The Herald

The Herald | Politics


John Swinney hails ?golden opportunity? for Scottish businesses in India
by Craig Paton
20 Oct 2026 at 12:01am
John Swinney hails India as a ?golden opportunity? for Scottish food and drink as his trade mission promotes salmon exports, tourism and investment.


Drivers to get new rights to challenge ?rip-off? private parking charges
by Rosie Shead
19 Oct 2026 at 10:30pm
Drivers are set to get new rights to challenge unfair private parking charges, including a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park, the Government has announced.


Inverness MSP calls for standalone city council amid Scottish local governmen...
by Olivia Andrews
19 Oct 2026 at 8:48pm
Emma Roddick urges Scottish Government to create a standalone Inverness City Council as local government reform sparks debate over Highland Council?s future.


SNP delegates back domestic energy production as ministers urged to finalise ...
by Craig Paton
19 Oct 2026 at 7:56pm
SNP conference backs domestic energy production as Stephen Gethins urges the Scottish Government to finalise its oil and gas strategy amid North Sea debate.


Andy Burnham is looking for a Scottish adviser ? they'll have their work cut out
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
19 Oct 2026 at 5:02pm
Last week, Andy Burnham made three devolution offers to Scotland at Motherwell but his pitch for contained little detail on funding.


'Radical' bookshop in row with travel writer over alleged 'antisemitic' posts
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
19 Oct 2026 at 2:59pm
The bookstore pulled the October 21 event after becoming aware of several "problematic" social media posts by Mr Sayarer.


Police Scotland receive 300 calls after threatening messages sent to schools
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
19 Oct 2026 at 11:47am
Police Scotland is treating threatening messages sent to several schools as a hoax after staff were evacuated during an in-service day. The incidents coincided with more than 150 schools in Northern Ireland receiving similar emails.


Reform UK justice spokeswoman quits party to sit as independent MSP
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
19 Oct 2026 at 10:46am
Amanda Bland, Reform UK's justice spokeswoman at Holyrood, has resigned from the party to sit as an independent MSP, dropping Reform to third-largest party as it faces police scrutiny over election spending irregularities.


Russia to be invited to G20 finance summit in Edinburgh despite European tens...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
19 Oct 2026 at 10:12am
Last week, the UK Government announced that finance ministers and central bank governors from the world?s leading economies will gather in Scotland?s capital.


Inside the union compromises that left hybrid working for civil servants unen...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
19 Oct 2026 at 5:00am
Scottish Government papers reveal the union compromises behind civil servants? hybrid working as ministers move to mandatory attendance.


Scots council urged to cut 'extremely disturbing' ties to Israel Defence Forces
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
19 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
A Scottish council has been urged to pull its funding from two companies with ties to the Israel Defence Forces


Tens of thousands of Scots waiting more than a year for NHS treatment
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
19 Oct 2026 at 12:01am
More than 30,000 Scottish NHS waits still exceed a year, six months after John Swinney?s March 2026 target was missed, with ministers giving no new date.


Expensive, confusing and unfair: Why Scotland's business rates need reform
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
19 Oct 2026 at 6:00am
Cost, confusion and complexity. Why The Herald has launched its Reset the Rates campaign


UK's first subsea HVDC cable plant opens at Port of Nigg with £350m investment
by rose.moncur@newsquest.co.uk | Rose Moncur
19 Oct 2026 at 4:49pm
Sumitomo Electric has opened the UK's first subsea high-voltage cable factory at Port of Nigg, with up to 250 direct jobs expected.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Reform was always expected to lose an MSP - but not so quickly
19 Oct 2026 at 12:51pm

Reform UK will now be looking over their shoulders at the Greens, who are just one seat behind them.

Amanda Bland has quit Nigel Farage?s party and is now listed as an independent on the Scottish Parliament website.

The Prime Minister has been urged to put his warm words in support of the oil and gas sector into action to secure investment in the North Sea.

The Deputy First Minister criticised the educational model pursued under Michael Gove in England

Many owners had received written offers for their flats but now council has changed its approach

Wings over Scotland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Turning Point
28 Sep 2026 at 1:10pm
We don’t have much to say about this graph that it doesn’t say for itself. The arrest of Peter Murrell on 5 April 2023, just a couple of weeks after his wife had realised the game was up and walked away before the cops came round and put a big blue tent up on their …

Cowering From Destiny
24 Sep 2026 at 11:29am
Alert readers will recall that last year the SNP convened a summit in Glasgow for the sole purpose of uniting the nation in preventing Nigel Farage becoming Prime Minister. The party also regularly tells us that to actually achieve independence, support would have to build to an overwhelming consensus into the 60-65% range, rather than …

His Majesty?s Loyal Sabre
21 Sep 2026 at 1:50pm
Funny how people change, isn’t it? That sounds a lot to us like “Bombs Not Bairns”. We watched the first episode of “The Wargame” at 2am this morning (it’s toe-curlingly bad, shot like a soft-focus corporate promo with three-second cuts, constant dramatic music and the politicians delivering wooden press-conference soundbites rather than any sense of …

Craig Murray

The Unjust State
15 Oct 2026 at 2:06pm

“Forget justice, it’s much too expensive and time consuming. Plus if you take the government to court, you will have to spend your own money, and we are saving you from that”. That is a fair summary of the judgement by Lords Pentland and Troy and Lady Wise in our appeal against the suspension of …

The Unjust State

Does the Act of Union Still Apply?
12 Oct 2026 at 10:29am

Tomorrow at 10am we get the judgement in our appeal against the suspension of the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. We cannot have won as the appeal – held by “urgent process” – was intended to allow a judicial review before the Supreme Court meets in the Ammori case on 4 …

Does the Act of Union Still Apply?

Fatuous False Flags
2 Oct 2026 at 10:16am

Rather than abandoning the plainly nuts Fairford narrative, Burnham and his government are doubling down on the claim it is an Iranian terror plot. It remains quite possible the men were indeed fuel thieves, simply stealing fuel from farms. They appear to have been equipped for fuel theft and all they were carrying was petrol. …

Fatuous False Flags

Losing My Religion
29 Sep 2026 at 12:07pm

I have lost faith both in Western social democracy, and in the institutions of international law. As both have been fundamental to the work of my life, this is rather a blow as I approach 70. A number of deeply shocking things have happened this past three years, not as extraneous events, but as conscious …

Losing My Religion

Palestine Action Judicial Review
23 Sep 2026 at 4:51pm

On Friday we have our appeal against the suspension of the Palestine Action judicial review in Scotland. Our legal crowdfunder has been closed down by the card processors following Trump’s designation of Palestine Action as a global terrorist organisation. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/scottish-challenge-to-proscription/dashboard/ If you can, please come to the Court of Session in Edinburgh for 10am. If …

Palestine Action Judicial Review

Four Days in Ekaterinburg
21 Sep 2026 at 1:26pm

I was surprised a few weeks ago to get an invitation from Yana Lantratova, Russian Federal Commissioner for Human Rights, to deliver a speech on human rights to the International Youth Festival in Ekaterinburg. It is approaching 20 years since I was last in Russia, and I tend to avoid invitations from governments. But on …

Four Days in Ekaterinburg

BBC Scotland

Should Scotland look to London and Manchester for inspiration on buses?
19 Oct 2026 at 10:53pm
John Swinney has been compared to a dictator over plans to bring the network under public control, but is he onto something?

Reform MSP quits party to sit as independent
19 Oct 2026 at 5:28pm
Amanda Bland's decision relegates the party to the third-largest group at Holyrood, with one member fewer than Labour.

'Lack of detail and serious concerns' over Scottish government bus plans
19 Oct 2026 at 1:44pm
The first minister outlined plans to bring buses under public control through franchising and regulation..

Hundreds of holiday lets operating without planning permission
19 Oct 2026 at 10:50pm
Hundreds of holiday-let properties are operating in Edinburgh despite being refused planning permission, new figures show.

Scotland 'not like Manchester', Swinney says in dig at PM Burnham
17 Oct 2026 at 4:36pm
The first minister also used his SNP conference speech to announce plans for Scotland's bus network to be brought under public control.

Swinney's emotional explanation for his commitment to independence
17 Oct 2026 at 7:11pm
BBC Scotland's political editor Glenn Campbell reflects on John Swinney's SNP conference speech.

Chris Mason: Burnham and Swinney tussle over where power lies in Scotland
16 Oct 2026 at 9:08pm
UK political debate has a distinctly Scottish feel after SNP's annual conference, says the BBC's political editor Chris Mason.

Burnham invites Swinney to work together on 'deeper Scottish devolution'
16 Oct 2026 at 3:36pm
On his first substantive trip to Scotland since becoming PM, he says politicians should focus on solutions "right now" and move beyond the issue of Scottish independence.

McGill's accuse Swinney of behaving like dictator over bus plans
18 Oct 2026 at 1:33pm
The first minister outlined plans to bring buses under public control during his speech at the SNP conference.

'Bring it on': Flynn challenges Burnham on independence referendum
15 Oct 2026 at 3:08pm
The SNP's Stephen Flynn tells his party's conference independence supporters are "winning the argument".

What does Andy Burnham have up his sleeve as he crashes SNP conference?
15 Oct 2026 at 6:18am
The prime minister's first substantive visit to Scotland coincides with the SNP's conference in Aberdeen.

Shetland MSP defends hiring artist with public money
12 Oct 2026 at 6:30pm
Hannah Mary Goodlad says she is using language and culture to reach the public across her islands constituency.

Scot Goes Pop

GOD BLESS MOTHER NATURE! It's raining Survation polls showing Scotland wants ...
19 Oct 2026 at 7:33am
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...

52% support for independence - 14-point lead for SNP - new Scottish poll is C...
15 Oct 2026 at 10:35pm

I'm standing in this week's SNP internal elections - I believe we have a duty...
14 Oct 2026 at 12:57pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.

Nick Robinson and the dehumanisation of Palestinians demanded by official BBC...
11 Oct 2026 at 8:42am
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...

Sky News goes full Pravda in its coverage of the Holborn & St Pancras by-elec...
9 Oct 2026 at 1:04pm
Holborn & St Pancras by-election result (8th October 2026):Labour 45.2% (-3.7)Greens 32.8% (+22.4)Conservatives 7.1% (-0.1)Reform UK 5.9% (-0.2)Liberal Democrats 3.4% (-2.4)Restore Britain 2.5% (n/...

Tories' plan to impose new nuclear power stations on Scotland means they have...
7 Oct 2026 at 2:39am
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...

Watch out for ORCS! Rory Stewart thrillingly brings back "The Middleland", by...
4 Oct 2026 at 3:29pm
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...

Burnham's TIME-BENDING hypocrisy: "It's fine for us to consider overturning t...
1 Oct 2026 at 1:35am
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...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

John Swinney tells McGill?s to ?watch language? after being compared to dicta...
19 Oct 2026 at 1:30pm
Bus firm boss condemned John Swinney's proposals as 'business confiscation'

Labour move to second largest party in Scotland after Reform Scotland MSP quits
19 Oct 2026 at 11:48am
The resignation means that Scottish Labour are now the second largest party in the Parliament, relegating Reform to third

Reform admits ?errors? as police assess if election spending rules were broken
18 Oct 2026 at 1:14pm
It has been reported that four candidates for the Scottish Parliament did not submit returns on how much they spent on campaigns

Swinney compared to dictator over plans to bring buses under public control
18 Oct 2026 at 1:11pm
McGill's Group, owned by Sandy and James Easdale, condemned the proposals as 'business confiscation'

Buses to be brought under public control by 2031, says John Swinney
17 Oct 2026 at 5:33pm
Legislation will be tabled at Holyrood next year

John Swinney tells SNP conference of drive to deliver independence for his son
17 Oct 2026 at 5:06pm
The Scottish First Minister and SNP leader closed his party?s annual conference in Aberdeen

SNP members back resolution supporting UK-wide ban on X
17 Oct 2026 at 2:00pm
The resolution, which also said the SNP should remove itself from the social media platform, was passed overwhelmingly at the party?s conference

Scotland is one of the most centralised nations in Europe, says Burnham
16 Oct 2026 at 1:14pm
Speaking in Motherwell, the Prime Minister said devolution 'was never supposed to stop at the doors of the Scottish Parliament'

UK ban on strangulation and incest in porn to come into force
16 Oct 2026 at 9:03am
The content will be outlawed from November 6 after cross-party pressure about the negative impact on women and girls

Scottish Government pledges £10 million for two specialist defence colleges
16 Oct 2026 at 7:11am
Innovation minister Alyn Smith confirmed the Scottish Government would work with the UK Government to establish two such colleges in Scotland

Prime Minister Burnham to urge John Swinney to shift power to councils across...
15 Oct 2026 at 10:30pm
The Prime Minister is visiting Lanarkshire, crashing the SNP's national conference in Aberdeen.

Public sector reforms could be ?building blocks of independent state? ? minister
15 Oct 2026 at 5:06pm
Public service reform seretary Ivan McKee spoke out during a fringe meeting at the SNP conference

Time ahead the greatest challenge ever for independence movement, says Flynn
15 Oct 2026 at 1:18pm
Economy secretary Stephen Flynn addressed the SNP conference on Thursday

Burnham urged to ?bring it on? and allow second Scottish independence vote
15 Oct 2026 at 7:40am
Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn will make the demand as the SNP conference gets under way in Aberdeen on Thursday.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

SNP slams 'despicable' benefits advice websites conning vulnerable Scots out ...
19 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Shirley-Anne Somerville hit out after the Record first reported on the worrying trend of poor Scots agreeing to hand over a percentage of their pay-outs to third parties.

Major new North Sea gas field at Jackdaw 'to be approved by Andy Burnham this...
18 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
Senior industry sources told the Sunday Mail the controversial project off the coast of Aberdeen is set for the green light.

John Swinney ignores Peter Murrell elephant in the room in SNP conference speech
18 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
In his keynote address to the SNP faithful who were embezzled by Murrell, Swinney talked about independence and buses.

Councils 'receive no correspondence' from Scot Gov on monster AI data centre ...
18 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
Scots campaigners will take to the streets in their thousands next month opposing the controversial developments.

Energy bills support options for terminally ill Scots stuck in fuel poverty s...
18 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
John Swinney's government has backed the Sunday Mail's campaign to protect terminally ill patients from soaring fuel costs.

Bus services across Scotland to be brought under 'public control' by 2031, cl...
17 Oct 2026 at 4:14pm
The First Minister announced "by the end of this Parliament, through franchising and regulation, the SNP will bring the bus network back into public control".

Andy Burnham will deliver Devolution 2.0 to empower communities across Scotland
17 Oct 2026 at 9:15am
Writing for the Record, the Secretary of State for Scotland says the centralisation of powers at Holyrood has left the country in a "strange place".

Donald Trump sacks White House Press Secretary after disastrous week
16 Oct 2026 at 7:03pm
Katie Zacharia's time as White House Press Secretary lasted just five days as she faced questions about her qualifications

Andy Burnham shows why he's the most popular leader in Scotland with a positi...
16 Oct 2026 at 4:27pm
A Prime Minister with a positive message for Scotland clashes with the SNP's endless claims that Westminster must be viewed as the enemy, says Chris McCall

Andy Burnham says he wants to 'move beyond constitutional questions' on Scotl...
16 Oct 2026 at 1:28pm
Speaking on a visit to a college built on the site of the former Ravenscraig steel works, the Prime Minister said devolution was "never meant to end at the doors of Holyood".

The National

The National | Politics

We need leadership and a clear, assertive pathway to independence
19 Oct 2026 at 8:41pm

I AM writing this letter out of a profound sense of frustration, a feeling that I know is shared by many grassroots members and lifelong supporters across Scotland.

SNP policy is now at odds with Scottish Government. So what happens next?
19 Oct 2026 at 6:39pm

THE SNP conference is over ? but that doesn?t mean everything?s done and dusted ...

Israel 'detains and deports' Scottish businesswoman on visit to Palestinian p...
19 Oct 2026 at 5:34pm

A SCOTTISH businesswoman has said she was detained by Israeli authorities and deported after being banned from entering Palestine ...

Labour islands MP under fire for holding debate on building in Glasgow
19 Oct 2026 at 5:14pm

A SCOTTISH Labour MP has been panned for pushing a debate in Westminster for an issue almost 200 miles away from his constituency.

Low-flying Chinook 'caused Fife farm animal to collapse'
19 Oct 2026 at 4:59pm

A CHINOOK helicopter flying over a field in Fife caused a farm animal to collapse, an MP has claimed.

Wes Streeting says SNP claim about 'undefended' Scottish coast is 'irresponsi...
19 Oct 2026 at 4:10pm

WES Streeting has said the SNP?s claims that the north coast of Scotland is ?undefended? are ?irresponsible?.

Independence requires more courage than SNP's 'Choose Scotland' vibe politics
19 Oct 2026 at 3:26pm

DESPITE the bounce from First Minister John Swinney?s promise to put more resources into the push for independence, the SNP?s annual conference in Aberdeen leaves behind a trail of challenges for the party of government which were largely absent from the curated...

Community being 'squeezed out' of Mossmorran decision-making, say Greens
19 Oct 2026 at 2:45pm

COMMUNITIES around Mossmorran are being "squeezed out" of decision-making on the site's future, say the Scottish Greens.

Public invited to discuss media with Scottish journalists at free event
19 Oct 2026 at 2:49pm

A FREE community event is set to bring together journalists, editors, Muslim organisations, and young people to discuss media representation .,.

John Swinney tells bus bosses to 'watch their language' after 'dictator' jibe
19 Oct 2026 at 2:45pm

JOHN Swinney has told bus bosses to "watch their language" after he was compared to dictators Idi Amin and Robert Mugabe over plans to bring Scotland's bus network under public control ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Blow to Reform UK as first MSP quits Holyrood group
19 Oct 2026 at 1:00pm
Amanda Bland's decision pushes Reform into third place behind Scottish Labour

Smart meters: helping households take control of their energy
19 Oct 2026 at 7:00am
There?s never been a better time for households to be more in control of their energy ? smart meters are a good place to start.

Stephen Gethins: Scotland ?in danger of being left behind? on energy security
17 Oct 2026 at 7:20pm
Stephen Gethins warned that not being a part of the single market puts ?our business at a competitive disadvantage?

Angela Constance: Scotland must be ?far more joined up? to meet health challe...
16 Oct 2026 at 5:59pm
Health secretary speaks out at SNP conference fringe event

Andy Burnham: Power too centralised in Scotland
16 Oct 2026 at 1:01am
Burnham will meet young people in Lanarkshire during a visit to Scotland which coincides with the SNP conference in Aberdeen.

Dave Doogan has a secret defence plan for an independent Scotland
15 Oct 2026 at 11:00pm
He also admitted to harbouring an ambition to be the defence secretary

Dave Doogan: A plan to defend an independent Scotland is ?not an ambition, it...
15 Oct 2026 at 7:54pm
Doogan warned that ?the threats are there? and Scotland must have a plan for defence in the buildup to independence

Polling: SNP on track to be in ?most powerful position at Westminster in our ...
14 Oct 2026 at 4:26pm
The deputy first minister reacted to new polling suggesting the SNP could receive 34 per cent of the vote at the next general election

Andy Burnham: Manchester-style approach can clean up Glasgow
14 Oct 2026 at 3:59pm
Pledge to MP during Prime Minister's Questions

Majority of Scots back ?pragmatic? North Sea approach
14 Oct 2026 at 6:00am
Over two-thirds of Scots agree decisions on oil and gas should be made on a case-by-case basis

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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

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

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

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

MI5 chief Ken McCallum confirms Russia did interfere in Brexit referendum but...
13 Oct 2026 at 5:23pm
He argued there was no evidence to suggest the result of the Brexit vote had been swayed as a result of the effortAndy Burnham promises ?serious dialogue? over UK?s relationship with EUZia Yusuf, Reform UK?s home affairs spokesperson, has said he does not agree with his colleague Suella Braverman...

UK politics live: Pat McFadden tells Labour activists they should not defend ...
27 Sep 2026 at 6:11pm
Work and pensions secretary says the current system is flawed because it consigns too many people to a life on benefits when they would be better off working?I can deliver?: Burnham pledges radical change on eve of Labour conferenceKuenssberg puts it to Burnham that, according to the Health Found...

New powerful synthetic opioids behind sharp rise in Scottish drug deaths
23 Sep 2026 at 2:12pm
Eleven per cent increase in fatalities last year partly down to presence of nitazenes in Scotland?s illicit drug marketNew forms of a powerful synthetic opioid have contributed to a sharp rise in Scottish drug deaths, with the latest data showing an 11% increase in fatalities last yearAnnual figu...

Scottish Labour?s new leader backs Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gasfields
19 Sep 2026 at 1:52pm
Michael Marra supports development of the North Sea sites, calling for a ?more rational? approach to energy policyScottish Labour?s new leader Michael Marra has backed the development of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gasfields in the North Sea in one of his first acts after being elected, call...

Planning permission for new Scottish AI datacentres suspended for up to a year
16 Sep 2026 at 7:28pm
MSPs vote for strict environmental impact assessments and will delay decisions until national strategy is developedHolyrood has voted to pause planning applications for all new AI datacentres for up to a year until the Scottish government has developed a national strategy.On Wednesday, MSPs backe...

UK politics: Farage hints that Reform?s £72m donations may not be legal under...
14 Sep 2026 at 6:04pm
In an interview about the donations, he said they are compliant with the law ?today?Andy Burnham has cancelled engagements today and tomorrow following the death of his father Roy, who was suffering from Alzheimer?s, the Press Association reports.Burnham has spoken about his father?s illness whic...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Buses, indy and Reform?s implosion
19 Oct 2026 at 2:16pm
Despite BBC Scotland doing its best to ignore or marginalise the recent SNP conference in Aberdeen, the SNP have come out from their conference, united, confident and energised with a batch of eye-catching policies which are likely to be popular with the public, not the least of which is the commitment to take Scotland’s bus …

Pulling Focus
17 Oct 2026 at 10:47am
It’s a sign of how spooked they are by the Celtic Alliance and the question of Scottish independence that just won’t go away that both Andy Burnham and Kemi Badenoch decided to pay visits to Scotland during the SNP conference in desperate and transparent attempts to pull focus, like a narcissistic mother with a bad …

It?s time to abolish the Scotland Office
16 Oct 2026 at 1:06pm
On the first day of the SNP conference, the membership voted overwhelmingly for the abolition of the Scotland Office and the post of Secretary of state for Scotland, also known as the Scottish Secretary. The vote was of course symbolic as the Scotland Office is a department of the Westminster government while its head, the …

SNP conference, day 1 and the Choose Scotland campaign
15 Oct 2026 at 2:46pm
It’s sod’s law. Just as the SNP party conference gets underway and the biggest push for independence in a decade has been announced, WordPress, the platform this blog uses, has implemented an update which has run into some glitches and is preventing many people from being able to post comments or replies. If you are …

Emily Thornberry?s EU English exceptionalism
14 Oct 2026 at 3:53pm
Labour MP Emily Thornberry has suggested that the UK could rejoin the EU without another referendum to overturn the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum. Speaking to Sky News, she said the majority agree that Brexit was a disaster and the UK should just rejoin the EU, another referendum is not necessary in her view. …

The SNP is right to maintain its boycott of the Lords
13 Oct 2026 at 3:08pm
Last week, the SNP’s former Westminster leader Ian Blackford, speaking to The National newspaper’s podcast, suggested that the party’s refusal to take any seat in Westminster?s upper chamber was a weakness as it left them with “no way of affecting legislation in that House”. While insisting that he accepts the long standing SNP policy of …

Sticking with the status quo isn?t working
12 Oct 2026 at 2:53pm
Andy Burnham has decided to reopen the question of the UK’s relationship with the EU, telling MPs on Monday that it is time to “face up to the reality that Brexit has done more harm than good” and “the status quo is not good enough for Britain,” and that and “the status quo isn’t working …

America?s moral turpitude is infesting British politics
10 Oct 2026 at 2:58pm
I don’t usually blog about America unless it directly affects or involves Scotland, but for the latest example of how far that once great country has fallen into moral turpitude under Trump, I’ll make an exception. The very same people who had a collective meltdown over the sight of a Black mermaid or Black Helen …

Badenoch has killed off the once in a generation claim
7 Oct 2026 at 1:51pm
The Tories have officially ripped up the Vow to which they were signatories in 2014. This was the panicked promise made by the Better Together parties – one of which was the Conservatives – two days before the independence referendum which promised extensive new powers for Scotland, quasi-federal status, a guarantee that the Scottish Parliament …

The British right has Holyrood in its sights
6 Oct 2026 at 2:29pm
The Tories have crossed the Rubicon. Since the independence referendum of 2014, which Better Together won on the basis of false promises, not the least of which was the promise that the powers of the Scottish Parliament would never be clawed back by Westminster, the Westminster parties have largely attempted to maintain a fig leaf …

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

Burns had no connection to the slave trade and wrote the most powerful words ...
19 Oct 2026 at 6:42pm
The Times titillates with a headline today designed to cast doubt on the basis for Scots’ love for Robert Burns. There is nothing there. In short, direct or indirect economic benefit from Caribbean slavery was widespread among the artistic, collecting, and intellectual classes of the period. Burns? case?an abandoned plan in period of despair with no material outcome is nothing of substance by c...

Why does the Royal College of Emergency Medicine avoid comparisons with Scotl...
19 Oct 2026 at 4:25pm
In the Herald today: More than 30,000 NHS waits are still longer than a year despite a Scottish Government pledge to eradicate them by March. Last year, First Minister John Swinney set a target of March 2026 for no patient to wait longer than a year for their treatment. Important I’m sure but: Why A&E should take priority if resources force a choice Mortality evidence is clearer and more immedi...

Aren?t billionaires who tried to ?help remove the SNP from power at Holyrood?...
19 Oct 2026 at 4:23pm
By Liz S BBC Website headline: ?McGill?s accuse Swinney of behaving like dictator over bus plans? Surely the real headline should be ?Labour donors , who own McGill?s, accuse Swinney of behaving like dictator over bus plans?. I mean let?s get some context here. Prior to the Scottish elections in May Sandy & James Easdale , owners of the McGill Bud Group, pledged a conditional six-figure donatio...

Even with hands-tied Scotland fights the housing crisis better than most
19 Oct 2026 at 4:21pm
From the Guardian today: The housing crisis is now global. It shows just how undemocratic our nations have become. When we can?t even afford to rent or buy somewhere to live, we have to ask: did we give the financial sector too much power? https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/19/housing-crisis-global-democracy-nations-financial-sector How does England compare with this? In short, ...

London?s Labour Mayor fails to remedy it?s all-too-real fears of towering inf...
19 Oct 2026 at 4:20pm
In the Guardian today: ?We?re living in darkness?: six years of scaffolding, still no post-Grenfell cladding’ Building safety regulator delays leave London tower block beset by security and vandalism problems. The block?s residents are among thousands of people across the country bearing the cost of delays by the building safety regulator (BSR) to approve construction works required by post-Gre...

There are no plans to shut any of Scotland?s maternity units but 20 may have ...
19 Oct 2026 at 4:18pm
From the Guardian today, the above and: Up to 20 maternity units in England will have to shut to ensure mothers and babies receive safe care amid shortages of doctors and rising caesarean section rates, an NHS leader has warned. Matthew Hopkins, the NHS Alliance?s director for acute care, said centralising childbirth services into fewer hospitals was ?inevitable? and the ?right thing?, but woul...

Andy can only dream of English Neets working at Scotland?s level where 60% fe...
19 Oct 2026 at 4:15pm
As Andy Burnham joins the panic over NEETs, not in employment, education or in training in Englandwith a columnin the Times, there is, of course, no way he will be looking ‘north’ for guidance where, after nearly 20 years the SNP has achieved something he could only dream of. BBC Breakfast in May 2026, in an extended piece on the number not in work or in education ? NEETS ? seems to have confus...

Pisa ? gamed by England, loved by only one, ?not a teacher?, Scottish prof bu...
19 Oct 2026 at 10:06am
Engaging respectfully with Pisa in the way that the Scottish Education Minister seems to be doing, above, strikes me as a mistake. It needs more direct, harder critique, as in these three TuS reports: Read them and others in full, at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=Pisa

No public building contract in Scotland has ever required such remedial work
19 Oct 2026 at 9:37am
Thanks to K McEwan for alerting us to this. From BBC Tyne on 14 October 2026, the above and: The NHS has confirmed work on a new hospital will have to be redone. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust said the new Berwick Community Hospital will need to be stripped back to its structural steelwork after inspections found building work carried out so far was not up to standard. New contractors Roberts...

Bus nationalisation emerges as ?Der gefestigte Wille des Volkes? after owners...
19 Oct 2026 at 8:52am
They say when you compare your opponent to ‘Hitler’, you’ve lost the argument. Is it the same with billionaire bus owners, The McGill Bros, calling John Swinney ‘Amin or Mugabe?’ It’s easy rebutted. How can it be dictatorial when, based on a 2024 YouGov poll, 66% support the nationalisation of bus companies? That was up from 50% in 2017. Two other polls in the last 5 years say the same thing. S...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Alberta?s referendum: Similar to Scotland, but not quite the same - Calgary J...
20 Oct 2026 at 1:52am
Alberta?s referendum: Similar to Scotland, but not quite the same  Calgary Journal

Scotland 'not like Manchester', Swinney says in dig at PM Burnham - BBC
17 Oct 2026 at 6:01pm
Scotland 'not like Manchester', Swinney says in dig at PM Burnham  BBC

Scottish Nationalists try to get independence back on U.K. agenda - The Spoke...
18 Oct 2026 at 3:05am
Scottish Nationalists try to get independence back on U.K. agenda  The Spokesman-Review

We need leadership and a clear, assertive pathway to independence - The Natio...
19 Oct 2026 at 8:56pm
We need leadership and a clear, assertive pathway to independence  The National Scot

Despite the SNP?s claims, attitudes have not shifted on S... - The Observer
19 Oct 2026 at 9:54am
Despite the SNP?s claims, attitudes have not shifted on S...  The Observer

Path to Scottish independence back in spotlight at SNP conference - Financial...
14 Oct 2026 at 5:00am
Path to Scottish independence back in spotlight at SNP conference  Financial Times

Harriet Cross: With thirty mentions of independence, Swinney?s conference spe...
19 Oct 2026 at 6:20am
Harriet Cross: With thirty mentions of independence, Swinney?s conference speech was Groundhog Day for Scotland  Conservative Home

John Swinney says stars are aligning for independence. His party isn?t so sur...
17 Oct 2026 at 5:03pm
John Swinney says stars are aligning for independence. His party isn?t so sure  The Times

Swinney insists 'stars are aligning' for Scottish independence - Yahoo
17 Oct 2026 at 9:17am
Swinney insists 'stars are aligning' for Scottish independence  Yahoo

Swinney says the 'stars are aligning' for independence but polls show Scots s...
17 Oct 2026 at 12:04am
Swinney says the 'stars are aligning' for independence but polls show Scots split  The Herald

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

The Scottish National Party turns to the right - The Economist
19 Oct 2026 at 5:12pm
The Scottish National Party turns to the right  The Economist

SNP says campaign for next referendum on independence ?has already begun? - T...
17 Oct 2026 at 6:25pm
SNP says campaign for next referendum on independence ?has already begun?  The Guardian

Medicare Advantage's next golden goose: Special Needs Plans - Modern Healthcare
19 Oct 2026 at 11:02am
Medicare Advantage's next golden goose: Special Needs Plans  Modern Healthcare

SNP policy is now at odds with Scottish Government. So what happens next? - T...
19 Oct 2026 at 7:06pm
SNP policy is now at odds with Scottish Government. So what happens next?  The National Scot

SNP delegates back domestic energy production as ministers urged to finalise ...
19 Oct 2026 at 7:59pm
SNP delegates back domestic energy production as ministers urged to finalise strategy  The Herald

Swinney?s speech: War, cuts and empty promises - Counterfire
19 Oct 2026 at 8:19pm
Swinney?s speech: War, cuts and empty promises  Counterfire

What does Andy Burnham have up his sleeve as he crashes SNP conference? - BBC
14 Oct 2026 at 10:58pm
What does Andy Burnham have up his sleeve as he crashes SNP conference?  BBC

John Swinney tests limits of Andy Burnham?s devolution pitch to Scotland - Fi...
19 Oct 2026 at 9:30am
John Swinney tests limits of Andy Burnham?s devolution pitch to Scotland  Financial Times

Opinion: Dick Winchester on SNP's oil and gas exploration U-turn - Energy Voice
19 Oct 2026 at 11:49am
Opinion: Dick Winchester on SNP's oil and gas exploration U-turn  Energy Voice

Scotland's papers: 'Revolt' over SNP reform and PM's devolution pledge - BBC
17 Oct 2026 at 9:54am
Scotland's papers: 'Revolt' over SNP reform and PM's devolution pledge  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Alberta?s referendum: Similar to Scotland, but not quite the same - Calgary J...
20 Oct 2026 at 1:52am
Alberta?s referendum: Similar to Scotland, but not quite the same  Calgary Journal

'Bring it on': Flynn challenges Burnham on independence referendum - BBC
15 Oct 2026 at 3:08pm
'Bring it on': Flynn challenges Burnham on independence referendum  BBC

Scottish Nationalists Try to Get Independence Back on UK Agenda - Bloomberg.com
17 Oct 2026 at 5:10pm
Scottish Nationalists Try to Get Independence Back on UK Agenda  Bloomberg.com

Scottish Nationalists try to get independence back on U.K. agenda - The Spoke...
18 Oct 2026 at 3:05am
Scottish Nationalists try to get independence back on U.K. agenda  The Spokesman-Review

New polls undermine John Swinney?s independence claims - The Times
15 Oct 2026 at 6:15pm
New polls undermine John Swinney?s independence claims  The Times

Andy Burnham?s speech a distraction from anti-democratic block on independenc...
16 Oct 2026 at 3:08pm
Andy Burnham?s speech a distraction from anti-democratic block on independence referendum, say Greens  Scottish Greens

Path to Scottish independence back in spotlight at SNP conference - Financial...
14 Oct 2026 at 5:00am
Path to Scottish independence back in spotlight at SNP conference  Financial Times

Labour: There won?t be a Scottish independence referendum - ITN
16 Oct 2026 at 10:38am
Labour: There won?t be a Scottish independence referendum  ITN

Flynn urges Burnham to ?bring it on? and call a second Scottish independence ...
19 Oct 2026 at 1:49am
Flynn urges Burnham to ?bring it on? and call a second Scottish independence referendum  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

John Swinney says the campaign for Scottish independence has already begun - ...
17 Oct 2026 at 6:03pm
John Swinney says the campaign for Scottish independence has already begun  The Herald