The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Glasgow protesters rally over Orange Order parade in Garvaghy Road dispute
by Nicole.Mitchell@newsquest.co.uk | Nicole Mitchell
4 Oct 2026 at 4:02pm
Glasgow demonstrators gathered on October 4 over the Orange Order parade on Garvaghy Road, with rival protests separated by Police Scotland.


NHS Scotland external courier contract rises by £400,000 after 'error'
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
4 Oct 2026 at 3:28pm
NHS Scotland amends CitySprint courier contract value by £400,000 to £1.2m after an error omitted potential extension periods from procurement records.


Greens make ?Zionism is racism? policy as Polanski skips vote
by Kathleen Nutt
4 Oct 2026 at 3:26pm
Green Party members have decided to define Zionism as racist in a conference vote skipped by party leader Zack Polanski.


SNP ministers under fire in new 'secrecy' row over Monklands hospital
by Kathleen Nutt
4 Oct 2026 at 12:45pm
Angela Constance has been accused of attempting to "keep secret" key information about the collapse of a £2billion replacement for Monklands Hospital as it emerged she privately briefed John Swinney about its impending failure a week before announcing the development to...


SNP criticises Burnham over £200m Grangemouth industry pledge
by Ryan McDougall
4 Oct 2026 at 12:36pm
An SNP MSP has called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to reveal when he will spend £200 million promised to an industrial cluster in the Falkirk area.


Sturgeon attacks PM's 'glaring contradiction' over second EU referendum and i...
by Kathleen Nutt
4 Oct 2026 at 10:04am
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has accused Andy Burnham of a 'glaring contradiction' over possible support for a second EU referendum while opposing a new independence vote.


Edinburgh housing chief in plea for more cash amid 'tidal wave' of homelessness
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
4 Oct 2026 at 6:30am
City of Edinburgh Council experienced an increase of 14 per cent in homeless applications last year, rising to 4,435 from 3,899 in 2024/25.


Calls grow for Andy Burnham to reverse UK cuts as Malawi aid drops to £5m
by Kathleen Nutt
4 Oct 2026 at 5:00am
Andy Burnham is being urged to reverse cuts to international aid after an analysis found one of the world's poorest countries would receive just £5m in UK government support from next year.


Russell Findlay to decry Scottish independence and Swinney's summit with Sinn...
by Ryan McDougall
4 Oct 2026 at 1:22am
Russell Findlay is expected to lambast the idea of Scottish independence and the First Minister?s recent summit with Sinn Féin.


Are we living in a computer simulation? Scotland's Astronomer Royal gives her...
by Neil Mackay
4 Oct 2026 at 6:00am
Could the Big Bang have been the launch of a cosmic computer programme? Scotland?s Astronomer Royal Catherine Heymans explains the science.


Inside the ?violence-for-hire? model that is reshaping European security
by david.pratt@heraldandtimes.co.uk | David Pratt
4 Oct 2026 at 6:00am
As the RAF Fairford incident takes another twist, Foreign Editor David Pratt examines how it has thrown the spotlight on the murky alliance of organised crime and geopolitics.


Labour is 'becoming Scotland?s party of hope again', Marra insists
by Katrine Bussey
3 Oct 2026 at 10:26am
Labour is ?becoming Scotland?s party of hope again?, Michael Marra has insisted as he kickstarted his first campaign weekend since he took over as Scottish leader.


Christine Jardine on ageism, diversity and the political dominance of middle-...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
3 Oct 2026 at 6:30am
I ask the Edinburgh West MP if the obsession over her age ? 65 ? and the decision taken by her local party?s executive committee, upsets her.


Scottish Government urged to fund RAAC repairs at cash-strapped Edinburgh Napier
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
3 Oct 2026 at 6:30am
Edinburgh North Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton called on ministers to commission a study of buildings containing the substance.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Confiscate driving licences from benefit fraudsters, says Russell Findlay
4 Oct 2026 at 2:33pm

The Scottish Tory leader launched his party?s Benefit Fraud Bill in a speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

The former first minister said there was a ?glaring contradiction? that the Prime Minister was re-opening the Brexit debate, but would not allow another Scottish independence referendum.

Earlier this week I met up with Humza Yousaf to discuss his new book - and learned more about the real person behind the politician.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care Angela Constance on our investigation into maternity services in Scotland

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine described the state of departments going into winter as ?terrifying?

Dr Fiona Hunter of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said government action is ?too little too late?

New figures illustrate how unusual it is to have - as in Peter Murrell?s case - legal aid stopped

Calls for families to be placed at ?heart? of independent review

Harriet Cross will say in a speech at the Tory conference that ?our argument for the Union cannot simply be that we oppose independence?

Salmon Scotland says donors do not fully understand where their money is going.

Wings over Scotland

The Love Of Big Brother
3 Oct 2026 at 1:24pm
We were trying to work out what this reminded us of. And the answer was in the same place it usually is. It all checks out. The SNP spend their time grooming your children and trying to make basic parenting a crime. They endorse “gender-affirming care” that sterilises them and will stop them ever having …

In The Eyes Of The Law
1 Oct 2026 at 2:15pm
Our fundraiser to bring a judicial review of Police Scotland’s decision not to charge anyone with embezzlement in the case of the SNP’s missing £700,000 indyref fund is now live, and can be reached by clicking on this image, or here. The target of £30,000 represents the cost of the initial application (with contingency for …

Whatever Can Have Happened?
30 Sep 2026 at 1:50pm
Yesterday afternoon John Swinney announced an independent review into the dual roles of Scotland’s main law officers, the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General, which have been a subject of great controversy since the Scottish Parliament was re-convened in 1999. Wings welcomes this development unequivocally, albeit we’re slightly concerned that the former judge leading the …

The Turning Point
28 Sep 2026 at 1:10pm
We don’t have much to say about this graph that it doesn’t say for itself. The arrest of Peter Murrell on 5 April 2023, just a couple of weeks after his wife had realised the game was up and walked away before the cops came round and put a big blue tent up on their …

Cowering From Destiny
24 Sep 2026 at 11:29am
Alert readers will recall that last year the SNP convened a summit in Glasgow for the sole purpose of uniting the nation in preventing Nigel Farage becoming Prime Minister. The party also regularly tells us that to actually achieve independence, support would have to build to an overwhelming consensus into the 60-65% range, rather than …

His Majesty?s Loyal Sabre
21 Sep 2026 at 1:50pm
Funny how people change, isn’t it? That sounds a lot to us like “Bombs Not Bairns”. We watched the first episode of “The Wargame” at 2am this morning (it’s toe-curlingly bad, shot like a soft-focus corporate promo with three-second cuts, constant dramatic music and the politicians delivering wooden press-conference soundbites rather than any sense of …

A Thousand Islands In The Sea
16 Sep 2026 at 1:22pm
We’re getting so much correspondence from Police Scotland at the moment that we’re starting to feel like their guiltily-neglected penpal. This one, though, is slightly more involved than their usual two-paragraph brushoff. Don’t get too excited, though – it amounts to the same thing. This is self-evident gibberish. Nobody was prosecuted, let alone convicted, over …

Fear And Favour
15 Sep 2026 at 1:10pm
This is what it looks like, if you’ve ever wondered. It’s basically the police’s own version of a seven-hour “no comment” interview. Let’s take a moment to remind ourselves of that letter of 20 August, because it was a pretty significant and serious piece of professional correspondence to have been so casually tossed away in …

Like Responsible Citizens Do
14 Sep 2026 at 12:13pm
Given the refusal of Police Scotland to meaningfully answer our questions, we’ve been left with no alternative but to report Nicola Sturgeon for the crime of reset. We’re sure the matter will be handled with the exact same professional diligence and complete and fearless impartiality that it would be for any other accused person. The …

A Long Hard Think
11 Sep 2026 at 3:37pm
More than three months ago now, we sent Police Scotland a Freedom Of Information request. A few minutes ago we finally received a response. Brace yourselves. That is, um… interesting. Retaining gifts you know were bought with embezzled money is the common-law crime of reset in Scots law, under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act …

Craig Murray

Fatuous False Flags
2 Oct 2026 at 10:16am

Rather than abandoning the plainly nuts Fairford narrative, Burnham and his government are doubling down on the claim it is an Iranian terror plot. It remains quite possible the men were indeed fuel thieves, simply stealing fuel from farms. They appear to have been equipped for fuel theft and all they were carrying was petrol. …

Fatuous False Flags

Losing My Religion
29 Sep 2026 at 12:07pm

I have lost faith both in Western social democracy, and in the institutions of international law. As both have been fundamental to the work of my life, this is rather a blow as I approach 70. A number of deeply shocking things have happened this past three years, not as extraneous events, but as conscious …

Losing My Religion

Palestine Action Judicial Review
23 Sep 2026 at 4:51pm

On Friday we have our appeal against the suspension of the Palestine Action judicial review in Scotland. Our legal crowdfunder has been closed down by the card processors following Trump’s designation of Palestine Action as a global terrorist organisation. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/scottish-challenge-to-proscription/dashboard/ If you can, please come to the Court of Session in Edinburgh for 10am. If …

Palestine Action Judicial Review

Four Days in Ekaterinburg
21 Sep 2026 at 1:26pm

I was surprised a few weeks ago to get an invitation from Yana Lantratova, Russian Federal Commissioner for Human Rights, to deliver a speech on human rights to the International Youth Festival in Ekaterinburg. It is approaching 20 years since I was last in Russia, and I tend to avoid invitations from governments. But on …

Four Days in Ekaterinburg

Dishonesty and Deceit
7 Sep 2026 at 7:31pm

UPDATE We got an expedited date to “reclaim” (appeal) against the suspension of the case, on 25 September. We shall also be reclaiming against the decision not to send the case straight to the Inner House. All parties seemed to agree there may just be time, if our appeal is successful, to finish the Scottish …

Dishonesty and Deceit

Nonsense Drones and Novichok
3 Sep 2026 at 2:14pm

Europe urgently needs to re-establish access to Russian oil and gas. Gas prices are high – as all UK energy consumers know – and German gas storage is at a record low for September. Gulf production is degraded, supplies are cut off and its long-term strategic stability undermined. German manufacturing already suffered a 9.5% production …

Nonsense Drones and Novichok

BBC Scotland

Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irres...
4 Oct 2026 at 2:10pm
Russell Findlay tells the Conservative Party's UK conference that breaking up the United Kingdom would be "a gift to our enemies".

Grangemouth firm took £1m of public money months before closure announcement
2 Oct 2026 at 4:59pm
Syngenta says it will pay back the Scottish Enterprise funding in full if operations cease at its Grangemouth site.

No more cereal at the end of the aisle? New rules in Scotland's supermarkets
2 Oct 2026 at 11:47am
Restrictions are being put on products with high sugar, fat and salt content, but the meal deal lives on.

PM warned Rosebank oil field could breach West Bank sanctions
1 Oct 2026 at 7:38pm
Campaigners and Green Party leader Zack Polanski raise concerns about Rosebank's ties to an Israeli firm.

Asylum hotel's contract to be cancelled this year, says MP
1 Oct 2026 at 5:18pm
The Cladhan in Falkirk was the site of demonstrations last summer involving pro and anti-immigration group.

Doctors say radical plan to merge Scotland's health boards should be scrapped
1 Oct 2026 at 3:08pm
BMA Scotland says there is no evidence that reducing the number of health boards from 14 to two will improve patient care.

Bullying claims a 'work of fiction', Labour MSP Monica Lennon says
1 Oct 2026 at 4:11pm
The Glasgow politician has described allegations about her as a "media hit job" and "vexatious".

Moray councillor continues to carry out council duties after moving to Egypt
1 Oct 2026 at 11:37am
Independent councillor Neil McLennan has held a seat in the Buckie and Findochty ward since May 2022.

Glasgow City Council begins fresh pay talks with union and Gilruth
1 Oct 2026 at 12:39pm
On Wednesday a council statement said talks had broken down and suggested Unison members could face being sent letters over fire and rehire.

More than half of Scotland's universities spend more than they earn - report
1 Oct 2026 at 9:43am
The situation could get worse if expected income from international students does not arrive, a new report says.

Swinney to introduce misogyny education in every school in Scotland
30 Sep 2026 at 12:38pm
The first minister says he wants to challenge misogynistic behaviour in young boys and strengthen and support young girls.

Peter Murrell's legal aid withdrawn after embezzlement conviction
30 Sep 2026 at 12:21pm
The former SNP chief executive had been receiving government-funded support since last year.

Scot Goes Pop

Watch out for ORCS! Rory Stewart thrillingly brings back "The Middleland", by...
4 Oct 2026 at 3:29pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Burnham's TIME-BENDING hypocrisy: "It's fine for us to consider overturning t...
1 Oct 2026 at 1:35am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Burnham uses the loss of his father as an excuse for stripping Scotland of it...
29 Sep 2026 at 7:00pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Is Robin McAlpine hallucinating, or is he trying to gaslight us?
26 Sep 2026 at 2:06am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

YouGov MRP mega-poll shows SNP on course to hold the BALANCE OF POWER at West...
24 Sep 2026 at 2:58pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

HUGE milestone for Scottish independence as TENTH Norstat poll in a row shows...
22 Sep 2026 at 8:29pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

WHO KNEW that the Brit Nats would be SO triggered by the mere idea of a total...
21 Sep 2026 at 2:16pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Labour slump to THIRD PLACE in Scottish subsample as Burnham's YouGov horror ...
16 Sep 2026 at 1:53pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Kemi Badenoch says she won?t let FMs of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland ...
4 Oct 2026 at 5:31pm
The Conservative leader made the comments during the first day of her party's conference in Birmingham

Kemi Badenoch says the Union is ?not safe? in Labour?s hands
2 Oct 2026 at 4:38pm
The Conservative leader believes Labour has taken Scotland closer to having more independence referendums

Serious concerns over Scottish Government plans to move social care under NHS...
2 Oct 2026 at 10:08am
Swinney stated in Holyrood that the NHS should be given greater control over social care to help free up hospital beds

Monica Lennon says ?hit job? bullying allegations have left her ?distressed?
1 Oct 2026 at 5:22pm
The Labour MSP has denied accusations she has bullied four former Labour staff members.

Swinney faces FMQs following Burnham speech and fire-and-rehire row
1 Oct 2026 at 2:01pm
The First Minister will take questions from opposition MSPs at Holyrood from 2pm

Flynn says failure of Alexander Dennis furlough scheme ?deeply disappointing?
30 Sep 2026 at 7:31pm
Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn said it was not possible to pay out £4m of cash from a furlough scheme set up by the Scottish Government.

Swinney to consider more powers for police to curb masked youths on e-bikes
30 Sep 2026 at 4:29pm
The First Minister was told communities are ?crying out for action? to tackle youths who ride the vehicles with their faces hidden

Anas Sarwar says Andy Burnham?s Swinney comments weren?t an attack at Labour ...
30 Sep 2026 at 11:58am
The former Scottish Labour leader also admitted he had failed in his bid to become First Minister, but has a new focus now

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell?s legal aid withdrawn
30 Sep 2026 at 10:46am
The Scottish Legal Aid Board confirmed it has withdrawn funding for Murrell, who was sentenced for embezzlement in June

?Absolutely not? a link between Lord Advocate review and Murrell case ? minister
30 Sep 2026 at 8:47am
The independent review will be led by Lord Boyd

Swinney hits back after Burnham reveals ?last UK PM? jibe was made on day his...
29 Sep 2026 at 6:11pm
The First Minister renewed calls for the Prime Minister to allow indyref2 if he is determined to prove him wrong

How John Swinney inspired Andy Burnham?s first Labour conference speech as Pr...
29 Sep 2026 at 4:37pm
The Prime Minister drew inspiration from two men for his first speech which had some cabinet ministers in tears

Burnham sets out plan to reform triple lock to pay for social care
29 Sep 2026 at 3:23pm
Addressing the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, he also said low-income pensioners would not have to pay income tax during this Parliament

Too much of The Promise to young people in care remains ?on paper?, report warns
29 Sep 2026 at 2:49pm
The Oversight Board for The Promise said there is a ?real and narrowing opportunity? for MSPs to improve the lives of young people in this Parliament

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Half of Scots wild swimming hotspots breached pollution standards in 2026
4 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
Bathing locations like Portobello beach in Edinburgh and Lower Largo in Fife were found to have unsafe levels of 'faecal bacteria' such as E.coli.

Ex-FM Jack McConnell accuses SNP of ignoring 20 years of warnings on 'botched...
4 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
His Labour administration devised the Curriculum for Excellence which McConnell says the SNP then turned into a 'wishy washy mash'.

Crisis-hit Glasgow City Council shells out £55m in sick pay to staff in just ...
3 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
Labour warned the huge bill was "another warning sign that something is seriously wrong with the way the SNP administration is managing Glasgow?s workforce".

Andy Burnham urged to take control of troubled Scots steelworks and save jobs
2 Oct 2026 at 10:44am
The Dalzell plate mill in Motherwell has lain idle for more than six years with staff furloughed or employed on a care and maintenance basis.

'Desperate' John Swinney 'misrepresenting' Andy Burnham over pensions triple ...
1 Oct 2026 at 4:26pm
The Prime Minister used a landmark speech in Liverpool this week to announce he would modify the device used to calculate the annual increase to the state pension.

Hundreds of Scots jobs at risk as chemical manufacturer announces plans to qu...
1 Oct 2026 at 2:58pm
Syngenta plans to end production in Grangemouth and axe almost 400 jobs as a result.

Doctors' chiefs warn Swinney that axing heath boards won't improve care for S...
1 Oct 2026 at 1:54pm
The BMA wants SNP ministers "to withdraw and rethink its whole approach" to healthcare reform.

SNP orders for new buses leaves 'Beijing buzzing' while 115 Scots jobs are sl...
1 Oct 2026 at 11:58am
Alexander Dennis is shutting one of its two factories in Falkirk and plans to slash jobs while it focuses on chassis work in Scotland instead of completing full vehicles.

SNP-led Glasgow City Council reissues threat to sack 23,000 workers after uni...
1 Oct 2026 at 7:53am
Scotland's largest local authority faces effective bankruptcy unless it can finally resolve an equal pay row that has dragged on for more than a decade.

Peter Murrell committed 'real betrayal and treachery', says former SNP leader
1 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Humza Yousaf said he felt "frustration" his time as first minister coincided with the ramping up of Operation Branchform, which ultimately led to the jailing of Peter Murrell.

The National

The National | Politics

Nigel Farage interviewed by standards commissioner over £5m undeclared gift
4 Oct 2026 at 5:21pm

Nigel Farage has been interviewed by the standards commissioner over an investigation into whether he should have declared a £5 million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne

Israeli government issues furious response as English Greens say 'Zionism is ...
4 Oct 2026 at 5:04pm

THE Israeli government has issued a furious response to the Green Party of England and Wales adopting a ?Zionism is racism? stance.

Zack Polanski's Greens vote to 'mutualise' BBC in major overhaul
4 Oct 2026 at 4:36pm

The Green Party of England and Wales has voted to support a major overhaul of the BBC, including plans to 'mutualise' the broadcaster and hand audiences a direct role in how it is run

Holocaust survivor hails Green 'Zionism is racism' motion
4 Oct 2026 at 4:20pm

A HOLOCAUST survivor has welcomed the English and Welsh Greens? decision to class Zionism as racism.

5 exclusive National stories you missed this month ? subscribe for £20
4 Oct 2026 at 3:00pm

FROM investigations into Scotland's AI boom to powerful first-person accounts of class divides at one of the country's oldest universities, The National newsroom has spent the past month uncovering stories you won't find elsewhere

English and Welsh Greens back 'Zionism is racism' motion
4 Oct 2026 at 2:57pm

MEMBERS of the Green Party of England and Wales have voted for a motion declaring "Zionism is racism".

Russell Findlay accuses John Swinney of misleading Parliament with pensions c...
4 Oct 2026 at 1:27pm

RUSSELL Findlay has accused the First Minister of misleading Parliament after claiming that Scots were going to ?lose our pensions? under Labour.

Labour minister says 'I wouldn't link' Scottish independence with Brexit redo
4 Oct 2026 at 12:06pm

A LABOUR minister has said he ?wouldn?t link the two? when challenged on whether rerunning the Brexit debate should allow Scotland to have a second independence referendum.

'Not a penny' of Grangemouth fund spent as fresh job losses threatened
4 Oct 2026 at 11:17am

AN SNP MSP has called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to reveal when he will spend £200 million promised to an industrial cluster in the Falkirk area.

Rupert Lowe claims Restore Britain has overtaken Reform in Scottish members
4 Oct 2026 at 11:02am

RUPERT Lowe has claimed his far-right Restore Britain party has surpassed Reform UK, Labour, the Tories and the Greens in Scottish membership numbers.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

John Swinney accused of ?misrepresenting? Andy Burnham?s plans on pensions
1 Oct 2026 at 6:00pm
The first minister said pensions were 'under attack' as a result of the decision to scrap the triple lock

John Swinney: Jagtar Singh Johal release is a ?significant step?
1 Oct 2026 at 5:33pm
Death penalty threat remains despite bail, family warns

Monica Lennon says bullying claims are 'a work of fiction'
1 Oct 2026 at 1:05pm
Lennon is reported to have been accused of bullying by a number of former members of staff

?Slow pace? warning over Scottish Government offshore wind supply chain progr...
1 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Stephen Gethins defends scheme's performance as watchdog report is published

Scottish Green MSP calls for rejection of data centre at former nuclear plant
30 Sep 2026 at 3:22pm
Plans lodged for south of Scotland facility

Scottish biometrics commissioner renews live facial recognition call
30 Sep 2026 at 12:47pm
Legislate now, Brian Plastow urges ministers

Ex-Arnold Clark boss calls for action over cyber attacks
30 Sep 2026 at 11:49am
Scottish Parliament event hears of 'significant' harm

Scottish Government announces review of law officers
29 Sep 2026 at 5:03pm
First Minister John Swinney informed the Scottish Parliament that the review will be chaired by Lord Boyd of Duncansby

Andy Burnham: I will not be the last prime minister of the UK
29 Sep 2026 at 4:39pm
The PM used his conference speech to say he would "fight with everything I?ve got to keep it together"

OpenAI shelves plans to release new model over safety concerns
29 Sep 2026 at 1:04pm
The system, known as GPT-6.1 Astra, "didn't quite meet the bar" of the company's standards, according to OpenAI's head of safety systems, Saachi Jain

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

UK politics live: Pat McFadden tells Labour activists they should not defend ...
27 Sep 2026 at 6:11pm
Work and pensions secretary says the current system is flawed because it consigns too many people to a life on benefits when they would be better off working?I can deliver?: Burnham pledges radical change on eve of Labour conferenceKuenssberg puts it to Burnham that, according to the Health Found...

New powerful synthetic opioids behind sharp rise in Scottish drug deaths
23 Sep 2026 at 2:12pm
Eleven per cent increase in fatalities last year partly down to presence of nitazenes in Scotland?s illicit drug marketNew forms of a powerful synthetic opioid have contributed to a sharp rise in Scottish drug deaths, with the latest data showing an 11% increase in fatalities last yearAnnual figu...

Scottish Labour?s new leader backs Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gasfields
19 Sep 2026 at 1:52pm
Michael Marra supports development of the North Sea sites, calling for a ?more rational? approach to energy policyScottish Labour?s new leader Michael Marra has backed the development of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gasfields in the North Sea in one of his first acts after being elected, call...

Planning permission for new Scottish AI datacentres suspended for up to a year
16 Sep 2026 at 7:28pm
MSPs vote for strict environmental impact assessments and will delay decisions until national strategy is developedHolyrood has voted to pause planning applications for all new AI datacentres for up to a year until the Scottish government has developed a national strategy.On Wednesday, MSPs backe...

UK politics: Farage hints that Reform?s £72m donations may not be legal under...
14 Sep 2026 at 6:04pm
In an interview about the donations, he said they are compliant with the law ?today?Andy Burnham has cancelled engagements today and tomorrow following the death of his father Roy, who was suffering from Alzheimer?s, the Press Association reports.Burnham has spoken about his father?s illness whic...

Westminster?s time is coming to an end, say first ministers of UK?s Celtic na...
14 Sep 2026 at 2:21pm
Leaders in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland discuss independence and call for constitutional change at summitWestminster?s time is coming to an end, the first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have said at a summit aimed at putting the UK?s Celtic nations on the path to indepe...

UK politics: Andy Burnham pressed on borrowing costs and spending at first PM...
2 Sep 2026 at 5:36pm
Burnham faced questions from Kemi Badenoch and other MPs amid speculation over budgetIn the news release to mark the first anniversary of his election as the Green party?s leader, Zack Polanski highlighted what he described as 10 achievements during his first year in charge. For the record, this ...

Swinney sticks with pledge to cap prices on basic foods in Scotland
1 Sep 2026 at 5:52pm
First minister sets out his government?s agenda and defends policy described by industry groups as a ?potty gimmick?John Swinney insisted on Tuesday he still planned to introduce a legally binding price cap on bread, milk and other essential food items in Scotland despite fierce opposition from f...

Tuesday briefing: Scotland has promised on violence against women ? can it de...
1 Sep 2026 at 6:46am
In today?s newsletter: First minister John Swinney has pledged to put an end to violence against women and girls. But can he turn ambitious laws into real change?Good morning. Violence against women and girls, in all its myriad forms ? physical and mental, blatant and insidious ? is a global chal...

Channel 5 drama to examine how Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband stole SNP ...
26 Aug 2026 at 2:00pm
To Nicola, Love Peter will focus on couple?s relationship during 12-year period of embezzlement and fallout of caseChannel 5 is reuniting with the producers of Power: the Downfall of Huw Edwards for a drama about how Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband embezzled £400,000 from the Scottish Nationa...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Burnham pensions off two Better Together arguments
2 Oct 2026 at 12:41pm
One of the ways in which the Better Together campaign won the referendum in 2014 was to successfully scaremonger Scotland’s pensioners into believing that their state pensions would not be safe in an independent Scotland and that Scotland’s pensioners needed Westminster to guarantee their meagre state pensions. There were even disgraceful reports of Better Together …

Hysterical history revisited
1 Oct 2026 at 1:09pm
This is a revised version of a piece first published on this blog way back in April 2014, but I’ve republished it as it has become relevant again. Former Tory MP and erstwhile Conservative leadership candidate Rory Stewart’s unionist propaganda thinly disguised as a BBC history documentary, broadcast back in March and April 2014 during …

Burnham?s crude emotional manipulation reveals the poverty of Westminster?s case
30 Sep 2026 at 3:50pm
The only living politician mentioned by Andy Burnham during his jam tomorrow speech to the Labour party conference was John Swinney, and that was only in order to take a nasty, underhanded and emotionally manipulative dig at the First Minister in which Burnham linked the ‘hurt’ he’d felt at John Swinney calling him the last …

Hopey change and changey hope: Burnham?s conference speech
29 Sep 2026 at 3:35pm
Andy Burnham has given his first speech to the Labour party conference as Prime Minister. The speech was a whole lot of jam tomorrow, hopey change and changey hope. The only real difference from Starmer is the mood music, the substance remains much the same. Good vibes but little in the way of a concrete …

The threat to Scotland from the British far right remains urgent
28 Sep 2026 at 6:14pm
I’m still struggling to walk following the recent fall and have developed a massive bruise on my left leg. Due to the pain I’m not sleeping well, but things are definitely going in the right direction. It’s the Labour party conference this week. Delegates are basking in the relief that comes from having rid themselves …

What happened to the old consensus on an indyref trigger?
25 Sep 2026 at 6:57pm
I was supposed to have been going to Lochgilphead today to do an event for Aye Fyne, but here I am at home nursing a very painful ankle and hirpling gingerly about the house – but only when I have to – I’m trying to keep off my foot as much as possible. There has …

Illiberal and undemocratic, the Lib Dem and Labour approach to indyref2
23 Sep 2026 at 1:22pm
I don’t normally mention the Lib Dems in a blog piece, for much the same reason that I don’t mention the Monster Raving Loony Party, because they’re irrelevant, although unlike the Monster Raving Loony Party they are also insufferably self-important and talking about them only encourages them. However Tuesday’s vote in Holyrood on the inalienable …

The settled will of the people of Scotland is for a second indyref
22 Sep 2026 at 1:51pm
As far as wanting another independence referendum is concerned, Scotland is definitely in settled will of the people territory. A new poll carried out by Norstat for the campaign group Believe in Scotland has found that 55.6% of Scots want another referendum within the next ten years while a further 12.6% believe there should be …

Err a Marra oan ra barra
20 Sep 2026 at 12:12am
I’m typing this in bed. Yesterday I had a nasty fall. Due to the stroke in 2020, I have very poor sensation and no spatial awareness in the left side of my body. This means I only know where my left foot is if I am looking at it. Yesterday when navigating some steps in …

Labour?s lying reply to Believe in Scotland?s petition
16 Sep 2026 at 2:57pm
You’ve probably never heard of Elaine Stewart. She’s my local MP, one of the least distinguished Labour MPs out of the undistinguished bunch of careerists and lobby fodder elected to Westminster in July 2024, supposedly to represent Scottish constituencies. Stewart features amongst the six Labour MPs representing Scottish constituencies who appear in list compiled by …

The Courier

[CaRP] Can't open remote newsfeed [403].
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

A colonial instrument visually subordinating Scotland
4 Oct 2026 at 5:13pm
From rtpscott today, in Talking-up Scotland: Speaking about papers there is a picture of the UK in the Sunday (Yoon) Paper today which is more or less brushing Scotland out. The GMB‘s Rhea Wolfson or the Sunday Post‘s Derek Healey are by no means obvious candidates for the accusation of being anti-Scotland, so I have to think they did not see the graphic before it ‘went to press.’ I have to thi...

How Andy Burnham?s ?raid on older people?s pockets will collectively fleece S...
4 Oct 2026 at 3:54pm
From the SNP, two days ago, the above and: If you ever needed a textbook example of Westminster?s breathtaking contempt for the people of Scotland, Andy Burnham has just delivered it on a silver platter. The Westminster Prime Minister?s latest grand scheme is to establish a ?National Care Service? south of the border, funded entirely by scrapping the state pension triple lock ? which covers the...

Europe far more enthusiastic about Scotland returning to EU than about Englan...
4 Oct 2026 at 3:49pm
Today, from Geo All Day, this map below: and: A small but high-profile group of European countries has publicly welcomed the possibility of the United Kingdom eventually re-joining the European Union. The debate returned in late September 2026 after UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain should reconsider its long-term relationship with the EU, with options ranging from closer economic tie...

History being re-written as a century of Labour misogyny and contempt for wom...
4 Oct 2026 at 1:08pm
The Guardian today, above, 20 years since women workers in the century-long Labour Party-run council first took it to court over unequal pay for equal work. Then less than two years after the SNP took over control of the Council, the above. Readers will already know that to pay the women workers a fair wage and to keep ‘the ship afloat’ in terms of services and council tax increases, some counc...

Revealed: Unlike in Scotland, UK Government quietly dropped plan to prepare E...
4 Oct 2026 at 10:51am
Above, a lightly-clad firefighter working in Dunwich heat next to a nuclear power station. In the Guardian today: The government quietly scrapped plans to prepare the countryside in England for wildfires, it has been revealed. This was despite new data showing fire crews do not have the proper protective gear to tackle them. This summer has been a potent reminder of the scale of the threat pose...

Little evidence for a looming A&E ?winter crisis? in Scotland
4 Oct 2026 at 9:38am
The above graphs show a steep rise in the number waiting longer than the 4, 8 and 12 hour targets, in full emergency departments in Scotland, after the pandemic and then stabilising around the same seasonal peaks and dips since then. 1 While there are, always multiple explanations of the same phenomenon, globally, independent academic researchers (links below) have identified the ‘differences t...

?WE need oil and gas, WE need nuclear, WE need renewables, we need to get ser...
3 Oct 2026 at 2:32pm
By Liz S STV News reports: ?Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch is adamant that, despite Andy Burnham?s defence of the United Kingdom earlier this week, Labour is not serious about keeping the Union intact? ?keeping the Union intact? ? What Union would that be ? STV also mentioned that ?Burnham has long been criticised for snubbing Scotland ? after excluding it on his August summer ?listeni...

What can Burnham learn from Scotland?s social care system?Scotland is the obv...
3 Oct 2026 at 10:20am
Here’s the gist of the above: The article’s argument is that Scotland?s free personal care model is the closest working version of what Andy Burnham is proposing. Burnham has said that if Labour wins the next election he will create a National Care Service: person-centred, starting in the home, where ?everyone contributes and everyone is covered,? meant to give peace of mind, protect savings, a...

Aging NHS workforce? Retirement ?crisis?? Just as well we train so many more ...
3 Oct 2026 at 9:11am
Crowdfunder - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingBank transfer - JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account 12266421 The Herald, you have to feel for the wee souls, dragging up another scare story from the sump of their files. The Guardian in January 2026 had: Helen Lambert borrowed £57,000 to go to university and began repaying her student loan in 2021 a...

Burnham?s promises, just like Keir Starmer?s, soon begin to either fall away ...
2 Oct 2026 at 6:14pm
By Liz S Andy Burnham was interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday 27 September. Kuenssberg reminded him that ?in July 2026 you said he would go as fast as you can in sorting out care for the elderly and vulnerable for England, Social Care. Where have you got to 3 months later? ? Burnham?s response ?We are making really good progress?. Then Burnham started to speak about his Dad and also about...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irres...
4 Oct 2026 at 11:11am
Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irresponsible  BBC

'Obsessed' Russell Findlay to use conference speech to attack independence - ...
4 Oct 2026 at 4:49pm
'Obsessed' Russell Findlay to use conference speech to attack independence  The National Scot

Scotland has right to decide constitutional future, new Scottish Labour leade...
22 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland has right to decide constitutional future, new Scottish Labour leader says  BBC

Scottish independence referendum not on the table, minister insists after Bur...
4 Oct 2026 at 9:15am
Scottish independence referendum not on the table, minister insists after Burnham?s Brexit pledge  The Independent

Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irres...
4 Oct 2026 at 11:11am
Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irresponsible  Yahoo News Australia

Sturgeon accuses Labour of ?glaring contradiction? over Brexit and independen...
4 Oct 2026 at 5:52pm
Sturgeon accuses Labour of ?glaring contradiction? over Brexit and independence  The Herald

Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination - a...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination  aljazeera.com

Scottish independence - Politics.co.uk
2 Oct 2026 at 9:24pm
Scottish independence  Politics.co.uk

Scots Tory leader to decry independence and FM?s summit with Sinn Fein - Lond...
4 Oct 2026 at 12:08pm
Scots Tory leader to decry independence and FM?s summit with Sinn Fein  London Evening Standard

SNP independence talk ?dangerously irresponsible? in volatile world: Findlay ...
4 Oct 2026 at 4:06pm
SNP independence talk ?dangerously irresponsible? in volatile world: Findlay  East Renfrewshire News

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irres...
4 Oct 2026 at 11:11am
Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irresponsible  BBC

Inside the SNP as party weighs up Andy Burnham as rival and unlikely ally - T...
4 Oct 2026 at 4:06pm
Inside the SNP as party weighs up Andy Burnham as rival and unlikely ally  The National Scot

SNP urge Burnham to deliver on £200m Grangemouth pledge - Morning Star | The ...
4 Oct 2026 at 4:08pm
SNP urge Burnham to deliver on £200m Grangemouth pledge  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

Exclusive: The SNP 'don't own Scottishness or the Saltire', Tory shadow Scots...
4 Oct 2026 at 6:00am
Exclusive: The SNP 'don't own Scottishness or the Saltire', Tory shadow Scots secretary to say  The Scotsman

SNP ministers under fire in new 'secrecy' row over Monklands hospital - The H...
4 Oct 2026 at 6:03pm
SNP ministers under fire in new 'secrecy' row over Monklands hospital  The Herald

SNP independence talk ?dangerously irresponsible? in volatile world: Findlay ...
4 Oct 2026 at 4:43pm
SNP independence talk ?dangerously irresponsible? in volatile world: Findlay  The Independent

Ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell's legal aid withdrawn after embezzlement...
30 Sep 2026 at 11:30am
Ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell's legal aid withdrawn after embezzlement conviction  Sky News

Ballerinas: SNP has no arguments to defend Aye Jung's defense - Time - vreme.com
4 Oct 2026 at 3:19pm
Ballerinas: SNP has no arguments to defend Aye Jung's defense - Time  vreme.com

SNP criticises Burnham over £200m Grangemouth industry pledge - London Evenin...
4 Oct 2026 at 10:58am
SNP criticises Burnham over £200m Grangemouth industry pledge  London Evening Standard

Andy Burnham?s vision creates a political dilemma for the SNP - The Times
3 Oct 2026 at 7:10pm
Andy Burnham?s vision creates a political dilemma for the SNP  The Times

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irres...
4 Oct 2026 at 11:11am
Scottish Tory leader Findlay says SNP's indy 'obsession' is dangerously irresponsible  BBC

Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination - a...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination  aljazeera.com

John Swinney aiming for independence referendum by 2031 - BBC
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
John Swinney aiming for independence referendum by 2031  BBC

Scottish independence referendum not on the table, minister insists after Bur...
4 Oct 2026 at 9:15am
Scottish independence referendum not on the table, minister insists after Burnham?s Brexit pledge  The Independent

Ruth Davidson: SNP hasn't done the work to justify a second referendum - The ...
4 Oct 2026 at 4:22pm
Ruth Davidson: SNP hasn't done the work to justify a second referendum  The Herald

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders unite behind independence push f...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:18pm
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders unite behind independence push from UK  Courthouse News

Scots Tory leader to decry independence and FM?s summit with Sinn Fein - Lond...
4 Oct 2026 at 12:08pm
Scots Tory leader to decry independence and FM?s summit with Sinn Fein  London Evening Standard

Scottish independence - Politics.co.uk
2 Oct 2026 at 9:24pm
Scottish independence  Politics.co.uk

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland voice united calls for independence and ...
15 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland voice united calls for independence and a return to the EU  Eunews

Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders unite in push to leave UK - ABC Ne...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders unite in push to leave UK  ABC News & Headlines ? Australian Broadcasting Corporation