The Herald

The Herald | Politics


SNP auditors ramp up fraud measures post-Murrell
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
6 Aug 2026 at 7:00pm
New accounts for SNP reveal surplus as auditors signal areas of 'heightened risk of fraud'


'The uncomfortable truth': Is it time for us all to pay a little more tax?
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
6 Aug 2026 at 5:06pm
Two economists have spent a fortnight arguing over whether Scotland's top income tax rate lost £22 million or nothing at all. Both agree it barely matters because the real problem is a £4.7 billion gap that only a broader conversation about who pays can begin to close.


Financial support announced for businesses affected by Cairngorms wildfire
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
6 Aug 2026 at 4:25pm
Businesses which have been affected by the Cairngorms wildfire will receive financial support worth up to £3million


SNP writes off £100k motorhome bought by Peter Murrell but party still owes h...
6 Aug 2026 at 12:11pm
The SNP has written off the value of the motorhome bought by former chief executive Peter Murrell with party funds from its accounts, the documents show.


Jason Arday who 'claimed to be Glasgow University professor' quits Cambridge ...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
6 Aug 2026 at 9:46am
A University of Cambridge professor at the centre of a high-profile plagiarism row has resigned after being placed under investigation.


'Very disappointed' and 'shameful': Councillor's anger over fire fund for cap...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
6 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
Speaking after the funding announcement, Ms Gilruth defended the actions of the Scottish Government, saying that negotiations had taken place behind the scenes.


Peter Murrell?s taxpayer-funded legal aid bill in SNP embezzlement case ?set ...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Peter Murrell's legal aid bill is set to rise significantly despite his early guilty plea for embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP.


Scottish ministers accused of dodging past failures in ?sham? maternity review
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
The Scottish Government chose a forward-looking maternity review over a model focused on historic harm, accountability and redress, FOI reveals.


'Literally crumbling': New data show extent of NHS Scotland in need of urgent...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
More than a third of Scotland's NHS estate is in need of urgent repair, the Scottish Government has admitted.


Glasgow City Council told to take urgent action on sexual violence in city ce...
by Rose Kendall
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Recorded rape and sexual assault in Glasgow city centre have risen nearly fivefold since 2000, FOI data reveals, as human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar demands urgent action on lighting, CCTV and free night transport.


New Scottish train station within two years priority for company chief
by ian.mcconnell@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Ian McConnell
6 Aug 2026 at 4:40am
John Hamilton heads a company leading the development of 3,800 homes and highlights a new train station as a key priority


Embattled GB Energy boss 'incredibly proud' of quango's achievements
by mark.williamson@newsquest.co.uk | Mark Williamson
6 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
Great British Energy boss insists power company founded by Labour Government has made big impact


'Only matter of time before someone is killed' by far-right violence says Gla...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
5 Aug 2026 at 5:14pm
Labour MSP Monica Lennon has called on the First Minister to recall Holyrood after far-right violence at Glasgow Green left a delivery driver attacked by a mob and communities across the city living in fear.


New PM. Good vibes. Polo shirt. Also voted for the asylum bill.
5 Aug 2026 at 2:37pm
Andy Burnham enters Downing Street as the seventh PM in a decade ? popular, polo-shirted and short on concrete policy. Comedian Bróccán Tyzack-Carlin offers a cautiously optimistic, sharply sceptical welcome.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Unite set to back Monica Lennon for Scottish Labour leader
6 Aug 2026 at 5:06pm

The union?s Regional Labour Party Liaison Committee recommended endorsing Ms Lennon at a meeting on Tuesday.

The SNP has lost 74,000 members since 2019 as the party has endured a period of turmoil.

More than 100 members and former staff have signed an open letter

Mr Findlay was the victim of a doorstep acid attack while working as an investigative journalist in 2015

Wings over Scotland

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 …

Progressing To Oblivion
19 Jul 2026 at 3:21pm
It’s now more than three years since this site drew attention to the curious case of Progress Scotland, the zombie “polling company” run by the SNP’s Angus Robertson that had no employees and hadn’t published any polls since October 2020, but was apparently still accepting, and soliciting, donations from subscribers, and appeared to have disposed …

These Words Are My Own
17 Jul 2026 at 9:59pm
It’s been another fabulous day on the front pages for Nicola Sturgeon. The stories were triggered by a speech in the House Of Commons from Tory MP Sir David Davis, which you can watch below. ? (It was meant to be a much longer speech, but Davis had to truncate it on the hoof from …

Craig Murray

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

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

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

The Ditching of Nigel Farage

BBC Scotland

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.

Which area has the best grades? Key takeaways from Scotland's exam results
4 Aug 2026 at 2:52pm
More than 130,000 Scottish students have found out how they did in their exams.

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.

Amnesty apologises to JK Rowling's sexual violence support centre
31 Jul 2026 at 6:50pm
The centre, funded by the Harry Potter author, had threatened Amnesty with legal action after it was labelled "anti-rights".

Scotland MP Joani Reid readmitted into Labour Party after suspension
31 Jul 2026 at 7:39am
She voluntarily suspended herself after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China but no further action is being taken against her

Burnham says he 'can't ignore resource' of North Sea oil and gas
30 Jul 2026 at 5:19pm
Andy Burnham says he told the US president he couldn't ignore North Sea resources when people are struggling.

Which MSPs believe they can turn Scottish Labour's fortunes around?
29 Jul 2026 at 4:45pm
Nominations to be the next leader of Scottish Labour officially open on Monday.

Joe Fagan becomes third MSP to join Scottish Labour leadership race
28 Jul 2026 at 8:12pm
The South Scotland MSP said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent by-election victory demonstrated that Labour could "win back trust".

GP walk-in clinics see low attendance leading to accusations of failure
28 Jul 2026 at 3:44pm
Scotland's health secretary says it's early days for the scheme and she is enouraged "thus far" - but critics say it should be scrapped.

Michael Marra joins race to become Scottish Labour leader
27 Jul 2026 at 7:40pm
It comes as the party confirmed they will have a new leader in place by its conference in September.

Minister defends decision to reject UK military help to fight wildfire
27 Jul 2026 at 2:42pm
Neil Gray said the military was unable to fulfil a "specific request" to send waterbombing helicopters to the Cairngorms.

Scot Goes Pop

"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 fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to someone new signing ...

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...

No. 10 North: How Burnham is signalling with his choice of name that "England...
26 Jul 2026 at 1:56pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.More people have become Ko-Fi supporters of my content over the last twenty-four hou...

Scottish poll DISASTER for Burnham: SNP have massive lead in his first YouGov...
25 Jul 2026 at 12:33pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Many thanks to the several people who became Ko-Fi supporters of my content yesterda...

Scotland is now in a FORCED union, not a "voluntary" one: Burnham makes it of...
24 Jul 2026 at 1:35pm
There is no unambiguous outcome to yesterday's readers' poll about the future of Scot Goes Pop as the result currently stands - so far traditional text-blogging is somewhat more popular than videos...

A poll for Scot Goes Pop readers and viewers - please respond if you can
23 Jul 2026 at 11:59am
So I'm completely stumped, to be honest.  Just over a year ago, I switched my focus from conventional blogging to YouTube videos in the hope that I would no longer be lurching from mini-crisis to m...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

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.

?We?re with Ukraine until they win?, says defence secretary on visit to Kyiv
5 Aug 2026 at 4:00pm
Wes Streeting's visit to Kyiv came just hours after fresh Russian strikes on the city.

The prime minister is on holiday, so who is in charge?
4 Aug 2026 at 2:48pm
Unlike most of his Labour party predecessors, Andy Burnham chose not to appoint a deputy prime minister, so who takes the reins when he is having a break?

MSP Clark rules herself out of Scottish Labour contest as nominations open
3 Aug 2026 at 10:47am
Katy Clark has urged the eventual winner to push for the selection of a more diverse range of candidates

Scottish Government making ?woeful progress? on bringing down waiting lists, ...
3 Aug 2026 at 7:06am
Scottish Labour said figures show there were 3,239 ongoing waits of two years or more across outpatient, inpatient and day case lists

Swinney pledges ?personal leadership? on domestic abuse after scale ?laid bare?
2 Aug 2026 at 12:09pm
It comes after two women, Vikki Soloman and Stcey Mair, were both allegedly killed by their ex-partner and husband respectively

Prime Minister Andy Burnham: UK offering Spain ?what help we can? to deal wit...
1 Aug 2026 at 1:41pm
The Prime Minister said he had spoken with Pedro Sanchez after around 60,000 migrants breached the border of its territory in north Africa

Nicola Sturgeon: Women expected to ?carry the can for the behaviour of a man?
30 Jul 2026 at 9:45pm
Ms Sturgeon also said Prime Minister Andy Burnham has a ?very southern view of what it means to be northern?.

Joani Reid readmitted to Labour Party after investigation into husband
30 Jul 2026 at 8:59pm
The East Kilbride and Strathaven MP was formally suspended following the arrest of her partner David Taylor

When will the Scottish Labour leadership election begin?
30 Jul 2026 at 1:58pm
Nominations will open on August 3, but three MSPs have already signalled their plans to run for leader

£8.4 billion investment in UK?s Dreadnought nuclear submarines
30 Jul 2026 at 10:50am
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said tens of thousands of jobs will be supported with the money

Can the SNP learn from Andy Burnham?s social care reforms?
29 Jul 2026 at 4:58pm
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans to reform the care sector

I get policy ideas from speaking to people in Greggs and pubs, Andy Burnham t...
29 Jul 2026 at 2:45pm
The new Prime Minister told This Morning on STV that he is about to get around the country to 'chat to people'

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Donations remain a tricky subject for the SNP despite the party's 'financial ...
6 Aug 2026 at 3:38pm
Donors to the infamous "ring-fenced" referendum fighting fund could yet prove a headache for the SNP, says Chris McCall

NHS Scotland buildings 'crumbling under the SNP' as maintenance backlog grows
6 Aug 2026 at 2:12pm
Many hospital buildings are in a poor state of repair as a maintenance backlog across the NHS grows.

Michael Marra pledges to give Scottish Labour 'back to its members' if electe...
6 Aug 2026 at 10:32am
The leadership contender said Labour could not "argue for power to be devolved across Scotland while holding it ever tighter at the centre of our own party".

SNP membership drops by 10% as party vows to recover 'full amount' embezzled ...
6 Aug 2026 at 10:20am
The SNP's annual accounts said the party would be seeking to recover "the full amount embezzled" by its former long-serving chief executive, who was jailed for five years in June.

John Swinney defends SNP election campaign after Nicola Sturgeon attack
5 Aug 2026 at 4:39pm
Swinney refused to criticise Sturgeon but insisted he ran a ?strong? election campaign.

Police Scotland must take 'robust' action against far-right protests or risk ...
5 Aug 2026 at 4:07pm
Campaigning lawyer Aamer Anwar claimed the far-right plays "a central role in the frequent random attacks on people of colour on the streets of Glasgow."

'Michael Marra is the best street fighter Scottish Labour has'
5 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
Writing for the Record, MP Zubir Ahmed backs Michael Marra to become the next Scottish Labour leader.

SNP 'not ready' to consider leadership change as Stephen Flynn backed to repl...
4 Aug 2026 at 2:30pm
Swinney has previously insisted he plans to serve a full five-year term as First Minister and plans to lead the party into the 2031 Holyrood election.

Scottish Labour leadership candidate backs North Sea jobs and calls for Roseb...
4 Aug 2026 at 12:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: Joe Fagan said he would "not stop lobbying" the UK Government to finally sign-off the two proposed oil and gas developments, which could support thousands of Scots jobs.

Scotland exam results day 2026 as pass rates increase across country
4 Aug 2026 at 10:25am
National, Higher and Advanced Higher exam results will arrive for almost 150,000 pupils.

The National

The National | Politics

We must challenge very legality of the ?voluntary? Union
6 Aug 2026 at 5:47pm

LIKE A Wilson, I agree that the route to asserting our right to democratic restoration of our rightful independent nation-state is to challenge the Treaty and Act of Union, having personally already offered numerous submissions to this effect (Letters, Aug 2).

Why is our ferry service only one singled outfor criticism?
6 Aug 2026 at 5:46pm

THE criticism presented by one of the country?s leading ferry experts on the Scottish West Coast ferries is quite comprehensive, but why is there no comparison between Scottish ferry services and unsubsidised services in England?

SNP cannot simply rely upon the haplessnes of opposition parties
6 Aug 2026 at 5:45pm

JONATHON Shafi?s otherwise on-point commentary (Case

Independence by 2032? YesCymru are giving its movement a countdown
6 Aug 2026 at 7:00pm

This week, YesCymru set a clear and ambitious objective for the country's growing movement: a referendum on Welsh independence in 2032

Anger as far-right 'spoiler party' spent £25 on 'campaign' that cost Greens seat
6 Aug 2026 at 6:00pm

THE Scottish Greens have hit out against a decision to allow a far-right "spoiler party" to stand in the Scottish Election after it emerged they spent just £25 on their campaign ? which was used to pay their sign-up fee

Nicola Sturgeon 'welcome' to join Scottish Greens, party says
6 Aug 2026 at 5:35pm

NICOLA Sturgeon is ?welcome? to join the Scottish Greens, the party has said.

Nicola Sturgeon proposes plan to break 'undemocratic' indyref2 stalemate
6 Aug 2026 at 5:22pm

NICOLA Sturgeon has proposed a plan to break an "undemocratic stalemate" over a second Scottish independence referendum in the new foreword to her memoir.

SNP ministers back calls for British Museum to return Lewis chessmen to Scotland
6 Aug 2026 at 5:18pm

THE Scottish Government has backed a Yes group?s calls for the Lewis chessmen to be returned to Scotland ...

Is Nicola Sturgeon helping or hindering her legacy with attack on SNP?
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm

Is Nicola Sturgeon doing more harm than good with her criticism of her party?

Scotch whisky success hailed as distillery numbers almost double in 10 years
6 Aug 2026 at 4:19pm

THE SNP have hailed the success of the Scotch whisky industry after fresh analysis showed the number of distilling businesses in Scotland almost doubled over the past decade ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

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

Joe Fagan ?will not stop lobbying? Andy Burnham for Rosebank and Jackdaw appr...
4 Aug 2026 at 3:54pm
Labour made a manifesto commitment not to approve any new licences for North Sea oil

Action call as BP announces North Sea sell-off
31 Jul 2026 at 1:53pm
The Scottish Government has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take ?urgent action? to save jobs after BP announced plans to sell its North Sea operations

Joani Reid has Labour whip restored
31 Jul 2026 at 12:50pm
The MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven voluntarily stepped back from the party over the arrest of her husband David Taylor on suspicion of spying for China

Sovereignty, AI and Matthew Broderick
30 Jul 2026 at 7:00am
In the modern business landscape, there is no option to sit this out.

Joe Fagan announces intention to run in Labour leadership election
29 Jul 2026 at 11:20am
Joe Fagan has said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham?s by-election win in Makerfield showed that the party can ?win back trust? when it is ?serious about changing people?s lives?

Michael Marra and Monica Lennon emerge as Scottish Labour frontrunners
28 Jul 2026 at 3:02pm
Timetable for contest agreed

Andy Burnham appoints eight Scottish MPs to enhanced PPS roles
27 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
The prime minister has given 16 Scottish MPs government jobs

Daniel Johnson: Time is running out for Scottish Labour
27 Jul 2026 at 12:10pm
MSP endorses Michael Marra for leader

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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...

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

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

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

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

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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

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

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

Listeners ?short changed? on quality and accuracy by BBC Radio Scotland
6 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
By Liz S BBC ?Scotland? is at it again?.but then, (big sigh), that is what we have all come to know and expect by this British propaganda outfit that works relentlessly for the sustainment of their UK State. MSM Monitor added a post via BBC Radio Scotland (sourced from an accusation by the Labour leader of the Council in Edinburgh against the Scottish government- the SNP). The BBC Radio Scotlan...

More than one year later Great British Energy has recruited 13 of the 10 000 ...
6 Aug 2026 at 5:02pm
Thanks to rtpscott for this From Business Green today: Publicly-owned clean energy investor and developer confirms first major solar-thermal investment will create up to 140 jobs. Great British Energy has today announced £7.5m investment in Crawley-headquartered tech firm Naked Energy to fund a new UK manufacturing facility and create up to 140 jobs. https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4534032/g...

In England 0% of estuaries and coastal waters score ?high? for ecological con...
6 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm
From BBC Climate today, the above and: England’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters remain in a challenging state with only around one in seven classed as being in good ecological condition, according to the first comprehensive assessment of their health in six years. Data from the Environment Agency shows that while 15% of rivers are classed as good, fewer than 7% of lakes reached that level. No...

In the time wealthy Washington State build NO new ferries Scotland builds TEN
6 Aug 2026 at 1:14pm
Details at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/08/06/in-the-time-wealthy-washington-state-waits-for-just-one-new-ferry-scotland-builds-ten-despite-having-only-one-third-of-the-economy/

Giving greater weight in public contract awards to tackle youth unemployment ...
6 Aug 2026 at 12:44pm
From Catch22 yesterday, the above and: Catch22 has long recommended that government should invest more, without additional costs, into tackling youth unemployment through revising the social value model applied when it buys goods and services. We therefore welcome today?s Cabinet Office announcement of new measures for using public procurement to create jobs and address skills development. The ...

?The Multiplier Effect? ? Stunning US study in 2025 made clear the enormous w...
6 Aug 2026 at 10:41am
From the Washington State, USA, based Lynwood Times 28 May 2025 A new independent study by Pennsylvania-based Martin Associates confirms the economic value of building the new Washington State Ferries hybrid fleet in-state, showing that each ferry constructed in the state would generate 1,298 jobs and $31.9 million in state and local taxes. Washington State Ferries, which operates the largest f...

For the West Coast of Scotland?s island routes, mono hull ferries are still g...
6 Aug 2026 at 10:26am
I fully support Liberation Scotland‘s UN mission to have Scotland recognised as a colony. Who ever thought it wasn’t? However, their other agenda to abuse the SNP and everything it has achieved in government, is risible and divisive. Here’s the latest – bloody catamarans again! By no measure, based on evidence globally, is Scotland’s ferry system failing. It’s the best in the World. https://tal...

In the time wealthy Washington State waits for just one new ferry, Scotland b...
6 Aug 2026 at 8:31am
Washington State Ferries operating in an island archipelago around Seattle, Washington State USA, has not received a new ferry since 2015, 11 years ago. Today, according to Kiro Seattle: After years of ferry delays and an aging fleet, Washington is taking a major step toward restoring service. Governor Bob Ferguson announced construction is underway on the state?s first new ferry in 11 years, s...

More than 400 000 apprenticeships funded by Scottish Government since 2008
5 Aug 2026 at 8:15pm
A bit tired at end of day, I've just reposted this comment and must leave you to use the link at the bottom to see the sources. Thanks, John By Legerwood Apprenticeships in Scotland. Since the formation of the national skills agency in 2008, more than 400,000 apprenticeship jobs have been supported and funded by the Scottish Government. 1, 2 Annual funding targets support tens of thousands of...

?Vaccination rates are highest when parents regularly interact with medics? b...
5 Aug 2026 at 5:42pm
By stewartb To follow up on the vaccination topic, the BBC News article also has this: ?? all of the public health experts who spoke to the BBC said that whilst anti-vax social media sentiment plays its part, they don?t think it?s the main reason immunisation rates have slipped. Instead, they point to something more mundane: they think that parents of young children simply have fewer face-to-fa...

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

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?

SNP plan for independent Scotland's currency 'not credible', expert warns - T...
6 Aug 2026 at 3:15pm
SNP plan for independent Scotland's currency 'not credible', expert warns  The National Scot

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

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

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

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

Thomas Heald: The Irish lesson for Scotland is not independence. It is growth...
3 Aug 2026 at 11:00am
Thomas Heald: The Irish lesson for Scotland is not independence. It is growth  Conservative Home

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

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts - BBC
6 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts  BBC

Sturgeon's criticisms of Swinney reveal tensions in SNP ranks - BBC
6 Aug 2026 at 11:01pm
Sturgeon's criticisms of Swinney reveal tensions in SNP ranks  BBC

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

SNP auditors ramp up fraud measures post-Murrell - The Herald
6 Aug 2026 at 7:10pm
SNP auditors ramp up fraud measures post-Murrell  The Herald

SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more - Holyrood Website
6 Aug 2026 at 1:13pm
SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more  Holyrood Website

SNP cannot simply rely upon the haplessnes of opposition parties - The Nation...
6 Aug 2026 at 7:23pm
SNP cannot simply rely upon the haplessnes of opposition parties  The National Scot

SNP writes off £100k motorhome while party membership plummets - The Times
6 Aug 2026 at 3:11pm
SNP writes off £100k motorhome while party membership plummets  The Times

SNP removes Murrell's motorhome from assets but party owes him £60,000 - The ...
6 Aug 2026 at 11:03am
SNP removes Murrell's motorhome from assets but party owes him £60,000  The Scotsman

SNP and Palantir Are Addressing the Manual Work Behind SAP Modernization - ER...
5 Aug 2026 at 10:07am
SNP and Palantir Are Addressing the Manual Work Behind SAP Modernization  ERP Today

Murrell motorhome value written off in SNP accounts - Daily Business
6 Aug 2026 at 7:30pm
Murrell motorhome value written off in SNP accounts  Daily Business

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

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

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

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

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

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?

Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum - ...
11 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum -...
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum  Holyrood Website