The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Your Party Scotland plunged into civil war as final attempt to contest electi...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
30 Mar 2026 at 4:05pm
Your Party?s Scottish representative Niall Christie excoriated the Jeremy Corbyn-led outfit for failing to act in time to stand candidates in May?s contest.


Forget the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ? is this the solution to Arran ferry woes?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
30 Mar 2026 at 3:41pm
The Glen Sannox is one of eight vessels out of service, according to CalMac. This is how residents on Arran would resolve it.


Reform candidate under fire over views on 'coercive' Covid-19 vaccine rollout
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
30 Mar 2026 at 2:36pm
Dr Timothy Kelly, the party?s candidate for East Kilbride , questioned the efficacy of the government?s vaccine programme.


SNP councillors backed convicted sex offender Jordan Linden, leaked recording...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
30 Mar 2026 at 2:35pm
Jordan Linden received support from his councillor colleagues after resigning in 2022. He was convicted of 10 offences, including five sexual assaults, last week.


Russell Findlay refuses to rule out backing Anas Sarwar to be next first mini...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
30 Mar 2026 at 2:15pm
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay declines to rule out supporting Anas Sarwar to become first minister in a bid to oust the SNP from government.


Top Scottish Greens candidate blocked, clearing way for Maggie Chapman return
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
30 Mar 2026 at 1:59pm
Guy Ingerson beat MSP Maggie Chapman to take the top spot on the regional list last summer. However, he was suspended in October 2025.


How civil servants reacted to Amazon shopping being banned on work laptops
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
30 Mar 2026 at 12:40pm
The Herald can revealed the extent of the anger from civil servants after the Scottish Government banned using work laptops for personal use.


Majority for SNP will lead to independence vote as Starmer too 'weak', says B...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
30 Mar 2026 at 12:02pm
Kemi Badenoch has said an SNP majority in May would lead to a second independence referendum, despite Labour insisting no vote will take place. The Tory chief said the PM was too weak to resist a strong SNP.


Swinney to push for powers over energy if SNP wins election
by Craig Paton
30 Mar 2026 at 7:30am
'It's Scotland's oil' has long been a refrain of the SNP


Parties told they must back 'real rent controls' in next Scottish Parliament
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
30 Mar 2026 at 6:30am
Political parties contesting the 2026 Holyrood election have been urged to commit to 'real rent controls' and more social housing to address Scotland's housing emergency


Scotland has lost almost half its modern language teachers since SNP took office
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
30 Mar 2026 at 5:30am
Scotland has lost almost half of its modern language teachers in French and German since 2008.


Ageing CalMac ferry fleet sees cancellations skyrocket due to ?technical? issues
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
30 Mar 2026 at 12:01am
CalMac's ageing ferry fleet had cancellations skyrocket due to technical issues, new figures reveal.


John Swinney failed to respond to complaint over SNP probe of Jordan Linden
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
29 Mar 2026 at 1:34pm
John Swinney was sent a letter six months ago calling for a probe into how the complaints were handled - but complainers said they did not receive a response.


Richard Nixon advisor urges Russia to target Britain's undersea cables
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
29 Mar 2026 at 11:41am
A former advisor to Richard Nixon has told the Russian government it should cut undersea cables to the UK if threats to seize 'shadow fleet' vessels become a reality

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Holyrood election: Anas Sarwar attacks 'arrogant' John Swinney for 'talking u...
30 Mar 2026 at 2:36pm

The Scottish Labour leader has attacked the First Minister, accusing him to attempting to boost his chances of re-elected by talking up Reform to voters

Labour is trailing far behind the SNP in the polls but hopes to flip seats in key Central Belt battlegrounds

The SNP leader will demand energy powers are transferred to Holyrood on the first day of him being re-elected as First Minister.

Air passenger duty to be replaced by air departure tax in April 2027

John Swinney is facing more questions over the SNP?s handing of complaints against Jordan Linden.

Wings over Scotland

Clocks And Calendars
30 Mar 2026 at 1:06pm
We think the lads at The Scotsman might have gotten a wee bit confused and/or carried away when it came to putting the clocks forward at the weekend. At 6am on Sunday morning they tweeted this: But the link was a 404. We checked the print edition of Scotland On Sunday but there was nothing …

Sicknote Slippers
29 Mar 2026 at 6:09pm
The turnout at the “independence march and rally” yesterday was so abysmally poor that it seems almost unfair to pick on any of the scores of SNP elected representatives who didn’t bother to show up. But dear old Cosy Feet Pete Wishart had the most chef’s-kiss excuse of all. The reason he didn’t fancy getting …

Protest But Don?t Survive
28 Mar 2026 at 5:20pm
If events in Edinburgh today are anything to go by – when a march and rally announced with great fanfare seven months ago, backed by both the “independence” parties in the Scottish Parliament and featuring the First Minister as main speaker, attracted perhaps 1,500 people at the most to Calton Hill on a bright and …

Let?s Call The Whole Thing Off
24 Mar 2026 at 12:59pm
The last faint hope of any remotely positive or at least interesting outcome of May’s election just left the building. It wasn’t MUCH of a hope, and it’s absolutely no surprise in the wake of the comically shambolic, belief-defyingly inept farce that has been the birth of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s fringe-of-the fringe party, …

Irony you can?t buy
20 Mar 2026 at 12:09pm
Posted without comment. But the reason you can’t buy the irony is that she doesn’t need the money. So that’s quarter of a million pounds just for running away when things got a bit sticky, on top of the circa £225,000 in wages she’s trousered since resigning as FM despite never turning up for work …

Looking up at the stars
10 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
A fascinating line from the BBC this evening: The number of parties who got MSPs elected at the last election is? five. (Though in fairness there are now six, Reform having a single MSP after Graham Simpson defected from the Tories. The Lib Dems are even outnumbered by independents, of whom there are seven.) Also …

Scotland?s Most Frightened
4 Mar 2026 at 5:52pm
This was just two months ago. (Longer version here.) ? And we’ll bet you anything you like he’s already wishing he hadn’t said it. Because a recent study suggested that Swinney might just achieve the impossible task he set for himself, and if he does then he’s REALLY screwed. Now, we don’t actually think that’ll …

Two Men Unalike
28 Feb 2026 at 1:41pm
So Cathy Newman of Channel 4 News got herself a scoop last night. And to be honest, readers, we were a bit confused. “Gender critical views” are not only lawful things to hold and express, they’re one of a small subset of opinions that are explicitly protected as such in law. And why would a …

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

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

Craig Murray

The Caracas Metro
26 Mar 2026 at 6:46am

The extreme nature of sanctions against Venezuela made it very challenging to keep economic activity going. One example is Caracas’s impressive five-line Metro system, where for almost twenty years they had to keep things running with no spares or maintenance support from the train manufacturers. Yet resilience and ingenuity kicked in, and Venezuela actually reverse …

The Caracas Metro

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag
24 Mar 2026 at 12:04pm

The notion that the Iranian state would discredit itself by choosing to attack an ambulance service in London is crazy. Iran has not even attacked any hospitals or ambulances in Israel. Iran has absolutely zero record of attacks on healthcare facilities. That is of course in stark contrast to Israel which specifically targets them in …

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag

Seeing Trump Clearly
21 Mar 2026 at 12:19pm

What if Trump’s apparently chaotic thought processes and intuitive decision making are all a blind, a charade? What if we are really witnessing, in the Middle East and more widely, a carefully constructed plan with very definite objectives? Has Trump in fact “planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway”, while flinging the …

Seeing Trump Clearly

Radicalism and Scottish Independence
14 Mar 2026 at 4:18pm

There is no place like home, and a few hours after arriving back in Scotland I was in Glasgow giving a talk to Pensioners for Independence. I still covered quite a wide sweep, but my focus came back to what I care about more than anything – the freedom, prosperity and just position in the …

Radicalism and Scottish Independence

Has Venezuela Abandoned Socialism?
13 Mar 2026 at 5:48pm

I interviewed a prominent academic who is a profound critic of the Venezuelan government, and in contrast a strong academic supporter. The conversations were relaxed, open and I believe worthwhile. There is no serious dispute that the Venezuelan government shifted to some degree towards economic liberalism under President Maduro. The question is to what extent …

Has Venezuela Abandoned Socialism?

Fighting Back Against Zionist Control of the UK
12 Mar 2026 at 8:06am

I today met our legal team and instructed them to submit an application for interim relief in the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. If successful this will immediately lift the proscription in Scotland, pending the review. Scores of people in Scotland face imminent conviction for terrorist offences simply for exercising free …

Fighting Back Against Zionist Control of the UK

BBC Scotland

Party leaders pledge to fix ferries chaos and blame 'incompetence'
30 Mar 2026 at 4:24pm
John Swinney has expressed his regret as CalMac confirmed eight vessels were out of action.

Five years on: Why the SNP is still the party to beat in Scotland
29 Mar 2026 at 8:17am
After a major setback two years ago when Labour defeated them in the UK general election, the SNP's political luck seems to have turned.

First Minister apologises to victims of ex-council leader
29 Mar 2026 at 11:28am
Jordan Linden was last week found guilty of five assaults and sending unwanted sexual communications to teenagers.

It felt surreal to go shopping without police protection - Humza Yousaf
29 Mar 2026 at 11:31am
Scotland's former first minister has bid farewell to the Scottish Parliament, marking the end of his 15-year SNP career as an MSP.

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election
28 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
SNP leader John Swinney and the Greens co-leaders led thousands on an independence march down the Royal Mile.

China bus photo removed from Scottish Highlands travel campaign
28 Mar 2026 at 8:21am
Eagle-eyed social media users noticed that the road had bright green crash barriers and a green bus.

Offord says he is fit to be first minister after homophobic joke
27 Mar 2026 at 6:34pm
Malcolm Offord denied being homophobic after apologising for a joke he made about George Michael during a Burns Night speech.

Party leaders make pitches to Scots as they hit campaign trail
26 Mar 2026 at 1:35pm
With the Holyrood election just six weeks away, hopefuls have kick-started their campaigns.

Farage defends Scottish Reform leader Offord over homophobic joke
26 Mar 2026 at 6:27pm
Malcolm Offord has apologised for the "crude" remark he told at a rugby club dinner in 2018 but denies he is homophobic.

Health, education, tax and more - Has the SNP delivered on its promises at Ho...
26 Mar 2026 at 6:21am
As parties draw up their election manifestos, has the SNP ticked off the goals it set out in 2021?

Smoking ban in Scotland's pubs was a 'PR war' - but has it saved lives?
26 Mar 2026 at 6:21am
Exactly 20 years ago, Scotland became the first part of the UK to outlaw smoking in bars, restaurants and offices.

Why was a £1.5bn Chinese plan to invest in a Highland yard blocked?
26 Mar 2026 at 3:31pm
Ming Yang proposed building a wind turbine manufacturing plant at Ardersier.

Scot Goes Pop

A brief reply to Ballot Box Scotland about my profile of the Edinburgh Centra...
30 Mar 2026 at 2:27am
Allan Faulds, the former serial Scottish Green Party candidate who runs the psephological Ballot Box Scotland site, has taken a passive-aggressive swipe at me because of something I wrote in my pro...

"Alliance to Liberate Scotland" angrily defend their pact with the far-right ...
28 Mar 2026 at 2:44am
Later in this video, I also give my thoughts on the extraordinary but somehow totally unsurprising news that the self-styled 'independence ultra' Chris McEleny, who expelled and drove out so many g...

Revealed: the far-right have almost totally taken over the "Alliance to Liber...
26 Mar 2026 at 6:45pm
I said in my video about the far-right elements of Barrhead Boy's new fringe party "Alliance to Liberate Scotland" (aka "the Atlas") that I had spotted at least two of the party's candidates as bei...

Let's keep the independence movement clean: avoid the dodgy far-right links o...
25 Mar 2026 at 3:02am

The NHS is Reform's Achilles heel, and they should be hammered on it
24 Mar 2026 at 11:23am
I received a Reform leaflet through the door this morning, emblazened with photos of Malcolm Offord.  And because I'm interested in polls, I immediately noticed the rather amusing error in the Lib ...

Lord Ashcroft's dodgiest poll question is one the health inspectors should be...
24 Mar 2026 at 2:14am
I've been having a more leisurely look through the results of the supplementary questions in the Ashcroft poll, and I think there are three worth drawing to your attention.  First of all, Ashcroft ...

Ashcroft poll: pro-independence parties could take overall majority of VOTES ...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:24pm

Thank you, your lordship! Sensational Ashcroft poll shows SNP on highest vot...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:58am
The contents have it!  I'll try to make a video about this poll when I have a spare moment, but for now the basic facts deserve mentioning, because they bode extremely well for the SNP.  Lord Ashcr...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Scottish election March 30: Parties pledge to fix ?broken? transport system a...
30 Mar 2026 at 12:09pm
Eight CalMac ferries are out of action, with disruption impacting 'virtually every island' served by a major vessel

I don?t trust Swinney to control Scotland?s energy, says Badenoch
30 Mar 2026 at 12:07pm
The Tory leader touted her party?s new campaign to ?get Britain drilling? in the hopes of increasing energy security

Scottish Greens pledge integrated transport ticketing system
30 Mar 2026 at 10:39am
The system would be funded by scrapping road-building projects, the party said

Labour vows to merge ferry bodies and fix ?broken system?
30 Mar 2026 at 10:31am
Anas Sarwar will visit Stornoway on Monday, as he warned the ?SNP?s ferry fiasco is a symbol of their incompetence and waste?

Swinney to push for powers over energy if SNP wins election
30 Mar 2026 at 10:27am
The First Minister will visit the north-east of Scotland on Monday

Scottish Greens will pledge ban on shock collars
29 Mar 2026 at 6:39pm
The devices use electricity to shock dogs during training.

Scottish Tories pledge ?growth test? for government policies
29 Mar 2026 at 3:59pm
The key focus of the party, according to business spokesman Murdo Fraser, would centre on increasing economic growth.

Lib Dems pledge youth work Bill in new parliament
29 Mar 2026 at 12:53pm
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the proposals would help to improve opportunities for young people who require support.

Zia Yusuf: Reform ?taking action? after ?Nazi salute? photo
29 Mar 2026 at 12:51pm
It comes after Reform UK?s Scottish leader Malcolm Offord stood by his Holyrood candidates, after past social media posts emerged.

Yousaf: SNP must reflect on criticism in case of sex offender ex-council leader
29 Mar 2026 at 12:36pm
Jordan Linden was convicted of 10 separate offences on Thursday, including five sexual assaults.

Scotland held back by the decisions of Westminster, Swinney tells rally
29 Mar 2026 at 10:54am
The SNP leader believes an overall majority for his party will force the UK Government to allow a second Scottish independence referendum.

SNP has ?effective process? for dealing with abusive behaviour, Swinney insists
28 Mar 2026 at 5:25pm
Mr Swinney was speaking the day after party announced an independent review into its complaint handling procedures.

Sarwar pledges to slash NHS waiting times and end 8am GP appointment ?scramble?
28 Mar 2026 at 12:38pm
The Scottish Labour leader said his party would ?build a better future for Scotland?.

Lib Dems ?on verge? of beating SNP in many seats, Cole-Hamilton says
28 Mar 2026 at 11:59am
Alex Cole-Hamilton was campaigning in Linlithgow on Saturday, where he set out his party?s plans for bringing down the cost of living.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Scottish Government warned 'there is no more money' as parties face uncomfort...
30 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
An independent think-tank has warned the next Scottish Government will have to grapple with the country's shrinking working age population and declining tax revenues.

CalMac ferry chaos leaves Scots islanders unable to return home for Easter 'f...
30 Mar 2026 at 3:29pm
Fed-up islanders warned their "lifeline transport network is currently broken" with eight of CalMac's largest ferries currently out of action.

Police Scotland issues warning ahead of Holyrood election amid surge in onlin...
30 Mar 2026 at 10:26am
One election candidate warned people would be surprised at "the level of bile you get" from faceless accounts on social media.

Reform UK Holyrood candidate says covid 19 vaccine is ?neither safe or effect...
30 Mar 2026 at 7:07am
EXCLUSIVE: Dr Timothy Kelly has been criticised for being a covid vaccine sceptic.

Louis Theroux inspires Anas Sarwar to back new unit to tackle misogyny in you...
30 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Scottish Labour have promised to create a Misogyny Reduction Unit if they win the election.

A Scottish Labour Government will get the basics right if voters reject the S...
30 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
In his Daily Record column, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar laid out plans to tackle misogyny among young men.

SNP Government blamed for cut in key teacher numbers for Scots schools
30 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Figures produced by the Scottish Lib Dems show a fall for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

Scottish politics today: SNP facing questions over handling of Jordan Linden ...
29 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the day's Scottish politics news.

John Swinney 'ignored' call to investigate Jordan Linden complaints process
29 Mar 2026 at 10:13am
The First Minister has been accused of failing to respond six months ago to a plea by a North Lanarkshire councillor.

Council tax a 'subsidy' for wealthy Scots and should be scrapped to help poor...
28 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
EXCLUSIVE: The Joseph Rowntree Foundation said it was "perfectly reasonable" to ask Scots who have done well from the housing market to pay more tax on their properties.

The National

The National | Politics

Andrew Neil in ill-advised 'dancing around like a numpty' attack on Zack Pola...
30 Mar 2026 at 4:31pm

ANDREW Neil has launched an ill-advised attack on Zack Polanski by accusing the Green Party leader of ?dancing around like a demented numpty?.

US bombers increase at UK base 'exposes Keir Starmer Iran war lie'
30 Mar 2026 at 4:30pm

AN INCREASE in US air force nuclear jets at a UK base shows Keir Starmer is ?lying? to the British public over his government?s role in the war on Iran.

Ofcom launch probe into Talk TV segment 'broadcasting anti-trans hate'
30 Mar 2026 at 3:02pm

OFCOM has launched an investigation into a Talk TV programme for ?broadcasting anti-trans hate?.

BBC Scotland criticised over omission of major independence rally from flagsh...
30 Mar 2026 at 2:58pm

BBC Scotland has been criticised over its omission of a major independence rally in Edinburgh at the weekend from its flagship politics show ...

Kemi Badenoch says SNP majority will trigger indyref2
30 Mar 2026 at 2:50pm

KEMI Badenoch has said that the SNP winning a Holyrood majority will trigger an independence referendum.

Scottish Government issues statement on CalMac as eighth ferry out of action
30 Mar 2026 at 2:36pm

THE Scottish Government has said it is working with CalMac to ?urgently resolve? issues facing its ferry fleet, after an eighth vessel was taken out of action for repairs ...

Russell Findlay refuses to rule out backing Anas Sarwar to be first minister
30 Mar 2026 at 2:17pm

SCOTTISH Tory leader Russell Findlay has refused to rule out backing Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to be first minister

Top Scottish Greens Holyrood candidate stands down after suspension
30 Mar 2026 at 1:01pm

THE LEAD candidate for the Scottish Greens in the North East ? who was suspended following a complaint made against him ? has announced he is no longer standing at the top of the list for the party.

Palestine Action hunger striker arrested by masked police officers
30 Mar 2026 at 12:37pm

A PALESTINE Action hunger striker has been arrested by masked police officers.

Scottish Labour election strategy 'proof of grubby deal' with Reform, SNP say
30 Mar 2026 at 12:29pm

THE SNP have said that recent reporting on Scottish Labour?s Holyrood election strategy proves the party is considering a ?grubby deal? with Reform UK ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

CalMac technical cancellations sharply increased over last ten years
30 Mar 2026 at 2:18am
New figures obtained by Scottish Labour through freedom of information requests reveal that the number of ferry services cancelled for technical reasons between 2015 and 2025 has risen more than tenfold

Almost half a million affected by Lloyds banking app glitch
27 Mar 2026 at 11:50am
The banking group includes Lloyds, Halifax and the Bank of Scotland

We asked MSPs: what is your top advice to newbies?
27 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
With an eye to dissolution of the sixth session of this parliament, Holyrood asked some of our sitting politicians the simple question

Former council leader found guilty of sexually assaulting three men
26 Mar 2026 at 5:08pm
Jordan Linden was convicted of 10 charges, including sexual?assault, at?Falkirk?Sheriff Court

Court finds Meta and Google built intentionally addictive platforms
26 Mar 2026 at 12:48pm
Jurors in Los Angeles found a woman should receive damages after determining Facebook owner Meta and Google, which owns YouTube, 'acted with malice, oppression, or fraud'

Independence will 'lock Nigel Farage out' of Scottish politics, John Swinney ...
26 Mar 2026 at 12:00pm
Scottish Labour also launched its campaign, with leader Anas Sarwar promising to deliver a ?more positive and hopeful future?

One in five children in Scotland living in poverty despite recent improvements
26 Mar 2026 at 11:41am
Action call as election nears

Karen Meechan leaving tech body ScotlandIS after 22 years
26 Mar 2026 at 11:28am
The organisation said it would appoint a new leader in due course

Local Authorities Guide: Orkney Islands Council
26 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
Council leader Heather Woodbridge answers questions about local authority

Malcolm Offord denies homophobia after apologising for George Michael joke
25 Mar 2026 at 4:00pm
'Clumsy mistake' claim after outcry

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Starmer pledges to tackle new cost of living crisis at May elections campaign...
30 Mar 2026 at 3:11pm
Prime minister says 7 May vote is coming at time of ?war on two fronts? as Labour braces for heavy losses at pollsUK politics live ? latest updatesThe 7 May elections are taking place against a backdrop of ?war on two fronts?, Keir Starmer has said, as he pledged action to tackle the resurgent co...

Glasgow arts hub tenants condemn ?unsustainable? rent rises by landlord
30 Mar 2026 at 8:17am
City Property, which manages buildings for council, accused of ?coercive and unfair? increases and issuing eviction noticesTenants at one of Glasgow?s leading cultural hubs are battling what they describe as ?unsustainable? rent increases, with critics describing the landlord responsible as a ?ro...

Reform busy firefighting in Scotland but may yet set Holyrood?s politics ablaze
26 Mar 2026 at 6:29pm
With Nigel Farage?s party neck and neck with Labour for second place behind the SNP, disruption seems likely Hope, change, progressive change, change with fairness at its heart ? from a harbour north of Edinburgh to a hipster arts venue in Glasgow?s Barras Market, Scotland?s political parties sp...

UK politics: Trump says UK?s aircraft carriers are just ?toys? ? as it happened
26 Mar 2026 at 6:00pm
The comments were part of a broader address in which he condemned Nato alliesYesterday the Conservative party said that it wanted to ban political parties from distributing campaign literature in a foreign language. Announcing a plan to propose an amendement to the representation of the people bi...

UK politics: Tories claim McSweeney has ?serious questions? to answer about p...
25 Mar 2026 at 5:52pm
Shadow cabinet officer minister claims ?this whole thing stinks to high heaven?Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question at PMQs.Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has urged people to reject ?conspiracy? theories about the loss of Morgan McSweeney?s phone. Continue reading...

?Anyone but Labour? or ?anyone but Reform?? Clash of animosities likely to de...
23 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
While Labour braces for a rout that could see off Starmer, a rising drive to keep out Farage is complicating expectationsSmall swings, high drama: why UK polls are less volatile than they seem ? in chartsLocal elections are often regarded as a referendum on the sitting government, with many previ...

What?s at stake for UK in May?s elections: six key questions
23 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
Reform, Plaid Cymru, the SNP and the Greens are all banking on big gains and nationwide repercussionsOn 7 May, three of the UK?s four nations go to the polls in a series of elections with much potential significance, not just for who ends up governing various bodies, but also for the future polit...

Labour dismisses Reform UK MSP candidates as ?hopeless Tory rejects and oddba...
20 Mar 2026 at 4:50pm
This blog is now closedSeverin Carrell is the Guardian?s Scotland editor.Malcolm Offord, Reform UK?s Scottish leader, has doubled down on his defence of the party?s vetting by dismissing remarks by candidates backing Tommy Robinson or describing Humza Yousaf as an ?Islamist moron? (see 10.12am) a...

Reform UK suspends Scottish candidate less than a day after announcing him
20 Mar 2026 at 2:24pm
Stuart Niven found to have diverted Covid grants to personal account as party faces criticism for candidates? Islamophobic remarksReform UK has suspended one of its Scottish candidates after it emerged he had been struck off as a company director, and the party faces growing attacks for fielding ...

Supporters of Scotland?s assisted dying bill frustrated by lack of backing fr...
18 Mar 2026 at 6:41pm
Just three of Labour?s 20 MSPs in Holyrood voted for bill, despite support for legislation in House of CommonsSupporters of Scotland?s assisted dying bill have said they are frustrated a significant majority of Labour MSPs voted against the proposals, despite Labour?s substantial support for the ...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The rapid implosion of Reform?s Scottish campaign
26 Mar 2026 at 3:05pm
As the saying goes, you’d need a heart of stone not to laugh. Within just a few days of Reform UK launching its Scottish election campaign to much fanfare and racist ‘jokes’ about tartan burqas, the wheels are already coming off Farage’s septic tank pumper wagon. The party has already lost no less than four …

James Dornan MSP looks back on his career
24 Mar 2026 at 1:49pm
A guest post by James Dornan MSP   Today veteran SNP MSP James Dornan makes his last speech in the Scottish Parliament, and steps down to retirement and to give way to a new generation. To mark the occasion, he has very kindly written a guest post for this blog in which he looks back …

Reform?s chaotic launch and the implications of the Iran war for May?s election
20 Mar 2026 at 8:53pm
Nigel Farage came to Scotland on Thursday to launch his party’s manifesto for the Scottish elections on 7 May and to introduce Reform UK’s almost half former Tory slate of totally well vetted candidates. Reform UK there, promising to fix Broken Britain with a slew of the former Conservatives who were responsible for breaking it …

Thoughts on the failure of the assisted dying bill
18 Mar 2026 at 2:46am
Back in 1998, after we had moved to Spain, my late husband Andy and I became very close friends with our new neighbour, a Norwegian woman called Ellie who had moved to Spain after retiring from a career on the Norwegian oil rigs in the North Sea. She was looking forward to spending her final …

Scotland: Too wee?
17 Mar 2026 at 9:11am
Is it time to look again at the long-debated theory that Scotland is ?too wee? to be a successful independent country? A guest post by Diane Izzett https://bsky.app/profile/dizzyscot.bsky.social With the yes voters taking a lead in recent polls, do the facts support this or is it just the final death throes of a coloniser losing …

Lessons from 2014 for next time round
14 Mar 2026 at 6:23pm
An important new academic book looking at the 2014 Scottish independence referendum has just been published. The snappily titled “Discourse, Voice, and the Politics of Participation in the Scottish Independence Referendum” by Dr Maike Dinger, a Lecturer in Communications, Media and Culture at the University of Stirling is available on Amazon for £104.99 hardback or …

So-called muscular unionism is a sign of Westminster?s fragility
12 Mar 2026 at 4:30pm
The Labour party has responded to the leak of a memo from Starmer to cabinet ministers in which he tells them not to be “deferential” to the devolved governments and not to hesitate to override them even on devolved matters. Starmer was questioned about the memo by SNP MP Stephen Gethins at Prime Minister’s Questions …

Devolution has run out of road
10 Mar 2026 at 6:48pm
This always happens, every time I decide to take a bit of time off, a big news story breaks and it’s back to the keyboard. On Tuesday, a Labour government memo was leaked which proves that Keir Starmer is hell bent on undermining the devolution settlement. In the memo, sent to all members of the …

What the end of Alba means for May?s election and the broader independence mo...
9 Mar 2026 at 5:35pm
Well that’s it. The Alba party has gone and will not be contesting the Holyrood election in May, or indeed any elections in the future. Unlike some, I am not gloating about the party’s demise even though I was never a supporter of it. I kept my thoughts about Alba largely to myself despite coming …

Labour?s dangerous plans for NHS Scotland
8 Mar 2026 at 4:33pm
The Holyrood elections are just eight weeks away. This will be a critical election for Scotland’s future and it is more important than ever that Scotland returns a pro-independence majority, ideally an SNP majority to the Scottish Parliament. It’s not just the future of hopes for independence which is at stake. This election is also …

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

Disturbing research finding repeat AI errors in a medical procedure cast doub...
30 Mar 2026 at 4:14pm
Thanks to NHS for YES for alerting us to this. From a February 2026 peer-reviewed research paper on an AI tool for Nasogastric Tube Position, the above image and this disturbing conclusion: Administration of food or medication through a misplaced nasogastric tube (NGT) constitutes a ?never event? (defined by the National Health Service as a serious incident that is wholly preventable) in health...

NHS Scotland beats an NHS England target just to give Wes Streeting a big rid...
30 Mar 2026 at 2:04pm
Facts at – https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/30/nhs-scotland-has-already-beaten-the-18-week-treatment-target-wes-streeting-set-for-nhs-england-but-which-they-have-failed/

SNP Government?s defence of the disabled against ?a cruel penalty? portrayed ...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:41pm
In the Guardian, today, the above (left) and: Hundreds of thousands of severely ill and disabled people making new claims will have their benefits cut if the government assesses that their condition might improve, charities have said. In April, the health element of universal credit ? an extra payment for people assessed as too unwell to work or prepare for work ? will be halved to £50 a week a...

John Swinney spent less sending a baby box to the Mayor of New York than Anas...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:39pm
John Swinney or, I’m guessing, a member of his staff spent £278.12 to send a baby box to the Mayor of New York City. Some sad soul has just spent considerably more of your tax funding on a Freedom of Information Request (up to £600) to find that out so that they can use it to demonstrate SNP waste! https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202600503246/ On the 24th April, Anas Sarwar, Labour Leader...

The script that the MSM operating in Scotland prefer is one of unchecked prop...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:36pm
By Liz S The script that the MSM operating in Scotland prefer is the one where opposition parties accuse the SNP of having ?destroyed the Scottish NHS?. Of course that is a script that is minus all of the data and stats that would verify this , so then would substantiate their accusation. They, the opposition and the BBC in Scotland, could also make comparisons between Scotland?s NHS performanc...

Unionist leaders are never pressed to apologise for ex-councillors who are co...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:35pm
By Liz S Talking of ?BBC Scotland? , in particular their website, on the former SNP Councillor Jordan Linden, the BBC are doing their best to keep this above story ?alive? via what is now four different articles on their website on the above former SNP Councillor. MSM Monitor had posted this online: ?Why is Swinney being pursued by reporters over an ex-SNP councillor but Sarwar isn?t being purs...

Scotland subsidises its ferries far more than any other country, subsidises i...
30 Mar 2026 at 8:45am
Depopulation is one of the biggest population that the Hebrides faces (sic) and not having a functioning ferry service only exacerbates that. You know, To try and live your life where you cannot come and go when you need to, that is why many people now decide they cannot live out their lives in the Hebrides. Joe Reade, from Somerset, Taster-in-Chief at the Island Bakery on Mull may be the man w...

NHS Scotland has already beaten the 18 week treatment target Wes Streeting se...
30 Mar 2026 at 7:34am
Well done Scotland? In the Guardian yesterday, the above graph and: The NHS is set to miss key targets to shorten waiting times for help at A&E, cancer care and planned hospital treatment, leaving millions of patients facing persistently long delays. The health service in England will not deliver a series of milestone improvements in its performance that ministers demanded it achieve by the tim...

Factcheck ? CalMac has the youngest ferries and is the best in the world
29 Mar 2026 at 6:04pm
First, age: On average, CalMac ferries are the youngest of six comparable (several islands) fleets in the developed world. What?s wrong with them? Truth be told (difficult I know), probably best archipelago service in the world. See: Disruption to service? As Lib Dems and BBC Scotland reveal compensation to delayed passengers of only 0.1% of budget, they forget that their previous FoI revealed ...

21.6% of CalMac boats out of service but Washington State USA has had 40% out...
29 Mar 2026 at 5:54pm
According to STV today, CalMac has 8 ferries out of action.1 CalMac currently has 37 vessels.2 Another 3 are due from Turkey within the year.3 So, 8 out of 37, 21.6%. How unusual is that in a ferry service operating in the developed world? In May 2024, in affluent (twice the GDP) Washington State USA, 6 out of their 21 ferries, 28.6% were out of service. In November 2023, 8 out of 21 were out o...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election - bbc.com
28 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election  bbc.com

BBC Scotland criticised over omission of major independence rally from flagsh...
30 Mar 2026 at 3:12pm
BBC Scotland criticised over omission of major independence rally from flagship show  Thenational Scot

Majority for SNP will lead to independence vote as Starmer too 'weak', says B...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:52pm
Majority for SNP will lead to independence vote as Starmer too 'weak', says Badenoch  The Herald

John Swinney to demand Labour devolves energy policy to Holyrood if SNP re-el...
30 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
John Swinney to demand Labour devolves energy policy to Holyrood if SNP re-elected  The Scotsman

Could Scotland leave the United Kingdom by accident? - thetimes.com
29 Mar 2026 at 4:55pm
Could Scotland leave the United Kingdom by accident?  thetimes.com

'Weak' Sir Keir Starmer 'will grant John Swinney another independence referen...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:26pm
'Weak' Sir Keir Starmer 'will grant John Swinney another independence referendum'  Scottish Daily Express

Vote for a fairer, greener and independent Scotland - Scottish Greens
28 Mar 2026 at 7:54am
Vote for a fairer, greener and independent Scotland  Scottish Greens

Thousands march for Scottish independence in major Edinburgh rally - Thenatio...
28 Mar 2026 at 3:50pm
Thousands march for Scottish independence in major Edinburgh rally  Thenational Scot

Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland - bbc.com
2 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland  bbc.com

15 pictures from Edinburgh march and rally for independence from Royal Mile t...
28 Mar 2026 at 6:56pm
15 pictures from Edinburgh march and rally for independence from Royal Mile to Calton Hill  Edinburgh News

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP calling, haplotype phasing and allele-specific analysis with long RNA-seq...
30 Mar 2026 at 11:16am
SNP calling, haplotype phasing and allele-specific analysis with long RNA-seq reads  Nature

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election - bbc.com
28 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election  bbc.com

Dissent remains an irritant to the SNP?s centralised regime - thetimes.com
30 Mar 2026 at 5:11pm
Dissent remains an irritant to the SNP?s centralised regime  thetimes.com

Kemi Badenoch says SNP majority will trigger indyref2 - Thenational Scot
30 Mar 2026 at 3:00pm
Kemi Badenoch says SNP majority will trigger indyref2  Thenational Scot

SNP councillors backed convicted sex offender Jordan Linden, leaked recording...
30 Mar 2026 at 2:46pm
SNP councillors backed convicted sex offender Jordan Linden, leaked recordings reveal  The Herald

The SNP Government?s delusional climate change plan for 2026-2040 - thinkscot...
30 Mar 2026 at 2:08pm
The SNP Government?s delusional climate change plan for 2026-2040  thinkscotland.org

Recording of SNP attempting to support Jordan Linden released amid 'cover-up'...
30 Mar 2026 at 4:45pm
Recording of SNP attempting to support Jordan Linden released amid 'cover-up' claims  The Scotsman

Ex-SNP council leader Jordan Linden guilty of multiple sex offences against y...
27 Mar 2026 at 2:00pm
Ex-SNP council leader Jordan Linden guilty of multiple sex offences against young men and boys  Sky News

SNP to review party complaints after sex attacks by ex-council leader - bbc.com
27 Mar 2026 at 6:48pm
SNP to review party complaints after sex attacks by ex-council leader  bbc.com

SNP say Scottish Labour election strategy reports proof of 'grubby deal' with...
30 Mar 2026 at 12:44pm
SNP say Scottish Labour election strategy reports proof of 'grubby deal' with Reform  Thenational Scot

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election - bbc.com
28 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election  bbc.com

Majority for SNP will lead to independence vote as Starmer too 'weak', says B...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:52pm
Majority for SNP will lead to independence vote as Starmer too 'weak', says Badenoch  The Herald

See Brian Cox's full speech at major Believe in Scotland independence rally -...
28 Mar 2026 at 3:03pm
See Brian Cox's full speech at major Believe in Scotland independence rally  Thenational Scot

Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland - bbc.com
2 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland  bbc.com

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

Thousands attend Believe in Scotland rally in Edinburgh - The Edinburgh Reporter
28 Mar 2026 at 8:32pm
Thousands attend Believe in Scotland rally in Edinburgh  The Edinburgh Reporter

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

Scottish independence poll 2025 - Statista
24 Feb 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence poll 2025  Statista

First Minister John Swinney?s speech to the SNP?s 2026 Campaign Conference - ...
14 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
First Minister John Swinney?s speech to the SNP?s 2026 Campaign Conference  snp.org

Swinney says independence 'within our grasp' as he unveils childcare plan - H...
14 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
Swinney says independence 'within our grasp' as he unveils childcare plan  Holyrood Website