The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Live: Peter Murrell in court to face embezzlement charge
25 May 2026 at 6:54am
Live updates from the High Court in Edinburgh as Peter Murrell appears


Glasgow City Council faces 'mini equal pay' scandal, claims former employee
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
25 May 2026 at 6:30am
A man who worked for Glasgow City Council for 40 years says he feels "cheated" after the authority refused to hear his grievance


SNP accused of 'shameful disdain' as oil and gas given junior portfolio
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 6:00am
The SNP faces growing criticism over John Swinney's decision to make energy a junior ministerial portfolio in his government.


Timeline: How Operation Branchform unfolded as Peter Murrell appears in court
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 5:00am
This is how the story of the SNP finance investigation - Operation Branchform - unfolded from the independence fundraiser to Peter Murrell's appearance in court/


Peter Murrell in court accused of embezzling almost £460,000 from SNP
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 5:00am
Peter Murrell will appear in court accused of embezzling almost £460,000 from the SNP over a period of 12 years.


Who is Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, accused of embezzlement?
by Kathleen Nutt and Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 5:00am
For almost a decade Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon were the husband and wife team in charge of the SNP.


Change has to happen as new Scottish Cabinet gets down to work
by Colin Borland
25 May 2026 at 4:32am
New faces in parliament and around Scottish Cabinet table should bring fresh perspectives


Scots children forced to wait over a year for mental health treatment
by Rachel Keenan
24 May 2026 at 3:29pm
The Scottish Liberal Democrats have said action is ?long overdue? on children?s mental health care as new figures show long waits for treatment.


Scottish Government will ?undoubtedly? need to make cuts, Deputy FM says
by Rachel Keenan
24 May 2026 at 3:20pm
The Deputy First Minister has said the Scottish Government will ?undoubtedly? need to make cuts because of a predicted shortfall of nearly £5 billion by the end of the decade.


Cost of Police Scotland's Operation Branchform probe into SNP revealed
24 May 2026 at 9:53am
The cost of Operation Branchform - the investigation into SNP finances - has been revealed by Police Scotland.


John Swinney should apologise over Troubles remarks, DUP says
by Cillian Sherlock
24 May 2026 at 9:38am
John Swinney should issue a ?clear and unambiguous apology? over comments urging people to ?move on? from the Troubles, the leader of the DUP has said.


Deputy First Minister urges MSPs to ?unite? ahead of vote on holding indyref2
by Rachel Keenan
24 May 2026 at 9:25am
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth is calling for Parliament to ?unite behind Scotland?s right to decide? ahead of a vote to hold another independence referendum.


'We draw a line over hate and division': Sturgeon successor on not speaking t...
24 May 2026 at 5:00am
Scottish Greens MSP Holly Bruce who beat the SNP to take Nicola Sturgeon's former seat reveals reluctance to talk to Reform MSPs.


Revealed: Union Street vape shop not inspected for health and safety before fire
24 May 2026 at 5:00am
Glasgow City Council carried out no health and safety inspections on a Union Street vape shop before a devastating fire broke out, The Herald can reveal.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Peter Murrell LIVE: Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell arrives in court...
25 May 2026 at 7:48am

Peter Murrell faces charges of embezzling more than £459,000 from the party

Almost 80 per cent of Scots think the economy is in worse shape now than it was a year ago.

Campaigners have hit out at the ?pretty shocking? situation over AI data centres.

Jenny Gilruth suggested that most of the public sector job losses would be found through ?natural attrition?.

Wings over Scotland

Only An Excuse
21 May 2026 at 7:45pm
Despite what you or we might think, in the eyes of the Scottish Football Association this ISN’T a pitch invasion. This is simply what a football match in progress looks like. Because according to the absolutely extraordinary statement they’ve released this evening, that was game time. The clock was still running, nothing was being added …

The Queer Parliament
20 May 2026 at 1:36pm
We were excited to discover this old footage of a very young John Swinney. ? How thrilled he must be that he’s managed to make his dream come true. Because in the Scottish Parliament at least, there are now no men and no women, and indeed pretty much only wankers. Just days into its five-year …

The Land Of No Laws
17 May 2026 at 2:20am
This game of football is not over. Except for viewers in Scotland, where no laws apply. Don’t get us wrong, readers. In the (minimum of) 32 seconds that were left to play, it was highly unlikely that Hearts were going to score the two goals they needed to win the league. It is improbable that …

Steadying The Ship
15 May 2026 at 3:20pm
Looks like this, apparently.

The Broken Rainbow
13 May 2026 at 2:04pm
The image below is a graph illustrating how many seats each party won in last week’s supposedly “proportional” Scottish Parliament election, compared to how many they would have won if the electoral system had been actually proportional. The SNP and Greens are now over-represented by 37% and 50% respectively, while the Unionist parties are all …

The Hills Of Far Away
12 May 2026 at 10:01am
Anyone seeking to make a compelling argument for the proposition that Scotland’s politicians and lawmakers are simply too farcically incompetent to ever be trusted with running an independent country had a gift-wrapped Godsend delivered to them last week by the idiot student children of Edinburgh. But we can’t really put the blame on the colourfully-haired, …

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

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

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

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

Craig Murray

Dr Manivannan
14 May 2026 at 6:00pm

The furore around the election of Dr Manivannan to the Scottish Parliament is deeply troubling. There is no argument whatsoever that they were eligible to stand for election. The law was changed specifically in order for those on temporary visas to be able to stand in Scottish parliamentary elections. I confess I am not sure …

Dr Manivannan

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE
13 May 2026 at 6:03am

While the Court of Appeal has now stopped the High Court contempt of court action against Rajiv Menon KC for defending his client, this is purely on procedural grounds. They ruled that Judge Johnson had to go via the Attorney General to the High Court, not direct. It is now referred back to Johnson who …

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK?s Central Nervous System
11 May 2026 at 7:32pm

Unquestioning Zionism has for decades been the entry ticket to the British political and media Establishment. Anybody who was not a fully certified and compliant zionist would find their career limited – as Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Duncan, Robin Cook and David Mellor all found. Most others, of course, were never allowed to progress that far. …

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK’s Central Nervous System

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

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

The 2026 Scottish Elections

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

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

The Morass of Injustice

An Inspiring Story
21 Apr 2026 at 7:54am

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

An Inspiring Story

BBC Scotland

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling party funds
25 May 2026 at 11:10am
Murrell, the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, is remanded in custody after he pleads guilty to misappropriating more than £400,000.

Scottish ministers call for tougher restrictions on new drivers
25 May 2026 at 8:19am
The changes would see new drivers face restrictions on things such as driving at night and carrying passengers.

Deputy FM warns there will 'undoubtedly' need to be cuts
24 May 2026 at 1:47pm
Jenny Gilruth said the Scottish government had been "very upfront about the challenge we face".

How has free bus travel for young people worked in Scotland?
25 May 2026 at 6:09am
As England moves to give people under the age of 15 free bus travel, under-22s in Scotland have had free bus passes for four years.

Candidates for by-elections to replace former MPs announced
22 May 2026 at 5:57pm
Stephen Flynn and Stephen Gethins stood down as MPs after being elected to Holyrood earlier this month.

Man guilty of sending threatening letter to lord advocate
22 May 2026 at 6:24pm
Matthew Sylvestre sent threatening handwritten notes to Dorothy Bain KC and emails to Nadia El-Nakla, wife of former first minister Humza Yousaf.

Toilets and changing rooms must be used on basis of biological sex, guidance ...
21 May 2026 at 7:30pm
The guidance was published on Thursday following the landmark Supreme Court ruling last year.

Extra FMQs session confirmed in Holyrood shake?up
21 May 2026 at 5:57pm
Two first ministers question times will be held each week, one for party leaders and one for backbenchers.

Scotland's benefits bill not too high, new deputy FM says
21 May 2026 at 10:03am
Jenny Gilruth, who has also been named as finance secretary, says she "makes no apology" for the country's welfare system.

Not a continuity cabinet: Swinney signals change with familiar faces
20 May 2026 at 9:19pm
Seven of its nine members were already there but everyone except the first minister has a new job.

Swinney urged by council chief to help tackle 'jobs crisis'
21 May 2026 at 5:37pm
Private healthcare company Cigna has put 129 jobs at risk in Greenock, adding to hundreds of job losses in the area.

John Swinney announces new Scottish cabinet
20 May 2026 at 9:00pm
Stephen Flynn has joined the senior ministerial team, while Jenny Gilruth has been appointed deputy FM.

Scot Goes Pop

Ignore the Brit Nat propaganda: what was the REAL vote share for pro-independ...
25 May 2026 at 3:46am
If you enjoy Scot Goes Pop's polling and election coverage so much that you start to feel an inexplicable urge to buy me a hot chocolate or a ham-and-cheese toastie, donations are very welcome.  Th...

Another update on the Great Scot Goes Pop Video-Blogging Experiment
24 May 2026 at 9:11am
For two-and-a-half months between late February and early May, I was so wrapped up in writing the 73 daily constituency profiles for The National that a) I had much less time to make YouTube videos...

First Makerfield by-election poll shows Andy Burnham could be in TROUBLE
23 May 2026 at 9:40pm
*  *  *Catch up with last Wednesday's award-winning blogpost: "S*** just got real, lads. The famously always wrong blogger "Stew", who said there was "zero chance, barring nuclear war or an alien i...

The biggest problem for British Nationalist propagandists like Fiona Bruce wh...
23 May 2026 at 1:07pm
Fiona Bruce claimed in her position as Question Time host on Thursday night that the 2014 independence referendum result had settled the issue for "twenty or thirty years".  That is an outrageous c...

A blogpost in which, in an act of sheer madness, I express a brief personal v...
22 May 2026 at 7:38pm
Given the fanaticism of Scottish football supporters, it's not really possible to gently dip one's toe in the water of the controversy over the Celtic v Hearts league decider, but nevertheless that...

BOMBSHELL polling suggests Andy Burnham will NEVER be "King" of the UK's True...
22 May 2026 at 7:48am
*  *  *Catch up with last Wednesday's critically-acclaimed blogpost: "S*** just got real, lads. The famously always wrong blogger "Stew", who said there was "zero chance, barring nuclear war or an ...

For one post only: a KC amnesty
21 May 2026 at 1:12pm
Someone suggested yesterday that I should start publishing KC's comments again, because it would boost the overall posting rate by motivating others to "take him down".  Believe it or not, KC does ...

Optimism grows that John Swinney will keep his promise to give the people of ...
20 May 2026 at 1:27pm
*  *  *Catch up with last Wednesday's critically-acclaimed blogpost: "S*** just got real, lads. The famously always wrong blogger "Stew", who said there was "zero chance, barring nuclear war or an ...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Scottish Government will ?undoubtedly? need to make cuts ? deputy first minister
24 May 2026 at 6:10pm
Scotland?s auditor general previously said ministers lacked a clear plan to deal with a £4.7 billion funding gap by 2029-30

Scottish Government will be ?bold, innovative and ambitious? on industry ? Flynn
24 May 2026 at 4:47pm
The new cabinet secretary for Economy has met former workers of the Grangemouth refinery and Mossmorran ethylene plan

Police bill for investigation into SNP finances tops £2m
24 May 2026 at 11:07am
Operation Branchform was launched in 2021

Scottish First Minister should apologise over Troubles remarks, DUP says
23 May 2026 at 12:50pm
John Swinney?s comments caused ?genuine hurt among victims and survivors?, Gavin Robinson said

John Swinney hosts first meeting of ?streamlined? Scottish cabinet
22 May 2026 at 3:05pm
The Scottish First Minister announced a scaled-down cabinet earlier this week

Burnham says backing him in by-election would be ?vote to change Labour?
22 May 2026 at 2:53pm
At the launch of his by-election campaign in Makerfield, Andy Burnham seemed to set out his vision for not just the area but also the country.

What do the Andrew files tell us?
21 May 2026 at 6:16pm
A wad of documents dropped today reveals the details surrounding the appointment of former prince Andrew as the UK?s trade envoy in 2001

VAT slashed to 5% on summer attractions in chancellor Rachel Reeves? cost of ...
21 May 2026 at 3:11pm
Rachel Reeves also announced a 10p per mile increase in tax-free mileage rates and cut import tariffs on more than 100 food products

Green candidate: ?I was made to withdraw from election over student visa?
21 May 2026 at 11:32am
Another Green candidate, Dr Q Manivannan, ran and won despite being on a student visa

John Swinney unveils slimmed-down Scottish Government Cabinet
20 May 2026 at 3:34pm
The new Cabinet of nine, including the First Minister, is down from twelve before the election.

Scottish Parliament removes gender search function for MSPs
20 May 2026 at 2:07pm
It comes after two transgender MSPs, Iris Duane and Q Manivannan from the Scottish Greens, were elected

Jenny Gilruth appointed Deputy First Minister by John Swinney
20 May 2026 at 12:51pm
The former education secretary was the first to arrive at Bute House on Wednesday

Starmer to face Commons grilling as Streeting plans resignation speech
20 May 2026 at 12:00pm
The Prime Minister has faced calls to resign from dozens of Labour MPs

Swinney sworn in as First Minister ahead of appointing Cabinet
20 May 2026 at 7:01am
John Swinney was sworn in at the Court of Session on Wednesday

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Operation Branchform's most shocking moments as Peter Murrell pleads guilty
25 May 2026 at 10:41am
As Scotland's highest-profile criminal investigation concludes, the Record looks back at some of the key moments from the incredible case.

Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling SNP funds as party chief executive
25 May 2026 at 10:40am
Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband issued a guilty plea at the High Court in Edinburgh

Ex Labour MSP says party could have been more 'ambitious' as he criticises Ho...
25 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: In a wide-ranging interview, Paul O'Kane reflected on a campaign that saw Scottish Labour collapse to their fifth defeat in a row to the SNP.

Peter Murrell faces court as cost of police probe into SNP finances hits £2.1m
24 May 2026 at 4:30am
The former SNP chief exec is due to appear in court on Monday accused of embezzling funds from the party.

'Thousands of hospitality jobs lost and industry on brink because of Starmer ...
24 May 2026 at 4:30am
Donald Macleod MBE, the owner of Glasgow?s legendary Garage and Cathouse night clubs, warned firms are being 'pushed towards extinction'.

Union boss furiously condemns Grangemouth closure as 'industrial vandalism' a...
24 May 2026 at 4:30am
Sharon Graham of Unite has spoken out in the wake of news sanctions on Russian jet fuel are being relaxed over fears of global shortages

Scots childminders face annual £1,300 HMRC charge after rule change hits self...
23 May 2026 at 4:30am
Self-employed workers must now pay for commercial software so that they can file their tax returns - a job that could previously be done online for free or by post.

John Swinney urged to implement EHRC biological sex ruling 'without delay'
22 May 2026 at 2:34pm
The SNP Government has said it will consider "carefully" Equalities and Human Rights Commission guidance.

Scottish Labour official issues brutal verdict on Anas Sarwar after election ...
22 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Linda Clarke, a member of Scottish Labour's governing body, has hit out at Sarwar and his deputy Jackie Baillie.

Call for ban on indoor vaping as pressure stepped up for sweeping restrictions
22 May 2026 at 4:30am
Former Labour First Minister Jack McConnell urged politicians and society to work together.

The National

The National | Politics

We must leverage rise of the far right to achieve independence
25 May 2026 at 5:00am

The Scottish Parliament will tomorrow call upon the UK Government to devolve to it the powers to hold a referendum on independence

Hundreds sign letter urging Oxford Union to rethink Tommy Robinson invite
25 May 2026 at 10:26am

Hundreds of people have signed an open letter encouraging Oxford Union to rethink a decision to invite far-right activist Tommy Robinson to speak.

Live updates as ex-SNP chief Peter Murrell in court facing embezzlement charges
25 May 2026 at 7:49am

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell is due to appear at the High Court in Edinburgh, as he faces charges of embezzling more than £459,000 from the party ...

Scottish Government urged to address 'major shortcomings' in data centre policy
25 May 2026 at 5:00am

The Scottish Government is facing calls to 'urgently address' what has been described as 'major shortcomings' in its policy on data centres

New MSPs must act over pensioner poverty scourge
25 May 2026 at 5:00am

As the dust settles after the election, new and returning MSPs will be thinking about how they can improve the lives of people across Scotland over the coming five years

The legal reason why The National is blocking comments on Peter Murrell stories
25 May 2026 at 5:00am

ON Thursday evening, police confirmed that former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has been charged amid a probe into the party?s finances ...

Here's a history lesson for the new Scottish Parliament
25 May 2026 at 5:00am

Hundreds of thousands of public sector homes were built in Scotland in the 20 years from 1955-75, and three new towns were established: Cumbernauld, Livingston and Irvine

MSPs urged to 'unite behind Scotland's right to decide' ahead of indyref2 vote
24 May 2026 at 5:00am

MSPs have been urged to 'unite behind Scotland?s right to decide' ahead of a vote to hold a second independence referendum ...

Carol Vorderman issues challenge to Reform UK after 'disgusting' post about her
24 May 2026 at 5:00pm

REFORM UK?s candidate in the Makerfield by-election is a ?cowardly misogynist? and an ?online abuser?, broadcaster Carol Vorderman has said in response to a ?disgusting? comment he made about her ...

Reform UK defend candidate who called abortion 'cowardly act of murder'
24 May 2026 at 4:24pm

Reform UK have defended a by-election candidate who called abortion a ?cowardly act of murdering a defenceless baby? and suggested that women lie about being raped to justify it ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling ?400,000
25 May 2026 at 12:06pm
Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband faces a prison term when he is sentenced next month

Social media companies strengthen child protection but Ofcom says more to be ...
22 May 2026 at 4:17pm
Some firms failed to set out how they would improve safety on their platforms ? particularly in relation to feeds

Scottish Conservatives reshuffle top team
22 May 2026 at 12:53pm
All bar one of their MSPs have been given a role

Reform unveils Scottish frontbench
21 May 2026 at 6:17pm
Leader Malcolm Offord has taken on the economy and public sector reform portfolios

Presiding Officer says ?status quo not an option? amid parliamentary shake-up
21 May 2026 at 5:08pm
There will now be two sessions of FMQs each week - on Tuesday and Thursday

SNP: UK Government is copying our homework on cost of living
21 May 2026 at 3:32pm
Douglas Alexander defends Treasury plan amidst 'copycat' claims

Green candidate claims she was made to withdraw from election over student visa
21 May 2026 at 1:17pm
The Scottish Greens have said that no candidates were blocked from standing due to their visa status

Chancellor Rachel Reeves to announce food price action
21 May 2026 at 8:08am
Treasury grocery plan comes weeks after SNP manifesto pledge

Jenny Gilruth named as new deputy first minister and finance secretary
20 May 2026 at 4:34pm
A slimmed down cabinet has been announced by John Swinney

New virtual security service launched to strengthen cyber resilience
20 May 2026 at 1:30pm
The vCISO service is designed to provide organisations across the country with senior-level cyber security leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP
25 May 2026 at 10:53am
Ex-husband of Nicola Sturgeon admits reduced charges in court after deal with prosecutorsPeter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National party, has pleaded guilty to charges of embezzling £400,310.65 from the party after agreeing a deal with prosecutors.Murrell, the ex-husband ...

Streeting says he resigned because Labour ?in fight of our lives against nati...
20 May 2026 at 5:18pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereLabour is in a curious, transitional state at the moment. Officially Keir Starmer is committed to staying as leader and prime minister until the next election. There is no formal leadership contest underway. But, informally, it has alre...

ChatGPT and other AI bots made huge errors before Scottish election, study finds
20 May 2026 at 3:56pm
Exclusive: Electoral Commission calls for new controls as Demos finds tools made up fake scandals, invented candidates or gave wrong dateUK politics live ? latest updatesThe Electoral Commission has called for new legal controls over misinformation from AI chatbots, after a thinktank found they h...

UK supermarkets urged to consider voluntary price caps on essential foods
20 May 2026 at 12:03am
Retail sources rebuff government proposal as ?unjustified? and likely to push costs up across boardUK supermarkets have been asked by the government to consider freezing the prices of some essential foodstuffs to protect the public from inflation fuelled by the Middle East conflict.They would be ...

Minister defends Mandelson file redactions and says documents to be released ...
19 May 2026 at 5:15pm
Darren Jones says release will be ?one of the largest government publications ever laid in this house?On Friday parliament?s intelligence and security committee issued a damning statement about the government?s response to the humble address requiring the release of documents relating to the appo...

Starmer has ?full confidence? in Streeting despite health secretary?s allies ...
13 May 2026 at 6:00pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:Streeting to resign and challenge Starmer, allies sayLibby Brooks is the Guardian?s Scotland correspondent.An odd dispute of interpretation has emerged overnight between the Scottish and UK governments. Yesterday evening a Scottish gov...

Streeting to meet Starmer on Wednesday as the prime minister defies calls to ...
12 May 2026 at 9:22pm
A number of Streeting?s allies resigned from their ministerial posts on Tuesday and called for Keir Starmer to quitStarmer tells cabinet he will not quit without leadership challengeHere are some pictures from No 10 this morning.Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the PM, is now being interviewe...

2026 UK elections: full results from local, Scottish and Welsh votes
12 May 2026 at 8:35am
From devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales to councils and mayoralties in England, find out what happened in your areaElections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions Continue reading...

2026 elections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions
11 May 2026 at 7:43am
Keir Starmer?s party lost out to Reform and the Greens, with no respite in Scotland, Wales or England. These maps show the scale of the historic resultsFull results from England, Scotland and WalesLabour has suffered heavy losses across England, Scotland and Wales, losing ground to opponents on t...

Minority groups brace for surge in racism after Reform UK election gains
11 May 2026 at 6:00am
Members of minority communities in Birmingham and elsewhere fear results could lead to rise in hostile rhetoricConceding defeat at the election count at Birmingham?s Utilita Arena on Friday, the outgoing Labour leader of the city council, John Cotton, made a plea. ?What I would encourage the next...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The supposed ?Once in a generation? pledge is a Westminster myth
23 May 2026 at 12:31pm
On Thursday evening’s edition of BBC Reform Time, Fiona Bruce, the completely unbiased and neutral right wing unionist host, editorialised in aid of Tory MP Harriet Cross who had insisted that the question of independence had been “settled” in 2014 and attempts to revisit the matter “have to end, they have to end.” Bruce interjected …

John Swinney fires the starting gun on independence push
22 May 2026 at 1:30pm
He’s not mucking about. On the back of Holyrood’s record pro-independence majority, John Swinney has announced that there will be a debate and vote in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday on securing a Section 30 order for an independence referendum. With 72 pro-independence MSPs in the chamber, the motion will pass easily despite the predictable …

The British media is hiding Holyrood?s independence majorities
20 May 2026 at 5:01pm
Something interesting, and entirely predictable, has been happening in the British media since the SNP comprehensively defeated the parties of Westminster rule in this month’s Holyrood elections, being returned for a fifth term in office in a Scottish Parliament which has its largest ever pro-independence majority, making this the fourth Scottish Parliament in a row …

Something wicked this way comes
17 May 2026 at 1:27pm
We are rightly concerned about Reform UK, which has now gained representation in the Scottish Parliament, although as I had hoped, it performed more poorly than most polls forecast and failed to win a single constituency seat, narrowly missing out to the SNP in the Banffshire and Buchan Coast constituency which had been widely tipped …

The Celtic Alliance can break Westminter?s constitutional logjam
15 May 2026 at 6:33pm
One of the biggest developments in British political history came to pass after the recent parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, yet it predictably went all but unnoticed by a British media which struggles to comprehend England outwith the M25 and for which Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are terra incognita marked “here be dragons” …

Labour?s rigged electoral system has bitten it on the bum
13 May 2026 at 3:51pm
Ever since the Holyrood election last week in which the SNP won a crushing victory over the dependency parties, those parties and their client media have been crowing that John Swinney must drop his “obsession” with independence because the SNP “failed” in the election and did not win an outright majority for the SNP. Alex …

John Swinney is right to lock out Reform
12 May 2026 at 3:02pm
It hasn’t even been a week since the Holyrood election which took the SNP to its record fifth election win in a row, securing more MSPs than all the anti-independence parties combined, and winning more seats than Labour ever has. The British parties and their friends in the press are getting their hysteria and outrage …

Labour and the British media, stuck in the first stages of grief
10 May 2026 at 7:37pm
They’re not taking it at all well are they. Ever since the SNP handsomely won the Holyrood election, for the fifth time in a row, winning more seats than all the branch office parties combined, and together with a record performance from the Scottish Greens, the two pro-independence secured the largest ever independence majority in …

Mission (almost) accomplished
9 May 2026 at 2:40pm
Originally I had intended to blog yesterday as the results came in, but they arrived later than I had expected and we did not have the certainty that the new Scottish Parliament would have a pro-independence majority until well into the evening. The final set of results, the allocation of list seats for the Highlands …

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 …

The Courier

[CaRP] Can't open remote newsfeed [403].
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

Swinney and Sinn Fein ? The staggering hypocrisy of Murdo Fraser and the medi...
25 May 2026 at 11:04am
See her smile at the former IRA leader – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18607911 There’s Con List MSP Murdo Fraser outside Holyrood three days ago to groom the relatives of Scottish soldiers killed in the Troubles in Northern Ireland and damn the First Minister for meeting with the Sinn Fein leadership. He writes: It was good to meet a group of our veterans and representatives o...

Green datacentres seem a no-brainer for energy and water-rich Scotland
25 May 2026 at 10:27am
In the Guardian today: A Scottish government policy designed to encourage datacentres to build in Scotland could lead to a massive volume of carbon emissions being ignored, according to an analysis by a Scottish charity. ?Green datacentres? are at the heart of Scotland?s ambitions to develop economically. Enshrined in national policy, they are part of a larger, UK-wide effort to attract big AI ...

NHS Scotland ? only half the diagnostic scans outsourcing and building capabi...
25 May 2026 at 10:10am
In the Guardian today: The NHS England is paying private firms record sums to analyse diagnostic scans because hospitals are too busy and understaffed to do the work themselves, research has revealed. The amount being spent on outsourced the interpretation of CT and MRI scans is ?spiralling out of control? and reflects a short-sighted failure to train enough doctors, ministers are being told....

Massive news missed by all of MSM ? Older men in Scotland just as violent as ...
25 May 2026 at 7:30am
There is a clear positive trend revealed in the ‘total offenders’ column data above from Re-conviction statistics for male offenders: FOI release published in March 2026. Violent crimes over the eight year period from 2012/13 to 2020/21, among under 21s fell from 181 to 44, more than three-quartered! For 21 to 30 year-olds from 492 to 231, it more than halved! Then, however, for all of the over...

A Tale of Two Peters ? Despite computerised systems, DNA evidence from Nicola...
24 May 2026 at 10:07am
Today, the not-even-vaguely Scottish Daily Express, reminds us that Peter Murrell is in court tomorrow and that the cost of the police investigation is £2 million and counting, for a case of fraud which cost the taxpayer £0. In August 2025, as Nicola Sturgeon spoke of the ordeal of being arrested and as MSM Monitor?s question above waited to be answered, the trial of the SNP CE looks suspicious...

The Islay Whisky Festival 2025 was the ?most successful? to date contrary to ...
24 May 2026 at 8:55am
The Islay Whisky Festival 2026 started in Friday. I’ve seen no media talk of a ferry fiasco though the 7am next Tuesday sailing has been cancelled. Surely that will cause terrible disruption for travellers going home? In June 2025, stewartb surprised us all when he found out this: The Islay Whisky Festival 2025 is the ?most successful? to date contrary to ferry ?fiasco? fake news You may recall...

Drug deaths in England being seriously under-counted
24 May 2026 at 8:31am
Opioid deaths in England 50% higher than recorded In September 2025 (most recent data for this purpose) , BBC UK reported: More than 13,000 heroin and opioid deaths have been missed off official statistics in England and Wales, raising concerns about the impact on the government?s approach to tackling addiction. Research from King?s College London, shared exclusively with BBC News, found that t...

Road deaths halve and offences fall by a third as ?SNP? Road Safety Framework...
23 May 2026 at 3:15pm
In the Edinburgh Reporter February 2026 based on a Sunday Mail report: Scotland?s roads are becoming deadlier amid rising fatalities and surging traffic offences, latest figures reveal. Police Scotland say 92 people were killed in car, motorcycle and cycling collisions between April and September 2025 ? nine more than the same period last year, an increase of almost 11%. They included one child...

?It isn?t tax payers money, it?s the government?s money and the government ch...
23 May 2026 at 3:09pm
By rogercolkett You know that I support your untiring efforts to confront the lies obfuscations and omissions of the mainstream media that seek to show Scotland in as negative a way possible. And I share your annoyance at the waste of resources by the UK Government on projects that provide no benefit to Scotland, it?s part of the reason that I want  Scotland to be an independent country. The ma...

HS2 is a testament to the massive transfer of money from the poor to the prof...
23 May 2026 at 3:05pm
By derekscott1953 HS2 is a testament to the massive transfer of money from the poor to the Professional classes ? lawyers, land-owners, consultancies, NGOs, layer upon layer of takers, who, given the massive cost rises, late delivery and dubious benefits, are clearly ?unprofessional?. £102 or 103 billion, up from £35 billion, all to shave minutes off the journey into London. History does not re...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

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

'Will parts of Scotland seek independence from the rest?' - The Herald
25 May 2026 at 6:35am
'Will parts of Scotland seek independence from the rest?'  The Herald

We must leverage rise of the far right to achieve independence - The National...
25 May 2026 at 5:24am
We must leverage rise of the far right to achieve independence  The National Scot

Independence motion to face Holyrood vote on Tuesday, says John Swinney - The...
21 May 2026 at 2:48pm
Independence motion to face Holyrood vote on Tuesday, says John Swinney  The Scotsman

John Swinney?s independence rhetoric practically a call to arms - The Times
24 May 2026 at 3:15pm
John Swinney?s independence rhetoric practically a call to arms  The Times

A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain - Reuters
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain  Reuters

Deputy FM warns there will 'undoubtedly' need to be cuts - BBC
24 May 2026 at 12:44pm
Deputy FM warns there will 'undoubtedly' need to be cuts  BBC

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 question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling party funds - The ...
25 May 2026 at 10:45am
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling party funds  The Herald

Timeline: How SNP finance investigation unfolded as Peter Murrell appears in ...
25 May 2026 at 5:05am
Timeline: How SNP finance investigation unfolded as Peter Murrell appears in court  The Herald

John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victo...
8 May 2026 at 8:00am
John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victory | Scottish politics  The Guardian

Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of a majority  YouGov

SNP wins Scottish election as Reform and Labour tie for second - BBC
8 May 2026 at 8:00am
SNP wins Scottish election as Reform and Labour tie for second  BBC

SPICe general election Scotland 2026 results and analysis - SPICe Spotlight
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
SPICe general election Scotland 2026 results and analysis  SPICe Spotlight

SNP on track for majority ? and fresh referendum on breaking up the UK - The ...
15 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
SNP on track for majority ? and fresh referendum on breaking up the UK  The Telegraph

The SNP may have won again but Scottish politics has been upended | Scottish ...
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
The SNP may have won again but Scottish politics has been upended | Scottish elections 2026  The Guardian

SNP leader John Swinney rules out Holyrood talks with Reform UK - BBC
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
SNP leader John Swinney rules out Holyrood talks with Reform UK  BBC

Historic win for SNP but change and challenges ahead at Holyrood - BBC
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
Historic win for SNP but change and challenges ahead at Holyrood  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

'Will parts of Scotland seek independence from the rest?' - The Herald
25 May 2026 at 6:35am
'Will parts of Scotland seek independence from the rest?'  The Herald

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

MSPs urged to ?unite behind Scotland?s right to decide? - Morning Star | The ...
25 May 2026 at 4:23am
MSPs urged to ?unite behind Scotland?s right to decide?  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit - Britannica
18 May 2026 at 6:00am
David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit  Britannica

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

John Swinney's indyref2 motion published ahead of Holyrood debate ? see the f...
22 May 2026 at 10:51am
John Swinney's indyref2 motion published ahead of Holyrood debate ? see the full text  The National Scot

The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional chan...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional change back on the agenda  Institute for Government

A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain - Reuters
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain  Reuters