The Herald

The Herald | Politics


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


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


Swinney defends 'strong' SNP election campaign after Sturgeon memoir attack
5 Aug 2026 at 2:04pm
John Swinney has defended his Holyrood election campaign following an attack from Nicola Sturgeon.


Jenny Gilruth defends Scottish Government's response to Princes Street fire
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
5 Aug 2026 at 1:40pm
Critics have accused ministers of turning a blind eye to the blaze and the subsequent disruption to Edinburgh's tram network.


Is Nicola Sturgeon planning to leave the SNP for the Greens?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
5 Aug 2026 at 12:36pm
Nicola Sturgeon has put further distance between herself and the SNP by heaping more praise on the Scottish Greens.


Scottish Government confirms £5m funding for Edinburgh following blaze
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
5 Aug 2026 at 11:24am
Last month's blaze at 109-112 Princes Street seriously damaged the B-listed structure and resulted in the partial closure of the city's tram network.


'Not delivering': Watchdog advised ministers to scrap Scotland?s maternity ta...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
5 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Scotland?s Patient Safety Commissioner urged ministers to scrap the maternity taskforce, warning it was failing to act with the urgency required.


New rules on single-sex spaces starting branded 'major setback for human rights'
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
5 Aug 2026 at 12:01am
Guidance on the use of toilets and changing rooms as single-sex spaces comes into force on Wednesday, almost a year and a half after the landmark Supreme Court ruling on biological sex, as opponents say it marks a "major setback for human rights."


SFA told to 'stop dithering' and withdraw support for Gianni Infantino
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
4 Aug 2026 at 6:48pm
The SFA have been told to 'cut the dithering' and withdraw their support for embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino


Peter Murrell lawyers claim legal aid bill following embezzlement sentencing
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
4 Aug 2026 at 6:25pm
Taxpayers are now funding legal aid payments to the lawyer of Peter Murrell following his embezzlement sentencing.


Monica Lennon battles to reach Scottish Labour ballot despite backing from rival
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
4 Aug 2026 at 5:54pm
Monica Lennon is running out of road in the Scottish Labour leadership contest, with only three undeclared MSPs left.


What do we know so far about BP's North Sea plans?
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
4 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm
BP sent shockwaves throughout Scotland with plan to sell its North Sea assets. Here's what we know so far


Scottish Tories accuse SNP of 'job-for-the-boys' as former MP lands top arts ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
4 Aug 2026 at 4:28pm
The Scottish Tories have accused the SNP of making "another jobs-for-the-boys appointment" after former MP John Nicolson was named as one of seven new trustees to the board of the National Galleries of Scotland.


'Matters beyond our control': Andy Burnham cancels Edinburgh Fringe show
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
4 Aug 2026 at 3:45pm
Andy Burnham had agreed to appear in conversation at The Stand comedy club before becoming Prime Minister. Downing Street says the demands of office made attendance impossible.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP might as well be ambitious for the Caledonian Sleeper to boldly go where ...
5 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
The Caledonian Sleeper will need to look out its passport if the SNP?s plans come to fruition


Direct Scotland-Europe Sleeper trains plan through Channel Tunnel revived by SNP
4 Aug 2026 at 6:53pm

Feasibility study launched 30 years after original scheme scrapped

Mairi McAllan can be relieved at a decent first report card - but by the government?s own measure, it?s the next destination that will really grade her

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said the demands of the job meant ?he is no longer able to attend?

The devastating wildfire has been raging for almost three weeks across the Cairngorms.

Wings over Scotland

Anatomy Of A Grift
5 Aug 2026 at 2:48pm
It’s sometimes tempting to believe that transactivists, and in particular the extra-loud attention-seeking type, are simply mad and/or stupid. But that’s not always the case, because this sounds like some actually pretty cunning work. (Click pic to enlarge.) But let’s start at the beginning. In May this year, the former Scottish Greens candidate Euan “Sophie …

The Plague
4 Aug 2026 at 3:32pm
Ever-alert Wings readers will be aware that for the past three and a half years or so I’ve been the target of a campaign by disgraced former policeman Lynsay Watson, who over that period has relentlessly attempted to get me arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned for knowing – and saying – that human beings can’t change …

Or Something
3 Aug 2026 at 9:37am
We have today sent the following email to the Crown Office. – 3 August 2026 Thank you for your letter of 30 July. I offer one last chance to reconsider. I do so having, once again, taken advice from the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. On 1 July, you wrote to me saying inter …

The Deaf Eyes
2 Aug 2026 at 12:03pm
This email actually came in a couple of days ago, but we’ve been too dumbstruck to respond to it until now. Because, like, wow. Firstly, let’s take a moment to note the weird font change halfway through that central paragraph, as though someone else entirely butted in. Which in a sense they have, as the …

The Nobodies
27 Jul 2026 at 5:10pm
Apologies for the slightly shonky quality of this video, readers, which is due to the fact that ITV are such monumental self-sabotaging clowns that it’s not actually possible to screencap any sort of digital broadcast of theirs – screw YOU, viral content! – so we had to do this by videoing our iPad with our …

Ain?t it funny how things change?
22 Jul 2026 at 11:29am
Then, and now. (Click pic to enlarge.) Scottish politics: where repeated catastrophic failure is just another way to succeed.

The Wheels Of Industry
20 Jul 2026 at 2:49pm
Last Friday’s edition of The National ran this guff: And as we often are, we were put in mind of the greatest politics book ever written. We’d really need to quote a much longer section to fully convey the point – ideally just read all of the piece linked above – but this passage will …

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

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

A Matter Of Declinature
15 Jul 2026 at 5:05pm
Our solicitor has this afternoon written to the Deputy Chief Constable. We’ll await his response with interest.

Craig Murray

The Hard Right Packing of the UK Supreme Court
2 Aug 2026 at 7:00pm

Unlike the USA, where it is obsessively watched, the UK has no political culture of scrutinising the political composition of its Supreme Court. This is a big mistake. The UK Supreme Court has been deliberately and openly, even ostentatiously, packed with hard-right judges selected on the specific criterion that they will not oppose the will …

The Hard Right Packing of the UK Supreme Court

Scottish Independence: Set the Date!
29 Jul 2026 at 6:30pm

  The Scottish Government urgently needs a bold and radical approach to achieving Independence in spite of the firm London veto on a referendum. It is plain that there is no plan at present. The Scottish Parliament has a pro-Independence majority and government. This is how to achieve Independence consistent with international law and practice. …

Scottish Independence: Set the Date!

Narratives of Moral Conflict: Karim Khan and Delcy Rodriguez
26 Jul 2026 at 6:09am

Social media is not conducive to nuance. In the interest of reach, cut and dried positions are more effective and binary moral judgement expected. This leads to over-simplification of complex issues, and to skipping over facts inconvenient to your chosen narrative. There are issues affecting two high-profile people where it is worth considering the detail …

Narratives of Moral Conflict: Karim Khan and Delcy Rodriguez

Where Are We Going?
20 Jul 2026 at 1:25pm

An advert for the RNLI caught my attention because it indicated that the majority of their income comes from bequests in wills. The pitch was that, after you provide for your loved ones, you should leave money to the RNLI. I have no problem with this, having generations of lifeboatmen in my ancestry, but it …

Where Are We Going?

Extreme Unionism and Res Judicata
14 Jul 2026 at 5:02pm

Unsurprisingly, today at the Court of Session Lord Young refused to lift his suspension or “sist” of the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. He did however grant us leave to appeal against this decision. What was surprising was an extreme extension of the UK government’s argument. The UK government stated that …

Extreme Unionism and Res Judicata

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

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

The Ditching of Nigel Farage

BBC Scotland

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

Nominations open in Scottish Labour leadership contest
3 Aug 2026 at 10:23am
Candidates in the race to replace Anas Sarwar have two weeks to secure the support needed to reach the ballot.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lennon launches Scottish Labour leadership bid
26 Jul 2026 at 5:03pm
The incoming West of Scotland MSP said her party was in the "last chance saloon" and needed "radical and fast change".

Scottish councils 'starved of cash and powers' by SNP, says Alexander
24 Jul 2026 at 11:46am
The Scottish Secretary also said he wanted "mutual respect" between governments at Holyrood and Westminster.

Scot Goes Pop

The BBC's attempts to sabotage the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will never...
4 Aug 2026 at 11:12am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I currently have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters.  I reckon if I could get...

The Craig Murray and Xander Elliards blueprints for securing Scottish indepen...
30 Jul 2026 at 9:20pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I currently have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters.  I reckon if I could get...

John Swinney's strong denunciation of Burnham's outrageous "off-limits" comme...
27 Jul 2026 at 7:37pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I'm delighted to say I now have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, as a resu...

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

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

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

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

The case for optimism that the next general election WILL be used as a de fac...
21 Jul 2026 at 2:51pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Scottish independence could now be just one or two years away fr...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hitman who targeted Scottish Conservative leader in acid attack to be release...
29 Jul 2026 at 11:08am
In December 2015, the MSP, who was investigations editor of the Scottish Sun at the time, had sulphuric acid thrown in his face by a hitman

SNP attacks Burnham for leaving party out of talks on English social care
29 Jul 2026 at 10:40am
The party said it was unfair to be left out of discussions if they result in UK-wide taxes

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell mocked by campervan float at historic Scots...
4 Aug 2026 at 10:07am
A banner attached to the campervan towed through Lauder said it offered "eye tests" while another joked the vehicle had been "parked round the side".

Far right thug who marched as "defender of women" battered his own mum
4 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
Alan Miller took to streets on march to "Protect Our Women and Kids". We can now reveal that he was convicted of assaulting his own mum at her home

Scots distillery redundancies could 'damage' rural communities as Diageo set ...
3 Aug 2026 at 3:18pm
More than 170 distillery workers in the Highlands and islands are at risk of redundancy as part of Diageo's plans to slash costs.

Scottish Labour stuck in 'doom loop' if party ignores constitutional question...
3 Aug 2026 at 2:39pm
David Linden accused Labour of failing to "contend with the reason" it had failed to win a Holyrood election since 2003.

The National

The National | Politics

Douglas Alexander will know his ermine reward is coming
5 Aug 2026 at 6:30pm

BOB Gillespie is spot-on regarding the role of Secretary of State for Scotland (Aug 3). Of course the job is simply to ensure the Scots toe the London line, which the current occupant of St Andrew?s House will certainly relish.

Is spate of complaints a far-right tactic to gain free publicity?
5 Aug 2026 at 6:30pm

ALISON Phipps?s article ?Reform take a propaganda lesson from the Israeli playbook? (Aug 5) highlights the situation regarding the far right in the UK.

Is Glasgow getting a rail link to the airport? Clyde Metro project explained
5 Aug 2026 at 6:07pm

WHEN John Swinney considered scrapping plans for a railway link to Glasgow Airport, he might have worried about the impact this might have on the Commonwealth Games.

Zack Polanski just set up a new Greens versus Labour and SNP divide
5 Aug 2026 at 4:59pm

ZACK Polanski threw down the gauntlet to Andy Burnham today: no new oil and gas.

Former neo-Nazi quits as Tory candidate to instead become party adviser
5 Aug 2026 at 4:49pm

A FORMER neo-Nazi who was selected to stand for the Conservative Party has withdrawn his candidacy despite winning support from party leader Kemi Badenoch ...

Scottish Tories 'must rule out Nazi candidates' as UK party fields former fas...
5 Aug 2026 at 4:01pm

THE Scottish Conservatives have been urged to rule out standing Nazi candidates after a former extremist was picked to represent the party down south.

Police monitoring far-right attempts to build 'Scottish street army', lawyer ...
5 Aug 2026 at 3:17pm

Police are monitoring far-right organisers' attempts to build a 'street army' in Scotland, a leading human rights lawyer has said ...

John Swinney responds to Nicola Sturgeon's election campaign attack
5 Aug 2026 at 2:05pm

JOHN Swinney has hit back at criticism from Nicola Sturgeon over the SNP's election campaign.

Labour Friends of Israel defends trade with illegal West Bank settlements
5 Aug 2026 at 1:47pm

THE Labour Friends of Israel lobby group has urged the UK Government not to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land ...

Andy Burnham blasted for 'rewarding polluters' with net zero rules rollback
5 Aug 2026 at 1:16pm

ANDY Burnham has been blasted for ?rewarding polluters? after axing net zero criteria as part of its procurement requirements when agreeing public contracts ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Scottish Government announces fire relief funds
5 Aug 2026 at 3:23pm
Commitments for Edinburgh and Cairngorms

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scottish businessman Sir Ian Wood dies aged 84
27 Jul 2026 at 12:00pm
Sir Ian Wood's family confirmed he died ?peacefully at home, surrounded by his family? on Sunday evening at his home in Aberdeen

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

UK politics: Tories? Philp rejects French claim that shots fired from naval b...
28 Jul 2026 at 6:01pm
Shadow minister says there was no warning and ?it looked and sounded like deliberate intimidation?Conservative MP accuses French navy of firing shots near him in ChannelIt is not just the Russians firing on Brits in the English Channel; Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has accused a French...

Poll shows Labour ahead of Reform UK for first time since Burnham became PM ?...
27 Jul 2026 at 5:45pm
New PM says he ?wouldn?t get carried away? by latest polling but says he is pleased if he has ?connected with people?I have already posted lines from Andy Burnham?s BBC interview on reforming social care (see 9.03am), making council tax fairer (see 10.03am), and ruling out an early election (see ...

Evacuated villagers in Cairngorms allowed home after wildfire threat lifts
25 Jul 2026 at 11:08pm
Scottish first minister thanks Nethy Bridge residents and aid workers after earlier requesting UK military aid to fight 10-day fireResidents of Nethy Bridge have been told they can return to their homes after a large fire broke out in the Cairngorms national park.Supt Judy Hill of Police Scotland...

Scottish Labour?s rivals decry ?chancer? Anas Sarwar for resigning to join An...
22 Jul 2026 at 11:17pm
New prime minister has made Sarwar ? the first senior Labour figure to call for Keir Starmer?s resignation ? a peerScottish Labour?s rivals in Holyrood have slammed Anas Sarwar?s shock decision to resign as leader to sit in Andy Burnham?s new government, calling him a ?chancer? and accusing him o...

Celtic leaders doubt Burnham?s devolution drive will go beyond England?s borders
6 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
Would-be prime minister has made basic missteps in pitches to Wales, Scotland and Northern IrelandAndy Burnham?s devolution promises are yet to impress sceptical Celtic administrations hoping for a reset with Westminster, sources in Cardiff and Edinburgh have said.Burnham, who is expected to take...

Celtic nations begin to plan for breakup of UK in event of Reform election win
4 Jul 2026 at 7:00am
Politicians brace for constitutional turmoil if Nigel Farage?s party ends up in government ? or even as a strong oppositionThe rise of Nigel Farage has prompted political leaders across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to game the unthinkable: the breakup of the United Kingdom.Unioni...

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

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

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

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

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Even good news is spun into SNPbad by the media in Scotland
5 Aug 2026 at 6:58pm
It’s often said there are two kinds of people in the world, those who say the glass is half full, and those who say it’s half empty. This is in fact inaccurate as there is a third kind, those who say: “Oh my God! That glass is about to shatter into a thousand jaggy shards, …

Burnham?s mini bounce
1 Aug 2026 at 1:39pm
Our visitors have left now. It was lovely to see them. As far as the blog is concerned I’m able to type again. There was a problem with the keyboard on my laptop which has now been repaired. Top tip, don’t spill tea on your laptop. So it’s back to blogging as usual. Andy Burnham …

Why you should subscribe to The National
1 Aug 2026 at 1:15pm
The National’s summer sale is running until Thursday 6 August. During this limited time period you can purchase an annual subscription to Scotland’s only pro-independence newspaper for the bargain price of £20. You might not agree with everything published by The National, but that’s inevitable in a publication which carries the weight of an entire …

Lord Sarwar of Brass Neck
21 Jul 2026 at 9:59pm
It seems to be a law of Scottish politics, or perhaps it’s more likely it’s just a personal curse, but whenever I try and take some time off from the blog a big story breaks and it’s back to the keyboard. What is most definitely a law of Scottish politics is that I’m not nationalist …

Silly season politics
17 Jul 2026 at 4:01pm
With Friday’s coronation of Andy Burnham as leader of the Labour party and his official accession to Ten Downing Street on Monday, the UK is now on its seventh prime minister in ten years. Meanwhile the man who wants to become prime minister after the next general election is fighting a by election with a …

Reform UK?s attack on Scottish languages
14 Jul 2026 at 4:44pm
It’s the greatest attempted Westminster assault on Scottish culture since the Jacobite wars. Reform UK has proposed an amendment to the UK Government’s elections bill which would criminalise the use of any languages other than English or Welsh on electoral material and impose a punishment of up to six months in prison and/or a fine. …

Ich bin ein Bin liner
12 Jul 2026 at 6:08pm
Last week, Nigel Farage announced that he was going to resign as the MP for Clacton in order to fight a by election to become the MP for Clacton. In a pity political broadcast from Reform UK headquarters which was broadcast live by the BBC and Sky News, Farage railed at the media for unfairly …

Alister Jack?s colonialism remains a threat to Scotland
9 Jul 2026 at 5:15pm
The former colonial governor of the northern province, Alister Jack, who was given a peerage by Rishi Sunak as part of a back room deal. Jack rejected an earlier nomination by Boris Johnson in 2023 to avoid triggering a by-election while he was still an MP, only later to stand down for the 2024 General …

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

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

The Courier

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Scottish Politics News From Holyrood and Westminster | The Courier

Could Rosyth-Europe ferry set sail thanks to Brexit reset?
27 May 2025 at 6:01am
Hopes have been raised for a simple solution to a cross-border problem.

Kirkcaldy MP demands pro-suicide forum is torn down
26 May 2025 at 6:01am
Around 100 suicides have been linked to the sickening forum which provides guidance to people on ending their life.

UHI Perth aviation students warn of ?unsettling times? after training firm?s ...
26 May 2025 at 6:00am
Worried Samuel Hughes, 19, is among students sharing their fears at a time of crisis for Perth College.

Fresh Dundee University strike begins over compulsory Levehulme Centre job cuts
26 May 2025 at 6:00am
University staff are taking five days of industrial action as the institution pushes ahead with plans to axe the forensic research hub.

NHS Fife nurse at centre of controversial trans tribunal suing her own trade ...
25 May 2025 at 2:32pm
A&E medic Sandie Peggie is now taking legal action against the Royal College of Nursing.

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University still to strike rescue deal with government
23 May 2025 at 5:46pm
Opposition MSPs have expressed concern at the time taken to agree a deal almost a month after the fresh recovery plan was unveiled.

6 senior figures who left Dundee University during financial crisis
23 May 2025 at 5:10pm
Several university chiefs have moved on since £30m financial black hole emerged.

Dundee University activist artist leads degree show protest over financial cr...
23 May 2025 at 4:45pm
Duncan of Jordanstone student Finn Millar says he wants to play a part in "keeping the university alive".

John Swinney admits constituents have expressed Perth leisure concerns to him
23 May 2025 at 6:01am
The first minister wants further talks between both sides of Perth leisure debate.

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University chief operating officer Jim McGeorge quits
22 May 2025 at 1:58pm
Dr Jim McGeorge ? who was responsible for good governance - had been on a period of extended leave.

Talking up Scotland

The 'Unstoppable' Talking-up Scotland

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

Rupert Lowe and the NHS in a badly ?Restored Britain?
5 Aug 2026 at 5:36pm
Anonymous Talking of healthcare I saw this online from Rupert Lowe in a post on ?X? dated 5 August: ?Under a Restore Britain Government, private healthcare costs will become tax-deductible. Care will be come far more affordable for millions of Brits. Our plans will hugely ease pressure on the NHS, and save you thousands of pounds. Private healthcare is not our enemy?. ?Care will be come far mor...

Glasgow misses Scottish Government target but still has massive, 135 times mo...
5 Aug 2026 at 5:20pm
From BBC Scotland yesterday: Targets for the delivery of new affordable homes in Glasgow were missed last year, with construction hampered by rising costs. The Scottish government provided £127.75m for the city’s affordable housing supply programme but although all the money was spent, only 448 homes were recorded as complete against a target of 633. Other targets for approvals and site starts ...

CalMac?s future lies in restoring and growing the Clyde shipyards again
5 Aug 2026 at 5:19pm
Perhaps thinking that any bad news on CalMac ferries serves the same purpose, to damage the reputation of the SNP Government, the Scotsman serves ours well – to make a case for the Cyde. From BBC Scotland 1 July 2026: CalMac?s newest ship ? the Turkish-built MV Isle of Islay ? is to be withdrawn from service for repairs later this month, just 15 weeks after carrying its first passengers. The ro...

Inexperienced patient safety commissioner sides with tabloid?s anecdotal evid...
5 Aug 2026 at 5:17pm
In the Herald today: Scotland?s patient safety watchdog privately urged ministers to scrap their maternity taskforce over concerns it was failing to act with sufficient urgency, The Herald can reveal. Karen Titchener, the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland, wrote to Health Secretary Angela Constance in June recommending the Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce be discontinued and rep...

Even before today?s results Scotland?s schools narrowed attainment gaps acros...
5 Aug 2026 at 5:00pm
The gutter press today, above, with the same old un-educated claims. The facts: From Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels, 2024-25 published on 9 December 2025: The statistics also provide information on the gap in attainment between pupils from the most and least deprived areas of Scotland: For literacy, there was an increase in the proportions of primary pupils (P1, P4, P7 co...

Bias by the omission of really good news for Scotland ? Record university pla...
5 Aug 2026 at 9:46am
With the barest of mentions in the above report, now about to drop off the page after less than 24 hours and not a word in the press front pages, this highly significant news is being omitted because it tells the wrong story for those who cannot see Scotland thrive. From the Scottish Government, popping into the inboxes of every journalist in the country yesterday at 11am yesterday, ignored the...

706 wildfires across England & Wales neither covered nor politicised
5 Aug 2026 at 8:53am
As of 28 July 2026, fire and rescue services in England and Wales had responded to 706 wildfires so far in the year (208 of them between 16?28 July alone), according to National Resilience data reported by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). https://nfcc.org.uk/fire-chiefs-warn-wildfire-risk-remains-elevated-with-more-than-200-wildfires-recorded-in-last-fortnight/ No comprehensive official...

Shadowy Secretary of State for Scotland cannot read teacher numbers trend as ...
5 Aug 2026 at 8:06am
In the BBC Scotland analysis of today’s exam results this ridiculous claim un-moderated by the editor: Scottish Conservative MP Andrew Bowie said “plummeting teacher numbers and spiralling levels of school violence” had made it a difficult year for pupils. He added: “This has created a challenging environment for pupils to get the grades they hoped for, which is why they deserve a huge amount o...

Contrary to Jackie Baillie?s lies, Scottish Government will deliver a new Mon...
4 Aug 2026 at 4:05pm
Scottish Labour and their wee pals at the Daily Record suggesting the SNP Government knew before the 2026 Holyrood Election that they would cancel the construction of a new Monklands hospital after that election. Here are the facts. Documents obtained and reported, ironically, by the Scottish Mail on Sunday, the Daily Record‘s sister paper on 2 August 2026, show that in March 2026, before the e...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

Burnham tells Swinney independence is 'off limits' at Commonwealth Games meet...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Burnham tells Swinney independence is 'off limits' at Commonwealth Games meeting  BBC

New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Sc...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Scottish leader  Anadolu Ajans?

Former diplomat unveils Scottish independence plan that could trigger war wit...
31 Jul 2026 at 2:29pm
Former diplomat unveils Scottish independence plan that could trigger war with UK  The National Scot

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

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independenc...
21 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independence  BBC

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

SNP says written constitution must include method for leaving union - The Herald
3 Aug 2026 at 1:57pm
SNP says written constitution must include method for leaving union  The Herald

Beyond Constitutional Groundhog Day: The 2026 Scottish Parliamentary Election...
15 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Beyond Constitutional Groundhog Day: The 2026 Scottish Parliamentary Election  Verfassungsblog

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

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

The SNP?s conscious uncoupling from Nicola Sturgeon has begun - thetimes.com
5 Aug 2026 at 5:16pm
The SNP?s conscious uncoupling from Nicola Sturgeon has begun  thetimes.com

SNP 'more extreme' on oil and gas than Donald Trump, say campaigners - The Na...
5 Aug 2026 at 6:41pm
SNP 'more extreme' on oil and gas than Donald Trump, say campaigners  The National Scot

Is Nicola Sturgeon planning to leave the SNP for the Greens? - The Herald
5 Aug 2026 at 12:47pm
Is Nicola Sturgeon planning to leave the SNP for the Greens?  The Herald

John Swinney defends Holyrood campaign after Nicola Sturgeon attack - The Sco...
5 Aug 2026 at 4:45pm
John Swinney defends Holyrood campaign after Nicola Sturgeon attack  The Scotsman

Scotland's papers: Body in suitcase probe and SNP tax 'hike' - BBC
30 Jul 2026 at 6:32am
Scotland's papers: Body in suitcase probe and SNP tax 'hike'  BBC

SNP calls for Ofcom investigation into 'appalling' Royal Mail standards in Sh...
5 Aug 2026 at 1:25pm
SNP calls for Ofcom investigation into 'appalling' Royal Mail standards in Shetland  Trending Now Sustainable Construction

Zack Polanski just set up a new Greens versus Labour and SNP divide - The Nat...
5 Aug 2026 at 5:07pm
Zack Polanski just set up a new Greens versus Labour and SNP divide  The National Scot

Swinney defends 'strong' SNP election campaign after Sturgeon memoir attack -...
5 Aug 2026 at 2:21pm
Swinney defends 'strong' SNP election campaign after Sturgeon memoir attack  The Herald

SNP might as well be ambitious for Caledonian Sleeper to boldly go where no S...
5 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
SNP might as well be ambitious for Caledonian Sleeper to boldly go where no Sleeper has been before  The Scotsman

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

Burnham tells Swinney independence is 'off limits' at Commonwealth Games meet...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Burnham tells Swinney independence is 'off limits' at Commonwealth Games meeting  BBC

New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Sc...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Scottish leader  Anadolu Ajans?

Former diplomat unveils Scottish independence plan that could trigger war wit...
31 Jul 2026 at 2:29pm
Former diplomat unveils Scottish independence plan that could trigger war with UK  The National Scot

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

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

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independenc...
21 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independence  BBC

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

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