The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Scots 'deeply worried' eating disorder patients could be eligible for assiste...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Mar 2026 at 5:30am
A new poll suggests Scots are 'deeply worried' patients with an eating disorder could be eligible for assisted dying.


Architect calls on ministers to pay for new building as he estimates cost
12 Mar 2026 at 5:00am
One of Scotland's leading architects has called for the Scottish Government to fund a "quality new building" on the Union Corner site estimating it would cost around £25 million.


MP calls for Lord Advocate?s dual role to be axed following briefings
by George Thompson and Rachel Keenan
11 Mar 2026 at 8:14pm
It ?cannot be right? for Scotland?s top law officer to continue to have a dual role, a Conservative MP has said following controversial briefings to the First Minister regarding former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell.


Aberdeen jobs boost as North Sea oil giants win investor backing
by mark.williamson@newsquest.co.uk | Mark Williamson
11 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
The outlook for a Scottish energy industry giant brightened after it was bought by Middle Eastern investors as the Iran war fuels a surge in oil and gas prices


'Rebuild, restore' ? but what happened after previous fires doesn't bode well
11 Mar 2026 at 4:00pm
John Swinney seemed to say all the right things when he answered questions from MSPs in Holyrood on Tuesday in the aftermath of the Union Street fire in Glasgow.


Peter Mandelson threatened legal action without £500k severance after being s...
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
11 Mar 2026 at 2:15pm
The first tranche of the so-called 'Mandelson files' have been published, revealing the disgraced peer threatened legal action after his sacking as U.S ambassador unless he was paid over half a million pounds


Starmer suggests he will review handguns law as Dunblane 30th anniversary app...
by Rhiannon James
11 Mar 2026 at 1:59pm
Sir Keir Starmer has suggested he will review the law relating to handguns, as the 30th anniversary of the Dunblane Primary School shooting approaches.


Police probe launched after man dies in 'unexplained' circumstances in Glasgo...
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
11 Mar 2026 at 10:36am
A man has died following a fire in Glasgow, with police launching an investigation


Scottish Government must take action to address 'important gap' in school cur...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
11 Mar 2026 at 12:01am
The next Scottish Government must introduce sleep into education to address the 'important gap' in the curriculum for excellence, experts have said.


Commonwealth Games update issued after fire in Glasgow city centre
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
10 Mar 2026 at 6:40pm
Glasgow will still host the Commonwealth Games in the summer, despite the fire which tore through parts of the city centre.


MSPs back six-month rule for Scotland?s assisted dying law
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
10 Mar 2026 at 6:27pm
MSPs have backed a key amendment to Scotland?s assisted dying bill that would limit eligibility to people expected to die within six months. The change came as Holyrood began its final debate on the controversial legislation ahead of a decisive vote next week.


Justice secretary urges caution over Lord Advocate reform
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
10 Mar 2026 at 5:28pm
Scotland?s justice secretary has urged caution over changing the powerful role of the Lord Advocate, as a long-awaited government review reignites debate about whether the country?s top prosecutor should also sit at the heart of government.


70,000 instances of school meal debt cancelled by Scottish Government
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
10 Mar 2026 at 5:05pm
The School Meal Debt Fund was launched in May 2024, when funds were distributed to 30 councils to clear debt accrued up to 31 March 2024. 


Two-thirds in favour of Scottish cruise ship tax, consultation reveals
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
10 Mar 2026 at 4:13pm
The Scottish Greens have welcomed the results after the party commissioned the report whilst in government in 2023.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Why it's time to restore Scotland?s own 'Statue of Liberty' in Kilmarnock
11 Mar 2026 at 4:45pm
The Reformers? Monument to those who campaigned to extend the right to vote should be restored to its former glory in time for the centenary of universal suffrage in 2028


John Swinney's talk of US military ban at Prestwick is worst kind of politica...
11 Mar 2026 at 4:45pm
Martyn McLaughlin has long documented the US military?s use of Prestwick Airport and is unimpressed by the First Minister?s latest pronouncement


Why it's clear Farage and Badenoch would make UK subservient to Trump's America
11 Mar 2026 at 4:45pm
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has shown that standing up to Donald Trump can be a vote winner


Demands for disgraced Mandelson to pay back £75,000 to public purse after sac...
11 Mar 2026 at 2:45pm

Files released by the UK Government show that the disgraced peer asked the UK Treasury to give him £547,201

The Reform UK leader said in 2014 that the gun controls brought in after the deadliest mass shooting in British history were a ?knee-jerk reaction?.

The documents are expected to detail the process of appointing Mandelson as the UK?s ambassador to the US.

MSPs will ?wrestle with their conscience? over whether to support Scotland?s assisted dying legislation, the politician behind the bill has warned.

The Scottish government had previously confirmed no decision on splitting the Lord Advocate?s roles will happen until after May?s Holyrood election.

Wings over Scotland

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

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

Two Men Unalike
28 Feb 2026 at 1:41pm
So Cathy Newman of Channel 4 News got herself a scoop last night. And to be honest, readers, we were a bit confused. “Gender critical views” are not only lawful things to hold and express, they’re one of a small subset of opinions that are explicitly protected as such in law. And why would a …

The Tactics Of Suicide
26 Feb 2026 at 1:48pm
Sorry, readers, we’ve been too busy boiling with rage at revolting, cretinous Americans for the last few days to trust ourselves with writing a full-length article, but we’ve just about calmed down enough in time for this month’s polling analysis. Which is handy, because today is also the day of the Gorton and Denton by-election …

When the law breaks the law
19 Feb 2026 at 1:33pm
There is a not particularly funny joke that is sometimes told in legal circles about why a law student failed to finish his coursework ? because he had no conviction. With rare exceptions lawyers aren?t renowned for their sense of humour but I can?t help thinking someone, at the highest levels of our justice system, …

The Future Is Yesterday
18 Feb 2026 at 2:10pm
So on the one hand there’s obviously very little point paying attention to the SNP’s regional list candidates for May’s Holyrood election, because as this website has comprehensively demonstrated over recent months, the chances of the SNP having any list MSPs elected are remote. However, nothing is impossible, so let’s take a look at the …

Scotland In Numbers
17 Feb 2026 at 11:30pm
Cost of keeping vital rape crisis services in Glasgow operating: £500,000. Amount of money wasted by the Scottish Government fighting and losing court cases to try to remove women’s rights: £1.14 million. Angry yet?

The Longest Road
16 Feb 2026 at 1:23pm
As the six-year fight for justice for Alex Salmond continues, we thought you might like to see this clip from this morning’s Mike Graham Show, interviewing Paul McManus, the businessman and drummer in Glasgow rock band Gun who’s stepped up to fund the Salmond family’s case against the Scottish Government despite disagreeing with much of …

The Modern Politician
10 Feb 2026 at 5:17pm
A play in three acts: And you thought ours were spineless. Poor old Anas, though. If 24 hours is a long time in politics these days, a week is forever. And a month hardly even bears thinking about. As for a year and a half, well, the less said the better.

A Dumber Nation
9 Feb 2026 at 3:52pm
In politics, readers, evil and stupidity aren’t the same thing. But nor are they exclusive. Before we ask you to consider which of the terms applies to the Scottish Government led by John Swinney, we’d like you to read this letter sent to Wings by the auntie of two women imprisoned in Scottish jails. “I …

Craig Murray

Metro Workers of Caracas
10 Mar 2026 at 6:39am

President Nicolás Maduro is a working-class man, a bus driver who worked his way to office through the trade union movement. Compare that to the Western “elite”. In Caracas I joined a rally of his fellow Metro workers, many of whom know him personally, demanding his release after kidnap by the US. I intend to …

Metro Workers of Caracas

Joy at Death and Destruction
7 Mar 2026 at 12:39pm

The United States and Israel are both revelling in inflicting the maximum possible death and suffering on Iran. After the genocide in Gaza, on a far larger field in Iran, those in power in Israel and the USA have a lust to kill and they revel in impunity. The Epstein files reveal the same dynamic. …

Joy at Death and Destruction

The War for Greater Israel
1 Mar 2026 at 2:21pm

There has scarcely been an attempt to pretend any justification in international law for the attack on Iran and murder of its leader. The response of the UK government, focusing almost entirely on condemning Iran for exercising its legitimate right of self-defence, takes the Starmer dishonesty meter further off the scale. The RAF has been …

The War for Greater Israel

Rival Demonstrations in Caracas
23 Feb 2026 at 8:28am

There are two things which are extremely difficult to find in Venezuela – government repression and opposition support. I am pretty long in the tooth and very experienced in understanding politics and people around the world, and I have found it difficult to locate either. I would particularly warn you against accepting the political prisoners …

Rival Demonstrations in Caracas

Two Little Caracas Videos
17 Feb 2026 at 6:34am

I hope to write a serious article shortly about the position of Venezuela, which is rather that of a hostage with a gun to their head, attempting to appease a psychopath. But for now here are a couple of small videos illustrating that it is a lie that the country is failed, starving or repressive. …

Two Little Caracas Videos

Postpone The Celebrations
14 Feb 2026 at 7:46am

On the face of it the English High Court ruling that the Palestine Action proscription is unlawful makes the decision that the proscription remains in place pending appeal utterly illogical. But what if the High Court ruling is deliberately designed to fail at appeal? I believe that it is. They chose an extremely narrow path …

Postpone The Celebrations

BBC Scotland

Glen Sannox ferry needs £3.2m repairs after one year in service
11 Mar 2026 at 1:58pm
MSPs have been told the troubled CalMac vessel needs new propellors as part of multi-million pound repairs.

Starmer said ministers can go against wishes of Welsh and Scottish government...
10 Mar 2026 at 5:15pm
The memo was obtained by Plaid Cymru, which has accused Labour of turning its back on devolution.

MSPs back six-month amendment to assisted dying bill
10 Mar 2026 at 10:24pm
Holyrood members will wade through about 300 proposed changes to the law before a final vote.

Government rules out changes to lord advocate dual role
10 Mar 2026 at 3:53pm
Opposition politicians criticised Dorothy Bain after it emerged she had briefed the first minister on the Peter Murrell case.

Cole-Hamilton defends Labour support plan for Holyrood election
10 Mar 2026 at 5:01pm
Alex Cole-Hamilton says he would rather resign as party leader than allow John Swinney to return to Bute House.

Grieving Dunblane dad says gun laws are still too lax
10 Mar 2026 at 6:37am
Mick North, whose daughter was shot dead in 1996, wants UK ministers to be more aware of firearms dangers.

Alba Party to be wound down amid 'dire financial plight'
8 Mar 2026 at 4:51pm
Leader Kenny MacAskill says the party's membership had haemorrhaged and its income has plummeted.

Families challenge Swinney over hospital apology claim
8 Mar 2026 at 3:35pm
Relatives of patients infected at Glasgow's flagship hospital say they did not receive a formal apology during a meeting with the first minister.

Swinney would 'consider' US military plane ban from Prestwick Airport
7 Mar 2026 at 5:38pm
The first minister says he wants clarity from the UK government about whether the planes were involved in the US-Israeli action in the Middle East.

Teachers could strike in mid-March as workload talks continue
7 Mar 2026 at 11:54am
The EIS union has issued formal notice of strike plans as ministers have not yet delivered a pledge to reduce classroom time for teachers.

Labour MP 'voluntarily suspends herself' amid China spy probe
5 Mar 2026 at 8:35pm
Joani Reid said she had temporarily stood down from the party after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China.

Reform's Scottish leader denies fuelling racial tensions over stabbing
6 Mar 2026 at 4:57pm
Malcolm Offord has faced criticism after linking the incident in Edinburgh to an "insurge" of migration.

Scot Goes Pop

GB-wide YouGov poll: Greens STAY AHEAD of Labour, and SNP lead by 8 in Scotland
11 Mar 2026 at 11:02pm
Later in this video, I also provide some more information / offer some thoughts on why YouGov may be systemically underestimating independence support in their full-scale Scottish polls.

Questions mount over Stew's "I'm a fearsome journalist, can make mincemeat of...
10 Mar 2026 at 7:06pm
 But yeah, Allan, it *was* actually pretty rude of you to make Stew's involvement a condition of you taking part if you hadn't even bothered to check with him whether he was willing to do it.  Hope...

IT'S ON! Breakthrough as Allan Petrie of Barrhead Boy's "Liberate" faction A...
10 Mar 2026 at 11:41am
Allan, I understand why my post hit a raw nerve, given that you are an officer of Barrhead Boy's party, putting you in alliance with the far-right. If you want to ask me silly questions, I'll make ...

Barrhead Boy v Tommy Sheridan: who will win the battle of the egos for contro...
9 Mar 2026 at 9:36pm
You might remember that Barrhead Boy wrote a furious rant about me a few months ago, simply because he was so angered that I had pointed out the inescapable truth that his "Liberate Scotland" allia...

Why the dissolution of the Alba Party is GOOD NEWS for the independence movement
8 Mar 2026 at 9:23pm

The Alba Party: it's over. MacAskill sends Christina Hendry's wannabe Junta ...
8 Mar 2026 at 2:01pm
Kenny MacAskill's latest email to Alba party members:"Dear FriendI refer to my two previous communications detailing the financial crisis afflicting our party following a fraud perpetrated on it, a...

Alba are now so synonymous with vote-rigging and corruption that even vote-ri...
8 Mar 2026 at 11:01am
I literally burst out laughing a few minutes ago after clicking a link on the MSN homepage which read "Labour receives formal complaint over claims of voter irregularities in Holyrood selection con...

Huge poll breakthrough for the SNP as they surge to their highest regional li...
5 Mar 2026 at 11:18pm
My latest constituency profile for The National is Ayr, and it can be read HERE.

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Swinney intervenes as Holyrood debates amendments to assisted dying Bill
11 Mar 2026 at 9:57pm
The First Minister spoke out as MSPs debated hundreds of amendments to legislation brought forward by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur

Further improvements in care required at Skye House, says minister
11 Mar 2026 at 4:48pm
A BBC documentary last year alleged a ?culture of cruelty? at the Glasgow mental health unit for young people

Ferguson Marine to expand apprentice programme after vessel announcement
11 Mar 2026 at 12:41pm
Deputy first minister Kate Forbes last week outlined plans to directly award the shipyard contracts for four vessels

Prime Minister to face questions as first Peter Mandelson files to be published
11 Mar 2026 at 10:49am
The Prime Minister has insisted Lord Mandelson 'lied repeatedly' to No 10 about his relationship with Epstein

No 10 set to release first tranche of Mandelson files on Wednesday
11 Mar 2026 at 8:43am
Downing Street will release documents related to Lord Peter Mandelson?s appointment as ambassador to Washington, reports have suggested.

Hereditary peers to leave red benches before next King?s Speech
10 Mar 2026 at 11:51pm
The Lords on Tuesday accepted a final draft of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, clearing the way for it to be added to the statute book.

Government considering formal apology for state?s role in forced adoptions
10 Mar 2026 at 10:49pm
Successive governments previously insisted that the state had no role in forced adoptions.

Ferry build bosses have ?high confidence? Glen Rosa will not face further delay
10 Mar 2026 at 12:22pm
The Glen Rosa and its sister ship have been at the centre of a political storm due to being late and over-budget

Assisted dying Bill reaches final stage at Holyrood
10 Mar 2026 at 6:43am
MSPs will this week debate more than 300 amendments to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, ahead of a final vote next week.

John Swinney announces £5.8m for child poverty groups
9 Mar 2026 at 11:57am
The funding announcement came on Monday

Internal polling convinced me to quit as first minister, Humza Yousaf says
9 Mar 2026 at 6:32am
The former SNP leader also suggested 'the men in grey kilts would have come' to force him out after election if he had not resigned when he did.

Alba Party to wind up and de-register amid financial crisis
8 Mar 2026 at 4:48pm
The pro-independence party, which was launched by Alex Salmond in 2021, announced the decision on Sunday.

Late MSP ?believed in women before they believed in themselves?
8 Mar 2026 at 10:40am
Christina McKelvie died in March 2025 from secondary breast cancer after having served as an MSP since 2007.

Scottish Labour MP suspended after husband accused of spying for China
5 Mar 2026 at 8:07pm
This comes as the party confirmed they were investigating the East Kilbride and Strathaven MP following the arrest of her partner David Taylor.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Labour would stage nuclear power investment summit days after Holyrood election
12 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Energy Consumers Minister Martin McCluskey said the SNP Government is ?cutting ourselves off? from the rest of the world by opposing nuclear power.

Anas Sarwar should come up with a plan to reform Westminster as well as Holyrood
12 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says the Scottish Labour leader cannot pretend Westminster sleaze is not a major issue for voters.

Scottish politics today: Peter Mandelson comes back to haunt Labour again
11 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the day's politics news.

SNP Health Secretary accused of 'shameful' NHS failures in his own backyard
11 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: NHS Lanarkshire's performance on GP numbers and accident and emergency waiting times have been blasted by Labour MP Imogen Walker.

Tackle poverty to curb deaths as drugs and alcohol rolled together
11 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
Record View says all governments and parties, councils, Holyrood and Westminster need to make economic growth and reducing extreme poverty the No1 priority.

Scottish politics today: Marathon debate on assisted dying Bill begins
10 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
The Daily Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the day's politics news.

John Swinney pledges financial support after vape shop fire in Glasgow
10 Mar 2026 at 2:49pm
The First Minister made a statement at Holyrood after the fire that started on Sunday.

MSP denies assisted dying vote win is slipping away after colleagues switch s...
10 Mar 2026 at 11:59am
Lib Dem Liam McArthur said he remains ?confident? the majority of MSPs recognise the status quo is not working.

Scottish politics today: John Swinney considering support package after 'colo...
9 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
The Daily Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the day's politics news.

MSP behind assisted dying Bill is proposing to reduce jail sentences for coer...
9 Mar 2026 at 4:23pm
EXCLUSIVE: Liam McArthur has tabled the amendments after advice from the Scottish Government.

The National

The National | Politics

Heed Salmond's advice to focus on policy, not personality, in debates
11 Mar 2026 at 6:30pm

AWAY back at an SNP national council in the late 1980s, the SNP?s vice-convenor for publicity at the time, a young Alex Salmond, advised an even younger Andy Doig to always focus on policy rather than personality whilst debating.

Anas Sarwar is not being open about Labour?s plans for NHS reform
11 Mar 2026 at 6:30pm

IF Scotland doesn?t become independent, and soon, we can say goodbye to the NHS as we know it.

Should SNP ban new fish farms after '12 million salmon die prematurely in one...
11 Mar 2026 at 5:46pm

THE First Minister is facing calls to protect Scotland?s wild salmon by declaring an ?urgent moratorium? on new fish farms

From mortgages to food ? why the Iran war will make your life more expensive
11 Mar 2026 at 5:42pm

THE war on Iran is already hitting consumers and, with contradictory claims coming from the White House on its conclusion, the worst could be yet to come.

Anti-war rallies are attended for a range of different reasons
11 Mar 2026 at 5:30pm

JAMES Murphy?s recent letters move the discussion in two directions. His first criticised anti-war demonstrations around Jeremy Corbyn as evidence of a collapse into tribal thinking on the British left, citing the presence of placards featuring images of the deceased ayatollah.

The state of play in every Scottish constituency explained ? find yours here
11 Mar 2026 at 5:29pm

The National is publishing a profile for every constituency in the upcoming Holyrood elections on May 7 ? here's how to find information about your area

Anti-racist activists plan to challenge Unite the Clans protest in Edinburgh
11 Mar 2026 at 5:17pm

A Protest organised by anti-immigration group Unite the Clans Scotland is set to be held in front of the Scottish Parliament, with a counter protest also planned

Trouble-hit Glen Sannox ferry needs £3m in repairs after one year working, MS...
11 Mar 2026 at 5:13pm

THE trouble-hit Glen Sannox ferry will need more than £3 million in repairs after just a year in service, MSPs have been told

Scottish art workers call for Edinburgh International Festival boycott
11 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm

SCOTTISH arts workers have called for artists and the public to boycott the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) over its ongoing relationship with Baillie Gifford.

Row erupts over whether Scottish ministers can block US military from Prestwick
11 Mar 2026 at 4:42pm

Angus Robertson has been urged to set out whether or not the Scottish Government has the authority to ban the US military from Scottish airports

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Local Authorities Guide: East Renfrewshire Council
12 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
Council leader Owen O'Donnell answers questions about local authority

UK Government releases first Mandelson files
11 Mar 2026 at 3:39pm
The disgraced peer demanded ?547,000 after being sacked as US ambassador

Techscaler programme helps raise more than ?250m for Scottish start-ups
11 Mar 2026 at 10:11am
Begun in 2022, Techscaler seeks to connect fledgling companies with investors and customers.

From connectivity to capability: enabling Scotland?s next phase of digital he...
11 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
Every health board, regardless of its current digital maturity, should have access to tools and support that enable it to move forward confidently and at pace to build a connected and capable health and care future for Scotland.

MPs reject Australian-style social media ban for under-16s
10 Mar 2026 at 1:42pm
MPs have backed flexible ministerial powers that could restrict or ban children of certain ages from accessing social media services or chat bots

Scottish Government publishes lord advocate dual role report
10 Mar 2026 at 12:00pm
There have been calls for the two roles to be separated

Scottish study shows AI increases cancer detection by more than 10 per cent
10 Mar 2026 at 10:00am
The evaluation found that the technology has the potential to reduce the workload of healthcare workers by more than 30 per cent compared to the current clinical process?

MSPs to begin to consider final amendments on assisted dying bill
10 Mar 2026 at 12:43am
MSPs are preparing to consider around 300 amendments to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill today

John Swinney signals ?willingness? to support council financially in dealing ...
9 Mar 2026 at 3:13pm
The first minister visited the site of the fire beside Glasgow Central station today, describing it as a ?colossal incident?

Malcolm Offord refuses to apologise for ?racist? knife incident comments
6 Mar 2026 at 11:58am
The Reform Scotland leader was announced as the candidate for Inverclyde

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Starmer warned cabinet against ?overly deferential? relations with devolved g...
11 Mar 2026 at 10:46am
Leaked memo dates from shortly after Labour Senedd members raised alarm devolution is being rolled backUK politics live ? latest updatesKeir Starmer warned his cabinet against an ?overly deferential? approach to the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish governments, according to a leaked memo.In the...

Alba party to wind up and not contest Scottish election
8 Mar 2026 at 8:28pm
Pro-independence party formed by Alex Salmond in 2021 had suffered membership fall and financial crisisThe Alba party has announced that it will wind up and not field any candidates for the 2026 Scottish parliament election.The pro-independence party was formed in 2021 by the late Alex Salmond as...

Scotland becomes first UK country to legalise water cremations
2 Mar 2026 at 3:24pm
Hydrolysis uses alkaline and water to break down body in a few hours and is part of demand for more sustainable funeralsScotland has become the first part of the UK to legalise hydrolysis, an environmentally friendly alternative to cremation or burial, reflecting increasing demand for more sustai...

PM vows to ?keep fighting? after Greens sweep past Labour and Reform to win b...
27 Feb 2026 at 5:57pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:Report: Labour MPs demand Starmer change directionAnalysis: clock is ticking for StarmerProfile: who is Hannah Spencer, new Green MP?Reform activists are ?hearing Matt Goodwin has all but conceded defeat to the Greens?, the UK poll agg...

Sarwar gambles on break with Starmer as Labour support slumps
26 Feb 2026 at 10:03am
Scottish Labour leader hopes distancing himself from PM will shift focus to SNP?s record, but voters remain unconvinced?People look at Holyrood and think: ?Lets give them all a bloody nose?,? says Alex, a betting shop manager. Speaking in a focus group of people who voted Labour at the 2024 gener...

Foreign Office denies minister?s claim the Chagos Islands deal has been pause...
25 Feb 2026 at 5:30pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published figures showing that local authorities in England dealt with 1.26m flytipping incidents in 2024/25 ? 9% increase on the previous year.And there was an 11% increase in ...

Role of Scotland?s top law officer questioned after ?bombshell? over Peter Mu...
25 Feb 2026 at 2:52pm
Lord advocate Dorothy Bain informed first minister of embezzlement charges against former SNP chief executive a year before they were made publicSerious doubts have been raised about the dual role of Scotland?s top law officer after it emerged that the first minister was informed of criminal char...

The Guardian view on Scottish Labour: Keir Starmer needs Anas Sarwar?s act of...
22 Feb 2026 at 5:30pm
The leader of Scottish Labour will use its spring conference to demonstrate that he is his own man. Ironically, the prime minister?s survival may depend on his successAt Scottish Labour?s spring conference last year, Sir Keir Starmer bullishly addressed mounting discontent at his government?s per...

The Guardian view on Scotland?s housing crisis: supply has failed to keep pac...
18 Feb 2026 at 6:25pm
The country?s homelessness legislation is ambitious and humane. But too many people are still sleeping on the streets or in temporary accommodationRough sleeping in Scotland has risen by 106% over the past three years. Record numbers of children are now living in temporary accommodation, official...

?It?s betrayal?: Shetland?s scallop fishers brace for arrival of UK?s largest...
17 Feb 2026 at 12:00pm
Huge project by Norwegian-owned Scottish Sea Farms gets go-ahead amid concerns over the environmental cost of fish farming and threat to traditional way of lifeAt Collafirth, north Shetland, Sydney Johnson is unloading two-dozen bags of scallops by throwing them over his head like medicine balls ...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Devolution has run out of road
10 Mar 2026 at 6:48pm
This always happens, every time I decide to take a bit of time off, a big news story breaks and it’s back to the keyboard. On Tuesday, a Labour government memo was leaked which proves that Keir Starmer is hell bent on undermining the devolution settlement. In the memo, sent to all members of the …

What the end of Alba means for May?s election and the broader independence mo...
9 Mar 2026 at 5:35pm
Well that’s it. The Alba party has gone and will not be contesting the Holyrood election in May, or indeed any elections in the future. Unlike some, I am not gloating about the party’s demise even though I was never a supporter of it. I kept my thoughts about Alba largely to myself despite coming …

Labour?s dangerous plans for NHS Scotland
8 Mar 2026 at 4:33pm
The Holyrood elections are just eight weeks away. This will be a critical election for Scotland’s future and it is more important than ever that Scotland returns a pro-independence majority, ideally an SNP majority to the Scottish Parliament. It’s not just the future of hopes for independence which is at stake. This election is also …

A personal milestone and yet more good polling news
5 Mar 2026 at 4:19pm
I’m going to start on a personal note. Almost eight years after we got married and over ten years that we have been together, my husband has finally become a British, or should I say Scottish citizen. It’s been a long, expensive, and stressful journey, but we got there, and now we are immune to …

The BBC?s odd indy poll, more polls, and BBC Scotland?s double standards
4 Mar 2026 at 3:38pm
There are some very odd things going on with the BBC’s Savanta poll on Scottish independence. An analysis of the polling data by Independent Voices, @indyvoices.bsky.social on BlueSky, also pointed out by the regular poster Statgeek in the comments section of this blog, notes that the poll reports a peculiarly high percentage of those who …

Humiliation for BBC Scotland as its own poll shows a Yes majority
3 Mar 2026 at 3:26pm
BBC Scotland has done one of its pre-election polls to tell us what Scotland “really thinks” as we go into the Scottish election in nine weeks time. On Tuesday, BBC Scotland unveiled its findings on the crucial question of independence. Despite the BBC’s very own poll finding that support for independence is in the majority, …

Reform?s election denial is a cancer on democracy
3 Mar 2026 at 11:47am
Nigel Farage is not taking the electoral humiliation dished out to by the voters of Gorton and Denton at all well. Farage lied multiple times at his press conference on the Monday after the vote which saw his hand picked candidate trounced by the Greens. Farage claimed that no-one who voted Green in Gorton and …

Starmer?s support for Trump?s Epstein war may be the final blow to Labour in ...
1 Mar 2026 at 11:50am
America has gone to war in the Middle East at the behest of Netanyahu again, when Trump attacked Iran in June last year and assured us that Iran’s nuclear weapons programme had been completely destroyed it hadn’t really been completely destroyed at all. Trump lied. I’m shocked I tell you, shocked. I’m no fan of …

Goodwin ? Bad Loser, lessons from Gorton & Denton for Scotland
27 Feb 2026 at 2:23pm
Imagine being called Goodwin but being such a bad loser. This week’s by-election in Gorton and Denton in Manchester was initially portrayed in the British media as being a contest between Labour and Reform UK, with the expectation that Reform UK would coast to an easy victory. In recent days as the Greens pulled ahead …

57% support for independence in the most recent poll
26 Feb 2026 at 1:50pm
There has been another poll on voting intention in a Scottish independence referendum. The poll from Stonehaven polling for The Times newspaper which I reported on yesterday also included a question on independence. This poll had fantastic news for the SNP, reporting that an SNP majority is possible. It also has fantastic news for the …

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

Why the London lads at the IFS are regurgitating the unreliable 2022 Pisa res...
11 Mar 2026 at 4:27pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Many thanks to cuckooshoe for reminding us of the above and seeing through what the London-based IFS is up to in this election period. Source: https://www.sqainternational.org.uk/sqa/114509.html...

BBC Wales reveals Labour?s attack on devolution while BBC Scotland hides it f...
11 Mar 2026 at 4:20pm
BBC Wales and BBC Scotland at 4pm Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON By Liz S For any ?normal rational being? then ?Glen Sannox ferry needs £3.2m repairs after one year in service? , as an article, would not be their top story to...

The UK Internal Market Act means that Scotland cannot prevent the sale of dan...
11 Mar 2026 at 4:18pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON The Ferret reveals today: A Ferret investigation has found there was no registration to sell vapes at the Union Street premises in Glasgow where a major fire started – and we can reveal the name...

As Scottish Cons campaign on drug deaths the FIVE years of success in turning...
11 Mar 2026 at 4:16pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Annie Wells and Russell Findlay Who?, outside a pharmacy in Possilpark to campaign for the next election on Scotland’s drug deaths, luckily for them, still the highest in Europe. Did no one tell...

?Liar, liar, pants on fire? ? Scottish Labour try to twist a fast professiona...
11 Mar 2026 at 4:15pm
Image – Scottish Fire Service Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON There have been no reports suggesting that the fire service response to the Glasgow city centre fire was slow or in anyway inadequate but, in the Scotsman today: Is...

As ambulance-chasing lawyers circle, how the Scottish Government kept excess ...
11 Mar 2026 at 10:08am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON The unconvincingly ‘Scottish’ edition of the Daily Express has a story today about lawyers represented the bereaved trying to get some compensation for them, by misrepresenting the truth of how ...

One-year moderate to significant in service repairs are common in new ships a...
11 Mar 2026 at 9:54am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON BBC Scotland headlining another story that might, they hope, damage SNP prospects in May. Is that a big, shock, story in the public interest, or not? This is an AI product but checked to make su...

As the Queen speaks again on the topic, according to Labour?s then Dame Helen...
11 Mar 2026 at 9:07am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON

Short video on ? England?s Pisa scores are based only on a tiny selective sam...
10 Mar 2026 at 12:11pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON

Largs and Fairlie SNP Presentation 23 March 2026 ? Notes for those using pers...
10 Mar 2026 at 11:21am
I hope this is not vanity but, just in case there’s a big crowd and you can’t see my PowerPoint presentation at the back, it’s all (apart from my talking which you will hear) here for you to scroll over. Largs and Fairlie SNP 23 March 2026 Welcome words and outline Who shapes the story? Background Where are we now ? polls and biases in polls Survation* 20-25 February Constituency and Regional v...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland - BBC
3 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland  BBC

Here's why Scottish musicians are performing at an independence event this we...
11 Mar 2026 at 2:30pm
Here's why Scottish musicians are performing at an independence event this weekend  Thenational Scot

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
26 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

SNP to debate a 'whopping lie' about Scottish independence at party conferenc...
11 Mar 2026 at 5:48pm
SNP to debate a 'whopping lie' about Scottish independence at party conference  Scottish Daily Express

Scottish independence is sneaking up on Westminster - New Statesman
20 Feb 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence is sneaking up on Westminster  New Statesman

The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage - politico.eu
13 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage  politico.eu

Tommy and Gail Sheridan set to stand for new political party after demise of ...
12 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
Tommy and Gail Sheridan set to stand for new political party after demise of Alba  Daily Record

Independence vote would be Swinney?s 'priority' if SNP win majority - The Herald
8 Mar 2026 at 11:30am
Independence vote would be Swinney?s 'priority' if SNP win majority  The Herald

Twenty-five years of data shows how link between identity and views on Scotti...
9 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Twenty-five years of data shows how link between identity and views on Scottish independence has grown stronger  The Conversation

A Fresh Start with Independence - The Scottish Government
8 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
A Fresh Start with Independence  The Scottish Government

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Managing Legacy Data in a Cloud-First World With SNP - ERP Today
11 Mar 2026 at 7:38pm
Managing Legacy Data in a Cloud-First World With SNP  ERP Today

Labour collapse in this Holyrood seat makes this a safe bet for SNP - Thenati...
11 Mar 2026 at 4:24pm
Labour collapse in this Holyrood seat makes this a safe bet for SNP  Thenational Scot

Scotland's papers: SNP candidate benefits row and Hogg 'honour axed' - BBC
6 Mar 2026 at 6:47am
Scotland's papers: SNP candidate benefits row and Hogg 'honour axed'  BBC

SNP candidate quit Holyrood election after 'complaint of alleged misconduct' ...
8 Mar 2026 at 7:40pm
SNP candidate quit Holyrood election after 'complaint of alleged misconduct' made  The Herald

Stop SNP Congestion Charges - Scottish Conservatives
6 Mar 2026 at 10:09pm
Stop SNP Congestion Charges  Scottish Conservatives

SNP to debate a 'whopping lie' about Scottish independence at party conferenc...
11 Mar 2026 at 5:48pm
SNP to debate a 'whopping lie' about Scottish independence at party conference  Scottish Daily Express

Development of a cost-effective, multifunctional SNP panel and analysis workf...
19 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
Development of a cost-effective, multifunctional SNP panel and analysis workflow for Wolf monitoring in Finland  Nature

SNP candidate Sally Donald stands down after benefits fraud claim - BBC
4 Mar 2026 at 5:18pm
SNP candidate Sally Donald stands down after benefits fraud claim  BBC

Election Lib Dem and SNP candidates clash over energy policy - Shetland News
11 Mar 2026 at 9:58am
Election Lib Dem and SNP candidates clash over energy policy  Shetland News

Should SNP ban new fish farms after '12 million salmon die prematurely in one...
11 Mar 2026 at 5:56pm
Should SNP ban new fish farms after '12 million salmon die prematurely in one year'?  Thenational Scot

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland - BBC
3 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland  BBC

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
26 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

Independence vote would be Swinney?s 'priority' if SNP win majority - The Herald
8 Mar 2026 at 11:30am
Independence vote would be Swinney?s 'priority' if SNP win majority  The Herald

Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014...
27 May 2025 at 8:00am
Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014  The Conversation

Part Two: What an independent Scotland could look like - A Fresh Start with I...
8 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Part Two: What an independent Scotland could look like - A Fresh Start with Independence  The Scottish Government

The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage - politico.eu
13 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage  politico.eu

In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland indepen...
3 Jun 2025 at 8:00am
In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

Swinney says SNP win would trigger new Scotland referendum | Daily Sabah - Da...
18 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Swinney says SNP win would trigger new Scotland referendum | Daily Sabah  Daily Sabah

No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says - BBC
27 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says  BBC

Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK?s political landscape shi...
24 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK?s political landscape shifts  Courthouse News