The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Q Manivannan: Should Green MSP be suspended over rape 'spectrum' remarks?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
10 Aug 2026 at 11:37am
The Scottish Greens have backed Q Manivannan, who is under fire over claiming there was a "spectrum" and "demonisation" of rape.


Festival bosses and business leaders invited to emergency Princes Street summit
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
10 Aug 2026 at 11:25am
The summit will unite festival organisers, business leaders, local councillors, and representatives of the city?s transport bodies.


Zack Polanski says Greens are poised to run Edinburgh ahead of crucial by-ele...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
10 Aug 2026 at 10:48am
While in Edinburgh, Mr Polanski rallied supporters in Portobello ahead of two crucial council by-elections next month.


Scotland's chief superintendent on why trust in policing in Scotland is at risk
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
10 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Scotland's Chief Superintendent Rob Hay has delivered a stark warning on public trust in policing.


Mother who suffered three pregnancy losses demands maternity care reform
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
10 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
A bereaved mother says women who have lost babies risk being excluded from Scotland?s maternity reforms as a key taskforce remains inactive.


Andy Burnham faces pressure over North Sea oil and gas as consultation closes
by Christopher McKeon
10 Aug 2026 at 12:01am
Andy Burnham faces pressure over North Sea oil and gas as a decision on allowing new drilling moves closer.


Scottish Government opens first £3m to support businesses hit by ferry disrup...
by Lucinda Cameron
10 Aug 2026 at 12:01am
Island businesses affected by ferry disruption will be eligible for financial support through the first phase of the £10 million Islands Resilience Fund, the Scottish Government has announced.


Cherry takes aim at Sturgeon's sexuality as she responds to 'obsessed' claims
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
10 Aug 2026 at 3:22pm
Joanna Cherry has hit back at Nicola Sturgeon?s ?obsession? claim, contrasting her own relationship and openness about her sexuality with the former SNP leader.


Anas Sarwar defends moving to House of Lords amid Scottish Labour infighting
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
9 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
Anas Sarwar has defended taking up a post in the House of Lords and resigning as Scottish Labour leader.


Israel rejects Trump's 'historic' 15-point peace plan for Gaza
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
9 Aug 2026 at 3:43pm
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Donald Trump's "peace plan" for Gaza, insisting Israeli troops will not withdraw until Hamas has been fully disarmed.


Sturgeon insists SNP position on North Sea unchanged despite Swinney's softening
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
9 Aug 2026 at 1:57pm
Nicola Sturgeon has insisted the SNP's formal position on oil and gas "hasn't changed" since she left office, despite John Swinney's softening on new developments in the North Sea.


'Out! Out! Out!': Inside the chaotic Nicola Sturgeon event that erupted into ...
9 Aug 2026 at 1:07pm
Kevin McKenna reviews Nicola Sturgeon's Eastwood Theatre appearance, where questions about Alex Salmond, Peter Murrell, JK Rowling and Scottish independence sparked a heated and revealing evening


Rent controls, co-ops, and AI bans: Meet the Greens on the march in Edinburgh
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
9 Aug 2026 at 8:00am
The Edinburgh Greens face their first big test since the heady days of May, as a pair of by-elections loom in the two local authority wards.


Has Nicola Sturgeon handed the Greens their biggest advantage over the SNP?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
9 Aug 2026 at 6:30am
Nicola Sturgeon delivered a scathing assessment of the SNP. But worse than that, she gave the Scottish Greens advice on beating the SNP.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Crisis centres condemn Green MSP?s rape ?spectrum? comments
10 Aug 2026 at 1:42pm

Q Manivannan MSP has been criticised for saying ?rape is a spectrum? in a resurfaced podcast clip.

Nicola Sturgeon was heckled twice by detractors in the crowd but said the animosity made her ?come alive?

Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce said that the end of the consultation around Jackdaw ?should also mark the end of the uncertainty surrounding the UK oil and gas sector.?

It comes after John Swinney signalled a major change in the party?s stance

The former Scottish Labour leader caused outrage among party members last month when it was announced he was ditching Holyrood for a peerage and a job in Andy Burnham?s UK Government.

Wings over Scotland

The Party Of The Dead
6 Aug 2026 at 2:17pm
The SNP’s latest accounts are out. And the zombie shambles on for another year. The headline figures sound reasonable – the party has turned a 2024 deficit of nearly £400,000 into a surplus of just over £500,000. Unfortunately that’s only had the effect of increasing its bank balance by around £110,000 to £384,320. And that …

Anatomy Of A Grift
5 Aug 2026 at 2:48pm
It’s sometimes tempting to believe that transactivists, and in particular the extra-loud attention-seeking type, are simply mad and/or stupid. But that’s not always the case, because this sounds like some actually pretty cunning work. (Click pic to enlarge.) But let’s start at the beginning. In May this year, the former Scottish Greens candidate Euan “Sophie …

The Plague
4 Aug 2026 at 3:32pm
Ever-alert Wings readers will be aware that for the past three and a half years or so I’ve been the target of a campaign by disgraced former policeman Lynsay Watson, who over that period has relentlessly attempted to get me arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned for knowing – and saying – that human beings can’t change …

Or Something
3 Aug 2026 at 9:37am
We have today sent the following email to the Crown Office. – 3 August 2026 Thank you for your letter of 30 July. I offer one last chance to reconsider. I do so having, once again, taken advice from the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. On 1 July, you wrote to me saying inter …

The Deaf Eyes
2 Aug 2026 at 12:03pm
This email actually came in a couple of days ago, but we’ve been too dumbstruck to respond to it until now. Because, like, wow. Firstly, let’s take a moment to note the weird font change halfway through that central paragraph, as though someone else entirely butted in. Which in a sense they have, as the …

The Nobodies
27 Jul 2026 at 5:10pm
Apologies for the slightly shonky quality of this video, readers, which is due to the fact that ITV are such monumental self-sabotaging clowns that it’s not actually possible to screencap any sort of digital broadcast of theirs – screw YOU, viral content! – so we had to do this by videoing our iPad with our …

Ain?t it funny how things change?
22 Jul 2026 at 11:29am
Then, and now. (Click pic to enlarge.) Scottish politics: where repeated catastrophic failure is just another way to succeed.

The Wheels Of Industry
20 Jul 2026 at 2:49pm
Last Friday’s edition of The National ran this guff: And as we often are, we were put in mind of the greatest politics book ever written. We’d really need to quote a much longer section to fully convey the point – ideally just read all of the piece linked above – but this passage will …

Progressing To Oblivion
19 Jul 2026 at 3:21pm
It’s now more than three years since this site drew attention to the curious case of Progress Scotland, the zombie “polling company” run by the SNP’s Angus Robertson that had no employees and hadn’t published any polls since October 2020, but was apparently still accepting, and soliciting, donations from subscribers, and appeared to have disposed …

These Words Are My Own
17 Jul 2026 at 9:59pm
It’s been another fabulous day on the front pages for Nicola Sturgeon. The stories were triggered by a speech in the House Of Commons from Tory MP Sir David Davis, which you can watch below. ? (It was meant to be a much longer speech, but Davis had to truncate it on the hoof from …

Craig Murray

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

The Hard Right Packing of the UK Supreme Court
2 Aug 2026 at 7:00pm

Unlike the USA, where it is obsessively watched, the UK has no political culture of scrutinising the political composition of its Supreme Court. This is a big mistake. The UK Supreme Court has been deliberately and openly, even ostentatiously, packed with hard-right judges selected on the specific criterion that they will not oppose the will …

The Hard Right Packing of the UK Supreme Court

Scottish Independence: Set the Date!
29 Jul 2026 at 6:30pm

  The Scottish Government urgently needs a bold and radical approach to achieving Independence in spite of the firm London veto on a referendum. It is plain that there is no plan at present. The Scottish Parliament has a pro-Independence majority and government. This is how to achieve Independence consistent with international law and practice. …

Scottish Independence: Set the Date!

Narratives of Moral Conflict: Karim Khan and Delcy Rodriguez
26 Jul 2026 at 6:09am

Social media is not conducive to nuance. In the interest of reach, cut and dried positions are more effective and binary moral judgement expected. This leads to over-simplification of complex issues, and to skipping over facts inconvenient to your chosen narrative. There are issues affecting two high-profile people where it is worth considering the detail …

Narratives of Moral Conflict: Karim Khan and Delcy Rodriguez

Where Are We Going?
20 Jul 2026 at 1:25pm

An advert for the RNLI caught my attention because it indicated that the majority of their income comes from bequests in wills. The pitch was that, after you provide for your loved ones, you should leave money to the RNLI. I have no problem with this, having generations of lifeboatmen in my ancestry, but it …

Where Are We Going?

Extreme Unionism and Res Judicata
14 Jul 2026 at 5:02pm

Unsurprisingly, today at the Court of Session Lord Young refused to lift his suspension or “sist” of the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. He did however grant us leave to appeal against this decision. What was surprising was an extreme extension of the UK government’s argument. The UK government stated that …

Extreme Unionism and Res Judicata

BBC Scotland

Sarwar stands by call for Lords to be abolished despite accepting peerage
9 Aug 2026 at 6:38pm
The former Scottish Labour leader tells BBC Scotland News he still believes the UK should have an elected senate of the nations and regions.

Sturgeon has not spoken to Murrell since he was jailed for embezzling SNP funds
8 Aug 2026 at 5:46pm
The former first minister also told a podcast she would not visit her estranged husband in prison.

Sturgeon's criticisms of Swinney reveal tensions in SNP ranks
6 Aug 2026 at 11:01pm
The former first minister's attack on the SNP's 2026 election campaign has led to rebukes from ex-colleagues.

SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts
6 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
The luxury vehicle was bought for £124,550 by the party's former chief executive as part of a £400,000 embezzlement.

Which area has the best grades? Key takeaways from Scotland's exam results
4 Aug 2026 at 2:52pm
More than 130,000 Scottish students have found out how they did in their exams.

Nominations open in Scottish Labour leadership contest
3 Aug 2026 at 10:23am
Candidates in the race to replace Anas Sarwar have two weeks to secure the support needed to reach the ballot.

Amnesty apologises to JK Rowling's sexual violence support centre
31 Jul 2026 at 6:50pm
The centre, funded by the Harry Potter author, had threatened Amnesty with legal action after it was labelled "anti-rights".

Scotland MP Joani Reid readmitted into Labour Party after suspension
31 Jul 2026 at 7:39am
She voluntarily suspended herself after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China but no further action is being taken against her

Burnham says he 'can't ignore resource' of North Sea oil and gas
30 Jul 2026 at 5:19pm
Andy Burnham says he told the US president he couldn't ignore North Sea resources when people are struggling.

Which MSPs believe they can turn Scottish Labour's fortunes around?
29 Jul 2026 at 4:45pm
Nominations to be the next leader of Scottish Labour officially open on Monday.

Joe Fagan becomes third MSP to join Scottish Labour leadership race
28 Jul 2026 at 8:12pm
The South Scotland MSP said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent by-election victory demonstrated that Labour could "win back trust".

GP walk-in clinics see low attendance leading to accusations of failure
28 Jul 2026 at 3:44pm
Scotland's health secretary says it's early days for the scheme and she is enouraged "thus far" - but critics say it should be scrapped.

Scot Goes Pop

Bafflement as Gerry Hassan claims the 1979 devolution referendum, in which Sc...
9 Aug 2026 at 1:49pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have sixteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to a new sign-up a few h...

Robin McAlpine wants us to stop using the ballot box to try to win independen...
7 Aug 2026 at 12:02pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have fifteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to someone new signing u...

"Does PALESTINE need nuclear weapons?" - a perfectly logical question if nucl...
6 Aug 2026 at 9:04pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I now have fifteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, thanks to someone new signing u...

The BBC's attempts to sabotage the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will never...
4 Aug 2026 at 11:12am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I currently have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters.  I reckon if I could get...

The Craig Murray and Xander Elliards blueprints for securing Scottish indepen...
30 Jul 2026 at 9:20pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I currently have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters.  I reckon if I could get...

John Swinney's strong denunciation of Burnham's outrageous "off-limits" comme...
27 Jul 2026 at 7:37pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.I'm delighted to say I now have fourteen regular monthly Ko-Fi supporters, as a resu...

No. 10 North: How Burnham is signalling with his choice of name that "England...
26 Jul 2026 at 1:56pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.More people have become Ko-Fi supporters of my content over the last twenty-four hou...

Scottish poll DISASTER for Burnham: SNP have massive lead in his first YouGov...
25 Jul 2026 at 12:33pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.Many thanks to the several people who became Ko-Fi supporters of my content yesterda...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Rape crisis centres condemn Green MSP?s rape ?spectrum? comments
10 Aug 2026 at 3:27pm
Manivannan faced backlash from Scotland?s children?s minister, as well as Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

JK Rowling seems to be obsessed with me, says Nicola Sturgeon
10 Aug 2026 at 8:57am
The former first minister made the comments during an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Financial support of £3m announced for islanders affected by ferry disruption
10 Aug 2026 at 7:43am
First Minister John Swinney said that island businesses were too often ?held back by circumstances outside their control?

Andy Burnham faces choice on drilling as North Sea consultation closes
10 Aug 2026 at 7:37am
As Britain braces for its fifth heatwave, environmental groups have urged the Prime Minister to refuse permission for oil and gas production in two areas

Scottish Labour leadership race about finding ?party?s missing soul? ? Lennon
9 Aug 2026 at 10:42am
Monica Lennon is yet to gain the support required to be on the membership ballot

Andy Burnham to go on national tour to hear cost of living concerns
8 Aug 2026 at 9:48pm
The PM says he will be in 'listening mode' during his summer tour of the country, but the Lib Dems describe his trip as a 'vanity tour'.

I?m SNP to my core, says Sturgeon as she rules out joining Greens
8 Aug 2026 at 7:21pm
The former first minister had been critical of the SNP campaign in the new foreword to her book

Nicola Sturgeon feels like a ?mug? over Murrell and won?t visit him in prison
8 Aug 2026 at 3:53pm
Peter Murrell, the SNP?s former chief executive, was jailed for embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP.

Unison backs Monica Lennon to become Scottish Labour leader
7 Aug 2026 at 7:48pm
The MSP still needs the backing of at least one more Holyrood colleague to enter the contest

SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell motorhome but party still owes him £60,000
6 Aug 2026 at 12:45pm
The vehicle was bought by Murrell as part of a £400,000 embezzlement from the SNP

Double Scotland?s organic farmland by 2031, charities urge government
6 Aug 2026 at 7:07am
Scottish Environment LINK said increasing organic farming could help farms, reduce climate emissions and boost nature by cutting pesticide use.

?We?re with Ukraine until they win?, says defence secretary on visit to Kyiv
5 Aug 2026 at 4:00pm
Wes Streeting's visit to Kyiv came just hours after fresh Russian strikes on the city.

The prime minister is on holiday, so who is in charge?
4 Aug 2026 at 2:48pm
Unlike most of his Labour party predecessors, Andy Burnham chose not to appoint a deputy prime minister, so who takes the reins when he is having a break?

MSP Clark rules herself out of Scottish Labour contest as nominations open
3 Aug 2026 at 10:47am
Katy Clark has urged the eventual winner to push for the selection of a more diverse range of candidates

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Nicola Sturgeon will be 'thrown under the bus' by SNP after criticising John ...
10 Aug 2026 at 4:06pm
Joanna Cherry blasted the former first minister at a Fringe show and claimed "unlike you I have a very happy and meaningful career to fall back on".

Scots workers 'must come first' as Michael Marra backs new generation of nucl...
10 Aug 2026 at 11:22am
The Scottish Labour leadership candidate said "for too long ideology has come before workers, whether it?s windfarms or oil fields."

Andy Burnham challenged to invest in Grangemouth after promising to 'reindust...
10 Aug 2026 at 10:12am
EXCLUSIVE: A group of SNP MSPs have written to the new Prime Minister to question how £200m of funding previously committed by the UK Government will be spent.

Joani Reid endures 'rough' few months after husband arrested on suspicion of ...
10 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The MP for East Kilbride thanked Joe Fagan for standing by her after she voluntarily suspended her Labour membership.

'Joe Fagan understands ordinary Scots as he's never been part of the Holyrood...
10 Aug 2026 at 4:29am
Writing for the Record, the MP for East Kilbride endorses Joe Fagan to become the next Scottish Labour leader.

John Swinney: Exam results should put an end to those talking down Scotland's...
10 Aug 2026 at 4:29am
Writing in his regular column for the Record, the First Minister says last week's exam results are testament to the hard work of pupils, parents and teachers.

Anas Sarwar claims Scottish Labour leader is 'hardest job in British politics'
9 Aug 2026 at 3:24pm
Sarwar told an audience at the Edinburgh Fringe he was still "heartbroken" that Scottish Labour had failed to win the Holyrood election in May.

Scottish Labour leadership contest is most important moment in party's history
9 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
My party has lost its soul but this is the chance to rebuild, says leadership hopeful Monica Lennon.

SNP denied plans to scrap £2bn Monklands super-hospital before election
9 Aug 2026 at 4:30am
The Sunday Mail revealed the scandal in the run up to May's Holyrood election but it was categorically denied by an SNP spokesman.

Green trans MSP facing calls to have whip removed after rape 'spectrum' remarks
8 Aug 2026 at 4:29pm
Q Manivannan told a podcast last year there is a 'demonisation of rape' in comments they insist have been taken out of context.

The National

The National | Politics

What did Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan say about rape 'spectrum'? Comments ...
10 Aug 2026 at 3:24pm

GREEN MSP Q Manivannan has come under heavy fire over comments about the ?demonisation of rape?, which exists on a ?spectrum? ...

What will a shift in polls mean for Nigel Farage's chances in Clacton?
10 Aug 2026 at 2:46pm

IF informed observers looked at the Westminster by-elections since the 2024 General Election in order to read the runes, they would come away with an off-kilter assessment of how

Borders wind turbines to be 42 metres higher than Blackpool Tower
10 Aug 2026 at 1:20pm

COUNCILLORS have agreed not to oppose plans for wind turbines in the Scottish Borders which will be 42 metres higher than the Blackpool Tower

Host defends Nicola Sturgeon after two hecklers 'dragged out' of book launch
10 Aug 2026 at 1:13pm

THE host of an event at which Nicola Sturgeon was twice heckled has defended the former first minister, saying that responding to the crowd?s shouts ?became impossible? ...

Edinburgh Council condemns EHRC single-sex code and urges withdrawal in new r...
10 Aug 2026 at 1:00pm

EDINBURGH Council has condemned the UK equalities watchdog?s guidance on single-sex spaces in a new report.

Stephen Flynn accused of valuing 'bus company' profits over people
10 Aug 2026 at 1:00pm

STEPHEN Flynn is showing concerns of Glasgow bus campaigners "are not as important as bus companies? profits?, activists have said after staging a protest over his refusal to meet with them

Reform pledge to 'deport 10k prisoners to El Salvador' and open pop-up jails
10 Aug 2026 at 12:27pm

REFORM UK have claimed they are in talks with the country of El Salvador about a deal to ?deport all foreign nationals? from UK jails ...

Reform UK slump to third with Greens close behind, major new Westminster poll...
10 Aug 2026 at 11:37am

NIGEL Farage?s Reform UK have slumped into third place in a major new Westminster poll ...

Zack Polanski takes swipe at Andrew Neil over 'word salad' wealth tax interview
10 Aug 2026 at 11:15am

ZACK Polanski has taken a swipe at Andrew Neil after the former BBC journalist branded his interview with an economist a "word salad of drizzle".

Scottish Travellers raise concerns over 'dangerous' DNA study
10 Aug 2026 at 11:05am

MEMBERS of the Scottish Gypsy Traveller community have warned that a landmark DNA study could threaten their identity and hard-won legal protections.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

UN expert condemns Q Manivannan's suggestion rape is 'on a spectrum'
10 Aug 2026 at 3:46pm
Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan has sparked fury and condemnation for describing rape as being ?on a spectrum?

Support package announced for Scottish islands hit by ferry trouble
10 Aug 2026 at 8:30am
John Swinney sets out on three-day island tour

SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more
6 Aug 2026 at 2:26pm
Annual accounts published

Scottish Government announces fire relief funds
5 Aug 2026 at 3:23pm
Commitments for Edinburgh and Cairngorms

Joe Fagan ?will not stop lobbying? Andy Burnham for Rosebank and Jackdaw appr...
4 Aug 2026 at 3:54pm
Labour made a manifesto commitment not to approve any new licences for North Sea oil

Action call as BP announces North Sea sell-off
31 Jul 2026 at 1:53pm
The Scottish Government has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take ?urgent action? to save jobs after BP announced plans to sell its North Sea operations

Joani Reid has Labour whip restored
31 Jul 2026 at 12:50pm
The MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven voluntarily stepped back from the party over the arrest of her husband David Taylor on suspicion of spying for China

Sovereignty, AI and Matthew Broderick
30 Jul 2026 at 7:00am
In the modern business landscape, there is no option to sit this out.

Joe Fagan announces intention to run in Labour leadership election
29 Jul 2026 at 11:20am
Joe Fagan has said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham?s by-election win in Makerfield showed that the party can ?win back trust? when it is ?serious about changing people?s lives?

Michael Marra and Monica Lennon emerge as Scottish Labour frontrunners
28 Jul 2026 at 3:02pm
Timetable for contest agreed

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Amnesty International says Farage putting ?hate and inhumanity? over leadersh...
10 Aug 2026 at 4:28pm
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...

UK politics: Tories? Philp rejects French claim that shots fired from naval b...
28 Jul 2026 at 6:01pm
Shadow minister says there was no warning and ?it looked and sounded like deliberate intimidation?Conservative MP accuses French navy of firing shots near him in ChannelIt is not just the Russians firing on Brits in the English Channel; Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has accused a French...

Poll shows Labour ahead of Reform UK for first time since Burnham became PM ?...
27 Jul 2026 at 5:45pm
New PM says he ?wouldn?t get carried away? by latest polling but says he is pleased if he has ?connected with people?I have already posted lines from Andy Burnham?s BBC interview on reforming social care (see 9.03am), making council tax fairer (see 10.03am), and ruling out an early election (see ...

Evacuated villagers in Cairngorms allowed home after wildfire threat lifts
25 Jul 2026 at 11:08pm
Scottish first minister thanks Nethy Bridge residents and aid workers after earlier requesting UK military aid to fight 10-day fireResidents of Nethy Bridge have been told they can return to their homes after a large fire broke out in the Cairngorms national park.Supt Judy Hill of Police Scotland...

Scottish Labour?s rivals decry ?chancer? Anas Sarwar for resigning to join An...
22 Jul 2026 at 11:17pm
New prime minister has made Sarwar ? the first senior Labour figure to call for Keir Starmer?s resignation ? a peerScottish Labour?s rivals in Holyrood have slammed Anas Sarwar?s shock decision to resign as leader to sit in Andy Burnham?s new government, calling him a ?chancer? and accusing him o...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The nasty party gets nastier
9 Aug 2026 at 3:04pm
The Tories are on a mission. Having had the title of the Nasty Party wrested away from them by Reform UK and by the even more unpleasant Restore Britain, Kemi Badenoch is determined to prove that the Conservatives are the original and best, or should that be worst, nasties of them all. Last week we …

Even good news is spun into SNPbad by the media in Scotland
5 Aug 2026 at 6:58pm
It’s often said there are two kinds of people in the world, those who say the glass is half full, and those who say it’s half empty. This is in fact inaccurate as there is a third kind, those who say: “Oh my God! That glass is about to shatter into a thousand jaggy shards, …

Burnham?s mini bounce
1 Aug 2026 at 1:39pm
Our visitors have left now. It was lovely to see them. As far as the blog is concerned I’m able to type again. There was a problem with the keyboard on my laptop which has now been repaired. Top tip, don’t spill tea on your laptop. So it’s back to blogging as usual. Andy Burnham …

Why you should subscribe to The National
1 Aug 2026 at 1:15pm
The National’s summer sale is running until Thursday 6 August. During this limited time period you can purchase an annual subscription to Scotland’s only pro-independence newspaper for the bargain price of £20. You might not agree with everything published by The National, but that’s inevitable in a publication which carries the weight of an entire …

Lord Sarwar of Brass Neck
21 Jul 2026 at 9:59pm
It seems to be a law of Scottish politics, or perhaps it’s more likely it’s just a personal curse, but whenever I try and take some time off from the blog a big story breaks and it’s back to the keyboard. What is most definitely a law of Scottish politics is that I’m not nationalist …

Silly season politics
17 Jul 2026 at 4:01pm
With Friday’s coronation of Andy Burnham as leader of the Labour party and his official accession to Ten Downing Street on Monday, the UK is now on its seventh prime minister in ten years. Meanwhile the man who wants to become prime minister after the next general election is fighting a by election with a …

Reform UK?s attack on Scottish languages
14 Jul 2026 at 4:44pm
It’s the greatest attempted Westminster assault on Scottish culture since the Jacobite wars. Reform UK has proposed an amendment to the UK Government’s elections bill which would criminalise the use of any languages other than English or Welsh on electoral material and impose a punishment of up to six months in prison and/or a fine. …

Ich bin ein Bin liner
12 Jul 2026 at 6:08pm
Last week, Nigel Farage announced that he was going to resign as the MP for Clacton in order to fight a by election to become the MP for Clacton. In a pity political broadcast from Reform UK headquarters which was broadcast live by the BBC and Sky News, Farage railed at the media for unfairly …

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 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 students not facing ?ticking timebomb? of debt
10 Aug 2026 at 2:55pm
In the Guardian today, the above and: The government is piling mountains of debt and higher tax rates on young people heading to university, according to analysis into the ?ticking timebomb? of costs faced by future students. Hundreds of thousands of sixth formers will receive their A-level results on Thursday, with many expecting to continue on to higher education courses. But Toby Whelton, au...

Not one of seven major new hospitals in England has been built in an industri...
10 Aug 2026 at 11:49am
Thanks again now to several readers for this link. I see little media coverage of the shocking evidence that emerges in this. Glasgow City Council approved the location for the new QEUH on 16 January 2008, with a 45 to 22 majority over the SNP, 9 years before the SNP became the administration in 2017. Labour had run the city council, uninterrupted, since 1996 and the Glasgow District Council si...

When crime is falling, is declining trust in police force due just to fewer a...
10 Aug 2026 at 9:58am
What’s the basis for the above warning? This: Are fewer arrests in one year good evidence of why trust in the police might be falling? Might there be another reason for falling arrests, such as reducing crime? See this: From Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2025-26 https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2025-26/documents/ The table from which I’ve extracted the above is huge. I’ll...

12 years after Erin Brockovich, Labour councillors approved massive nearby wa...
9 Aug 2026 at 9:59pm
Thanks to reader Joe Murray for alerting us to this. As the media operating in Scotland desperately struggle to blame the SNP for a problem in the QEUH water supply and drainage, signed off by a Labour dominated health board in a Labour-led authority, in 2015, two years before the SNP victory, another problem for them emerges. Surely, they’d seen Erin Brockovich (2 000) and would have known abo...

Reposted after Glasgow Times lets Tory MSP Miles Briggs blame SNP, it was Gla...
9 Aug 2026 at 5:24pm

Scottish Labour Councillors on the board that approved the completion of the ...
9 Aug 2026 at 5:17pm
Glasgow Live today: Taxpayers could face a bill of up to £170 million to repair Glasgow?s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) and adjoining Royal Hospital for Children have been at the centre of a major infection scandal since opening in 2015. The Mail on Sunday has reported that an estimated £120m of further rectification work is now requi...

Reposted to test again if we still fail the Jackie Baillie ethics test
9 Aug 2026 at 12:31pm

Two prisoner release stories make no mention of rehabilitation in England for...
9 Aug 2026 at 12:08pm
In their long-running report on the early release of the killers of PC Andrew Harper and that on a hit-and-run driver (below), there’s not one mention of rehabilitation, probation or of recidivism by BBC UK. BBC Scotland have not even linked to these stories. What don?t they tell us? First, ?recidivism?, re-offending is 5 to 6 times more prevalent in England than in Scotland: The return-to-cust...

An unholy trinity dedicated to lying about Scottish education to please Westm...
9 Aug 2026 at 11:16am
MSM Monitor today, fast and forensic as ever, circles another rabid dissembler on schools in Scotland for the panel in BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show today. Perhaps MSM Monitor only wanted to point to the worst but, when I saw the list, I was frankly gobsmacked by the BBC Scotland editor’s bloody nerve in selecting all three of those assassins, James McAneny, Lindsay Paterson AND Carole Ford. Regul...

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Lost External Power Twice, Raising Nuclear Safety ...
9 Aug 2026 at 10:02am
From Wikipedia: The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in southeastern Ukraine is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world. It has been under Russian control since 2022. It was built by the Soviet Union near the city of Enerhodar, on the southern shore of the Kakhovka Reservoir on the Dnieper river. From 1996 to 2022, it was operated by Energoatom, which o...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

We should be asking how we make the UK discuss Scotland?s future - The Nation...
10 Aug 2026 at 5:06am
We should be asking how we make the UK discuss Scotland?s future  The National Scot

New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Sc...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Scottish leader  Anadolu Ajans?

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

New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independenc...
21 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New PM Burnham tells John Swinney 'agree to disagree' on Scottish independence  BBC

John Swinney says he will continue independence push despite Downing Street s...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
John Swinney says he will continue independence push despite Downing Street saying referendum is ?off limits?  Holyrood Website

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

Could a written UK constitution help or hinder Scottish independence? - The N...
9 Aug 2026 at 10:17am
Could a written UK constitution help or hinder Scottish independence?  The National Scot

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts - BBC
6 Aug 2026 at 4:14pm
SNP write-off value of Murrell motorhome in party accounts  BBC

SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell's motorhome but still owes him £60k - S...
6 Aug 2026 at 3:50pm
SNP writes off value of Peter Murrell's motorhome but still owes him £60k  Sky News

SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more - Holyrood Website
6 Aug 2026 at 1:13pm
SNP membership falls - as Labour loses thousands more  Holyrood Website

Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry says she is ?not obsessed? with Nicola Sturgeon -...
10 Aug 2026 at 4:22pm
Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry says she is ?not obsessed? with Nicola Sturgeon  The Irish News

UK Government urged to copy SNP support worth thousands for young people - Lo...
10 Aug 2026 at 12:02pm
UK Government urged to copy SNP support worth thousands for young people  London Evening Standard

Andy Burnham has exposed a problem the SNP can no longer ignore - The Herald
10 Aug 2026 at 4:01pm
Andy Burnham has exposed a problem the SNP can no longer ignore  The Herald

Nicola Sturgeon urges SNP not to shift position on North Sea oil and gas - sc...
10 Aug 2026 at 5:00am
Nicola Sturgeon urges SNP not to shift position on North Sea oil and gas  scotsman.com

It?s open season on Nicola Sturgeon for the SNP - The Spectator Australia
9 Aug 2026 at 9:02am
It?s open season on Nicola Sturgeon for the SNP  The Spectator Australia

Host defends Nicola Sturgeon after two hecklers 'dragged out' of book launch ...
10 Aug 2026 at 1:26pm
Host defends Nicola Sturgeon after two hecklers 'dragged out' of book launch  The National Scot

Is the SNP turning on Nicola Sturgeon? - UnHerd
8 Aug 2026 at 8:38am
Is the SNP turning on Nicola Sturgeon?  UnHerd

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits - Al Jazeera
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
UK?s Burnham tells Scotland new independence vote is off limits  Al Jazeera

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

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

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

Could a written UK constitution help or hinder Scottish independence? - The N...
9 Aug 2026 at 10:17am
Could a written UK constitution help or hinder Scottish independence?  The National Scot

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

New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Sc...
23 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
New Scottish independence referendum ?off limits,? UK prime minister tells Scottish leader  Anadolu Ajans?

Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum - ...
11 May 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum - BBC
6 Jul 2026 at 8:00am
Andy Burnham would oppose second Scottish independence referendum  BBC