The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Reform's migrant detention scheme branded 'complete distraction' and gift to SNP
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
6 May 2026 at 1:26pm
Speaking to reporters in Edinburgh less than 24 hours before Thursday?s election, Mr Findlay claimed that Nigel Farage?s party are ?fake unionists?.


SNP projected to lose crucial Edinburgh seats to Lib Dems and Scottish Greens
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
6 May 2026 at 12:51pm
In Edinburgh Central, YouGov projects that the Scottish Greens? Lorna Slater will win on 28%, six points ahead of the SNP and Labour.


Union warns of World Cup strike action unless airport staff settle pay dispute
by Dave Clark and Lucinda Cameron, PA
6 May 2026 at 12:45pm
Nearly 900 airport workers across Scotland are being balloted for strike action with a risk of major summer travel disruption at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports.


Anas Sarwar insists he can still be FM despite polls forecasting drubbing for...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
6 May 2026 at 12:38pm
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar insists Labour can still defy polls as he urged voters not to use the Holyrood vote as a referendum on Sir Keir Starmer


Tories will defy grim odds and lock out the SNP, Findlay insists on eve of poll
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
6 May 2026 at 12:07pm
Speaking at a photo call high above Edinburgh on Calton Hill, Russell Findlay made his final pitch to voters, less than 24 hours before polls open.


Scotland to see election of first openly transgender MSP, final poll suggests
6 May 2026 at 10:08am
Scotland is set to see the country's first openly transgender MSP elected this week, a final poll before the election on Thursday has suggested.


Who is Jordan Linden, the former SNP rising star, and what is he convicted of?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
6 May 2026 at 6:00am
Jordan Linden was considered a rising star in the SNP until the sexual misconduct allegations emerged. This is how the SNP reacted.


Thomas Kerr reveals the position he wants in Reform UK Scotland and forecasts...
6 May 2026 at 5:01am
Reform UK candidate Thomas Kerr has revealed he would like to be Malcolm Offord's deputy as he estimated the populist right-wing party could get more than 20 MSPs in Thursday's Holyrood election.


??Unspun: Election Briefing: Eve of poll. Detention centres in Pollokshields?
6 May 2026 at 8:01am
Good morning, and welcome to Unspun: Election Briefing. It's the final day of the campaign. Scotland heads to the polls tomorrow.


John Swinney says Jordan Linden must apologise to victims after sentencing
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
6 May 2026 at 11:57am
John Swinney says former SNP councillor Jordan Linden should apologise to victims after being jailed for multiple sexual offences against young men and teenagers.


Ex-SNP rising star Jordan Linden jailed following sex offence convictions
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
6 May 2026 at 10:40am
Former SNP council leader Jordan Linden has been jailed after being convicted of multiple sex offences.


SNP MP calls for reversal of 'ban' on students from Sudan
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
5 May 2026 at 6:06pm
A Scottish MP has called for a reversal of a 'ban' on students from Sudan coming to Britain


Why the SNP's Holyrood majority lies in the hands of an Edinburgh barista
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
5 May 2026 at 4:53pm
While Mr Hyslop, a barista and SNP councillor, is currently the polling favourite, the Lib Dems see this seat as a premium pick-up opportunity.


Scottish election candidate says he 'will not be silenced' amid vandalism
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
5 May 2026 at 12:53pm
A Holyrood election candidate says he will "not be silenced" amid a spate of vandalism of his campaign materials in his constituency.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Jackie Baillie holds back tears at Scottish Labour eve of poll rally
6 May 2026 at 1:26pm

The deputy Scottish Labour leader became emotional as she told party candidates and activists that ?every seat matters and every vote matters?

Here is everything you need to know about when the polls will open and close in Scotland.

Jordan Linden has been jailed for multiple offences against teenagers and young men

The poll predicts Reform UK will come second, a senior SNP government minister in peril, and the Scottish Conservative leader failing to win a seat.

Scotland 2050, which is supported by The Scotsman, brings together leading politicians, business leaders, and others

SNP minister Siobhian Brown hopes to hold onto her seat - but with just a 170-vote majority, the Tories, Labour and Reform could be hot on her heels.

Angus Robertson is defending a majority of 4,732 in Edinburgh Central

The Scottish Conservatives say they have ?48 hours to save Scotland from an SNP majority?

Wings over Scotland

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 …

Happy Anniversary
16 Apr 2026 at 10:56am
It was exactly one year ago today that the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in the case of For Women Scotland Vs The Scottish Ministers, a judgment which has still not been implemented by the Scottish or UK governments, so it was quite bold of the SNP to choose it as the launch date for …

Do You Believe In The Westwood?
10 Apr 2026 at 12:27pm
As all alert readers will know, this site likes to keep a watchful eye on the shady and disturbing activities of paedophilia-plagued charity LGBT Youth Scotland. So we were naturally intrigued to hear that they’d hired a new convenor last month. And if you’re sitting there thinking, “Blimey, AI Christopher Walken looks very very ill”, …

Not So Octopus
9 Apr 2026 at 1:48pm
Alert readers will have noticed something of a minor furore in recent days around a boneheaded Scottish Greens candidate (as if there were any other kind) calling for the complete abolition of prisons. So far Kate Nevens – who on the latest polling has a very reasonable chance of being elected on the list – …

Craig Murray

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

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

BBC Scotland

Holyrood election outcome is anything but certain on final day of campaigning
6 May 2026 at 6:12am
In the volatile politics of 2026, it is probably best to prepare for a range of possible scenarios, writes BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell.

Border politics - how similar jobs in the same firm deliver different tax bills
6 May 2026 at 6:25am
Workers in southern Scotland can find themselves paying more tax than colleagues who live south of the border.

Can Scotland's politicians really cut your energy bills?
6 May 2026 at 6:30am
BBC Verify has been assessing if any of the pledges to cut energy bills made in the Holyrood election campaign can actually be delivered.

New GP walk-in clinic treats 183 patients in five weeks
6 May 2026 at 11:18am
The facility at Lochee Med­ical Centre in Dundee is part of a network of clinics where patients have access to GP-led care without an appointment.

Council apology after envelopes say photo ID needed for election
5 May 2026 at 3:25pm
The envelopes incorrectly say photo identification will be needed to vote in the Scottish Parliament elections.

It's been a Holyrood election of disputed claims - BBC Verify fact-checked them
5 May 2026 at 6:09am
BBC Verify has been fact-checking the political parties and seen some questionable claims at the forefront of the debate.

Hundreds more prisoners released early but jails still full
4 May 2026 at 1:13pm
New data shows more than 600 prisoners have been released early from Scotland's jails since November but it has done little to ease overcrowding.

Parties hit the road for final week of campaigning
4 May 2026 at 2:19pm
On Thursday, voters will head to their polling stations to choose who they want to lead the next Scottish government.

Nature haven 'trashed' after four-year wait for protection decision
3 May 2026 at 9:14am
Activists claim developers are damaging the area while NatureScot considers whether or not to designate it a protected site.

SNP's free childcare plans branded a 'gimmick' in education debate
3 May 2026 at 1:11pm
Plans from the SNP to roll out more free childcare have been criticised by the Labour and Conservative parties.

The big issues and key flashpoints from Scotland's election campaign
2 May 2026 at 9:19am
BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell examines what we have learned during the Holyrood election campaign.

Whisky tariffs deal sparks political squabble over who claims credit
1 May 2026 at 4:34pm
Party leaders quickly changed their campaign plans after Donald Trump's announcement on the tariffs deal.

Scot Goes Pop

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...

Paradoxically, the Daily Record's endorsement is clear evidence of both Labou...
6 May 2026 at 11:00am
The Daily Record's mindless support for the Labour party, regardless of circumstances, will survive the heat death of the universe. But it's no longer 2007, and very few people are going to be infl...

Final YouGov MRP projection of the campaign suggests pro-independence parties...
5 May 2026 at 11:13pm
Thanks to Marcia for alerting me to YouGov's update (the second and almost certainly final one) of their MRP projection for Holyrood.  It leaves us none the wiser about the direction of travel beca...

SNP and Greens both improve their standing in the final More In Common MRP poll
5 May 2026 at 1:39am
I took a little bank holiday jaunt to the seaside earlier, and it suddenly struck me that I didn't see a single election poster anywhere on the journey.  You literally wouldn't know there was an el...

Alex Massie looks in the mirror and thinks he sees the true Scotland staring ...
3 May 2026 at 10:18pm
Alex Massie's basic problem is that he doesn't just disapprove of the Scottish Government and want it changed. He also disapproves of the Scottish voters and wants them changed. "The problem with S...

Scotland moves a step closer to independence as earth-shaking Norstat poll sh...
2 May 2026 at 8:44pm
See what I mean about the way in which the unionist media seeks to bury independence polling results these days?  This is clearly a hugely significant result - it's the eighth poll in a row from th...

Stonehaven REVELATION as "most accurate pollster" puts the SNP on course for ...
2 May 2026 at 9:11am
To be clear, the bit about "most accurate pollster" is Stonehaven's own self-description, but I always put that in because it upsets our resident unionist troll KC.  It was Stonehaven who, a few mo...

"Stew-pid. Just Stew-pid." The advice that controversial blogger "Stew" wou...
1 May 2026 at 10:14pm
The controversial Somerset-based blogger "Stew" seems to have had a screw loose ever since Kezia Dugdale psychologically damaged him by defeating his vanity libel case - a drubbing that not only br...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

What could the May elections mean for Keir Starmer?
5 May 2026 at 12:45pm
Less than two days until the polls open, the mood in the Labour party is not good

Greens vow to examine Donald Trump?s wealth
3 May 2026 at 3:16pm
The party said it would open an inquiry into how the US president funded his Scottish golf courses if it wins next week?s election.

Scotland has suffered nearly 7,000 days of failure under SNP, Findlay says
3 May 2026 at 3:11pm
The Scottish Tory leader accused John Swinney?s party of having a ?reverse Midas touch?.

Only SNP vote can bring ?fresh start of independence? and block Farage ? Swinney
3 May 2026 at 3:10pm
First Minister John Swinney is expected to make the announcement later on Sunday in a visit to the Aberdeenshire area.

Sarwar vows to give NHS waiting lists ?the chop? as he visits karate dojo
3 May 2026 at 3:08pm
The Scottish Labour leader said the NHS ?is not safe with John Swinney and the SNP?.

Lib Dems to ?fight any attempt? by Reform to bring in fracking in Scotland
3 May 2026 at 3:05pm
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton made the commitment ahead of Thursday?s Holyrood election.

Reform aiming to become ?main opposition party? in Scotland
3 May 2026 at 3:05pm
Thomas Kerr said that a single MSP elected would be a "good result" for the party

Reform candidate ?attacked? while campaigning in Glasgow
2 May 2026 at 10:30am
Councillor Thomas Kerr is said to have been attacked while delivering leaflets in Shettleston on Friday.

John Swinney thanks Donald Trump ?personally? after US whisky tariffs set to ...
1 May 2026 at 3:25pm
Swinney visited a whisky distillery on Friday after the US President announced he would drop the 10% levy

SNP leader John Swinney stands by food price cap policy despite industry crit...
1 May 2026 at 11:05am
Swinney said the policy was a matter of public health, despite the Scottish Retail Consortium branding it a 'potty gimmick'

Scottish Reform leader Malcolm Offord ?owns six houses, six boats and five cars?
29 Apr 2026 at 11:08am
Lord Malcolm Offord asked if the Greens wanted more or fewer people like him in Scotland

Party leaders engage in fiery final debate on STV
28 Apr 2026 at 9:13pm
The Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Greens, Scottish Labour, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party and Reform UK had the chance to grill each other in front of the nation

Watch Live: Scottish election leaders debate on STV
28 Apr 2026 at 7:06am
The STV Leaders? Debate will be broadcast live from Edinburgh?s Signet Library tonight at 7pm

Scotland?s political parties accused of ?lack of realism? over manifesto plans
27 Apr 2026 at 9:56pm
The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the parties running in the Holyrood election did not appreciate ?just how tough the fiscal challenges will be?.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

John Swinney challenged over 'insane' business rates hikes as industry figure...
6 May 2026 at 3:50pm
The SNP leader was campaigning in Hamilton when he was approached by the operations manager of a leading chain of live music bars.

Jordan Linden scandal proves SNP is not 'fit for office' after former rising ...
6 May 2026 at 12:24pm
John Swinney has called on Linden, a former SNP leader of North Lanarkshire Council, to apologise to victims for their "suffering".

Anas Sarwar accuses SNP of "corruption" after sex offender Jordan Linden jailed
6 May 2026 at 12:09pm
The Scottish Labour leader said the Jordan Linden scandal reflected wider failings in John Swinney's party.

'All to play for' as undecided Scots voters will choose who wins the 'meh' Ho...
6 May 2026 at 4:30am
The SNP's dream of winning a majority is in a "precarious" position as many fed-up Scots remain undecided on who to vote for, with some constituencies too close to call as a result, says Chris McCa...

Anas Sarwar: Scottish Labour is the only route to reject Reform, beat SNP and...
6 May 2026 at 4:30am
Writing for the Record, Anas Sarwar says only his party offers a realistic alternative to the SNP winning power at Holyrood for a third decade.

Scotland should vote for change - and a better Parliament to get our nation w...
6 May 2026 at 4:30am
The Daily Record's election editorial: Yes, John Swinney is on course to be re-elected as First Minister. But Scottish Labour and Anas Sarwar should have a vital role in fixing our country.

Reform leader Malcolm Offord says candidate's airplane vapour conspiracy theo...
5 May 2026 at 3:59pm
Offord was asked about David McLennan's claim that Bill Gates was trying to cull the population.

Scots turn against Malcolm Offord after Reform leader brags of owning 'six ho...
5 May 2026 at 12:21pm
Polling found 44 per cent of voters felt the Reform leader's boast on STV reflected badly on him - while just 23 per cent said it reflected well on him.

Council apologies after claiming photo ID needed to vote in Holyrood election
5 May 2026 at 11:23am
EXCLUSIVE: A South Ayrshire Council spokesperson blamed an "error" by a "third party printer".

Top Reform candidate spouts "chemtrail" conspiracy theories in bizarre tweet
5 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: David McLennan has been branded a "crank conspiracy theorist" over the wild theory.

The National

The National | Politics

Anas Sarwar?s getting ready for his FM close-up despite story the polls tell
6 May 2026 at 5:00am

The overwhelmingly anti-independence Scottish media seems to be doing its utmost to downplay tomorrow?s election ...

Pope Leo denies support for nuclear weapons after bizarre Donald Trump attack
6 May 2026 at 2:50pm

POPE Leo has hit out at Donald Trump's suggestions he supports nuclear weapons after the US president accused him of "endangering a lot of Catholics".

Labour MSP's court date over 'drink-driving on bail for child sex images' del...
6 May 2026 at 1:15pm

Former Labour MSP Colin Smyth has had a court date over allegations of drunk and dangerous driving delayed ...

The state of play in every Scottish constituency explained ? find yours here
6 May 2026 at 1:02pm

The National is publishing a profile for every constituency in the upcoming Holyrood elections on May 7 ? here's how to find information about your area

Key points from all the 2026 Scottish election manifestos and how to read them
6 May 2026 at 1:00pm

The parties are all out on the campaign trail battling for your vote, here's the key points from all of their manifestos

SNP to fall short of majority while Greens secure record result, Ipsos poll f...
6 May 2026 at 12:41pm

THE SNP are set to fall short of a majority at the Scottish elections on Thursday ? but a Green surge will cement a huge pro-independence majority in the parliament ...

All the results as major YouGov poll predicts winner of every Scottish seat
6 May 2026 at 12:34pm

A MAJOR new poll of more than 6000 Scots has predicted the winner of all 73 constituencies in Scotland on the eve of the election ...

Police chief reported over 'false and inflammatory statements' on Palestine m...
6 May 2026 at 12:28pm

A TOP police officer has been reported to a policing watchdog for making ?false and inflammatory statements? about Palestine marches.

Will Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie stay or go after this election?
6 May 2026 at 12:00pm

THE headlines for some time have been centred on the future of the Prime Minister, will he stay or will he have to go. Well, we may well get the answer this week as large parts of the UK go to the polls. Local elections in England, parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, all with consequences to follow.

Ross Greer points out key issue with Sky News presenter's question on Greens
6 May 2026 at 11:33am

ROSS Greer pointed out a key issue with questioning he received on Sky News about accusations of antisemitism within the Green Party of England and Wales.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

SNP set for victory and Reform on track for second, polls say in final predic...
6 May 2026 at 1:37pm
But John Swinney may not get his majority

Former council leader Jordan Linden jailed for sexual offences
6 May 2026 at 12:26pm
The sentencing comes four years after Linden quit over the allegations

Cybercriminals struggling to adopt AI, study finds
6 May 2026 at 12:10pm
The report analysed a dataset of 100 million posts from underground cybercrime communities and found that most hackers lack the skills or resources to support real innovation within their criminal activities

AI is ?defining currency? of our age, says Liz Kendall
28 Apr 2026 at 5:22pm
The minister pledged to work with other ?middle power nations? on AI to improve global security

Morgan McSweeney: Mandelson revelations were a knife to my soul
28 Apr 2026 at 3:22pm
Prime minister's former chief-of-staff appears before Foreign Affairs Committee

UK Government will ?impose some form? of social media restrictions for children
28 Apr 2026 at 1:22pm
Ministers have stopped short of implementing a blanket ban

John Swinney vows to bring forward Holyrood vote in bid to secure second inde...
27 Apr 2026 at 4:39pm
The SNP leader pledged to 'hit the ground running' if his party remains in power after the election

SNP maintains lead in new Scottish election poll
27 Apr 2026 at 4:05pm
A single-party majority government is the most popular option for voters, research finds

Scottish university builds first simulated freight truck journey in UK
27 Apr 2026 at 12:39pm
It will help to improve understanding of the carbon footprint of goods that are shipped between road and air freight

To finally end Scotland's drugs deaths, we need to plan now for 2036
27 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
This is one area where we simply must work together to build the Scotland we all want in the future.

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Lib Dems accuse Badenoch of being willing to ?put Farage in No 10? after she ...
6 May 2026 at 3:50pm
Conservative leader says her party ?are willing to work with people who will help deliver Conservative policies?Labour has criticised Zack Polanski for saying he was concerned about how the suspect in the Golders Green stabbings was treated when he was arrested by the police.Referring to what Pol...

May elections: What?s at stake across England, Wales and Scotland?
6 May 2026 at 6:00am
Will Reform take Sunderland, or the Greens take Hackney? Can Plaid Cymru take a historic victory in Wales, and will Labour be forced into third place in Scotland? We examine the possible outcomes for election nightThe Scottish, Welsh, and local English elections on Thursday 7 May are a huge test ...

Labour?s nationwide collapse risks making Nigel Farage the face of the UK?s f...
6 May 2026 at 6:00am
Scottish and Welsh nationalism will be further radicalised if Reform UK sets the tone of debate over inclusion in the British stateKeir Starmer has neither a heartland nor a stronghold. That is the picture likely to emerge once all the votes in this week?s local and devolved elections have been c...

Badenoch defends seeking a ban on pro-Palestine marches but not Tommy Robinso...
5 May 2026 at 5:30pm
Tory leader says the protests are ?not the same?Kemi Badenoch has questioned whether the undisclosed £5m donation given to Nigel Farage by a crypto billionaire shows that he has been ?bought?.In an interview with the Today programme this morning, the Conservative leader asked whether the donation...

Next Scottish government faces ?really difficult? spending choices, economist...
5 May 2026 at 5:00am
Parties accused of ?fiscal denial? and failing to tell voters the scale of the challengeThe next Scottish government will need to make ?really difficult? spending decisions soon after taking power, including tackling its large public sector pay bill, senior economists have said.Economists with th...

Reform UK plan to set up migrant detention centres in Green-voting areas cond...
4 May 2026 at 5:10pm
Nigel Farage?s party proposed to place detention centres in places that vote for Green council leaders or MPsKeir Starmer has said that Europe has to face up to the fact that its alliance with the US is under strain.He made the remark in public comments during the plenary session at the European ...

Reform?s toxic thinking has infected Scottish politics ? this week?s Holyrood...
4 May 2026 at 10:00am
For so long, the Scottish government has made a point of welcoming migrants. But I now see troubling changes in my countryJasmeen Kanwal is an educator and writer who lives in EdinburghAs Scotland prepares to elect a new parliament on 7 May, immigration is dominating the political discourse as n...

End of Trump tariffs on whisky sparks row between Scottish parties over claim...
1 May 2026 at 3:33pm
First minister John Swinney says he played significant role but Labour rejects claim and accuses SNP of hypocrisyDonald Trump?s announcement that he will lift punishing US tariffs on scotch whisky has been overshadowed by a row between rival Scottish party leaders over claiming credit for the dec...

Will Reform dominate the local and devolved elections? ? podcast
30 Apr 2026 at 5:21pm
Pippa Crerar is joined by the election analyst Prof Rob Ford to look at the upcoming local and devolved elections. Will Reform dominate across England? Can the Greens remove Labour?s longstanding hold over London? And will the nationalists win in Scotland and Wales? Continue reading...

Polanski criticised for reposting comment suggesting police arresting Golders...
30 Apr 2026 at 4:55pm
Home Office minister says ?the Green Party has hit a new low? after party leader?s repost on X On BBC Radio Merseyside the presenter, Tony Snell, put it to Kemi Badenoch that Merseyside was a lost cause for the Tories. He said that Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, had been on the programme yes...

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

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...

Interfering with democratic principles just before an election ? BBC Scotland...
6 May 2026 at 2:51pm
BBC Scotland’s Andrew Picken, yesterday, had: One of the new flagship GP walk-in clinics has seen just 183 patients in its first five weeks, latest figures shows. The facility at Lochee Health Centre in Dundee is part of a network of clinics planned by the Scottish government where patients have access to GP-led care without an appointment. Data released to the BBC under freedom of information ...

In the days before an election, BBC Scotland?s comparison only of tax bills d...
6 May 2026 at 9:23am
BBC UK yesterday has a report clearly meant to influence voters, with an analysis of the tax burden in Scotland and England, using two highly paid tax advisers and ignoring, until a wee bit at the very end for ‘balance’, every other factor, financial and other, in their lives. It allows them to start with – Senior tax manager Scott McIver (above), who lives in Dumfries, pays more tax than his c...

Latest polls says immigration 2nd in concerns for UK voters but only 7th for ...
6 May 2026 at 8:57am
BBC Scotland again telling us that immigration is one of those issues that most concern voters. It’s not true. In September 2025: Immigration & asylum climbing from March to June 2025 as an issue in Scotland after a summer of media frenzy amplifying a handful of tiny peaceful protests here had pushed it into poll respondents’ minds. Less than two weeks earlier one poll by the David Hume Institu...

Narrowing the schools attainment gap ? Be ready with this kind of thing today
6 May 2026 at 8:32am

Scotland?s shorter NHS waiting lists ? be ready with this kind of thing today
6 May 2026 at 8:29am

A Song for Holyrood 26 ? please share
5 May 2026 at 10:00pm
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...

John Swinney is most popular leader in Europe ? not just fewer murders than D...
5 May 2026 at 2:21pm
Above from YouGov (https://x.com/YouGov/status/2051609021153415554/photo/1) with John Swinney added by me in top position, based on this from Ipsos Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/scots-unimpressed-holyrood-campaigns-give-snp-edge

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

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

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 question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 1:48pm
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

Major YouGov MRP poll shows Green surge securing pro-independence majority - ...
6 May 2026 at 11:27am
Major YouGov MRP poll shows Green surge securing pro-independence majority  The National Newspaper

The SNP has trapped Scotland in a state of perpetual misery - The Telegraph
6 May 2026 at 1:38pm
The SNP has trapped Scotland in a state of perpetual misery  The Telegraph

A fairer, greener and independent Scotland is in reach - Scottish Greens
3 May 2026 at 8:26am
A fairer, greener and independent Scotland is in reach  Scottish Greens

John Swinney should face reality and drop independence for now - The Times
4 May 2026 at 3:53pm
John Swinney should face reality and drop independence for now  The Times

The pros and cons of Scottish independence - The Week
22 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The pros and cons of Scottish independence  The Week

Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026 - YouGov
8 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026  YouGov

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

SNP

"SNP" - 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

Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of...
6 May 2026 at 11:07am
Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of a majority  YouGov

SNP out in front while the race for second place is too close to call - but 1...
6 May 2026 at 10:38am
SNP out in front while the race for second place is too close to call - but 1 in 4 may still change their mind  Ipsos

Former SNP council leader jailed for sexual offences against young men and bo...
6 May 2026 at 10:42am
Former SNP council leader jailed for sexual offences against young men and boys  The Guardian

Ex-SNP council leader Jordan Linden jailed for sex offences against young men...
6 May 2026 at 12:07pm
Ex-SNP council leader Jordan Linden jailed for sex offences against young men and boys  Sky News

Former council leader jailed for sexually assaulting young men - BBC
6 May 2026 at 10:36am
Former council leader jailed for sexually assaulting young men  BBC

SNP ?within touching distance? of Holyrood majority, John Swinney says - Nati...
6 May 2026 at 10:20am
SNP ?within touching distance? of Holyrood majority, John Swinney says  Nation.Cymru

Election poll puts SNP falling short of Holyrood majority - The Times
5 May 2026 at 8:45pm
Election poll puts SNP falling short of Holyrood majority  The Times

SNP set for victory and Reform on track for second, polls say in final predic...
6 May 2026 at 12:38pm
SNP set for victory and Reform on track for second, polls say in final predictions  Holyrood Website

Former SNP council leader Jordan Linden sentenced to 18 months in prison - Th...
6 May 2026 at 2:23pm
Former SNP council leader Jordan Linden sentenced to 18 months in prison  The National Newspaper

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

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

The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 1:48pm
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

SNP: We'll seek another independence referendum if we win majority in Scotlan...
3 May 2026 at 11:09am
SNP: We'll seek another independence referendum if we win majority in Scotland this week  Sky News

Caught between the UK and EU: What?s next for young Scots? - France 24
27 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Caught between the UK and EU: What?s next for young Scots?  France 24

The great independence charade - Financial Times
16 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The great independence charade  Financial Times

The pros and cons of Scottish independence - The Week
22 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The pros and cons of Scottish independence  The Week

Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026 - YouGov
8 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland political snapshot, Spring 2026  YouGov

Will the Scots Get a Second Referendum? - Irish Border Poll
19 Apr 2026 at 7:05am
Will the Scots Get a Second Referendum?  Irish Border Poll