The Herald

The Herald | Politics


UK withdraws staff from Iran amid speculation of imminent U.S strikes
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 Feb 2026 at 2:54pm
The Foreign Office has withdrawn its staff from Iran amid growing signs an attack by the United States may be imminent


Legal bid to save Alba party launched as 'continuation group' aim for election
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 Feb 2026 at 1:09pm
A group of four Alba national executive committee members have announced they will take legal action to try and ensure the party can stand in the Holyrood election


Maternity Services: Do they deliver? All stories from our latest investigation
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
27 Feb 2026 at 1:00pm
The Herald launches a four-day investigation into Scotland?s maternity services, examining safety, staffing pressures and access to care nationwide.


Starmer vows to 'keep fighting' after shock by?election defeat to Greens
by jody.harrison@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Jody Harrison
27 Feb 2026 at 11:29am
Greens candidate Hannah Spencer will now represent the area as its MP


Catholic bishops make rare intervention on Liam McArthur's assisted dying bill
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
27 Feb 2026 at 8:00am
In a rare intervention on political matters, Scotland's Council of Bishops has written to the nation?s 723,000 Catholics.


Report: 'Scotland needs mechanism to trigger independence referendum'
by Craig Meighan
27 Feb 2026 at 7:30am
According to the report, the lack of a route to another vote represents a democratic ?disjuncture?


Glasgow City Council waste scheme being 'abused' warn workers
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 Feb 2026 at 6:30am
Companies could be 'abusing' a free waste disposal scheme for housing associations, with hundreds of vans dumping 'unspecified' rubbish at sites in Glasgow


Scottish Greens hail ?historic? by-election breakthrough
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Feb 2026 at 5:08am
The Scottish Greens have hailed a ?historic? breakthrough after their sister party captured Gorton and Denton, overturning a once-safe Labour seat. Co-leader Gillian Mackay said the result shows voters ? including in Scotland ? are ?ready for something different?.


Crisis for Starmer as Greens triumph and Labour come third in Gorton by-election
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Feb 2026 at 4:58am
Sir Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure after the Greens won the Gorton and Denton by-election, with Reform second. The shock result comes as party members gather in Glasgow for Scottish Labour conference.


Maternity complaints in Scotland up 24% as ministers pressed on national review
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
27 Feb 2026 at 5:00am
Complaints about maternity care in Scotland have risen 24% since 2020, reaching 3,487 cases, as ministers face calls to set a date for a national investigation.


Fractured Scottish poll bodes ill for Labour and Conservatives this May
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
27 Feb 2026 at 12:44pm
Scottish Labour trails in fourth on the regional list as the SNP lead on 34% and Reform UK hold second place, the final Scottish Election Study poll shows.


?We tried to out-Reform, Reform' Scottish Labour MP calls for Starmer to quit
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Feb 2026 at 7:26am
A shock by-election result in Gorton and Denton has plunged Sir Keir Starmer into a fresh leadership crisis, as Labour fell to third behind the Greens and Reform UK. Senior party figures are now openly questioning his direction/


Scottish Government to criminalise the creation of ?deepfake? images
by Katrine Bussey
26 Feb 2026 at 6:26pm
The move is one a series of measures outlined by the government in a consultation on improving the protection of women and girls.


My son is disabled because doctors at 'dirty hospital' gave him anti-infectio...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
26 Feb 2026 at 4:21pm
A Glasgow mother says her son was left disabled after being prescribed powerful anti-infection drugs during cancer treatment because of concerns about a dirty hospital. Seven years on, she still does not know who made the decision or why.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Latest Next Labour Leader Odds: Here are the 13 politicians tipped to take ov...
27 Feb 2026 at 10:22am

The Prime Minister seems to be lurching from one crisis to another at the moment.

Labour were pushed down into third place in Gorton and Denton, with the Greens storming to a historic victory.

Scottish Labour is holding its pre-election spring conference in Paisley.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes speaks to The Steamie podcast ahead of her stepping down from frontline politics

Edinburgh's council tax is to rise by 4 per cent next year, hailed as likely to be the lowest increase in Scotland.

SNP ministers have had a key research paper on splitting the Lord Advocate?s dual role since last summer but missed a vow to publish it by the end of 2025.

Wings over Scotland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Echoes of history
8 Feb 2026 at 5:26pm
The Sunday National’s front page today elicited a sigh of “So what?” from most. We’ve already GOT a “pro-indy” majority at Holyrood and have done for the last 10 years, for all it’s been worth. But to be fair there was a paragraph in the article that at least raised a quizzical eyebrow. Because, y’know, …

A Stitch In Timing
5 Feb 2026 at 4:09pm
Readers will probably be aware that literally as you read this, the Scottish Government is in court trying to defend its policy of letting male murderers be housed in women’s prisons by arguing that the Equality Act 2010 (as ruled on by the Supreme Court in the For Women Scotland case) is incompatible with the …

The Marshalling Plan
2 Feb 2026 at 1:25pm
Another month has passed, so we suppose it must be time for the third of our polling-analysis pieces for the Scottish Parliament election in May. (Last time round we assessed the grotesque rank idiocy of voting SNP on the list if you want a pro-indy majority, and the time before that we considered the possible …

Craig Murray

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

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

Rival Demonstrations in Caracas

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

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

Two Little Caracas Videos

Postpone The Celebrations
14 Feb 2026 at 7:46am

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

Postpone The Celebrations

Is The USA Controlling Venezuela
7 Feb 2026 at 5:54pm

My first video report from Venezuela: My being here reporting is entirely possible due, as is all my journalism and activism, to your individual subscriptions and donations. We now have a Venezuela reporting crowdfunder. I have simply edited the Lebanese GoFundMe crowdfunder, because that took many weeks to be approved and I don’t want to …

Is The USA Controlling Venezuela

Filton Acquittals Demolish Starmer and Cooper Lies About Palestine Action
5 Feb 2026 at 6:49pm

As the trial finished at Woolwich Crown Court of the six Palestine Action activists who entered the Filton factory to destroy Israeli killer drones, Starmer, Cooper, Lammy and Mahmood are left bereft of a single guilty verdict in the case on which they relied heavily to label Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. I could …

Filton Acquittals Demolish Starmer and Cooper Lies About Palestine Action

Trump, Pirate of the Caribbean
3 Feb 2026 at 11:14am

I have now been here a week and I think that I have absorbed enough to attempt a little analysis, as opposed to the simple impressions I gave shortly after arrival. Those impressions remain valid however: this is not a repressive state. I was on the Randy Credico show live on WBAI New York on …

Trump, Pirate of the Caribbean

BBC Scotland

Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed?
27 Feb 2026 at 11:55am
The multi-million pound project in Aberdeen was meant to be the future of clean public transportation.

Scandal-hit hospital left children with lifelong conditions, MSPs told
26 Feb 2026 at 6:39pm
Children treated at a Glasgow hospital are suffering from chronic stomach pain and incontinence, parents say.

Thanksgiving service for former health secretary Jeane Freeman
26 Feb 2026 at 4:47pm
The politician who helped lead Scotland's response to Covid died earlier this month just weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

Douglas Ross: My behaviour fell short of what is expected of MSPs
26 Feb 2026 at 3:18pm
The Tory MSP apologised after refusing to leave the chamber on Tuesday when being ordered to do so by Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone.

Nine local authorities set council tax rises above rate of inflation
26 Feb 2026 at 6:44pm
Households in Aberdeenshire and Moray face a 10% rise, while Edinburgh and Fife will see increases at the lower end of the scale.

Grieving mother pushes minister on taking knives off the shelves
26 Feb 2026 at 10:29am
Lisa Petrie started to push for tougher restrictions following the death of her 22-year-old son in a stabbing incident in September.

Scottish Budget passes after vote at Holyrood
25 Feb 2026 at 9:31pm
Shona Robison's spending plans for the next year were approved by the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish government orders public inquiry into grooming gangs
25 Feb 2026 at 5:02pm
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth says the government will "act decisively" to protect children from harm.

Ross banned from Holyrood chamber after refusing to leave
25 Feb 2026 at 3:05pm
The presiding officer called in security in a bid to remove the Tory MSP after he questioned her impartiality.

Pressure to make budgets add up as Holyrood election looms
26 Feb 2026 at 10:57am
Parties hoping to form at least part of a government will want to show how they will pay for their vote-winning promises

Bridge or tunnel linking Mull and mainland to be considered
26 Feb 2026 at 6:31am
The National Islands Plan calls for "detailed appraisals" to be carried out about setting up three fixed links across parts of Scotland

Will walk-in GP clinics deliver one million extra appointments?
25 Feb 2026 at 6:18am
The first of 16 new walk-in clinics across Scotland is now open but it is not clear when a target of them delivering one million appointments will be hit.

Scot Goes Pop

Stonehaven SENSATION: "Most accurate polling company" projects an SNP overall...
26 Feb 2026 at 1:51am

Analysis of the MRP mega-poll suggesting the SNP are on course for a single-p...
25 Feb 2026 at 5:31pm
So a couple of 'quick notes' for you today, because I have two new articles on The National's website.  First up is the constituency profile of Aberdeen Donside, which you can read HERE.  I've also...

Another week, another TOTAL WIPEOUT FOR LABOUR IN SCOTLAND signalled by YouGo...
25 Feb 2026 at 3:20am
 The second in my series of Holyrood constituency profiles for The National is Aberdeen Deeside & North Kincardine, and it can be read HERE.

Introducing your daily constituency profiles for the 2026 Scottish Parliament...
24 Feb 2026 at 2:38am
Later in this video I also make an offer to Sara Salyers of a video debate, given that she and her supporters suddenly seem to have such an almighty bee in their bonnet about me.  But I strongly su...

The sickening hypocrisy of Sara Salyers
22 Feb 2026 at 11:26pm
I was half-thinking of making a video in direct response to the unhinged personal attack Sara Salyers of "Salvo" launched against me earlier today, but in spite of the character limit on Twitter, I...

Typical Alba: They can't even abolish themselves without it turning into a to...
22 Feb 2026 at 7:40am

The Alba Party's final betrayal of its own members: having justified a DOUBLI...
21 Feb 2026 at 1:23pm
This is the email Kenny MacAskill has just sent to Alba members, who yet again have been made total mugs of by a self-appointed and self-serving party elite - "Dear friendLet me, firstly, thank you...

The SETTLED WILL KLAXON is sounding across Scotland this morning as yet ANOTH...
21 Feb 2026 at 4:56am

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Labour challenges deepen as poll predicts Reform to be main Holyrood opposition
27 Feb 2026 at 2:47pm
A YouGov poll for the Scottish Election Study (SES) group puts Labour in third place in the constituency vote and fourth in the list vote

Holyrood sets date for final debate on Assisted Dying Bill
26 Feb 2026 at 9:32pm
MSPs will begin considering amendments to the proposed legislation on March 10, with a final vote expected to take place on March 17.

Alba will contest Holyrood election in May, say leading party figures
26 Feb 2026 at 12:36pm
Christina Hendry, niece of Alex Salmond, is one of a group of senior Alba members who say the party will contest the list ballot

Swinney to face FMQs after Holyrood passes Budget and grooming gangs announce...
26 Feb 2026 at 12:05pm
The First Minister will face questions from the opposition

Number of asylum seekers in hotels falls to 18-month low
26 Feb 2026 at 9:47am
The Home Office has released the latest immigration statistics

Lord Advocate faces accusations of ?misleading? Holyrood with Murrell memos
25 Feb 2026 at 8:17pm
Dorothy Bain KC answered questions from MSPs about a memo sent in March 2025 to John Swinney regarding an embezzlement charge facing Peter Murrell.

Robison urges her successor to be ?bold and ambitious? as Holyrood backs Budget
25 Feb 2026 at 7:24pm
The Scottish Budget for 2026-27 was passed by the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Government announces grooming gangs inquiry
25 Feb 2026 at 3:52pm
Professor Alexis Jay who wrote the damning report that revealed mass abuse in Rotherham will lead the investigation

Tory MSP Douglas Ross barred from chamber after clash with Presiding Officer
25 Feb 2026 at 2:40pm
Alison Johnstone ordered him to leave after he questioned her impartiality

Peter Mandelson complains to journalists about news coverage of his arrest
25 Feb 2026 at 1:17pm
A spokesperson said the former Labour spin doctor's arrest 'was prompted by a baseless suggestion that he was planning to leave the country'.

Speaker says he gave information to police about Lord Mandelson ahead of arrest
25 Feb 2026 at 12:11pm
The Times reported that Hoyle told officers he had been informed Mandelson was allegedly planning to flee Britain for the British Virgin Islands.

Scottish Government looks set to announce grooming gangs inquiry
25 Feb 2026 at 11:56am
The SNP has faced pressure from victims and opposition parties for months

Keir Starmer to face first PMQs since Mandelson arrest
25 Feb 2026 at 11:48am
The Prime Minister has faced criticism over his decision to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador

MSPs to back Holyrood Budget that Shona Robison says will ?make lives better?
25 Feb 2026 at 7:04am
She spoke out ahead of the final vote on Holyrood?s Budget on Wednesday evening

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Anas Sarwar tries to rally Scottish Labour as poll predicts party could finis...
27 Feb 2026 at 3:15pm
The Scottish Labour leader told a party conference in Paisley the looming election could be "our only chance to end SNP rule?.

Labour are being eaten alive by the Greens and Reform UK as Keir Starmer cont...
27 Feb 2026 at 12:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says Labour on both sides of the border are heading for a fall.

Anas Sarwar 'right' to call on Keir Starmer to quit after Labour thrashed in ...
27 Feb 2026 at 9:37am
Scottish Labour is gathering in Paisley for a one-day conference that was supposed to kick-start the party's Holyrood campaign.

Greens win Gorton and Denton by-election as Keir Starmer dealt huge blow
27 Feb 2026 at 4:55am
The green party defeated Labour in its long-time stronghold, with a majority vote in a very tense fight for victory in what was earlier deemed 'too close to call'

Scottish Labour in voter 'irregularities' row in contest won by new Holyrood ...
27 Feb 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Concerns have been raised with Scottish Labour over the internal selection contest in the Edinburgh North Western seat at Holyrood.

The two horse race that will settle the Scottish Parliament election
26 Feb 2026 at 5:06pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says two recent polls include good and bad news for Labour as they meet for their conference in Paisley.

Families warn John Swinney 'more kids are at risk' of infections at Queen Eli...
26 Feb 2026 at 2:59pm
One mum said her young daughter was "lucky to have survived in that hospital" after she suffered terrible side-effects after being prescribed powerful anti-infection drugs.

Villagers defeat SNP Government in court battle to save historic Scots pub
26 Feb 2026 at 11:12am
Labour MP Melanie Ward said it was "not right that the Scottish Government chose to side with a wealthy Edinburgh business mogul against the interests of Fifers".

A public inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland is a victory for survivors
26 Feb 2026 at 8:47am
Writing for the Daily Record, Joani Reid, the Labour MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, paid tribute to the women who forced a u-turn by the SNP Government.

Scotland's 'broken' council tax system condemns people to poverty and 'protec...
26 Feb 2026 at 4:30am
The SNP was first elected in 2007 with a promise to scrap the Tory-imposed council tax system but has since dodged the issue.

The National

The National | Politics

Reports about the UK?s being on a ?war footing? are worrying
27 Feb 2026 at 3:00pm

YOUR article stating the ?UK is on a war footing? and sending forces to the Arctic to ?counter Russian threats? leaves me worried (UK is on a war footing ? and the media are loving it, Feb 25).

Major new poll puts Scottish Greens on course to overtake Labour at Holyrood
27 Feb 2026 at 2:10pm

THE Scottish Greens will overtake Labour at the next Holyrood election, a major new poll has predicted.

Keir Starmer blames George Galloway for by-election defeat to Greens
27 Feb 2026 at 1:14pm

KEIR Starmer has blamed Labour?s defeat to the Greens on George Galloway.

Alba rebels 'take legal advice' on next steps in ongoing feud
27 Feb 2026 at 1:12pm

ALBA rebels have "taken legal advice" on their next steps in an escalating split between members after the current leadership failed to respond to calls for an emergency referendum on the party's future

'Where is everyone?' Scottish Labour mocked as conference draws meagre crowd
27 Feb 2026 at 12:34pm

SCOTTISH Labour?s pre-Holyrood election conference has drawn a meagre crowd as the party picks over a catastrophic by-election defeat down south .

Over 20,000 migrant workers join campaign preparing to sue UK Government
27 Feb 2026 at 12:33pm

OVER 20,000 migrant workers have now joined a campaign group set to sue the UK Government over the proposed changes to immigration rules ...

Scottish Secretary tells Anas Sarwar 'not to commentate on UK politics'
27 Feb 2026 at 12:25pm

THE Scottish Secretary has said that he expects Anas Sarwar is now clear his ?responsibility is not to be a commentator on British politics? after the MSP called for the Prime Minister to resign

Scottish Labour in 'voter irregularities' row as former SNP and Alba man tops...
27 Feb 2026 at 12:09pm

Scottish Labour are embroiled in a row over voter 'irregularities' concerning a Holyrood selection contest

Rule change should not apply to migrants who are already here
27 Feb 2026 at 12:00pm

IT is shameful that the Home Secretary in Westminster, Shabana Mahmood, intends to change the rules that affect immigrants who have lived, trained and worked in the UK for ten years or more (I?ve lived in Scotland for 13 years. Labour?s new rules could force me out, Feb 25).

See full victory speech from Green MP Hannah Spencer after by-election win
27 Feb 2026 at 11:54am

The Green Party?s new MP has said her win is 'just the beginning' as the party celebrates beating both Labour and Reform to secure its first northern seat

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Poll: SNP in pole position despite growing unhappiness with government
27 Feb 2026 at 2:06pm
The final Scottish Opinion Monitor (Scoop) poll before the election found just 23 per cent of respondents thought the party was doing a ?good job? in office, compared with 40 per cent in December 2021.

Local Authorities Guide: City of Edinburgh Council
27 Feb 2026 at 6:00am
Council leader Jane Meagher answers questions about local authority

From snapshots to certainty: using intelligent monitoring to right-size care ...
27 Feb 2026 at 6:00am

?How do you sleep at night?? First minister pressed over children left with ?...
26 Feb 2026 at 1:43pm
Anas Sarwar raised the issue during Thursday's FMQs

Scottish Government proposes criminalising intimate deepfake creation
26 Feb 2026 at 11:19am
It is one measure within a broader consultation on improving protections for women and girls

'Radical change' warning for health and social care integration join boards
26 Feb 2026 at 7:01am
Watchdog says the situation is 'critical' as costs rise and reserves dwindle

Museums Matter
26 Feb 2026 at 6:00am
Across Scotland, museums are quietly changing lives. From the smallest volunteer run local museum to our nationally renowned institutions

Grooming gangs inquiry to be launched in Scotland, government announces
25 Feb 2026 at 3:52pm
The probe will be led by child sex abuse expert Prof Alexis Jay

SNP on track for majority thanks to tactical voting, according to new polling
25 Feb 2026 at 1:00pm
The first MRP poll for the Holyrood election found that a collapse in support for Scottish Labour

Douglas Ross apologises to presiding officer over ?bias? row
25 Feb 2026 at 12:43pm
This is not the first time Ross and Johnstone have disagreed in the chamber

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

PM vows to ?keep fighting? after Greens sweep past Labour and Reform to win b...
27 Feb 2026 at 3:26pm
Green party?s Hannah Spencer secures victory in Gorton and Denton as Reform UK finish second and Labour is pushed into thirdFull story: Resounding victory for Green partyAnalysis: Labour?s worst fears realisedReform activists are ?hearing Matt Goodwin has all but conceded defeat to the Greens?, t...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday briefing: The factors that will shape the future of Scotland
17 Feb 2026 at 7:55am
In today?s newsletter: As Scottish voters prepare to go to the polls, how can Labour, Reform and the Conservatives capitalise on weakening trust in the SNP?Good morning. The SNP has been in government since 2007, a phenomenal 19-year run, but polling suggests Scottish voters? trust in its ability...

Mick Duncan obituary
16 Feb 2026 at 8:39pm
My friend and fellow architect Mick Duncan, who has died aged 86, imbued his architecture with human scale and proportion, whether for the extensive buildings for Stirling University, at Victoria Quay housing the Scottish Executive in Leith, or in the modest yet stately headquarters for United Di...

Scottish Labour leader says he doesn?t regret calling for Starmer to quit ? U...
13 Feb 2026 at 4:30pm
Anas Sarwar said that he stood by what he said when he announced on Monday that he wanted the prime minister to stand downThe Equality and Human Rights Commission has welcomed a high court ruling defending the interim guidance it issued to organisations about the implications of the supreme court...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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

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

Second poll in a month puts the SNP on track for a majority in Holyrood
25 Feb 2026 at 2:10pm
  In this bin-fire of a UK it’s nice to be able to report a glimmer of hope for a change. For the second time within a month, an opinion poll has put the level of support for the SNP at a level which would allow it to win an outright majority in its own …

Cruelty built on lies, Reform?s immigration plans
23 Feb 2026 at 3:35pm
On Monday Reform UK’s home affairs spokes bigot the millionaire Zia Yusuf announced his party’s plans for the immigration system should we be unfortunate enough to see Reform UK take power after the next Westminster general election, which due to Westminster’s corrupt and undemocratic first past the post voting system could allow Farage and his …

Rejoining the EU looks set to get much easier for an independent Scotland
22 Feb 2026 at 2:52pm
According to former SNP MP and MEP Alyn Smith, who is well informed about developments within the EU, joining the EU looks set to become a whole lot easier for an independent Scotland. The EU Commission is proposing to revamp and speed up the process through which states which are candidates for EU membership accede …

Kenny MacAskill announces that the party is over for Alba
21 Feb 2026 at 3:48pm
So much for my afternoon off. Literally seconds after publishing my last blog piece I learned that the Alba party’s leader Kenny MacAskill had issued a statement in an email to Alba party members saying that the party will not after all be standing candidates at May’s Holyrood election. The statement blames the sudden decision …

New polling and Reform may have peaked
21 Feb 2026 at 1:47pm
I’ve been blogging a lot this week, which is what happens when there’s nothing on the telly except the Winter Olympics. All power to those who enjoy that sort of thing, but watching people sliding down a mountain in the snow with two planks strapped to their feet leaves me cold, pun intended. So my …

Labour Together: the authoritarian right wing rot at the heart of Starmer?s p...
20 Feb 2026 at 1:09pm
Having had personal encounters with people on the right of the Labour party the left wing comedian and Corbyn supporter Alexei Sayle said: “The right of the Labour Party are some of the most fucking horrible, vile, gruesome people. I’ve never met such awful people as those on the right of the Labour Party.” After …

Yes United and Independence Forum Scotland : Putting the band back together
19 Feb 2026 at 8:45pm
Please note that tickets for the daytime conference are now sold out, but tickets are still available for the evening event. Frustration at the lack of progress to secure better lives for current and future generations of Scots has raised the number of independence campaign groups working outside party politics. Campaigns focus on all sectors …

Corruption Westminster style
19 Feb 2026 at 1:16pm
The biggest news story today is one we can only talk around, not directly about. The King’s brother, the allegedly sweat free Andrew, will be sweating buckets today, after being arrested and taken into custody by Thames Valley Police on charges of misconduct in public office. This is a serious offence, and if found guilty …

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

Please support Talking-up Scotland
27 Feb 2026 at 2:33pm

Geriatrician called ?Elder? is clearly ?having a laugh? when the FACTS tell u...
27 Feb 2026 at 2:05pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON The above threat is not the result of the gathered opinion of thousands of Scottish ‘doctors’ but just the views of Geriatrician, Professor Andrew Elder of the Royal College of Physicians of Edi...

17 years late, England pilots kinship care financial support but still does n...
27 Feb 2026 at 2:03pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Many thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this and for finding the references. In the Guardian today: Kinship carers in England to be given financial support in government pilot – Charities hail ...

Wrong! There are 6 505 fewer pupils yet 63 more teachers to keep Scotland?s p...
27 Feb 2026 at 2:01pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Rehashing a story from one of their December 2025 front pages, the Herald’s Garrett Stell (‘Originally from North Carolina’), has the above headline based on an apparent fall in teacher numbers ...

These Tory ministers sold profitable harbours like Ardrossan to enable shareh...
27 Feb 2026 at 2:00pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON For more than two years now Scotland?s media have been blaming the Scottish Government for problems at Ardrossan harbour and it?s Arran ferry service. Little media coverage has targeted the owne...

Will the new Walk-in GP centres work? One minute video
27 Feb 2026 at 1:45pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Full evidence – https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/02/26/is-there-already-research-evidence-on-the-effectiveness-of-walk-in-gp-centres-has-the-snp-policy-even-been-designed-to-take-advantage-...

33% fall in emergency hospital admissions due to assault with a knife since 2...
27 Feb 2026 at 9:20am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON From the Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: February 2026, published yesterday: Fall in emergency hospital admissions due to assault since 2015-16. In 2024-25, there w...

Increased number of Scots feel safe walking alone after dark!
27 Feb 2026 at 9:13am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON From the Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: February 2026, published yesterday: Most adults feel safe walking alone after dark. The SCJS found that three-quarters (75%...

SNP Scotland still has more police officers than Labour had before the surge ...
27 Feb 2026 at 9:02am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Looking at the above two graphs, you’ll see that the SNP Government arrived in the middle of a spike in crime in 2007 and maintained a high level of police staffing to drive it down, only reduci...

Six Scottish Government initiatives they don?t want you liking before an elec...
27 Feb 2026 at 8:59am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON By stewartb I wonder how many of the following recent Scottish Government commitments/investments in General Practice have been conveyed to voters in Scotland by the mainstream media that suppos...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Poll shows 'independence now there to be won' as SNP on course for majority -...
25 Feb 2026 at 1:48pm
Poll shows 'independence now there to be won' as SNP on course for majority  TheNational.scot

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

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

Scottish first minister says a May majority means new independence push - Reu...
18 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish first minister says a May majority means new independence push  Reuters

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

New book charts writer?s role in thwarting Scottish independence - gatescambr...
3 Feb 2026 at 8:00am
New book charts writer?s role in thwarting Scottish independence  gatescambridge.org

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

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

X feature exposes Iranian-run pro-Scottish independence accounts - UKDJ - ???...
24 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
X feature exposes Iranian-run pro-Scottish independence accounts - UKDJ  ????? ??????????

Scottish polling for The National - February 2026 - findoutnow
25 Feb 2026 at 10:47pm
Scottish polling for The National - February 2026  findoutnow

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP need constituencies for a Holyrood majority. But is this one out of reach...
27 Feb 2026 at 5:06am
SNP need constituencies for a Holyrood majority. But is this one out of reach?  TheNational.scot

Poll: SNP in pole position despite growing unhappiness with government - Holy...
27 Feb 2026 at 2:14pm
Poll: SNP in pole position despite growing unhappiness with government  Holyrood Website

'Why a predicted SNP majority exposes a deeper problem with devolution' - The...
27 Feb 2026 at 11:33am
'Why a predicted SNP majority exposes a deeper problem with devolution'  The Herald

Douglas Alexander MP column - 'Scotland is stuck' under SNP Government - East...
27 Feb 2026 at 3:04pm
Douglas Alexander MP column - 'Scotland is stuck' under SNP Government  East Lothian Courier

Labour back SNP budget against potential 'financial peril' - Cumnock Chronicle
27 Feb 2026 at 2:06pm
Labour back SNP budget against potential 'financial peril'  Cumnock Chronicle

Regional ballot is the 'secret weapon' to defeat SNP - Findlay - BBC
21 Feb 2026 at 12:35pm
Regional ballot is the 'secret weapon' to defeat SNP - Findlay  BBC

Tactical voting ?to hand SNP stunning Holyrood majority? - The Times
24 Feb 2026 at 9:00pm
Tactical voting ?to hand SNP stunning Holyrood majority?  The Times

Scottish Nationalists Set for Majority at Election, Poll Shows - Bloomberg.com
25 Feb 2026 at 10:12am
Scottish Nationalists Set for Majority at Election, Poll Shows  Bloomberg.com

Sarwar gambles on break with Starmer as Labour support slumps - The Guardian
26 Feb 2026 at 9:28am
Sarwar gambles on break with Starmer as Labour support slumps  The Guardian

Scottish Labour in 'voter irregularities' row as former SNP and Alba man tops...
27 Feb 2026 at 12:09pm
Scottish Labour in 'voter irregularities' row as former SNP and Alba man tops list  Yahoo News UK

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

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

Poll shows 'independence now there to be won' as SNP on course for majority -...
25 Feb 2026 at 1:48pm
Poll shows 'independence now there to be won' as SNP on course for majority  TheNational.scot

Scottish first minister says a May majority means new independence push - Reu...
18 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish first minister says a May majority means new independence push  Reuters

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

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

Scotland needs mechanism to trigger independence referendum ? Holyrood report...
27 Feb 2026 at 2:28am
Scotland needs mechanism to trigger independence referendum ? Holyrood report  Ireland Live

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

John Swinney set to trigger new indy push as 'mega-poll' predicts SNP majorit...
25 Feb 2026 at 12:17pm
John Swinney set to trigger new indy push as 'mega-poll' predicts SNP majority  The Herald

Scottish political snapshot, November 2025 - YouGov
17 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
Scottish political snapshot, November 2025  YouGov