The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Offord and Sarwar clash over 'racism' and Scottish Labour 'deal' with Reform UK
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
14 Apr 2026 at 8:59pm
Anas Sarwar has fumed at claims he sought an election deal with Malcolm Offord, accusing Reform UK of backing candidates who want to ?deport his children?.


Campaigners warn of 'staggering' rise in children's mental health concerns in...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
14 Apr 2026 at 5:57pm
Campaigners have raised concerns as the mental health concerns among schoolchildren has risen by a 'staggering' amount in a decade.


?Aberdeen should be booming?: Trump attacks Starmer in fresh North Sea blast
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
14 Apr 2026 at 5:42pm
Donald Trump has claimed Aberdeen ?should be booming? and attacked Labour?s energy policy. His intervention lands as IMF growth forecasts worsen.


Fireworks and fit likes: Farage shows why he is winning over once-sceptical S...
14 Apr 2026 at 5:14pm
Kevin McKenna attends the eye-opening Reform UK rally in Aberdeen


Greens deserve praise for plan to reform council tax ? just don?t expect it t...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
14 Apr 2026 at 4:40pm
The Scottish Greens have put forward one of the clearest plans yet to replace council tax with a property-based system. But with rival parties hesitant and Holyrood?s track record poor, meaningful reform still looks a long way off.


Scottish Greens defend uncosted manifesto as they set out major spending com...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
14 Apr 2026 at 1:43pm
The Scottish Greens have unveiled what they have described as an "ambitious" manifesto packed with a number of spending commitments. Ross Greer insists the plan is both radical and realistic.


Sarwar brands Swinney 'a crank' in row over blocked Chinese turbine factory
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
14 Apr 2026 at 8:57am
Anas Sarwar has accused John Swinney of ?conspiracy theory? politics after the First Minster questioned the decision to block a £1.5bn turbine factory on security grounds.


Reform UK could take 'outright power' at Holyrood in 2031, Nigel Farage insists
by Craig Paton and Craig Meighan
14 Apr 2026 at 6:30am
The party leader addressed a rally in Aberdeen on Monday evening, as he set his sights on becoming the second largest party in May?s election, with total control his aim the next time around.


SNP promise free school bags for all P1 pupils in Scotland
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
14 Apr 2026 at 12:01am
The SNP has promised a free school bag filled with ?essential school items? to every P1 if the they win May?s election.


Channel 4 debate: All right, own up, who let the woman in?
by alison.rowat@theherald.co.uk | Alison Rowat
14 Apr 2026 at 9:30pm
Scotland Decides, Channel 4, Tuesday, had a change to the all-male debate line-up with the Scottish Greens co-leader entering the fray. Not that it made much difference to the overall result. After an hour, it was clear who the winners were - and they were not the voters.


SNP will call for energy to be devolved 'on first day of new parliament'
by caroline.wilson@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Caroline Wilson
14 Apr 2026 at 10:10am
SNP candidates for the Highlands and Islands have accused the Westminster Government of a lack of ?clear and robust action? over the energy crisis.


Glasgow west end cafe 'with a conscience' takes American products off the she...
by caroline.wilson@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Caroline Wilson
14 Apr 2026 at 1:15pm
The delicatessen and cafe in Glasgow's west end has a 'political corner' with a Palestinian flag and poster criticising Donald Trump.


Scottish GPs issue pointed response to Malcolm Offord's healthcare remarks
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
14 Apr 2026 at 11:47am
Scottish GPs criticise Malcolm Offord?s comments on NHS care for asylum seekers, warning restricting HIV treatment risks public health and long-term costs.


What does the future hold for Your Party in Scotland after mass resignations?
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
13 Apr 2026 at 6:48pm
Today saw mass resignations in Your Party Scotland's ranks as outgoing members accused the UK arm of Jeremy Corbyn's socialist party of "disrespect."

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Malcolm Offord claims backroom chat with Anas Sarwar to 'work together to get...
14 Apr 2026 at 9:18pm

Reform UK?s leader in Scotland has claimed Anas Sarwar approached him about working together to remove the SNP from power

Mr Campbell is the younger brother of the 7th Earl of Cawdor. The family?s seat is Cawdor Castle, a tourist attraction in Nairnshire with links to Shakespeare?s Macbeth.

Plans have been submitted for the advertisement on the building at the junction with Hanover Street

The First Minister has called the decision by the UK government ?anti-Scottish?

The former Labour defence secretary, who led the Government?s Strategic Defence Review (SDW), accused ministers of being unwilling to make the necessary investment.

The trade union said the NHS needs a ?fundamental reboot?

Around 300 supporters came to see speeches from the party leaders

Wings over Scotland

Do You Believe In The Westwood?
10 Apr 2026 at 12:27pm
As all alert readers will know, this site likes to keep a watchful eye on the shady and disturbing activities of paedophilia-plagued charity LGBT Youth Scotland. So we were naturally intrigued to hear that they’d hired a new convenor last month. And if you’re sitting there thinking, “Blimey, AI Christopher Walken looks very very ill”, …

Not So Octopus
9 Apr 2026 at 1:48pm
Alert readers will have noticed something of a minor furore in recent days around a boneheaded Scottish Greens candidate (as if there were any other kind) calling for the complete abolition of prisons. So far Kate Nevens – who on the latest polling has a very reasonable chance of being elected on the list – …

The quality of mercy
3 Apr 2026 at 1:09pm
Let’s just deal with this quickly. Because the truth is that we should all be quietly sending BBC Scotland bouquets in appreciation for doing the independence movement a favour for once. Belief in an independent Scotland IS as strong as ever, which is to say it’s pretty much where it’s been since 2014 – two …

Clocks And Calendars
30 Mar 2026 at 1:06pm
We think the lads at The Scotsman might have gotten a bit confused and/or carried away when it came to putting the clocks forward at the weekend. At 6am on Sunday morning they tweeted this: But the link was a 404. We checked the print edition of Scotland On Sunday but there was nothing there …

Sicknote Slippers
29 Mar 2026 at 6:09pm
The turnout at the “independence march and rally” yesterday was so abysmally poor that it seems almost unfair to pick on any of the scores of SNP elected representatives who didn’t bother to show up. But dear old Cosy Feet Pete Wishart had the most chef’s-kiss excuse of all. The reason he didn’t fancy getting …

Protest But Don?t Survive
28 Mar 2026 at 5:20pm
If events in Edinburgh today are anything to go by – when a march and rally announced with great fanfare seven months ago, backed by both the “independence” parties in the Scottish Parliament and featuring the First Minister as main speaker, attracted perhaps 1,500 people at the most to Calton Hill on a bright and …

Let?s Call The Whole Thing Off
24 Mar 2026 at 12:59pm
The last faint hope of any remotely positive or at least interesting outcome of May’s election just left the building. It wasn’t MUCH of a hope, and it’s absolutely no surprise in the wake of the comically shambolic, belief-defyingly inept farce that has been the birth of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s fringe-of-the fringe party, …

Irony you can?t buy
20 Mar 2026 at 12:09pm
Posted without comment. But the reason you can’t buy the irony is that she doesn’t need the money. So that’s quarter of a million pounds just for running away when things got a bit sticky, on top of the circa £225,000 in wages she’s trousered since resigning as FM despite never turning up for work …

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 …

Craig Murray

The Strait of Hormuz
8 Apr 2026 at 5:02pm

In international law, Tehran has every right to close the strait of Hormuz to nations with which it is in armed conflict. Two vital points: 1) States who permit attacks on Iran to be launched from their territory can be blocked 2) Iran can block neutral ships from trading with states with which it is …

The Strait of Hormuz

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez
31 Mar 2026 at 1:16pm

As I was leaving the University of the Communes in Tocuyito, after a joyful and uplifting visit, an earnest young Professor came up to me and pulled me aside. Very quietly, he asked me what was going to happen. A number of the students were terrified there would be regime change and they, picked as …

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez

The Caracas Metro
26 Mar 2026 at 6:46am

The extreme nature of sanctions against Venezuela made it very challenging to keep economic activity going. One example is Caracas’s impressive five-line Metro system, where for almost twenty years they had to keep things running with no spares or maintenance support from the train manufacturers. Yet resilience and ingenuity kicked in, and Venezuela actually reverse …

The Caracas Metro

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag
24 Mar 2026 at 12:04pm

The notion that the Iranian state would discredit itself by choosing to attack an ambulance service in London is crazy. Iran has not even attacked any hospitals or ambulances in Israel. Iran has absolutely zero record of attacks on healthcare facilities. That is of course in stark contrast to Israel which specifically targets them in …

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag

Seeing Trump Clearly
21 Mar 2026 at 12:19pm

What if Trump’s apparently chaotic thought processes and intuitive decision making are all a blind, a charade? What if we are really witnessing, in the Middle East and more widely, a carefully constructed plan with very definite objectives? Has Trump in fact “planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway”, while flinging the …

Seeing Trump Clearly

Radicalism and Scottish Independence
14 Mar 2026 at 4:18pm

There is no place like home, and a few hours after arriving back in Scotland I was in Glasgow giving a talk to Pensioners for Independence. I still covered quite a wide sweep, but my focus came back to what I care about more than anything – the freedom, prosperity and just position in the …

Radicalism and Scottish Independence

BBC Scotland

Scottish Greens' manifesto pledges analysed
14 Apr 2026 at 2:14pm
BBC Scotland journalists have analysed some of the policies in the Scottish Greens' manifesto for the 2026 Holyrood election.

Sarwar rules out 'harsh' cuts to bring down benefits bill
14 Apr 2026 at 10:12am
The Scottish Labour leader says he wants to bring down social security spending, but not by slashing benefits.

Greens pledge to transform Scotland at manifesto launch
14 Apr 2026 at 12:07pm
Co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay have vowed free bus travel for all, as well as plans to expand funded childcare.

Former Nato chief warns UK's national security 'in peril'
14 Apr 2026 at 9:10pm
Lord George Robertson, a former Labour defence secretary, will use a speech to accuse "non-military experts in the Treasury" of "vandalism".

Sarwar puts NHS at heart of Scottish Labour's election pitch
13 Apr 2026 at 12:14pm
The party has announced its plans for health, education and taxation ahead of next month's Holyrood election.

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028
12 Apr 2026 at 10:07pm
The SNP leader made the claim in the BBC's televised debate ahead of next month's Scottish election.

The Greens' Scottish election manifesto at-a-glance
14 Apr 2026 at 1:26pm
The party has announced its policy plans ahead of the Holyrood poll on 7 May.

Labour's Scottish manifesto pledges analysed
13 Apr 2026 at 4:31pm
BBC Scotland journalists have analysed some of the policies in Labour's manifesto for the 2026 Holyrood election.

The BBC Scotland election debate fact-checked
12 Apr 2026 at 11:30pm
Claims made by leaders of six political parties who took part in a TV debate for the 2026 Holyrood election campaign are checked.

How tax and welfare are shaping the vote in the Scottish election
12 Apr 2026 at 9:42am
In recent years Scotland has struck out on a different path to the rest of the UK when it comes to income tax and social security.

SNP pledges 'first refusal' for tenants to buy private rental homes
10 Apr 2026 at 11:21am
John Swinney says it would help renters get on the housing ladder but other parties say the SNP is to blame for the housing emergency.

CalMac ferries problems dominate election campaigning
8 Apr 2026 at 5:21pm
Scotland's political leaders turn their attention to the problems facing ferry services as campaigning continued for Holyrood.

Scot Goes Pop

The Greens have now been crowned the undisputed Olympic champions of misleadi...
14 Apr 2026 at 12:16pm
A few weeks ago, the Green co-leader Ross Greer posted a Labour leaflet from Strathkelvin & Bearsden, mocking it for containing a particularly extreme example of a misleading Lib Dem-style bar char...

REVEALED: The hard science that makes Both Votes SNP such an effective strate...
12 Apr 2026 at 6:24pm
OK, the title of this blogpost is mainly there to wind up Stew, but there is actually a very serious point behind it, and it's one that may make you think about the importance of voting SNP on the ...

Even YouGov now say the Union Jack could soon be LOWERED as sensational MRP p...
10 Apr 2026 at 10:55pm
MRP Seats projection (YouGov / Sky News / The Times, 23rd March-8th April 2026):SNP 67Reform UK 20Labour 15Greens 11Liberal Democrats 9Conservatives 7Now, I've estimated the chances of the SNP winn...

The "Make Mine A Double" voting craze that is sweeping the nation: why all th...
9 Apr 2026 at 7:41pm
 There's actually a serious point here, because Stew is far from the only right-wing commentator who has argued that a Green return to government would be an unmitigated catastrophe - we've heard t...

The crazy, topsy-turvy logic (and in some cases hypocrisy) of the "tactical v...
9 Apr 2026 at 11:05am
I'm beginning to think I'm going to have to mute certain accounts on Twitter to get through the rest of the Holyrood campaign with my sanity intact.  Every single time I log in, I see retweet after...

Pro-independence parties on course to win an astonishing 62% of seats in the ...
8 Apr 2026 at 12:55pm
Scottish Parliament constituency ballot (Ipsos, 26th-31st March 2026):SNP 39% (+3)Reform UK 15% (-1)Labour 15% (-5)Conservatives 11% (+2)Liberal Democrats 10% (-)Greens 7% (-)Scottish Parliament re...

Catastrophe for Starmer as Labour slump to joint all-time low in weekly YouGo...
8 Apr 2026 at 12:07pm
YouGov have suddenly and belatedly started including Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain and Jeremy Corbyn's Your Party as options in their weekly GB-wide polls, which on the whole is a good thing becaus...

More on the MRP poll: the 67-seat projection for the SNP may even be an under...
7 Apr 2026 at 5:52pm
Some more details of the Find Out Now MRP poll for The National have been published on the Electoral Calculus website.  Whoever wrote the article (presumably Martin Baxter) doesn't seem to be fully...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Greens promise to make bus travel free for all in election manifesto
14 Apr 2026 at 1:05pm
They also said Scotland?s buses should be back into public ownership

Scottish Labour puts NHS at heart of election manifesto
13 Apr 2026 at 3:48pm
Anas Sarwar also said he wanted a ?productive partnership? with the UK Government despite calling on Keir Starmer to quit

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar stands by call for Keir Starmer to resign ...
10 Apr 2026 at 9:15am
The Scottish Labour leader told Scotland Tonight the Prime Minister will not be part of his party's Holyrood campaign

Nicola Sturgeon opens up on arrest, divorce and ?secret rendezvous?
9 Apr 2026 at 7:00pm
Scotland?s former first minister has opened up about her personal life

Children?s specialists call for ?greater and sustained investment? in services
9 Apr 2026 at 7:22am
They urged politicians to ?seize a critical opportunity? with ?decisive action? to help improve the lives of children across the country.

Starmer: Work still to do to end US-Iran conflict and reopen Strait of Hormuz
8 Apr 2026 at 4:43pm
Sir Keir Starmer has said there was a ?sense of real relief? at the ceasefire in...

SNP extends lead while Scottish Labour support slumps, poll shows
8 Apr 2026 at 12:00pm
The SNP remains set to be the largest party at Holyrood

Findlay vows to give ?everything? to stop ?living nightmare? of SNP majority
7 Apr 2026 at 4:46pm
The Scottish Tory leader was speaking as he launched his party?s manifesto ahead of the Holyrood election next month

Swinney apologises to islanders again over ferry disruption
7 Apr 2026 at 2:19pm
Scotland?s west coast ferry network has struggled in recent weeks, with eight vessels out of service at the same time at one point

Tories blast ?permanent crisis? in A&E as waiting times figures published
7 Apr 2026 at 12:23pm
Public Health Scotland published new A&E waiting times figures for both the month of February and the final full week of March

Swinney demands action as he warns cost of living crisis to ?get worse?
7 Apr 2026 at 12:21pm
The Scottish First Minister said the UK Government must protect consumers

Scottish Labour pledge pothole fund to fix ?sorry state? of Scotland?s roads
7 Apr 2026 at 12:17pm
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is vowing to fix Scotland?s roads

Scottish Tory manifesto to launch with focus on tax and cutting benefits bills
7 Apr 2026 at 8:54am
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay is set to make a speech in Edinburgh on Tuesday

SNP calls for inquiry into Trident security after Joani Reid reports
3 Apr 2026 at 1:23pm
The party wants an probe after the Labour MP, whose husband is accused of spying for China, allegedly behaved inappropriately with Navy officers

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Anas Sarwar promises to lift over 100,000 children out of poverty if he becom...
14 Apr 2026 at 9:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Labour leader gave a commitment to meeting the 2030 anti-poverty targets.

Child poverty should be a top election issue as cost of living crisis bites
14 Apr 2026 at 9:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says child poverty targets will be missed unless parties come together.

Anas Sarwar angrily denies Malcolm Offord claim he wanted deal with Reform UK...
14 Apr 2026 at 8:29pm
The Scottish Labour leader dismissed the comments by the senior Reform UK figure as a "desperate lie from a desperate man".

John Swinney rejects Donald Trump call to 'drill, baby, drill' in row over No...
14 Apr 2026 at 8:12pm
The US President, who owns two golf resorts in Scotland, is a long-term critic of windfarms and renewable energy.

Scottish politics today: Greens propose massive rise in welfare spending
14 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the day's Scottish politics news.

Nigel Farage heckled on Shetland visit as Reform leader tours north of Scotland
14 Apr 2026 at 1:52pm
The Reform UK leader was greeted by a sign proclaiming him a "frog-faced w****r"

Scots should receive benefit payments without having to apply for them first,...
14 Apr 2026 at 1:21pm
Ross Greer was grilled on how his party could afford to pay for the generous welfare commitments made in his party's Holyrood election manifesto.

John Swinney peddling 'conspiracy theories' over decision to block Chinese-ba...
14 Apr 2026 at 9:49am
The SNP leader used the first TV debate of the Holyrood election campaign to suggest Keir Starmer was pushing an "anti-Scottish agenda".

Scottish election campaign LIVE as party leaders take part in Channel 4 debate
14 Apr 2026 at 9:30am
The Record brings you all the latest news and reaction from the Holyrood election campaign trail as the Scottish Greens launch their manifesto in Glasgow ahead of a second TV debate for the party l...

SNP to hand out 'welcome to school bags' for all primary one pupils in Scotla...
14 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
The SNP previously pledged ahead of the 2021 Holyrood election to give every school pupil in Scotland a free laptop - only for the policy to be later ditched.

The National

The National | Politics

Has Malcolm Offord just derailed Scottish Labour's Holyrood campaign with pac...
14 Apr 2026 at 9:15pm

THE gloves are certainly off in the Holyrood 2026 election campaign if the Channel 4 leaders? debate is anything to go by.

Anas Sarwar accused of 'being in cahoots with Nigel Farage' after Offord claim
14 Apr 2026 at 8:44pm

ANAS Sarwar has been accused of being in ?cahoots? with Nigel Farage after it was claimed by Malcolm Offord that he approached Reform UK's Scotland leader to ?work? with Labour to beat the SNP in the upcoming elections ...

Anas Sarwar said Reform and Labour should 'work together' to block SNP, Offor...
14 Apr 2026 at 7:45pm

MALCOLM Offord has claimed that Anas Sarwar approached him at the start of the election campaign to ?remove the SNP?.

Hypocrisy of Donald Trump?s 'economic terrorism' stance is staggering
14 Apr 2026 at 7:30pm

THE President of the the United States has the gall to try to justify his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by claiming he had to do it to stop Iran holding the world to ransom through ?economic terrorism?.

Malcolm Offord makes bizarre 'not my science' climate emergency claim
14 Apr 2026 at 6:33pm

REFORM UK'S leader in Scotland said that the climate emergency was not "his science" when pressed about the party's climate policies ...

?War? didn?t start with defence of sex-based boundaries
14 Apr 2026 at 6:30pm

OUT for Independence writes as if the ?gender wars? were some kind of storm that blew in from somewhere to rain on an innocent ideological settlement (Politics of intolerance are back..., Apr 13).

The impertinence of Wes Streeting to say Scots must stay in our box
14 Apr 2026 at 6:30pm

I NOTE that some English government minister has had the impertinence to say, essentially, ?the English government does not care how many representatives you Scots elect to your little parliament; we are going to keep you in your box.?

Will it be compassion or division that shapes the future of Scotland?
14 Apr 2026 at 6:30pm

AS Scotland approaches the forthcoming parliamentary election, it is important that voters are clear about the nature of the choice before them.

Pro-Scottish Labour group turns on Anas Sarwar over ?transphobic' manifesto
14 Apr 2026 at 5:39pm

A PRO-LABOUR campaign group has turned on Anas Sarwar?s Scottish party, urging people not to vote for them in May?s elections over an ?explicitly transphobic? manifesto which allegedly ignored party members.

Labour Together board member served in Israeli military
14 Apr 2026 at 5:35pm

A BOARD member of a shadowy think tank which fuelled Keir Starmer?s rise to power served in the Israeli military, it has emerged.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Chatbots give dodgy health advice half of the time, study finds
14 Apr 2026 at 11:30pm
Five systems gave out 'problematic' answers on cancer, exercise and more

New appointments at Cyber and Fraud Centre ? Scotland
13 Apr 2026 at 5:48pm
Social enterprise expands its work

Your Party ?over? in Scotland as leadership committee quits
13 Apr 2026 at 2:20pm
'It has become clear the party has run out of road'

Don?t vote Reform to stop SNP, tactical voting guide tells unionists
13 Apr 2026 at 11:43am
Scotland in Union unveils advice

Sarwar promises to fix the SNP?s ?mess? as Labour launches its manifesto
13 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
The Labour leader vowed to put the NHS at the centre of his plans for government ahead of next month's election

Domestic abuser jailed after wife?s suicide in Scottish legal first
10 Apr 2026 at 12:30pm
Lee Milne subjected Kimberly Milne to sustained abuse

Renters to be given ?first refusal? on house sales under SNP plan
10 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
First Minister John Swinney said his party would introduce new legislation to give renters priority to buy their home at a fair market price.

Local Authorities Guide: South Lanarkshire Council
9 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
Council leader Joe Fagan answers questions about local authority

Poll: Greens to become Scottish Parliament?s second biggest party
8 Apr 2026 at 6:00pm
Scottish Labour predicted to slump to worst-ever result

Scotland must act now on screen time for under-fives, says expert
8 Apr 2026 at 4:52pm
Many children aged five and below are exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for screen time

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Reeves condemns Trump?s decision to launch war against Iran as ?folly?? as it...
14 Apr 2026 at 5:32pm
Chancellor ?frustrated and angry? at the effect on UK firms and families and says US went into war without a clear exit plan Q: Why are you calling for an inquiry into Nigel Farage?s investment in a bitcoin firm?Davey said that, in investing in crypto, Farage, the Reform UK leader, seemed to be c...

Scottish Greens pledge free bus travel and basic income in election manifesto
14 Apr 2026 at 3:13pm
Party says plan for ?radical change? will be funded in part through higher taxes on aviation, gambling and landlordsUK politics live ? latest updatesThe Scottish Greens have called for free bus travel, thousands of extra teachers and doctors and a universal basic income among hundreds of uncosted...

MSPs not told about collapse of funding deal for Scottish nature restoration
14 Apr 2026 at 6:00am
Exclusive: Ministers accused of trying to keep investment firm?s withdrawal from partnership with NatureScot under wrapsA funding deal to raise £100m from private investors for urgently needed nature restoration in Scotland has fallen through without the Scottish parliament being told.The Guardia...

Shabana Mahmood says Southport inquiry report exposed ?systematic failures ac...
13 Apr 2026 at 6:16pm
The home secretary made the comments after an inquiry revealed that the system ?completely failed?Keir Starmer has confirmed that he wants to stop children being exposed to addictive scrolling features on their phones as part of measures to protect them from social media.The PM is under pressure ...

Anas Sarwar asks voters in Scotland to give Labour five years to ?fix SNP?s m...
13 Apr 2026 at 3:35pm
Scottish Labour leader pledges more homes and tax cuts as party tries to reverse slump in support before May electionsAnas Sarwar has appealed to voters to give Labour five years ?to fix the Scottish National party?s mess? as he pledged more homes, tax cuts and a smaller public sector.The Scottis...

Votes for populist parties in May elections will put NHS at risk, Streeting says
12 Apr 2026 at 4:55pm
Exclusive: Health secretary warns of dangers of protest vote as he pitches NHS as key elections battlegroundVoters in May?s local and devolved elections risk putting the NHS in jeopardy if they vote for populist parties, Wes Streeting has said, as he sought to make the health service a key battle...

Starmer implies he didn?t tell Trump he was ?fed up? about his impact on risi...
10 Apr 2026 at 4:30pm
Prime minister says conversation with US president on Thursday night focused on need for ?practical plan? to open strait of HormuzTony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, has joined those saying the government should allow drilling for oil and gas in the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields in the No...

Four in 10 UK parents struggle to afford essentials for newborns, study says
9 Apr 2026 at 3:02pm
Exclusive: Survey of 2,000 people by Barnardo?s also finds almost half feel their child has missed opportunities due to costFour in 10 parents across the UK are struggling to afford essential items for the care of their newborn babies, according to research.The survey of 2,000 parents with childr...

UK politics: Starmer warns ?lot of work to do? to make ceasefire permanent at...
8 Apr 2026 at 6:00pm
PM will meet leaders in the region to discuss diplomatic efforts to support the ceasefire agreed between the US and IranOpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is proposing the extension of the four-day working week, as a response to AI taking over some of the work done by humans. But for the Conserv...

Scottish Labour pledges £30m to top up artists? income to a living wage
8 Apr 2026 at 4:34pm
Anas Sarwar says scheme would be part of overhaul of arts funding in ScotlandLabour has pledged to spend £30m on giving Scottish artists and musicians a living wage, mirroring a similar scheme in Ireland guaranteeing artists a basic income.Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said the scheme ...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Labour can?t be trusted not to do a deal with Reform
14 Apr 2026 at 9:43pm
I don’t usually pay too much attention to leaders’ debates in the run up to elections. They are invariably too shouty with the leaders vying to talk over the top of each other. Anas Sarwar is invariably the worst offender. On both the leaders’ debates so far, his behaviour has bordered on the offensive, he’s …

Labour?s Scottish manifesto launch, not a campaign, a damage limitation exercise
13 Apr 2026 at 2:22pm
On Monday, Anas Sarwar launches Labour’s manifesto for the Holyrood election and attempts to reboot his party’s faltering campaign, a campaign which was holed below the waterline yesterday, firstly with Wes Streeting’s arrogantly colonialist dismissal of an independence referendum, and secondly by Sarwar’s rude and entitled performance in Sunday evening’s party leader debate, in which …

Wes Streeting?s attack on Scottish democracy will backfire
12 Apr 2026 at 9:50pm
Just when Anas Sarwar thought that the Labour campaign in the Holyrood election couldn’t get any worse, along comes Wes Streeting. Labour’s oleaginous answer to Michael Gove, the private healthcare loving health secretary in the Labour Government in Westminster, who is currently presiding over an NHS England in chaos due to a junior doctor strike …

Anas Sarwar, the Wile E Coyote of Scottish politics
10 Apr 2026 at 9:34pm
You can smell the desperation from Scottish Tory Holyrood leader Russell Findlay. At a campaign event, the soon to be sacked Findlay, pulled out the anti-English racism card against the SNP, accusing them of basing many of their policies on “a pretty bitter streak of anglophobia.” That’s rich, coming from a man who has doubled …

Daring to dream of an SNP majority
7 Apr 2026 at 11:35am
Yet another opinion poll has placed the SNP on track to win a majority in its own right in May’s Holyrood election, a majority which First Minister John Swinney has said would trigger a second independence referendum. The new poll, by Find Out Now for The National, projects the SNP to take 67 seats, giving …

Shettleston doesn?t need Reform?s racism, it needs to be part of an independe...
2 Apr 2026 at 1:10pm
On Wednesday, April Fool’s Day, Reform UK unveiled its racist and scaremongering advert for the Scottish election next month. It was appropriate that they did so on April Fool’s Day because they are taking the electorate for mugs. The consists of image showing apparent migrants crowded onto a small inflatable dinghy with text reading “Scotland …

It?s not just independence which is at stake in this election
31 Mar 2026 at 6:13pm
The weekend kicked off the election campaign with a well attended march and rally for independence held in Edinburgh on Saturday. I’m sure you all followed the reports about it on BBC Scotland, oh, right. It was far too busy talking about the ferries again wasn’t it. Every political party talks up its chances during …

The rapid implosion of Reform?s Scottish campaign
26 Mar 2026 at 3:05pm
As the saying goes, you’d need a heart of stone not to laugh. Within just a few days of Reform UK launching its Scottish election campaign to much fanfare and racist ‘jokes’ about tartan burqas, the wheels are already coming off Farage’s septic tank pumper wagon. The party has already lost no less than four …

James Dornan MSP looks back on his career
24 Mar 2026 at 1:49pm
A guest post by James Dornan MSP   Today veteran SNP MSP James Dornan makes his last speech in the Scottish Parliament, and steps down to retirement and to give way to a new generation. To mark the occasion, he has very kindly written a guest post for this blog in which he looks back …

Reform?s chaotic launch and the implications of the Iran war for May?s election
20 Mar 2026 at 8:53pm
Nigel Farage came to Scotland on Thursday to launch his party’s manifesto for the Scottish elections on 7 May and to introduce Reform UK’s almost half former Tory slate of totally well vetted candidates. Reform UK there, promising to fix Broken Britain with a slew of the former Conservatives who were responsible for breaking it …

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

Water company customers in England to another £40m on top of already the high...
14 Apr 2026 at 7:01pm
Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: From the Financial Times today: Five of Britain?s water companies spent £32.4mn on an appeal to the competition regulator that resulted in the utilities being able to raise customer bills even higher. Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, South East Water, Southern Water and Wessex Water argued that regulator Ofwat?s decision to allow them to increase cons...

Why is Crisis Scotland being so fulsome in its praise for a 2040 Scottish Lab...
14 Apr 2026 at 5:13pm
By stewartb Governing with devolved powers, how might Crisis Scotland and others judge the credentials of the British Labour Party in Scotland when (supposedly) setting ?a new standard of aspiration? and a pledge ?to end homelessness by 2040?? What about the Party?s actual delivery in government rather than its aspiration for 14 years? hence? From Crisis (10 April,, 2025): The Homelessness Moni...

Institute for Fiscal Studies? shocking revelation ? Scottish Labour does not ...
14 Apr 2026 at 2:22pm
In the Daily Record, three days ago, the above claim but it’s all talk as the IFS has exposed. From Initial response to the Scottish Labour manifesto, published yesterday: Despite signalling that Scottish Labour wants to see falls in child poverty, the manifesto proposes little new cash support for families with children beyond additional support for childcare. The policy to increase the Scotti...

More doctors trained year-on-year to nearly 20% more than 5 years ago and nea...
14 Apr 2026 at 2:21pm
From Scottish medical training statistics: FOI release published today, the above, revealing year-on-year increases in the number completing medicine degrees. There are no precise data for England but the annual figure is estimated at 9 200. With ten times the population, you might have expected England to train 10 times the Scottish figure of 1 475 or 14 750. They only trained 9 200, only 62% ...

As Sarwar is allowed in the Herald to lie barefaced, the truth of Nicola Stur...
14 Apr 2026 at 10:01am

Another charity duped into thinking that Labour will do anything for the home...
14 Apr 2026 at 9:45am
Crisis Scotland today has: We warmly welcome Scottish Labour?s pledge to end homelessness by 2040. This is the first manifesto commitment of its kind in a Scottish election and sets a new standard of aspiration. We call on all other parties contesting the Scottish government elections to share in this ambition and thereby create the political consensus needed to make it a reality. https://www.c...

In 2024 alone Scotland?s surplus gas trade was worth 7 billion
14 Apr 2026 at 8:26am
The Guardian’s Nils Pratley today has: The UK needs more North Sea gas, not greater reliance on US imports – Transition to a cleaner future takes time and we need supplies that are the least polluting and have the lowest cost. Where are those supplies coming from? The ‘UK’ it seems. Any idea from which part? Buckinghamshire? Nils does not say. See this: From Energy Statistics for Scotland ? Q3 ...

As UK Government fails 7 out of 10 targets for England, Scottish Government i...
14 Apr 2026 at 8:10am
The Guardian’s Severin Carroll today has: MSPs not told about collapse of funding deal for Scottish nature restoration Exclusive: Ministers accused of trying to keep investment firm?s withdrawal from partnership with NatureScot under wraps. A funding deal to raise £100m from private investors for urgently needed nature restoration in Scotland has fallen through without the Scottish parliament b...

SNP share in polls growing steadily as May 7th looms
13 Apr 2026 at 5:59pm
In the last 10 polls going back to February 2026, the average SNP share has been – 36.5% In the previous 10 polls it was only 34.4 and in the previous 4 sets of 10, dating back to early February 2025 – 34.4, 33.9, 33.6 and 34.6, clearly stuck around 34 and short of a level that might win an outright majority. So, in the last ten polls, a clear sign of a significant increase to average 36.5, muc...

At every level, including the key entry level, nurses in Scotland are paid si...
13 Apr 2026 at 1:58pm
The above, from What are nursing staff paid in each of the UK countries in 2026-27? in Nursing Standard was posted on 3 April 2026 and to my knowledge ignored by the media operating in Scotland. Comparison of the three reveals this one important difference – at every level, including the key entry level, nurses in Scotland are paid significantly more than their equivalents in England or Wales, ...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 10:07pm
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

Promise of change from independence is only card SNP has to play - The Times
14 Apr 2026 at 4:50pm
Promise of change from independence is only card SNP has to play  The Times

Scotland Decides: Leaders debate ahead of May elections - Channel 4
14 Apr 2026 at 8:31pm
Scotland Decides: Leaders debate ahead of May elections  Channel 4

The BBC Scotland election debate fact-checked - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 11:30pm
The BBC Scotland election debate fact-checked  BBC

I don?t care if it bores you, Scottish independence is the only issue that ma...
13 Apr 2026 at 4:57pm
I don?t care if it bores you, Scottish independence is the only issue that matters  The Telegraph

IndyRef2: John Swinney sets date for second Scottish independence referendum ...
14 Apr 2026 at 3:02am
IndyRef2: John Swinney sets date for second Scottish independence referendum  GB News

Anas Sarwar squirms during BBC interview as public questions him - The Nation...
14 Apr 2026 at 2:11pm
Anas Sarwar squirms during BBC interview as public questions him  The National Scot

Labour?s contempt for Scotland - Funding the Future
13 Apr 2026 at 8:18am
Labour?s contempt for Scotland  Funding the Future

'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote - The ...
12 Apr 2026 at 2:14pm
'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote  The Herald

No second referendum for Scotland even with SNP majority, Wes Streeting says ...
12 Apr 2026 at 12:41pm
No second referendum for Scotland even with SNP majority, Wes Streeting says  The National Scot

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

First YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election suggests the SNP could win a m...
10 Apr 2026 at 10:14pm
First YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election suggests the SNP could win a majority  YouGov

Anas Sarwar said Reform and Labour should 'work together' to block SNP, Offor...
14 Apr 2026 at 7:54pm
Anas Sarwar said Reform and Labour should 'work together' to block SNP, Offord claims  The National Scot

Promise of change from independence is only card SNP has to play - The Times
14 Apr 2026 at 4:50pm
Promise of change from independence is only card SNP has to play  The Times

Scottish Labour ?offered deal? to Reform in a bid to oust SNP from power - Th...
14 Apr 2026 at 11:04pm
Scottish Labour ?offered deal? to Reform in a bid to oust SNP from power  The Telegraph

SNP pledges 'first refusal' for tenants to buy private rental homes - BBC
10 Apr 2026 at 6:09am
SNP pledges 'first refusal' for tenants to buy private rental homes  BBC

SNP extend their lead while Scottish Labour support slumps - Ipsos
8 Apr 2026 at 9:33am
SNP extend their lead while Scottish Labour support slumps  Ipsos

Here's why a Scottish Labour government would be better than an SNP one - The...
14 Apr 2026 at 4:45pm
Here's why a Scottish Labour government would be better than an SNP one  The Scotsman

SNP reveals plans for new national arts company to showcase traditional music...
14 Apr 2026 at 1:04pm
SNP reveals plans for new national arts company to showcase traditional music  The Herald

SNP candidate ditched over handling of Linden complaints - BBC
1 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
SNP candidate ditched over handling of Linden complaints  BBC

Anas Sarwar asks voters in Scotland to give Labour five years to ?fix SNP?s m...
13 Apr 2026 at 11:11pm
Anas Sarwar asks voters in Scotland to give Labour five years to ?fix SNP?s mess?  The Guardian

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 10:07pm
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

Scotland Decides: Leaders debate ahead of May elections - Channel 4
14 Apr 2026 at 8:31pm
Scotland Decides: Leaders debate ahead of May elections  Channel 4

No second referendum for Scotland even with SNP majority, Wes Streeting says ...
12 Apr 2026 at 12:41pm
No second referendum for Scotland even with SNP majority, Wes Streeting says  The National Scot

Labour?s contempt for Scotland - Funding the Future
13 Apr 2026 at 8:18am
Labour?s contempt for Scotland  Funding the Future

IndyRef2: John Swinney sets date for second Scottish independence referendum ...
14 Apr 2026 at 3:02am
IndyRef2: John Swinney sets date for second Scottish independence referendum  GB News

Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos? -...
12 Apr 2026 at 4:23pm
Streeting rules out Scottish referendum saying UK ?has had enough of chaos?  London Evening Standard

'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote - The ...
12 Apr 2026 at 2:14pm
'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote  The Herald

Streeting says UK ?has had enough of chaos? as he rules out Scottish referend...
12 Apr 2026 at 7:15pm
Streeting says UK ?has had enough of chaos? as he rules out Scottish referendum  The Independent

Scots are 'entitled' to vote on independence by 2028, declares SNP First Mini...
13 Apr 2026 at 5:57am
Scots are 'entitled' to vote on independence by 2028, declares SNP First Minister  Daily Express

Only Scotland decides on referendum, new party says - We love Stornoway
13 Apr 2026 at 1:01pm
Only Scotland decides on referendum, new party says  We love Stornoway