The Herald

The Herald | Politics


The Scottish Budget 2026: How is it different from the UK Budget?
by joe.donnelly2@newsquest.co.uk | Joe Donnelly
13 Jan 2026 at 7:00am
The key differences between the Scottish Budget and the UK Budget, including tax powers, spending decisions and who controls what.


What time is the Scottish Budget today?
by joe.donnelly2@newsquest.co.uk | Joe Donnelly
13 Jan 2026 at 10:30am
When the Scottish Budget is expected to be delivered at Holyrood, including the likely timings and what the statement will cover.


Scottish Budget 2026 live as Shona Robison sets out tax and spending plans
13 Jan 2026 at 9:47am
Finance Secretary Shona Robison will deliver the Scottish Budget - her final before stepping down in May. What will be in the tax and spending plans?


Redundancy notices issued across Glasgow after UK Government funding blow
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
13 Jan 2026 at 5:00am
Hundreds of Glasgow jobs are at risk as third sector organisations issue 90-day redundancy notices following sharp cuts to UK Government funding.


SNP face breaking Sturgeon commitment to vulnerable children, says union boss
13 Jan 2026 at 5:00am
The leader of Unison in Scotland is warning that the Scottish Government risks backtracking on a commitment made by Nicola Sturgeon's to children in care.


Business chiefs raise alarm bells as Scottish Budget looms
by kristy.dorsey@newsquest.co.uk | Kristy Dorsey
13 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
Ministers have been warned ahead of today's Scottish Budget against heaping further pressure on businesses whose confidence levels are already near record lows


Families 'losing loved ones too soon' amid research gaps in cancer care
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
13 Jan 2026 at 5:00am
Scotland is losing people ?too soon? to less survivable cancers as new figures reveal a major research funding gap and missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis and treatment.


'Dodgy businesses': Hundreds of illegal workers arrested in Labour crackdown
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
12 Jan 2026 at 10:30pm
New figures have revealed that 695 raids took place in 2025, leading to 400 arrests at ?dodgy businesses? such as car washes, nail bars, and barber shops.


Scottish councillor appears in court charged with rape
by Kathryn Anderson
12 Jan 2026 at 9:47pm
A Perth and Kinross councillor has appeared in court charged with rape.


Spin doctor who campaigned for Scottish sex offender joins House of Lords
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
12 Jan 2026 at 6:55pm
Matthew Doyle, now Baron Doyle, was the Downing Street director of communications until March 2025.


'Ignored' Scots council leader hits out at UK Government over funding snub
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
12 Jan 2026 at 5:49pm
Councillor Paul Steele spoke out following the announcement of the £140 million Local Growth Fund (LGF) last week.


Analysis: So what?s behind Swinney?s move to stop secret Sturgeon files release?
12 Jan 2026 at 4:08pm
SNP ministers launched a court bid to appeal against a ruling that evidence given to a probe into Nicola Sturgeon's handling of complaints made against Alex Salmond should be released.


Fake pro-independence X accounts suddenly go quiet after internet cut in Iran
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
12 Jan 2026 at 3:30pm
The silence from the group of accounts, which began on Thursday, comes amid widespread protests against the leadership of the Islamic Republic.


Peers turn to veteran Scottish Tory politician for the Lords? top job
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
12 Jan 2026 at 3:10pm
Former Scottish Secretary Michael Forsyth has been elected as the next Lord Speaker after winning a ballot of peers.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Firms call for 'competitive' tax system ahead of Holyrood election
13 Jan 2026 at 6:01am

Claire Mack, the chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said confidence depends on issues such as tax competitiveness

A poll by Survation found just 27 per cent believe the level of personal tax in Scotland provides value for money

Special Adviser Kate Higgins was part of a row with an official after she seemingly pushed to include devolution of immigration powers in a comment, a Freedom of Information Request has revealed.

This SNP Budget is a pantomime ? the real decisions will come after the Holyrood election

Anas Sarwar has called for ?structural, meaningful change? for families facing the cost-of-living crisis

Mr Zahawi - who once likened Nigel Farage to Goebbels - joined the party at a press conference on Monday morning.

Wings over Scotland

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Craig Murray

Court of Session Tomorrow on Palestine Action
11 Jan 2026 at 1:45pm

In the Western world today, fighting for freedom feels Quixotic, but I shall nevertheless wake early tomorrow to be at the Court of Session in Edinburgh by 9am to fight the proscription in Scotland of Palestine Action. I remain extremely concerned for the lives of the Palestine Action hunger strikers. As I predicted, Starmer’s government …

Court of Session Tomorrow on Palestine Action

Venezuela and Truth
4 Jan 2026 at 10:21am

The mainstream media covered Venezuela non-stop yesterday. They many times mentioned Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President, because Trump stated she is now in charge. They never mentioned that 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the torture to death of her father, socialist activist Jorge Rodríguez, by the CIA-backed security services of the US-aligned Pérez regime in …

Venezuela and Truth

Hunger Strikes and Court Cases
16 Dec 2025 at 9:15pm

Fighting the proscription of Palestine Action has become more urgent as eight brave activists enter the crucial period of their hunger strike. 12 January has finally been set for the court hearing on holding a Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. I am frankly terrified for the hunger strikers. Qesser Zuhrah Amu …

Hunger Strikes and Court Cases

The Skripal Novichok Hoax
12 Dec 2025 at 9:58am

I did not anticipate that an open public meeting in Salisbury itself would be 95% sceptical of the official Novichok hoax – but it was. Thanks to UK Column for putting this on. I hope you find it enlightening – there is information which goes beyond my previous articles on the subject. In about a …

The Skripal Novichok Hoax

Your Party, and Its Conference
9 Dec 2025 at 1:14am

It is probably no bad thing that health struggles have delayed my writing up Your Party’s extraordinary Liverpool founding conference. Perspective is definitely helpful to process something unique. Personally, I could not help but be struck by the number of participants who approached me as regular readers of my blog, certainly well into three figures. …

Your Party, and Its Conference

The Filton Trial
7 Dec 2025 at 8:35pm

“The policewoman attacked by a sledgehammer” has been the constant refrain of the government against Palestine Action. A couple of days before the judicial review of the proscription in England, and despite fierce reporting restrictions on the trial, the prosecution released to the media highly edited video footage from the current trial in Woolwich Crown …

The Filton Trial

BBC Scotland

Tax and spending plans to be revealed in Scottish Budget
13 Jan 2026 at 6:01am
Finance Secretary Shona Robison will announce the government's draft plans in a speech at Holyrood

'We need housing help in the Budget - or I will never be independent'
13 Jan 2026 at 6:02am
People in Scotland tell BBC News what they need to hear in Shona Robison's Scottish Budget.

How tough choices will shape the Scottish Budget
12 Jan 2026 at 6:09am
Finance Secretary Shona Robison will announce her plans just months before the next Scottish election.

Scottish budget will see hard choices - Social Justice Secretary
11 Jan 2026 at 4:14pm
The Scottish government's 2026-27 Budget is set to be announced at Holyrood on Tuesday.

Doctors strike called off as union backs latest pay deal
9 Jan 2026 at 4:06pm
Medics had been set to go on the first national walkout staged by NHS workers on Tuesday in a dispute over pay.

Ministers 'concealed' they had no money to build bypass - MSP
9 Jan 2026 at 2:16pm
The claim was made by former SNP MSP Fergus Ewing, who broke away from the party after falling out with colleagues over oil and gas, gender and roads.

Swinney would send Scots troops to Ukraine if peace agreed
9 Jan 2026 at 6:19am
The first minister also warned that the post-war peace in western Europe could be under threat.

Labour's plans to get Anas Sarwar into Bute House
9 Jan 2026 at 4:45pm
Scottish Labour faces a tough fight to win at Holyrood in May but party insiders believe Bute House is within their reach.

Scottish Parliament backs new tax on housebuilding
8 Jan 2026 at 5:42pm
MSPs have voted in favour of the general principles of a bill that aims to raise money to repair unsafe cladding.

Swinney backs action against Russia after Scots airports used during tanker o...
8 Jan 2026 at 1:46pm
The first minister says he was not briefed on a US-led operation a few hundred miles off Scotland's coast.

Delayed discharges costing NHS Scotland £440m a year
8 Jan 2026 at 4:26pm
A report from Audit Scotland says one in nine hospital beds were occupied by patients who could have been discharged.

US planes land at Scottish airport during operation to seize tanker
7 Jan 2026 at 5:42pm
Three U-28A Dracos - used by the US Air Force special operations command - stopped at Scottish -government owned Wick airport before heading north.

Scot Goes Pop

Has Trump ushered in an American FASCISM? His administration now has SEVEN o...
11 Jan 2026 at 9:45am
I know we were all keen for RevStew to finally put a sock in it about the trans issue, but given that he's replaced that obsession with 24/7 apologism for a woman's murder, perhaps he should be enc...

SNP have FOUR TIMES as much support as Labour in YouGov's astounding first su...
9 Jan 2026 at 1:35am
In the video below, I also give my thoughts on Stuart Campbell's frankly disturbing reaction to the fatal shooting in Minneapolis, which has shocked even his habitual supporters and defenders to th...

Alba's death-throes UPDATE: party insider makes explosive allegation that Ken...
7 Jan 2026 at 3:12pm
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

Through their craven silence on Venezuela, the leaders of European countries ...
5 Jan 2026 at 9:44am
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

An update about the Great Scot Goes Pop Video-Blogging Experiment, and the pr...
3 Jan 2026 at 4:31pm
A few minutes ago, my phone spontaneously managed to escape from my pocket onto the road outside my house for the second time in the space of six months, smashing the screen yet again.  I thought I...

Professor John Curtice projects the SNP *are* on course for Holyrood list sea...
3 Jan 2026 at 9:11am
The video below also briefly touches on an astoundingly ill-informed tweet from "RevStew" about Quebec politics, which rather calls into question the oft-heard claims that he's some sort of highly ...

New Year, NEW STEW? Controversial blogger dramatically ADMITS an average of ...
2 Jan 2026 at 9:38am
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already pretty close to halfway to its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

"Simply spellbinding": analysis of new Find Out Now poll showing support for ...
30 Dec 2025 at 8:18pm
Just a quick note to let you know that I have an analysis piece at The National about the new independence poll that the paper has commissioned from Find Out Now, and which has Yes comfortably ahea...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Proportion of A&E patients waiting more than 12 hours doubled in new year period
13 Jan 2026 at 11:33am
Figures released on Tuesday showed an increase in NHS A&E waiting times.

Tax and spending plans to be revealed in Scottish Budget
13 Jan 2026 at 11:13am
The First Minister promised that the Budget would focus on helping families with the cost of living crisis and provide 'strong investment' in NHS.

Lord Mandelson apologises to victims of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
13 Jan 2026 at 7:53am
The former British Ambassador to Washington made the remarks after refusing to do so in his first broadcast interview on Sunday since being sacked.

Increase Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week, campaigners urge
13 Jan 2026 at 6:51am
The Scottish Government will set out its tax and spending plans for the next financial year at Holyrood on Tuesday.

Scottish Government ?playing procedural games? to delay prostitution Bill, cl...
12 Jan 2026 at 7:02pm
The independent MSP claimed that delays to her proposed legislation risks breaching the human rights of women and girls.

What can we expect in the Scottish budget?
12 Jan 2026 at 4:05pm
The First Minister promised that the Budget will be focused on helping families with the cost of living crisis and providing 'strong investment' for the NHS.

Ex-Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi defects to Reform UK
12 Jan 2026 at 12:12pm
The former government minister said Britain 'really does need Nigel Farage as prime minister'.

What are the government?s new parental leave laws?
12 Jan 2026 at 11:51am
Parental leave from day one and expanded paternity laws are part of new reforms coming into effect this year.

One bad Budget could spell end of high street as we know it, says retail body
12 Jan 2026 at 7:25am
The SRC has urged Government to lay out a plan which would end the income tax divergence between Scotland and the UK in the top three tax bands.

Scottish Budget ?to focus on NHS and cost of living support?, vows Robison
11 Jan 2026 at 10:47am
Robison will set out the pre-election draft Budget to Holyrood on Tuesday.

Greens urge Scottish Government to bring in ?mansion tax? in Budget
10 Jan 2026 at 12:35pm
Party co-leader Ross Greer claims a tax on the three most valuable property bands could raise £125m for local services every year.

Scottish doctors strike suspended after ?intense negotiations? amid fresh pay...
9 Jan 2026 at 12:16pm
Doctors were due to walk out between Tuesday, January 13 and Saturday, January 18 but negotiations have now led to a vote on a new offer.

NHS Scotland ?repeatedly releasing? bodies to wrong families
8 Jan 2026 at 2:27pm
NHS bosses launched an investigation after a family cremated the wrong remains.

John Swinney to face questions after delayed discharges cost NHS £440m
8 Jan 2026 at 11:16am
An Audit Scotland report released on Thursday showed more than 720,000 bed days were lost in 2024-25.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Scottish Budget LIVE as half of Scots question value of higher taxes imposed ...
13 Jan 2026 at 9:19am
Shona Robinson is set to announce the final Holyrood Budget before Scots go to the polls in May for an election that could redraw the political map.

Who is Malcolm Offord? The rich yacht lover tipped to lead Reform UK in Scotland
13 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon predicts Lord Offord will struggle to connect with everyday voters.

Hundreds of Scots teens seeking help for drug or alcohol abuse
13 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
A report warned there is a relatively high level of drug use among young people in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK.

SNP told to put Scotland above 'political survival' in last Holyrood Budget b...
13 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
Shona Robison will announce the Scottish Government's spending plans for the 12 months ahead in a statement at Holyrood today.

Reform UK's would-be Scottish leader in row over introducing charges for NHS ...
13 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Lord Offord is under fire over a paper which also called for a debate on introducing user charges in the NHS.

Iranian social bots sharing Scottish independence posts fall silent as regime...
12 Jan 2026 at 4:06pm
The embattled government in Tehran pulled the plug on the internet in a desperate bid to stem the number of violent protests against the Islamic regime.

John Swinney stops short of endorsing social media ban for Scots under-16
12 Jan 2026 at 2:25pm
The First Minister accepted there were ?many strengths? to social media but also ?many risks and threats?.

John Swinney 'not serious' about independence, claims Reform's Scottish leade...
12 Jan 2026 at 1:04pm
Malcolm Offord, a millionaire businessman and former donor to the Conservatives, is expected to be announced this week as the first Reform UK leader in Scotland.

Former Tory chancellor defects to Reform UK as Nigel Farage welcomes new recruit
12 Jan 2026 at 11:36am
Nadhim Zahawi claimed the UK ?really does need Nigel Farage as prime minister?.

SNP Government Budget will be focused on the priorities of Scots
12 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
In his regular column for the Record, the First Minister looks ahead to the Scottish Government Budget.

The National

The National | Politics

New UKIP logo slammed over 'similarities to Nazi symbol'
13 Jan 2026 at 11:37am

A NEW party logo proposed by the UK Independence Party (UKIP) has been slammed for being strikingly similar to a Nazi symbol.

First Minister to consider asylum hotel buffer zones after 'disgusting' protests
13 Jan 2026 at 10:45am

JOHN Swinney has said he would consider calls for buffer zones outside asylum hotels as he condemned ?disgusting? anti-immigration protests over the weekend.

Scotland's first safe drug consumption facility reveals number of visits for ...
13 Jan 2026 at 10:30am

SCOTLAND?S first safe drug consumption facility has been used more than 11,000 times in its first year of opening, it has been revealed ...

BBC to file motion to have Donald Trump' $10bn defamation lawsuit thrown out
13 Jan 2026 at 9:13am

THE BBC will take legal steps to have Donald Trump?s 10 billion dollar defamation lawsuit over a Panorama programme edit dismissed, court documents have shown ...

Hundreds of jobs in Glasgow at risk as redundancy notices issued after Labour...
13 Jan 2026 at 9:00am

REDUNDANCY notices have been issued to staff in third sector organisations and business groups across Glasgow after the UK Government took a ?sledgehammer? to local funding, delivering ?devastating cuts? ...

Peter Mandelson offers 'unequivocal apology' to victims of Jeffrey Epstein
13 Jan 2026 at 8:03am

PETER Mandelson has offered an ?unequivocal? apology to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein for remaining friends with the paedophile financier after his conviction ...

Shona Craven: Nadhim Zahawi thinks we forgot his tax scandal. He?s wrong
13 Jan 2026 at 5:00am

Sandwiched in between the breaking news alerts announcing Nadhim Zahawi?s defection to Reform UK was an email from HMRC help and support, asking: ?Have you paid your self-assessment tax bill??

Karen Adam: The snow has exposed how fragile our safety nets really are
13 Jan 2026 at 5:00am

THE decorations are down, the routines are meant to be back, and January is usually the month where we all try to make the sums add up again

Steph Paton: It seems Trumpism is one T gender critical campaigners can support
13 Jan 2026 at 5:00am

IT seems a little cliche to snap out a line from George Orwell?s dystopian classic 1984 now

SNP MP to host Greenland minister in Westminster amid Donald Trump threats
13 Jan 2026 at 5:00am

AN SNP MP is set to host a minister from Greenland in Westminster amid threats from Donald Trump over the sovereignty of the territory.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Nuclear power: Scotland's energy elephant
13 Jan 2026 at 1:00am
The next Scottish government should take the leap of allowing investors to decide whether nuclear is a step worth taking.

Help single parents in the budget, Scottish Government is urged
12 Jan 2026 at 3:50pm
Call to raise Scottish Child Payment and Child Maintenance Service support

?Michael Forsyth elected as new House of Lords speaker
12 Jan 2026 at 3:21pm
Former Scottish secretary secures more than half of the vote share

X limits Grok AI image generation feature to paid users after reports of sexu...
9 Jan 2026 at 1:00pm
Earlier this week, the tool had been acting on requests by some X users to make ?sexualised images of children? and undress women

Robison facing ?1bn black hole ahead of Scottish budget
9 Jan 2026 at 6:00am
Analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute found a gap in the capital budget that is ?too large to fill?

Port of Aberdeen: Built for Scotland's energy future
9 Jan 2026 at 6:00am
The path Scotland chooses will have lasting implications for its energy, economic and environmental legacy.

John Swinney ?not living in real world? on delayed discharge
8 Jan 2026 at 2:52pm
Anas Sarwar said an Audit Scotland report was ?damning? and should "shame" the government

First minister questioned over ?secret? attempt to challenge Supreme Court ru...
8 Jan 2026 at 2:51pm
Michelle Thomson asked about a report in The Times that in November the Scottish Government wrote to the Advocate General for Scotland, Baroness Smith of Cluny KC, who advises the UK Government

Former cabinet minister urges UK Government to abandon X
8 Jan 2026 at 2:39pm
Louise Haigh said using the platform was ?unconscionable? amid concerns its AI was generating sexualised images of children

Delayed discharge costs NHS Scotland ?440m a year
8 Jan 2026 at 7:00am
Watchdog warning as one in nine hospital beds are occupied by patients well enough to go home

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

?The response is a beautiful thing?: how Glasgow is squaring up to Reform
12 Jan 2026 at 5:36am
In the face of Nigel Farage, flag-waving and a longstanding housing crisis, some Glaswegians are taking on anti-immigration rhetoricSelina Hales has a thing about pineapples. She is talking in a quiet office, set aside from the bustle of Refuweegee, the charity she founded 10 years ago, and the w...

Software tackling deepfakes to be piloted for Scottish and Welsh elections
8 Jan 2026 at 6:07pm
Electoral Commission says tools to detect AI-generated content could be in place before campaigns beginElection officials are working ?at speed? with the Home Office on a pilot project to combat the use of deepfakes to target candidates standing in this year?s Scottish and Welsh elections.Officia...

Liz Kendall says Elon Musk?s X must urgently deal with ?appalling? sexualised...
6 Jan 2026 at 5:49pm
Science secretary says the deepfake content being produced on the platform is ?unacceptable in decent society?In her Today programme interview this morning Kemi Badenoch tried to outflank Nigel Farage on net zero scepticism by claiming (wrongly) that she started talking out this before he did.Ask...

No 10 suggests UK would not vote for UN security council resolution condemnin...
5 Jan 2026 at 6:10pm
PM?s spokesperson did not contest report claiming that the UK will abstain on a possible UN voteSpeaking to reporters this morning, Keir Starmer said Nicolás Maduro, who was president of Venezuela until he was arrested by the Americans on Saturday and taken to a US jail, was not a legitimate rule...

Scottish Labour urges Keir Starmer to stay out of Holyrood campaign
5 Jan 2026 at 2:53pm
Anas Sarwar says prime minister?s missteps have left party clear underdogs in run-up to May electionUK politics live ? latest updatesKeir Starmer and senior ministers have been urged by Scottish Labour to ?stay behind their doors? in Whitehall to avoid turning the next Holyrood election into a re...

Nativism and the disintegration of the UK
1 Jan 2026 at 5:07pm
With the weakening of pro-integration parties, Ben Wellings warns that the continuation of the UK in its current form cannot be taken for grantedStalking your editorial on the new political geography emerging in Britain (25 December) is the fear of disintegration. This is a political outcome that...

The Guardian view on May 2026 elections: a new political geography is coming ...
25 Dec 2025 at 5:30pm
Over the holiday period, the Guardian leader column is looking ahead at the themes of 2026. Today we look at the impact of devolution on growing volatility of party political allegianceNext year will be pivotal in British politics, and 7 May will be the point around which things pivot. Elections ...

Keir Starmer planning new king?s speech after May elections
18 Dec 2025 at 1:19pm
Timing seen as moment to reset after potential loss of hundreds of council seats in England and defeat in Wales and ScotlandUK politics live ? latest updatesKeir Starmer is planning for a new king?s speech after crunch elections in May next year as a reset moment for the government amid speculati...

UK politics: Trump talks ?complete nonsense? about crime in London, says Met ...
12 Dec 2025 at 4:30pm
Mark Rowley says capital is a safe city, and claims of no-go areas are ?completely false?Members of the House of Lords have proposed ?totally unnecessary? and ?very cruel? amendments to the assisted dying bill in a bid to scupper it, Kim Leadbeater, the MP leading the campaign for the legislation...

Scotland?s looser rules on assisted dying could lead to ?death tourism?, say ...
10 Dec 2025 at 5:11pm
Cross-party group of MSPs says bill going through Holyrood could attract people from elsewhere in UKSenior Scottish politicians fear there could be a risk of ?death tourism? from terminally ill people travelling from other parts of the UK to end their lives in Scotland.A cross-party group of MSPs...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Farage?s new tartan puppet
12 Jan 2026 at 8:00pm
On Monday, Nigel Farage preened his insufferably smug way through a press conference at which he introduced the latest opportunistic Tory defector to Reform UK. This time it was Nadhim Zahawi, who was very briefly the Chancellor of the Exchequer under Boris Johnson. Zahawi was later found to have paid a seven figure penalty to …

BBC Scotland, an anti-independence party in May?s Scottish election
11 Jan 2026 at 4:57pm
The parties are gearing up for May’s Scottish elections. On one side there’s the SNP and their frenemies the Scottish Greens – parties which disagree on many things but which share a common belief in the principle that the people of Scotland should be the sole arbiters of government policy in Scotland and the future …

The BBC?s shameful enabling of fascism
8 Jan 2026 at 3:56pm
The failure of the BBC to report fairly and without bias on Scottish politics is a regular theme in this blog and amongst other supporters of Scottish independence. The favouritism which the Corporation displays towards Nigel Farage and his ghouls is likewise well documented, especially on the disgrace to political broadcasting that is BBC Question …

A fake rebellion from a fake party
7 Jan 2026 at 11:28am
While we are distracted by Donald Trump’s attack on Venezuela, the kidnapping of its president and his threats to take over Greenland, here in Scotland the parties are getting into gear for the Holyrood election campaign. Anas Sarwar has got off the starting blocks with a carefully orchestrated ‘rebellion’ against his intensely unpopular boss, Keir …

Greenland, a nation, not an American possession
6 Jan 2026 at 4:46pm
With the Trump regime ramping up its threats against the Arctic nation of Greenland, it’s a good time to take a closer look at the history and culture of Greenland. Greenland is officially called Kalaallit Nunaat in the Greenlandic language, the language of the great majority of the country’s 57,000 population. Greenlandic, or Kalaallisut, is …

In May Scotland?s destiny is in our hands
5 Jan 2026 at 6:51pm
Speaking to SNP party members in Glasgow as the campaign for the Scottish elections in May starts to ramp up, First Minister John Swinney has said that the Scottish media should be ?livid? at the UK Government’s refusal to spell out the democratic route to a second independence referendum. If we lived in a normal …

The superpower of piracy
3 Jan 2026 at 5:22pm
The international rule of law has been on life support for some time. It was battered and bludgeoned by the West’s invasion of Iraq. Israel casually ignored international law as it pursued genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank while the West, most notably the USA and the UK, enabled Netanyahu and …

Making plans for Nigel in 2026
31 Dec 2025 at 2:37pm
It’s nice to end what has been at times a trying year with some good news. On a personal level, in 2025 my mum lost her battle with cancer, and my good friend and former neighbour Mary Docherty, a stalwart of the Glasgow North East SNP branch, passed away after a long illness. Both are …

It?s not just independence that?s at stake in May?s Scottish election
29 Dec 2025 at 7:33pm
Another opinion poll has suggested that the pro-independence parties are on track to win a convincing majority in Holyrood in May’s Scottish parliament election. The poll, by Find Out Now for The National, paints a grim picture for both Labour and the Conservatives, who seem set to return their worst results in the history of …

Hope will start to dawn in 2026
27 Dec 2025 at 2:34pm
Making predictions in politics is a mug’s game, particularly if those predictions concern a year ahead. It has famously been said that a week is a long time in politics, so a year is the equivalent of a geological aeon. All sorts of unforeseen events could transpire between now and the end of next year. …

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 'Albatraz'

As UK Government fails, Scottish Government initiatives pushed Scotland well ...
13 Jan 2026 at 10:42am
In the Guardian today: The government will not meet its targets to save wildlife in England and is failing on almost all environmental measures, the Office for Environmental Protection watchdog has said. In a damning report, the OEP has found that seven of the 10 targets set in the Environment Act 2021 have little likelihood of being met by 2030, which is the deadline set in law. How is the Sco...

The embarrassing gap in intelligence, maturity and credibility between the wr...
13 Jan 2026 at 9:45am
I was going to write this myself and I will add some evidence of NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s health below but, you know, we’re busy here and frankly, it’s not worth it, is it? So Grok AI – ‘Is it accurate to refer to NHS Ayrshire Arran as ‘crippled?’ No, it is not accurate to describe NHS Ayrshire and Arran as “crippled” in any objective, factual sense, though the term has appeared in some sensation...

?Begging the public to stay away from A&E?? No Scottish health board has actu...
13 Jan 2026 at 9:24am
From the Guardian today: Four NHS hospital trusts in England have declared critical incidents after a ?surge? in A&E admissions driven in large part by patients with flu, norovirus and respiratory viruses. Three trusts in Surrey and one in Kent sounded the alarm after a ?surge in complex attendances to A&E departments?. A critical incident, which is usually declared when A&E departments are not...

SNP?s more progressive taxation raised £4 billion for higher employment, lowe...
13 Jan 2026 at 9:04am
The Scotsman’s right-wing tabloid headline today is based on this from Audit Scotland published on 13 November 2025: Altogether, the net benefit to Scottish Budgets since the introduction of devolved taxes in 2015/16 is around £4.1 billion. https://audit.scot/publications/financial-sustainability-and-taxes Services not improved eh? What is the evidence in the Scotsman? It’s a Survation UK-wide ...

Labour Mayor welcomes murder rate falling but to still nearly 40% higher than...
12 Jan 2026 at 10:14pm
In the Guardian today: London?s murder rate has dropped to its lowest in more than a decade with police in the capital and the mayor saying it is now one of the safest cities in the western world. The figures come as those on the radical right criticise the city for having a crime problem, hoping to gain politically from such claims being believed. In 2025, the Metropolitan police recorded 97 h...

?Journalism fiasco? ? Islanders have actually been treated far better than th...
12 Jan 2026 at 10:12pm
Another ferry ‘fiasco report’ (placing the ‘ there makes it clear that the reporting is a fiasco in journalism) today. The facts hidden every time they write this rancid garbage: There?s a very significant background story never told of just how much this SNP Government has done to transform life on the islands, funded by the rest of us living often in less pleasant places and with never the su...

The real ferry fiasco where Scotland has been stifled by the Union
12 Jan 2026 at 10:09pm
From the Metro yesterday: A new ferry service linking Scotland and France for the first time could set sail in just a few a months. The route, from Rosyth to Dunkirk, nicknamed ?Project Brave?, was first proposed in 2022, but stalled in 2025. Funding issues, as well as the need to build a new border control facility at Rosyth, to allow the processing of food and drink, halted the project. It’s ...

As Herald today misleads on A&E, reliable transparent 12 hour A&E figures conf...
12 Jan 2026 at 3:37pm

The astonishing facts the Herald and Labour hope to hide from you ? In less t...
12 Jan 2026 at 3:36pm

Reposted as Guardian today reports on a ?UK [sic] deluge? ? Scotland has far ...
12 Jan 2026 at 10:43am
https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/01/02/scotland-has-far-far-fewer-homes-at-risk-of-flooding-after-19-years-of-snp-leadership/

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Iranian bots tied to Scottish independence go silent - The Jerusalem Post
13 Jan 2026 at 10:47am
Iranian bots tied to Scottish independence go silent  The Jerusalem Post

Scottish independence accounts go dark after Iran internet blackout - The Tel...
12 Jan 2026 at 4:07pm
Scottish independence accounts go dark after Iran internet blackout  The Telegraph

Scottish Independence Accounts Go Silent Amid Iran Internet Blackout - Report...
13 Jan 2026 at 7:33am
Scottish Independence Accounts Go Silent Amid Iran Internet Blackout - Report  i24NEWS

No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says - BBC
27 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says  BBC

Scotland would vote for independence in new referendum, exclusive poll finds ...
30 Dec 2025 at 8:00am
Scotland would vote for independence in new referendum, exclusive poll finds  TheNational.scot

Network of Scottish X accounts go dark amid Iran blackout - The Herald
12 Jan 2026 at 3:30pm
Network of Scottish X accounts go dark amid Iran blackout  The Herald

The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage - politico.eu
13 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage  politico.eu

Pro-Scottish independence accounts on X go dark in Iran internet blackout - a...
13 Jan 2026 at 12:05pm
Pro-Scottish independence accounts on X go dark in Iran internet blackout - after experts revealed how thousands of posts are linked to Tehran regime  Daily Mail

Farage is pushing Scotland to independence - The Times
30 Dec 2025 at 8:00am
Farage is pushing Scotland to independence  The Times

Iranian-linked Scottish accounts fall silent again - UK Defence Journal
11 Jan 2026 at 10:04pm
Iranian-linked Scottish accounts fall silent again  UK Defence Journal

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Scottish budget LIVE: Shona Robison to unveil SNP spending for 2026/27 - The ...
13 Jan 2026 at 10:26am
Scottish budget LIVE: Shona Robison to unveil SNP spending for 2026/27  The Scotsman

Scottish Budget 2026 Live: Shona Robison to announce the government's spendin...
13 Jan 2026 at 12:14pm
Scottish Budget 2026 Live: Shona Robison to announce the government's spending and tax plans  BBC

SNP MP to host Greenland minister in Westminster amid Donald Trump threats - ...
13 Jan 2026 at 5:07am
SNP MP to host Greenland minister in Westminster amid Donald Trump threats  TheNational.scot

SNP face breaking Sturgeon Promise to vulnerable children, says union boss - ...
13 Jan 2026 at 5:05am
SNP face breaking Sturgeon Promise to vulnerable children, says union boss  The Herald

GRAHAM GRANT: When the state steps in people step back - the SNP needs to lea...
12 Jan 2026 at 9:20pm
GRAHAM GRANT: When the state steps in people step back - the SNP needs to learn that hard work IS the best way out of poverty  Daily Mail

SNP?s stealth income tax raid doubles number paying highest rate - The Telegraph
12 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
SNP?s stealth income tax raid doubles number paying highest rate  The Telegraph

SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner SE: Release according to Article 40, Secti...
12 Jan 2026 at 4:09pm
SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner SE: Release according to Article 40, Section 1 of the WpHG the German Securities Trading Act with the objective of Europe-wide distribution  TradingView ? Track All Markets

SNP told to put Scotland above 'political survival' in last Holyrood Budget b...
13 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
SNP told to put Scotland above 'political survival' in last Holyrood Budget before election  Daily Record

Humiliation for John Swinney as most Scots don't believe SNP's high tax regim...
13 Jan 2026 at 10:44am
Humiliation for John Swinney as most Scots don't believe SNP's high tax regime is improving Scotland  Scottish Daily Express

SNP has no right to defy Supreme Court gender ruling - UnHerd
9 Jan 2026 at 7:25am
SNP has no right to defy Supreme Court gender ruling  UnHerd

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says - BBC
27 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says  BBC

'Referendum in ten years? That would be problematic' - The Herald
10 Jan 2026 at 6:35am
'Referendum in ten years? That would be problematic'  The Herald

Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014...
27 May 2025 at 8:00am
Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014  The Conversation

In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland indepen...
3 Jun 2025 at 8:00am
In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK's political landscape shi...
24 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK's political landscape shifts  Courthouse News

Part Two: What an independent Scotland could look like - A Fresh Start with I...
8 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Part Two: What an independent Scotland could look like - A Fresh Start with Independence  The Scottish Government

Farage is pushing Scotland to independence - The Times
30 Dec 2025 at 8:00am
Farage is pushing Scotland to independence  The Times

The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage - politico.eu
13 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage  politico.eu

Swinney sets out latest plan for an independence referendum - BBC
4 Sep 2025 at 8:00am
Swinney sets out latest plan for an independence referendum  BBC

First Minister John Swinney sets out latest plan for independence referendum ...
4 Sep 2025 at 8:00am
First Minister John Swinney sets out latest plan for independence referendum  Sky News