The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Viral Japanese ambassador toasts Burns Night with rendition of Auld Lang Syne
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
25 Jan 2026 at 8:35pm
Internet star Hiroshi Suzuki took to social media to celebrate the birthday of Scotland?s national poet.


Labour selects new candidate for Glasgow seat after Pam Duncan-Glancy scandal
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
25 Jan 2026 at 5:40pm
Partick East and Kelvindale councillor James Adams announced he had been selected as the party?s canddiate on Thursday.


Scottish Labour MP blasts 'cowardly' decision to block Andy Burnham from by-e...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
25 Jan 2026 at 4:01pm
Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman said that the decision by Labour?s national executive committee (NEC) was ?undemocratic? and ?cowardly?.


Ruth Davidson's new political movement 'too little, too late' says ex-Tory MSP
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
25 Jan 2026 at 3:48pm
Baroness Ruth Davidson and Sir Andy Street are to launch a new ?political movement? which they say can reclaim the centre ground for the Tory party and win back up to seven million ?politically homeless? voters.


WATCH: Residents of popular Scottish holiday spot protest cuts to 'lifeline' ...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
25 Jan 2026 at 3:11pm
The short service between Largs and Millport on the Firth of Clyde has operated every 15 minutes for more than 40 years.


Scottish Greens repair rift with English and Welsh Greens after trans spat
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
25 Jan 2026 at 2:46pm
Following the election of Zack Polanski as leader of the GPEW in September 2025, the Scottish Greens voted to strengthen ties.


Sarwar will not remove whip from Duncan-Glancy over links to paedophile friend
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
25 Jan 2026 at 12:55pm
Anas Sarwar says Pam Duncan-Glancy will keep the Labour whip despite her friendship with a convicted paedophile, because of her imminent departure from Holyrood.


Labour NEC blocks Andy Burnham?s Commons comeback bid
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
25 Jan 2026 at 12:12pm
Labour?s ruling NEC has blocked Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, halting a potential return to Westminster.


John Swinney promises release of 'Salmond Files' before Holyrood election
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
25 Jan 2026 at 11:50am
John Swinney has pledged to publish the long-awaited Salmond Files before May?s Holyrood election, as Scotland?s Information Commissioner takes the unprecedented step of launching court action over missed FOI deadlines.


Police now investigating six deaths linked to infections at Glasgow super-hos...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
25 Jan 2026 at 10:08am
Police have opened criminal and fatal accident probes into six deaths linked to infections at Glasgow?s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.


Iranians in Glasgow say their country has 'no future' until the Ayatollahs ar...
25 Jan 2026 at 6:00am
Following the violent and lethal crackdown on protests across Iran, some of those who have fled to Scotland speak out about their experiences.


Culture Secretary urged to 'come clean' over HES castle kitchen claims
by Craig Meighan
25 Jan 2026 at 12:01am
Scotland?s Culture Secretary has been urged to ?come clean? over what he knew about the alleged misuse of public funds by a senior member of Scotland?s scandal-hit heritage body


HIV concerns raised before MSPs debate Ash Regan?s prostitution Bill
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
25 Jan 2026 at 5:00am
HIV organisations and sex workers warn Ash Regan?s proposed prostitution law could undermine Scotland?s goal of ending new transmissions by 2030.


Farmer, journalist and politician who had hugely varied career dies
25 Jan 2026 at 6:00am
Andrew Arbuckle, who has died aged 81, will long be remembered for his exceptional contribution to farming, an industry he loved dearly, and his remarkable and varied career included four decades as a journalist with The Courier, where he became agricultural editor in 1985, later working for The Scotsman and also freelance for a spell.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


John Swinney to release the 'Salmond files' before the Holyrood election in May
25 Jan 2026 at 2:20pm

John Swinney has also denied there is a culture of secrecy within the Scottish Government he runs.

First Minister John Swinney has also admitted there were ?cultural problems? at the health board

NEC sources said there had been a ?very clear majority? against allowing Mr Burnham to stand

Meghan Trainor?s new baby via surrogacy has sparked a debate online about the ethics of the practice.

Wings over Scotland

Yelling at the tide
21 Jan 2026 at 9:26am
We figured someone had to at least try. So in the light of this, we’ve sent a letter. - TO: Judge Susan Walker, President, Employment Tribunal (Scotland) Dear Madam President, I read with considerable dismay and alarm your response to a recent complaint from a Mr Ewan Kennedy regarding the conduct of Employment Judge Alexander …

The Secondhand Amendment
19 Jan 2026 at 12:04am
We’re really not sure this makes things any better with regard to the incredible tale that’s unfolded around the judgment in Sandie Peggie vs NHS Fife. In fact, on any interpretation we can think of, quite the reverse. But we’d better give you some context. The quote in the image above comes from the reply …

Learning Insanity
14 Jan 2026 at 4:29pm
This clip was broadcast on ITV News Wales this week. ? It’s a staggeringly obvious mess for a whole raft of reasons – a number of completely spurious, illogical and unsupported claims are accepted as facts without any sort of challenge or balancing voice (which has been standard practice on ITV News for a while …

Governing For Beginners
12 Jan 2026 at 2:31pm
My first ever real experience of politics was playing Dictator. Originally written by Don Priestley for the Sinclair ZX81 in 1982, it was a simple text-based game which subsequently came to other formats including the Commodore 64, BBC Micro, Elan Enterprise and the ZX Spectrum, which is where I encountered it. (Its legacy very much …

Grandpa John?s Nightmare
7 Jan 2026 at 12:17pm
It’s almost – almost – worth voting SNP in May because of this: ? Because it would be at least momentarily absolutely hilarious watching Swinney try to explain why his “100% guaranteed” second indyref didn’t happen if the SNP actually did get a majority on 30% of the vote (which is narrowly feasible on current …

Failure To Learn
5 Jan 2026 at 1:32pm
Scotland take on Haiti on Sunday 14 June (in the wee small hours of the morning), so this is nice, isn’t it? At least, it would be if incompetent idiots weren’t in charge. Firstly because the SNP – a party with a long and dismaying record of promising things it then doesn’t deliver – has …

And every day was exactly the same
3 Jan 2026 at 7:00am

List Voting For Cretins
2 Jan 2026 at 9:00am
This week The National published a poll it commissioned from Find Out Now for this May’s Scottish Parliament election, alongside a seat projection from Sir John Curtice. Here are the list-vote figures from the poll. The seat projection calculated that the election would result in 59 SNP MSPs (six short of the number John Swinney …

The Gulf War
1 Jan 2026 at 7:00am
Yesterday we noted in passing that independence support now outstrips that of the SNP by more than 20 points, making the party into a gigantic liability as the vehicle for enabling Scots to leave the UK. Put simply, even when voters want independence (as most now do), they’re not willing to vote SNP to get …

The Fear Of The Briar
31 Dec 2025 at 11:42am
With Reform now pretty consistently miles in front in polling for the next UK election, logically this is brilliant news for the Scottish independence movement, isn’t it? So can anyone explain why the SNP is so desperate to stop them? That’s a rhetorical question, of course. As we’ve repeatedly explored on Wings over the last …

Craig Murray

Resisting the Respectable Opinion on Iran
15 Jan 2026 at 3:13pm

Iraq. Libya. Egypt. Syria. Gaza. Somalia. No CIA- and Mossad-constructed regime change operation in the Middle East has ever made life better for the ordinary people of the country, nor even delivered the promised increase in personal and political freedoms. The only limited improvement that might be gained comes from the lifting of Western sanction …

Resisting the Respectable Opinion on Iran

A Step Towards Sanity
13 Jan 2026 at 6:50pm

To my great surprise, the video recording of yesterday’s Court of Session hearing on the judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action is still active on the court’s website, and you can watch it. I do not know how long this will last. https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/livestream/court-of-session/case-p1017-25/#6dcfe87a-d9b7-49ba-9f01-ad69b8ad9c45 I have been used to the ludicrous restrictions on the …

A Step Towards Sanity

Court of Session Tomorrow on Palestine Action
11 Jan 2026 at 1:45pm

In the Western world today, fighting for freedom feels Quixotic, but I shall nevertheless wake early tomorrow to be at the Court of Session in Edinburgh by 9am to fight the proscription in Scotland of Palestine Action. I remain extremely concerned for the lives of the Palestine Action hunger strikers. As I predicted, Starmer’s government …

Court of Session Tomorrow on Palestine Action

Venezuela and Truth
4 Jan 2026 at 10:21am

The mainstream media covered Venezuela non-stop yesterday. They many times mentioned Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President, because Trump stated she is now in charge. They never mentioned that 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the torture to death of her father, socialist activist Jorge Rodríguez, by the CIA-backed security services of the US-aligned Pérez regime in …

Venezuela and Truth

Hunger Strikes and Court Cases
16 Dec 2025 at 9:15pm

Fighting the proscription of Palestine Action has become more urgent as eight brave activists enter the crucial period of their hunger strike. 12 January has finally been set for the court hearing on holding a Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. I am frankly terrified for the hunger strikers. Qesser Zuhrah Amu …

Hunger Strikes and Court Cases

The Skripal Novichok Hoax
12 Dec 2025 at 9:58am

I did not anticipate that an open public meeting in Salisbury itself would be 95% sceptical of the official Novichok hoax – but it was. Thanks to UK Column for putting this on. I hope you find it enlightening – there is information which goes beyond my previous articles on the subject. In about a …

The Skripal Novichok Hoax

BBC Scotland

Swinney says it 'looks like' hospital inquiry families were lied to
25 Jan 2026 at 2:07pm
The first minister also said there has been a "cultural problem" within Glasgow's health board, which is being "flushed out" by a public inquiry.

'We knew the truth': How parents uncovered Scottish hospital's infected water...
25 Jan 2026 at 1:40pm
Dozens of patients became more unwell and some died with infections picked up at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Sturgeon denies using pressure to open Glasgow hospital early
23 Jan 2026 at 6:26pm
The former first minister's remarks came as oral submissions ended in the inquiry into the design and construction of Scotland's largest hospital.

Scottish government facing legal action over failure to hand over Sturgeon in...
23 Jan 2026 at 3:21pm
The Scottish Information Commissioner is taking ministers to court after they missed a deadline to release documents.

Will the ferry link between Scotland and mainland Europe be restored?
23 Jan 2026 at 6:11am
Speculation is mounting about a potential new route between Rosyth in Fife and Dunkirk in France.

First minister rejected meeting on tanker seizure, says Alexander
22 Jan 2026 at 4:26pm
John Swinney has criticised "appalling" communication from the UK government on national security issues.

Why Scotland's assisted dying bill is on a knife edge
21 Jan 2026 at 6:21am
As they prepare for a final vote on the historic bill, MSPs are weighing a life and death decision.

Swinney announces plan for national housing agency
22 Jan 2026 at 1:54pm
The first minister says the proposals will deliver new homes more quickly and more affordably.

Key section of assisted dying bill must be cut, MSPs told
20 Jan 2026 at 2:44pm
MSPs have been told protections for medics who conscientiously object will have to be added retrospectively.

Scotland's biggest hospital 'opened too early' despite safety fears
20 Jan 2026 at 6:02pm
The public inquiry will hear final statements after NHS Greater Glasgow conceded a hospital's water system probably caused infections.

Six key takeaways from the hospitals inquiry
20 Jan 2026 at 9:10pm
As final submissions are made to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, we now have a clearer picture of what went wrong.

Teaching union announces details of new strike ballot
20 Jan 2026 at 9:44pm
A previous vote in favour of strike action was unable to pass due to a low turnout.

Scot Goes Pop

SNP secure stirring VICTORY in the Glenrothes West & Kinglassie by-election
23 Jan 2026 at 3:40pm
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

Yet ANOTHER poll shows a pro-independence majority as natty Norstat (formerly...
20 Jan 2026 at 2:44pm
Before anyone says anything, yes, I know I screwed up and randomly started referring to Norstat as "Panelbase" midway through the video.  I haven't got time to re-record it at the moment, so just s...

Will the Greenland - Trump crisis boost support for Scottish independence?
20 Jan 2026 at 8:43am
I made this video before the news broke about Donald Trump's comments on Diego Garcia, which has resulted in this bizarre commentary from Henry Zeffman on the BBC News website (it's possibly a tran...

It's happened: now even SURVATION are showing a pro-independence majority (al...
19 Jan 2026 at 1:39pm
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

SNP and Greens remain firmly on course for Holyrood pro-indy majority in supe...
16 Jan 2026 at 8:50am
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

Sensational numbers for both the SNP and Plaid Cymru in two new YouGov polls
14 Jan 2026 at 8:36am
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

The party of Tas-beens: Alba's notorious unelected dictator finally departs -...
13 Jan 2026 at 4:20pm
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

Has Trump ushered in an American FASCISM? His administration now has SEVEN o...
11 Jan 2026 at 9:45am
I know we were all keen for RevStew to finally put a sock in it about the trans issue, but given that he's replaced that obsession with 24/7 apologism for a woman's murder, perhaps he should be enc...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Cultural problems at health board of infection scandal hospital ? John Swinney
25 Jan 2026 at 2:46pm
The First Minister said the issues at NHS Greater Glasgow And Clyde (GGC) would be 'flushed out' by Lord Brodie?s inquiry.

Politicians to launch movement to attract ?politically homeless? to Tory party
25 Jan 2026 at 11:47am
Sir Andy Street and Baroness Ruth Davidson are set to launch a ?movement? aimed at attracting millions of 'politically homeless' voters.

Scottish Greens restoring ties with Polanski?s party in England and Wales
25 Jan 2026 at 11:20am
The Scottish Green Party said it will strengthen its relationship with the Green Party of England and Wales.

Andy Burnham says he plans to stand in by-election
24 Jan 2026 at 5:23pm
The NEC can still block his bid for selection by refusing permission

Nicola Sturgeon denies applying pressure to open Glasgow super hospital early
24 Jan 2026 at 11:02am
The mum of a girl who died after contracting an infection urged the former first minister to 'be honest'

Duke of Sussex says British soldiers who died in Afghanistan ?deserve respect?
23 Jan 2026 at 8:55pm
Trump suggested in an interview with Fox News that Nato allied troops 'stayed a little off the front lines'.

Scottish Government facing legal action over Nicola Sturgeon inquiry evidence
23 Jan 2026 at 11:40am
The SNP Government has missed two deadlines to release files from an ethics investigation.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani sent baby box by Scottish Government
23 Jan 2026 at 11:36am
Zohran Mamdani previously stated he wanted to develop his own 'baby basket' in a bid to tackle cost of living pressures in the city.

Keir Starmer and Danish PM discuss ?vital steps? towards Arctic security
22 Jan 2026 at 8:51pm
The Prime Minister and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen met at Chequers.

John Swinney faces FMQs amid pressure from fatal water infection scandal
22 Jan 2026 at 11:39am
The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is at the centre of the ongoing Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.

New agency to focus on boosting affordable, rural and island housing supply
22 Jan 2026 at 10:38am
Scottish First Minister John Swinney has announced his Government is setting up More Homes Scotland.

NHS staff could miss out on Scotland?s World Cup Bank Holiday
22 Jan 2026 at 10:30am
Scotland's deputy first minister said that a public holiday for staff would be a decision for each individual NHS board.

Law Society of Scotland calls for legal aid reform under justice system overhaul
21 Jan 2026 at 9:43pm
It said ?political inaction? has caused an ?ever-worsening crisis in access to justice in Scotland?.

Social media ban for under-16s backed by Lords
21 Jan 2026 at 8:45pm
Supporters of the Australian-style ban have argued parents are in 'an impossible position'.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Andy Burnham blocked from standing in Westminster by-election amid rumours ov...
25 Jan 2026 at 12:13pm
Labour's governing body blocked the Greater Manchester mayor from being a candidate in the by-election.

John Swinney says it 'looks like' families were lied to over super-hospital i...
25 Jan 2026 at 11:11am
The First Minister issued his strongest criticism yet of the past leadership at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Police investigating deaths of six patients at Glasgow super-hospital as infe...
25 Jan 2026 at 9:15am
Cops are probing how three adults and three patients died at the scandal-hit Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QUEH).

Mum of schoolgirl who died after Glasgow hospital water infection demands hon...
23 Jan 2026 at 3:09pm
Kimberly Darroch rounded on the SNP Government over the deaths linked to contaminated water at a Glasgow super-hospital.

Widow of SNP Government official who died at £1bn super hospital says her hus...
23 Jan 2026 at 2:14pm
Louise Slorance accused NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was continuing to "gamble with people's lives" after refusing to upgrade a super hospital's ventilation system.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani sent baby box by SNP Government
23 Jan 2026 at 1:28pm
Mamdani has previously mentioned Scotland, Chile and Finland as examples of where the policy has been introduced.

SNP Government taken to court after missing two deadlines to release Alex Sal...
23 Jan 2026 at 9:33am
John Swinney's Government faces an embarrassing day in court after missing two deadlines to release information.

SNP MP says Nationalists will back 'exclusion zone' ban for protests near asy...
23 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Veteran MP Peter Wishart also said he would be writing to all the main political parties urging them to commit to exclusion zones near the hotels.

SNP opposition to nuclear weapons 'jeopardising' UK national security in era ...
22 Jan 2026 at 1:45pm
The First Minister said he "completely and utterly" refuted the comments from Defence Secretary John Healey.

Scottish Labour MPs fear Andy Burnham standing in Westminster by-election wou...
22 Jan 2026 at 1:10pm
Scottish Labour MPs say Burnham quitting his current role would trigger a Greater Manchester mayoral contest and lead to resources being shifted from Scotland.

The National

The National | Politics

Ruth Davidson's new centrist project 'too little too late' blasts ex-Tory MSP
25 Jan 2026 at 4:31pm

A FORMER Tory MSP has said that Ruth Davidson?s new project trying to pull the party back to the centre is ?too little too late?.

'Weak' Keir Starmer voted to block Andy Burnham by-election bid
25 Jan 2026 at 3:40pm

KEIR Starmer voted in favour of blocking Andy Burnham?s bid to stand in a crunch by-election ? widely seen as setting up a leadership challenge against the Prime Minister.

Mike Small: What's behind Trump's dystopian 'masterplan' for Gaza
24 Jan 2026 at 2:17pm

At the end of another extraordinary week, Jared Kushner, who holds no official position whatsoever, presented a ?masterplan? for redeveloping Gaza into a high-tech metropolis

'Real possibility' of Union break-up after May elections, admits Welsh Labour FM
25 Jan 2026 at 2:09pm

THE Labour First Minister of Wales has said there is a ?real possibility? that we could see the break-up of the United Kingdom after the May elections.

Labour blocks Andy Burnham from standing in crunch Westminster by-election
25 Jan 2026 at 12:18pm

Andy Burnham has been blocked from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, sources close to Labour?s National Executive Committee (NEC) have said

Glasgow super-hospital infection scandal 'completely unacceptable' says John ...
25 Jan 2026 at 11:59am

THE situation at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is ?completely unacceptable?, John Swinney has said.

Anas Sarwar fails to explain why MSP with links to sex offender retains Labou...
25 Jan 2026 at 11:11am

ANAS Sarwar struggled to give a clear answer as to why an MSP who maintained a relationship with a convicted sex offender retains the Labour Party whip in Holyrood.

Who is on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg today? The full guest list
25 Jan 2026 at 8:11am

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will join Laura Keunssberg in the studio on BBC One's Sunday with Laura Keunssberg

Scottish Labour MP staffer accused of rule breach over video call
25 Jan 2026 at 5:00am

A SCOTTISH Labour MP?s staffer has been accused of breaking parliamentary rules after phoning into a council meeting from London.

Developers eye Scottish green belt sites for AI data centre plans
25 Jan 2026 at 5:00am

PLANS to build artificial intelligence data centres on greenbelt land across Scotland can be revealed by the Sunday National.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Information Commissioner to take Scottish Government to court after deadline ...
23 Jan 2026 at 10:00am
Solicitors instructed over failure to produce materials related to James Hamilton report

Grok generated around three million sexualised images this month, according t...
22 Jan 2026 at 4:31pm
The Center for Countering Digital Hate said the AI tool "became an industrial-scale machine for the production of sexual abuse material?

Ministers did not pressure scandal-hit hospital to open too soon, John Swinne...
22 Jan 2026 at 1:29pm
He also committed to release any information held by government relating to the opening of the hospital

John Swinney accused of hiding behind Salmond complainers in freedom of infor...
22 Jan 2026 at 1:13pm
Fergus Ewing joins questions at FMQs

Rural affairs committee supports general principles of greyhound racing ban, ...
22 Jan 2026 at 1:06pm
The committee could not reach a consensus on whether?there is sufficient evidence supporting?a ban

?No evidence? Scottish police numbers are right for the future, watchdogs say
22 Jan 2026 at 7:00am
Report raises concerns over data inadequacies

Ex-musician named Scotland?s new Chief Inspector of Education
21 Jan 2026 at 2:37pm
Excellence pledge following education reform

Opposition MSPs demand government releases all information on Glasgow hospita...
21 Jan 2026 at 12:01pm
The health board has admitted in that the super hospital was opened too soon

Gaming sector launches plan to grow to ?1bn
21 Jan 2026 at 12:01am
The plan,?Level Up Scotland,?sets out how the industry will transform Scotland?s ?secret weapon? into a major contributor to the economy

Trans prisoners rule change would violate human rights, Scottish Government c...
20 Jan 2026 at 3:29pm
Campaign group For Women Scotland seeks guidance update

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Scottish health board admits hospital water system linked to fatal infections
19 Jan 2026 at 12:03pm
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde makes last-minute U-turn in submission to hospitals inquiryScotland?s largest health board has finally admitted that contaminated water at a Glasgow super-hospital caused serious infections in child cancer patients that were linked to four deaths.NHS Greater Glasgow ...

Multimillionaire leader of Reform in Scotland refuses to reveal net worth
15 Jan 2026 at 3:26pm
Newly appointed Malcolm Offord, who became a Tory life peer in 2021, plans to stand for Holyrood in MayUK politics live ? latest updatesThe multimillionaire financier who has been made leader of Reform UK in Scotland has refused to say how wealthy he is, claiming that is a private matter.Malcolm ...

Scottish budget: SNP government cuts taxes for lowest earners
13 Jan 2026 at 7:06pm
Ministers will hope package of measures can aid efforts to retain power in May?s Holyrood electionsMinisters in Scotland have cut taxes for the lowest earners by a modest £11 a year, as the government dug into its reserves, cut spending and increased borrowing to fund new election pledges.With fo...

UK politics: Tories call for block on Chinese super-embassy amid claims of hi...
13 Jan 2026 at 6:11pm
Shadow home office minister Alicia Kearns says unredacted plans show 208 secret rooms and approving plans would be ?insanity?Q: Why are the Liberal Democrats still using X?Davey says he is not afraid to pick a fight with Elon Musk. He says Musk has interfered in British democracy ?in the most out...

?The response is a beautiful thing?: how Glasgow is squaring up to Reform
12 Jan 2026 at 5:36am
In the face of Nigel Farage, flag-waving and a longstanding housing crisis, some Glaswegians are taking on anti-immigration rhetoricSelina Hales has a thing about pineapples. She is talking in a quiet office, set aside from the bustle of Refuweegee, the charity she founded 10 years ago, and the w...

Software tackling deepfakes to be piloted for Scottish and Welsh elections
8 Jan 2026 at 6:07pm
Electoral Commission says tools to detect AI-generated content could be in place before campaigns beginElection officials are working ?at speed? with the Home Office on a pilot project to combat the use of deepfakes to target candidates standing in this year?s Scottish and Welsh elections.Officia...

Liz Kendall says Elon Musk?s X must urgently deal with ?appalling? sexualised...
6 Jan 2026 at 5:49pm
Science secretary says the deepfake content being produced on the platform is ?unacceptable in decent society?In her Today programme interview this morning Kemi Badenoch tried to outflank Nigel Farage on net zero scepticism by claiming (wrongly) that she started talking out this before he did.Ask...

No 10 suggests UK would not vote for UN security council resolution condemnin...
5 Jan 2026 at 6:10pm
PM?s spokesperson did not contest report claiming that the UK will abstain on a possible UN voteSpeaking to reporters this morning, Keir Starmer said Nicolás Maduro, who was president of Venezuela until he was arrested by the Americans on Saturday and taken to a US jail, was not a legitimate rule...

Scottish Labour urges Keir Starmer to stay out of Holyrood campaign
5 Jan 2026 at 2:53pm
Anas Sarwar says prime minister?s missteps have left party clear underdogs in run-up to May electionUK politics live ? latest updatesKeir Starmer and senior ministers have been urged by Scottish Labour to ?stay behind their doors? in Whitehall to avoid turning the next Holyrood election into a re...

Nativism and the disintegration of the UK
1 Jan 2026 at 5:07pm
With the weakening of pro-integration parties, Ben Wellings warns that the continuation of the UK in its current form cannot be taken for grantedStalking your editorial on the new political geography emerging in Britain (25 December) is the fear of disintegration. This is a political outcome that...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The BBC?s bad treatment of NHS Scotland
24 Jan 2026 at 1:03pm
When a parent loses a child it is an unbearable tragedy, and I want to preface this blog piece with the important caveat that I in no way wish to cast any aspersions on the bereaved and fully support their drive to uncover the truth about what went on at the new Southern General Hospital …

The rich are enemies of democracy and of an independent Scotland
23 Jan 2026 at 4:39pm
The biggest political issue of our days is one that few politicians are talking about. That’s the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of a small minority. In 2023, the world?s richest 1%, defined as those with more than $1 million, owned 47.5 percent of all the world?s wealth ? equivalent to roughly $214 …

The fork in the road for Scotland, independence or the Golf of America
21 Jan 2026 at 1:51pm
Over the past week, the reasons for Scottish independence got even more pressing and urgent. Donald Trump, the so-called ‘Peace President’, is openly threatening Greenland, Denmark, Canada, and Latin America. Trump’s unilateral destruction of the post WW2 international order as he seeks total US hegemony over the Western hemisphere and the annexation of Greenland. Once …

The days of playing by rules stacked against Scotland will soon be over
19 Jan 2026 at 4:44pm
Just eighteen months ago, we were looking at the prospect of this year’s Scottish elections with dread and trepidation. Labour was in the ascendant on the back of its victory in the July 2024 Westminster General election and Anas Sarwar was confidently expecting to install himself in Bute House as First Minister, some excitable Labour …

Reform?s Scottish ?leader? ? the FIFA Peace Prize of Scottish politics
15 Jan 2026 at 2:15pm
Spare a thought for poor wee Malkie Offord, over the years he’s thrown hundreds of thousands of pounds at the political scene in a bid to make himself relevant, firstly with his ludicrously misnamed and suspiciously well funded Vote No Borders astroturfing campaign during the 2014 independence referendum, a cringeworthy campaign which made no impact …

Reform?s failing charade and the three pronged attack on Westminster rule
14 Jan 2026 at 4:34pm
Perhaps Reform UK’s bubble is about to burst. Although the private company owned by Nigel Farage is still leading in the polls in England, the far right ghouls’ polling lead has been falling in recent weeks. On Tuesday the weekly Sky News poll from YouGov put Reform on 24% across the UK as a whole, …

Farage?s new tartan puppet
12 Jan 2026 at 8:00pm
On Monday, Nigel Farage preened his insufferably smug way through a press conference at which he introduced the latest opportunistic Tory defector to Reform UK. This time it was Nadhim Zahawi, who was very briefly the Chancellor of the Exchequer under Boris Johnson. Zahawi was later found to have paid a seven figure penalty to …

BBC Scotland, an anti-independence party in May?s Scottish election
11 Jan 2026 at 4:57pm
The parties are gearing up for May’s Scottish elections. On one side there’s the SNP and their frenemies the Scottish Greens – parties which disagree on many things but which share a common belief in the principle that the people of Scotland should be the sole arbiters of government policy in Scotland and the future …

The BBC?s shameful enabling of fascism
8 Jan 2026 at 3:56pm
The failure of the BBC to report fairly and without bias on Scottish politics is a regular theme in this blog and amongst other supporters of Scottish independence. The favouritism which the Corporation displays towards Nigel Farage and his ghouls is likewise well documented, especially on the disgrace to political broadcasting that is BBC Question …

A fake rebellion from a fake party
7 Jan 2026 at 11:28am
While we are distracted by Donald Trump’s attack on Venezuela, the kidnapping of its president and his threats to take over Greenland, here in Scotland the parties are getting into gear for the Holyrood election campaign. Anas Sarwar has got off the starting blocks with a carefully orchestrated ‘rebellion’ against his intensely unpopular boss, Keir …

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 'Albatraz'

England, the only country in the world with a fully privatised water system g...
25 Jan 2026 at 3:43pm
Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: From the Guardian today, the above and: Customer complaints over water bills surge by 50% in England and Wales – Number of households complaining rises to 16,000 in 2025, with Southern Water the biggest target. Complaints about water companies in England and Wales to an independent monitor surged by more than 50% last year, as customers bristled at stee...

The Home Office would do better to just copy Scotland than set up a ?British ...
25 Jan 2026 at 2:59pm
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood Today, in the Guardian: Home Office to launch ?British FBI? to deal with serious crime UK-wide – National Police Service will investigate organised crime, terrorism, fraud and online child abuse. The government is setting up a National Police Service ? dubbed the ?British FBI? ? to deal with organised crime, terrorism, fraud and online child abuse in a major ch...

Herald recycles its own story from 6 January 2026 as a headline and maintains...
25 Jan 2026 at 10:15am

Edinburgh Labour minority Lib Dem-assisted government repeats handing back ho...
24 Jan 2026 at 4:08pm
From BBC Scotland on 19 December 2024, the above and: Labour has retained control of City of Edinburgh Council under a minority administration propped up by Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Jane Meagher has been appointed as the council’s new leader. Former leader Cammy Day resigned over claims he sent sexually explicit messages to Ukrainian refugees. SNP and Green councillors had launched ...

The truth about the Glasgow hospital infections in a short video
24 Jan 2026 at 3:59pm
Detail at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/01/20/latest-in-final-statement-glasgow-hospital-correctly-and-based-on-repeated-research-denies-evidence-of-definite-link-between-the-hospital-environment-and-specific-individual-cases-of-infection/ My daughter filmed this primarily for TikTok but it might be useful here. John

As Tory MSP tries to dig dirt in the Daily Record today, what she doesn?t wan...
24 Jan 2026 at 10:21am

?Insulted?, ?patronised?, ?betrayed?, ?profoundly unjust?, shown ?complete in...
24 Jan 2026 at 10:12am
?Insulted?, ?patronised?, ?betrayed?, ?profoundly unjust?, shown ?complete indifference? - judgements by Scotland?s fishing industry on actions of Labour in Westminster. By stewartb Despite the above descriptions of Labour?s actions towards Scotland?s wild capture fisheries, in the House of Commons debate on the ?Fishing Industry? held on January 22, the SNP?s Seamus Logan was moved to comment:...

Crime clear-up in Scotland around 12 times better per head than in England ? ...
24 Jan 2026 at 9:40am

US ferry company to consider making up for shortages by bringing a near 70 ye...
24 Jan 2026 at 9:10am
You may remember previous reports here of the troubles at Washington State Ferries, based in one of the most affluent states in the USA. A third of the fleet out of service, missed doctor appointments, hours-long delays, students unable to get to school and flooded car decks look like continuing as Washington State Ferries delays new electric ferries and now they may bring aging old diesels bac...

Significant fall in domestic abuse-related homicides
23 Jan 2026 at 5:13pm
From Freedom of Information Response regarding domestic abuse-related homicides, Our reference:  FOI 25-3594 – Responded to:  22 December 2025 and published yesterday: Please supply the numbers of women who were killed by a partner//ex partner /relative, (including parent/child/sibling/other family by blood, marriage or adoption). Provide an annual breakdown from 2018- 2025 to date. The data: A...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - 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

On Scotland?s nationalist fringes, a new Tartan intolerance rises - The Econo...
22 Jan 2026 at 2:07pm
On Scotland?s nationalist fringes, a new Tartan intolerance rises  The Economist

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

Scotland would vote for independence in new referendum, exclusive poll finds ...
30 Dec 2025 at 8:00am
Scotland would vote for independence in new referendum, exclusive poll finds  TheNational.scot

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

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

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

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

Farage is pushing Scotland to independence - The Times
30 Dec 2025 at 8:00am
Farage is pushing Scotland to independence  The Times

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  ????? ??????????

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Tommy Sheppard: The SNP must make a strategic shift to win a majority - TheNa...
25 Jan 2026 at 9:06pm
Tommy Sheppard: The SNP must make a strategic shift to win a majority  TheNational.scot

It?s time for Scotland and the SNP to get serious about defence - enlighten.scot
24 Jan 2026 at 2:11am
It?s time for Scotland and the SNP to get serious about defence  enlighten.scot

Pam Gosal MSP - 'Greedy SNP budget is executive summary of 19 years of failur...
25 Jan 2026 at 10:00am
Pam Gosal MSP - 'Greedy SNP budget is executive summary of 19 years of failure'  helensburghadvertiser.co.uk

'That?s rich: SNP squandered donations with poor governance' - heraldscotland...
24 Jan 2026 at 6:34am
'That?s rich: SNP squandered donations with poor governance'  heraldscotland.com

Scottish budget: SNP tap the brakes, but the worst is still to come - Revolut...
23 Jan 2026 at 4:48pm
Scottish budget: SNP tap the brakes, but the worst is still to come  Revolutionary Communist Party

If anti-SNP deals are possible in Councils, then what, come May? - Think Scot...
23 Jan 2026 at 5:18pm
If anti-SNP deals are possible in Councils, then what, come May?  Think Scotland

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

Scottish budget: SNP government cuts taxes for lowest earners | Scotland - Th...
13 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish budget: SNP government cuts taxes for lowest earners | Scotland  The Guardian

Exclusive: SNP accused of 'papering over the cracks' as A9 maintenance costs ...
23 Jan 2026 at 6:00am
Exclusive: SNP accused of 'papering over the cracks' as A9 maintenance costs £161m over five years  scotsman.com

SNP ministers repeatedly rejected calls for public inquiry into safety at sca...
25 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
SNP ministers repeatedly rejected calls for public inquiry into safety at scandal-hit hospital  Daily Record

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

David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit - Britannica
19 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit  Britannica

Scottish leader John Swinney says SNP winning majority in May election would ...
17 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney says SNP winning majority in May election would be green light for indyref2  Sky News

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

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

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

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 independence poll 2025 - Statista
28 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
Scottish independence poll 2025  Statista

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

Swinney sets out latest plan for an independence referendum - BBC
4 Sep 2025 at 8:00am
Swinney sets out latest plan for an independence referendum  BBC