The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Scottish Water chiefs' 2026 bonuses are branded 'eye-watering'
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
13 Aug 2026 at 4:31pm
The executive members' remuneration for 2026 has been revealed in publicly owned Scottish Water's annual report, with their bonuses branded "eye-watering."


Scottish Labour fights for survival. Anas Sarwar? He couldn't care less
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
13 Aug 2026 at 4:00pm
Scottish Labour leadership candidates tear each other - and the party - apart. But by Anas Sarwar's Fringe appearance, you wouldn't know.


Robert Burns Ellisland plans could generate £1.5m for Dumfries and Galloway
by rose.moncur@newsquest.co.uk | Rose Moncur
13 Aug 2026 at 1:55pm
Plans to transform Robert Burns? Ellisland home into a year-round visitor attraction could generate £1.5m annually and support 65 jobs.


SNP says UK Government may have 'got it wrong' in blocking Chinese turbine fa...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
13 Aug 2026 at 1:22pm
Scotland's Europe minister Stephen Gethins has suggested the UK Government may have made the wrong call in blocking Ming Yang's proposed Ardersier facility, which supporters said would have created 1,500 jobs in the Highlands.


Sturgeon's former aide tells her old boss, Joanna Cherry and JK Rowling to 'd...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
13 Aug 2026 at 11:40am
Kate Higgins, who advised three first ministers, has publicly rebuked Nicola Sturgeon, Joanna Cherry and JK Rowling over their Fringe-fuelled feud, warning their public sparring risks normalising the mistreatment of women.


Today's Herald cartoon on the publication of the annual GERS figures
13 Aug 2026 at 7:36am
Today's cartoon is on the solar eclipse - and the arrival of the annual GERS figures in John Swinney's orbit.


Rosebank battle lines harden as key deadline nears
by mark.williamson@newsquest.co.uk | Mark Williamson
13 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
Andy Burnham under intense pressure from supporters and opponents of planned Rosebank oil development off Shetland ahead of deadline next week


Scottish Labour leadership frontrunner says party 'deeply disconnected' from ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
12 Aug 2026 at 8:54pm
Michael Marra leads the Scottish Labour leadership race as the first hustings lays bare the party's crisis: a membership down to 11,000, its worst-ever Holyrood result, and candidates divided on oil, nuclear and city mayors.


?It?s indefensible?: Anger in Scottish Greens over Q Manivannan rape comments
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
12 Aug 2026 at 6:00pm
Internal anger is growing within the Scottish Greens over Q Manivannan?s rape comments, with members warning the row is damaging the party?s credibility and electoral appeal.


Scottish NHS consultants get 3.5 per cent pay rise as union warns 'half could...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
12 Aug 2026 at 4:31pm
Senior doctors and dentists in Scotland are to receive an above-inflation pay increase, backdated to April, as unions warn that "half could leave" over the "deeply disappointing" move.


GERS shows Scotland's oil revenues down but next year's figures are the ones ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
12 Aug 2026 at 4:24pm
Scotland's geographical share of North Sea revenue fell by £415 million in 2025-26 ? but with the Iran War under way, Rosebank undecided, and the SNP publicly split, the bigger reckoning may be next year.


Scotland's deficit narrows to £25.3bn but gap with UK widens, GERS shows
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
12 Aug 2026 at 9:24am
Scotland's notional deficit fell to £25.3 billion in 2025-26, with revenue rising 6.9%, but the gap between Scotland's finances and the UK's widened as Westminster's deficit improved at a faster pace.


Herald cartoon: Camley on civil servants' office figures
12 Aug 2026 at 7:35am
What do you think of today's Camley cartoon?


Explained: what GERS does ? and does not ? tell us about Scotland
by jody.harrison@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Jody Harrison
12 Aug 2026 at 7:15am
GERS sets out Scotland?s taxes and spending as part of the UK. Here is what the figures cover, what they do not, and why they fuel the constitutional debate.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP accused of 'shockingly dismissive' attitude to national security over Min...
13 Aug 2026 at 11:36am

SNP energy minister Stephen Gethins was criticised by expert Ian Williams

MSPs hoping to become the next Scottish Labour leader have given a bleak assessment of the party?s standing with the public

Scotland?s public spending deficit remains over £25 billion

Ramblers Scotland has had a long-running dispute with North Chesthill Estate - they are hoping a new petition will bring an end to the debate.

Jenny Gilruth also rejects claim there will not be a female SNP leader any time soon

Wings over Scotland

Believers In The Ruins
13 Aug 2026 at 2:01pm
Not done with celebrating defeat in an imaginary UDI yesterday, The National has gone with another big polling-based front cover today, and the party’s woke young stormtrooper drones are beside themselves with malignant glee. Let’s just see what they’re cheering about. Oh. That 29% figure is actually one point DOWN on the SNP’s support in …

The Other Kind Of Winning
12 Aug 2026 at 12:28pm
The National runs headlines like this quite often. The sort-of newspaper doesn’t actually have a sports section – it just publishes The Herald’s – but if it did you have to wonder what it would look like. That IS the story, too. The actual figure in the poll The National reports is 35%, almost exactly …

The Party Of The Dead
6 Aug 2026 at 2:17pm
The SNP’s latest accounts are out. And the zombie shambles on for another year. The headline figures sound reasonable – the party has turned a 2024 deficit of nearly £400,000 into a surplus of just over £500,000. Unfortunately that’s only had the effect of increasing its bank balance by around £110,000 to £384,320. And that …

Anatomy Of A Grift
5 Aug 2026 at 2:48pm
It’s sometimes tempting to believe that transactivists, and in particular the extra-loud attention-seeking type, are simply mad and/or stupid. But that’s not always the case, because this sounds like some actually pretty cunning work. (Click pic to enlarge.) But let’s start at the beginning. In May this year, the former Scottish Greens candidate Euan “Sophie …

The Plague
4 Aug 2026 at 3:32pm
Ever-alert Wings readers will be aware that for the past three and a half years or so I’ve been the target of a campaign by disgraced former policeman Lynsay Watson, who over that period has relentlessly attempted to get me arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned for knowing – and saying – that human beings can’t change …

Or Something
3 Aug 2026 at 9:37am
We have today sent the following email to the Crown Office. – 3 August 2026 Thank you for your letter of 30 July. I offer one last chance to reconsider. I do so having, once again, taken advice from the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. On 1 July, you wrote to me saying inter …

The Deaf Eyes
2 Aug 2026 at 12:03pm
This email actually came in a couple of days ago, but we’ve been too dumbstruck to respond to it until now. Because, like, wow. Firstly, let’s take a moment to note the weird font change halfway through that central paragraph, as though someone else entirely butted in. Which in a sense they have, as the …

The Nobodies
27 Jul 2026 at 5:10pm
Apologies for the slightly shonky quality of this video, readers, which is due to the fact that ITV are such monumental self-sabotaging clowns that it’s not actually possible to screencap any sort of digital broadcast of theirs – screw YOU, viral content! – so we had to do this by videoing our iPad with our …

Ain?t it funny how things change?
22 Jul 2026 at 11:29am
Then, and now. (Click pic to enlarge.) Scottish politics: where repeated catastrophic failure is just another way to succeed.

The Wheels Of Industry
20 Jul 2026 at 2:49pm
Last Friday’s edition of The National ran this guff: And as we often are, we were put in mind of the greatest politics book ever written. We’d really need to quote a much longer section to fully convey the point – ideally just read all of the piece linked above – but this passage will …

Craig Murray

A Tide in the Affairs of Men
7 Aug 2026 at 9:20pm

Between ten and five years ago, specifically in the light of Brexit, it was not in the least unusual for Scottish Independence supporters to discuss a declaration of Independence as the way forward. Debate more often centred on who should make the declaration – the Scottish parliament or some form of national convention or assembly. …

A Tide in the Affairs of Men

The Hard Right Packing of the UK Supreme Court
2 Aug 2026 at 7:00pm

Unlike the USA, where it is obsessively watched, the UK has no political culture of scrutinising the political composition of its Supreme Court. This is a big mistake. The UK Supreme Court has been deliberately and openly, even ostentatiously, packed with hard-right judges selected on the specific criterion that they will not oppose the will …

The Hard Right Packing of the UK Supreme Court

Scottish Independence: Set the Date!
29 Jul 2026 at 6:30pm

  The Scottish Government urgently needs a bold and radical approach to achieving Independence in spite of the firm London veto on a referendum. It is plain that there is no plan at present. The Scottish Parliament has a pro-Independence majority and government. This is how to achieve Independence consistent with international law and practice. …

Scottish Independence: Set the Date!

Narratives of Moral Conflict: Karim Khan and Delcy Rodriguez
26 Jul 2026 at 6:09am

Social media is not conducive to nuance. In the interest of reach, cut and dried positions are more effective and binary moral judgement expected. This leads to over-simplification of complex issues, and to skipping over facts inconvenient to your chosen narrative. There are issues affecting two high-profile people where it is worth considering the detail …

Narratives of Moral Conflict: Karim Khan and Delcy Rodriguez

Where Are We Going?
20 Jul 2026 at 1:25pm

An advert for the RNLI caught my attention because it indicated that the majority of their income comes from bequests in wills. The pitch was that, after you provide for your loved ones, you should leave money to the RNLI. I have no problem with this, having generations of lifeboatmen in my ancestry, but it …

Where Are We Going?

Extreme Unionism and Res Judicata
14 Jul 2026 at 5:02pm

Unsurprisingly, today at the Court of Session Lord Young refused to lift his suspension or “sist” of the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. He did however grant us leave to appeal against this decision. What was surprising was an extreme extension of the UK government’s argument. The UK government stated that …

Extreme Unionism and Res Judicata

BBC Scotland

Scottish Labour leader hopefuls warn against party divisions
12 Aug 2026 at 10:20pm
Monica Lennon, Joe Fagan and Michael Marra are competing to fill the post vacated by Anas Sarwar.

Scotland's public spending deficit falls as tax take rises
12 Aug 2026 at 11:43am
Ministers have published the annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) report.

Swinney calls for Burnham rethink on Chinese factory in Highlands
12 Aug 2026 at 4:39pm
The first minister is dismissing claims he is putting political point scoring before national security concerns.

Homes near pylons to get £250 a year off energy bills ? first sites revealed
12 Aug 2026 at 8:30am
Households living within 1,600ft of upgraded pylons will get £250 a year off their electricity bills.

What is happening with the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields?
11 Aug 2026 at 6:03am
The UK government has moved a step closer to making a decision on whether to approve further drilling.

MSP apologises for hurt caused by rape 'demonisation' comments
10 Aug 2026 at 6:22pm
Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan is facing criticism from rape survivors groups and politicians over a podcast interview.

Sarwar stands by call for Lords to be abolished despite accepting peerage
9 Aug 2026 at 6:38pm
The former Scottish Labour leader tells BBC Scotland News he still believes the UK should have an elected senate of the nations and regions.

Sturgeon has not spoken to Murrell since he was jailed for embezzling SNP funds
8 Aug 2026 at 5:46pm
The former first minister also told a podcast she would not visit her estranged husband in prison.

Sturgeon's criticisms of Swinney reveal tensions in SNP ranks
6 Aug 2026 at 11:01pm
The former first minister's attack on the SNP's 2026 election campaign has led to rebukes from ex-colleagues.

SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts
6 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
The luxury vehicle was bought for £124,550 by the party's former chief executive as part of a £400,000 embezzlement.

Scottish government announces £5m Princes Street fire support
5 Aug 2026 at 4:09pm
Businesses had called for support in the wake of the blaze that has closed a large section of Edinburgh's main thoroughfare.

Nominations open in Scottish Labour leadership contest
3 Aug 2026 at 10:23am
Candidates in the race to replace Anas Sarwar have two weeks to secure the support needed to reach the ballot.

Scot Goes Pop

Analysis of the first full-scale poll of Scottish voting intentions for Westm...
13 Aug 2026 at 9:47am
Just a quick note to let you know I have a new article in The National about the freshly-released Westminster numbers from the paper's Find Out Now poll, which show: SNP 29%, Labour 18%, Reform UK ...

Scotland wants OUT of Burnham's United Kingdom PRISON, shows dramatic indepen...
11 Aug 2026 at 11:23am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have sixteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters - many thanks to them all.  I re...

Bafflement as Gerry Hassan claims the 1979 devolution referendum, in which Sc...
9 Aug 2026 at 1:49pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have sixteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to a new sign-up a few h...

Robin McAlpine wants us to stop using the ballot box to try to win independen...
7 Aug 2026 at 12:02pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have fifteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to someone new signing u...

"Does PALESTINE need nuclear weapons?" - a perfectly logical question if nucl...
6 Aug 2026 at 9:04pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have fifteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to someone new signing u...

The BBC's attempts to sabotage the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will never...
4 Aug 2026 at 11:12am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I currently have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters.  I reckon if I could get...

The Craig Murray and Xander Elliards blueprints for securing Scottish indepen...
30 Jul 2026 at 9:20pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I currently have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters.  I reckon if I could get...

John Swinney's strong denunciation of Burnham's outrageous "off-limits" comme...
27 Jul 2026 at 7:37pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I'm delighted to say I now have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, as a resu...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Scottish Labour has said it must change ? but I can?t see much on offer to do so
13 Aug 2026 at 1:08pm
Colin Mackay looks at how the Scottish Labour leadership contenders fared as they faced each other for the first time at a party hustings

Scottish young people call on Andy Burnham to rethink social media ban
13 Aug 2026 at 7:29am
Youth groups have warned the Prime Minister the plans could lead young people to less regulated parts of the internet.

Swinney urged to meet campaigners demanding pause on hyperscale data centres
12 Aug 2026 at 7:01am
Councils are due to decide on two proposed data centres in Auchertool, Fife, and Larbert, near Falkirk.

Green MSP apologises after rape ?spectrum? comments
10 Aug 2026 at 3:27pm
Manivannan faced backlash from Scotland?s children?s minister, as well as Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

JK Rowling seems to be obsessed with me, says Nicola Sturgeon
10 Aug 2026 at 8:57am
The former first minister made the comments during an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Financial support of £3m announced for islanders affected by ferry disruption
10 Aug 2026 at 7:43am
First Minister John Swinney said that island businesses were too often ?held back by circumstances outside their control?

Andy Burnham faces choice on drilling as North Sea consultation closes
10 Aug 2026 at 7:37am
As Britain braces for its fifth heatwave, environmental groups have urged the Prime Minister to refuse permission for oil and gas production in two areas

Scottish Labour leadership race about finding ?party?s missing soul? ? Lennon
9 Aug 2026 at 10:42am
Monica Lennon is yet to gain the support required to be on the membership ballot

Andy Burnham to go on national tour to hear cost of living concerns
8 Aug 2026 at 9:48pm
The PM says he will be in 'listening mode' during his summer tour of the country, but the Lib Dems describe his trip as a 'vanity tour'.

I?m SNP to my core, says Sturgeon as she rules out joining Greens
8 Aug 2026 at 7:21pm
The former first minister had been critical of the SNP campaign in the new foreword to her book

Nicola Sturgeon feels like a ?mug? over Murrell and won?t visit him in prison
8 Aug 2026 at 3:53pm
Peter Murrell, the SNP?s former chief executive, was jailed for embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP.

Unison backs Monica Lennon to become Scottish Labour leader
7 Aug 2026 at 7:48pm
The MSP still needs the backing of at least one more Holyrood colleague to enter the contest

SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell motorhome but party still owes him £60,000
6 Aug 2026 at 12:45pm
The vehicle was bought by Murrell as part of a £400,000 embezzlement from the SNP

Double Scotland?s organic farmland by 2031, charities urge government
6 Aug 2026 at 7:07am
Scottish Environment LINK said increasing organic farming could help farms, reduce climate emissions and boost nature by cutting pesticide use.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Scottish Labour leadership contender calls on Jackie Baillie to stand down as...
13 Aug 2026 at 1:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: Monica Lennon said the post of deputy leader should not be held by an MSP, which would require Baillie to stand down.

Scottish Water chiefs awarded £258,000 in bonuses despite price rises for cus...
13 Aug 2026 at 10:47am
EXCLUSIVE: The bonuses were included in the body's latest accounts.

Scots understand Monica Lennon and her values - that's why she should be next...
13 Aug 2026 at 10:35am
Writing for the Record, Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank backs Monica Lennon to become the next leader of Scottish Labour.

John Swinney 'absolutely right' to intervene on wind turbine factory despite ...
13 Aug 2026 at 10:23am
The plans were originally blocked by the UK Government over national security concerns about the Chinese firm.

Alex Salmond ally announced as lobbyist for anti-abortion charity
13 Aug 2026 at 9:36am
Chris McEleny has taken up the role with the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.

Clarity is needed on security fears before Chinese-owned wind turbine factory...
13 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
National security should be considered when dealing with potentially hostile foreign countries, writes Record View.

Scottish Labour leadership contenders blast internal briefings in bitter contest
12 Aug 2026 at 8:08pm
MSPs Michael Marra, Monica Lennon and Joe Fagan agreed on broad areas of policy, but tensions have risen on anonymous briefings against all three.

The Scottish Labour leadership contest is ducking the key challenges facing t...
12 Aug 2026 at 6:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says the contest so far has not been a great advert for the party.

Scottish Labour membership 'slumped by over 30%' when Anas Sarwar was leader
12 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: Leadership contender Michael Marra put a figure on Scottish Labour's membership total at a trade union hustings.

?Hostile times? for women in politics as online abuse becomes 'normalised'
12 Aug 2026 at 1:55pm
Jenny Gilruth said it is now ?much harder for women to operate in a much more combative political environment?.

The National

The National | Politics

Andy Burnham's influencer act hasn't won over voters in Scotland
13 Aug 2026 at 4:47pm

ANDY Burnham has embraced social media influencer culture at the beginning of his premiership, but that hasn?t translated into trust.

Monica Lennon unveils plan to oust Jackie Baillie as Scottish Labour's deputy...
13 Aug 2026 at 3:31pm

A SCOTTISH Labour leadership candidate has unveiled a plan to oust Jackie Baillie as deputy leader.

Scots give verdict on Andy Burnham and Number 10 North in new poll
13 Aug 2026 at 2:40pm

THE majority of Scots do not trust Andy Burnham to work in Scotland's best interests while most believe Number 10 North is "just a gimmick".

Yvette Cooper panned over interview with husband Ed Balls's podcast
13 Aug 2026 at 2:32pm

YVETTE Cooper has been blasted after ?doing one of her first big interviews? as Health Secretary on with her husband?s podcast.

Bluesky forced to fix 'inaccurate' Clacton by-election claim after users left...
13 Aug 2026 at 1:58pm

Social media platform Bluesky has been forced to fix an 'inaccurate' claim it made about Nigel Farage and the Clacton by-election

Support for UDI should be kick up the backside that SNP need
12 Aug 2026 at 9:35pm

The National?s poll on a unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) is a surprise and a challenge ? for almost everyone

Nicola Sturgeon and Joanna Cherry must drop 'tedious' feud, says former aide
13 Aug 2026 at 1:18pm

NICOLA Sturgeon, Joanna Cherry and JK Rowling must drop their ?tedious? feud and observe ?a period of dignified silence over the remainder of the summer?, according to the former first minister?s one-time aide.

When will we know the Clacton by-election result?
13 Aug 2026 at 1:02pm

THE Clacton by-election campaign is almost over, but when should we expect the result?

Income tax rates are clearly not deterring those moving to Scotland
13 Aug 2026 at 1:00pm

THE recent debate about the impact of Scotland?s 48p top rate of income tax has once again reignited the tired argument that the country?s tax regime is making it a less attractive place to live and work.

Alex Salmond's former Alba aide takes on anti-abortion lobbying role
13 Aug 2026 at 10:23am

A former SNP councillor and aide to Alex Salmond has been named as a lobbyist for an anti-abortion group

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Michael Marra clears Scottish Labour leadership hurdle thanks to union support
12 Aug 2026 at 6:38pm
Monica Lennon and Joe Fagan are also seeking the role

Spending outstrips revenue raising in Scotland but gap narrows as taxes rise
12 Aug 2026 at 11:42am
National insurance and income tax decisions by both governments raised significant revenue

Youth organisations call for re-think over U-16 social media ban
12 Aug 2026 at 11:09am
Announced in June under then prime minister Keir Starmer, the ban will prevent children accessing platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. It is expected to come into force early next year.

Majority of Scots back restrictions on cancer-linked ?forever chemicals?
12 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
Two Scottish MPs have backed the call to ban hormone-disrupting chemicals until thorough testing takes place

Stroke care target missed for eighth year in row
11 Aug 2026 at 6:14pm
The Scottish Government is still ?failing stroke patients?, a charity has warned

Companies warned over the use of AI chatbots in customer service
11 Aug 2026 at 11:35am
The Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland, a social enterprise, said chatbots and virtual assistants could create new opportunities for criminals if not configured correctly.

Q Manivannan apologises for comments about rape being 'on a spectrum'
10 Aug 2026 at 3:46pm
The Green MSP said the ?mischaracterisation of my words has now returned me to my trauma?

Support package announced for Scottish islands hit by ferry trouble
10 Aug 2026 at 8:30am
John Swinney sets out on three-day island tour

SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more
6 Aug 2026 at 2:26pm
Annual accounts published

Scottish Government announces fire relief funds
5 Aug 2026 at 3:23pm
Commitments for Edinburgh and Cairngorms

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Polls open in Clacton, where Farage spent more than £10,000 in byelection aga...
13 Aug 2026 at 3:54pm
The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelectionThe number of patients in England being cared for in hospital corridors or makeshift areas has remained above 3,000 a day for the second month in a row, as the NHS experiences a ?summer surge?, the Pre...

UK politics: Burnham urges retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues aft...
12 Aug 2026 at 7:10pm
PM warns extreme heat conditions ?could be with us fo some time yet?Just 20 staff are working on climate adaptation within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the part of government tasked with protecting the environment and maintaining food security, a freedom of information ...

Amnesty International says Farage putting ?hate and inhumanity? over leadersh...
10 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
A spokesperson for the human rights group likened the proposal to ?financial brutality with British taxpayers? money?Farage and Yusuf are now taking questions.Q: From Jack Fenwick from the BBC Are there other countries where you might send foreign offenders? And how much would this cost?We have...

Nicola Sturgeon ?has not spoken to? estranged husband, Peter Murrell, since h...
8 Aug 2026 at 3:50pm
Scotland?s former first minister says she will not visit Murrell in prison, where he is serving five-year sentence for embezzling SNP fundsNicola Surgeon has said she will not visit her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, in prison, has stopped speaking to him and views herself as a ?mug? for worry...

UK politics: Tories? Philp rejects French claim that shots fired from naval b...
28 Jul 2026 at 6:01pm
Shadow minister says there was no warning and ?it looked and sounded like deliberate intimidation?Conservative MP accuses French navy of firing shots near him in ChannelIt is not just the Russians firing on Brits in the English Channel; Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has accused a French...

Poll shows Labour ahead of Reform UK for first time since Burnham became PM ?...
27 Jul 2026 at 5:45pm
New PM says he ?wouldn?t get carried away? by latest polling but says he is pleased if he has ?connected with people?I have already posted lines from Andy Burnham?s BBC interview on reforming social care (see 9.03am), making council tax fairer (see 10.03am), and ruling out an early election (see ...

Evacuated villagers in Cairngorms allowed home after wildfire threat lifts
25 Jul 2026 at 11:08pm
Scottish first minister thanks Nethy Bridge residents and aid workers after earlier requesting UK military aid to fight 10-day fireResidents of Nethy Bridge have been told they can return to their homes after a large fire broke out in the Cairngorms national park.Supt Judy Hill of Police Scotland...

Scottish Labour?s rivals decry ?chancer? Anas Sarwar for resigning to join An...
22 Jul 2026 at 11:17pm
New prime minister has made Sarwar ? the first senior Labour figure to call for Keir Starmer?s resignation ? a peerScottish Labour?s rivals in Holyrood have slammed Anas Sarwar?s shock decision to resign as leader to sit in Andy Burnham?s new government, calling him a ?chancer? and accusing him o...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

GERSmas Day 2026
11 Aug 2026 at 8:22pm
It’s always welcome to have some good news for independence, but that’s especially true on GERSmas eve as the British media in Scotland and anti-independence campaigners gear themselves up for their annual orgy of too wee too poor too stupid in the form of GERS Figures which purport to demonstrate that Scotland is an economic …

The nasty party gets nastier
9 Aug 2026 at 3:04pm
The Tories are on a mission. Having had the title of the Nasty Party wrested away from them by Reform UK and by the even more unpleasant Restore Britain, Kemi Badenoch is determined to prove that the Conservatives are the original and best, or should that be worst, nasties of them all. Last week we …

Even good news is spun into SNPbad by the media in Scotland
5 Aug 2026 at 6:58pm
It’s often said there are two kinds of people in the world, those who say the glass is half full, and those who say it’s half empty. This is in fact inaccurate as there is a third kind, those who say: “Oh my God! That glass is about to shatter into a thousand jaggy shards, …

Burnham?s mini bounce
1 Aug 2026 at 1:39pm
Our visitors have left now. It was lovely to see them. As far as the blog is concerned I’m able to type again. There was a problem with the keyboard on my laptop which has now been repaired. Top tip, don’t spill tea on your laptop. So it’s back to blogging as usual. Andy Burnham …

Why you should subscribe to The National
1 Aug 2026 at 1:15pm
The National’s summer sale is running until Thursday 6 August. During this limited time period you can purchase an annual subscription to Scotland’s only pro-independence newspaper for the bargain price of £20. You might not agree with everything published by The National, but that’s inevitable in a publication which carries the weight of an entire …

Lord Sarwar of Brass Neck
21 Jul 2026 at 9:59pm
It seems to be a law of Scottish politics, or perhaps it’s more likely it’s just a personal curse, but whenever I try and take some time off from the blog a big story breaks and it’s back to the keyboard. What is most definitely a law of Scottish politics is that I’m not nationalist …

Silly season politics
17 Jul 2026 at 4:01pm
With Friday’s coronation of Andy Burnham as leader of the Labour party and his official accession to Ten Downing Street on Monday, the UK is now on its seventh prime minister in ten years. Meanwhile the man who wants to become prime minister after the next general election is fighting a by election with a …

Reform UK?s attack on Scottish languages
14 Jul 2026 at 4:44pm
It’s the greatest attempted Westminster assault on Scottish culture since the Jacobite wars. Reform UK has proposed an amendment to the UK Government’s elections bill which would criminalise the use of any languages other than English or Welsh on electoral material and impose a punishment of up to six months in prison and/or a fine. …

Ich bin ein Bin liner
12 Jul 2026 at 6:08pm
Last week, Nigel Farage announced that he was going to resign as the MP for Clacton in order to fight a by election to become the MP for Clacton. In a pity political broadcast from Reform UK headquarters which was broadcast live by the BBC and Sky News, Farage railed at the media for unfairly …

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 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

97% of Scotland?s aviation fuel demand was met by Grangemouth so closing it w...
13 Aug 2026 at 5:17pm
By Capella From Google AI: Before ending crude oil processing in April 2025, the Grangemouth Refinery supplied about 65% of all petrol, diesel, and jet fuel used in Scotland. For aviation fuel specifically, it accounted for up to 97% of Scotland?s supply, fueling major airports like Edinburgh and Glasgow. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Note - the source numbers will cleverly, for TuS, take you right out of he...

The Hammer Of The Scots ? Can Scotland afford to remain part of the Union?
13 Aug 2026 at 4:52pm
By Mark E. Saunders of ?The Scottish Minuteman? https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 Every August, a report drops like a hammer ? GERS. The Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland report arrives with the same ritual timing, and the same ritual headlines. Scotland, we are told, is broke. Scotland, we are told, is subsidised. Scotland, we are told, cannot stand on its own t...

Update ? After two years UK Labour Government accused of betraying children a...
13 Aug 2026 at 1:49pm
Update at 16:40pm - Edited in the light of thoughts on the deliberately different targets adopted in Scotland and in rUK.vvv From tes 4 August 2026: The attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged students – a key measure of success set by the Scottish government – narrowed slightly for each of the three qualifications: from 16.4 percentage points to 15.6 at National 5; from 16.8 pe...

Is this a Scottish Labour thing? Building hospitals next to and downwind of r...
13 Aug 2026 at 9:27am
Thanks to derekscott1953 for alerting us to this: As Joe Murray pointed out on an earlier version of this topic, the NHS Golden Jubilee University National Hospital in Clydebank was built in 1994 as a private facility by US firm, Health Care International, for £180 million. Located on the north bank of the River Clyde in the Dalmuir area, it sits along the waterfront near local industrial and u...

Most of the heavier crude oil from Rosebank will be sent to the Netherlands b...
13 Aug 2026 at 8:30am
By Liz S ?The new and upgraded high-voltage transmission infrastructure in Scotland (new pylons, higher-capacity overhead lines, substations, and related works) is primarily required to transmit surplus electricity across the border into England and the wider Great Britain system? Yes indeed, but it?s not just electricity as the BBC website has this article, dated 11 August 2026, on their websi...

Public Health Professor?s message for Scottish Labour?s nuclear plans ? ?I pe...
12 Aug 2026 at 5:58pm
Chatgpt image (copyright-free) based on photographs of the nuclear waste storage in Plymouth USA From the Plymouth Independent, two days ago: The 1972 opening of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant might have been the worst thing to happen in Plymouth?s long history. It ushered in an era of fool?s gold prosperity that, over time, exacted a steep price on what was a quintessential sleepy town. Today...

Three more French nuclear power stations shut down as jellyfish swarm cooling...
12 Aug 2026 at 5:44pm
Thanks, once more, to Frances McKie for alerting us to this and who comments: It keeps coming back to basic things like plumbing, blockages and corrosion…..at Dounreay, they never found a way to stop seaweed blocking their intake pipes…Here it’s jellyfish. From Reuters yesterday: Three reactors at ?France’s Gravelines nuclear power plant were shut down late on Monday due to a massive swarm of j...

The real Glasgow hospital scandal is Labour in 2008 deciding to put it next t...
12 Aug 2026 at 3:42pm
Details: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/08/12/the-real-glasgow-hospital-scandal-in-the-whole-world-only-one-government-has-ever-deliberately-built-a-new-hospital-next-to-a-raw-sewage-works/

Sludge leaks, spills, and fails to be contained so build your super-hospital ...
12 Aug 2026 at 3:02pm
Once more, deep thanks to our friend who shared this ‘sludge’ with us. From: Olden, R. (2016) Sludge. Cultural Geographies, 23(4), pp. 715719. (doi:10.1177/1474474016630966) We are standing over the inlet of Shieldhall Wastewater Treatment Works where the rush of stuff banished to an underworld of sewers and culverts spews from a protruding pipe to meet the light of day once again: the sewage a...

The real Glasgow hospital scandal ? In the WHOLE world only one government ha...
12 Aug 2026 at 2:58pm
In previous reports on the inquiry hearing expert witnesses, we’ve revealed that of 7 recent new large city hospitals across the UK, including in Manchester, only Glasgow City Council, in 2008, opted to build right next to a large raw sewage plant. In the years that followed after the SNP took power in 2017, Anas Sarwar groomed the traumatised parents of cancer victims, where autopsies had reve...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

First independence poll of Burnham era predicts Scotland would leave UK - The...
11 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
First independence poll of Burnham era predicts Scotland would leave UK  The National Scot

New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Sc...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Scottish leader  Anadolu Ajans?

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

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

Salmond?s stars aligned on independence, now numbers don?t stack up - The Times
12 Aug 2026 at 5:20pm
Salmond?s stars aligned on independence, now numbers don?t stack up  The Times

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

New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independenc...
21 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independence  BBC

John Swinney says he will continue independence push despite Downing Street s...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
John Swinney says he will continue independence push despite Downing Street saying referendum is ?off limits?  Holyrood Website

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Scotland's papers: MSP 'rape spectrum' apology and SNP's ferry 'U-turn' - BBC
11 Aug 2026 at 6:36am
Scotland's papers: MSP 'rape spectrum' apology and SNP's ferry 'U-turn'  BBC

SNP says UK Government may have 'got it wrong' in blocking Chinese turbine fa...
13 Aug 2026 at 1:42pm
SNP says UK Government may have 'got it wrong' in blocking Chinese turbine factory  The Herald

SNP accused of 'shockingly dismissive' attitude to national security over Min...
13 Aug 2026 at 11:36am
SNP accused of 'shockingly dismissive' attitude to national security over Ming Yang  The Scotsman

Sturgeon has not spoken to Murrell since he was jailed for embezzling SNP fun...
8 Aug 2026 at 5:46pm
Sturgeon has not spoken to Murrell since he was jailed for embezzling SNP funds  BBC

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

UK withholds information on Israeli firm accused of targeting Scottish first ...
13 Aug 2026 at 1:43pm
UK withholds information on Israeli firm accused of targeting Scottish first minister in elections  Middle East Eye

What ever happened to the SNP's plan for pro-independence 'alternative GERS'?...
12 Aug 2026 at 6:30pm
What ever happened to the SNP's plan for pro-independence 'alternative GERS'?  The National Scot

SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell's motorhome but still owes him £60k - S...
6 Aug 2026 at 3:50pm
SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell's motorhome but still owes him £60k  Sky News

Lords should hold inquiry into SNP finances if MPs don?t, says peer - The Times
10 Aug 2026 at 5:01pm
Lords should hold inquiry into SNP finances if MPs don?t, says peer  The Times

Exclusive: SNP three year teacher guarantee 'could increase insecurity for ex...
12 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
Exclusive: SNP three year teacher guarantee 'could increase insecurity for experienced staff'  The Scotsman

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

First independence poll of Burnham era predicts Scotland would leave UK - The...
11 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
First independence poll of Burnham era predicts Scotland would leave UK  The National Scot

Burnham tells Swinney independence is 'off limits' at Commonwealth Games meet...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Burnham tells Swinney independence is 'off limits' at Commonwealth Games meeting  BBC

New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Sc...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Scottish leader  Anadolu Ajans?

Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote - nzherald.co.nz
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote  nzherald.co.nz

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

UK Prime Minister Burnham has ruled out the possibility of a new referendum o...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK Prime Minister Burnham has ruled out the possibility of a new referendum on Scottish independence  ?????????? ??????????? ?????? (???)

Beyond Constitutional Groundhog Day: The 2026 Scottish Parliamentary Election...
15 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Beyond Constitutional Groundhog Day: The 2026 Scottish Parliamentary Election  Verfassungsblog