The Herald

The Herald | Politics


John Swinney dodges questions on whether aides knew of Jordan Linden complaints
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
31 Mar 2026 at 1:53pm
John Swinney would not answer questions on whether his top aides knew of the details relating to Jordan Linden's offences.


Fife councillor who quit SNP under police investigation for alleged 'sexual o...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
31 Mar 2026 at 1:26pm
The Courier reports that Stefan Hoggan, who stood down citing his mental health in early March, is being investigated by the police.


Social housing builds fall to lowest level since 2014 despite 'homeless catas...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
31 Mar 2026 at 11:28am
According to the government, social housing completions were the lowest since 2014.


SNP projected to fall short of Holyrood majority as Reform make massive gains
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
31 Mar 2026 at 10:12am
Figures obtained by the Diffley Partnership predict that voters will elect 62 nationalist MSPs, two seats fewer than in 2021.


CalMac ferry crisis: Lib Dems demand Holyrood be recalled over vessels shortage
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
31 Mar 2026 at 9:58am
Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has called for an emergency recall of the Scottish Parliament after a CalMac crisis left eight ferries out of action.


John Swinney: SNP plan for NHS 'is working'
by Craig Paton
31 Mar 2026 at 7:29am
The First Minister pointed to declining waiting times for treatment and the rollout of GP walk-in centres across the country


Scotland 'sleepwalking into austerity' with bid to axe 20,000 public sector jobs
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
31 Mar 2026 at 5:00am
Scottish Government plans to cut nearly 20,000 public sector jobs by the end of the decade cannot be done without cutting frontline services and could see Scotland ?sleepwalking into austerity", a new report has warned.


Glasgow band releases video for song inspired by River Clyde statue
by craig.williams@newsquest.co.uk | Craig Williams
30 Mar 2026 at 9:24pm
In April last year, a Glasgow-based collective of academics, musicians, and artists dedicated to recounting the city's radical history through music had one of their songs housed in the first museum dedicated exclusively to the Spanish Civil War.


Council to debate Susan Aitken vape shop safety motion after Union Street fire
by stewart.paterson@eveningtimes.co.uk | Stewart Paterson
30 Mar 2026 at 7:17pm
Councillors in Glasgow are calling for greater checks on vape shops after the Union Street fire to be considered


Your Party Scotland plunged into civil war as final attempt to contest electi...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
30 Mar 2026 at 4:05pm
Your Party?s Scottish representative Niall Christie excoriated the Jeremy Corbyn-led outfit for failing to act in time to stand candidates in May?s contest.


Forget the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ? is this the solution to Arran ferry woes?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
30 Mar 2026 at 3:41pm
The Glen Sannox is one of eight vessels out of service, according to CalMac. This is how residents on Arran would resolve it.


Reform candidate under fire over views on 'coercive' Covid-19 vaccine rollout
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
30 Mar 2026 at 2:36pm
Dr Timothy Kelly, the party?s candidate for East Kilbride , questioned the efficacy of the government?s vaccine programme.


SNP councillors backed convicted sex offender Jordan Linden, leaked recording...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
30 Mar 2026 at 2:35pm
Jordan Linden received support from his councillor colleagues after resigning in 2022. He was convicted of 10 offences, including five sexual assaults, last week.


Russell Findlay refuses to rule out backing Anas Sarwar to be next first mini...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
30 Mar 2026 at 2:15pm
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay declines to rule out supporting Anas Sarwar to become first minister in a bid to oust the SNP from government.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


John Swinney refuses to say whether SNP aides knew about Linden scandal
31 Mar 2026 at 1:52pm

John Swinney maintains he was not aware of Linden?s behaviour until it was made public in the media.

Nationalists would be just three seats short of majority, with Labour third and Tories fourth

It comes after the Scottish Government in 2025 stepped in to fund a furlough scheme for staff at Alexander Dennis

Cornwall Insight?s for the price cap from July to September now stands at £1,929 for a typical dual fuel household.

Torness is set to close in 2030

Scottish Labour?s proposed childcare expansion will only be available for working parents

The lead candidate, who has now been dropped, claims there has been a campaign against him

The Royal College of General Practitioners called for a frontline funding boost

A recording of an internal SNP meeting discussing allegations against Jordan Linden has been published

The Electoral Commission said candidates have faced unacceptable behaviour in recent years

Building is of ?special architectural or historic interest? but unlikely to be granted protection from proposed demolition

Wings over Scotland

Clocks And Calendars
30 Mar 2026 at 1:06pm
We think the lads at The Scotsman might have gotten a bit confused and/or carried away when it came to putting the clocks forward at the weekend. At 6am on Sunday morning they tweeted this: But the link was a 404. We checked the print edition of Scotland On Sunday but there was nothing there …

Sicknote Slippers
29 Mar 2026 at 6:09pm
The turnout at the “independence march and rally” yesterday was so abysmally poor that it seems almost unfair to pick on any of the scores of SNP elected representatives who didn’t bother to show up. But dear old Cosy Feet Pete Wishart had the most chef’s-kiss excuse of all. The reason he didn’t fancy getting …

Protest But Don?t Survive
28 Mar 2026 at 5:20pm
If events in Edinburgh today are anything to go by – when a march and rally announced with great fanfare seven months ago, backed by both the “independence” parties in the Scottish Parliament and featuring the First Minister as main speaker, attracted perhaps 1,500 people at the most to Calton Hill on a bright and …

Let?s Call The Whole Thing Off
24 Mar 2026 at 12:59pm
The last faint hope of any remotely positive or at least interesting outcome of May’s election just left the building. It wasn’t MUCH of a hope, and it’s absolutely no surprise in the wake of the comically shambolic, belief-defyingly inept farce that has been the birth of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s fringe-of-the fringe party, …

Irony you can?t buy
20 Mar 2026 at 12:09pm
Posted without comment. But the reason you can’t buy the irony is that she doesn’t need the money. So that’s quarter of a million pounds just for running away when things got a bit sticky, on top of the circa £225,000 in wages she’s trousered since resigning as FM despite never turning up for work …

Looking up at the stars
10 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
A fascinating line from the BBC this evening: The number of parties who got MSPs elected at the last election is? five. (Though in fairness there are now six, Reform having a single MSP after Graham Simpson defected from the Tories. The Lib Dems are even outnumbered by independents, of whom there are seven.) Also …

Scotland?s Most Frightened
4 Mar 2026 at 5:52pm
This was just two months ago. (Longer version here.) ? And we’ll bet you anything you like he’s already wishing he hadn’t said it. Because a recent study suggested that Swinney might just achieve the impossible task he set for himself, and if he does then he’s REALLY screwed. Now, we don’t actually think that’ll …

Two Men Unalike
28 Feb 2026 at 1:41pm
So Cathy Newman of Channel 4 News got herself a scoop last night. And to be honest, readers, we were a bit confused. “Gender critical views” are not only lawful things to hold and express, they’re one of a small subset of opinions that are explicitly protected as such in law. And why would a …

The Tactics Of Suicide
26 Feb 2026 at 1:48pm
Sorry, readers, we’ve been too busy boiling with rage at revolting, cretinous Americans for the last few days to trust ourselves with writing a full-length article, but we’ve just about calmed down enough in time for this month’s polling analysis. Which is handy, because today is also the day of the Gorton and Denton by-election …

When the law breaks the law
19 Feb 2026 at 1:33pm
There is a not particularly funny joke that is sometimes told in legal circles about why a law student failed to finish his coursework ? because he had no conviction. With rare exceptions lawyers aren?t renowned for their sense of humour but I can?t help thinking someone, at the highest levels of our justice system, …

Craig Murray

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez
31 Mar 2026 at 1:16pm

As I was leaving the University of the Communes in Tocuyito, after a joyful and uplifting visit, an earnest young Professor came up to me and pulled me aside. Very quietly, he asked me what was going to happen. A number of the students were terrified there would be regime change and they, picked as …

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez

The Caracas Metro
26 Mar 2026 at 6:46am

The extreme nature of sanctions against Venezuela made it very challenging to keep economic activity going. One example is Caracas’s impressive five-line Metro system, where for almost twenty years they had to keep things running with no spares or maintenance support from the train manufacturers. Yet resilience and ingenuity kicked in, and Venezuela actually reverse …

The Caracas Metro

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag
24 Mar 2026 at 12:04pm

The notion that the Iranian state would discredit itself by choosing to attack an ambulance service in London is crazy. Iran has not even attacked any hospitals or ambulances in Israel. Iran has absolutely zero record of attacks on healthcare facilities. That is of course in stark contrast to Israel which specifically targets them in …

The London Ambulances Attack: Of Course It Was A False Flag

Seeing Trump Clearly
21 Mar 2026 at 12:19pm

What if Trump’s apparently chaotic thought processes and intuitive decision making are all a blind, a charade? What if we are really witnessing, in the Middle East and more widely, a carefully constructed plan with very definite objectives? Has Trump in fact “planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway”, while flinging the …

Seeing Trump Clearly

Radicalism and Scottish Independence
14 Mar 2026 at 4:18pm

There is no place like home, and a few hours after arriving back in Scotland I was in Glasgow giving a talk to Pensioners for Independence. I still covered quite a wide sweep, but my focus came back to what I care about more than anything – the freedom, prosperity and just position in the …

Radicalism and Scottish Independence

Has Venezuela Abandoned Socialism?
13 Mar 2026 at 5:48pm

I interviewed a prominent academic who is a profound critic of the Venezuelan government, and in contrast a strong academic supporter. The conversations were relaxed, open and I believe worthwhile. There is no serious dispute that the Venezuelan government shifted to some degree towards economic liberalism under President Maduro. The question is to what extent …

Has Venezuela Abandoned Socialism?

BBC Scotland

Parents promised more free childcare by party leaders
31 Mar 2026 at 1:51pm
Tax breaks for parents, more funded care for nursery-age children and help to get parents back into work are among the campaign pledges.

Bus firm Alexander Dennis to close Falkirk site with loss of 115 jobs
31 Mar 2026 at 3:39pm
It comes six months after the Scottish government announced a furlough scheme aimed at saving the firm's operations in Scotland

Party leaders pledge to fix ferries chaos and blame 'incompetence'
30 Mar 2026 at 4:24pm
John Swinney has expressed his regret as CalMac confirmed eight vessels were out of action.

Five years on: Why the SNP is still the party to beat in Scotland
29 Mar 2026 at 8:17am
After a major setback two years ago when Labour defeated them in the UK general election, the SNP's political luck seems to have turned.

First Minister apologises to victims of ex-council leader
29 Mar 2026 at 11:28am
Jordan Linden was last week found guilty of five assaults and sending unwanted sexual communications to teenagers.

It felt surreal to go shopping without police protection - Humza Yousaf
29 Mar 2026 at 11:31am
Scotland's former first minister has bid farewell to the Scottish Parliament, marking the end of his 15-year SNP career as an MSP.

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election
28 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
SNP leader John Swinney and the Greens co-leaders led thousands on an independence march down the Royal Mile.

China bus photo removed from Scottish Highlands travel campaign
28 Mar 2026 at 8:21am
Eagle-eyed social media users noticed that the road had bright green crash barriers and a green bus.

Offord says he is fit to be first minister after homophobic joke
27 Mar 2026 at 6:34pm
Malcolm Offord denied being homophobic after apologising for a joke he made about George Michael during a Burns Night speech.

Party leaders make pitches to Scots as they hit campaign trail
26 Mar 2026 at 1:35pm
With the Holyrood election just six weeks away, hopefuls have kick-started their campaigns.

Farage defends Scottish Reform leader Offord over homophobic joke
26 Mar 2026 at 6:27pm
Malcolm Offord has apologised for the "crude" remark he told at a rugby club dinner in 2018 but denies he is homophobic.

Health, education, tax and more - Has the SNP delivered on its promises at Ho...
26 Mar 2026 at 6:21am
As parties draw up their election manifestos, has the SNP ticked off the goals it set out in 2021?

Scot Goes Pop

The Alliance to Liberate Scotland and their "Big Lie": the Sovereignty Party ...
31 Mar 2026 at 3:06am
My latest Holyrood constituency profile for The National is Edinburgh Northern.

A brief reply to Ballot Box Scotland about my profile of the Edinburgh Centra...
30 Mar 2026 at 2:27am
Allan Faulds, the former serial Scottish Green Party candidate who runs the psephological Ballot Box Scotland site, has taken a passive-aggressive swipe at me because of something I wrote in my pro...

"Alliance to Liberate Scotland" angrily defend their pact with the far-right ...
28 Mar 2026 at 2:44am
Later in this video, I also give my thoughts on the extraordinary but somehow totally unsurprising news that the self-styled 'independence ultra' Chris McEleny, who expelled and drove out so many g...

Revealed: the far-right have almost totally taken over the "Alliance to Liber...
26 Mar 2026 at 6:45pm
I said in my video about the far-right elements of Barrhead Boy's new fringe party "Alliance to Liberate Scotland" (aka "the Atlas") that I had spotted at least two of the party's candidates as bei...

Let's keep the independence movement clean: avoid the dodgy far-right links o...
25 Mar 2026 at 3:02am

The NHS is Reform's Achilles heel, and they should be hammered on it
24 Mar 2026 at 11:23am
I received a Reform leaflet through the door this morning, emblazened with photos of Malcolm Offord.  And because I'm interested in polls, I immediately noticed the rather amusing error in the Lib ...

Lord Ashcroft's dodgiest poll question is one the health inspectors should be...
24 Mar 2026 at 2:14am
I've been having a more leisurely look through the results of the supplementary questions in the Ashcroft poll, and I think there are three worth drawing to your attention.  First of all, Ashcroft ...

Ashcroft poll: pro-independence parties could take overall majority of VOTES ...
23 Mar 2026 at 9:24pm

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Greens pledge £600m renewables investment through carbon capture cuts
31 Mar 2026 at 7:06am
The party also called for the UK Government to de-link cheaper electricity prices to ?extortionate? global gas prices

SNP plan for NHS is working, says Swinney
31 Mar 2026 at 7:04am
The First Minister said it was only the SNP which had ?a plan to deliver? on the NHS

Findlay promises permanent tax cuts for business and Scottish ?Canary Wharf?
31 Mar 2026 at 7:04am
The Scottish Tories have pledged to overhaul rates and reverse what they described as ?damaging cliff-edge? tax rises facing firms

Labour pledge two weeks of funded summer childcare in Scotland
31 Mar 2026 at 6:58am
Scottish Labour said the policy would only involve additional funding for councils already running the clubs

Tories call for more drilling in North Sea with new draft law
31 Mar 2026 at 6:45am
The Bill proposes to remove the requirement for downstream emissions to be considered in planning decisions.

Scottish election March 30: Parties pledge to fix ?broken? transport system a...
30 Mar 2026 at 12:09pm
Eight CalMac ferries are out of action, with disruption impacting 'virtually every island' served by a major vessel

I don?t trust Swinney to control Scotland?s energy, says Badenoch
30 Mar 2026 at 12:07pm
The Tory leader touted her party?s new campaign to ?get Britain drilling? in the hopes of increasing energy security

Scottish Greens pledge integrated transport ticketing system
30 Mar 2026 at 10:39am
The system would be funded by scrapping road-building projects, the party said

Labour vows to merge ferry bodies and fix ?broken system?
30 Mar 2026 at 10:31am
Anas Sarwar will visit Stornoway on Monday, as he warned the ?SNP?s ferry fiasco is a symbol of their incompetence and waste?

Swinney to push for powers over energy if SNP wins election
30 Mar 2026 at 10:27am
The First Minister will visit the north-east of Scotland on Monday

Scottish Greens will pledge ban on shock collars
29 Mar 2026 at 6:39pm
The devices use electricity to shock dogs during training.

Scottish Tories pledge ?growth test? for government policies
29 Mar 2026 at 3:59pm
The key focus of the party, according to business spokesman Murdo Fraser, would centre on increasing economic growth.

Lib Dems pledge youth work Bill in new parliament
29 Mar 2026 at 12:53pm
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the proposals would help to improve opportunities for young people who require support.

Zia Yusuf: Reform ?taking action? after ?Nazi salute? photo
29 Mar 2026 at 12:51pm
It comes after Reform UK?s Scottish leader Malcolm Offord stood by his Holyrood candidates, after past social media posts emerged.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Anas Sarwar brands John Swinney 'desperate' as Labour rules out Reform deal
31 Mar 2026 at 1:16pm
The SNP has repeatedly suggested Labour could rely on Reform votes at Holyrood to elect Sarwar as First Minister after the election on May 7.

Bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis to slash Scots jobs and close factory in Fa...
31 Mar 2026 at 12:00pm
Completed buses will no longer roll off the Alexander Dennis production line in Falkirk for the first time in over 100 years.

100,000 Scots families to receive tax free childcare boost under Scottish Lab...
31 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Anas Sarwar has promised to make childcare more affordable if he becomes First Minister.

Scottish Government warned 'there is no more money' as parties face uncomfort...
30 Mar 2026 at 5:00pm
An independent think-tank has warned the next Scottish Government will have to grapple with the country's shrinking working age population and declining tax revenues.

CalMac ferry chaos leaves Scots islanders unable to return home for Easter 'f...
30 Mar 2026 at 3:29pm
Fed-up islanders warned their "lifeline transport network is currently broken" with eight of CalMac's largest ferries currently out of action.

Police Scotland issues warning ahead of Holyrood election amid surge in onlin...
30 Mar 2026 at 10:26am
One election candidate warned people would be surprised at "the level of bile you get" from faceless accounts on social media.

Reform UK Holyrood candidate says covid 19 vaccine is ?neither safe or effect...
30 Mar 2026 at 7:07am
EXCLUSIVE: Dr Timothy Kelly has been criticised for being a covid vaccine sceptic.

A Scottish Labour Government will get the basics right if voters reject the S...
30 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
In his Daily Record column, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar laid out plans to tackle misogyny among young men.

SNP Government blamed for cut in key teacher numbers for Scots schools
30 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Figures produced by the Scottish Lib Dems show a fall for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

Louis Theroux inspires Anas Sarwar to back new unit to tackle misogyny in you...
30 Mar 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Scottish Labour have promised to create a Misogyny Reduction Unit if they win the election.

The National

The National | Politics

Met Police officer filmed calling Al Jazeera journalist 'a dog' suspended
31 Mar 2026 at 3:12pm

A Met Police officer who was filmed as part of a mob 'intimidating' Al Jazeera journalists reporting on an arson attack in London has been suspended

Fact checkers call out Labour MP NHS Scotland waiting time claim
31 Mar 2026 at 2:22pm

FACT checkers have called out a Labour MP over his claim that one in six people in Scotland are stuck on an NHS waiting list.

Keir Starmer silent on Israel's death penalty law targeting Palestinians
31 Mar 2026 at 2:05pm

KEIR Starmer has remained silent after Israel imposed a death penalty for Palestinian prisoners.

Rebel Labour MP 'has whip suspended but is not told'
31 Mar 2026 at 1:38pm

A PROMINENT critic of several UK Government?s policies has reportedly had the Labour whip suspended ? but has not been told

King?s state visit to see Donald Trump confirmed by Palace
31 Mar 2026 at 1:12pm

The King?s state visit to the US is to go ahead next month as planned, Buckingham Palace has finally confirmed

Join our Scottish election hustings one week from today!
31 Mar 2026 at 1:06pm

The National's Holyrood election hustings will take place in one week, and you're invited

Reform plan to stuff Lords with '900 peers' to push through deportation plans
31 Mar 2026 at 12:20pm

REFORM UK would seek to introduce hundreds of supporters into the House of Lords if peers resisted attempts to ?detain and deport? migrants, Zia Yusuf has said.

Ex-SNP candidate under investigation over alleged sexual offences
31 Mar 2026 at 12:15pm

A SCOTTISH councillor and former SNP Holyrood candidate is facing a police investigation into alleged sexual offences

New report reveals extent of plummeting food exports to EU since Brexit
31 Mar 2026 at 11:59am

UK exports of food and drink to the EU are down by almost a third since Brexit, new statistics show

'This is apartheid': Zack Polanski leads condemnation of Israel death penalty...
31 Mar 2026 at 11:49am

ZACK Polanski has led condemnation of Israel introducing a death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, describing the new law as ?apartheid?.

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Poll: SNP miss majority but well ahead of nearest rivals
31 Mar 2026 at 11:06am
Reform would be second largest party, beating Labour by one seat

John Swinney says SNP's NHS plan 'working'
31 Mar 2026 at 1:01am
The first minister is expected to be in Dundee today, where he will highlight that the SNP?s NHS ?plan is working?

CalMac technical cancellations sharply increased over last ten years
30 Mar 2026 at 2:18am
New figures obtained by Scottish Labour through freedom of information requests reveal that the number of ferry services cancelled for technical reasons between 2015 and 2025 has risen more than tenfold

Almost half a million affected by Lloyds banking app glitch
27 Mar 2026 at 11:50am
The banking group includes Lloyds, Halifax and the Bank of Scotland

We asked MSPs: what is your top advice to newbies?
27 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
With an eye to dissolution of the sixth session of this parliament, Holyrood asked some of our sitting politicians the simple question

Former council leader found guilty of sexually assaulting three men
26 Mar 2026 at 5:08pm
Jordan Linden was convicted of 10 charges, including sexual?assault, at?Falkirk?Sheriff Court

Court finds Meta and Google built intentionally addictive platforms
26 Mar 2026 at 12:48pm
Jurors in Los Angeles found a woman should receive damages after determining Facebook owner Meta and Google, which owns YouTube, 'acted with malice, oppression, or fraud'

Independence will 'lock Nigel Farage out' of Scottish politics, John Swinney ...
26 Mar 2026 at 12:00pm
Scottish Labour also launched its campaign, with leader Anas Sarwar promising to deliver a ?more positive and hopeful future?

One in five children in Scotland living in poverty despite recent improvements
26 Mar 2026 at 11:41am
Action call as election nears

Karen Meechan leaving tech body ScotlandIS after 22 years
26 Mar 2026 at 11:28am
The organisation said it would appoint a new leader in due course

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Starmer pledges to tackle new cost of living crisis at May elections campaign...
30 Mar 2026 at 3:11pm
Prime minister says 7 May vote is coming at time of ?war on two fronts? as Labour braces for heavy losses at pollsUK politics live ? latest updatesThe 7 May elections are taking place against a backdrop of ?war on two fronts?, Keir Starmer has said, as he pledged action to tackle the resurgent co...

Glasgow arts hub tenants condemn ?unsustainable? rent rises by landlord
30 Mar 2026 at 8:17am
City Property, which manages buildings for council, accused of ?coercive and unfair? increases and issuing eviction noticesTenants at one of Glasgow?s leading cultural hubs are battling what they describe as ?unsustainable? rent increases, with critics describing the landlord responsible as a ?ro...

Reform busy firefighting in Scotland but may yet set Holyrood?s politics ablaze
26 Mar 2026 at 6:29pm
With Nigel Farage?s party neck and neck with Labour for second place behind the SNP, disruption seems likely Hope, change, progressive change, change with fairness at its heart ? from a harbour north of Edinburgh to a hipster arts venue in Glasgow?s Barras Market, Scotland?s political parties sp...

UK politics: Trump says UK?s aircraft carriers are just ?toys? ? as it happened
26 Mar 2026 at 6:00pm
The comments were part of a broader address in which he condemned Nato alliesYesterday the Conservative party said that it wanted to ban political parties from distributing campaign literature in a foreign language. Announcing a plan to propose an amendement to the representation of the people bi...

UK politics: Tories claim McSweeney has ?serious questions? to answer about p...
25 Mar 2026 at 5:52pm
Shadow cabinet officer minister claims ?this whole thing stinks to high heaven?Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question at PMQs.Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has urged people to reject ?conspiracy? theories about the loss of Morgan McSweeney?s phone. Continue reading...

What?s at stake for UK in May?s elections: six key questions
23 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
Reform, Plaid Cymru, the SNP and the Greens are all banking on big gains and nationwide repercussionsOn 7 May, three of the UK?s four nations go to the polls in a series of elections with much potential significance, not just for who ends up governing various bodies, but also for the future polit...

?Anyone but Labour? or ?anyone but Reform?? Clash of animosities likely to de...
23 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
While Labour braces for a rout that could see off Starmer, a rising drive to keep out Farage is complicating expectationsSmall swings, high drama: why UK polls are less volatile than they seem ? in chartsLocal elections are often regarded as a referendum on the sitting government, with many previ...

Labour dismisses Reform UK MSP candidates as ?hopeless Tory rejects and oddba...
20 Mar 2026 at 4:50pm
This blog is now closedSeverin Carrell is the Guardian?s Scotland editor.Malcolm Offord, Reform UK?s Scottish leader, has doubled down on his defence of the party?s vetting by dismissing remarks by candidates backing Tommy Robinson or describing Humza Yousaf as an ?Islamist moron? (see 10.12am) a...

Reform UK suspends Scottish candidate less than a day after announcing him
20 Mar 2026 at 2:24pm
Stuart Niven found to have diverted Covid grants to personal account as party faces criticism for candidates? Islamophobic remarksReform UK has suspended one of its Scottish candidates after it emerged he had been struck off as a company director, and the party faces growing attacks for fielding ...

Supporters of Scotland?s assisted dying bill frustrated by lack of backing fr...
18 Mar 2026 at 6:41pm
Just three of Labour?s 20 MSPs in Holyrood voted for bill, despite support for legislation in House of CommonsSupporters of Scotland?s assisted dying bill have said they are frustrated a significant majority of Labour MSPs voted against the proposals, despite Labour?s substantial support for the ...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The rapid implosion of Reform?s Scottish campaign
26 Mar 2026 at 3:05pm
As the saying goes, you’d need a heart of stone not to laugh. Within just a few days of Reform UK launching its Scottish election campaign to much fanfare and racist ‘jokes’ about tartan burqas, the wheels are already coming off Farage’s septic tank pumper wagon. The party has already lost no less than four …

James Dornan MSP looks back on his career
24 Mar 2026 at 1:49pm
A guest post by James Dornan MSP   Today veteran SNP MSP James Dornan makes his last speech in the Scottish Parliament, and steps down to retirement and to give way to a new generation. To mark the occasion, he has very kindly written a guest post for this blog in which he looks back …

Reform?s chaotic launch and the implications of the Iran war for May?s election
20 Mar 2026 at 8:53pm
Nigel Farage came to Scotland on Thursday to launch his party’s manifesto for the Scottish elections on 7 May and to introduce Reform UK’s almost half former Tory slate of totally well vetted candidates. Reform UK there, promising to fix Broken Britain with a slew of the former Conservatives who were responsible for breaking it …

Thoughts on the failure of the assisted dying bill
18 Mar 2026 at 2:46am
Back in 1998, after we had moved to Spain, my late husband Andy and I became very close friends with our new neighbour, a Norwegian woman called Ellie who had moved to Spain after retiring from a career on the Norwegian oil rigs in the North Sea. She was looking forward to spending her final …

Scotland: Too wee?
17 Mar 2026 at 9:11am
Is it time to look again at the long-debated theory that Scotland is ?too wee? to be a successful independent country? A guest post by Diane Izzett https://bsky.app/profile/dizzyscot.bsky.social With the yes voters taking a lead in recent polls, do the facts support this or is it just the final death throes of a coloniser losing …

Lessons from 2014 for next time round
14 Mar 2026 at 6:23pm
An important new academic book looking at the 2014 Scottish independence referendum has just been published. The snappily titled “Discourse, Voice, and the Politics of Participation in the Scottish Independence Referendum” by Dr Maike Dinger, a Lecturer in Communications, Media and Culture at the University of Stirling is available on Amazon for £104.99 hardback or …

So-called muscular unionism is a sign of Westminster?s fragility
12 Mar 2026 at 4:30pm
The Labour party has responded to the leak of a memo from Starmer to cabinet ministers in which he tells them not to be “deferential” to the devolved governments and not to hesitate to override them even on devolved matters. Starmer was questioned about the memo by SNP MP Stephen Gethins at Prime Minister’s Questions …

Devolution has run out of road
10 Mar 2026 at 6:48pm
This always happens, every time I decide to take a bit of time off, a big news story breaks and it’s back to the keyboard. On Tuesday, a Labour government memo was leaked which proves that Keir Starmer is hell bent on undermining the devolution settlement. In the memo, sent to all members of the …

What the end of Alba means for May?s election and the broader independence mo...
9 Mar 2026 at 5:35pm
Well that’s it. The Alba party has gone and will not be contesting the Holyrood election in May, or indeed any elections in the future. Unlike some, I am not gloating about the party’s demise even though I was never a supporter of it. I kept my thoughts about Alba largely to myself despite coming …

Labour?s dangerous plans for NHS Scotland
8 Mar 2026 at 4:33pm
The Holyrood elections are just eight weeks away. This will be a critical election for Scotland’s future and it is more important than ever that Scotland returns a pro-independence majority, ideally an SNP majority to the Scottish Parliament. It’s not just the future of hopes for independence which is at stake. This election is also …

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

Nuclear submarine crews in the Clyde face higher rates of testicular cancer ...
31 Mar 2026 at 2:14pm
From the US-based Air & Space Forces Magazine yesterday: Air Force Global Strike Command has found increased rates of testicular cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma in the nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile community compared to other service career specialties, service officials said March 27. The findings, the latest to come from a sweeping epidemiological study conducted by the U.S. Air Forc...

Wes Streeting risks lives telling GPs in England to ration hospital referrals...
31 Mar 2026 at 2:11pm
Thanks to reader rtpscott for alerting us to the above. From the Telegraph two days ago: This is not happening in Scotland. Why might that be? Here’s one good reason. NHS Scotland has 160 375 FTE staff. https://audit.scot/uploads/2025-11/nr_251204_NHS_in_Scotland_2025.pdf All things being equal, per capita, with 10 times the population, you’d expect NHS England to have 1.6 million FTE but they ...

Reposted as ?Grooming gangs inquiry to examine role of ethnicity, culture and...
31 Mar 2026 at 2:09pm

Reposted as Catch22 today reports on the gender gap in England as in the ?UK?...
31 Mar 2026 at 2:05pm

As Times Education reports that English University Campuses in India ?are not...
31 Mar 2026 at 10:55am

As Starmer uses Trumpish threats against resident doctors a reason why they s...
31 Mar 2026 at 10:40am

Reposted as the Guardian reports the deal is about to go through
31 Mar 2026 at 9:51am

Reposted as Scots officially buy a share in a Scunthorpe steel mill
31 Mar 2026 at 9:49am

BBC Scotland admit County Lines drug gangs are another plague from England bu...
31 Mar 2026 at 9:38am
Charity workers have raised concern about the number of vulnerable youngsters in the Highlands being targeted big city drug dealers from England. Barnardo’s staff say they’re being exploited and threatened by County Lines drug gangs in Inverness. The charity runs the Anchor project in the City, which is trying to help tackle the problem. Police reckon 12 organised crime groups are operating in ...

Labour vows to merge ferry bodies and fix ?broken system? broken by their Dou...
31 Mar 2026 at 8:58am
Headlining for BBC Scotland, featuring across all media operating in Scotland and in The Standard today: Labour vows to merge ferry bodies and fix ?broken system? – Anas Sarwar will visit Stornoway on Monday, as he warned the ?SNP?s ferry fiasco is a symbol of their incompetence and waste?. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/anas-sarwar-snp-holyrood-isle-of-lewis-b1276923.html I’m already...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election - BBC
28 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election  BBC

Thousands march for Scottish independence in major Edinburgh rally - Thenatio...
28 Mar 2026 at 3:50pm
Thousands march for Scottish independence in major Edinburgh rally  Thenational Scot

Poll predicts breakthrough for new Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party ? The ...
31 Mar 2026 at 10:00am
Poll predicts breakthrough for new Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party ? The NEN  North Edinburgh News

'The last thing John Swinney wants is a referendum any time soon' - The Herald
31 Mar 2026 at 7:54am
'The last thing John Swinney wants is a referendum any time soon'  The Herald

Could Scotland leave the United Kingdom by accident? - The Times
29 Mar 2026 at 4:55pm
Could Scotland leave the United Kingdom by accident?  The Times

15 pictures from Edinburgh march and rally for independence from Royal Mile t...
28 Mar 2026 at 6:56pm
15 pictures from Edinburgh march and rally for independence from Royal Mile to Calton Hill  Edinburgh News

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
26 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

Five years on: Why the SNP is still the party to beat in Scotland - BBC
29 Mar 2026 at 8:17am
Five years on: Why the SNP is still the party to beat in Scotland  BBC

Everything you need to know about the Believe in Scotland rally and march - T...
26 Mar 2026 at 4:16pm
Everything you need to know about the Believe in Scotland rally and march  Thenational Scot

Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland - BBC
2 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland  BBC

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SNP calling, haplotype phasing and allele-specific analysis with long RNA-seq...
30 Mar 2026 at 11:16am
SNP calling, haplotype phasing and allele-specific analysis with long RNA-seq reads  Nature

The SNP are on the cusp of a Holyrood majority as Labour and Reform battle fo...
31 Mar 2026 at 1:45pm
The SNP are on the cusp of a Holyrood majority as Labour and Reform battle for second place  Survation

Five years on: Why the SNP is still the party to beat in Scotland - BBC
29 Mar 2026 at 8:17am
Five years on: Why the SNP is still the party to beat in Scotland  BBC

Poll: SNP miss majority but well ahead of nearest rivals - Holyrood Website
31 Mar 2026 at 10:07am
Poll: SNP miss majority but well ahead of nearest rivals  Holyrood Website

SNP in 'touching distance' of Holyrood majority and Reform in second, new pol...
31 Mar 2026 at 10:31am
SNP in 'touching distance' of Holyrood majority and Reform in second, new poll says  Thenational Scot

SNP projected to fall short of Holyrood majority as Reform make massive gains...
31 Mar 2026 at 10:12am
SNP projected to fall short of Holyrood majority as Reform make massive gains  The Herald

How the SNP spends billions ?to buy loyalty from charities? - The Times
28 Mar 2026 at 9:30pm
How the SNP spends billions ?to buy loyalty from charities?  The Times

The SNP is about to make Scotland?s energy disaster even worse - The Telegraph
31 Mar 2026 at 10:00am
The SNP is about to make Scotland?s energy disaster even worse  The Telegraph

Poll suggest SNP could win 62 Holyrood seats with Reform in second - The Scot...
31 Mar 2026 at 10:37am
Poll suggest SNP could win 62 Holyrood seats with Reform in second  The Scotsman

Poll suggests SNP could win 62 Holyrood seats with Reform in second - The Ind...
31 Mar 2026 at 10:40am
Poll suggests SNP could win 62 Holyrood seats with Reform in second  The Independent

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election - BBC
28 Mar 2026 at 6:24pm
SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election  BBC

See Brian Cox's full speech at major Believe in Scotland independence rally -...
28 Mar 2026 at 3:03pm
See Brian Cox's full speech at major Believe in Scotland independence rally  Thenational Scot

Scotland held back by the decisions of Westminster, Swinney tells rally - Per...
28 Mar 2026 at 7:40pm
Scotland held back by the decisions of Westminster, Swinney tells rally  Perspective Media

Majority for SNP will lead to independence vote as Starmer too 'weak', says B...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:52pm
Majority for SNP will lead to independence vote as Starmer too 'weak', says Badenoch  The Herald

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
26 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

'Weak' Sir Keir Starmer 'will grant John Swinney another independence referen...
30 Mar 2026 at 1:26pm
'Weak' Sir Keir Starmer 'will grant John Swinney another independence referendum'  Scottish Daily Express

Scottish first minister says a May majority means new independence push - Reu...
18 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish first minister says a May majority means new independence push  Reuters

Thousands attend Believe in Scotland rally in Edinburgh - The Edinburgh Reporter
28 Mar 2026 at 8:32pm
Thousands attend Believe in Scotland rally in Edinburgh  The Edinburgh Reporter

Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland - BBC
2 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Why independence is still a political dividing line in Scotland  BBC

Scottish independence poll 2025 - Statista
24 Feb 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish independence poll 2025  Statista