. I know someone who has waited over two and a half years to get an audiology test. Driven towards paying £1800 to buy from a high street store. Within four days, they had their hearing aids. We also know of s...

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

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

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

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

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

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 10:07pm
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

Labour?s contempt for Scotland - Funding the Future
13 Apr 2026 at 8:18am
Labour?s contempt for Scotland  Funding the Future

IndyRef2: John Swinney sets date for second Scottish independence referendum ...
13 Apr 2026 at 7:14am
IndyRef2: John Swinney sets date for second Scottish independence referendum  GB News

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

Scots are 'entitled' to vote on independence by 2028, declares SNP First Mini...
13 Apr 2026 at 5:57am
Scots are 'entitled' to vote on independence by 2028, declares SNP First Minister  Daily Express

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

Who won the BBC Scottish election debate? Swinney on defensive - The Times
12 Apr 2026 at 11:35pm
Who won the BBC Scottish election debate? Swinney on defensive  The Times

Wes Streeting says UK ?has had enough of chaos? as he rules out second Scotti...
12 Apr 2026 at 7:15pm
Wes Streeting says UK ?has had enough of chaos? as he rules out second Scottish referendum  The Independent

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

Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos? -...
12 Apr 2026 at 5:23pm
Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos?  London Evening Standard

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

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

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 10:07pm
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

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

SNP promises first refusal rights for private tenants - Scottish Legal News
13 Apr 2026 at 10:00am
SNP promises first refusal rights for private tenants  Scottish Legal News

SNP pledges 'first refusal' for tenants to buy private rental homes - BBC
10 Apr 2026 at 6:09am
SNP pledges 'first refusal' for tenants to buy private rental homes  BBC

SNP must stare down the culture warriors after the election - The National Scot
13 Apr 2026 at 5:08am
SNP must stare down the culture warriors after the election  The National Scot

SNP pledges 'seismic expansion' in apprenticeships over next parliament - The...
13 Apr 2026 at 6:00am
SNP pledges 'seismic expansion' in apprenticeships over next parliament  The Scotsman

Malcolm Offord of Reform UK reveals which SNP First Minister he 'admired' - T...
13 Apr 2026 at 12:02am
Malcolm Offord of Reform UK reveals which SNP First Minister he 'admired'  The Herald

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

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

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 10:07pm
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

IndyRef2: John Swinney sets date for second Scottish independence referendum ...
13 Apr 2026 at 7:14am
IndyRef2: John Swinney sets date for second Scottish independence referendum  GB News

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

Scots are 'entitled' to vote on independence by 2028, declares SNP First Mini...
13 Apr 2026 at 5:57am
Scots are 'entitled' to vote on independence by 2028, declares SNP First Minister  Daily Express

Wes Streeting says UK ?has had enough of chaos? as he rules out second Scotti...
12 Apr 2026 at 7:15pm
Wes Streeting says UK ?has had enough of chaos? as he rules out second Scottish referendum  The Independent

Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos? -...
12 Apr 2026 at 5:23pm
Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos?  London Evening Standard

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

Who won? Head-to-head draws angry exchanges - Daily Business
13 Apr 2026 at 7:08am
Who won? Head-to-head draws angry exchanges  Daily Business

Scottish independence referendum won't happen 'even if SNP wins majority', sa...
12 Apr 2026 at 2:36pm
Scottish independence referendum won't happen 'even if SNP wins majority', says Wes Streeting  Daily Record

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