The Herald

The Herald | Politics


John Swinney backs calls for cut in whisky duty in upcoming Budget
by Craig Paton
11 Sep 2026 at 4:15pm
John Swinney has backed calls for a cut in whisky duty in the UK Government?s upcoming Budget.


Burnham ?knows he would lose? a vote on Scottish independence, Gilruth says
by Katrine Bussey
11 Sep 2026 at 3:02pm
Andy Burnham is running scared of a second Scottish independence referendum, because he ?knows that he would lose?, Jenny Gilruth said.


New tram line opening in mid-2030s is 'absolute best-case scenario', council ...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
11 Sep 2026 at 1:35pm
The lengthy timescale was revealed at a meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday.


Jackdaw decision not expected until after Labour's by-election battle with th...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
11 Sep 2026 at 12:58pm
Ministers are facing accusations of putting politics before energy policy after reports that a decision on the Jackdaw gas field may be delayed until after October's Labour-Green by-election battle in Holborn and St Pancras.


Peter Murrell court hearing on repaying £400,000 embezzlement to SNP delayed
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
11 Sep 2026 at 10:09am
Peter Murrell will no longer appear in court this month over repaying the SNP embezzlement funds.


Today's cartoon from Steven Camley - on Donald Trump's latest election ruse
by Camley's Cartoons
11 Sep 2026 at 8:05am
You can find Steven Camley in The Herald and online at heraldscotland.com


Right wing podcaster who stood for Holyrood fails to submit election expenses
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
11 Sep 2026 at 6:30am
A far-right podcaster who stood for election in Glasgow failed to declare any election expenses, despite bragging of using crowdfunded donations to put up billboards around the city


Hidden papers reveal doubts over Scottish Government?s £500m homes fund
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
11 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
Previously withheld papers reveal officials knew Scotland?s £500m First Homes Fund could support some buyers who may have been able to purchase without it.


Why industry heavyweights are backing bid to take River Clyde into a new era
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
11 Sep 2026 at 4:31am
Formation of new Alliance will help River Clyde 'deliver economic benefit to the region'


SNP claims independence could make every Scot £3,000 a year better off
by Craig Meighan
11 Sep 2026 at 12:01am
An independent Scotland would make Scots £3,000 a year richer, the SNP has claimed.


Swinney pays tribute on 25th anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks
by Katrine Bussey
11 Sep 2026 at 12:01am
Scotland?s First Minister has paid tribute to those whose lives were ?forever changed? by the ?unimaginable tragedy? of the September 11 attack 25 years ago.


Scotland's World Cup ties with Massachusetts lead to new investment push
by Rachel Keenan
11 Sep 2026 at 12:01am
The UK and Scottish governments have joined together to fund science collaboration with the United States.


Burnham rejects Swinney's call for IndyRef2 talks and insists vote is 'off li...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
10 Sep 2026 at 5:48pm
Andy Burnham has flatly rejected John Swinney's call for independence referendum talks, insisting his PMQs comparison between Scotland and Northern Ireland was misread.


Labour insists its position on Indyref2 hasn't changed... it has
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
10 Sep 2026 at 5:16pm
Andy Burnham's comments on public consensus and a future referendum may amount to only a subtle shift, but they mark a notable departure from Labour's previously uncompromising opposition to indyref2.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Peter Murrell?s proceeds of crime hearing for SNP embezzlement postponed
11 Sep 2026 at 11:10am

Murrell, who is Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband, was jailed for more than five years in June

Pay cuts for social work managers will do significant damage to services across children, adult and justice, the unions have claimed

Derek Sword, from Dundee, was killed in the attack on the World Trade Centre in 2001

John Swinney has admitted systems have let women down after being told about the harrowing miscarriage experiences of two expectant mothers.

?This is about making sure people can have confidence in how major planning decisions are made? - Philip Flockhart

Unite raised concerns over patient and staff safety

Wings over Scotland

A Long Hard Think
11 Sep 2026 at 3:37pm
More than three months ago now, we sent Police Scotland a Freedom Of Information request. A few minutes ago we finally received a response. Brace yourselves. That is, um… interesting. Retaining gifts you know were bought with embezzled money is the common-law crime of reset in Scots law, under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act …

Anything But That
1 Sep 2026 at 1:04pm
The SNP really really don’t want to have another independence referendum, but if somebody somehow FORCES them into one, they DEFINITELY don’t want to have it in circumstances where they’d be starting the campaign with a 16-point lead. (We must conclude from all this, incidentally, that John Swinney LOVES the Tories, because he had no …

Haven?t had a dream in a long time
31 Aug 2026 at 8:43pm
These are strange days, readers. It’s getting hard to tell who’s on which side. To be honest, we’d take George Foulkes’ offer in a heartbeat. It’s not ideal, because there should be no limits on democracy, but the UK government can perfectly lawfully deny another indyref indefinitely anyway (and seem entirely inclined to), so we’d …

The Shortest Day
29 Aug 2026 at 1:07pm
Something rather extraordinary happened yesterday, dearest readers. Very briefly, we absolutely genuinely thought someone in a position of some influence in the SNP had taken a meaningful step towards being serious about independence. We are not being sarcastic. Look: here it is. (Transcript at bottom of article.) ? Dave Doogan is the SNP’s leader at …

The Slowest Dawning
28 Aug 2026 at 1:44pm
Now, readers, it’s not much of a secret that anyone who’s still supporting the SNP in the hopes that they’ll deliver Scottish independence is – and let’s put this as gently and kindly as possible – a bit thick. From a membership high of 125,000 in the run-up to the 2021 Holyrood election, fully 60% …

Spot The Problem
27 Aug 2026 at 12:19pm
See if you can identify why this isn’t an ideal way to run a justice system. We’ve put a couple of clues in for the slower folk. Answer below. Still, the Crown Office IS at least theoretically accountable to Parliament, so as long as the governing party is full of strong, independent, fair-minded MSPs willing …

This Other Earth
26 Aug 2026 at 2:22pm
We’ve had another email from the Crown Office. Stand by for a surprise! Well, that seems fair enough: other than the fact that almost £700,000 in “ringfenced” fundraiser money is (still) visibly missing, and the fact that the First Minister of the country and the leader of the party the money was entrusted to has …

You?ll Have Had Your Supper
24 Aug 2026 at 6:22pm
Great news, everyone – Scottish Labour has finally worked out how to talk to the people of Scotland. This video featuring the party’s MP Melanie Ward just appeared on the Scotland Office’s LinkedIn page, and it explains the complexities of the interlinked Scottish and UK economies in terms that the UK government hopes all of …

Before Action
20 Aug 2026 at 8:20pm
Our solicitors have today sent the letter below to Police Scotland. (Click pics to enlarge.) It’s worth remembering what this is about. – Peter Murrell was recently sentenced to over five years in prison for misappropriating approximately £400,000 from the SNP, which is the crime of embezzlement. – John Swinney recently admitted that the SNP …

The Land Of Do-As-You-Please
17 Aug 2026 at 12:15pm
The contempt for the Scottish public being openly shown by public servants paid from the public purse to answer to the public has at this point reached such endemic levels that we’re not sure an acceptable level of trust can ever be salvaged. The reply above is not just evasive, not even just pathetic, it’s …

Craig Murray

Dishonesty and Deceit
7 Sep 2026 at 7:31pm

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

Dishonesty and Deceit

Nonsense Drones and Novichok
3 Sep 2026 at 2:14pm

Europe urgently needs to re-establish access to Russian oil and gas. Gas prices are high – as all UK energy consumers know – and German gas storage is at a record low for September. Gulf production is degraded, supplies are cut off and its long-term strategic stability undermined. German manufacturing already suffered a 9.5% production …

Nonsense Drones and Novichok

Dr David Halpin and David Kelly
29 Aug 2026 at 12:26pm

Dr David Halpin, a redoubtable campaigner over the murder of Dr David Kelly, and a friend of this blog for over twenty years, has died. He will be missed. His sister Mary was for many years an invaluable commenter here and occasional researcher for me. Unfortunately about ten years ago I banned her for comments …

Dr David Halpin and David Kelly

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism
25 Aug 2026 at 5:50pm

We still don’t have a decision on whether the Scottish judicial review of Palestine Action can proceed. Lord Young is thinking about it. Last Thursday’s hearing went about as well as it could go. The UK government produced no written argument and barely seemed to be trying. They moved in court for the Scottish judicial …

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism

Scottish Judicial Review Hearing Tomorrow
19 Aug 2026 at 10:05pm

After eight months of obstructionism from the Labour Friends of Israel government of the UK, tomorrow is the day on which the Scottish Court of Session will finally decide whether to go ahead with the judicial review it granted in January, or kowtow to Downing St. I publish below two of the three main papers …

Scottish Judicial Review Hearing Tomorrow

A Tide in the Affairs of Men
7 Aug 2026 at 9:20pm

Between ten and five years ago, specifically in the light of Brexit, it was not in the least unusual for Scottish Independence supporters to discuss a declaration of Independence as the way forward. Debate more often centred on who should make the declaration – the Scottish parliament or some form of national convention or assembly. …

A Tide in the Affairs of Men

BBC Scotland

Proceeds of crime action against former SNP chief Murrell delayed
11 Sep 2026 at 12:17pm
The court action will determine how much he will repay of the £400,000 he embezzled from the party.

PM says second Scottish independence referendum remains 'off limits'
10 Sep 2026 at 9:34pm
Andy Burnham clarifies remarks he made in the House of Commons and says his focus is on economic growth and the cost of living.

Watchdog warns Scotland's colleges face increasing financial pressure
10 Sep 2026 at 1:13pm
A new report says the country's 19 colleges had an overall deficit of £5.6m in 2024/25 - up from £1.9m.

Education reform under way as Scotland sees 'poorest' Pisa results
9 Sep 2026 at 12:47pm
Màiri McAllan said while the results "indicate success in our education system" they also "indicate change is required".

FM warns police will pursue anyone spreading lies about fire-hit flats
8 Sep 2026 at 5:11pm
Housing association NG Homes said rumours that the flats would be used to house asylum seekers were false.

Lord Advocate 'concerned' as domestic abuse charges rise by 14%
8 Sep 2026 at 3:25pm
Lord Advocate Ruth Charteris KC said protecting women and girls from abusive men would be a priority during her time in office.

PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges
9 Sep 2026 at 6:32pm
Andy Burnham had previously told First Minister John Swinney that a second referendum is "off limits".

Bluetongue restrictions in place for at least two years
8 Sep 2026 at 2:56pm
A restricted zone for Dumfries and Galloway and parts of Ayrshire will be put in place on Thursday.

Food price cap plans giving farmer 'sleepless nights'
8 Sep 2026 at 6:40am
East Lothian farmer Jamie Wyllie says he's worried costs will get passed down the line to the food producers.

Primary teachers hired to teach Glasgow secondary pupils to read
8 Sep 2026 at 4:07pm
Intensive catch-up classes are being held for pupils who are starting at high school without basic literacy skills.

Swinney suggests Scots will not travel further for health care under reforms
6 Sep 2026 at 12:30pm
Plans are in motion to cut Scotland's mainland health boards from 14 to two, but questions remain about how they would work in practice.

Offord pledges to scrap tax system and boost jobs under Reform
5 Sep 2026 at 6:25pm
Reform UK's leader in Scotland has set out his priorities in a speech to the party conference.

Scot Goes Pop

Burnham U-turns on the U-turn: after just 24 hours, he reverts to the previou...
11 Sep 2026 at 5:01pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Burnham's REVOLUTIONARY U-turn as he accepts Scotland can have an independenc...
10 Sep 2026 at 1:09pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Burnham suffers more Scottish poll MISERY as SNP enjoy 17-point lead in YouGo...
9 Sep 2026 at 1:15pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

A de facto referendum on independence would self-evidently not be "bonkers" -...
7 Sep 2026 at 11:01am
There has been just one occasion in history in which an integral part of the United Kingdom became an independent country, and it did not happen as the result of a 2014-style agreed referendum.  In...

"Well THAT one was worth waiting for!": SNP have DOUBLE Labour's support in d...
2 Sep 2026 at 11:38pm

RevStew can squeal but *of course* the SNP have done the right thing by rulin...
31 Aug 2026 at 9:19am
The most dispiriting aspect of the controversy surrounding Dave Doogan is that it's given the controversial Somerset-based "Stew" blogger an excuse to yet again trot out his barking mad fantasy abo...

The refusal to allow a debate and vote on independence strategy at the SNP co...
29 Aug 2026 at 10:15am
I initially assumed that the timing of the publication of a draft indyref bill was directly connected to the news having just broken that this year's SNP conference is being effectively blocked fro...

Another Scottish polling disaster for Burnham: a majority of voters want Scot...
27 Aug 2026 at 10:24pm
Someone asked on the previous comments thread whether it was true that a new Survation poll showed that Andy Burnham is the most popular politician among Scottish voters.  Yes, it is true (albeit w...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Andy Burnham ?knows he would lose? second independence vote, says Jenny Gilruth
11 Sep 2026 at 3:11pm
Scottish deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth said the Prime Minister was ?scared? to agree a mechanism for a second independence vote.

Peter Murrell to return to court as Crown lawyers try to recover embezzeled f...
11 Sep 2026 at 10:31am
Crown lawyers will attempt to recover assets that the former SNP CEO seized illegally from the political party

Independent Scotland in EU would make Scots £3,000 a year richer, claims SNP
11 Sep 2026 at 7:01am
The party said the 'independence dividend' would come as a result of the economic cost of Brexit.

Andy Burnham tells John Swinney again that indyref2 is ?off limits?
10 Sep 2026 at 7:55pm
The Scottish First Minister had claimed remarks from the Prime Minister earlier this week showed a ?big shift? in his stance.

Insight: Is IndyRef2 any closer after Andy Burnham?s PMQs comments? 
10 Sep 2026 at 4:23pm
The Prime Minister's off the cuff remarks seem to have opened the floodgates on the constitution

John Swinney to face FMQs amid pressure on Burnham for indyref2 vote
10 Sep 2026 at 1:56pm
The First Minister is calling for a meeting with the PM to discuss an agreed legal mechanism to hold a second vote

Scottish Government to review parental access rules for convicted sex offenders
10 Sep 2026 at 12:01pm
Campaigners have welcomed a government review into rules around convicted sex offenders having access to their children

John Swinney writes to Prime Minister Andy Burnham in bid to legally launch i...
10 Sep 2026 at 10:18am
The PM suggested that a second independence referendum could be held if public opinion 'shows demand for one'

Swinney announces cash to help workers with ?transition to clean energy?
10 Sep 2026 at 7:16am
The First Minister has announced the latest awards from the Government?s £500 million 10-year Just Transition fund

MPs launch party funding inquiry after Peter Murrell?s embezzlement from SNP
9 Sep 2026 at 5:44pm
The Scottish Affairs Committee said it will investigate the Electoral Commission?s oversight of party cash.

Susan Aitken: ?Glasgow is safe and in a better place than before I became lea...
9 Sep 2026 at 5:29pm
Aitken is preparing to step down nine years after becoming leader of Glasgow City Council

Andy Burnham rules out second independence referendum until there is majority...
9 Sep 2026 at 1:53pm
Dundee MP Chris Law brought up the issue during PMQs on Wednesday

Andy Burnham to face PMQs following sanctions on illegal West Bank settlements
9 Sep 2026 at 11:59am
The move has been criticised by both the US and Israel, while foreign secretary Ed Miliband has defended the decision

Three Holyrood committees decline to work with UK Parliament on party finances
7 Sep 2026 at 8:41pm
The request followed the Peter Murrell embezzlement case.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Andy Burnham ?knows he would lose? a vote on Scottish independence, claims De...
11 Sep 2026 at 4:20pm
Jenny Gilruth claimed "this issue is not going to go away" despite the Prime Minister insisting that another referendum was "off limits".

Andy Burnham rules out IndyRef2 and tells John Swinney 'independence and a re...
10 Sep 2026 at 5:43pm
The Prime Minister pointed to Labour's 2024 manifesto commitment which reaffirmed the party's opposition to another vote on the constitution.

Swinney says sorry to women who suffered traumatic miscarriages after NHS fai...
10 Sep 2026 at 3:40pm
Elizabeth Crammond was left "traumatised" after suffering her third miscarriage earlier this year - despite asking the NHS for help 60 times.

SNP rule in Glasgow has been a failure and city residents must demand better
10 Sep 2026 at 1:42pm
Nationalists were delighted at finally taking charge of Scotland's largest local authority in 2017, but an air of complacency and a lack of leadership quickly followed, says Chris McCall

Susan Aitken insists Glasgow is 'safe' as she quits as council leader after 9...
10 Sep 2026 at 10:54am
Aitken has led Scotland's largest local authority through a turbulent decade amid mounting criticism of the condition of the city centre and rising fears over anti-social behaviour.

John Swinney demands IndyRef2 trigger law following Andy Burnham intervention
10 Sep 2026 at 9:08am
Burnham had previously told Swinney another vote on the constitution was "off limits" when the pair met in July.

SNP challenges Scottish Labour leadership candidates over IndyRef2 trigger fo...
10 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: A Nationalist MSP described the positions taken by Michael Marra and Joe Fagan on an IndyRef2 as "laughable".

Peter Murrell scandal to be investigated as MPs launch probe into financing o...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:34pm
Peter Murrell, the former long-serving chief executive of the SNP, was jailed for five years after he pled guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from his employers.

'Pisa report is a distraction from the challenges Scots teachers face everyday'
9 Sep 2026 at 3:33pm
Writing for the Record, veteran teacher Andy Harvey argues this week's Pisa report shows pupils "overwhelmingly have positive learning experiences in Scotland?s schools".

Andy Burnham rules out independence referendum until its 'clear' most Scots w...
9 Sep 2026 at 1:25pm
The PM claimed the rules governing the timing of an IndyRef2 should be "exactly the same" as those for an Irish border poll.

The National

The National | Politics

Scottish Government criticised over UN database ?loophole? in Israel boycott
11 Sep 2026 at 7:00pm

THE Scottish Government has been criticised for not automatically barring companies named on a UN database of businesses linked to Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank from receiving public contracts and grants ...

Andy Burnham would be mad to call a snap election. Wouldn't he?
11 Sep 2026 at 5:56pm

ANDY Burnham would be mad not to call an early election. Wouldn?t he?

Andy Burnham can run but can't hide from growing independence support
11 Sep 2026 at 5:00pm

The truth is, the Prime Minister can run all he likes from what he said. We all know it won't get him far

Undead William Wallace ?helps Scotland invade England? in new video game
11 Sep 2026 at 5:00pm

A NEW game in which two Scottish scientists accidentally resurrect William Wallace and an entire 13th-century army is set to be released next year ...

MPs reject attempt to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales
11 Sep 2026 at 3:38pm

AN attempt to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales has been rejected by MPs

Police throw out Reform MSP's 'hate speech' claim against top Scottish lawyer
11 Sep 2026 at 2:45pm

POLICE Scotland has thrown out a Reform MSP?s ?hate speech? allegations against a leading Scottish human rights lawyer ...

Wind farm for 2 million homes faces backlash over islands impact
11 Sep 2026 at 2:27pm

A wind farm that could provide electricity for two million homes risks having ?significant adverse effects? on the landscape and cultural heritage of Scottish islands, councillors have been told

Palestinian mother dies of cancer in Gaza after Home Office refuses to help
11 Sep 2026 at 2:05pm

A Palestinian mother has died of cancer in Gaza after she was refused help by the UK Home Office ? just seven months after giving birth to her son

Outgoing Glasgow Council leader takes shot at BBC over 'platforming far right'
11 Sep 2026 at 12:40pm

GLASGOW?S outgoing council leader Susan Aitken has taken a parting shot at the BBC over a documentary on the city she said made an ?enormous misjudgement? in ?platforming the far-right? ...

Scottish dad hits fundraising target to take Tommy Robinson to court
11 Sep 2026 at 12:16pm

A GLASWEGIAN dad who has reached a huge fundraising target to take Tommy Robinson to court for defamation hopes he can now lead the fight for fellow victims of far-right attacks in Scotland ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Scots pupils falling behind England a ?national emergency?, says Reform
10 Sep 2026 at 4:36pm
John Swinney said Pisa was only ?one part of the dataset? and insisted he was ?proud? of his government?s record

John Swinney apologises to two women amid call for miscarriage care to be rev...
10 Sep 2026 at 4:06pm
Labour's Jackie Baillie said the first minister must ensure "women?s voices are heard"

John Swinney calls for legal mechanism to trigger indyref2
10 Sep 2026 at 11:32am
The letter comes after Burnham said a second referendum was possible if a ?majority? wanted one

Auditor General calls for ?urgent? action for cash-strapped colleges
10 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
New report lays out financial challenge

Indyref possible if majority support one, Andy Burnham says
9 Sep 2026 at 4:00pm
Downing Street previously said a referendum was ?off limits?

Researchers warn AI ?could kill us all? by the end of the decade
9 Sep 2026 at 3:42pm
A number of developers at AI company Anthropic have warned about the looming dangers associated with the technology

Volunteering is an investment in stronger communities
9 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
By encouraging and investing in volunteering, we can strengthen communities, create opportunities and build lasting social connections. Stronger communities are built through participation, partnership and shared purpose, and volunteering remains one of t

Domestic abuse charges up by 14 per cent
8 Sep 2026 at 4:22pm
Over 34,500 charges with a domestic abuse identifier were reported

Scotland pupils continue to lag English counterparts in science, maths and re...
8 Sep 2026 at 11:33am
The educational performance of Scottish teenagers remains ?significantly below? historic levels

Eljamel inquiry begins public evidence sessions with former Tory MSP Liz Smith
8 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
Eljamel, a former head of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside, is thought to have harmed up to 200 patients in botched operations that took place before he was finally suspended in 2013

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

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

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

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

Channel 5 drama to examine how Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband stole SNP ...
26 Aug 2026 at 2:00pm
To Nicola, Love Peter will focus on couple?s relationship during 12-year period of embezzlement and fallout of caseChannel 5 is reuniting with the producers of Power: the Downfall of Huw Edwards for a drama about how Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband embezzled £400,000 from the Scottish Nationa...

?Never seen this level of objection?: Scotland pushes back against datacentre...
25 Aug 2026 at 6:00am
Holyrood ?inching towards moratorium? amid concerns over massive proposed developments in Auchtertool and beyondIn a village 21 miles north of Edinburgh, a real estate consultancy plans to build a datacentre larger than the village itself ? 35 metres high, with an area larger than 100 football pi...

Police Scotland warns ?robust security? needed to stop attacks on AI datacentres
14 Aug 2026 at 5:05pm
?A great deal of public opposition is likely? to a proposed datacentre near Edinburgh, the force saysPolice in Scotland have issued a stark warning about the need for ?robust security measures? to stop proposed AI datacentres from being attacked by protesters.There has been mounting opposition to...

Polls open in Clacton, where Farage spent more than £10,000 in byelection aga...
13 Aug 2026 at 3:54pm
The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelectionThe number of patients in England being cared for in hospital corridors or makeshift areas has remained above 3,000 a day for the second month in a row, as the NHS experiences a ?summer surge?, the Pre...

UK politics: Burnham urges retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues aft...
12 Aug 2026 at 7:10pm
PM warns extreme heat conditions ?could be with us fo some time yet?Just 20 staff are working on climate adaptation within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the part of government tasked with protecting the environment and maintaining food security, a freedom of information ...

Amnesty International says Farage putting ?hate and inhumanity? over leadersh...
10 Aug 2026 at 5:03pm
A spokesperson for the human rights group likened the proposal to ?financial brutality with British taxpayers? money?Farage and Yusuf are now taking questions.Q: From Jack Fenwick from the BBC Are there other countries where you might send foreign offenders? And how much would this cost?We have...

Nicola Sturgeon ?has not spoken to? estranged husband, Peter Murrell, since h...
8 Aug 2026 at 3:50pm
Scotland?s former first minister says she will not visit Murrell in prison, where he is serving five-year sentence for embezzling SNP fundsNicola Surgeon has said she will not visit her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, in prison, has stopped speaking to him and views herself as a ?mug? for worry...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Burnham?s expected reverse ferret
10 Sep 2026 at 7:23pm
Andy Burnham has replied to John Swinney after the latter wrote to him asking for a meeting to put the process for triggering a Scottish independence referendum on a legal basis after Burnham replied to a question from SNP MP Chris Law at PMQs on Wednesday asking him about that process detailed in the Good …

The independence cat is out of the bag
10 Sep 2026 at 2:43pm
Speaking to The National this week after Andy Burnham – perhaps inadvertently – set out the conditions for Scotland to hold an independence referendum, polling expert Professor John Curtice acknowledged that if an independence referendum were to be held tomorrow, Scotland would most likely vote Yes. He stated that a vote is going to be …

Burnham?s crack in the constitutional dam
9 Sep 2026 at 3:17pm
In PMQs on Wednesday, Andy Burnham was asked by SNP MP Chris Law about the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and the trigger for an Irish unification referendum, and after Burnham stated that he was aware of every word in the Good Friday Agreement, Law asked: “So he Burnham will therefore know that the Northern Ireland …

BBC Scotland?s educational F grade
8 Sep 2026 at 8:28pm
BBC Scotland’s latest ‘Scotland is shite’ story is to tell us that Scottish educational performance has fallen behind that of England. This finding is based on Pisa rankings. However BBC Scotland, ahem, ‘forgot’ to mention a critical piece of information in its rush to let viewers know how terrible Scottish education is. That information is …

The smokiest of smoking guns
4 Sep 2026 at 4:36pm
If there are smoking guns, Channel 4 and Verbatim’s undercover sting on Reform UK is a slow motion video of the bullet exiting the barrel and hitting its target. If you haven’t seen the report it’s available on catch up or YouTube. It is very, very bad for Farage who was already in deep trouble …

The BBC?s clutching pearls are in aisle three
3 Sep 2026 at 3:43pm
You might have thought that any measure aimed at helping struggling households during a cost of living crisis would be welcome, particularly at a time when there’s an ever widening gap between the richest and the poorest. The Scottish Government has proposed to introduce a price cap on essential basic grocery items in order to …

The branch office?s stagnant talent puddle
2 Sep 2026 at 4:42pm
The Labour party in Scotland has got itself into a hopeless mess on the topic of another independence referendum. Actually, that previous sentence could just have stopped at the word mess. The two contenders for the position of Labour’s Scottish branch manager, Michael Marra and Jackie Baillie’s wee pet Joe Fagan, had an embarrassing car …

Keir today, gone tomorrow
1 Sep 2026 at 4:08pm
With intentionally spiteful timing, failed prime minister Keir Starmer announced that he’s stepping down as an MP just as his successor was due to address Parliament for the first time. With this move, Starmer has proven that it was all about his ego, careerism, self-aggrandisement, and ambition all along. He’s telling us he has no …

The Record?s proposed trigger for Indyref2 benefits Labour not Scotland
31 Aug 2026 at 8:06pm
The first crack has appeared in the “We’re not nationalists we’re British” dam against the rising tide of support for independence and the generational shift that puts opposition to independence in Scotland on borrowed time. The current Westminster tactic of refusing to countenance another independence referendum, maintaining that the UK is a voluntary union while …

Pros and cons of a defacto indyref, and the SNP conference
30 Aug 2026 at 4:09pm
As ever, when I take a few days off from the blog, there’s a lot to catch up on. There was the Survation poll on independence published on Thursday which reported a 52% result for Yes (with don’t knows removed). It’s worth pointing out that Survation is one of those polling companies which uses weighting …

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

Scottish Labour leader ? ?Hardest job in British (sic) Politics? is also leas...
11 Sep 2026 at 4:51pm
By Liz S I am quite amazed that the Supposed ?Scottish? pages of the BBC website have been so very subdued in their reporting of the Labour leadership contest happening in Scotland (or indeed other media) , which as yet , as a leadership contest, has not been concluded. Help Talking-up Scotland keep goin Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by d...

Vacant and derelict land falls by a fifth in Scotland after SNP Government in...
11 Sep 2026 at 4:22pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goin Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2025 published yesterday, the above and: Total land – The amount of derelict and urban vacant land fell by 3% (267 hectares) from 8,858 hec...

Massive increases in completed and started affordable housing as private sect...
11 Sep 2026 at 4:21pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goin Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update: New Housebuilding and Affordable Housing Supply to end March 2026 The private sector built 13,494 new homes and started 11,018 new...

Almost 50% more full-time students in England have to work due to cost-of-liv...
11 Sep 2026 at 4:19pm
BBC Scotland News, once more building a story around a survey from England with no Scottish breakdown. Help Talking-up Scotland keep goin Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Official labour-market estimates for full-time tertiary students in Scotland sugge...

How the SNP is dragging Scots bairns out of the ruination of a deeply unequal...
11 Sep 2026 at 11:35am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Cameron Wylie is a retired private-school head. He taught English at Daniel Stewart?s and Melville College, then spent decades at George Heriot?s School in Edinburgh, finishing as Prin...

YouGov?s naked bias still using the thousands who have passed since the 2014 ...
11 Sep 2026 at 10:06am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 There’s a pattern there, above. YouGov don’t seem to find any Yes leads and a massive 10% No lead, in the most recent polling. I’ll come back to Ipsos. Take these out and we’ve have so...

One more nightmare which only BBC Scotland headline and not one word to infor...
11 Sep 2026 at 9:35am
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 In an endless trail of tales of single shocking offences, BBC Scotland, fail in their duty to inform the public. There is nothing in the above headlining story of one monster and his v...

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going to rebut and to reveal Unionist lies at l...
10 Sep 2026 at 5:30pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account 12266421 Very many thanks to the 161 supporters so far, inc bank transfers not listed in crowdfunder. You are very much appreciated. Still struggling to even approach our target despite around 8 fully-resear...

Not a ?clear consensus? but a ?majority? for a second referendum. Someone tel...
10 Sep 2026 at 5:05pm
Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By Liz S Andy Burnham?s response to Chris Law was actually a tad too ambiguous, but then that is always what you get with any HQ party at WM. WGD did an excellent article yesterday on ...

Contrary to poorly/if-at-all researched Tory report ? Glasgow SNP leader is c...
10 Sep 2026 at 5:04pm
According to the Daily Express today: The departing SNP leader of Glasgow City Council has insisted that the city is “safe.” This is despite rising reports of rape and violence within the city centre. Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Ac...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

PM says second Scottish independence referendum remains 'off limits' - bbc.co.uk
10 Sep 2026 at 12:56pm
PM says second Scottish independence referendum remains 'off limits'  bbc.co.uk

Burnham ?knows he would lose? a vote on Scottish independence, Gilruth says -...
11 Sep 2026 at 3:24pm
Burnham ?knows he would lose? a vote on Scottish independence, Gilruth says  The Herald

Scottish independence dividend claim branded ?utter mince? - Morning Star | T...
11 Sep 2026 at 4:35pm
Scottish independence dividend claim branded ?utter mince?  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum ...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:02pm
Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum  The National Scot

POLL: Would you vote in favour of Scottish independence? - Shetland Times
11 Sep 2026 at 12:15pm
POLL: Would you vote in favour of Scottish independence?  Shetland Times

Burnham opens door to second Scottish independence referendum - The Telegraph
9 Sep 2026 at 8:20pm
Burnham opens door to second Scottish independence referendum  The Telegraph

Swinney Seizes on Burnham Shift to Push Scotland Referendum - Bloomberg.com
10 Sep 2026 at 9:30am
Swinney Seizes on Burnham Shift to Push Scotland Referendum  Bloomberg.com

Independence must be up to people of Scotland, not Burnham - Scottish Greens
10 Sep 2026 at 11:32am
Independence must be up to people of Scotland, not Burnham  Scottish Greens

Burnham sets conditions for second Scottish independence referendum - Yahoo N...
10 Sep 2026 at 9:32am
Burnham sets conditions for second Scottish independence referendum  Yahoo News Canada

Scottish independence: Burnham insists IndyRef2 still 'off limits' - The Scot...
10 Sep 2026 at 10:41am
Scottish independence: Burnham insists IndyRef2 still 'off limits'  The Scotsman

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Proceeds of crime action against former SNP chief Murrell delayed - BBC
11 Sep 2026 at 12:17pm
Proceeds of crime action against former SNP chief Murrell delayed  BBC

SNP ministers in court battle over '544-bed pod hotel' on A-listed Edinburgh ...
11 Sep 2026 at 12:11pm
SNP ministers in court battle over '544-bed pod hotel' on A-listed Edinburgh street  The National Scot

SNP ban on bogof food and drink ?could cost families more? - The Times
11 Sep 2026 at 6:30pm
SNP ban on bogof food and drink ?could cost families more?  The Times

'Scotland?s schools have fallen behind England ? the SNP can?t keep looking a...
11 Sep 2026 at 10:38am
'Scotland?s schools have fallen behind England ? the SNP can?t keep looking away'  The Herald

Michael Gove offers to help SNP ministers ?learn from? English education refo...
11 Sep 2026 at 5:19pm
Michael Gove offers to help SNP ministers ?learn from? English education reforms  The Independent

Peter Murrell?s proceeds of crime hearing for SNP embezzlement postponed - Th...
11 Sep 2026 at 11:10am
Peter Murrell?s proceeds of crime hearing for SNP embezzlement postponed  The Scotsman

Peter Murrell?s proceeds of crime hearing for SNP embezzlement postponed - Th...
11 Sep 2026 at 10:52am
Peter Murrell?s proceeds of crime hearing for SNP embezzlement postponed  The Irish News

Building Scotland?s future: What the SNP is delivering for you right now ? Sc...
7 Sep 2026 at 4:14pm
Building Scotland?s future: What the SNP is delivering for you right now ? Scottish National Party  snp.org

Labour and the SNP destroyed schools in Scotland and Wales. Is England next? ...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:00am
Labour and the SNP destroyed schools in Scotland and Wales. Is England next?  The Telegraph

SLK 98 vs SNP 235/4 (Keon Gaston 1(2) ) | St Kitts and Nevis Patriots vs Sain...
11 Sep 2026 at 7:16pm
SLK 98 vs SNP 235/4 (Keon Gaston 1(2) ) | St Kitts and Nevis Patriots vs Saint Lucia Kings, 25th Match, Caribbean Premier League 2026 Live Cricket Stream, live scores, ball-by-ball commentary, highlights, videos, news, and more in USA & Canada  Cricbuzz

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

PM says second Scottish independence referendum remains 'off limits' - bbc.co.uk
10 Sep 2026 at 12:56pm
PM says second Scottish independence referendum remains 'off limits'  bbc.co.uk

Swinney Seizes on Burnham Shift to Push Scotland Referendum - Bloomberg.com
10 Sep 2026 at 9:30am
Swinney Seizes on Burnham Shift to Push Scotland Referendum  Bloomberg.com

Burnham ?knows he would lose? a vote on Scottish independence, Gilruth says -...
11 Sep 2026 at 3:24pm
Burnham ?knows he would lose? a vote on Scottish independence, Gilruth says  The Herald

Independence must be up to people of Scotland, not Burnham - Scottish Greens
10 Sep 2026 at 11:32am
Independence must be up to people of Scotland, not Burnham  Scottish Greens

Burnham backtracks after saying referendum hinges on ?public support? - The T...
9 Sep 2026 at 6:50pm
Burnham backtracks after saying referendum hinges on ?public support?  The Times

Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum ...
9 Sep 2026 at 4:02pm
Andy Burnham lays out conditions for second Scottish independence referendum  The National Scot

PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges - bbc....
9 Sep 2026 at 6:32pm
PM would consider independence referendum if 'clear consensus' emerges  bbc.co.uk

POLL: Would you vote in favour of Scottish independence? - Shetland Times
11 Sep 2026 at 12:15pm
POLL: Would you vote in favour of Scottish independence?  Shetland Times

Scotland Independence Referendum: Videos Claim Vote 'Is Definitely a Fix' - F...
11 Sep 2026 at 8:48am
Scotland Independence Referendum: Videos Claim Vote 'Is Definitely a Fix'  Forex Factory

Scottish leader pushes independence vote after Burnham?s remarks - Jefferson ...
11 Sep 2026 at 10:00am
Scottish leader pushes independence vote after Burnham?s remarks  Jefferson City News Tribune