The Herald

The Herald | Politics


John Swinney quietly axes Scottish Government's flagship tax advisory group
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
10 Jul 2026 at 10:30am
The Scottish Government has quietly disbanded its Tax Advisory Group following years of internal friction, leaving high-profile economic experts surprised.


Amnesty labels JK Rowling's sexual assault centre Beira's Place as 'anti-rights'
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
10 Jul 2026 at 9:51am
Beira's Place, the sexual assault support centre launched by JK Rowling, has been labelled anti-rights.


Highland Council under fresh scrutiny after rapist granted taxi operator licence
10 Jul 2026 at 8:53am
The former chair of Highland Council?s licensing committee has said a convicted abuser?s crimes were not ?presented? to them when the committee was asked to decide if he was a ?fit and proper person? to hold a short-term let licence.


Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe dies aged 78
by David Lynch
10 Jul 2026 at 7:24am
Ann Widdecombe, the former MP and MEP who also featured on Strictly Come Dancing, has died aged 78.


Gilruth faces £728m budget squeeze as Scottish tax growth lags behind England
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Jul 2026 at 5:12pm
The Scottish Government has defended its tax regime and called for greater fiscal flexibility, warning that upcoming population updates and standard budget reconciliations will alter Holyrood's available funding ahead of December's final statement.


Sorry, Alan Cumming: Pitlochry snubbed as Bute, Leith and Lerwick eye £3m jac...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Jul 2026 at 5:00pm
Leith, Lerwick, and the Isle of Bute have secured spots on the 15-strong shortlist for the UK's first Town of Culture, winning £60,000 each to develop bids for a final £3 million grant.


Nearly 13,000 toilets face overhaul under new single-sex rules across UK
by Aine Fox and Ian Jones
9 Jul 2026 at 3:30pm
Nearly 13,000 toilets and more than 5,000 changing rooms could have to be revamped at gyms, hospitals and leisure centres across the United Kingdom at a cost of millions when new guidance on single-sex spaces comes into force shortly.


Rupert Lowe's Joe Rogan podcast comments on Dunblane spark fury
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Jul 2026 at 9:35am
Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe has sparked outrage after dismissing the 1996 Dunblane primary school massacre as "one murder" during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.


Map shows where 50 rural 4G mast upgrades have gone live in Scotland
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
9 Jul 2026 at 5:00am
See where 50 UK Government-funded 4G mast upgrades are live across rural Scotland, from Arran and Islay to Skye, the Borders and Ardnamurchan.


?The cavalry is coming? for Scotland?s rural mobile not-spots, says Murray
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
9 Jul 2026 at 5:00am
Ian Murray said some Scottish communities may remain mobile not-spots unless they accept new mast infrastructure, despite fresh 4G upgrades across rural areas.


Unwelcoming attitude to overseas students costing economy £3bn says new report
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
9 Jul 2026 at 12:01am
For the 2024-25 academic year there were 36,300 international first-year students living in Scotland


Crude price surges amid £270m takeover bid for Scottish oil firm
by mark.williamson@newsquest.co.uk | Mark Williamson
8 Jul 2026 at 5:00pm
Takeover bid for renowned Scottish oil firm highlights competition for reserves fuelled by war on Iran


Andy Burnham is about to become PM. Here's what Wilson and Attlee can teach him.
8 Jul 2026 at 4:40pm
As Andy Burnham prepares to enter Downing Street, Douglas Beattie examines what history's Labour giants can teach the next prime minister.


Former Tory MSP who condemned party leadership now helping Reform UK in Holyrood
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
8 Jul 2026 at 4:11pm
A former Tory MSP who accused his party of trying to ?out-Reform-Reform? is working to make Nigel Farage?s party ?effective? in Holyrood.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Reform UK wins second council by-election in Scotland
10 Jul 2026 at 10:10am

Fiona McDermott was elected to represent Larkhall on South Lanarkshire Council

John Swinney has previously admitted the £660,000 donated for independence campaigning has been spent on the SNP?s ?ongoing activities?

Widdecombe was a Conservative MP between 1987 and 2010

A public consultation has launched looking at restricting the sale of vapes to children.

Towns such as Dunoon and Mallaig must be supported when ferries are disrupted, say the Scottish Liberal Democats

The Fire Brigades Union has issued the stark warning following a blaze at a prominent Edinburgh building.

?I don't think anyone can predict what's going to happen with the site? - Roddy Smith, Essential Edinburgh

At the moment, it looks like Count Binface will be the only candidate standing against Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election.

Wings over Scotland

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Craig Murray

Palestine Action Proscription: We Fight Back
1 Jul 2026 at 12:50pm

I publish below in full the Note we have submitted to Court today to re-establish the separate Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. Not only is the state doubling down on prosecution of pro-Palestine activists, a new National Security State Threats Bill is being fast tracked through parliament to extend the attack …

Palestine Action Proscription: We Fight Back

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism
29 Jun 2026 at 9:50am

The provisional surrender document signed by Donald Trump appeared to represent a triumph for Iran and indeed for the world; but neither the USA nor Israel has the slightest sense of honour and they cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith. Iran knows this – after all, the USA twice attacked Iran actually during …

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism

The UK Joins the Pirates
15 Jun 2026 at 1:21pm

I was genuinely surprised by the Starmer regime’s refusal to state that the Israeli boarding of the Global Sumud flotilla on the High Seas was illegal. I did not realise it was because the UK was planning to undertake similar illegal seizure itself. The Gaza Flotilla seizure was illegal: while for obvious reasons freedom of …

The UK Joins the Pirates

Sentencing the Innocent
13 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm

Judge Johnson had proved his fascist credentials through rulings much earlier in the Filton trial than his vicious sentencing. Indeed, he had arguably already shown them when he released Tommy Robinson from a prison sentence, or when as a barrister he had chosen to work for the intelligence services and Ministry of Defence. But in …

Sentencing the Innocent

The Joy of Resistance
6 Jun 2026 at 9:51am

Just a quick note to say that I am very aware that lately I have been rather bitter, which is not good for anybody, especially me. The disappointments and state outrages have been no worse than usual; my frustration at my poor health, and the subsequent constraint of my ability to fight back, has rather …

The Joy of Resistance

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland
28 May 2026 at 7:50am

I went through yesterday’s preliminary hearing in the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action with a sense of mounting horror. We had the same judge as at the permission hearing, Lord Young. We had exactly the same arguments and the same case law being deployed again by the UK government as at …

The Power of the UK State Over Scotland

BBC Scotland

SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
8 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
Chris Birt was one of six male councillors who voted to take no action on David Brown's operator's licence

Farage is victim of by-election 'stitch-up', claims Reform's Scottish leader
8 Jul 2026 at 4:37pm
Malcolm Offord made the remark as major parties have confirmed they will not contest the vote triggered by Farage's resignation, describing it as a political stunt.

'Mansion tax' could double rates on Scotland's most expensive homes
6 Jul 2026 at 1:34pm
SNP ministers have has proposed a steep council tax increase for properties worth more than £1m.

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
The Labour MP, who is expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, has ruled out agreeing to a vote.

Four councillors quit after vote for rapist taxi driver to keep operator licence
7 Jul 2026 at 2:16pm
The four have resigned from Highland licensing committee after voting to allow David Brown to keep an operator's licence.

Police inquiry into Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
The group campaigned in favour of Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum.

I was 'slam dunk' for SNP leadership until revealing gay marriage views - Forbes
3 Jul 2026 at 6:23am
The former deputy first minister says she was advised to lie about her opinions on same-sex marriage.

Burnham showed 'lack of knowledge' about Scotland - Swinney
1 Jul 2026 at 12:07pm
The first minister has criticised the Labour MP after he suggested power north of the border was too centralised.

What does the Royal Navy's drone warship plan mean for Scotland?
1 Jul 2026 at 6:15am
The UK government's long-awaited defence spending plans are out, but is it good or bad news for Scottish shipbuilders?

Charges for hate crimes in Scotland soar to record high
30 Jun 2026 at 11:55am
A total of 7,115 charges with at least one element of hate crime were recorded in 2025-26.

Andy Burnham vows to decentralise power in Scotland
29 Jun 2026 at 2:18pm
The Labour MP, who is expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, said he wants to take power away from devolved parliaments and empower communities.

Scottish Labour's election 'disaster' due to unpopular PM - Lennon
28 Jun 2026 at 12:43pm
Former Labour MSP Monica Lennon says voters could not get beyond Keir Starmer's unpopularity.

Scot Goes Pop

Disaster for Burnham as Labour languish in JOINT THIRD in YouGov Scottish sub...
8 Jul 2026 at 3:01pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Another stunning SNP by-election GAIN as the Tories go into FREE...

Another stunning SNP by-election GAIN as the Tories go into FREEFALL in the n...
4 Jul 2026 at 2:11pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE. A great reply semi-ruined by the final sentence. Stew? In Scotland?! The very ...

"IS THAT IT, ANDY?!" Only a 2% Burnham bounce for Labour with YouGov, as SNP ...
1 Jul 2026 at 11:59am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Burnham in danger of making government from Manchester as remote...

King of the South: Andy Burnham will make rule from Manchester as detested in...
30 Jun 2026 at 3:42am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP do...

Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP are dominant in...
29 Jun 2026 at 2:28am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.As regular readers may recall, I've been an elected member of the SNP's Policy Devel...

By-election sensation as SNP *gain* seat in Aberdeen - John Swinney's party a...
27 Jun 2026 at 8:40pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsamp...

Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsample result in ...
26 Jun 2026 at 9:27am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Andy Burnham's plan to rip up the Barnett Formula means he is ri...

How it is still mathematically possible for Scotland to qualify for the secon...
25 Jun 2026 at 2:12pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Andy Burnham's plan to rip up the Barnett Formula means he is ri...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Ann Widdecombe, former Tory MP and Reform UK member, dies aged 78
10 Jul 2026 at 7:12am
The death of the 78-year-old was announced on Friday

MP calls Dunblane massacre ?one murder? on Joe Rogan podcast
9 Jul 2026 at 10:28am
On March 13, 1996, 16 pupils and their teacher were shot dead at Dunblane Primary School

Burnham poised for coronation as last potential rival rules out leadership bid
8 Jul 2026 at 11:03pm
Al Carns, thought to be the final remaining potential challenger to the former Greater Manchester mayor, has ruled himself out of the running.

Chancellor accepts Nigel Farage?s resignation as MP for ?farce? by-election
8 Jul 2026 at 1:39pm
Rachel Reeves said she wouldn't stop Farage spending his summer "arguing with a bin".

Nigel Farage victim of by-election ?stitch-up?, says Reform?s Scottish leader...
8 Jul 2026 at 1:10pm
Parties from across the political spectrum have said they will not contest the Clacton by-election sparked by the Reform leader?s resignation

Al Carns: Who is the Scottish Royal Marines colonel who hasn?t backed Andy Bu...
7 Jul 2026 at 1:45pm
One Labour MP has very publicly refused to make up his mind about the former Manchester mayor

Nigel Farage to resign as MP to trigger by-election
7 Jul 2026 at 12:12pm
The Reform UK leader will fight the forthcoming vote in Clacton in a contest he said was the 'people versus the establishment'

SNP MSP breaks with Scottish Government on Jackdaw and Rosebank
7 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
The announcement comes after the party lost the Aberdeen South by-election last month

Nato to unveil multibillion defence plans to prove its firepower to Trump
7 Jul 2026 at 8:40am
Donald Trump has previously said he was disappointed that some Nato allies refused to join the Iran war.

Consultation opens on Scottish Government?s ?mansion tax? proposals
6 Jul 2026 at 12:00pm
Deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth said the Scottish Government?s approach was 'based on fairness'

Andy Burnham should scrap ?short-sighted? NI tax hike ? new SNP MP
5 Jul 2026 at 11:18am
Lara Bird said the policy was ?choking-off? economic growth in Scotland.

Scots counting cost of two years of ?disastrous? Labour government, Tories say
4 Jul 2026 at 10:04am
Scottish Conservatives deputy leader Rachael Hamilton says Sir Keir Starmer?s time in office had been 'disastrous'

Starmer must say what he will cut to fund £15bn defence rise, SNP says
2 Jul 2026 at 6:57am
Dave Doogan, the party?s Westminster leader, warned the PM's 'unfunded' plans could take 'vital' money away from schools and hospitals

Westminster asks Holyrood about joint inquiry into SNP Murrell scandal
1 Jul 2026 at 5:25pm
The Scottish Affairs Committee is writing to MSPs in a bid to work together

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Malcolm Offord 'must answer' whether crypto donations are funding Reform UK i...
10 Jul 2026 at 11:51am
EXCLUSIVE: The SNP said it was in the "interests of transparency" to ask whether two donors who gave millions to Nigel Farage have also contributed to Reform's campaigns in Scotland.

Donors to SNP online fundraiser could be in line for 'double their money back...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:46am
John Swinney previously admitted his party had already spent the more than £660,000 of donations that were raised in two separate online fundraisers.

The 5 political scandals Scotland has almost forgotten
9 Jul 2026 at 5:00pm
The conviction of Peter Murrell for embezzling £400,000 from the SNP has been described as the biggest scandal of the devolution era. The Record looks back at some of the other major political rows...

Football banning orders in Scotland to be toughened in crackdown on pyro use ...
9 Jul 2026 at 2:37pm
The crackdown is hoped to finally deter fans from using pyros in stadiums after their use exploded in recent years.

Fury as Rupert Lowe describes Dunblane massacre as 'one murder' on Joe Rogan ...
9 Jul 2026 at 9:13am
The Restore Britain leader, who was previously kicked-out of Nigel Farage's party, is facing a backlash over his "astonishingly insensitive" remarks on the deadliest mass shooting in UK history.

Scottish Government spending £159m to mitigate UK policies as SNP challenges ...
9 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The SNP is challenging Andy Burnham - who is expected to enter Downing Street later this month - to set out his plans for reducing poverty.

'Young people have the power to save lives' Ex cop's message in wake of Amen ...
9 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
Violence reduction expert Graham Goulden - who spent 30 years in policing - makes an emotional plea to young people after 15-year-old Amen's fatal stabbing.

'Horrific' Beastie House case needs public inquiry to probe Glasgow City Coun...
8 Jul 2026 at 1:26pm
Two girls and a boy were violently and sexually assaulted on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019 at a disgusting flat in Townhead.

SNP could face two legal actions from Scots who donated to 'ring-fenced' refe...
8 Jul 2026 at 10:52am
Two separate groups of donors to the SNP's 2017 and 2019 referendum fighting funds are considering legal action against John Swinney's party.

Stephen Flynn blasts HS2 costs and says £100bn project is 'symbolic of Westmi...
8 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government's new Transport Secretary described HS2 as "one of the most over-budget and delayed projects ever".

The National

The National | Politics

Date confirmed for Nigel Farage vs Count Binface by-election
10 Jul 2026 at 11:20am

THE date for the by-election triggered by Nigel Farage?s decision to quit as an MP has been confirmed ...

JK Rowling?s sexual assault support centre branded ?anti-rights? in Amnesty r...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:48am

A SEXUAL violence support centre founded by JK Rowling has been branded an ?anti-rights? group by Amnesty International ...

SNP 'liable to repay double' donations to £600k indyref2 fund, top Scots KC s...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:26am

A LEGAL claim of fraudulent breach of trust, being brought against the SNP because of how £600,000 raised to fight a second independence referendum was spent, is ?close to irresistible? and could see the party ordered to repay double the donations given to them,...

Council blasts false online claims about 'care home to become asylum accommod...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:24am

GLASGOW City Council has hit out at the ?unacceptable? spreading of misinformation online that is ?damaging? local communities following claims that a care home was being turned into asylum accommodation ...

Reform UK win Larkhall by-election in South Lanarkshire
10 Jul 2026 at 10:00am

REFORM UK have won a council by-election in South Lanarkshire.

Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe dies aged 78
10 Jul 2026 at 9:17am

FORMER Tory MP and Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe, who also featured on Strictly Come Dancing, has died aged 78 ...

Police investigating Reform UK donations by fraudster's mother
10 Jul 2026 at 8:26am

POLICE have launched a criminal investigation into at least £500,000 of donations made to Reform UK by the mother of a convicted criminal who is at the centre of Nigel Farage?s donations scandal ...

This US World Cup controversy exposes the corruption of the beautiful game
10 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

THERE was a wave of relief throughout the football world on Tuesday when Belgium defeated the USA 4-1 in their last-16 knock-out game in the World Cup. US president Donald Trump?s outrageous attempt to subvert the outcome of the match had, thankfully, backfired.

Patrick Harvie: Future of the CCA is a test for new Culture Secretary
10 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

MENTION 350 Sauchiehall Street to most people in Glasgow and you?ll get a blank stare. But behind what?s now a depressing frontage sealed by metal sheeting is more than 50 years of the city?s cultural history.

Andy Burnham breaks parliamentary rules following Labour leadership vote
9 Jul 2026 at 7:15pm

ANDY Burnham has broken parliamentary rules by filming social media content on the Commons estate without permission, it has emerged ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

SNP face group legal action over ?ring-fenced? independence fund
10 Jul 2026 at 1:25pm
Legal advice concludes that a ?civil claim for fraudulent breach of trust is close to irresistible?

Football banning orders expanded to tackle pitch invasions
9 Jul 2026 at 4:12pm
It comes as the government published analysis of a recent consultation on FBO legislation, which received more than 900 responses including from fans, the SFA, SPFL and Police Scotland.

Former Tory MSP advising new Reform group
9 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
Maurice Golden stepped down from parliament at the election

Rupert Lowe dismisses Dunblane school massacre as ?one murder?
9 Jul 2026 at 11:54am
The Restore Britain MP's comments have been described as ?insulting? and ?despicable? by local politicians

Offord says Farage by-election boycott is ?establishment stitch-up?
8 Jul 2026 at 4:23pm
All the major parties have declined to field candidates against Farage in Clacton

SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
8 Jul 2026 at 3:22pm
Highland Council's licensing committee has been under fire after six male councillors voted to take no action

Scott Arthur named MP of the Year for Rare Cancers Act
8 Jul 2026 at 1:24pm
The MP brought the legislation forward as a private members? bill not longer after being elected

Scotland could block hyperscale data centres over environmental concerns
8 Jul 2026 at 12:54pm
The SNP is looking at planning guidance amid concerns over the environmental impact of the facilities

Farage to resign as MP for Clacton as he rails against the media in televised...
7 Jul 2026 at 3:42pm
The Reform leader said he would contest the resulting by-election. It comes amid increased scrutiny of his finances.

Scottish A&E in ?permanent crisis? as thousands wait 12 hours or more
7 Jul 2026 at 2:11pm
The new data shows that one in eight patients waited 12 or more hours before being admitted, discharged or transferred in May 2026

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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 ...

?This changes everything?: how Brexit altered Scotland?s political landscape
21 Jun 2026 at 12:00pm
Former party leaders reflect on the turbulence that followed the referendum in which most Scottish voters backed the losing sideThe decision to quit the EU bolstered support for Scottish independence, which a decade after the Brexit referendum is at near record levels, according to Scottish Labou...

Burnham calls for ?new path for Britain? as Starmer vows to fight any leaders...
19 Jun 2026 at 6:30pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:Cabinet loyalists tell PM he has weekend to set out timetable for exit?Now is the change moment?: Burnham staff have no doubtsPodcast: will Burnham become prime minister?What would ?change? look like if Burnham becomes PM?David Blunket...

Scottish Conservatives win Aberdeen South in shock loss for the SNP
19 Jun 2026 at 12:29pm
Tories? Douglas Lumsden says city has spoken ?loud and clear? in support of the North Sea oil and gas industryThe Scottish National party has lost the formerly safe seat of Aberdeen South in a shock loss to the Scottish Conservatives.Douglas Lumsden beat the SNP?s Richard Thomson by 6,050 votes, ...

?No friends to the oil and gas industry?: Aberdeen South, the byelection wher...
17 Jun 2026 at 3:00pm
Peter Murrell affair may feature, but contest seen as straight fight between SNP and Tories over energy policyThe contest for Aberdeen South, a constituency that spans urban social housing and detached homes with sculpted gardens, has been dominated by one topic: the future of North Sea oil and g...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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 …

Labour?s attempted theft of the Holyrood election is being aided by the media
3 Jul 2026 at 3:32pm
Something is seriously wrong with democracy in Scotland, but the media has told us vastly more about Peter Murrell’s cruet sets than it has about what can only be described as an attempt by the Labour party to steal the Holyrood election. In fact the attempted subversion of the result of the recent election has …

Labour?s nuclear power, an offer we can refuse
2 Jul 2026 at 3:30pm
It’s an offer we can refuse. The Labour government has identified a number of sites across Scotland on which it would like to build new nuclear power plants. A report was published this week by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the political ashtray Michael Shanks, the most disappointing MP in a …

Burnham, the GB Energy of devolution
29 Jun 2026 at 9:06pm
Andy Burnham’s big plan for the UK is still lacking in detail, but it’s already looking suspiciously like another of Westminster’s power grabs at the expense of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. Burnham’s big speech on Monday during which he unveiled his plans for a Number Ten North. No, Scotland, not THAT north, Burnham’s north. …

The feeding frenzy
26 Jun 2026 at 12:13pm
Peter Murrell was sentenced on Tuesday for a crime of which the SNP was the victim. That has not diminished the appetite of the media in Scotland to continue its witch hunt. Ever since Murrell pleaded guilty the media in Scotland has descended into a feeding frenzy. You’d be forgiven for thinking that it was …

Burnham?s threat to the Scottish budget
25 Jun 2026 at 1:18pm
While the media in Scotland continues to scrabble around in the bins in search of another desperate angle on the Murrell scandal, it’s looking almost certain that there will be no leadership contest in the Labour party. Close Starmer ally Darren Jones, who had been tipped to make a leadership bid, has said he will …

The burst socks of British politics
22 Jun 2026 at 3:49pm
Starmer has gone, a man whose main achievement as Prime Minister was to throw away a landslide majority in the House of Commons and make himself even more unpopular than Liz Truss. The UK is now heading for its seventh prime minister in ten years, meaning that British prime ministers don’t last as long as …

Three by elections and no one cared about the Murrell affair
19 Jun 2026 at 12:42pm
The Tories are celebrating their Westminster by election win in Aberdeen South today. But just as Labour celebrated its Holyrood by election win in Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse in 2025 only to go on to lose this year’s Holyrood election, all this by election result really tells us is that tactical voting in by elections …

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

Scotland?s ambulances between 2 and 3 tines faster thousands of times but Dai...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:59am
The Daily Record today, above: On 26 June 2026: There are some minor problems in comparing the data for England and Scotland but you can be sure that were they to favour the former, they?d be widely reported. Here?s why they?re not: In January 2024, BBC UK made direct comparison possible: Via the BBC?s How long do patients wait for an ambulance? app, we can confirm that the average waiting time...

Fires fall dramatically to lowest in 10 years and staffing climbs to put Prin...
10 Jul 2026 at 9:59am
The Scotsman above pushing the ill-informed scare story about fire service cuts in an evidence vaccuum. Badly mixing my metaphors let me shine some light on that vacuum. From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: March 2026 published today, the above and : Number of fires fell 5% in the last year. In 2024-25, there were 22,925 fires in Scotland, down 5% on 2023-24 and th...

Why Scotland?s prisoner tagging scheme is not in crisis ? Violent offenders a...
10 Jul 2026 at 9:03am
From BBC UK today: Almost 9,000 people in England and Wales required to have an electronic monitoring tag did not have one, a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has found. They are likely to include violent offenders and prisoners released from jail who need to be checked on. The NAO said, as of March 2026, prison authorities were reviewing around 8,900 cases of individuals recorded as h...

Is this the first credible case of spiking by needle injection?
10 Jul 2026 at 8:33am
Headlining BBC Scotland today, the above and: At the hospital, blood tests revealed she had been injected with gamma-hydroxybutyrate, better known as GHB, as well as an anti-depressant drug. GHB is a powerful sedative that causes extreme sleepiness and loss of inhibitions – and it erases the memory of what has happened under its influence. It is notorious as a date rape drug. Whilst the GHB wou...

The Strange Geography of Self-Determination ? The Polar Bear and the Unicorn
9 Jul 2026 at 4:28pm
By Mark E. Saunders of ?The Scottish Minuteman? https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 According to 11 Downing Street, when it comes to Greenland, democracy is simple ? the future of Greenland should be decided by the people of Greenland. It should not be determined by Donald Trump. Not by any occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Not by Washington. Not by whoever happens to ha...

Vietnamese slaves trafficked into Ayrshire to grow cannabis by an English dru...
9 Jul 2026 at 4:13pm
The Herald today has the above and only this to explain it: Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with a drugs recovery in Girvan. Around 11am on Thursday, July 2, officers executed a warrant at a property in the town’s Dalrymple Street. Police said a cannabis cultivation was discovered within with an estimated street value of £300,000. and: That’s it. Might they have investigate...

Truth be told even Scotland?s ?most dangerous? place is less so than 27 of th...
9 Jul 2026 at 4:12pm
The Daily Record yesterday had the above and: Scotland’s “most dangerous” areas have been named as part of a new list put together by security experts, with one of the country’s major cities placing first. The city was described by the experts as having “startling figures across the board”, with overall crimes figures rising by more than 5 per cent. On Tuesday, July 7, ProFM Group shared a roun...

Top UK researchers applaud SNP?s ?impressive? yet ?affordable? achievements i...
9 Jul 2026 at 4:10pm
I’m grateful to Dottie once more, for spotting this and alerting us to it. This report is part of the research programme of ?Safety Nets: Social security for families in a devolved UK?. We are the first comprehensive, four-country study of the devolution and localisation of social security in the United Kingdom. The project team spans eight universities, Child Poverty Action Group and the Resol...

Bereavement support ? Hiding the overall responsibility of the UK Government ...
9 Jul 2026 at 11:04am
Widely broadcast and prominently reported on its website today by BBC Scotland, the above and: A widow says she was left facing an impossible choice after her husband’s death – sell the family home or return to work and put her two sons into full-time childcare. Lorraine Wallace, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, is now campaigning for changes to better support grieving families after her bereavement suppo...

How Scotland?s disability benefits system has been kinder and crucially remai...
9 Jul 2026 at 9:53am
In the midst of this damning finding, hot on the heels of England’s maternity unit horrors report, BBC Scotland have not managed to find something to suggest things are the same up here. They have done so, in the recent past with individual tales of over-complex and delayed processing of claims. Here’s why it’s difficult for them: What is the most important recent historical fact in disability ...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim - BBC
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim  BBC

Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum - The Telegraph
5 Jul 2026 at 1:09pm
Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum  The Telegraph

SNP 'liable to repay double' donations to £600k indyref2 fund, top Scots KC s...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:43am
SNP 'liable to repay double' donations to £600k indyref2 fund, top Scots KC suggests  The National Scot

Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum - thecanar...
7 Jul 2026 at 5:53pm
Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum  thecanary.co

Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell - Enlighten - Scotland's Independ...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell  Enlighten - Scotland's Independent Think Tank

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

Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum - The Times
5 Jul 2026 at 5:03pm
Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum  The Times

Andy Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum - The Scotsman
5 Jul 2026 at 10:57am
Andy Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum  The Scotsman

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Scots face fresh SNP tax bombshell as John Swinney scraps advisory group of e...
10 Jul 2026 at 12:06pm
Scots face fresh SNP tax bombshell as John Swinney scraps advisory group of experts  Scottish Daily Express

SNP offer refunds for people who donated to 'ring-fenced' indyref2 fund - The...
10 Jul 2026 at 12:15pm
SNP offer refunds for people who donated to 'ring-fenced' indyref2 fund  The National Scot

Former SNP chief Peter Murrell leaves court as new images show items bought w...
2 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Former SNP chief Peter Murrell leaves court as new images show items bought with embezzled funds  BBC

Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, co...
2 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, court told  The Guardian

How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled ...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled  BBC

Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter M...
30 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell  Sky News

Former Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling $540,000 - R...
25 May 2026 at 8:00am
Former Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling $540,000  Reuters

Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unw...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unwrapped  BBC

Sturgeon wishes she had not kept Murrell on as SNP chief executive - BBC
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Sturgeon wishes she had not kept Murrell on as SNP chief executive  BBC

I was 'slam dunk' for SNP leadership until revealing gay marriage views - For...
2 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
I was 'slam dunk' for SNP leadership until revealing gay marriage views - Forbes  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim - BBC
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim  BBC

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum - The Times
5 Jul 2026 at 5:03pm
Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum  The Times

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

Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum - thecanar...
7 Jul 2026 at 5:53pm
Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum  thecanary.co

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

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

SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence refere...
8 Jul 2026 at 11:08am
SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence referendum'  The National Scot

Andy Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum - The Scotsman
5 Jul 2026 at 10:57am
Andy Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum  The Scotsman

How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years s...
19 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years since the referendum?  YouGov