The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Peter Murrell 'called the shots' at Yes Scotland including donations, insider...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Jul 2026 at 2:39pm
The former marketing director of Yes Scotland claimed Peter Murrell 'called the shots' at the pro-independence group.


Aberdeen University employee investigated for wishing Ann Widdecombe 'painful...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Jul 2026 at 1:26pm
An Aberdeen University employee is being investigated after saying she hoped Ann Widdecombe suffered an "extremely painful" death.


Amnesty refuses to say whether it will apologise to JK Rowling rape support c...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Jul 2026 at 11:54am
Amnesty International UK has removed a report describing a sexual abuse centre set up by JK Rowling anti-rights, but the organisation has not said whether it intends to apologise.


Reform MSP warns about online misinformation after Glasgow protests
12 Jul 2026 at 11:32am
Reform UK Scotland?s deputy leader has urged the public to ?be very careful? about online information which has led to protests in Glasgow.


Public health minister urges review into starting age for bowel cancer screening
12 Jul 2026 at 9:41am
Scotland?s public health minister has written to the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) to urge it to review the recommended starting age for bowel cancer screening.


Highland Council: Over £1.4 million from charity fund spent on salaries and e...
12 Jul 2026 at 9:10am
More than a third of a funding pot aimed at helping local families has been spent on salaries and expenses by Highland Council officers and NHS bosses figures show.


Remote working: Why Scottish ministers signed new office lease despite empty ...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Jul 2026 at 5:30am
Scottish ministers moved civil servants to a larger and more expensive office in Glasgow despite staff mostly working from home.


From Highlands to Glasgow: How absences and reduced timetables impacts education
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Jul 2026 at 5:30am
A concerning trend around severe school absences and part-time timetables emerges across Scotland, from the Highlands to Glasgow.


The shocking rise in children missing half the school year in Scotland
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
12 Jul 2026 at 5:00am
The number of Scottish pupils missing more than half of the school year has almost doubled in five years.


Police believe Ann Widdecombe was attacked 24 hours before body found
by Press Association Reporters
11 Jul 2026 at 1:43pm
Police believe former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe was attacked in her home nearly 24 hours before her body was discovered and said they are hunting for a white male suspect.


Police investigating Ann Widdecombe?s death release man from custody
by John Besley
11 Jul 2026 at 8:46am
A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe has been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation, police said.


The businessman who funded more than a third of Reform's local campaign
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
11 Jul 2026 at 5:00am
A Port Glasgow businessman?s £5,000 donation made up more than a third of Malcolm Offord?s declared Inverclyde campaign spending.


'Chemical courage' Illegal narco trade that helps fuel Sudan's recurring gen...
by david.pratt@heraldandtimes.co.uk | David Pratt
12 Jul 2026 at 6:15am
It generates cash for guns and drives a frenzy of killing that beggars belief. Foreign Editor David Pratt examines the devastating wartime impact of the drug they call 'chemical courage'


?You?d think Glasgow was like Disneyland before migrants came. What nonsense?
11 Jul 2026 at 6:00am
On a night walk along Clyde Street and through Union Street, Kevin McKenna tests social media claims that Glasgow?s riverside has become a dystopian migrant ?no-go? zone. Instead he finds a neglected but lively city centre of pubs, taxis and immigrant communities, and argues the real culprit is years of council-led decay and planning failure, not the people who now inhabit these streets.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Reform MSP tells demonstrators not to 'target people' and be wary of misinfor...
12 Jul 2026 at 12:13pm

Thomas Kerr has warned those taking part in disorder in Glasgow to ?not target people? and be mindful of online misinformation

?Ewan is remembered as a friend to all who knew him and a brilliant firefighter and comrade? - Colin Brown, FBU

It turns out Andy Burnham v Sir Keir Starmer is not the showdown of the summer - it is Nigel Farage v a giant bin.

Too many GPs are working overtime, including on their days off, which is prompting many to move overseas, according to the Royal College of GPs.

Glasgow does not seem to have the same excitement as it did in 2014, but the Glasgow 2026 chief executive says there is still a ?buzz? about the games.

Almost 2.5 million Scots have waited too long at accident and emergency departments since the height of the Covid pandemic six years ago - amid fears that John Swinney?s SNP government is overseeing a ?national scandal? in Scotland?s NHS.

Wings over Scotland

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Craig Murray

The Ditching of Nigel Farage
11 Jul 2026 at 8:36am

Nigel Farage is the most consequential British politician of the 21st century. Certainly a more important historic figure than any of the last eight Prime Ministers. Tony Blair is the only realistic rival. Without Farage, the UK would never have left the European Union. Farage’s role in forcing the issue to the top of the …

The Ditching of Nigel Farage

Palestine Action Proscription: We Fight Back
1 Jul 2026 at 12:50pm

I publish below in full the Note we have submitted to Court today to re-establish the separate Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. Not only is the state doubling down on prosecution of pro-Palestine activists, a new National Security State Threats Bill is being fast tracked through parliament to extend the attack …

Palestine Action Proscription: We Fight Back

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism
29 Jun 2026 at 9:50am

The provisional surrender document signed by Donald Trump appeared to represent a triumph for Iran and indeed for the world; but neither the USA nor Israel has the slightest sense of honour and they cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith. Iran knows this – after all, the USA twice attacked Iran actually during …

The Middle East, Hormuz and the New Mercantilism

The UK Joins the Pirates
15 Jun 2026 at 1:21pm

I was genuinely surprised by the Starmer regime’s refusal to state that the Israeli boarding of the Global Sumud flotilla on the High Seas was illegal. I did not realise it was because the UK was planning to undertake similar illegal seizure itself. The Gaza Flotilla seizure was illegal: while for obvious reasons freedom of …

The UK Joins the Pirates

Sentencing the Innocent
13 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm

Judge Johnson had proved his fascist credentials through rulings much earlier in the Filton trial than his vicious sentencing. Indeed, he had arguably already shown them when he released Tommy Robinson from a prison sentence, or when as a barrister he had chosen to work for the intelligence services and Ministry of Defence. But in …

Sentencing the Innocent

The Joy of Resistance
6 Jun 2026 at 9:51am

Just a quick note to say that I am very aware that lately I have been rather bitter, which is not good for anybody, especially me. The disappointments and state outrages have been no worse than usual; my frustration at my poor health, and the subsequent constraint of my ability to fight back, has rather …

The Joy of Resistance

BBC Scotland

McGill's files legal action after £4.3m electric bus funding rejected
11 Jul 2026 at 4:39pm
The Greenock-based operator failed to secure support from the third phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund.

Police take no action against senior civil servant over Salmond inquiry evidence
10 Jul 2026 at 6:42pm
James Hynd was investigated over whether he gave a false statement under oath to the Alex Salmond inquiry in 2020.

Struggling pig farmers say £2m support package 'not enough'
10 Jul 2026 at 2:30pm
Farmers welcome the Scottish government funding but say it's not enough to stop them losing about £1m a month

Restore Britain leader describes Dunblane tragedy as 'one murder'
9 Jul 2026 at 4:02pm
Rupert Lowe criticised the ban of handguns in the UK, saying it was "because there was a murder in Dunblane".

Town's residents urged to drop 'destructive' negativity
10 Jul 2026 at 6:18am
Provost Tracey Little urges people in Dumfries not to believe the town's best days are behind it.

Farage is victim of by-election 'stitch-up', claims Reform's Scottish leader
8 Jul 2026 at 4:37pm
Malcolm Offord made the remark as major parties have confirmed they will not contest the vote triggered by Farage's resignation, describing it as a political stunt.

SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
8 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
Chris Birt was one of six male councillors who voted to take no action on David Brown's operator's licence

Police inquiry into Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
The group campaigned in favour of Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum.

Four councillors quit after vote for rapist taxi driver to keep operator licence
7 Jul 2026 at 2:16pm
The four have resigned from Highland licensing committee after voting to allow David Brown to keep an operator's licence.

'Mansion tax' could double rates on Scotland's most expensive homes
6 Jul 2026 at 1:34pm
SNP ministers have has proposed a steep council tax increase for properties worth more than £1m.

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
The Labour MP, who is expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, has ruled out agreeing to a vote.

I was 'slam dunk' for SNP leadership until revealing gay marriage views - Forbes
3 Jul 2026 at 6:23am
The former deputy first minister says she was advised to lie about her opinions on same-sex marriage.

Scot Goes Pop

Why so many Scots want NORWAY to beat England in the World Cup: three CRACKIN...
10 Jul 2026 at 2:20pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Disaster for Burnham as Labour languish in JOINT THIRD in YouGov...

Disaster for Burnham as Labour languish in JOINT THIRD in YouGov Scottish sub...
8 Jul 2026 at 3:01pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Another stunning SNP by-election GAIN as the Tories go into FREE...

Another stunning SNP by-election GAIN as the Tories go into FREEFALL in the n...
4 Jul 2026 at 2:11pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE. A great reply semi-ruined by the final sentence. Stew? In Scotland?! The very ...

"IS THAT IT, ANDY?!" Only a 2% Burnham bounce for Labour with YouGov, as SNP ...
1 Jul 2026 at 11:59am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Burnham in danger of making government from Manchester as remote...

King of the South: Andy Burnham will make rule from Manchester as detested in...
30 Jun 2026 at 3:42am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP do...

Yet another poll suggests Burnham surge is a damp squib - SNP are dominant in...
29 Jun 2026 at 2:28am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.As regular readers may recall, I've been an elected member of the SNP's Policy Devel...

By-election sensation as SNP *gain* seat in Aberdeen - John Swinney's party a...
27 Jun 2026 at 8:40pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsamp...

Scotland immune to Burnham effect? SNP buoyed by stellar subsample result in ...
26 Jun 2026 at 9:27am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Other recent videos:Andy Burnham's plan to rip up the Barnett Formula means he is ri...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Burnham urged to reverse national insurance rise costing firms £1,000 per worker
11 Jul 2026 at 10:05am
For those on the real living wage of about £26,228 a year, employers are paying an average of £890 extra in tax a year, according to new analysis

Pig farmers say £2 million government support isn?t enough
10 Jul 2026 at 5:09pm
Prices have dropped because there?s too much pork in the market and not enough demand

Ann Widdecombe, former Tory MP and Reform UK member, dies aged 78
10 Jul 2026 at 7:12am
The death of the 78-year-old was announced on Friday

MP calls Dunblane massacre ?one murder? on Joe Rogan podcast
9 Jul 2026 at 10:28am
On March 13, 1996, 16 pupils and their teacher were shot dead at Dunblane Primary School

Burnham poised for coronation as last potential rival rules out leadership bid
8 Jul 2026 at 11:03pm
Al Carns, thought to be the final remaining potential challenger to the former Greater Manchester mayor, has ruled himself out of the running.

Chancellor accepts Nigel Farage?s resignation as MP for ?farce? by-election
8 Jul 2026 at 1:39pm
Rachel Reeves said she wouldn't stop Farage spending his summer "arguing with a bin".

Nigel Farage victim of by-election ?stitch-up?, says Reform?s Scottish leader...
8 Jul 2026 at 1:10pm
Parties from across the political spectrum have said they will not contest the Clacton by-election sparked by the Reform leader?s resignation

Al Carns: Who is the Scottish Royal Marines colonel who hasn?t backed Andy Bu...
7 Jul 2026 at 1:45pm
One Labour MP has very publicly refused to make up his mind about the former Manchester mayor

Nigel Farage to resign as MP to trigger by-election
7 Jul 2026 at 12:12pm
The Reform UK leader will fight the forthcoming vote in Clacton in a contest he said was the 'people versus the establishment'

SNP MSP breaks with Scottish Government on Jackdaw and Rosebank
7 Jul 2026 at 11:50am
The announcement comes after the party lost the Aberdeen South by-election last month

Nato to unveil multibillion defence plans to prove its firepower to Trump
7 Jul 2026 at 8:40am
Donald Trump has previously said he was disappointed that some Nato allies refused to join the Iran war.

Consultation opens on Scottish Government?s ?mansion tax? proposals
6 Jul 2026 at 12:00pm
Deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth said the Scottish Government?s approach was 'based on fairness'

Andy Burnham should scrap ?short-sighted? NI tax hike ? new SNP MP
5 Jul 2026 at 11:18am
Lara Bird said the policy was ?choking-off? economic growth in Scotland.

Scots counting cost of two years of ?disastrous? Labour government, Tories say
4 Jul 2026 at 10:04am
Scottish Conservatives deputy leader Rachael Hamilton says Sir Keir Starmer?s time in office had been 'disastrous'

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

UK must continue helping the Lebanese rebuild their country after devastating...
12 Jul 2026 at 2:19pm
Writing for the Record, the MP for Central Ayrshire recalls a recent visit to Lebanon as the country tries to rebuild after a series of devastating set-backs.

Glasgow City Council urged to drop demand for £42,000 from mum who opposed sc...
12 Jul 2026 at 12:14pm
Leanne McGuire has been hit with a personal demand for more than £42,000 in costs after she tried and failed to secure a judicial review of the council's annual budget.

Rupert Lowe 'insulted' Dunblane victims as Restore Britain leader told to apo...
12 Jul 2026 at 10:17am
A senior MSP told the Record the "proud legacy of the dreadful events in Dunblane must never be tarnished by the likes of Rupert Lowe"

Malcolm Offord challenged on donation to Reform UK after two months of avoidi...
12 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
The party?s multi­millionaire Scottish leader admitted in late April he?d given a ?small amount? to Nigel Farage?s outfit.

Peter Murrell 'called the shots behind Yes Scotland campaign and cash' claims...
12 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
Ian Dommett, Yes Scotland?s marketing director until January 2014, said jailed ex-SNP boss Murrell demanded control over 2014 campaign.

SNP's £825k 'bailout' of Yes Scotland at end of 2014 referendum questioned
12 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
The payments in late 2014 were first revealed in Electoral Commission records the following year.

Who owns Scotland? Meet the campaigner uncovering who profits from owning our...
11 Jul 2026 at 4:30am
Scotland has one of the most concentrated patterns of land ownership anywhere in the world. It's long been a subject of political debate. But who owns what? Andy Wightman has spent years finding out.

Malcolm Offord 'must answer' whether crypto donations are funding Reform UK i...
10 Jul 2026 at 11:51am
EXCLUSIVE: The SNP said it was in the "interests of transparency" to ask whether two donors who gave millions to Nigel Farage have also contributed to Reform's campaigns in Scotland.

Donors to SNP online fundraiser could be in line for 'double their money back...
10 Jul 2026 at 10:46am
John Swinney previously admitted his party had already spent the more than £660,000 of donations that were raised in two separate online fundraisers.

The 5 political scandals Scotland has almost forgotten
9 Jul 2026 at 5:00pm
The conviction of Peter Murrell for embezzling £400,000 from the SNP has been described as the biggest scandal of the devolution era. The Record looks back at some of the other major political rows...

The National

The National | Politics

Anti-racism rally set to counter rising anti-immigration disorder in Glasgow
12 Jul 2026 at 3:32pm

ANTI-RACISM campaigners will hold a rally in Glasgow on July 25 to counter a meeting of the far-right group 'Unite the Clans'

Honesty is best policy ? which is why the UK won?t use it
12 Jul 2026 at 2:36pm

IN his latest farewell address (not his first, and probably not his last), the Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer, Knight Commander of the Order of Bath, referred to ?the soul of the nation?, a ?vision for Britain?s future? and a ?cause that will unite the country that is more than a shared value? as it is ?a British ideal?.

Here's why Britain's billionaire exiles still want to meddle in our politics
12 Jul 2026 at 2:27pm

MONEY, money, money. This summer, British politics can?t seem to get away from filthy lucre: who?s got it, who?s spending it, and why.

Anger as MoD posts England 'propaganda' ahead of World Cup match
12 Jul 2026 at 11:08am

THE Ministry of Defence has been criticised for sharing England football "propaganda" during the team's World Cup campaign.

Labour slammed as offshore wind snub shows 'mishandling' of Scottish energy j...
12 Jul 2026 at 11:06am

A Scottish Government funding package for the renewables sector could be at risk as Westminster plans to bypass grid upgrades near key offshore wind projects

On oil and trans rights, are the SNP getting balance right ? or just moving r...
12 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

THE SNP have entered a period of soul-searching after their defeat in Aberdeen.

What's behind the narco-trade helping fuel genocide in Sudan
12 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

I FIRST heard about its battlefield use many years ago in the then-devastated Syrian city of Raqqa. After its capture by the jihadist fighters of the Islamic State Group (ISIS) in 2013, Raqqa went on to become the Islamist terror group?s primary stronghold and self-proclaimed capital of its ?Caliphate?.

Revealed: Thousands of data breaches recorded across Scottish health boards
12 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

Scotland's NHS boards have recorded more than 5000 data breaches over the past four years, The Ferret can reveal

Celtic Alliance parties demand Andy Burnham bins Labour's 'muscular Unionism'
12 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

DURING his last spell in Government, Andy Burnham spoke on a number of occasions about the need to work in partnership with the devolved governments

'A declaration for an independent Scotland'
12 Jul 2026 at 5:00am

Independence Day celebrations in the US have inspired a 'Declaration for an Independent Scotland' poem

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

SNP face group legal action over ?ring-fenced? independence fund
10 Jul 2026 at 1:25pm
Legal advice concludes that a ?civil claim for fraudulent breach of trust is close to irresistible?

Football banning orders expanded to tackle pitch invasions
9 Jul 2026 at 4:12pm
It comes as the government published analysis of a recent consultation on FBO legislation, which received more than 900 responses including from fans, the SFA, SPFL and Police Scotland.

Former Tory MSP advising new Reform group
9 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
Maurice Golden stepped down from parliament at the election

Rupert Lowe dismisses Dunblane school massacre as ?one murder?
9 Jul 2026 at 11:54am
The Restore Britain MP's comments have been described as ?insulting? and ?despicable? by local politicians

Offord says Farage by-election boycott is ?establishment stitch-up?
8 Jul 2026 at 4:23pm
All the major parties have declined to field candidates against Farage in Clacton

SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
8 Jul 2026 at 3:22pm
Highland Council's licensing committee has been under fire after six male councillors voted to take no action

Scott Arthur named MP of the Year for Rare Cancers Act
8 Jul 2026 at 1:24pm
The MP brought the legislation forward as a private members? bill not longer after being elected

Scotland could block hyperscale data centres over environmental concerns
8 Jul 2026 at 12:54pm
The SNP is looking at planning guidance amid concerns over the environmental impact of the facilities

Farage to resign as MP for Clacton as he rails against the media in televised...
7 Jul 2026 at 3:42pm
The Reform leader said he would contest the resulting by-election. It comes amid increased scrutiny of his finances.

Scottish A&E in ?permanent crisis? as thousands wait 12 hours or more
7 Jul 2026 at 2:11pm
The new data shows that one in eight patients waited 12 or more hours before being admitted, discharged or transferred in May 2026

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Celtic leaders doubt Burnham?s devolution drive will go beyond England?s borders
6 Jul 2026 at 4:00pm
Would-be prime minister has made basic missteps in pitches to Wales, Scotland and Northern IrelandAndy Burnham?s devolution promises are yet to impress sceptical Celtic administrations hoping for a reset with Westminster, sources in Cardiff and Edinburgh have said.Burnham, who is expected to take...

Celtic nations begin to plan for breakup of UK in event of Reform election win
4 Jul 2026 at 7:00am
Politicians brace for constitutional turmoil if Nigel Farage?s party ends up in government ? or even as a strong oppositionThe rise of Nigel Farage has prompted political leaders across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to game the unthinkable: the breakup of the United Kingdom.Unioni...

Badenoch urges Burnham to condemn defence investment plan as No 10 says fundi...
1 Jul 2026 at 6:00pm
Minister and MPs have raised concerns that his ?poisoned chalice? plan will take cash from much-needed road projectsMinister and MP ?furious? over cuts to road projects to fund defence planDan Sabbagh is the Guardian?s defence and security editor.Andy Burnham is a ?true patriot? who will provide ...

The Guardian view on the politics of Scotland: like Labour, the SNP is in nee...
23 Jun 2026 at 6:25pm
The sentencing of Peter Murrell brings limited closure to a major scandal. But John Swinney?s government faces new challenges in a changing landscapeThe Scottish National party (SNP) is accustomed to presenting Westminster dysfunction as a boost to its case for independence. But the political dra...

Peter Murrell jailed for five years after embezzling £400,000 from SNP
23 Jun 2026 at 2:29pm
Estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon is sentenced for stealing from party over 12-year periodMontblanc pens to Le Creuset ramekins: police photos show Peter Murrell?s spending habitPeter Murrell has been sentenced to five years and three months in jail after he admitted embezzling more than £400,...

Montblanc pens to Le Creuset ramekins: police photos show Peter Murrell?s spe...
23 Jun 2026 at 1:37pm
Haul is only a fraction of what the former SNP chief executive bought using embezzled party moneyPeter Murrell jailed for five years after embezzling £400,000 from SNPThe white police evidence tags on the unused Montblanc pens, picnic sets, Le Creuset ramekins and the chrome Alessi teapot tell a ...

?This changes everything?: how Brexit altered Scotland?s political landscape
21 Jun 2026 at 12:00pm
Former party leaders reflect on the turbulence that followed the referendum in which most Scottish voters backed the losing sideThe decision to quit the EU bolstered support for Scottish independence, which a decade after the Brexit referendum is at near record levels, according to Scottish Labou...

Burnham calls for ?new path for Britain? as Starmer vows to fight any leaders...
19 Jun 2026 at 6:30pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:Cabinet loyalists tell PM he has weekend to set out timetable for exit?Now is the change moment?: Burnham staff have no doubtsPodcast: will Burnham become prime minister?What would ?change? look like if Burnham becomes PM?David Blunket...

Scottish Conservatives win Aberdeen South in shock loss for the SNP
19 Jun 2026 at 12:29pm
Tories? Douglas Lumsden says city has spoken ?loud and clear? in support of the North Sea oil and gas industryThe Scottish National party has lost the formerly safe seat of Aberdeen South in a shock loss to the Scottish Conservatives.Douglas Lumsden beat the SNP?s Richard Thomson by 6,050 votes, ...

?No friends to the oil and gas industry?: Aberdeen South, the byelection wher...
17 Jun 2026 at 3:00pm
Peter Murrell affair may feature, but contest seen as straight fight between SNP and Tories over energy policyThe contest for Aberdeen South, a constituency that spans urban social housing and detached homes with sculpted gardens, has been dominated by one topic: the future of North Sea oil and g...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Alister Jack?s colonialism remains a threat to Scotland
9 Jul 2026 at 5:15pm
The former colonial governor of the northern province, Alister Jack, who was given a peerage by Rishi Sunak as part of a back room deal. Jack rejected an earlier nomination by Boris Johnson in 2023 to avoid triggering a by-election while he was still an MP, only later to stand down for the 2024 General …

The Farage facade cracks
7 Jul 2026 at 6:53pm
Poor Nigel Facade, sorry Farage, the wee lamb has had an almighty hissy fit at the sheer audacity of the media daring to subject him to a tiny fraction of the scrutiny that is par for the course for the SNP. It was all very Trumpian. In a self-pitying Reform UK party political broadcast during …

The junkies and their dealers
5 Jul 2026 at 4:40pm
A number of peculiar developments have taken place in Scotland since the Holyrood election in May. These have been disguised by the anti-SNP media feeding frenzy which took place after the conviction of Peter Murrell for the crime of embezzlement, a crime whose victim was the SNP, despite the efforts of the British media in …

Labour?s attempted theft of the Holyrood election is being aided by the media
3 Jul 2026 at 3:32pm
Something is seriously wrong with democracy in Scotland, but the media has told us vastly more about Peter Murrell’s cruet sets than it has about what can only be described as an attempt by the Labour party to steal the Holyrood election. In fact the attempted subversion of the result of the recent election has …

Labour?s nuclear power, an offer we can refuse
2 Jul 2026 at 3:30pm
It’s an offer we can refuse. The Labour government has identified a number of sites across Scotland on which it would like to build new nuclear power plants. A report was published this week by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the political ashtray Michael Shanks, the most disappointing MP in a …

Burnham, the GB Energy of devolution
29 Jun 2026 at 9:06pm
Andy Burnham’s big plan for the UK is still lacking in detail, but it’s already looking suspiciously like another of Westminster’s power grabs at the expense of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. Burnham’s big speech on Monday during which he unveiled his plans for a Number Ten North. No, Scotland, not THAT north, Burnham’s north. …

The feeding frenzy
26 Jun 2026 at 12:13pm
Peter Murrell was sentenced on Tuesday for a crime of which the SNP was the victim. That has not diminished the appetite of the media in Scotland to continue its witch hunt. Ever since Murrell pleaded guilty the media in Scotland has descended into a feeding frenzy. You’d be forgiven for thinking that it was …

Burnham?s threat to the Scottish budget
25 Jun 2026 at 1:18pm
While the media in Scotland continues to scrabble around in the bins in search of another desperate angle on the Murrell scandal, it’s looking almost certain that there will be no leadership contest in the Labour party. Close Starmer ally Darren Jones, who had been tipped to make a leadership bid, has said he will …

The burst socks of British politics
22 Jun 2026 at 3:49pm
Starmer has gone, a man whose main achievement as Prime Minister was to throw away a landslide majority in the House of Commons and make himself even more unpopular than Liz Truss. The UK is now heading for its seventh prime minister in ten years, meaning that British prime ministers don’t last as long as …

Three by elections and no one cared about the Murrell affair
19 Jun 2026 at 12:42pm
The Tories are celebrating their Westminster by election win in Aberdeen South today. But just as Labour celebrated its Holyrood by election win in Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse in 2025 only to go on to lose this year’s Holyrood election, all this by election result really tells us is that tactical voting in by elections …

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

Pupils missing school for half the year is between 40% and 80% more common in...
12 Jul 2026 at 4:12pm
The Herald today, gleefully has: The number of Scottish pupils missing more than half of the school year has almost doubled in five years. Around 400 classrooms could be filled by the 12,402 pupils who were absent at least 50% of the 2025-26 school year, with almost 6,000 more children now severely absent compared to five years ago, analysis by The Herald can reveal. 12 402 eh? So if things wer...

Never mind Barnett, the Lower Thames Crossing to cost Scots taxpayers between...
12 Jul 2026 at 12:56pm
In the Guardian today: The UK?s public spending watchdog has said it plans to investigate the Lower Thames Crossing, as campaigners voice concerns over the rising costs of one of the UK?s largest infrastructure projects. The head of the National Audit Office (NAO) said he anticipated the agency would ?examine and report? on the planned £11bn road tunnel between Kent and Essex, and that work to ...

Glasgow disorder orchestrated by individuals not from Scotland
12 Jul 2026 at 9:45am
In the Glasgow Times, two days ago: Disorder in Glasgow this week has been branded as ?disgraceful? and is said to have been ?orchestrated by individuals who are not from the city?. Protests took place outside homes in the Cranhill and Castlemilk areas earlier this week after claims spread locally and online that ?suspected sex offenders? were living there. A significant police response was dep...

SNP?s progressive policies have not destroyed growth and may have helped
11 Jul 2026 at 2:23pm
Thanks to Dottie again for this one: From What can Scotland teach Andy Burnham about devolution? Scotland’s economy has outperformed its neighbours in Future Economy Scotland yesterday, the above and: and: and my favourite: and: Taken together, the evidence is difficult to dismiss. Whether measured by GDP, productivity, earnings, disposable income or the prevalence of low pay, Scotland has gene...

UK may follow US lowering nuclear safety standards to increase worker risk of...
11 Jul 2026 at 2:19pm
From the highly-respected Scientific American, yesterday: A proposed rule from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) would ease the standard for low-dose radiation exposure. The NRC argues the change will bring more clarity to the nuclear industry, but the health effects of this rule on the public are not so clear. And if the change takes effect, then people living near nuclear facilities cou...

The Wretched of Scotland?s Independence Movements
11 Jul 2026 at 9:03am
While AI has often been taught to favour broadly establishment positions, reinforced by their dominance of the media landscape it relies upon, I have found that, if you keep your wits about you and counter those positions with evidence you have, it will often come to offer a more independent evidence-based answer than you will get from even the most respected but all-too-human academic, like me...

16th/17th Century English Propaganda ? so good even I (!) knew nothing of thi...
11 Jul 2026 at 7:30am
Hearing that a 17th Spanish galleon replica is to visit Ayr in August this year, I had one of those memory flashes. This: Watching Lucy Worsley in December 2022, I was shocked, deeply, to hear of the disastrous Counter Armada of 1599 when more than 20 000 lost their lives, twice the Spanish losses the previous year. Following the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Queen Elizabeth I of Englan...

Don?t mention Sir Francis Drake or Walter Raleigh to these Spanish sailors
11 Jul 2026 at 7:28am
When I saw the above I couldn’t but think ‘Time heals all wounds?’ Why? There’s no mention in the blurb above of the deep irony of a replica Spanish merchantman of the 17th Century making it to Ayr without it having been captured and plundered on the way by one of England’s piratical heroes of the day like Drake or Raleigh. How much in ships and booty did Elizabethan England steal from Spanish ...

Knife murders fall in England & Wales but overall murder remains higher than ...
10 Jul 2026 at 4:47pm
From Sky News today: New Home Office figures reveal the number of knife murders across the UK has dropped by 27% in two years. Overall knife crime has been cut by 10% and more than 1,900 knives were removed from the streets in the same time span. Meanwhile, in the 2025 to 2026 period, 2,833 county lines were closed and 7,381 people were arrested – with the Home Office saying this is the “best y...

Three Police Chiefs say leading anti-immigration protesters don?t come from S...
10 Jul 2026 at 4:21pm
Thanks to Capella for spotting this: In Police issue hate crime warning after hundreds gather in Glasgow street, today, eight paragraphs down: Chief Supt Stevie Dolan said he believed there are individuals outwith the local communities and probably outwith Glasgow or central Scotland who are seeking to “influence” the actions of local members of the public. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim - BBC
7 Jul 2026 at 7:33pm
Police probe Yes Scotland campaign's 'missing £1.5m' claim  BBC

Peter Murrell 'called the shots' at Yes Scotland including donations, insider...
12 Jul 2026 at 2:50pm
Peter Murrell 'called the shots' at Yes Scotland including donations, insider claims  The Herald

Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform - RNZ
10 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform  RNZ

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell - Enlighten - Scotland's Independ...
16 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Independence: More show. Less tell  Enlighten - Scotland's Independent Think Tank

Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum - The Telegraph
5 Jul 2026 at 1:09pm
Burnham rules out second Scottish independence referendum  The Telegraph

Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum - thecanar...
7 Jul 2026 at 10:00am
Burnham ?not willing to consider? Scottish independence referendum  thecanary.co

What Count Binface tells us about winning Scottish independence - The Nationa...
11 Jul 2026 at 5:09am
What Count Binface tells us about winning Scottish independence  The National Scot

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP ?has had enough of experts? as tax advisory panel axed - The Times
10 Jul 2026 at 3:49pm
SNP ?has had enough of experts? as tax advisory panel axed  The Times

SNP overseeing 'national scandal' as 2.4m Scots wait too long at A&E in Scotla...
12 Jul 2026 at 6:00am
SNP overseeing 'national scandal' as 2.4m Scots wait too long at A&E in Scotland  The Scotsman

Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, co...
2 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Motorhome bought by Murrell with stolen SNP money was driven only 4 miles, court told  The Guardian

Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unw...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Big salaries, a motorhome and SNP accounts: The Nicola Sturgeon interview unwrapped  BBC

How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled ...
1 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell spent the £400,000 he embezzled  BBC

Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter M...
30 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Operation Branchform timeline: The downfall of ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell  Sky News

Former Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling $540,000 - R...
25 May 2026 at 8:00am
Former Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling $540,000  Reuters

SNP back calls for temporary ban on AI data centre developments - The Nationa...
6 Jul 2026 at 5:11pm
SNP back calls for temporary ban on AI data centre developments  The National Scot

SNP may have claimed back tax on Murrell's illicit purchases - Swinney - BBC
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
SNP may have claimed back tax on Murrell's illicit purchases - Swinney  BBC

Sturgeon wishes she had not kept Murrell on as SNP chief executive - BBC
29 May 2026 at 8:00am
Sturgeon wishes she had not kept Murrell on as SNP chief executive  BBC

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 9:30am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC

Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause? -...
4 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
Does the Scottish election result advance or hinder the independence cause?  The Conversation

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum - BBC
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum  BBC

Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform - RNZ
10 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney calls for independence to thwart Reform  RNZ

Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote - NZ Herald
26 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote  NZ Herald

SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence refere...
8 Jul 2026 at 11:08am
SNP face group legal action over £600k 'raised for second independence referendum'  The National Scot

Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum - The Times
5 Jul 2026 at 5:03pm
Andy Burnham ?rules out? Scottish independence referendum  The Times

SNP donors could be owed double their money back, KC claims - The Herald
10 Jul 2026 at 11:27am
SNP donors could be owed double their money back, KC claims  The Herald

How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years s...
19 Jun 2026 at 8:00am
How do views of Brexit differ between England, Scotland and Wales, 10 years since the referendum?  YouGov

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