The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Taxpayers could be out £40,000 if Moray councillor who moved to Cairo quits
by Olivia Andrews
13 Oct 2026 at 7:52pm
If an under-fire Moray councillor decided to resign in the next three weeks, it would cost the taxpayer up to £40,000.


John Cleese urges St Andrews students not to vote for Green MSP Q Manivannan
by Craig Meighan
13 Oct 2026 at 5:57pm
John Cleese urges University of St Andrews students not to elect Green MSP Q Manivannan as rector, citing comments about rape and its psychological effects.


Scotland records second-worst week on record for long A&E waits
by Craig Meighan
13 Oct 2026 at 3:25pm
Scotland records second-worst A&E week as 12,074 patients wait over four hours, with just 58.9% seen on time, figures for October 4 show.


Andy Burnham has been invited to SNP conference - but should he actually go?
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
13 Oct 2026 at 1:02pm
Andy Burnham has been invited to SNP conference during his Scotland visit, setting up an intriguing political dilemma over whether he should accept.


Q Manivannan enters race to become next University of St Andrews rector
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
13 Oct 2026 at 11:27am
Q Manivannan, who received a PhD from the institution earlier this year, will be challenged by American actor Brian Baumgartner and AI tech boss Mark Brunner.


Andy Burnham invited to SNP conference in Scotland amid independence row
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
13 Oct 2026 at 10:07am
The SNP has invited Prime Minister Andy Burnham to its Aberdeen conference as the party presses him on Scotland?s constitutional future.


Swinney recommits to triple lock for an independent Scotland despite backlash
by Craig Paton
13 Oct 2026 at 12:01am
SNP First Minister John Swinney recommits to the pension triple lock in an independent Scotland amid a row over UK pension changes and claims of misleading Scots.


Scottish homeowners £279 a month worse off as SNP says Burnham broke promise
by Craig Meighan
13 Oct 2026 at 12:01am
SNP accuses Andy Burnham of breaking cost-of-living promises as five-year mortgage rates hit 6%, leaving Scottish homeowners £279 a month worse off.


Humza Yousaf to lead Edinburgh University masterclasses on polarisation
by rose.moncur@newsquest.co.uk | Rose Moncur
13 Oct 2026 at 3:29pm
Former first minister Humza Yousaf will deliver two masterclasses at the University of Edinburgh to help students navigate political and social divisions.


What's the SNP thinking giving the Scottish Greens an indyref2 platform?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Oct 2026 at 4:26pm
Nicola Sturgeon warned the SNP about the rise of the Scottish Greens. And yet, the leadership have given their rivals a major conference platform.


'World's largest market' offers hope for Scotch whisky amid global volatility
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
12 Oct 2026 at 4:33pm
India's whisky market offers fresh hope for Scotch producers, but exports to the US remain under pressure, says industry chief Mark Kent


Portadown residents lose latest legal challenge to Orange Order parade route
by Rebecca Black
12 Oct 2026 at 4:27pm
Portadown?s Garvaghy Road residents lose Court of Appeal bid over Orange Order parade, while Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant?s ban remains in place.


John Swinney will not be investigated over claims he misled Parliament
by Craig Meighan
12 Oct 2026 at 3:11pm
The First Minister will not be investigated over claims he broke the ministerial code by misleading the Scottish Parliament, his independent advisers have decided


John Swinney warned as SNP faces legal action over 'unlawful' event ban
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Oct 2026 at 2:28pm
John Swinney faces pressure to reverse the SNP's cancellation of an abortion coercion event amid the threat of legal action.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Scottish businesses back English-style metro mayors, survey suggests
13 Oct 2026 at 6:00am

The latest Understanding Business survey found support for further local devolution in Scotland

The SNP government has promised to set out legislation to reform legal aid in the next 12 months.

GB Energy handed over funding to a floating wind project in its first equity investment,

Drug deaths have increased by 11 per cent in the space of a year - with Scotland remaining the capital of Europe of substance-related fatalities.

The Scottish Beer and Pub Association said 62 pubs closed during the first nine months of 2026

The First Minister said he now considered the matter closed

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said he was willing to support a ceasefire if Moscow did - but now reports energy infrastructure has been targeted by Russia overnight.

The Prime Minister is expected to call for greater ties to the EU when he addresses the House of Commons on Monday.

Wings over Scotland

Still Time To Save Her
9 Oct 2026 at 2:32pm
We’ve just had an extraordinary email from Police Scotland, readers. Here it is. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the real-life Timecops. Operation Branchform was closed on 20 March 2025. Nicola Sturgeon gave her infamous interview to Laura Kuenssberg – stating that she would not be handing back any of the items gifted to her by Peter …

There May Be Justice
5 Oct 2026 at 12:40pm
In a little under three days, Phase 1 complete. Wings readers: still the best. But what now? A couple of people have asked about the “stretch target” on the website. That was something CrowdJustice asked for and the reason it’s so high is that that figure was our lawyers’ estimate of the total cost of …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Craig Murray

Does the Act of Union Still Apply?
12 Oct 2026 at 10:29am

Tomorrow at 10am we get the judgement in our appeal against the suspension of the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. We cannot have won as the appeal – held by “urgent process” – was intended to allow a judicial review before the Supreme Court meets in the Ammori case on 4 …

Does the Act of Union Still Apply?

Fatuous False Flags
2 Oct 2026 at 10:16am

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

Fatuous False Flags

Losing My Religion
29 Sep 2026 at 12:07pm

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

Losing My Religion

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

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

Palestine Action Judicial Review

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

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

Four Days in Ekaterinburg

Dishonesty and Deceit
7 Sep 2026 at 7:31pm

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

Dishonesty and Deceit

BBC Scotland

John Cleese urges St Andrews students not to elect Q Manivannan as rector
13 Oct 2026 at 5:29pm
The actor and former rector of St Andrews says the MSP has understated the psychological effects of rape.

Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference
13 Oct 2026 at 11:29am
The prime minister is expected to head to the central belt while SNP members gather in Aberdeen.

Shetland MSP defends hiring artist with public money
12 Oct 2026 at 6:30pm
Hannah Mary Goodlad says she is using language and culture to reach the public across her islands constituency.

No probe into claims Swinney misled Holyrood
12 Oct 2026 at 5:47pm
The first minister is facing no investigation into his comments on plans to adjust the pension triple lock.

Voting records show gender splits at rapist taxi driver licence row committee
13 Oct 2026 at 6:14am
The decision by Highland councillors to let a convicted rapist keep his licences has sparked criticism.

Emergency doctor 'completely terrified' of looming winter pressures on NHS
11 Oct 2026 at 1:53pm
Dr Fiona Hunter says A&E departments are providing "unsafe" levels of care, with some patients spending 72 hours on trolleys in hospital corridors.

Swinney backs Flynn in ferry gas leak row and says 'nobody's perfect'
11 Oct 2026 at 12:43pm
The first minister says he has confidence in his transport secretary, who denies being briefed about the ferry incident.

Reform MSPs accused of racism over burka ban debate at Holyrood
8 Oct 2026 at 6:42pm
John Swinney criticised the party after it suggested religious face coverings should be outlawed in public.

Watchdog and critics raise concerns over reliability of NHS medical records
8 Oct 2026 at 6:02am
Victims of disgraced brain surgeon Sam Eljamel are complaining of "significant gaps" in their records.

Swinney defends claims about Scots 'losing' pensions
6 Oct 2026 at 6:48pm
John Swinney has been accused of misleading MSPs after claiming Scots could lose their pensions under Labour plans.

'Clear human rights failures' in southern Scotland, report finds
7 Oct 2026 at 5:59am
A new study concludes basic human rights - including food, health and housing - are being denied.

Scottish government 'will do all it can' to secure Syngenta site's future
6 Oct 2026 at 5:06pm
Almost 400 jobs are at risk at chemical firm Syngenta's Grangemouth plant after it announced plans to close the site

Scot Goes Pop

Nick Robinson and the dehumanisation of Palestinians demanded by official BBC...
11 Oct 2026 at 8:42am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Sky News goes full Pravda in its coverage of the Holborn & St Pancras by-elec...
9 Oct 2026 at 1:04pm
Holborn & St Pancras by-election result (8th October 2026):Labour 45.2% (-3.7)Greens 32.8% (+22.4)Conservatives 7.1% (-0.1)Reform UK 5.9% (-0.2)Liberal Democrats 3.4% (-2.4)Restore Britain 2.5% (n/...

Tories' plan to impose new nuclear power stations on Scotland means they have...
7 Oct 2026 at 2:39am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

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

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

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

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

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

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Swinney will not be investigated over claims he misled Parliament over pensions
12 Oct 2026 at 3:52pm
The First Minister said he had been informed by his independent advisers that ?no investigation is required?

More than half think Scotland ?heading in wrong direction?, poll finds
12 Oct 2026 at 7:02am
Ipsos Scotland said the figure of 51% will be a concern for John Swinney, as it has increased from 45% in May.

Corridor care ?not acceptable?, Constance says ahead of NHS winter period
11 Oct 2026 at 3:11pm
The Health Secretary said she would have a ?laser focus? on building capacity for healthcare in the community.

Scottish Government urging public to ?ask for help? this World Mental Health Day
10 Oct 2026 at 1:39pm
World Mental Health Day is celebrated on October 10.

Flynn?s office emailed about ferry gas leak before he said he was not briefed
9 Oct 2026 at 2:15pm
The transport secretary was asked about the incident on the Glen Sannox during an appearance at a Holyrood committee last month

Green MSP Manivannan allowed to continue working in UK after visa extended
9 Oct 2026 at 12:23pm
The Edinburgh and Lothians East member has secured a three-year graduate visa, to replace their student visa

College courses for parents offer sustainable route out of poverty ? Somerville
9 Oct 2026 at 10:46am
Alongside training courses, the project will provide additional support with childcare and transport costs

£1m pledged to create ?areas of linguistic significance? to help Gaelic thrive
9 Oct 2026 at 7:05am
The Scottish Languages Act ? passed last year by Holyrood ? paves the way for 'areas of linguistic significance' to be created in Gaelic communities

MSPs debate face coverings amid calls for ban after Glasgow protest
8 Oct 2026 at 4:56pm
It comes after one man was charged over the assault of a police officer at a protest in Glasgow, in which a number of men wore face coverings

Tories would scrap inheritance tax on family homes, Badenoch says
7 Oct 2026 at 2:13pm
The Tory leader said she'd allow couples to leave behind an additional £1 million tax-free

Swinney calls for ?unity over division? on anniversary of October 7 attacks
7 Oct 2026 at 8:30am
The First Minister has called for ?long-lasting peace?.

Majority of firms say Scottish Government doesn?t understand business
6 Oct 2026 at 6:57am
Economists said the figures show an increasingly ?negative picture? in the relationship between business and government.

Swinney?s poverty rhetoric ?increasingly disconnected? from action, report warns
5 Oct 2026 at 12:07pm
In a highly critical report, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation warns the Government is on course to miss its legally-binding child poverty targets

Swinney announces £1m funding boost to help get low-income parents into work
5 Oct 2026 at 11:11am
The initiative will help parents on low incomes with travel costs linked to jobs, interviews and training

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Andy Burnham to visit Scotland hours before John Swinney makes SNP conference...
13 Oct 2026 at 7:28am
The Prime Minister is expected to use a speech to call for Holyrood to hand more powers to local authorities.

NHS health boards not consulted before John Swinney announced they would be s...
13 Oct 2026 at 4:31am
EXCLUSIVE: Scots living in rural parts of the country are concerned they will be "forced to travel to the central belt" for treatment as a result of the health board mergers.

John Swinney denies attacking Andy Burnham over pensions triple lock change f...
13 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
The First Minister was accused by Labour of "playing to his base and feeding into a narrative of grievance".

Glasgow City Council fire and rehire scandal proves trade unions are 'more im...
13 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
Ewan Gibbs, the author of a new book on the recent history of Britain's working class, said the dispute proved the value of trade union membership.

Andy Burnham says closer ties with EU would boost Scots businesses and grow U...
12 Oct 2026 at 4:12pm
The Prime Minister told MPs that rules imposed as a result of Brexit currently cost £100m a year in lost Scottish salmon exports.

Powers must be devolved out of Holyrood to supercharge Scots towns and cities
12 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
Writing in his regular column for the Record, the Scottish Labour leader says power should be pushed out of Edinburgh and back to local communities.

Hundreds of Scots children 'growing up homeless' after spending years in temp...
12 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The SNP Government declared a national housing emergency in May 2024 but the number of children living in temporary accommodation has since increased.

Former Labour minister who lost son to overdose cried listening to SNP drug d...
11 Oct 2026 at 11:25am
Shocking figures published last month showed 1133 people lost their lives in 2025, an 11 per cent rise on the previous year?s total of 1017 and the worst death rate in Europe.

John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon 'still friends' despite criticism of SNP ele...
11 Oct 2026 at 10:11am
The First Minister said he last spoke to his predecessor "over the summer" after she accused him of running a campaign that lacked "vision" and "big picture thinking".

Alex Salmond sex abuse accuser benefited from nearly £100k of public money af...
11 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
The woman told a court she felt "hunted" by Salmond, who she claimed "pounced on her" in Bute House in 2014.

The National

The National | Politics

Why is Swinney still SNP leader after failing to achieve his goal?
13 Oct 2026 at 7:30pm

THERE have been critical reports, comment and discussion on the lack of any item in the SNP conference agenda dealing with the virtually zero prospect of a second indyref.

If the SNP won?t back a de facto indyref, let?s hear their better plan
13 Oct 2026 at 7:30pm

THE SNP confab is imminent. I never attended the conference even when I was a member, but I would describe this as the most important one the party has ever had.

Why is Scotland so difficult for UK prime ministers to visit?
13 Oct 2026 at 7:00pm

UK PRIME ministers heading north of the Border have not always been guaranteed a warm welcome. With Andy Burnahm set to visit this week, we look back at previous visits from leaders in Westminster

Inside GCU's 'historic' vote of no confidence in university leadership
13 Oct 2026 at 6:51pm

STUDENTS at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) have overwhelmingly backed a vote of no confidence in university leadership, in what has been described as a historic shift in the institution's traditionally apolitical student culture.

UK 'putting Scotland at frontline of war economy' with Mossmorran munitions plan
13 Oct 2026 at 6:00pm

PLANS for a munitions facility at Mossmorran are part of a ?concerted effort to militarise the Scottish economy? ...

UK's largest anti-abortion group announces protest at SNP conference
13 Oct 2026 at 5:34pm

THE UK?s largest anti-abortion group is set to stage a protest at the SNP?s annual conference ...

John Cleese wades into St Andrews rector race over Green MSP?s past comments
13 Oct 2026 at 4:49pm

JOHN Cleese has urged students to vote against Green MSP Q Manivannan from becoming the rector of the University of St Andrews

Andy Burnham's EU reset 'the same' as Keir Starmer promised, experts warn
13 Oct 2026 at 5:10pm

ANDY Burnham will approach an upcoming EU summit with the ?fundamentals? unchanged, experts have told The National ...

Scots 'get raw deal' on energy prices despite leading in renewables, top expe...
13 Oct 2026 at 4:39pm

SCOTS have good reason to feel they are getting a ?raw deal? on their energy bills considering the nation?s renewable resources, a leading economist has said

Irish republican march to take place on Glasgow streets this month
13 Oct 2026 at 4:35pm

An Irish Republican group is holding a march in Scotland later this month, to commemorate the hunger strikes by Irish republican prisoners in the 1980s

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Prime minister to visit Scotland during SNP conference
13 Oct 2026 at 12:22pm
The prime minister will be north of the border to discuss his plans to devolve more powers to local authorities

John Swinney will not be investigated over claims he misled parliament with p...
12 Oct 2026 at 4:49pm
The first minister said independent advisers had decided that "no investigation is required"

John Swinney urged to condemn Ross Greer remarks on Zionism
8 Oct 2026 at 6:00pm
Malcolm Offord said the comments were "blatantly antisemitic", while the FM accused Reform of "bringing racism into the chamber"

More than 2,000 objections to plans for ?world?s largest? data centre
7 Oct 2026 at 3:25pm
Locals are concerned about the environmental impact of the project at an old nuclear power plant

Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer says 'Zionism is racism'
6 Oct 2026 at 6:20pm
Scottish Greens co-leader describes the creation of the state of Israel as an 'act of ethnic cleansing'

Scottish civil servants required to work two days a week in the office, accor...
6 Oct 2026 at 6:20pm
Civil servants will be required to use a new self-reporting tool to record where they are working from

John Swinney: 'I've nothing to explain to parliament' over pension comments
5 Oct 2026 at 4:09pm
John Swinney has been called on to "correct the record" and accused of "peddling misinformation" over his reaction to the comments made about the scrapping of the triple lock

Charity warns of ?increasing disconnect? over Scottish Government poverty action
5 Oct 2026 at 8:16am
JRF calls for 'radical action' for children

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

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

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

MI5 chief Ken McCallum confirms Russia did interfere in Brexit referendum but...
13 Oct 2026 at 5:23pm
He argued there was no evidence to suggest the result of the Brexit vote had been swayed as a result of the effortAndy Burnham promises ?serious dialogue? over UK?s relationship with EUZia Yusuf, Reform UK?s home affairs spokesperson, has said he does not agree with his colleague Suella Braverman...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The SNP is right to maintain its boycott of the Lords
13 Oct 2026 at 3:08pm
Last week, the SNP’s former Westminster leader Ian Blackford, speaking to The National newspaper’s podcast, suggested that the party’s refusal to take any seat in Westminster?s upper chamber was a weakness as it left them with “no way of affecting legislation in that House”. While insisting that he accepts the long standing SNP policy of …

Sticking with the status quo isn?t working
12 Oct 2026 at 2:53pm
Andy Burnham has decided to reopen the question of the UK’s relationship with the EU, telling MPs on Monday that it is time to “face up to the reality that Brexit has done more harm than good” and “the status quo is not good enough for Britain,” and that and “the status quo isn’t working …

America?s moral turpitude is infesting British politics
10 Oct 2026 at 2:58pm
I don’t usually blog about America unless it directly affects or involves Scotland, but for the latest example of how far that once great country has fallen into moral turpitude under Trump, I’ll make an exception. The very same people who had a collective meltdown over the sight of a Black mermaid or Black Helen …

Badenoch has killed off the once in a generation claim
7 Oct 2026 at 1:51pm
The Tories have officially ripped up the Vow to which they were signatories in 2014. This was the panicked promise made by the Better Together parties – one of which was the Conservatives – two days before the independence referendum which promised extensive new powers for Scotland, quasi-federal status, a guarantee that the Scottish Parliament …

The British right has Holyrood in its sights
6 Oct 2026 at 2:29pm
The Tories have crossed the Rubicon. Since the independence referendum of 2014, which Better Together won on the basis of false promises, not the least of which was the promise that the powers of the Scottish Parliament would never be clawed back by Westminster, the Westminster parties have largely attempted to maintain a fig leaf …

Labour?s gone from jam tomorrow to maybe jam eventually
5 Oct 2026 at 9:43am
One of the key promises of the Labour party in Scotland during the 2024 Westminster general election campaign was that a vote for Labour was a vote to save the jobs of the workers at the Grangemouth refinery which at that time was threatened with closure. As we all know, the refinery closed despite Labour’s …

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

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

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

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

The 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

Has any country ever becoming independent of the UK or British Empire ever ne...
13 Oct 2026 at 7:34pm
Has any country ever becoming independent of the UK or British Empire ever needed to explain how it would be able to pay pensions? No. There is no historical precedent of a country becoming independent from the UK or British Empire being required to publicly explain, in detail, how it would fund pensions for its own population as a condition of independence. What actually happened in practice P...

Producing fish-free omega-3 from whisky waste using SNP Government funds
13 Oct 2026 at 6:43pm
In Green Queen yesterday: University of Edinburgh spinout MiAlgae has secured £2.5M ($3.3M) from the Scottish National Investment Bank to support the construction of its facility to produce fish-free omega-3 from whisky waste. Scottish startup MiAlgae?s efforts to build a commercial-scale algal omega-3 facility have received a funding boost from the federal (sic) government. The Scottish Nation...

Far lower crime, more police officers, enough to help Northern Ireland three ...
13 Oct 2026 at 6:28pm
From STV News, two days a go, the above and: Whether it?s policing high profile football games, or demonstrations between pro and anti-immigration groups, Police Scotland?s officers are feeling the strain. The most senior police chief in the country, Chief Constable Jo Farrell, is calling on the Scottish Government to provide millions of pounds in additional funding. She has said this can hopef...

Huge poll confirms that Scots are more content and feel safer in their neighb...
13 Oct 2026 at 3:29pm
From: Scottish Household Survey 2025 findings: Neighbourhoods and Communities published today, the above and: In 2025, the majority of people (80%) said they felt ?very? or ?fairly safe? walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark (Table 37), this is a an improvement from 78% in 2024.  These are remarkable results from large sample research. After decades of Tory/Labour austerity moderated ...

Lord Union Jack dreaming of Lord Palmerston and putting Britain First
13 Oct 2026 at 3:26pm
By Liz S Labour peer Lord McConnell is speaking at this year?s Battle of Ideas Festival on the following : ?Should we put Britain first ? The ?National interest? question? When you click on this subject these are some of the things that are noted: ?The term ?national interest? has re-entered political conversation. Immigration, energy security, national defence and protecting domestic industrie...

Only 69% living comfortably or doing alright in UK but after 19 years in Scot...
13 Oct 2026 at 3:24pm
From Financial Information from the Scottish Household Survey 2025 published today, the above and: Historically, the proportion of households reporting they were managing well financially had been increasing overall, from 41% in 1999 to a high of 56% in 2019. There was a slight dip in the long term increase between 2007 and 2012, which may be explained in part by the economic downturn during th...

Scots even more likely to want to work after Child Payment extended but they ...
13 Oct 2026 at 3:23pm
From Scottish Child Payment and the Labour Market – update 2026 published today but utterly absent from BBC Scotland News, Main, Politics or Business, the above, and:: SCP is most likely to affect labour market decisions among parents of young children whose entitlement depends on continued receipt of Universal Credit. The Planning for Work conditionality regime predominantly covers lone parent...

The return of the????..?
13 Oct 2026 at 9:54am
I’ve skimmed the above Herald report twice but can find nothing to savour. It’s the vaguest, dullest, front page story I’ve seen in some time but it’s about the above sneery-faced Prof Adam Tomkins, a former Tory MSP, much loved here. In July 2020, mid-pandemic, he campaigned for the early re-opening of gyms, as in England but contrary to the Scottish Government’s science-based practice to avoi...

BBC Scotland trumpet one of those rare ?Scotland worse than England? stories ...
13 Oct 2026 at 9:26am
to move has had her request for special measures turned down by Scotland’s exam body. Romi Loffler, who communicates by blinking, asked Qualifications Scotland if she could sit her Nat 5 history exam question at a time over weeks. It said no, despite exam boards in England making similar accommodations. Headlining on BBC Scotland’s insert in BBC Breakfast today, one of the latter’s common attem...

As 5 000 offenders in England run tag-less and un-monitored, BBC Scotland Dis...
12 Oct 2026 at 5:34pm
In the Guardian today: More than 5,000 offenders went unmonitored in the first half of the year because probation staff failed to install electronic tags, while 1,600 tags had no signal for more than two weeks due to faults, a report has found. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/12/failure-fit-tags-offenders-unmonitored-england-wales Imagine even one offender went tag-less in Scotland...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Andy Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference - BBC
13 Oct 2026 at 10:14am
Andy Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference  BBC

Andy Burnham invited to SNP conference in Scotland amid independence row - Th...
13 Oct 2026 at 4:24pm
Andy Burnham invited to SNP conference in Scotland amid independence row  The Herald

Outrage as AI data centre planned for First War of Scottish Independence batt...
13 Oct 2026 at 6:24am
Outrage as AI data centre planned for First War of Scottish Independence battle site  The National Scot

Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination - A...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination  Al Jazeera

Prime minister to visit Scotland during SNP conference - Holyrood Website
13 Oct 2026 at 11:22am
Prime minister to visit Scotland during SNP conference  Holyrood Website

Push for Scottish independence has ?turned a corner? says Swinney - Morning S...
12 Oct 2026 at 8:58pm
Push for Scottish independence has ?turned a corner? says Swinney  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

Scottish independence push has ?turned a corner?, Swinney claims - The Indepe...
12 Oct 2026 at 12:01am
Scottish independence push has ?turned a corner?, Swinney claims  The Independent

Reform MSPs walk out of parliament in protest against independence debate - BBC
22 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Reform MSPs walk out of parliament in protest against independence debate  BBC

A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse - Th...
20 Aug 2026 at 8:00am
A Voluntary Union? The Scottish Independence Movement at a Legal Impasse  The McGill International Review

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Andy Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference - BBC
13 Oct 2026 at 10:14am
Andy Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference  BBC

Andy Burnham invited to SNP conference in Scotland amid independence row - Th...
13 Oct 2026 at 4:24pm
Andy Burnham invited to SNP conference in Scotland amid independence row  The Herald

SNP reject Tory calls to block Scottish Green co-leader from party conference...
13 Oct 2026 at 6:48pm
SNP reject Tory calls to block Scottish Green co-leader from party conference  The National Scot

Catholic Parliamentary Office warns SNP ban could cast pastoral care as suspe...
12 Oct 2026 at 7:00am
Catholic Parliamentary Office warns SNP ban could cast pastoral care as suspect  The Catholic Herald

Prime minister to visit Scotland during SNP conference - Holyrood Website
13 Oct 2026 at 11:22am
Prime minister to visit Scotland during SNP conference  Holyrood Website

Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference - Morning Star | The People?s...
13 Oct 2026 at 5:41pm
Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

SNP invite Andy Burnham to conference ahead of visit to Scotland - The Scotsman
13 Oct 2026 at 10:18am
SNP invite Andy Burnham to conference ahead of visit to Scotland  The Scotsman

UK's largest anti-abortion group announces protest at SNP conference - The Na...
13 Oct 2026 at 5:50pm
UK's largest anti-abortion group announces protest at SNP conference  The National Scot

Andy Burnham has been invited to SNP conference - but should he actually go? ...
13 Oct 2026 at 3:12pm
Andy Burnham has been invited to SNP conference - but should he actually go?  The Herald

SNP MSP not named on baby loss certificate as he lives in Scotland - The Scot...
13 Oct 2026 at 1:42pm
SNP MSP not named on baby loss certificate as he lives in Scotland  The Scotsman

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Andy Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference - BBC
13 Oct 2026 at 10:14am
Andy Burnham to visit Scotland during SNP conference  BBC

Scots local government revamp should force referendum, claims councillor - De...
13 Oct 2026 at 2:30pm
Scots local government revamp should force referendum, claims councillor  Deadline News

Scottish independence push has ?turned a corner?, Swinney claims - The Indepe...
12 Oct 2026 at 12:01am
Scottish independence push has ?turned a corner?, Swinney claims  The Independent

Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination - A...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination  Al Jazeera

Push for independence has 'turned a corner', Swinney claims - The Herald
12 Oct 2026 at 7:11am
Push for independence has 'turned a corner', Swinney claims  The Herald

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

Edinburgh border rethink should force referendum, claims councillor - The Edi...
13 Oct 2026 at 3:00pm
Edinburgh border rethink should force referendum, claims councillor  The Edinburgh Reporter

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

SNP MP Lara Bird outs UK comedian as 'secretly pro-Scottish independence' - T...
10 Oct 2026 at 11:49am
SNP MP Lara Bird outs UK comedian as 'secretly pro-Scottish independence'  The National Scot

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