The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Data centre giant defends ministerial talks after thousands join Edinburgh pr...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
15 Nov 2026 at 12:37pm
The developer behind five Scottish AI data centre proposals admitted the sites would draw power from the national grid rather than dedicated renewables.


Questions over NHS records system after 227,000 files destroyed
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
15 Nov 2026 at 11:04am
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde destroyed 227,799 paper patient records in 2025/26, raising concerns over safeguards for its new automated retention system


Kates Forbes reveals she was cornered and followed by businessman
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
15 Nov 2026 at 10:15am
Kate Forbes has broken her silence over being cornered and followed by a businessman during her time in Parliament.


SNP leadership viewed Gibson as 'disaster waiting to happen' as Presiding Off...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
15 Nov 2026 at 9:35am
John Swinney regarded Kenny Gibson's election as Holyrood's Presiding Officer as a "disaster waiting to happen", a senior SNP source has claimed.


'How can I plan for my future?': Shock as wait time for settled status to double
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
15 Nov 2026 at 8:00am
Ms Andreacchi, who has lived in Scotland since 2020, is one of the estimated 500,000 migrants whose futures in the UK have been suddenly thrown into turmoil.


'Dumbed down' Scotland?s leading education expert savages nation?s school system
by Neil Mackay
15 Nov 2026 at 6:00am
Professor Lindsay Paterson talks to our Writer at Large about what?s gone wrong, who is to blame and whether Scotland can become a leading nation in education once again


SNP backlash on oil and gas gives Greens a campaign boost
by Kathleen Nutt
15 Nov 2026 at 5:00am
John Swinney?s SNP oil and gas shift has given a boost for the Scottish Greens as the party targets SNP-held council seats in Glasgow and Edinburgh.


A&E waits of more than 48 hours almost quadruple at troubled health board
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
15 Nov 2026 at 5:00am
The number of A&E waits lasting more than two days almost quadrupled at one of Scotland's troubled health boards.


Expert calls for Scotland?s curriculum reforms to be scrapped over AI errors
by Neil Mackay
15 Nov 2026 at 6:00am
Scotland?s landmark curriculum reforms should be halted and restarted after AI-generated errors, fake references and ?hallucinations? were uncovered in official documents, a leading education expert has said.


UK ministers admit no talks with Scotland on impact of Trump's NHS drugs deal
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
14 Nov 2026 at 5:00am
UK ministers have confirmed no direct talks with Scotland's Health Secretary over the potential impact of Donald Trump's medicines deal on NHS Scotland.


?Inflation on these islands has dwarfed that of our neighbours?
by ian.mcconnell@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Ian McConnell
14 Nov 2026 at 4:40am
SNP says ?countries across Europe would give their right arm for the energy resources Scotland is blessed with? as it makes Ireland case


Almost 7,000 A&E patients treated in corridors at crisis-hit health board
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
14 Nov 2026 at 5:00am
In under 18 months, NHS Ayrshire and Arran treated almost 7,000 patients in corridors due to overcrowding in A&E, The Herald reveals.


Scottish Tories demand election pledge amid fears of foreign interference
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
13 Nov 2026 at 5:10pm
Russell Findlay has challenged rival parties to guarantee council election candidates can permanently remain in the UK amid fears of foreign interference.


Edinburgh bookshop denies discriminating against Jewish poet over views on Is...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
13 Nov 2026 at 6:00am
Ms Rosenberg has claimed that she was discriminated against by the bookshop due to her Zionist beliefs.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


North Sea oil and gas mergers ?suppressing? tax receipts as Treasury revenue ...
15 Nov 2026 at 6:00am

The North Sea oil and gas sector could contribute more funding to public finances if the Middle East conflict continues and keeps fossil fuel prices at a high level.

Scottish Water has identified 69 properties with ?misconnections?

A leaked survey reveals collapse in morale at heritage body, with three in five employees unwilling to recommend it as a place to work

Wings over Scotland

How To Succeed In Scotland
11 Nov 2026 at 1:30pm
…Without Really Trying, Or Even Being Slightly Competent. We should probably just make this a list. But first it’s worth digressing for a moment to note where the new Head of Defence Medical Command comes to his new position from. The Elanic Hospital is a private institution which opened last February, offering a wide range …

Stand By Your Posts
10 Nov 2026 at 10:16pm
(We weren’t going to run this AI piece, but honestly the last line is ice cold.) Regular readers will have noticed a lack of articles lately. The fault is partly mine: the editor and I have been busy with other things for a fortnight, and Holyrood has been left to its own devices. Having spent …

Vibecoding A Better World
28 Oct 2026 at 3:13pm
AI may very well kill us all in the coming weeks and months, but in the meantime it’s a magical tool that enables even near-idiots to perform near-miracles. While the Scottish Parliament has been off for the October half-term and nothing’s been happening in politics, I’ve been occupying myself with modifying some very old computer …

Faces In Sand
17 Oct 2026 at 3:53pm
Ladies and gentlemen, the next leader of the SNP. ? To be scrupulously fair to the huffing dolt-child, we suppose in grey, chilly Aberdeen there could be some confusion on the matter. But remarkably, the above isn’t even nearly the dumbest thing that’s happened (so far) at this year’s SNP conference. It’s probably not even …

The fight about to come
14 Oct 2026 at 3:20pm
The obvious question is “Why haven’t you made a bigger one in all that time?” Did it not seem important until now? Was there nothing significant going on? Or were they just a little short of cash for some unknowable reason? Still, Keith’s going to make a “launch” speech. He makes it every year. It’ll …

Still Time To Save Her
9 Oct 2026 at 2:32pm
We’ve just had an extraordinary email from Police Scotland, readers. Here it is. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the real-life Timecops. Operation Branchform was closed on 20 March 2025. Nicola Sturgeon gave her infamous interview to Laura Kuenssberg – stating that she would not be handing back any of the items gifted to her by Peter …

There May Be Justice
5 Oct 2026 at 12:40pm
In a little under three days, Phase 1 complete. Wings readers: still the best. But what now? A couple of people have asked about the “stretch target” on the website. That was something CrowdJustice asked for and the reason it’s so high is that that figure was our lawyers’ estimate of the total cost of …

The Love Of Big Brother
3 Oct 2026 at 1:24pm
We were trying to work out what this reminded us of. And the answer was in the same place it usually is. It all checks out. The SNP spend their time grooming your children and trying to make basic parenting a crime. They endorse “gender-affirming care” that sterilises them and will stop them ever having …

In The Eyes Of The Law
1 Oct 2026 at 2:15pm
Our fundraiser to bring a judicial review of Police Scotland’s decision not to charge anyone with embezzlement in the case of the SNP’s missing £700,000 indyref fund is now live, and can be reached by clicking on this image, or here. The target of £30,000 represents the cost of the initial application (with contingency for …

Whatever Can Have Happened?
30 Sep 2026 at 1:50pm
Yesterday afternoon John Swinney announced an independent review into the dual roles of Scotland’s main law officers, the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General, which have been a subject of great controversy since the Scottish Parliament was re-convened in 1999. Wings welcomes this development unequivocally, albeit we’re slightly concerned that the former judge leading the …

Craig Murray

Fergie Chambers Extradition
15 Nov 2026 at 9:34am

The Trump regime’s extradition case against Fergie Chambers is so thin, that the US Justice Department did not even turn up to try to enforce it. At the Assange extradition hearings there were always a minimum of two Justice Department officials , every day, seated behind the British Home Secretary’s legal team, exchanging notes and …

Fergie Chambers Extradition

Palestine Action Supreme Court Hearing Day 2
8 Nov 2026 at 6:38pm

I woke up at 5am, and rather than dashing back to court, I made good progress on writing up the first day. The surprising lack of demand for the public gallery was probably due to the fact that you were not actually allowed in the courtroom, but only in an overflow court. So I arrived …

Palestine Action Supreme Court Hearing Day 2

Palestine Action Supreme Court Hearing Day 1
5 Nov 2026 at 7:59am

UPDATE: this article is now complete; I published just the start yesterday. It was a remarkably mild early November morning at 6am as I left the Chelsea Cloisters hotel to get the tube to Westminster and the Supreme Court. I had been worried because I had forgotten to pack my thermal underwear. I had queued …

Palestine Action Supreme Court Hearing Day 1

To The Supreme Court
3 Nov 2026 at 11:57pm

I am in London at the UK Supreme Court for Huda Ammori’s appeal against the proscription of Palestine Action. Three Jewish groups have been granted intervention rights by the Court (two of them pro-Genocide) but no Palestinian group. One of the strongest grounds to contest the proscription was that it entails discrimination against Palestinians. That …

To The Supreme Court

The Crisis In Poland
2 Nov 2026 at 11:58am

I was First Secretary at the British Embassy in Warsaw 1994-98. While that was a long time ago, I knew personally many of the people at the heart of the current crisis, such as Donald Tusk and Radek Sikorski. 1) The first thing to say about Poland is that the current crisis is unlikely to …

The Crisis In Poland

This Cannot Last
29 Oct 2026 at 3:06pm

Netanyahu is seeking to build a new coalition with Jewish “opposition” parties to ensure the continued exclusion of Arabs from government in Israel. It will be a long and convoluted process but I expect he will eventually succeed. In the meantime he remains in power. Next week Trump will lose control of both Houses in …

This Cannot Last

BBC Scotland

Thousands turn out in Edinburgh to protest against AI data centres
14 Nov 2026 at 5:20pm
Demonstrators armed with placards - and some dressed in costume - assembled at the top of the Royal Mile before marching towards the Scottish Parliament.

'Dramatic action' needed after NHS Grampian leaders criticised in damning rep...
12 Nov 2026 at 4:06pm
The first minister reacts after Healthcare Improvement Scotland said failures to learn from mistakes caused repeated and avoidable harm to patients.

Trouble at the top - the crisis of confidence in Scotland's NHS leaders
13 Nov 2026 at 6:35am
BBC Scotland's health correspondent Lisa Summers on the damning verdict delivered on NHS Grampian.

Dundee City Council faces £4.1m overspend this year
13 Nov 2026 at 10:49am
A new report reveals the council's general fund overspend has risen by about £800,000 from last month's estimate.

No biological males in women's prisons, Scottish Prison Service confirms
12 Nov 2026 at 1:36pm
All transgender women - biological males who identify as women - have now been moved into men's jails to comply with a legal ruling.

Long-delayed CalMac ferry Glen Rosa begins sea trials
12 Nov 2026 at 1:46pm
MV Glen Rosa will undergo tests in the Firth of Clyde, with specialists measuring its systems.

School exam boss to step down after two years in post
12 Nov 2026 at 10:06am
Nick Page, who oversaw Qualifications Scotland's transition from the SQA, will leave in August next year.

'Not the answer': Labour MPs speak out against Rosebank as decision looms
11 Nov 2026 at 9:42pm
There is a growing expectation among senior Labour figures that drilling in the oil field will be given the green light.

Why is Scotland's housing shortage getting worse?
11 Nov 2026 at 6:11am
Homelessness has hit record levels and the cost of renting or buying property has continued to rise.

Acquitted 'China spy' tells BBC: I was fall guy for security services but als...
11 Nov 2026 at 6:00am
Thousands of messages seen by BBC show how a Chinese official sought details of sensitive political matters.

Scottish Labour leader says the UK should re-join EU
10 Nov 2026 at 5:53pm
Michael Marra said he wanted "solidarity, not separation" and accepted that "re-joining the EU won't be easy".

NHS boss received nearly £400,000 'redundancy' pay-off when she retired
10 Nov 2026 at 6:20am
The payment comes ahead of a planned major overhaul of Scotland's NHS which could see the number of health boards cut dramatically.

Scot Goes Pop

Does SCOTLAND have the right to exist? Does the BBC respect that right?
15 Nov 2026 at 1:15pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Michael Marra's sham Brexit "announcement" is just the latest stage in Labour...
12 Nov 2026 at 1:19pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

The SIX most UNDENIABLE benefits of Scotland becoming an independent country
9 Nov 2026 at 8:12pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Scottish independence polls: how the polling companies are GASLIGHTING us abo...
8 Nov 2026 at 5:47pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

I've been elected to the SNP's Conduct Appeals Committee
4 Nov 2026 at 8:25pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.

If nuclear war is to be averted, RevStew's unbroken run of inaccurate predict...
3 Nov 2026 at 9:30pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Debunking the so-called "Refnation poll on Scottish independence for the Dail...
2 Nov 2026 at 8:11pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

SNP's "astonishingly commanding" victory in the Mid Argyll by-election, as Ru...
31 Oct 2026 at 3:42pm
As mentioned in the video, I also have an analysis piece in The National about the Mid Argyll by-election result, which can be read HERE.

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Andy Burnham writes ?most of his own speeches? after aide spotted using ChatGPT
15 Nov 2026 at 1:39pm
Number 10 said the aide was seeking feedback on a pre-written speech draft and that AI suggestions were not ultimately used

Eleven Police Scotland officers convicted of violent crimes ?still being paid?
14 Nov 2026 at 6:25pm
Jo Farrell, Police Scotland's chief constable, added 80 officers who have been suspended are costing the tax payer £4.5m a year

SNP member with hearing disability loses bid to increase discrimination payout
13 Nov 2026 at 3:02pm
Barbara Ann Grigor was previously awarded £750 compensation by a sheriff

Committee urges clarity on planned NHS reform amid concerns over ?scant details?
13 Nov 2026 at 7:51am
The Health, Care and Sport Committee said it is concerned about the ?scant details? ministers have set out so far about the planned overhaul

Andy Burnham ?failing families? as data shows 40% rise in food prices, says SNP
13 Nov 2026 at 7:35am
Analysis by the House of Commons Library revealed the average price of food and non-alcoholic drinks in the UK rose by 39.6% in six years

Scottish Water would not allow ?horror stories? from data centres over water use
12 Nov 2026 at 3:13pm
Campaigners have raised concerns about the impact new data centres could have on water supplies, but Scottish Water sought to reassure MSPs.

Zero biological males now in women?s jails, says Scottish Prison Service
12 Nov 2026 at 3:06pm
A small number of transgender prisoners were removed from the women?s estate following a legal ruling in June, the service said.

Attacks on former lord advocate over Murrell case were ?deeply unfair?, MPs told
11 Nov 2026 at 8:36pm
James Wollfe KC defended his successor Dorothy Bain KC when he gave evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee

Why does Burnham keep slipping up on Scotland?
11 Nov 2026 at 6:09pm
From energy to Scottish independence, Andy Burnham has stumbled over key Scottish issues during his premiership

Scottish ministers accused of ?Jekyll and Hyde? approach to climate issues
11 Nov 2026 at 8:31am
First Minister John Swinney has been urged to oppose drilling in the Rosebank oil and gas field.

Malcolm Offord not most charismatic leader, Reform UK Scotland deputy says
11 Nov 2026 at 8:30am
Thomas Kerr also said he did not want his boss?s job, amid claims from the First Minister about his leadership ambitions.

?Tony overcame trauma of care system to give us a voice ? then his life was c...
11 Nov 2026 at 7:03am
Ashley Toner says the death of fellow campaigner Tony McDonald highlights the worrying rate of premature deaths among care-experienced people

Russell Brand case shows how celebrities can ?significantly exert power?, Joh...
10 Nov 2026 at 4:15pm
The First Minister said Brand's actions highlight how 'misgynistic attitudes' still prevail

Rejoining EU should be ?long-term objective? for UK ? Scottish Labour leader
10 Nov 2026 at 2:22pm
Michael Marra accepted his call for the UK to go back into Europe goes further than Prime Minister Andy Burnham?s position.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

New anti-fox hunting laws 'still not being enforced properly' despite first c...
15 Nov 2026 at 5:29pm
Anti-blood sports campaigners warn hunt licences are being handed out too easily as they take Scotland's wildlife watchdog to court.

Bins could be left overflowing at Christmas as Scotland's waste system faces ...
15 Nov 2026 at 2:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: An MSP has warned rubbish-strewn streets could be a common sight in Scotland this festive season unless action is taken to tackle the waste crisis.

Ethics watchdog started shredding case files after meeting where it discussed...
15 Nov 2026 at 4:30am
Standards Commission chose to radically overhaul data retention policy in May, months before losing landmark free speech case to Councillor Fiona Higgins.

Hydrogen home heating trial in Fife branded a 'nightmare' after burning throu...
15 Nov 2026 at 4:30am
The H100 pilot in Methil was previously hailed by John Swinney as a 'shining example' of net zero policy.

Holyrood's Presiding Officer Kenny Gibson hit with slew of new bullying accus...
15 Nov 2026 at 4:30am
Alleged victims accuse the SNP of lying over claims their complaints were 'fully investigated' and say the party never contacted them.

Scots invited to share their views on John Swinney plan to slash number of co...
13 Nov 2026 at 1:01pm
Scots have until December 11 to share their views on how local government should look across the country.

David Cameron branded 'useless' after former PM insists UK should not reverse...
13 Nov 2026 at 11:41am
Michael Marra - who has argued rejoining the EU is in Scotland's interests - accused the ex-Tory leader of making "a pig?s ear of the referendum campaign" in 2016

Scots NHS bosses 'act with impunity' and are too concerned with 'managing hea...
12 Nov 2026 at 3:11pm
The Scottish Labour leader hit out after a damning report laid bare the extent of managerial incompetence across NHS Grampian.

Scots impacted by McClure solicitors closure urged to join group action lawsuit
12 Nov 2026 at 1:40pm
Hundreds of McClures clients have complained of facing a legal nightmare since the sudden collapse of the firm in 2021.

Scots children put at risk due to NHS board incompetence, damning report finds
12 Nov 2026 at 10:08am
A review found serious weaknesses in the management of frontline health workers across NHS Grampian.

The National

The National | Politics

Hundreds of thousands protest in Prague over government broadcasting plans
15 Nov 2026 at 4:44pm

HUNDREDS of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Prague to protest government reforms to the country's public broadcaster

Scottish Government open to age of consent law change after Russell Brand case
15 Nov 2026 at 4:01pm

The Scottish Government has indicated that it is open to considering proposals aimed at strengthening protections for 16 and 17-year-olds from sexual relationships with significantly older adults

What is the US proposing Ukraine give to Russia in return for Nato membership?
15 Nov 2026 at 2:09pm

1725 days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the US is reportedly proposing that Kyiv give up something it has fought for more than a decade: the Donbas

Iran targets US military base in Bahrain as tensions rise across Middle East
15 Nov 2026 at 1:12pm

IRAN has targeted a US military base in Bahrain in the latest rise in tensions in the Middle East

Andy Burnham aide caught using ChatGPT to make speech ?more emotive?
15 Nov 2026 at 12:22pm

ANDY Burnham writes ?most of his own speeches?, Downing Street has said after an aide was pictured using ChatGPT

Kate Forbes reveals ?frightening? businessman encounter in call for culture s...
15 Nov 2026 at 11:56am

FORMER deputy first minister Kate Forbes has revealed how she was once followed onto a dark Edinburgh street by a businessman after he cornered her and blocked her exit at an event

Pope denounces the ?suffering and humiliation? of enslaved Africans
15 Nov 2026 at 11:45am

POPE Leo XIV has denounced the ?suffering and humiliation? endured by African enslaved people

Some people will lose benefits as Neets review looms, Pat McFadden says
15 Nov 2026 at 11:11am

SOME young people will not receive benefits they are currently eligible for in future, Pat McFadden has said ahead of the publication of a major review aimed at tackling the rise in youth unemployment

How the far right is connected to 'Christian nationalism' movement
15 Nov 2026 at 11:00am

ON a blustery, overcast day in London, in front of tens of thousands of protesters gathered at the Houses of Parliament, a man takes to a stage wearing traditional vestments associated with the clergy.

Andy Burnham faces Labour rebellion as MPs launch bid to block Rosebank
15 Nov 2026 at 10:53am

ANDY Burnham is facing a rebellion from his backbenchers as seventy-five Labour MPs have reportedly signed a letter to oppose the Rosebank oilfield development

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

MSPs concerned over lack of detail in government?s NHS overhaul
13 Nov 2026 at 5:00am
Holyrood's health committee said the proposals had been made 'without a clear evidence base or assessment of how much they will cost' ?

Damning NHS Grampian report ?appalling? says John Swinney
12 Nov 2026 at 3:32pm
Healthcare Improvement Scotland said mistakes had caused ?repeated and avoidable harm?

Nvidia CEO stands down after reported affair with alleged Chinese spy
12 Nov 2026 at 2:42pm
The CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, has stepped down from his role at the tech company after he admitted to having an extramarital affair in an email to employees

Qualifications Scotland chief executive announces departure
11 Nov 2026 at 11:30am
Search for Nick Page replacement to begin

Scottish Labour backs UK rejoining European Union
10 Nov 2026 at 1:12pm
Michael Marra has written to Andy Burnham calling on him to include the commitment in Labour?s next manifesto

Mairi McAllan: ?BBC Scotland being hollowed out by cuts?
10 Nov 2026 at 12:01am
Mairi McAllan will lead a Scottish Government debate on the BBC and public service broadcasting following news that BBC Scotland will be moved online

Maree Todd: Thomas Kerr?s drugs genocide claim is a disgrace
9 Nov 2026 at 11:57am
Reform UK MSP says he holds SNP ministers personally responsible for his father's death

Data centres could ?torpedo? climate target, campaigners warn
9 Nov 2026 at 7:00am
The intervention comes amid a political row on the future of the sites

Voters want decisions over North Sea oil and gas to be made in Scotland
9 Nov 2026 at 12:01am
Fifty-eight per cent of those surveyed by pollsters Ipsos said the decision on licences should be made by the Scottish Government, compared with 33 per cent who said the UK Government.

?Insufficient evidence of wrongdoing? in bullying complaints against Kenneth ...
8 Nov 2026 at 4:23pm
It has been reported that a dossier of complaints was sent to SNP HQ by independent solicitors

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Planned Tory welfare cuts ?a charter for human misery,? says Labour ? as it h...
10 Nov 2026 at 5:23pm
Conservative leader launches Welfare That Works policy document outlining benefit reductions of £36bnBadenoch and Whately are now taking questions.Q: From Rob Powell from Sky News We are running a report on the Netherlands, where youth unemployment is much lower than in the UK, but the amount t...

Burnham warns that NHS will ?struggle? to cope if consultants don?t resume ta...
9 Nov 2026 at 5:31pm
Hospital consultants are set to go on a two-day strike at the end of OctoberDowning Street has insisted that the government remains committed to the principle of the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate ? while not denying today?s Guardian report saying interim targets to achieve it are set to be ...

UK politics: Burnham says US midterm results have created ?opportunity? for w...
4 Nov 2026 at 5:01pm
?I think people want to see the world coming together and focusing on the things that matter to people,? PM saysLouise Haigh starts by saying she is standing in for Andy Burnham.She says this weekend the whole country will fall silent to mark Remembrance Sunday. Continue reading...

Why Scottish nationalists should see Burnham as a real threat ? and an opport...
1 Nov 2026 at 9:00am
The PM?s goals may spell bad news for the SNP. But his EU bridge-building could also resurrect its dreams of independenceFifty years ago this month, a group of leftwing Scots gathered in the Golden Lion hotel in Stirling for the inaugural conference of a new political party. The ?Scottish Labour ...

Local devolution decisions rest solely with Scotland and Wales, first ministe...
30 Oct 2026 at 5:53pm
John Swinney and Rhun ap Iorwerth say devolving power further is up to Holyrood and Senedd ? not WestminsterScotland and Wales?s first ministers have told Andy Burnham that decisions on local devolution rest solely with their parliaments, in response to the prime minister?s push to extend English...

Business secretary says UK needs to understand direction of EU before signing...
30 Oct 2026 at 4:21pm
This blog is now closedDowning Street has paid tribute to Patrick Stewart following the actor?s death. At the daily lobby briefing, the PM?s spokesperson gave a comment that was a bit more extensive than the usual No 10 contribution when a great British celebrity dies. The spokesperson said that ...

No 10: Hegseth ?wrong? to say most non-US Nato soldiers didn?t fight in Afgha...
19 Oct 2026 at 5:18pm
Downing Street delivered a rare rebuke to a senior member of Donald Trump?s administrationAsked why the Lib Dems were opposed to a third runway at Heathrow when they professed to be in favour of growth, Cooper said she did not accept that a third runway would produce all the benefits its supporte...

SNP says campaign for next referendum on independence ?has already begun?
17 Oct 2026 at 4:45pm
John Swinney tells party conference SNP will use ?six-figure war chest? to renew argument for leaving UKJohn Swinney has said that the second referendum campaign for Scottish independence ?has already begun?, revealing a nationwide effort to renew the argument for leaving the UK in his keynote ad...

Burnham v Swinney: will the UK PM overshadow the SNP?s conference?
15 Oct 2026 at 7:00am
Prime minister presents new kind of challenge for SNP, and his Scottish visit will loom large over its big eventThis year, even Andy Burnham is invited to the Scottish National party conference. But by the time John Swinney stands up to address members on Saturday afternoon in Aberdeen to reinvig...

Burnham tells Zelenskyy?s UK?s support for Ukraine ?will not change? ? as it ...
14 Oct 2026 at 6:06pm
Zelenskyy says he will be discussing intelligence sharing ?difficulties? and Starlink access with BurnhamPMQs is about to start.Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question.After @genevieve_holl reported this last night, various sources in the Trump administration who are supportive of Farage s...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Ian Murray, the cringing house jock
14 Nov 2026 at 2:13pm
Ian Murray, the former Scottish Secretary and for many years the last Labour MP still left in Scotland thanks to tactical voting from Tories in his predominantly middle class Edinburgh South constituency, AKA the People’d Republic of Morninside, is the living breathing embodiment of the Scottish Cringe. There was a debate in the Commons this …

What has the BBC ever done for me?
13 Nov 2026 at 2:50pm
This week, following a round of swingeing budget cuts which will drastically reduce the BBC’s Scottish production and broadcasting output, and short change Scotland even more, Holyrood voted overwhelmingly to pass a motion on BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland calling on the UK Government to devolve responsibility for broadcasting to the Scottish Parliament, …

Marra?s referendum hypocrisy
11 Nov 2026 at 11:21am
Michael Marra, the latest branch manager of the Labour party in Scotland, has called for the UK to rejoin the European Union. Marra now thinks it’s justified to revisit the outcome of the EU referendum held ten years ago, but remains dead set against revisiting the outcome of a Scottish independence referendum which was held …

Labour polls and Tory culture wars
10 Nov 2026 at 11:53am
It seems we have moved into the era of government by opinion polling, or at least by polling which gives results which are in agreement with the political prejudices of those in power. We learned over the weekend that Andy Burnham’s Labour government, like the Tories before it, has been using public money to commission …

Scotland bad, the constant refrain of the media in Scotland
7 Nov 2026 at 3:20pm
In a speech on Friday, Sir Mark Rowney, the head of the Metropolitan Police and the most senior police officer in England and Wales, called for “urgent reform” of the police forces in England and Wales, saying that the existing system was “heading for failure”. Rowney has suggested the merger of the existing 43 police …

The national scolding
5 Nov 2026 at 3:33pm
The complete rinsing delivered to the deeply corrupt and authoritarian MAGA Republicans by American voters in this week’s midterm elections was a beacon of hope and joy in a bleak geopolitical landscape. The Trump cultist Republicans got their public execution, just not the one they had wanted. The Democrats had been forecast to do well, …

The moral bankruptcy of the right can be defeated
4 Nov 2026 at 8:46am
The writer and journalist John Harris has written an interesting and important article, published in The Guardian about the moral collapse of the political right. You can read it here.https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/nov/03/us-midterms-hard-right-britain-empathy-politics The right used to claim it held the moral high ground and assert – hypocritically – that the cruelty which resu...

Healey?s meh-dget is bad for Scotland
2 Nov 2026 at 4:37pm
For all the hype from the British media about how we now supposedly have a “left wing” government – you’ve got to laugh – Chancellor John Healey’s meh-dget last week was not merely underwhelming, it didn’t manage to achieve any variety of whelming at all. After all the excited media hype about Burnham being a …

Blog break
30 Oct 2026 at 1:07pm
I’m currently struggling with a nasty cold so will be taking a few days away from blogging until I feel better. I had planned to write about the underwhelming budget, or rather meh-dget, and how it shows that for all the hype around Burnham, he’s very much continuity Labour centrism and is already falling very …

These Islands? dishonest best out of three indyref plan
28 Oct 2026 at 11:44am
In an interview with The Herald, marking a significant shifting of the previous intransigence of a die-hard Unionist campaign group, Professor Colin Kidd, a historian who is a member of the advisory board of the anti-independence campaign organisation These Islands has acknowledged that opponents of independence “can’t keep on saying no indefinitely to a second …

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

Never mind England?s famed cities of rubbish, Labour and the GMB launch their...
15 Nov 2026 at 4:59pm
By Liz S So I see Chris Mitchell, the fly tipping Rep from GMB, is aiding Labour again in preparation for the Scottish local elections next year. Labour really wants to win back Glasgow council. Apparently Chris went with Paul Sweeney and Monica Lennon on a walkabout to areas in Glasgow that had a fly tipping problem. Paul Sweeney , Labour MSP and expert political opportunist , posted this yest...

NHS Scotland almost hits England?s new cancer waiting time target but NHS Eng...
15 Nov 2026 at 4:22pm
In the Guardian to today: NHS England on track to miss key cancer treatment target by 10,000 patients – Exclusive: 2,850 more patients a month would need to be treated within 62 days to meet March 2027 goal, as experts warn of failure of leadership. Mark Lawler, a professor of digital health and chair in translational cancer genomics at Queen?s University Belfast, believes failures of accountab...

Living with raw sewage, insect swarms and foul smells? I applaud the protecti...
15 Nov 2026 at 3:09pm
From the Guardian today: Planned asylum seeker detention centre next to Oxfordshire sewage works criticised -Thames Water says detainees at proposed accommodation should expect to experience insect swarms and strong smells. A Home Office plan to build asylum seeker detention facilities next to a sewage pump is facing objections after water company officials warned that detainees should expect t...

In England 0% of estuaries and coastal waters score ?high? for ecological con...
13 Nov 2026 at 9:29am
Only BBC Scotland has the above headlining story. Four paragraphs down: Scottish Water said the vast majority of the spills were not harmful to the environment, and that increased monitoring had improved understanding of the sewer network. and then, unhelpfully, only 39 paragraphs down: He said the figures had showed there were almost daily discharges from the two overflows in the area ? but it...

After 20 years of SNP government protecting NHS Scotland from the worst is i...
13 Nov 2026 at 9:13am
After almost 20 years of a centre-left SNP government protecting NHS Scotland from the worst of UK Government austerity policies, so with greater funding and staffing alongside better more respectful relations with unions, leading to no damaging strikes, but against the background pressures of privatisation trends in the UK, embedded in the UK Labour Party leaders often funded by powerful priva...

National Wealth Fund to support Scottish economy with £1bn boost for windfarm...
12 Nov 2026 at 7:17pm
By Liz S This below is still not anywhere on the BBC website as of 16.55pm on 12/11/26: The National reported this morning that: ?Andy Burnham has been accused of getting ?basic facts? wrong after he hailed English investment in response to a question about Scottish ?deindustrialisation? ?The Prime Minister pointed to a £1 billion boost for wind farms off the coast of Norfolk in response to a q...

Sickening Ian Murray playing to his London audience about Scottish tightness ...
12 Nov 2026 at 4:19pm
Watch them laugh, at him. ‘A cute wee Jock telling us what we want to hear.’ The facts? Boring I know, to them. From the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) UK Local Giving Report 2026 which maps generosity across UK nations, English regions, and parliamentary constituencies using a nationally representative online survey of 12,913 UK adults (aged 16+) for 2025 giving. Area % of income given % who d...

Babies receiving some breastfeeding surges 26% from the last days of Labour i...
12 Nov 2026 at 3:58pm
From Infant feeding statistics Financial year 2025 to 2026 published two days ago, the above and: Breastfeeding rates continue to rise and in 2025/26, 70% of babies in Scotland were breastfed for at least some time after their birth, compared with 63% in 2016/17. Over the past 10 years the proportion of babies receiving some breastfeeding has increased at both the first visit (63% in 2025/26 vs...

30% fewer heart-related deaths in 2025 than in 2007 despite 300 000 (36%) mor...
12 Nov 2026 at 3:39pm
From Scottish heart disease statistics Hospital activity for the year ending 31 March 2026 and deaths for the year ending 31 December 2025 published two days ago: The rate at which new cases of coronary heart disease occur (the incidence) has fallen by 15% over the last decade (2016/17 to 2025/26). In 2025, there were 6,531 deaths in Scotland where coronary heart disease (CHD) was the underlyin...

Who has ordered the branch manager to U-turn?
12 Nov 2026 at 10:50am
By Liz S The BBC are promoting this: ?Scottish Labour leader says the UK should re-join EU? Is it a mere coincidence that Marra is stating this now, as in when his new Labour leader at HQ , Andy Burnham, is also supposedly keen for the UK to get closer to the EU and eventually re-join ? No it is not. In September Micahel Marra was interviewed by Politico. In that interview he stated: ?What we d...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Why England needs independence from Westminster 'even more than Scotland does...
15 Nov 2026 at 5:05am
Why England needs independence from Westminster 'even more than Scotland does'  The National Scot

Three of the UK?s four nations are led by parties advocating a split. Which i...
8 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Three of the UK?s four nations are led by parties advocating a split. Which is most likely to go?  The Conversation

Reform MSPs walk out of parliament in protest against independence debate - BBC
22 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Reform MSPs walk out of parliament in protest against independence debate  BBC

Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination - A...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination  Al Jazeera

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders unite behind independence push f...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:18pm
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders unite behind independence push from UK  Courthouse News Service

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

PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges - BBC
9 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges  BBC

Adam Ramsay: The two fundamental problems with Scottish devolution - The Nati...
15 Nov 2026 at 5:05am
Adam Ramsay: The two fundamental problems with Scottish devolution  The National Scot

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP to hand nearly £500k to consultants to overhaul health boards - The Times
15 Nov 2026 at 7:55pm
SNP to hand nearly £500k to consultants to overhaul health boards  The Times

SNP defend handling of presiding officer Kenneth Gibson bullying allegations ...
15 Nov 2026 at 10:43am
SNP defend handling of presiding officer Kenneth Gibson bullying allegations  The National Scot

New Mior and Skyfall Attacks Let Rogue Cloud Hosts Steal Secrets From AMD SEV...
13 Nov 2026 at 3:27pm
New Mior and Skyfall Attacks Let Rogue Cloud Hosts Steal Secrets From AMD SEV-SNP VMs  The Hacker News

SNP backlash on oil and gas gives Greens a campaign boost - The Herald
15 Nov 2026 at 5:07am
SNP backlash on oil and gas gives Greens a campaign boost  The Herald

AMD ARG "AMD Root Guest" Linux Patches Coming In 2027 - Phoronix
15 Nov 2026 at 11:24am
AMD ARG "AMD Root Guest" Linux Patches Coming In 2027  Phoronix

BBC should serve Scotland, not power-hungry SNP ministers ? Brian Wilson - Th...
14 Nov 2026 at 6:00am
BBC should serve Scotland, not power-hungry SNP ministers ? Brian Wilson  The Scotsman

SNP has no idea how much hundreds of ?ghost workers? cost - The Times
14 Nov 2026 at 3:35pm
SNP has no idea how much hundreds of ?ghost workers? cost  The Times

SNP leadership viewed Gibson as 'disaster waiting to happen' as Presiding Off...
15 Nov 2026 at 9:51am
SNP leadership viewed Gibson as 'disaster waiting to happen' as Presiding Officer  The Herald

Nearly £100bn of offshore wind projects ?under threat? from Labour, SNP warn ...
14 Nov 2026 at 4:48pm
Nearly £100bn of offshore wind projects ?under threat? from Labour, SNP warn  The National Scot

Even as climate change hits food security, SNP and Labour are backsliding on ...
13 Nov 2026 at 6:00am
Even as climate change hits food security, SNP and Labour are backsliding on net-zero ? Joyce McMillan  The Scotsman

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Scottish Labour leader says the UK should re-join EU - BBC
10 Nov 2026 at 2:17pm
Scottish Labour leader says the UK should re-join EU  BBC

John Swinney aiming for independence referendum by 2031 - BBC
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
John Swinney aiming for independence referendum by 2031  BBC

Three of the UK?s four nations are led by parties advocating a split. Which i...
8 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Three of the UK?s four nations are led by parties advocating a split. Which is most likely to go?  The Conversation

Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination - A...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination  Al Jazeera

Ex-Catalan independence exile in tearful thanks for Scots? support - The Nati...
13 Nov 2026 at 12:48pm
Ex-Catalan independence exile in tearful thanks for Scots? support  The National Scot

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

US midterms: Trump's grip on Congress faces biggest test since returning to p...
3 Nov 2026 at 8:00am
US midterms: Trump's grip on Congress faces biggest test since returning to power  The Herald

PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges - BBC
9 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges  BBC

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

The awkward question about independence raised by Scottish Labour's EU U-turn...
10 Nov 2026 at 5:50pm
The awkward question about independence raised by Scottish Labour's EU U-turn  The National Scot