The Herald

The Herald | Politics


'Scottish Banksy' unveils Nigel Farage mural in Glasgow amid Reform probe
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
9 Sep 2026 at 8:15pm
A Glasgow street artist has unveiled their latest work, which this time takes aim at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage


Scottish Youth Parliament chief executive to leave amid scrutiny concerns
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
9 Sep 2026 at 5:16pm
Jamie Dunlop is to leave the Scottish Youth Parliament later this year after a period of scrutiny over safeguarding and harassment concerns, The Herald can reveal.


'Radical rethink' for capital's Princes Street roundly rejected by councillors
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
9 Sep 2026 at 5:01pm
Key elements of Option 1 include the widening of Princes Street?s southern pavement by 1.5 metres and the installation of ramps or lifts to improve accessibility.


Westminster committee opens inquiries into 'serious issues' raised by Murrell...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
9 Sep 2026 at 4:43pm
The Scottish Affairs Committee (SAC) has announced it will launch two enquiries into "serious issues" surrounding Peter Murrell's crimes.


Scots judges are hearing appeals after UK fair trials ruling - will they push...
by Kathleen Nutt
9 Sep 2026 at 4:00pm
Back in November last year the UK highest court issued a judgement which sent shockwaves through Holyrood, through Scotland's legal system and through organisations representing victims of crime.


Reform UK faces criminal investigation over alleged foreign donations
by Margaret Davis
9 Sep 2026 at 3:54pm
Reform UK is under criminal investigation after allegations the party breached donation rules on foreign funding


Rule of law could be undermined by ?unconscionable? High Court delays, MSPs told
by Craig Meighan
9 Sep 2026 at 1:57pm
The rule of law could be undermined as victims of the most severe crimes face court delays of up to four years, the head of Scotland?s courts service has said.


Andy Burnham sets out conditions for second vote on Scottish independence
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Sep 2026 at 1:30pm
Andy Burnham has said there will only be a second Scottish independence referendum when there is a "clear majority of public support".


Top judges warn SNP plan to free serious offenders early could put public at ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Sep 2026 at 12:17pm
Scotland?s most senior judges warn plans to release serious offenders earlier could increase reoffending, endanger victims and undermine public confidence.


Today's cartoon by Steven Camley - on CalMac's latest woes and SNP Indy ambit...
by Camley's Cartoons
9 Sep 2026 at 7:56am
You can purchase Steven Camley's cartoons by calling 0191 603 0178 or visiting thepicturedesk.co.uk


?Very vital service? at risk of closure under Glasgow £20m cuts programme
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
Glasgow?s Complex Needs Service faces possible closure after staff were 'incorrectly' told it would shut, as unions challenge the review process.


UK government's £540k on gift vouchers to reward civil servants' 'high perfor...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
Government credit card records show the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spent £540,599 on Love2shop vouchers in under three years.


'Power grab': PM told not to give Romeo powers over Scots civil service chief
by Kathleen Nutt
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
Andy Burnham is being urged to rule out giving the UK government?s Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo the power to direct the permanent secretary in the Scottish Government.


What is happening to the Sturgeon Murrell house as Branchform returns to court?
by Kathleen Nutt
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
It was the image that came to stand for the Police Scotland's long-running investigation into the SNP's finances Operation Branchform, so what is happening to the house where the officers' raid took place?

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Scotland's judges issue warning over SNP's early prisoner release plans
9 Sep 2026 at 8:18pm

The rarely-outspoken Senators of the College of Justice have criticised a key part of the Scottish government?s plan to reduce the prison population

The Scottish Affairs Committee will hold a probe into the Electoral Commission?s oversight of party funding.

The Prime Minister said Scotland is ?exactly the same situation? as Northern Ireland - where a vote would be triggered if the UK Government minister thinks a majority of people want one

The 14 per cent increase in domestic abuse charges comes after soaring numbers of rape and attempted rape in Scotland.

The UK has announced trade sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

John Swinney has opened the door to social care services being managed by a newly-structured NHS.

MSPs have hear claims that AI could add more than £23 billion a year to Scotland?s GDP by 2035.

Wings over Scotland

Anything But That
1 Sep 2026 at 1:04pm
The SNP really really don’t want to have another independence referendum, but if somebody somehow FORCES them into one, they DEFINITELY don’t want to have it in circumstances where they’d be starting the campaign with a 16-point lead. (We must conclude from all this, incidentally, that John Swinney LOVES the Tories, because he had no …

Haven?t had a dream in a long time
31 Aug 2026 at 8:43pm
These are strange days, readers. It’s getting hard to tell who’s on which side. To be honest, we’d take George Foulkes’ offer in a heartbeat. It’s not ideal, because there should be no limits on democracy, but the UK government can perfectly lawfully deny another indyref indefinitely anyway (and seem entirely inclined to), so we’d …

The Shortest Day
29 Aug 2026 at 1:07pm
Something rather extraordinary happened yesterday, dearest readers. Very briefly, we absolutely genuinely thought someone in a position of some influence in the SNP had taken a meaningful step towards being serious about independence. We are not being sarcastic. Look: here it is. (Transcript at bottom of article.) ? Dave Doogan is the SNP’s leader at …

The Slowest Dawning
28 Aug 2026 at 1:44pm
Now, readers, it’s not much of a secret that anyone who’s still supporting the SNP in the hopes that they’ll deliver Scottish independence is – and let’s put this as gently and kindly as possible – a bit thick. From a membership high of 125,000 in the run-up to the 2021 Holyrood election, fully 60% …

Spot The Problem
27 Aug 2026 at 12:19pm
See if you can identify why this isn’t an ideal way to run a justice system. We’ve put a couple of clues in for the slower folk. Answer below. Still, the Crown Office IS at least theoretically accountable to Parliament, so as long as the governing party is full of strong, independent, fair-minded MSPs willing …

This Other Earth
26 Aug 2026 at 2:22pm
We’ve had another email from the Crown Office. Stand by for a surprise! Well, that seems fair enough: other than the fact that almost £700,000 in “ringfenced” fundraiser money is (still) visibly missing, and the fact that the First Minister of the country and the leader of the party the money was entrusted to has …

You?ll Have Had Your Supper
24 Aug 2026 at 6:22pm
Great news, everyone – Scottish Labour has finally worked out how to talk to the people of Scotland. This video featuring the party’s MP Melanie Ward just appeared on the Scotland Office’s LinkedIn page, and it explains the complexities of the interlinked Scottish and UK economies in terms that the UK government hopes all of …

Before Action
20 Aug 2026 at 8:20pm
Our solicitors have today sent the letter below to Police Scotland. (Click pics to enlarge.) It’s worth remembering what this is about. – Peter Murrell was recently sentenced to over five years in prison for misappropriating approximately £400,000 from the SNP, which is the crime of embezzlement. – John Swinney recently admitted that the SNP …

The Land Of Do-As-You-Please
17 Aug 2026 at 12:15pm
The contempt for the Scottish public being openly shown by public servants paid from the public purse to answer to the public has at this point reached such endemic levels that we’re not sure an acceptable level of trust can ever be salvaged. The reply above is not just evasive, not even just pathetic, it’s …

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 …

Craig Murray

Dishonesty and Deceit
7 Sep 2026 at 7:31pm

UPDATE We got an expedited date to “reclaim” (appeal) against the suspension of the case, on 25 September. We shall also be reclaiming against the decision not to send the case straight to the Inner House. All parties seemed to agree there may just be time, if our appeal is successful, to finish the Scottish …

Dishonesty and Deceit

Nonsense Drones and Novichok
3 Sep 2026 at 2:14pm

Europe urgently needs to re-establish access to Russian oil and gas. Gas prices are high – as all UK energy consumers know – and German gas storage is at a record low for September. Gulf production is degraded, supplies are cut off and its long-term strategic stability undermined. German manufacturing already suffered a 9.5% production …

Nonsense Drones and Novichok

Dr David Halpin and David Kelly
29 Aug 2026 at 12:26pm

Dr David Halpin, a redoubtable campaigner over the murder of Dr David Kelly, and a friend of this blog for over twenty years, has died. He will be missed. His sister Mary was for many years an invaluable commenter here and occasional researcher for me. Unfortunately about ten years ago I banned her for comments …

Dr David Halpin and David Kelly

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism
25 Aug 2026 at 5:50pm

We still don’t have a decision on whether the Scottish judicial review of Palestine Action can proceed. Lord Young is thinking about it. Last Thursday’s hearing went about as well as it could go. The UK government produced no written argument and barely seemed to be trying. They moved in court for the Scottish judicial …

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism

Scottish Judicial Review Hearing Tomorrow
19 Aug 2026 at 10:05pm

After eight months of obstructionism from the Labour Friends of Israel government of the UK, tomorrow is the day on which the Scottish Court of Session will finally decide whether to go ahead with the judicial review it granted in January, or kowtow to Downing St. I publish below two of the three main papers …

Scottish Judicial Review Hearing Tomorrow

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

BBC Scotland

PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges
9 Sep 2026 at 6:32pm
Andy Burnham had previously told First Minister John Swinney that a second referendum is "off limits".

Education reform under way as Scotland sees 'poorest' Pisa results
9 Sep 2026 at 12:47pm
Màiri McAllan said while the results "indicate success in our education system" they also "indicate change is required".

FM warns police will pursue anyone spreading lies about fire-hit flats
8 Sep 2026 at 5:11pm
Housing association NG Homes said rumours that the flats would be used to house asylum seekers were false.

Lord Advocate 'concerned' as domestic abuse charges rise by 14%
8 Sep 2026 at 3:25pm
Lord Advocate Ruth Charteris KC said protecting women and girls from abusive men would be a priority during her time in office.

Bluetongue restrictions in place for at least two years
8 Sep 2026 at 2:56pm
A restricted zone for Dumfries and Galloway and parts of Ayrshire will be put in place on Thursday.

Food price cap plans giving farmer 'sleepless nights'
8 Sep 2026 at 6:40am
East Lothian farmer Jamie Wyllie says he's worried costs will get passed down the line to the food producers.

Primary teachers hired to teach Glasgow secondary pupils to read
8 Sep 2026 at 4:07pm
Intensive catch-up classes are being held for pupils who are starting at high school without basic literacy skills.

Swinney suggests Scots will not travel further for health care under reforms
6 Sep 2026 at 12:30pm
Plans are in motion to cut Scotland's mainland health boards from 14 to two, but questions remain about how they would work in practice.

Offord pledges to scrap tax system and boost jobs under Reform
5 Sep 2026 at 6:25pm
Reform UK's leader in Scotland has set out his priorities in a speech to the party conference.

Controversial Jackdaw gas field set to be approved in weeks, sources say
4 Sep 2026 at 6:59am
The government is set to give the go-ahead for the gas field off the coast of Aberdeen, the BBC understands.

Scottish independence referendum 'a million miles away' - Offord
4 Sep 2026 at 2:36pm
The Reform UK Scotland leader told the BBC that there would need to be a "groundswell" of support for a fresh poll.

Helicopters to be put on standby when wildfire risk is high
3 Sep 2026 at 7:49pm
The justice secretary says aerial water bombing was a key part of the effort to extinguish a large fire in the Cairngorms.

Scot Goes Pop

Burnham suffers more Scottish poll MISERY as SNP enjoy 17-point lead in YouGo...
9 Sep 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...

A de facto referendum on independence would self-evidently not be "bonkers" -...
7 Sep 2026 at 11:01am
There has been just one occasion in history in which an integral part of the United Kingdom became an independent country, and it did not happen as the result of a 2014-style agreed referendum.  In...

"Well THAT one was worth waiting for!": SNP have DOUBLE Labour's support in d...
2 Sep 2026 at 11:38pm

RevStew can squeal but *of course* the SNP have done the right thing by rulin...
31 Aug 2026 at 9:19am
The most dispiriting aspect of the controversy surrounding Dave Doogan is that it's given the controversial Somerset-based "Stew" blogger an excuse to yet again trot out his barking mad fantasy abo...

The refusal to allow a debate and vote on independence strategy at the SNP co...
29 Aug 2026 at 10:15am
I initially assumed that the timing of the publication of a draft indyref bill was directly connected to the news having just broken that this year's SNP conference is being effectively blocked fro...

Another Scottish polling disaster for Burnham: a majority of voters want Scot...
27 Aug 2026 at 10:24pm
Someone asked on the previous comments thread whether it was true that a new Survation poll showed that Andy Burnham is the most popular politician among Scottish voters.  Yes, it is true (albeit w...

The BBC will ALWAYS be fearlessly neutral and even-handed and ask all the imp...
24 Aug 2026 at 10:06pm
*  *  *I'm still urgently trying to make progress towards my blogging and YouTube videos becoming financially sustainable.  If you'd like to help me continue to create content by becoming a support...

Warning - Danger - MASSIVE BLACK HOLE APPROACHING and Stew wants to chuck YOU...
22 Aug 2026 at 10:04pm
Probably because I grew up during the period in which the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six were released, I've always been deeply troubled by the persistent recurrence of severe miscarriages o...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

MPs launch party funding inquiry after Peter Murrell?s embezzlement from SNP
9 Sep 2026 at 5:44pm
The Scottish Affairs Committee said it will investigate the Electoral Commission?s oversight of party cash.

Susan Aitken: ?Glasgow is safe and in a better place than before I became lea...
9 Sep 2026 at 5:29pm
Aitken is preparing to step down nine years after becoming leader of Glasgow City Council

Andy Burnham rules out second independence referendum until there is majority...
9 Sep 2026 at 1:53pm
Dundee MP Chris Law brought up the issue during PMQs on Wednesday

Andy Burnham to face PMQs following sanctions on illegal West Bank settlements
9 Sep 2026 at 11:59am
The move has been criticised by both the US and Israel, while foreign secretary Ed Miliband has defended the decision

Three Holyrood committees decline to work with UK Parliament on party finances
7 Sep 2026 at 8:41pm
The request followed the Peter Murrell embezzlement case.

John Swinney refuses to say when NHS job cut numbers will be announced
7 Sep 2026 at 1:09pm
The Government is set to embark on a major public sector reform programme.

Swinney can?t give ?specific figure? on NHS job losses under planned reforms
6 Sep 2026 at 4:24pm
The First Minister said that he has been open about the fact he thinks 'public sector employment will fall' over the parliamentary term

Malcolm Offord used private healthcare to treat prostate cancer
4 Sep 2026 at 12:47pm
The Reform UK Scotland leader was diagnosed on election day in May

Insight: Will dodgy donation allegations overshadow Reform?s conference?
4 Sep 2026 at 11:54am
A Channel 4 investigation exposed key Reform figures taking donations from non-UK donors, which breaks electoral law

First Minister announces new childcare reforms aimed at getting parents back ...
3 Sep 2026 at 4:07pm
The government will provide a £15m cash boost for flexible childcare provision, as well as a £44m breakfast club investment

John Swinney to face FMQs as Programme for Government unveiled
3 Sep 2026 at 2:01pm
The First Minister will likely face questions on plans to cut Scotland's health boards to just two

Former Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar takes Lords seat
3 Sep 2026 at 2:01pm
The 43-year-old quit his role in Holyrood to take up a post as UK trade minister

Zack Polanski says he will stand in by-election to replace Keir Starmer
3 Sep 2026 at 10:01am
The Green Party leader has announced his intention to stand as a candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election

Prisoners left with human excrement smeared on cell walls for three days, MSP...
2 Sep 2026 at 4:05pm
The chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service said not cleaning 'dirty protests' for three days complied with the law

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Peter Murrell scandal to be investigated as MPs launch probe into financing o...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:34pm
Peter Murrell, the former long-serving chief executive of the SNP, was jailed for five years after he pled guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from his employers.

'Pisa report is a distraction from the challenges Scots teachers face everyday'
9 Sep 2026 at 3:33pm
Writing for the Record, veteran teacher Andy Harvey argues this week's Pisa report shows pupils "overwhelmingly have positive learning experiences in Scotland?s schools".

Andy Burnham rules out independence referendum until its 'clear' most Scots w...
9 Sep 2026 at 1:25pm
The PM claimed the rules governing the timing of an IndyRef2 should be "exactly the same" as those for an Irish border poll.

SNP MSP argues closing attainment gap is 'impossible' after Pisa report shows...
9 Sep 2026 at 10:16am
A Nationalist backbencher questioned whether John Swinney's biggest education policy objective is achievable.

Families of patients who died at scandal-hit QEUH warn NHS health board merge...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Louise Slorance, whose husband Andrew died at the scandal-hit QEUH in 2020, said families 'don?t need more listening, we need action now'.

'Scotland's political parties must learn the lessons of far-right AfD electio...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
Far-right activists in Scotland will be "emboldened" by the electoral breakthrough of the AfD in Germany, experts have said.

Online hatred fuelling Scotland?s domestic abuse crisis as charges hit decade...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
Domestic abuse charges have soared to 34,586, with concerns that toxic social media messages are helping normalise contempt, control and violence against women.

Scotland performing 'significantly below England' in reading, writing and sci...
8 Sep 2026 at 8:30am
The "brutal" report found Scottish education "just isn't what it used to be" after 20 years of SNP Government.

'Too many men do not see women as human beings in Scotland'
8 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
A damning letter to Neil Gray has called for SNP ministers to deal with "the growing backlog of promised measures" to tackle domestic violence.

Old Firm policing costs 'unsustainable' as MSP backs law change to make SPFL ...
7 Sep 2026 at 11:31am
An MSP says clubs should pay a "much fairer share towards the costs of policing the public spaces surrounding their stadiums" after costs rocketed.

The National

The National | Politics

I want Scotland to be more than just a wee bit better than England
9 Sep 2026 at 6:30pm

CATRIONA Clark?s spirited defence of First Minister John Swinney is remarkable for the points in my original letter that she simply fails to address.

Thousands of Scots bombard Andy Burnham's inbox with fresh demand for indyref
9 Sep 2026 at 5:58pm

THOUSANDS have signed a fresh petition demanding a second referendum on Scottish independence after Andy Burnham set out the conditions for one, with an email being sent straight to the Prime Minister's inbox.

The National columnists react to Andy Burnham's route to indyref2
9 Sep 2026 at 5:30pm

We asked National contributors to react to the comments made by Andy Burnham today at PMQs. This is what they had to say

Palestine protesters target insurer?s Glasgow building in nationwide day of a...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:57pm

Pro-Palestine protesters have gathered outside a Glasgow city centre office building as part of a nationwide day of action

Andy Burnham's indyref2 comments 'are dangerous', senior Scottish Labour MSP ...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:42pm

IT is ?dangerous? to compare Scotland to Northern Ireland ? and Prime Minister Andy Burnham was actually talking about the ?distinction? between the two when he appeared to lay out the route to a second independence referendum, a Scottish Labour leadership contender has ...

Andy Burnham doesn't know what he's unleashed with indyref2 admission
9 Sep 2026 at 4:38pm

WHY did Andy Burnham say that Scotland could get an independence referendum on ?exactly? the same terms as an Irish border poll?

Police open probe into Reform UK after undercover report alleges law breach
9 Sep 2026 at 2:57pm

THE Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation into allegations Reform UK breached political donation rules by having polling paid for by an overseas company

John Swinney reacts to Andy Burnham's conditions for second independence refe...
9 Sep 2026 at 1:30pm

Scotland's First Minister has welcomed Andy Burnham laying out the conditions on a second independence referendum, saying they mark an acceptance that Scotland?s future will be decided by the people of Scotland ? not the UK Government

Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum
9 Sep 2026 at 12:44pm

THE rules governing when a second Scottish independence referendum can be held should be ?exactly the same? as those for an Irish reunification referendum, the Prime Minister has said ...

BBC host accused of ?proper Jew? slur against Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband
9 Sep 2026 at 12:14pm

THE BBC is under fire after one of the hosts of its flagship Today programme was accused of questioning whether Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was a ?proper Jew? ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Indyref possible if majority support one, Andy Burnham says
9 Sep 2026 at 4:00pm
Downing Street previously said a referendum was ?off limits?

Researchers warn AI ?could kill us all? by the end of the decade
9 Sep 2026 at 3:42pm
A number of developers at AI company Anthropic have warned about the looming dangers associated with the technology

Volunteering is an investment in stronger communities
9 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
By encouraging and investing in volunteering, we can strengthen communities, create opportunities and build lasting social connections. Stronger communities are built through participation, partnership and shared purpose, and volunteering remains one of t

Domestic abuse charges up by 14 per cent
8 Sep 2026 at 4:22pm
Over 34,500 charges with a domestic abuse identifier were reported

Scotland pupils continue to lag English counterparts in science, maths and re...
8 Sep 2026 at 11:33am
The educational performance of Scottish teenagers remains ?significantly below? historic levels

Eljamel inquiry begins public evidence sessions with former Tory MSP Liz Smith
8 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
Eljamel, a former head of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside, is thought to have harmed up to 200 patients in botched operations that took place before he was finally suspended in 2013

Strengthening transport connectivity across Orkney?s island communities
8 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
Maintaining vital air and sea links requires complex and coordinated joint working

Murdo Fraser challenges John Swinney over ?fag packet? NHS plans
7 Sep 2026 at 4:20pm
Detail lacking on NHS board plans, Tories say

?Underperforming? Scottish Parliament beset by ?shallow partisanship?
7 Sep 2026 at 2:19pm
?Rubbish? questions and social media scrolling ? report finds serious concerns about quality of Holyrood politics

?2 bus fare cap comes into force across Strathclyde region
7 Sep 2026 at 7:54am
Greens press John Swinney to go further

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

UK politics: Andy Burnham pressed on borrowing costs and spending at first PM...
2 Sep 2026 at 5:36pm
Burnham faced questions from Kemi Badenoch and other MPs amid speculation over budgetIn the news release to mark the first anniversary of his election as the Green party?s leader, Zack Polanski highlighted what he described as 10 achievements during his first year in charge. For the record, this ...

Swinney sticks with pledge to cap prices on basic foods in Scotland
1 Sep 2026 at 5:52pm
First minister sets out his government?s agenda and defends policy described by industry groups as a ?potty gimmick?John Swinney insisted on Tuesday he still planned to introduce a legally binding price cap on bread, milk and other essential food items in Scotland despite fierce opposition from f...

Tuesday briefing: Scotland has promised on violence against women ? can it de...
1 Sep 2026 at 6:46am
In today?s newsletter: First minister John Swinney has pledged to put an end to violence against women and girls. But can he turn ambitious laws into real change?Good morning. Violence against women and girls, in all its myriad forms ? physical and mental, blatant and insidious ? is a global chal...

Channel 5 drama to examine how Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband stole SNP ...
26 Aug 2026 at 2:00pm
To Nicola, Love Peter will focus on couple?s relationship during 12-year period of embezzlement and fallout of caseChannel 5 is reuniting with the producers of Power: the Downfall of Huw Edwards for a drama about how Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband embezzled £400,000 from the Scottish Nationa...

?Never seen this level of objection?: Scotland pushes back against datacentre...
25 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
Holyrood ?inching towards moratorium? amid concerns over massive proposed developments in Auchtertool and beyondIn a village 21 miles north of Edinburgh, a real estate consultancy plans to build a datacentre larger than the village itself ? 35 metres high, with an area larger than 100 football pi...

Police Scotland warns ?robust security? needed to stop attacks on AI datacentres
14 Aug 2026 at 5:05pm
?A great deal of public opposition is likely? to a proposed datacentre near Edinburgh, the force saysPolice in Scotland have issued a stark warning about the need for ?robust security measures? to stop proposed AI datacentres from being attacked by protesters.There has been mounting opposition to...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Burnham?s crack in the constitutional dam
9 Sep 2026 at 3:17pm
In PMQs on Wednesday, Andy Burnham was asked by SNP MP Chris Law about the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and the trigger for an Irish unification referendum, and after Burnham stated that he was aware of every word in the Good Friday Agreement, Law asked: “So he Burnham will therefore know that the Northern Ireland …

BBC Scotland?s educational F grade
8 Sep 2026 at 8:28pm
BBC Scotland’s latest ‘Scotland is shite’ story is to tell us that Scottish educational performance has fallen behind that of England. This finding is based on Pisa rankings. However BBC Scotland, ahem, ‘forgot’ to mention a critical piece of information in its rush to let viewers know how terrible Scottish education is. That information is …

The smokiest of smoking guns
4 Sep 2026 at 4:36pm
If there are smoking guns, Channel 4 and Verbatim’s undercover sting on Reform UK is a slow motion video of the bullet exiting the barrel and hitting its target. If you haven’t seen the report it’s available on catch up or YouTube. It is very, very bad for Farage who was already in deep trouble …

The BBC?s clutching pearls are in aisle three
3 Sep 2026 at 3:43pm
You might have thought that any measure aimed at helping struggling households during a cost of living crisis would be welcome, particularly at a time when there’s an ever widening gap between the richest and the poorest. The Scottish Government has proposed to introduce a price cap on essential basic grocery items in order to …

The branch office?s stagnant talent puddle
2 Sep 2026 at 4:42pm
The Labour party in Scotland has got itself into a hopeless mess on the topic of another independence referendum. Actually, that previous sentence could just have stopped at the word mess. The two contenders for the position of Labour’s Scottish branch manager, Michael Marra and Jackie Baillie’s wee pet Joe Fagan, had an embarrassing car …

Keir today, gone tomorrow
1 Sep 2026 at 4:08pm
With intentionally spiteful timing, failed prime minister Keir Starmer announced that he’s stepping down as an MP just as his successor was due to address Parliament for the first time. With this move, Starmer has proven that it was all about his ego, careerism, self-aggrandisement, and ambition all along. He’s telling us he has no …

The Record?s proposed trigger for Indyref2 benefits Labour not Scotland
31 Aug 2026 at 8:06pm
The first crack has appeared in the “We’re not nationalists we’re British” dam against the rising tide of support for independence and the generational shift that puts opposition to independence in Scotland on borrowed time. The current Westminster tactic of refusing to countenance another independence referendum, maintaining that the UK is a voluntary union while …

Pros and cons of a defacto indyref, and the SNP conference
30 Aug 2026 at 4:09pm
As ever, when I take a few days off from the blog, there’s a lot to catch up on. There was the Survation poll on independence published on Thursday which reported a 52% result for Yes (with don’t knows removed). It’s worth pointing out that Survation is one of those polling companies which uses weighting …

Meet the new boss, you know the rest
27 Aug 2026 at 5:04pm
As sure as night follows day or the Labour branch office in Scotland is unwilling to learn from its repeated electoral kickings, the Labour party at Westminster is equally unwilling to change, retreating to its comfort zone of corporate centre right politics just as soon as it had defenestrated Keir Starmer for being massively unpopular …

Wind turbines and threats to national security
25 Aug 2026 at 1:12pm
Scotland’s enormous potential for renewable energy could turn the country into a literal European powerhouse and generate immense revenues for an independent Scotland as well as giving Scotland some of the cheapest electricity in Europe, which in turn could generate huge inward investment as companies seek to build factories in Scotland, taking advantage of low …

The Courier

[CaRP] Can't open remote newsfeed [403].
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

DEAR PRIME MINISTER, ARE YOU AWARE??
9 Sep 2026 at 7:47pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By Mark E. Saunders of ?The Scottish Minuteman? https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 At Prime Minister?s Questions today, Chris Law asked Andy Burnham about Scotland...

Retired Heidie explains how the Pisa system has been gamed
9 Sep 2026 at 7:29pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By Alasdair Macdonald I remember in the first few years of PISA and looking at the samples of students in the countries which were ?top of the league?. These countries presented no stu...

BBC Scotland covertly interview a secret Tory donor, former Tory candidate an...
9 Sep 2026 at 7:20pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By Liz S The BBC?s (hidden and not publicised) Corrections and Clarifications section on their BBC website has finally added this : ?Mornings? ?BBC Radio Scotland, 30 July 2026? ?In an...

90% of those at risk of opioid overdose now supplied with Scottish Government...
9 Sep 2026 at 3:40pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From National naloxone programme Scotland – Quarterly monitoring bulletin Quarterly monitoring bulletin January to March (Q4) 2025/26, published yesterday, the above graph and: This re...

TWICE as common in England and FOUR times as many children there face domesti...
9 Sep 2026 at 3:38pm
BBC Radio Scotland above and BBC Scotland‘s website today on child experiences of rape and of increased rape reporting: Scotland’s top law officer has said it is “concerning for all of us” that the number of domestic abuse charges has increased. New figures show that 34,586 charges were reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) last year – an increase of 14% on the prev...

Herald?s aging Ferry Correspondent, Commode Maritime Williams calls for waste...
9 Sep 2026 at 3:37pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 The Herald, once more fuelling their very own ferry fiasco on the recurring theme of ‘aging.’ The fleet he wants to replace were all built in 1986, making them only 40 years old. Here’...

When will BBC Scotland hire an education correspondent that can read publishe...
9 Sep 2026 at 3:34pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Quick as you don’t like, BBC Scotland‘s ‘Education Correspondent’, with barely a thought it seems, is taking the latest Pisa data on reading all-too-dimly. Who is she? Lucy Adams at th...

Wha?s like us? Damn few and they?re a? deid! Ssshhh!!! Don?t mention the wars!
9 Sep 2026 at 3:33pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Is there more published evidence for this claim in the Telegraph yesterday? A Carnegie UK / Ipsos MORI poll in 2018 is the closest thing to a dedicated ?kindness? study. Representative...

What is it with journalists? The US sees a 38% fall in gun deaths since 2021 ...
9 Sep 2026 at 10:20am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 I appreciate that this is a bit off-agenda but I hope still of interest. In the Guardian today, the above and: Although political violence is not new in America, we seem to have entere...

Reposted as every newspaper and TV news outlet in Scotland today swallows the...
9 Sep 2026 at 9:22am

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges - BBC
9 Sep 2026 at 6:32pm
PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges  BBC

Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum ...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:02pm
Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum  thenational.scot

Burnham backtracks after saying referendum hinges on ?public support? - The T...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:50pm
Burnham backtracks after saying referendum hinges on ?public support?  The Times

Burnham opens door to second Scottish independence referendum - The Telegraph
9 Sep 2026 at 8:20pm
Burnham opens door to second Scottish independence referendum  The Telegraph

PMQs: Andy Burnham sets out conditions for indyref2 - heraldscotland.com
9 Sep 2026 at 3:11pm
PMQs: Andy Burnham sets out conditions for indyref2  heraldscotland.com

Burnham concedes parallel between NI border poll and second Scottish independ...
9 Sep 2026 at 5:02pm
Burnham concedes parallel between NI border poll and second Scottish independence vote  lbc.co.uk

Burnham sets out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum - The...
9 Sep 2026 at 2:01pm
Burnham sets out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum  The Independent

A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse - mi...
20 Aug 2026 at 2:44pm
A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse  mironline.ca

Andy Burnham rules out second independence referendum without majority suppor...
9 Sep 2026 at 2:14pm
Andy Burnham rules out second independence referendum without majority support  news.stv.tv

Second Scottish independence referendum 'a long way off' - Offord - Yahoo New...
4 Sep 2026 at 2:36pm
Second Scottish independence referendum 'a long way off' - Offord  Yahoo News Canada

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Westminster to investigate SNP finance scandal - The Times
9 Sep 2026 at 8:59pm
Westminster to investigate SNP finance scandal  The Times

How the SNP is making public transport more affordable ? Scottish National Pa...
9 Sep 2026 at 10:41am
How the SNP is making public transport more affordable ? Scottish National Party  snp.org

Glasgow SNP and Greens vote to cut council workers? pay via ?fire and rehire?...
7 Sep 2026 at 6:49pm
Glasgow SNP and Greens vote to cut council workers? pay via ?fire and rehire?  World Socialist Web Site

Labour and the SNP destroyed schools in Scotland and Wales. Is England next? ...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:00am
Labour and the SNP destroyed schools in Scotland and Wales. Is England next?  The Telegraph

Scotland's judges issue warning over SNP's early prisoner release plans - sco...
9 Sep 2026 at 8:23pm
Scotland's judges issue warning over SNP's early prisoner release plans  scotsman.com

SNP minister condemns minority who create fear and hostility in communities -...
9 Sep 2026 at 5:02am
SNP minister condemns minority who create fear and hostility in communities  thenational.scot

MPs launch party funding inquiry after Peter Murrell?s embezzlement from SNP ...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:19pm
MPs launch party funding inquiry after Peter Murrell?s embezzlement from SNP  London Evening Standard

'Too wee, too poor, too stupid? The strange message behind Swinney?s big refo...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:36am
'Too wee, too poor, too stupid? The strange message behind Swinney?s big reform plan'  heraldscotland.com

SNP and MNP contract consultation ends this week - Pulse PCN
8 Sep 2026 at 4:10pm
SNP and MNP contract consultation ends this week  Pulse PCN

SNP must abandon fantasy education policies and break nationalist taboo about...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:00am
SNP must abandon fantasy education policies and break nationalist taboo about learning from England  scotsman.com

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges - BBC
9 Sep 2026 at 6:32pm
PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges  BBC

Burnham backtracks after saying referendum hinges on ?public support? - The T...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:50pm
Burnham backtracks after saying referendum hinges on ?public support?  The Times

Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum ...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:02pm
Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum  thenational.scot

Burnham sets out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum - The...
9 Sep 2026 at 2:01pm
Burnham sets out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum  The Independent

PMQs: Andy Burnham sets out conditions for indyref2 - heraldscotland.com
9 Sep 2026 at 3:11pm
PMQs: Andy Burnham sets out conditions for indyref2  heraldscotland.com

Scotland can have IndyRef2 if public supports it, says Andy Burnham - scotsma...
9 Sep 2026 at 3:41pm
Scotland can have IndyRef2 if public supports it, says Andy Burnham  scotsman.com

Andy Burnham rules out second independence referendum without majority suppor...
9 Sep 2026 at 2:14pm
Andy Burnham rules out second independence referendum without majority support  news.stv.tv

Second Scottish independence referendum 'a long way off' - Offord - Yahoo New...
4 Sep 2026 at 2:36pm
Second Scottish independence referendum 'a long way off' - Offord  Yahoo News Canada

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

A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse - mi...
20 Aug 2026 at 2:44pm
A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse  mironline.ca