The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Reform UK leader Malcolm Offord admits disappointment over election result
by politics@theherald.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth and Kathleen Nutt
8 May 2026 at 9:54pm
Reform UK's Scottish leader Malcolm Offord has admitted he was disappointed that the party had failed to win more than 20 MSPs, as some polls had suggested.


'Future beyond the Union' looms for UK, says Sinn Féin leader on working with...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
8 May 2026 at 9:32pm
"More people are looking towards a future beyond the constraints of the Union," says Sinn Féin's leader as the possibility of three pro-independence governments within the UK looms.


Scottish election results: SNP win but fall short of majority
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 May 2026 at 9:29pm
John Swinney led the SNP to victory but fell short of a majority for an independence referendum. Despite a pro-indy majority with the Greens, he has backed away from an immediate Holyrood vote, calling for respect from Downing Street.


Two SNP ministers unseated by Scottish Greens' 'historic breakthrough'
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
8 May 2026 at 8:26pm
SNP heavyweights were unseated by the Scottish Greens as the party won their first ever constituency seats in an emphatic Holyrood result.


'Diversity in power': First trans MSP among three Greens elected on Edinburgh...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
8 May 2026 at 8:14pm
Q Manivannan, Kate Nevens, and Kayleigh Kinross-O'Neill were all elected on the Edinburgh and Lothians East list.


BBC slammed for cutting Scottish election TV coverage to show football before...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
8 May 2026 at 7:36pm
The public service broadcaster announced just before 7pm that its live coverage of the 2026 Holyrood Election would end early, just minutes later, to make way for football coverage.


Spirited Lib Dems seize crucial Holyrood constituency from SNP in Edinburgh
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
8 May 2026 at 5:41pm
Sanne Dijkstra-Downie has defeated fellow City of Edinburgh councillor Euan Hyslop in the redrawn seat of Edinburgh Northern.


Sir Tom Hunter slams independence as 'distraction' and makes Scotland unity call
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
8 May 2026 at 4:58pm
High-profile business leader Sir Tom Hunter offers to establish 'council of exceptional talents' who will put 'Scotland first, politics second'


SNP minister Angus Robertson routed by Greens and Labour in Edinburgh seat
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
8 May 2026 at 4:54pm
Mr Robertson came third behind Ms Slater of the Scottish Greens and Labour?s James Dalgleish in the hotly-contested Edinburgh Central constituency.


Reform 'disappointed but not dejected' after losing out to SNP in seat tipped...
8 May 2026 at 4:15pm
Reform 'disappointed but not dejected' after losing out to SNP in seat tipped to win


Anas Sarwar blames ?national wave? as he concedes defeat in Holyrood election
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 May 2026 at 2:22pm
Anas Sarwar has confirmed he will remain Scottish Labour leader despite conceding defeat in the Holyrood election, insisting his immediate focus is on holding his 'hurting' party together.


When will the Scottish Parliament election results be declared? Full list
by Matthew George
8 May 2026 at 11:30am
Here's when it is expected the results of the election will be declared.


Holyrood election 2026: Recap as results put SNP short of majority
8 May 2026 at 5:25am
We now have all the results of the Scottish Parliament elections.. Follow our live blog for every development during a significant day in Scottish politics.


Business chief accuses parties of ignoring Scotland's £4.7bn fiscal black hole
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
8 May 2026 at 5:00am
Scotland's looming £4.7 billion funding gap should have been "at the centre of the election campaign" but has been conspicuously absent, the head of Scotland's most influential business lobby has warned.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Scottish Election 2026 result: John Swinney falls short of SNP majority as Re...
9 May 2026 at 1:26am

The SNP won a historic fifth term after a dramatic day of results

Reform were on 15 MSPs, with Labour on 17 MSPs with just one region to declare.

Follow along live as the vote count for the Scottish Parliament elections get underway.

The Scottish Parliament elections have once again carved out winners and losers

How no overnight count changed Scotland?s election

The SNP pulled ahead by just 364 votes to secure Banffshire and Buchan Coast.

Mr Robertson was pushed into third place in Edinburgh Central

SNP on course for historic fifth consecutive win as Angus Robertson loses out to Lorna Slater in Edinburgh Central

Reform UK leader in Scotland finishes behind SNP and Labour

More than a third of those elected will be making their Holyrood debut

Every result from across Scotland in full as it happens

Counting is well underway in the Scottish Parliament election after voters went to the polls on Thursday.

As the dust settles on the Holyrood election, here?s when Scotland will be returning to the ballot box in the coming years.

The SNP could refuse to work with Reform MSPs through previously-established Holyrood cross-party working conventions if John Swinney is returned to power

Wings over Scotland

And Nothing Happened Forever
9 May 2026 at 3:22am
Well, we told you so. We told you in March (and indeed long before) that the 2026 Holyrood election was a giant waste of time and money that would deliver exactly the same useless Parliament we already had, and so it proved. The SNP ended up giving half-a-dozen seats to the Greens, Labour donated a …

Pick Your Poison
7 May 2026 at 12:43am
At the end of last year we noted the unusual and persistent levels of divergence in Scottish political polling. As polls have become much more frequent during the election campaign, nothing about that has changed. The final polls, published yesterday, are so far apart from each other that they tell us basically zip. Analysing this …

The value bet
6 May 2026 at 4:25pm
To pass the time on (praise be to Baby Jeebus) the last day of the Holyrood election campaign, we thought we’d do a catch-up summary of all the seat projections we could find from last month and this month. Here it is. Now, as it happens we think the potential seat ranges are significantly wider. …

Anas Sarwar is a winner
6 May 2026 at 3:14am
Specifically, of the Single Most Toe-Curlingly, Face-Palmingly Cretinous Thing Said In The 2026 Holyrood Election Campaign, And Possibly Any Election Ever, Prize. We mean, wow. We could easily write a 1000-word article purely on the top 10 things that are fatuously, obviously idiotic about those three short sentences, and so could you. So imagine how …

Binfire Of The Vanities
4 May 2026 at 3:52pm
For a nation that prides itself on hating the Tories, this is very odd. And if you don’t see how, let us illustrate. If you simply combined the Tory and Reform votes from the latest poll, the election would be on a knife-edge, with the right-wing alliance just three points behind the SNP on the …

Seven Days Too Long
30 Apr 2026 at 1:57pm
It’s nearly over, readers. Just one more week of this to endure. The most miserable Holyrood election campaign of all time will end next Thursday with an election which will deliver Scotland’s most miserable devolved government of all time. Only the exact form, colour and shape of the misery remains to be determined. So as …

Push The Button
25 Apr 2026 at 12:43pm
We’ve been thinking about this all morning, readers. To the point where we’d vote for any party pledging to implement it at once. It’s the best such moral-dilemma question we’ve ever seen, and the absolute key to the state of humankind as a species. It’s a near-perfect practical illustration of the concept of “suicidal empathy”, …

How To Get Away With Crimes
22 Apr 2026 at 6:03pm
After many years of vindictively, vexatiously and maliciously plaguing innocent people, it seemed in February this year that disgraced and deranged former policeman Lynsay Watson‘s campaign of terror might be finally beginning to draw to a close. ? Attending the Civic Justice Centre in Manchester as part of an ongoing attempt to persecute the feminist …

The Pit Of Vipers
19 Apr 2026 at 2:50pm
It’s hard to know where to start with the Sunday Mail’s lead story today. Especially if one doesn’t want sent to prison. So we hope you’ll forgive us if we’re extra-careful. The article contains things even we’d never read before. The Mail has redacted some of the names, but – well, we’re not going to …

The Narcissism Of No Differences
17 Apr 2026 at 3:29pm
So that’s the full set of manifestos in. You can download them all here in a oner, if you’re REALLY bored. But we don’t advise it, because we can just tell you what they say in a couple of minutes. SNP: “If you’re even reading this we know you’re absolute idiots, so here are a …

Craig Murray

The 2026 Scottish Elections
6 May 2026 at 5:40pm

We get so trapped inside the logic of the UK’s crazy electoral systems we often do not see what is really happening. Two thirds of active voters, voted against Starmer’s Labour at the last general election. He was always highly unpopular. Just as Starmer’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election was based on only …

The 2026 Scottish Elections

The Morass of Injustice
2 May 2026 at 11:24am

A vast cloying morass of injustice has visibly submerged the British legal systems in anything connected to Palestine. In a quite incredible series of linked and kinked events this week, the senior KC representing one of the Palestine Action activists in the Filton trial was in the Court of Appeal arguing against being found in …

The Morass of Injustice

An Inspiring Story
21 Apr 2026 at 7:54am

In 2018, at the height of the economic crisis in Venezuela through crippling sanctions, Kellogg’s announced the overnight closure of their Maracay factory with hundreds of redundancies – and massive knock-on effects in the local community. The workers refused to accept the closure and, with government assistance, restarted the factory. It is still running eight …

An Inspiring Story

Vote for the Alliance to Liberate Scotland
15 Apr 2026 at 12:48pm

It was not my intention to run for election to the Scottish parliament from a hospital bed in Caracas, but sometimes we have to take what life gives us. I went to a clinic a week ago feeling dizzy and was immediately rushed to hospital. My heart rate was fluttering and below 20 bpm. I …

Vote for the Alliance to Liberate Scotland

The Strait of Hormuz
8 Apr 2026 at 5:02pm

In international law, Tehran has every right to close the strait of Hormuz to nations with which it is in armed conflict. Two vital points: 1) States who permit attacks on Iran to be launched from their territory can be blocked 2) Iran can block neutral ships from trading with states with which it is …

The Strait of Hormuz

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez
31 Mar 2026 at 1:16pm

As I was leaving the University of the Communes in Tocuyito, after a joyful and uplifting visit, an earnest young Professor came up to me and pulled me aside. Very quietly, he asked me what was going to happen. A number of the students were terrified there would be regime change and they, picked as …

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez

BBC Scotland

SNP wins Scottish election as Reform and Labour tie for second
9 May 2026 at 1:55am
John Swinney's party finished comfortably ahead of its rivals, but short of an overall majority.

Scottish election 2026: Results in maps and charts
9 May 2026 at 2:17am
A guide to how the 2026 Holyrood election panned out.

Greens oust SNP's Robertson as they win first Holyrood constituencies
9 May 2026 at 2:00am
The party has secured its best ever election result after taking seats across the country.

Reform wins 17 seats at Holyrood
9 May 2026 at 1:34am
Nigel Farage's party secured MSPs in a number of regional lists across Scotland.

SNP dominates west of Scotland as Labour struggles in heartlands
8 May 2026 at 9:42pm
The SNP sweeps to victory throughout much of Glasgow, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.

SNP lose seats in capital but hold on in Lothians and Fife
8 May 2026 at 10:20pm
In Fife the SNP have held onto every constituency but across the Firth in Edinburgh there is a very different picture.

Veteran Fergus Ewing finishes third as SNP take Inverness and Nairn
8 May 2026 at 10:16pm
Emma Roddick held the constituency seat for the SNP.

Conservative 'blue wall' holds firm in south of Scotland
8 May 2026 at 8:57pm
The Scottish Conservatives retain three seats and the SNP one across the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

Lib Dems lose stronghold Shetland seat to SNP
8 May 2026 at 3:01pm
The SNP's Hannah Goodlad triumphs over Lib Dem candidate Emma Macdonald.

SNP narrowly beats Reform in Banffshire and Buchan Coast
8 May 2026 at 9:22pm
The SNP wins included a narrow victory for Karen Adam over Reform in Banffshire and Buchan Coast.

John Swinney among SNP winners in Perthshire and Dundee
8 May 2026 at 5:51pm
Scotland's first minister emerged victorious in his constituency, which was among a number of SNP wins in the region.

SNP lose Western Isles seat it had held for 19 years
8 May 2026 at 4:51pm
Alasdair Allan first won the seat for the party in 2007.

Scot Goes Pop

Scottish Parliament election results 2026: How we've moved closer to a decisi...
9 May 2026 at 12:10am
 If you'd be interested in having another Scot Goes Pop poll at some point in the future, please check out our polling fundraiser HERE.

The SNP must go ahead with the Section 30 vote on day one of the parliamentar...
8 May 2026 at 6:57pm
I suppose when election results come in, we all tend to look back at the predictions we made during the campaign and compare it to reality.  I used to pride myself in avoiding hard predictions, but...

The rumour mill and the art of the possible
8 May 2026 at 11:52am
As we await the initial results and as the first strong rumours start to come through, could I just make a gentle suggestion to all SNP supporters.  Just completely stop talking about an SNP overal...

Final Holyrood opinion poll round-up, plus the seven constituencies YouGov sa...
7 May 2026 at 1:23pm
So I voted a couple of hours ago, and I Made Mine A Double, Stoo. No real clues about the turnout because I always choose a quiet time of day, but there was a steady trickle of people going in and ...

Make Mine A Double: as the polling stations open, be a 'peach' and listen to ...
7 May 2026 at 8:44am
The polling stations are now open and the Scottish Parliament election of 2026 is well underway, so let's be 'peachy' and have a final word about the voting system.  I've been writing this blog sin...

MRP latest: Survation sizzler gives SNP huge 20-point lead over Labour on the...
6 May 2026 at 8:24pm
There may be blogposts coming at you all evening, because we've got polls coming out of our ears at the moment.  Hot off the press is the Survation MRP poll, which I find really interesting, becaus...

Dramatic Find Out Now poll gives the SNP a mammoth 24-point lead, puts pro-in...
6 May 2026 at 6:56pm
As you'd expect on the eve of polling day, there's quite a bit of new opinion poll information, so I'm going to try to split it over several different blogposts this evening to make it more managea...

Is tomorrow's Scottish Parliament election the end of the road for Labour in ...
6 May 2026 at 1:01pm
I've now completed my profiles of all 73 Holyrood constituencies for The National.  I reckon in terms of combined word count they must come to somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 words - which is a...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Reform leader Offord brands opponents ?disrespectful? at end of election count
8 May 2026 at 10:49pm
Lord Offord finished third in Inverclyde, though he was still elected on the regional list

John Swinney leads SNP to record fifth Holyrood victory
8 May 2026 at 10:07pm
This election campaign has been a far cry from previous ones he fought as party leader.

Downing Street has ?a lot of listening to do? after election, says Swinney
8 May 2026 at 4:36pm
Despite the party?s win, they are expected to fall short of the 65 seats needed for a majority.

As it happened: SNP largest party, with Labour and Reform UK tied in second w...
8 May 2026 at 4:20pm
Rolling results and reaction from the Scottish Parliament elections

Lib Dems set to take ?big step forward? in Scotland, Cole-Hamilton predicts
8 May 2026 at 2:53pm
Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur became the first MSP to be returned to Holyrood

Labour are ?hurting?, Sarwar says, as Swinney expects SNP to win election
8 May 2026 at 2:47pm
His comments came as SNP leader John Swinney said he expected his party to go on and win a record fifth consecutive term

Malcolm Offord: I?m in this to be first minister
8 May 2026 at 1:14pm
Lord Offord is expected to become an MSP through the list vote if he does not win Inverclyde

Keir Starmer ?not going to walk away? despite Labour election woes
8 May 2026 at 8:55am
The Prime Minister said he was hurting from ?tough? results

Starmer under pressure as Labour suffers local election losses
8 May 2026 at 7:39am
The Prime Minister faces further heavy losses as vote counting continues throughout Friday

Vote counting begins in Scottish Parliament election
8 May 2026 at 6:34am
Results are expected throughout the day until around 7:00pm

Polls close in Scottish Parliament election
7 May 2026 at 10:00pm
The first results are expected to be declared early on Friday afternoon

Voting under way in Scottish Parliament election
7 May 2026 at 6:42am
Polling stations are open between 7am and 10pm on Thursday

Communities fight for representation and access as Scotland heads to the polls
6 May 2026 at 8:13pm
Efforts are particularly focused on supporting people new to the country and those with disabilities.

Reform accused of ?misinformation? over Edinburgh Council?s ?asylum hotel? plans
6 May 2026 at 6:18pm
Reform held a press call outside the former Northfield House Hotel in Edinburgh, which it claimed would be used to house 'male refugees'

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

The SNP victory was made in Downing Street by a hapless Prime Minister
9 May 2026 at 4:30am
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says the Holyrood election was unwinnable for Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

SNP wins Holyrood election but falls short of majority needed for indyref2 push
8 May 2026 at 10:08pm
John Swinney's party will form the Government again after a resounding victory.

SNP has 'significant mandate' for independence referendum and UK Government '...
8 May 2026 at 6:58pm
Neil Gray told the Record the UK Government "should not stand in the way of the will of the people of Scotland".

Scottish politics today: Historic election victory for SNP as Labour vote col...
8 May 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its 5pm round-up of the big election stories so far.

SNP veteran Angus Robertson crashes out of Holyrood after Greens gain Edinbur...
8 May 2026 at 4:06pm
Lorna Slater has won the Edinburgh Central constituency in a breakthrough moment for the environmentalists.

John Swinney declares SNP victory in Scottish election but party could fall s...
8 May 2026 at 3:55pm
Anas Sarwar conceded his party had no chance of winning the Scottish Parliament election after just seven seats were declared on Friday.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar concedes Holyrood election after crushing ...
8 May 2026 at 2:22pm
The Scottish Labour leader admitted defeat at the election count in Glasgow.

Scottish election results LIVE as SNP secures 'emphatic' victory while Labour...
8 May 2026 at 9:30am
Follow all the latest news and reaction from the Record's top team as election results roll-in from across Scotland.

The seventh Holyrood election was easily the worst as apathy set to win the day
8 May 2026 at 4:30am
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says the political parties failed to get on the same page as voters during a dismal campaign.

Scottish election 2026: Counting gets underway as first results set to be dec...
8 May 2026 at 4:30am
Ballot boxes will be opened across the country from 9am with the first results expected around 12pm.

The National

The National | Politics

Scottish Reform candidate who backed deporting all Muslims wins seat as MSP
8 May 2026 at 11:51pm

A REFORM UK candidate who supported deporting all Muslim people from the UK has been elected an MSP ...

A third of Scottish Tory candidates lose their deposits as support collapses
8 May 2026 at 10:28pm

ALMOST a third of Conservative candidates have lost their deposits after receiving less than 5 per cent of the vote.

Scottish elections 2026 results ? see the numbers at a glance
8 May 2026 at 10:09pm

The Scottish election results have now all been declared, more than 24 hours after polls closed ...

Historic elections 'show future beyond constraints of Union', Michelle O'Neil...
8 May 2026 at 9:49pm

THE Scottish and Welsh parliament elections show people are looking to ?a future beyond the constraints of the Union?, the First Minister of Northern Ireland has said ...

Central Scotland and Lothians West regional MSPs announced ? see full list
8 May 2026 at 9:41pm

THE seven MSPs sent to Holyrood from the Central Scotland and Lothians West regional list have been announced ...

Keir Starmer sends 'mad' pleading email to Scottish Labour members after defeat
8 May 2026 at 9:17pm

PRIME Minister Keir Starmer has sent a pleading email to Scottish Labour members acknowledging their "hurt" after dismal election results across Scotland, England and Wales.

All the regional list results for the 2026 Scottish parliament elections
8 May 2026 at 9:06pm

THE ballots in the Scottish Parliament 2026 elections have been counted, and every constituency has now been declared.

First two transgender MSPs elected to Holyrood in historic moment
8 May 2026 at 8:30pm

The first two transgender MSPs have been elected to the Scottish Parliament ...

Fergus Ewing fails in bid to become independent MSP as SNP candidate triumphs
8 May 2026 at 8:10pm

THE SNP?s Emma Roddick has taken Inverness and Nairn from the incumbent candidate, former SNP cabinet secretary Fergus Ewing ...

Reform UK pick up list seats after failing to win any constituencies
8 May 2026 at 8:07pm

REFORM UK have won several regional seats after failing to win any constituencies in Scotland

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Election withdrawal? Never fear, there are two Westminster byelections to come
9 May 2026 at 2:00am
The victory of the Stephens means two MPs will need to resign from the Commons

Scottish Election: SNP on course for victory as results continue
8 May 2026 at 7:21pm
Majority out of reach for John Swinney despite Labour woes

The former SNP MPs now heading for the Scottish Parliament
8 May 2026 at 6:30pm
Not all the new faces elected to Holyrood are unknowns

The Greens win big in Nicola Sturgeon?s former seat
8 May 2026 at 6:20pm
The Scottish Greens have won its second ever constituency seat in the Scottish Parliament, securing Nicola Sturgeon?s former seat, Glasgow Southside

Greens' Lorna Slater unseats SNP?s Angus Robertson
8 May 2026 at 5:08pm
Robertson is unlikely to be saved by the list as he was only placed fourth

Anas Sarwar concedes defeat in Scottish Parliament election: 'My party is hur...
8 May 2026 at 3:08pm
'Disappointment' for Scottish Labour as party suffers big losses in England

Scottish election: Scottish Labour concedes defeat as SNP makes early gains
8 May 2026 at 3:00pm
SNP leader John Swinney won his seat and said his party was on course for victory

Scottish election: Lib Dems hold Orkney but lose Shetland as results begin
8 May 2026 at 1:27pm
SNP wins declared in Dundee, Aberdeen and Ayrshire

Keir Starmer says he ?takes responsibility? for English council losses
8 May 2026 at 9:57am
Labour has already lost control of eight councils in England with counting now underway in Scotland and Wales

Scottish Election 2026: What happens next?
7 May 2026 at 7:00am
Who will be first minister and which party will lead the Scottish Government?

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victory
9 May 2026 at 1:36am
Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, concedes his party was comprehensively beaten in election as count puts his party on 17 seats, a tie with ReformElection 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesJohn Swinney, the Scottish National party leader, has challenged...

Labour suffers historic defeat in Wales as Reform surges in English council e...
9 May 2026 at 12:07am
Welsh Labour leader and first minister Eluned Morgan loses seat with party pushed into third place behind Plaid Cymru and ReformThis liveblog is now closed. Read the Guardian?s report on the elections here and find all our election coverage here.2026 election results: latest from local, Scottish ...

2026 elections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions
8 May 2026 at 8:33pm
Keir Starmer?s party lost out to Reform and the Greens, with no respite in Scotland, Wales or England. These maps show the scale of the historic resultsFull results from England, Scotland and WalesLabour has suffered heavy losses across England, Scotland and Wales, losing ground to opponents on t...

2026 election results: latest from local, Scottish and Welsh votes
8 May 2026 at 8:02pm
From devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales to councils and mayoralties in England, find out what happened in your areaElections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions Continue reading...

Reform UK gains at Labour?s expense in local elections ? podcast
8 May 2026 at 5:53pm
It has been a crushing set of local and devolved elections for Labour, with Reform UK making huge gains across the country and the Greens winning in London. Keir Starmer is under pressure to announce a timeline for his departure ? yet he insists he will not walk away Continue reading...

Friday briefing: What the local election results tell us so far
8 May 2026 at 6:58am
In today?s newsletter: gains for Reform and losses for Labour in early results, but experts say overall picture underlines ?the fracturing of British politics?Good morning. If yesterday had been a general election, then by now, thanks to thousands of people beavering through the night counting vo...

Polls close in elections across England, Scotland and Wales
7 May 2026 at 10:00pm
Results of elections for councils in England, the Senedd in Wales and the Scottish parliament could transform Great Britain?s political landscape2026 election results: latest from local, Scottish and Welsh votesPolls have closed across England, Scotland and Wales for local, mayoral and parliament...

STV?s Scotland election coverage to be hit by strike action over pay
7 May 2026 at 12:46pm
About 120 journalists and broadcast staff expected to protest about pay freeze as STV invests in new radio stationCoverage of Scotland?s election counts by STV, the commercial broadcaster, is expected to be heavily hit by strike action in an escalating dispute over pay.The National Union of Journ...

Thursday briefing: ?Five things to look out for in today?s local and parliame...
7 May 2026 at 6:34am
In today?s newsletter: As voters cast their ballots from Wales to Westminster, long?established political loyalties face their toughest test in decades, with parties old and new vying to reshape the national landscapeMillions of Britons head to the polls today. From the Scottish Highlands to the ...

?I am losing faith?: disaffected Scottish voters may deny SNP a majority
6 May 2026 at 7:03pm
This Holyrood election is the most unpredictable in years, with Labour claiming it is pulling in the don?t knowsIt was supposed to be a carefully choreographed walkabout for John Swinney through his party?s target seat of Hamilton. Instead, the Scottish National party leader was confronted by ang...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The British media is getting its excuses in early
6 May 2026 at 1:58pm
The British media in Scotland is getting its excuses in early. Gina Davidson, the Scotland political editor of LBC, wrote on social media that the SNP falling a couple of seats short of an absolute majority – based on the YouGov poll published the day before the election – would be a “poor result for …

Thomas Kerr, the Dumb Corleone of Scottish politics
5 May 2026 at 4:22pm
Reform’s opportunistic Thomas Kerr has completed his transformation from one nation liberal Tory to complete heid banging fascist. On Tuesday, Shettleston’s Dumb Corleone doubled down on his party’s exciting new election tactic of threatening the voters, proving that Reform UK struggles to grasp the difference between a democratic election and a protection racket. Kerr released …

Reform UK, the bastard offspring of Oswald Mosley and Coco the Clown
4 May 2026 at 5:17pm
  Reform has introduced a novel new campaigning tactic in the days leading up to the Holyrood election. Vote for us or we’ll put a concentration camp in your neighbourhood. It’s certainly a ‘bold’ move, but only if you define bold as utterly insane and disgustingly vile. On Monday Reform’s chairman Zia Yusuf, who is …

Shooting for the Moon on Thursday
3 May 2026 at 3:41pm
Shoot for the moon, as the saying goes, even if you miss, you’ll land amongst the stars. With that in mind that’s what independence supporters need to do on Thursday. An opinion poll by the traditionally No-friendly Norstat for the Sunday Times records a whopping 55% Yes response. The media in Scotland have been very …

Whisky, Labour?s leadership, and polling, fingers crossed for a record pro-in...
2 May 2026 at 4:09pm
We’re on the home straight now for the Scottish election on Thursday, and we are well into that nail biting phase when things seem to be going well but we are always aware of the uncanny ability of Scots to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The overwhelmingly anti-independence British media in Scotland is …

George Monbiot is right, the Union has nothing good for Scotland
1 May 2026 at 3:03pm
In an interview with The National, environmental campaigner George Monbiot, perhaps the highest profile person on the English left to have come out in favour of Scottish independence during the 2014 independence referendum campaign, has said that there is “nothing in the Union” for Scotland. In 2014 independence campaigners constantly asked Better Together supporters for …

Six houses, five cars, six yachts and zero self-awareness
29 Apr 2026 at 8:39pm
I didn’t watch the STV leaders’ debate as we had visitors, which meant I missed the moment that Malcolm Offord torpedoed Reform UK’s “We’re the party which is opposed to the elite” schtick. It was always bollocks, but on Tuesday night Offord slipped up. When you are cos-playing as the party which is on the …

A new chapter in the quest for independence starts next week
27 Apr 2026 at 2:55pm
First Minister John Swinney has promised that on the first day the new Scottish Parliament is in session, a vote would be brought forward to “approve the development of a Section 30 Order to give Scotland the power to hold an independence referendum.” He also promised that a referendum bill would be introduced within the …

A tale of three polls which give hope for a pro-indy majority in May
26 Apr 2026 at 3:29pm
Three opinion polls came out over the weekend which were not asking about voting intention in the Holyrood election which is now only a week and a half away. Nevertheless, all these polls are instructive about the kind of country Scotland could be, and their trust in the various parties contesting the election, and that …

The anti-independence hysteria of Alex Cole-Hamilton
23 Apr 2026 at 8:30pm
I don’t normally blog about Alex Cole-Hamilton, partly that’s because in Scotland the Lib Dems are a minor regional party who only win representation because their support is concentrated in a few areas and whose importance in Scotland is boosted far beyond their true relevance as they are the Scottish branch of the UK party …

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

Newborn health at real risk near nuclear plants but Scottish Labour double do...
8 May 2026 at 10:30am
The Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) is located near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, California, on approximately 1,000 acres along the Pacific coast. It is the state?s largest single power station and the only operational nuclear plant in California following the 2013 closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. From the Santa Barbara Independent, yesterday: Just weeks after th...

If all the ice caps melted, Scotland and Wales should agree to run remains of...
8 May 2026 at 8:17am
From Epic Maps: https://x.com/theepicmap/status/2052329817929035945

?The teen knife death massacre? ? Does the Daily Record actually have a ?new ...
8 May 2026 at 7:54am
The evil that never sleeps – the Daily Record ignores the election (Do they know Anas is gubbed?) and repeats an old story thanks to an intervention in the national debate by ‘Kenzo’ (17), above to get started right away undermining the ‘new’ SNP Government. Why is it mince?

Latest poll today of only those likely to vote puts SNP up at 41% with massiv...
7 May 2026 at 9:11am
From pollsters Find out Now, the above and: We ask respondents how likely they are to vote in the Scottish Parliament election on 7th May. For those who give a 7 or above, we then ask their vote choice If a respondent answers ?Don?t know? they see an additional question, prompting them again to give an answer. If they then give a valid vote choice they are included in the final calculation, but...

Public Health Professor?s message for Scottish Labour?s nuclear plans ? ?I pe...
7 May 2026 at 8:40am
From Boston 25 News yesterday: All kinds of cancer?: New study will assess radiation risk from old nuclear plant in Plymouth – Seven years ago, the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station stopped generating electricity, but that doesn?t mean concerns about radiation exposure have gone away. A new study is about to get underway to determine just how great the cancer risk is along the South Shore and Cape ...

Play this to those hesitating to vote. Let them see the words too
6 May 2026 at 9:55pm
Lyrics: We?ll be singing, we?ll be singing If we get out and vote for our own We?ll be singing, we?ll be singing When we remember all we?ve sown Pulling thousands out of poverty Sending the same to learn for free Offering a hand to the weak and the sick We begin the path to the Scotland we want We?ll be singing, we?ll be singing If we get out and vote for our own We?ll be singing, we?ll be sing...

Businessmen and wealthy donors ARE bankrolling Scottish politics but only the...
6 May 2026 at 6:27pm
The Ferret has been good recently. I’ve shared their latest reports but this one smells a bit, like some of their earlier ones, of Scottish Labour residual loyalty and of Unionism. They offer us this: before going on to name Robin MacGeachy: Companies he owns or co-owns handed £910,000 to the Scottish Liberal Democrats and £700,000 to Scottish Labour. This represents nearly half of all of the L...

Complaints to GPs shocking 45% less common in Scotland than in England meant ...
6 May 2026 at 2:55pm
From the Daily Mail today: More than 134,000 written complaints about GPs were made to NHS England last year, with communication issues, staff attitudes and treatment errors driving the deluge. The data shows record numbers of patients are so unhappy with their experience of services that they have lodged their concerns – marking a 10 per cent rise since 2023-24. It comes after a damning survey...

With TWELVE times as many temporary school exclusions and ONE THOUSAND times ...
6 May 2026 at 2:53pm
Thanks again to Dorothy for alerting me to this. From Channel 4 News last night, the above and: England?s schools have been described as being gripped by rising levels of violence against both teachers and pupils, leading to permanent exclusions. According to a new report, a record 3,320 pupils were permanently excluded last spring ? which is about 21% higher than before the Covid pandemic. The...

Let?s not vote to have Scotland changed to be more like Labour?s Wales!
6 May 2026 at 2:52pm
By stewartb British Labour Party politicians and the MSM in Scotland have been working hard (colluding?) to shield voters here from the overwhelming evidence that whatever improvements Scotland?s NHS needs, there is no reason to believe they will be delivered by electing a Labour government to Holyrood. The Party?s track record of governing with (just) devolved powers in Wales provides ample ju...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 3:52pm
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

SNP wins Scottish election as Reform and Labour tie for second - BBC
9 May 2026 at 1:55am
SNP wins Scottish election as Reform and Labour tie for second  BBC

A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain - Reuters
8 May 2026 at 9:25pm
A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain  Reuters

Scotland?s Push for Independence Could Be Back in Play After Labour Flops - B...
9 May 2026 at 12:00am
Scotland?s Push for Independence Could Be Back in Play After Labour Flops  Bloomberg

SNP, Scotland?s Pro-Independence Party, Benefits From Labour?s Struggles With...
8 May 2026 at 3:50pm
SNP, Scotland?s Pro-Independence Party, Benefits From Labour?s Struggles With Voters  The New York Times

The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional chan...
6 May 2026 at 4:32pm
The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional change back on the agenda  Institute for Government

Will the SNP now succeed in breaking our precious Union? - The Telegraph
8 May 2026 at 7:16pm
Will the SNP now succeed in breaking our precious Union?  The Telegraph

This election signals a crisis for the British state - openDemocracy
8 May 2026 at 8:45pm
This election signals a crisis for the British state  openDemocracy

Will John Swinney do a deal with Scotland?s Greens? - The Spectator
8 May 2026 at 6:24pm
Will John Swinney do a deal with Scotland?s Greens?  The Spectator

SNP has 'significant mandate' for independence referendum and UK Government '...
8 May 2026 at 7:00pm
SNP has 'significant mandate' for independence referendum and UK Government 'must not stand in the way'  Daily Record

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Scottish election results 2026 live: SNP wins election as Labour and Reform t...
9 May 2026 at 2:06am
Scottish election results 2026 live: SNP wins election as Labour and Reform tie for second  BBC

Scottish election results 2026 live: SNP forecast to win 58 seats but second ...
8 May 2026 at 8:31pm
Scottish election results 2026 live: SNP forecast to win 58 seats but second place party too close to call  BBC

John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victo...
8 May 2026 at 3:15pm
John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victory  The Guardian

Scottish election 2026: Results in maps and charts - BBC
9 May 2026 at 2:17am
Scottish election 2026: Results in maps and charts  BBC

Greens oust SNP's Robertson as they win first Holyrood constituencies - BBC
9 May 2026 at 2:00am
Greens oust SNP's Robertson as they win first Holyrood constituencies  BBC

SNP dominates west of Scotland as Labour struggles in heartlands - BBC
8 May 2026 at 9:42pm
SNP dominates west of Scotland as Labour struggles in heartlands  BBC

SNP wins Scottish election as Reform and Labour tie for second - BBC
9 May 2026 at 1:55am
SNP wins Scottish election as Reform and Labour tie for second  BBC

Six things to watch out for in the Scottish election - BBC
8 May 2026 at 6:08am
Six things to watch out for in the Scottish election  BBC

SNP lose seats in capital but hold on in Lothians and Fife - BBC
8 May 2026 at 10:20pm
SNP lose seats in capital but hold on in Lothians and Fife  BBC

First YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election suggests the SNP could win a m...
10 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
First YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election suggests the SNP could win a majority  YouGov

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain - Reuters
8 May 2026 at 9:25pm
A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain  Reuters

Scotland?s Push for Independence Could Be Back in Play After Labour Flops - B...
9 May 2026 at 12:00am
Scotland?s Push for Independence Could Be Back in Play After Labour Flops  Bloomberg

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 3:52pm
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional chan...
6 May 2026 at 4:32pm
The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional change back on the agenda  Institute for Government

SNP, Scotland?s Pro-Independence Party, Benefits From Labour?s Struggles With...
8 May 2026 at 3:50pm
SNP, Scotland?s Pro-Independence Party, Benefits From Labour?s Struggles With Voters  The New York Times

Holyrood election outcome is anything but certain on final day of campaigning...
6 May 2026 at 6:12am
Holyrood election outcome is anything but certain on final day of campaigning  BBC

The Scottish Parliament elections and the constitution: what do the manifesto...
7 May 2026 at 5:56am
The Scottish Parliament elections and the constitution: what do the manifestos say?  The Constitution Unit Blog

Will John Swinney do a deal with Scotland?s Greens? - The Spectator
8 May 2026 at 6:24pm
Will John Swinney do a deal with Scotland?s Greens?  The Spectator

SNP has 'significant mandate' for independence referendum and UK Government '...
8 May 2026 at 7:00pm
SNP has 'significant mandate' for independence referendum and UK Government 'must not stand in the way'  Daily Record

Scotland?s election ? constitutional reset or fiscal reckoning? - The London ...
5 May 2026 at 8:32pm
Scotland?s election ? constitutional reset or fiscal reckoning?  The London School of Economics and Political Science