The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Today's cartoon by Steven Camley - on CalMac's latest woes and SNP Indy ambit...
by Camley's Cartoons
9 Sep 2026 at 7:56am
You can purchase Steven Camley's cartoons by calling 0191 603 0178 or visiting thepicturedesk.co.uk


?Very vital service? at risk of closure under Glasgow £20m cuts programme
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
Glasgow?s Complex Needs Service faces possible closure after staff were 'incorrectly' told it would shut, as unions challenge the review process.


UK government's £540k on gift vouchers to reward civil servants' 'high perfor...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
Government credit card records show the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spent £540,599 on Love2shop vouchers in under three years.


'Power grab': PM told not to give Romeo powers over Scots civil service chief
by Kathleen Nutt
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
Andy Burnham is being urged to rule out giving the UK government?s Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo the power to direct the permanent secretary in the Scottish Government.


What is happening to the Sturgeon Murrell house as Branchform returns to court?
by Kathleen Nutt
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
It was the image that came to stand for the Police Scotland's long-running investigation into the SNP's finances Operation Branchform, so what is happening to the house where the officers' raid took place?


Watch: Nicola Sturgeon takes deputy PM role in Russian attack TV The Wargame ...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
8 Sep 2026 at 7:27pm
The trailer for a new TV show starring Nicola Sturgeon has been revealed, showing her seated at a table alongside Michael Gove and other former politicians.


Police will pursue those spreading Glasgow fire 'racial tension' misinformation
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
8 Sep 2026 at 4:08pm
John Swinney has said those who have been "spreading misinformation" and "inciting racial tension" which is linked to a fire within a tenement in Glasgow will be pursued by the police


'Astonishing': SNP MSP on Enlightenment's absence from Scots schools
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 Sep 2026 at 3:17pm
An SNP MSP has urged the Scottish Government to make the Scottish Enlightenment compulsory in schools, but ministers insist teachers already have opportunities to cover the topic.


Swinney accuses Reform of bid to ?incite racial tension? over burqa ban
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
8 Sep 2026 at 2:49pm
John Swinney accused a Reform MSP of seeking to incite racial tension after he asked whether Scotland should consider restrictions on wearing the burqa.


'Scotland must change': Lord Advocate's warning after record domestic abuse f...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 Sep 2026 at 2:19pm
Domestic abuse charges in Scotland rose to 34,586 in 2025-26, the highest annual total in more than a decade.


McAllan defends creation of new public body despite Swinney cull
by Kathleen Nutt
8 Sep 2026 at 1:31pm
Màiri McAllan has defended the creation of a new public body just a week after John Swinney promised to "substantially reduce their number" when he unveiled his his Programme for Government.


Ghosts of SNP health secretaries past cast shadow over Swinney?s NHS reforms
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
8 Sep 2026 at 1:18pm
Analysis: Warnings from former SNP health secretaries are casting a shadow over John Swinney?s plans to overhaul Scotland?s NHS.


McAllan leaves door open to HES shake-up after 'unacceptable' absence of leader
by Kathleen Nutt
8 Sep 2026 at 10:56am
Màiri McAllan has admitted it was "unacceptable" for the Historic Environment Scotland to be without a chief executive for more than six months as she left the door open to change.


?Fools gold?: Ex-health secretary says NHS board cuts alone won?t improve out...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
8 Sep 2026 at 9:36am
Former health secretary Michael Matheson says cutting Scotland?s NHS boards from 14 to two will not in itself deliver improved outcomes for patients.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP must abandon fantasy education policies and break nationalist taboo about...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:00am
Unlike England, Scotland is failing to counteract the damaging effects of social media on young people?s attention spans


John Swinney admits SNP's integration of health and social care services has ...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:00am

John Swinney has opened the door to social care services being managed by a newly-structured NHS.

MSPs have hear claims that AI could add more than £23 billion a year to Scotland?s GDP by 2035.

Mr Matheson said expecting it to do so was ?fool?s gold?

The foreign secretary gave a statement in the House of Commons this afternoon.

The public inquiry was told patients of the disgraced neurosurgeon had been left with ?the most traumatic disabilities?.

Wings over Scotland

Anything But That
1 Sep 2026 at 1:04pm
The SNP really really don’t want to have another independence referendum, but if somebody somehow FORCES them into one, they DEFINITELY don’t want to have it in circumstances where they’d be starting the campaign with a 16-point lead. (We must conclude from all this, incidentally, that John Swinney LOVES the Tories, because he had no …

Haven?t had a dream in a long time
31 Aug 2026 at 8:43pm
These are strange days, readers. It’s getting hard to tell who’s on which side. To be honest, we’d take George Foulkes’ offer in a heartbeat. It’s not ideal, because there should be no limits on democracy, but the UK government can perfectly lawfully deny another indyref indefinitely anyway (and seem entirely inclined to), so we’d …

The Shortest Day
29 Aug 2026 at 1:07pm
Something rather extraordinary happened yesterday, dearest readers. Very briefly, we absolutely genuinely thought someone in a position of some influence in the SNP had taken a meaningful step towards being serious about independence. We are not being sarcastic. Look: here it is. (Transcript at bottom of article.) ? Dave Doogan is the SNP’s leader at …

The Slowest Dawning
28 Aug 2026 at 1:44pm
Now, readers, it’s not much of a secret that anyone who’s still supporting the SNP in the hopes that they’ll deliver Scottish independence is – and let’s put this as gently and kindly as possible – a bit thick. From a membership high of 125,000 in the run-up to the 2021 Holyrood election, fully 60% …

Spot The Problem
27 Aug 2026 at 12:19pm
See if you can identify why this isn’t an ideal way to run a justice system. We’ve put a couple of clues in for the slower folk. Answer below. Still, the Crown Office IS at least theoretically accountable to Parliament, so as long as the governing party is full of strong, independent, fair-minded MSPs willing …

This Other Earth
26 Aug 2026 at 2:22pm
We’ve had another email from the Crown Office. Stand by for a surprise! Well, that seems fair enough: other than the fact that almost £700,000 in “ringfenced” fundraiser money is (still) visibly missing, and the fact that the First Minister of the country and the leader of the party the money was entrusted to has …

You?ll Have Had Your Supper
24 Aug 2026 at 6:22pm
Great news, everyone – Scottish Labour has finally worked out how to talk to the people of Scotland. This video featuring the party’s MP Melanie Ward just appeared on the Scotland Office’s LinkedIn page, and it explains the complexities of the interlinked Scottish and UK economies in terms that the UK government hopes all of …

Before Action
20 Aug 2026 at 8:20pm
Our solicitors have today sent the letter below to Police Scotland. (Click pics to enlarge.) It’s worth remembering what this is about. – Peter Murrell was recently sentenced to over five years in prison for misappropriating approximately £400,000 from the SNP, which is the crime of embezzlement. – John Swinney recently admitted that the SNP …

The Land Of Do-As-You-Please
17 Aug 2026 at 12:15pm
The contempt for the Scottish public being openly shown by public servants paid from the public purse to answer to the public has at this point reached such endemic levels that we’re not sure an acceptable level of trust can ever be salvaged. The reply above is not just evasive, not even just pathetic, it’s …

Believers In The Ruins
13 Aug 2026 at 2:01pm
Not done with celebrating defeat in an imaginary UDI yesterday, The National has gone with another big polling-based front cover today, and the party’s woke young stormtrooper drones are beside themselves with malignant glee. Let’s just see what they’re cheering about. Oh. That 29% figure is actually one point DOWN on the SNP’s support in …

Craig Murray

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

Dr David Halpin and David Kelly
29 Aug 2026 at 12:26pm

Dr David Halpin, a redoubtable campaigner over the murder of Dr David Kelly, and a friend of this blog for over twenty years, has died. He will be missed. His sister Mary was for many years an invaluable commenter here and occasional researcher for me. Unfortunately about ten years ago I banned her for comments …

Dr David Halpin and David Kelly

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism
25 Aug 2026 at 5:50pm

We still don’t have a decision on whether the Scottish judicial review of Palestine Action can proceed. Lord Young is thinking about it. Last Thursday’s hearing went about as well as it could go. The UK government produced no written argument and barely seemed to be trying. They moved in court for the Scottish judicial …

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism

Scottish Judicial Review Hearing Tomorrow
19 Aug 2026 at 10:05pm

After eight months of obstructionism from the Labour Friends of Israel government of the UK, tomorrow is the day on which the Scottish Court of Session will finally decide whether to go ahead with the judicial review it granted in January, or kowtow to Downing St. I publish below two of the three main papers …

Scottish Judicial Review Hearing Tomorrow

A Tide in the Affairs of Men
7 Aug 2026 at 9:20pm

Between ten and five years ago, specifically in the light of Brexit, it was not in the least unusual for Scottish Independence supporters to discuss a declaration of Independence as the way forward. Debate more often centred on who should make the declaration – the Scottish parliament or some form of national convention or assembly. …

A Tide in the Affairs of Men

BBC Scotland

FM warns police will pursue anyone spreading lies about fire-hit flats
8 Sep 2026 at 5:11pm
Housing association NG Homes said rumours that the flats would be used to house asylum seekers were false.

Lord Advocate 'concerned' as domestic abuse charges rise by 14%
8 Sep 2026 at 3:25pm
Lord Advocate Ruth Charteris KC said protecting women and girls from abusive men would be a priority during her time in office.

Bluetongue restrictions in place for at least two years
8 Sep 2026 at 2:56pm
A restricted zone for Dumfries and Galloway and parts of Ayrshire will be put in place on Thursday.

Food price cap plans giving farmer 'sleepless nights'
8 Sep 2026 at 6:40am
East Lothian farmer Jamie Wyllie says he's worried costs will get passed down the line to the food producers.

Primary teachers hired to teach Glasgow secondary pupils to read
8 Sep 2026 at 4:07pm
Intensive catch-up classes are being held for pupils who are starting at high school without basic literacy skills.

Swinney suggests Scots will not travel further for health care under reforms
6 Sep 2026 at 12:30pm
Plans are in motion to cut Scotland's mainland health boards from 14 to two, but questions remain about how they would work in practice.

Offord pledges to scrap tax system and boost jobs under Reform
5 Sep 2026 at 6:25pm
Reform UK's leader in Scotland has set out his priorities in a speech to the party conference.

Controversial Jackdaw gas field set to be approved in weeks, sources say
4 Sep 2026 at 6:59am
The government is set to give the go-ahead for the gas field off the coast of Aberdeen, the BBC understands.

Scottish independence referendum 'a million miles away' - Offord
4 Sep 2026 at 2:36pm
The Reform UK Scotland leader told the BBC that there would need to be a "groundswell" of support for a fresh poll.

Helicopters to be put on standby when wildfire risk is high
3 Sep 2026 at 7:49pm
The justice secretary says aerial water bombing was a key part of the effort to extinguish a large fire in the Cairngorms.

Reform UK's Richard Tice calls for more North Sea drilling
3 Sep 2026 at 11:24pm
Tice spoke to BBC Scotland News ahead of Reform UK's conference in Birmingham this week.

Glasgow City Council at 'critical' point over £110m budget gap
3 Sep 2026 at 6:08am
The Accounts Commission warns "robust oversight" is needed to tackle a £110m budget gap spanning the next two financial years.

Scot Goes Pop

A de facto referendum on independence would self-evidently not be "bonkers" -...
7 Sep 2026 at 11:01am
There has been just one occasion in history in which an integral part of the United Kingdom became an independent country, and it did not happen as the result of a 2014-style agreed referendum.  In...

"Well THAT one was worth waiting for!": SNP have DOUBLE Labour's support in d...
2 Sep 2026 at 11:38pm

RevStew can squeal but *of course* the SNP have done the right thing by rulin...
31 Aug 2026 at 9:19am
The most dispiriting aspect of the controversy surrounding Dave Doogan is that it's given the controversial Somerset-based "Stew" blogger an excuse to yet again trot out his barking mad fantasy abo...

The refusal to allow a debate and vote on independence strategy at the SNP co...
29 Aug 2026 at 10:15am
I initially assumed that the timing of the publication of a draft indyref bill was directly connected to the news having just broken that this year's SNP conference is being effectively blocked fro...

Another Scottish polling disaster for Burnham: a majority of voters want Scot...
27 Aug 2026 at 10:24pm
Someone asked on the previous comments thread whether it was true that a new Survation poll showed that Andy Burnham is the most popular politician among Scottish voters.  Yes, it is true (albeit w...

The BBC will ALWAYS be fearlessly neutral and even-handed and ask all the imp...
24 Aug 2026 at 10:06pm
*  *  *I'm still urgently trying to make progress towards my blogging and YouTube videos becoming financially sustainable.  If you'd like to help me continue to create content by becoming a support...

Warning - Danger - MASSIVE BLACK HOLE APPROACHING and Stew wants to chuck YOU...
22 Aug 2026 at 10:04pm
Probably because I grew up during the period in which the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six were released, I've always been deeply troubled by the persistent recurrence of severe miscarriages o...

Concerns mount that the "Scottish Daily Express" may be written by clueless H...
22 Aug 2026 at 12:21pm
If it wasn't so outrageous, the latest anti-Gaelic rant from the Scottish Daily Express would be hysterically funny.  The paper reports that "one Holyrood source" (translation: an unspecified Tory ...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Three Holyrood committees decline to work with UK Parliament on party finances
7 Sep 2026 at 8:41pm
The request followed the Peter Murrell embezzlement case.

John Swinney refuses to say when NHS job cut numbers will be announced
7 Sep 2026 at 1:09pm
The Government is set to embark on a major public sector reform programme.

Swinney can?t give ?specific figure? on NHS job losses under planned reforms
6 Sep 2026 at 4:24pm
The First Minister said that he has been open about the fact he thinks 'public sector employment will fall' over the parliamentary term

Malcolm Offord used private healthcare to treat prostate cancer
4 Sep 2026 at 12:47pm
The Reform UK Scotland leader was diagnosed on election day in May

Insight: Will dodgy donation allegations overshadow Reform?s conference?
4 Sep 2026 at 11:54am
A Channel 4 investigation exposed key Reform figures taking donations from non-UK donors, which breaks electoral law

First Minister announces new childcare reforms aimed at getting parents back ...
3 Sep 2026 at 4:07pm
The government will provide a £15m cash boost for flexible childcare provision, as well as a £44m breakfast club investment

John Swinney to face FMQs as Programme for Government unveiled
3 Sep 2026 at 2:01pm
The First Minister will likely face questions on plans to cut Scotland's health boards to just two

Former Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar takes Lords seat
3 Sep 2026 at 2:01pm
The 43-year-old quit his role in Holyrood to take up a post as UK trade minister

Zack Polanski says he will stand in by-election to replace Keir Starmer
3 Sep 2026 at 10:01am
The Green Party leader has announced his intention to stand as a candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election

Prisoners left with human excrement smeared on cell walls for three days, MSP...
2 Sep 2026 at 4:05pm
The chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service said not cleaning 'dirty protests' for three days complied with the law

Swinney appoints ?experienced? Smith as Scottish Government minister
2 Sep 2026 at 3:52pm
Alyn Smith is to be the minister for innovation, technology and tertiary education, replacing Ben Macpherson who quit last week

Sexual offences court will be difficult to deliver but is necessary ? minister
2 Sep 2026 at 2:27pm
Justice secretary Neil Gray said work on the court will not begin until the next financial year

Serious spending questions raised at Andy Burnham?s first PMQs
2 Sep 2026 at 1:07pm
Now that summer recess is over, the Prime Minister faced scrutiny from his political opponents

Drafting Scottish budget will be extremely challenging, admits Gilruth
2 Sep 2026 at 12:02pm
The deputy first minister spoke about the tight fiscal siatuation faced by the Scottish Government

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Families of patients who died at scandal-hit QEUH warn NHS health board merge...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Louise Slorance, whose husband Andrew died at the scandal-hit QEUH in 2020, said families 'don?t need more listening, we need action now'.

Online hatred fuelling Scotland?s domestic abuse crisis as charges hit decade...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
Domestic abuse charges have soared to 34,586, with concerns that toxic social media messages are helping normalise contempt, control and violence against women.

'Scotland's political parties must learn the lessons of far-right AfD electio...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
Far-right activists in Scotland will be "emboldened" by the electoral breakthrough of the AfD in Germany, experts have said.

Scotland performing 'significantly below England' in reading, writing and sci...
8 Sep 2026 at 8:30am
The "brutal" report found Scottish education "just isn't what it used to be" after 20 years of SNP Government.

'Too many men do not see women as human beings in Scotland'
8 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
A damning letter to Neil Gray has called for SNP ministers to deal with "the growing backlog of promised measures" to tackle domestic violence.

Old Firm policing costs 'unsustainable' as MSP backs law change to make SPFL ...
7 Sep 2026 at 11:31am
An MSP says clubs should pay a "much fairer share towards the costs of policing the public spaces surrounding their stadiums" after costs rocketed.

£2 bus fare cap launches across Strathclyde as calls grow for nationwide roll...
7 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
England will enjoy a nationwide cap on bus fares from January 1 - but no date has been fixed for when all of Scotland will enjoy the same.

Justice system is failing women as revenge porn victim forced into hiding
7 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
Record View says too many times the justice system fails to keep women safe by failing to keep violent or abusive men away from them.

Scots public sector workers 'panicking' as John Swinney 'hell bent' on centra...
7 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Unite chief Dougie Maguire warned unions would not tolerate job losses and accused the SNP Government of "kidding on" that centralisation would lead to better public services.

'The SNP is putting more money in the pocket of Scots at a time they really n...
7 Sep 2026 at 4:29am
Writing in his regular column for the Record, the First Minister says his Government is focused on helping Scots with the cost of living.

The National

The National | Politics

Ed Miliband hits back as Israel retaliates to illegal settlements trade ban
9 Sep 2026 at 9:06am

Ed Miliband has hit back after Israel retaliated to the UK's ban on trade with illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank

Scotland?s shameful media silence is letting Reform UK?s lies to go unchallenged
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am

Malcolm Offord, leader of Reform UK?s contingent, availed himself of the occasion to repeat claims which had already been debunked and called out as falsehoods

Scottish Government's failure to ban conversion practices is a dereliction of...
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am

THE Scottish Government?s failure to introduce its long?promised bill to end conversion practices is more than a legislative delay ? it is a moral failure and dereliction of duty

Details matter ? and the Scottish Government is getting too many wrong
9 Sep 2026 at 5:00am

AS a Scot, it embarrasses me to say this, but the Scottish Government?s new Programme for Government, published last week to much fanfare, is absolutely riddled with errors

There?s nothing wrong with suggesting some merging of services
8 Sep 2026 at 7:30pm

AFTER reading the letter from Dr Iain Evans (Sep 8), I took time to reflect on the Holyrood election this year. I can assure Dr Evans that the victory secured was due in no small part to the leadership of First Minister John Swinney.

Protesters assaulted at Reform conference 'not a big deal', Malcolm Offord says
8 Sep 2026 at 6:01pm

MALCOLM Offord has said he ?wouldn't make a big deal? about protesters who appeared to be violently assaulted at Reform?s conference by party members last week, adding that ?things happen? ...

Nigel Farage branded 'racist' over call for burka ban
8 Sep 2026 at 5:55pm

NIGEL Farage has been branded ?racist? after he called for a ban on the burkas and other face coverings in the wake of major mobilisations of far-right street thugs in England.

Far-right group selling battle axes and swords should concern us all
8 Sep 2026 at 5:40pm

IMAGINE Palestine Action, a local Muslim group or climate protesters started selling swords, daggers and battle axes.

Pisa results show 'education strengths' but more investment needed, union says
8 Sep 2026 at 5:14pm

AN ANNUAL international study has found that although Scotland has educational strengths, children?s performance in reading and maths has declined, with a union calling on greater investment in education from the government ...

Rosebank 'must be next' as UK cracks down on illegal Israeli settlements
8 Sep 2026 at 5:02pm

ANDY Burnham is under growing pressure to block an Israel-linked oil field after his Government unveiled a raft of sanctions against illegal West Bank settlements.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Volunteering is an investment in stronger communities
9 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
By encouraging and investing in volunteering, we can strengthen communities, create opportunities and build lasting social connections. Stronger communities are built through participation, partnership and shared purpose, and volunteering remains one of t

Domestic abuse charges up by 14 per cent
8 Sep 2026 at 4:22pm
Over 34,500 charges with a domestic abuse identifier were reported

Scotland pupils continue to lag English counterparts in science, maths and re...
8 Sep 2026 at 11:33am
The educational performance of Scottish teenagers remains ?significantly below? historic levels

Eljamel inquiry begins public evidence sessions with former Tory MSP Liz Smith
8 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
Eljamel, a former head of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside, is thought to have harmed up to 200 patients in botched operations that took place before he was finally suspended in 2013

Strengthening transport connectivity across Orkney?s island communities
8 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
Maintaining vital air and sea links requires complex and coordinated joint working

Murdo Fraser challenges John Swinney over ?fag packet? NHS plans
7 Sep 2026 at 4:20pm
Detail lacking on NHS board plans, Tories say

?Underperforming? Scottish Parliament beset by ?shallow partisanship?
7 Sep 2026 at 2:19pm
?Rubbish? questions and social media scrolling ? report finds serious concerns about quality of Holyrood politics

?2 bus fare cap comes into force across Strathclyde region
7 Sep 2026 at 7:54am
Greens press John Swinney to go further

A strong future for universities starts with hard data on the here and now
7 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
By beginning with a shared understanding of the facts, we create the conditions for informed debate and durable solutions. That is the best foundation on which to secure a strong and sustainable future for Scotland?s universities.

Jackdaw gas field in North Sea set to be approved ? reports
4 Sep 2026 at 12:08pm
Previously approved by the Conservative government in 2022, Jackdaw was delayed by a Court of Session ruling which said the decision?failed to take into account the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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...

?Never seen this level of objection?: Scotland pushes back against datacentre...
25 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
Holyrood ?inching towards moratorium? amid concerns over massive proposed developments in Auchtertool and beyondIn a village 21 miles north of Edinburgh, a real estate consultancy plans to build a datacentre larger than the village itself ? 35 metres high, with an area larger than 100 football pi...

Police Scotland warns ?robust security? needed to stop attacks on AI datacentres
14 Aug 2026 at 5:05pm
?A great deal of public opposition is likely? to a proposed datacentre near Edinburgh, the force saysPolice in Scotland have issued a stark warning about the need for ?robust security measures? to stop proposed AI datacentres from being attacked by protesters.There has been mounting opposition to...

Polls open in Clacton, where Farage spent more than £10,000 in byelection aga...
13 Aug 2026 at 3:54pm
The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelectionThe number of patients in England being cared for in hospital corridors or makeshift areas has remained above 3,000 a day for the second month in a row, as the NHS experiences a ?summer surge?, the Pre...

UK politics: Burnham urges retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues aft...
12 Aug 2026 at 7:10pm
PM warns extreme heat conditions ?could be with us fo some time yet?Just 20 staff are working on climate adaptation within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the part of government tasked with protecting the environment and maintaining food security, a freedom of information ...

Amnesty International says Farage putting ?hate and inhumanity? over leadersh...
10 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
A spokesperson for the human rights group likened the proposal to ?financial brutality with British taxpayers? money?Farage and Yusuf are now taking questions.Q: From Jack Fenwick from the BBC Are there other countries where you might send foreign offenders? And how much would this cost?We have...

Nicola Sturgeon ?has not spoken to? estranged husband, Peter Murrell, since h...
8 Aug 2026 at 3:50pm
Scotland?s former first minister says she will not visit Murrell in prison, where he is serving five-year sentence for embezzling SNP fundsNicola Surgeon has said she will not visit her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, in prison, has stopped speaking to him and views herself as a ?mug? for worry...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

BBC Scotland?s educational F grade
8 Sep 2026 at 8:28pm
BBC Scotland’s latest ‘Scotland is shite’ story is to tell us that Scottish educational performance has fallen behind that of England. This finding is based on Pisa rankings. However BBC Scotland, ahem, ‘forgot’ to mention a critical piece of information in its rush to let viewers know how terrible Scottish education is. That information is …

The smokiest of smoking guns
4 Sep 2026 at 4:36pm
If there are smoking guns, Channel 4 and Verbatim’s undercover sting on Reform UK is a slow motion video of the bullet exiting the barrel and hitting its target. If you haven’t seen the report it’s available on catch up or YouTube. It is very, very bad for Farage who was already in deep trouble …

The BBC?s clutching pearls are in aisle three
3 Sep 2026 at 3:43pm
You might have thought that any measure aimed at helping struggling households during a cost of living crisis would be welcome, particularly at a time when there’s an ever widening gap between the richest and the poorest. The Scottish Government has proposed to introduce a price cap on essential basic grocery items in order to …

The branch office?s stagnant talent puddle
2 Sep 2026 at 4:42pm
The Labour party in Scotland has got itself into a hopeless mess on the topic of another independence referendum. Actually, that previous sentence could just have stopped at the word mess. The two contenders for the position of Labour’s Scottish branch manager, Michael Marra and Jackie Baillie’s wee pet Joe Fagan, had an embarrassing car …

Keir today, gone tomorrow
1 Sep 2026 at 4:08pm
With intentionally spiteful timing, failed prime minister Keir Starmer announced that he’s stepping down as an MP just as his successor was due to address Parliament for the first time. With this move, Starmer has proven that it was all about his ego, careerism, self-aggrandisement, and ambition all along. He’s telling us he has no …

The Record?s proposed trigger for Indyref2 benefits Labour not Scotland
31 Aug 2026 at 8:06pm
The first crack has appeared in the “We’re not nationalists we’re British” dam against the rising tide of support for independence and the generational shift that puts opposition to independence in Scotland on borrowed time. The current Westminster tactic of refusing to countenance another independence referendum, maintaining that the UK is a voluntary union while …

Pros and cons of a defacto indyref, and the SNP conference
30 Aug 2026 at 4:09pm
As ever, when I take a few days off from the blog, there’s a lot to catch up on. There was the Survation poll on independence published on Thursday which reported a 52% result for Yes (with don’t knows removed). It’s worth pointing out that Survation is one of those polling companies which uses weighting …

Meet the new boss, you know the rest
27 Aug 2026 at 5:04pm
As sure as night follows day or the Labour branch office in Scotland is unwilling to learn from its repeated electoral kickings, the Labour party at Westminster is equally unwilling to change, retreating to its comfort zone of corporate centre right politics just as soon as it had defenestrated Keir Starmer for being massively unpopular …

Wind turbines and threats to national security
25 Aug 2026 at 1:12pm
Scotland’s enormous potential for renewable energy could turn the country into a literal European powerhouse and generate immense revenues for an independent Scotland as well as giving Scotland some of the cheapest electricity in Europe, which in turn could generate huge inward investment as companies seek to build factories in Scotland, taking advantage of low …

Graham Grant?s glaikit attack on the Scots language
20 Aug 2026 at 1:48pm
You have probably never heard of Graham Grant, which is a great blessing. Grant is the home affairs editor of the Scottish Daily Mail, a far right rag which devotes itself to stories about celebs and royalty and informing its elderly readership of Tory and Reform UK supporters of all the many and myriad ways …

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

Reposted as every newspaper and TV news outlet in Scotland today swallows the...
9 Sep 2026 at 9:22am

?The Branchform 14? ? only 0.001% of supporters or 0.01% of members write to ...
9 Sep 2026 at 9:15am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From the Police Scotland, Freedom of Information service – Branchform/SNP – Complaints etc of SNP finances – Jan 21 TD, published yesterday, the above and the following response: The n...

Audit ? Shocking 50% more waited over 12 hours last year in NHS England than ...
9 Sep 2026 at 8:56am
From BBC Breakfast this morning the above1. Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 All things being equal with a population ratio of 10.6/1, the NHS Scotland figure should be around 113 000, but was only 75 1202, 66%, two t...

99.9% of materials from Scotland?s first commercial wind farm successfully re...
8 Sep 2026 at 7:00pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From Renew Economy, tomorrow (!), the above and: Flying in the face of the fearmongering often dragged out to oppose clean energy technologies, fully renewable energy utility ScottishP...

Two leading academics cast doubt on England?s supposedly better Pisa scores a...
8 Sep 2026 at 6:58pm
To put it plainly, based on the reading of two prominent academics in England, the sample from English schools is light on the percentage of pupils with special needs. This echoes the problems of representativeness in the English sample in 2022 (more below) when the results were ‘asterisked’ with a serious warning after almost being fully excluded. There is no history of such gaming or bias in ...

No credible academic uses the Pisa scores and proper tests show real progress...
8 Sep 2026 at 2:21pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Here’s a short video version: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/10/short-video-on-englands-pisa-scores-are-based-only-on-a-tiny-selective-sample-of-higher-achieving-schools-maki...

Bernera and Claire Kellerman?s Misguided ?Shaggy Dog? Story
8 Sep 2026 at 2:08pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By Jim Mennie On Great Bernera, a small island off Lewis with about 250 residents, a volunteer caféhas become the centre of an expensive disability-discrimination claim. The disputetur...

Full exposé ? How Glasgow Labour is responsible for all of the infections in ...
8 Sep 2026 at 1:52pm
My September column in Scots Independent, 100 years old this year. Available at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/shop/ Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 My September column in Scots Independent, 100 years old this...

Here are TWELVE reasons why Glasgow is really getting better and is already b...
8 Sep 2026 at 9:45am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Readers may know, I’m a Bairn, so entirely impartial when Michael Kelly pops up to slag Glasgow. Some dog-walkers I know, with dogs called ‘Kenny’ and ‘Lubo’, are more forthright on hi...

Far more police officers and probation officers. Far lower crime levels and f...
8 Sep 2026 at 9:21am
BBC Breakfast today reporting a damning assessment of the standard of policing in England & Wales. Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Many police forces in England and Wales still need to make improvements in the way th...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

In Cardiff, a sinister cabal is plotting nothing less than the end of the Uni...
9 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
In Cardiff, a sinister cabal is plotting nothing less than the end of the United Kingdom  The Telegraph

Second Scottish independence referendum 'a long way off' - Offord - Yahoo
4 Sep 2026 at 2:36pm
Second Scottish independence referendum 'a long way off' - Offord  Yahoo

A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse - mi...
20 Aug 2026 at 2:44pm
A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse  mironline.ca

Scotland?s shameful media silence is letting Reform UK?s lies to go unchallen...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:18am
Scotland?s shameful media silence is letting Reform UK?s lies to go unchallenged  The National Scot

FM calls for referendum powers as draft independence bill published - BBC
28 Aug 2026 at 8:00am
FM calls for referendum powers as draft independence bill published  BBC

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform - RNZ
10 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform  RNZ

Scottish Independence is a demand that Westminster cannot ignore - Scottish G...
28 Aug 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Independence is a demand that Westminster cannot ignore  Scottish Greens

Scottish government publishes draft second independence referendum bill - Mor...
28 Aug 2026 at 4:27pm
Scottish government publishes draft second independence referendum bill  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

'A complete waste of time': SNP publishes new Scottish independence referendu...
28 Aug 2026 at 8:00am
'A complete waste of time': SNP publishes new Scottish independence referendum bill  The Scotsman

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Labour and the SNP destroyed schools in Scotland and Wales. Is England next? ...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:00am
Labour and the SNP destroyed schools in Scotland and Wales. Is England next?  The Telegraph

SNP must abandon fantasy education policies and break nationalist taboo about...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:00am
SNP must abandon fantasy education policies and break nationalist taboo about learning from England  The Scotsman

SNP minister condemns minority who create fear and hostility in communities -...
9 Sep 2026 at 5:02am
SNP minister condemns minority who create fear and hostility in communities  The National Scot

Glasgow SNP and Greens vote to cut council workers? pay via ?fire and rehire?...
7 Sep 2026 at 6:49pm
Glasgow SNP and Greens vote to cut council workers? pay via ?fire and rehire?  World Socialist Web Site

SNP and MNP contract consultation ends this week - pulsepcn.co.uk
8 Sep 2026 at 4:10pm
SNP and MNP contract consultation ends this week  pulsepcn.co.uk

Gordon Brown?s think tank urges SNP to devolve power to regions - The Times
8 Sep 2026 at 8:25pm
Gordon Brown?s think tank urges SNP to devolve power to regions  The Times

'Too wee, too poor, too stupid? The strange message behind Swinney?s big refo...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:36am
'Too wee, too poor, too stupid? The strange message behind Swinney?s big reform plan'  The Herald

Building Scotland?s future: What the SNP is delivering for you right now ? Sc...
7 Sep 2026 at 4:14pm
Building Scotland?s future: What the SNP is delivering for you right now ? Scottish National Party  snp.org

John Lamont MP column: Centralisation will not make NHS more efficient - bord...
9 Sep 2026 at 10:04am
John Lamont MP column: Centralisation will not make NHS more efficient  bordertelegraph.com

Greens call on SNP to reinstate free-school meal pilot - Morning Star | The P...
8 Sep 2026 at 2:57pm
Greens call on SNP to reinstate free-school meal pilot  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

FM calls for referendum powers as draft independence bill published - BBC
28 Aug 2026 at 8:00am
FM calls for referendum powers as draft independence bill published  BBC

Second Scottish independence referendum 'a long way off' - Offord - Yahoo
4 Sep 2026 at 2:36pm
Second Scottish independence referendum 'a long way off' - Offord  Yahoo

Special Celtic Alliance event to explore route to Scottish independence - The...
6 Sep 2026 at 5:59pm
Special Celtic Alliance event to explore route to Scottish independence  The National Scot

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse - mi...
20 Aug 2026 at 2:44pm
A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse  mironline.ca

'Deal or no deal, Mr Leishman - independence is inevitable' - The Herald
4 Sep 2026 at 6:38am
'Deal or no deal, Mr Leishman - independence is inevitable'  The Herald

Scottish government publishes draft second independence referendum bill - Mor...
28 Aug 2026 at 4:27pm
Scottish government publishes draft second independence referendum bill  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC