The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Everybody to Kenmure Street wins special jury award at Sundance Film Festival
by craig.williams@newsquest.co.uk | Craig Williams
30 Jan 2026 at 7:14pm
Everybody to Kenmure Street has been awarded the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Civil Resistance.


Watch as Italian MPs sing Bella Ciao to disrupt 'remigration' press conference
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
30 Jan 2026 at 12:10pm
Members of the Italian parliament sang 'Bella Ciao' and brandished copies of the constitution as they prevented a press conference on 'remigration' from taking place


This Scottish soap has been renewed once again ? and the stakes are even higher
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
30 Jan 2026 at 11:30am
Strike ballots are also underway at Aberdeen University, Heriot-Watt, and Stirling Universities over potential job losses and controversial restructuring plans.


Decision on Chinese wind turbine factory in Scotland expected 'soon'
by Lucinda Cameron
30 Jan 2026 at 8:49am
The UK Government expects to decide ?soon? whether to approve a Chinese firm?s plans to build the UK?s largest wind turbine manufacturing facility in Scotland but has to consider security, the trade minister has said


Bearsden South by-election: Lib Dems win vote triggered by jailing of Tory fo...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
30 Jan 2026 at 9:53am
Voters in Bearsden South delivered a crushing verdict at the ballot box, handing the Liberal Democrats a decisive by-election win after a former Conservative councillor was jailed for romance fraud.


'Scotland's resources must not be revenue stream for West Bank settlements'
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
30 Jan 2026 at 9:14am
Humza Yousaf has urged the UK Government to reject a renewed application for North Sea drilling due to the owner of the field's ties to illegal Israeli settlements


MPs warn over repeating 'mistakes' of deindustrialisation in Scotland
by Rachel Keenan
30 Jan 2026 at 7:14am
Scotland?s previous deindustrialisation offers lessons on how to avoid repeating ?past mistakes?, a Commons committee has concluded


Grievance inquiry into HES boss still ongoing after nine months
30 Jan 2026 at 5:00am
A grievance procedure against the chief executive of the government's troubled heritage agency is still ongoing - nine months after it began.


SNP urges UK to seek access to ?150 billion EU defence fund
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
30 Jan 2026 at 5:00am
The SNP has urged the UK Government to seek access to a ?150 billion EU defence fund, warning Scotland?s defence industry risks isolation.


The CCA collapse: this is how one of Glasgow's once-vital cultural institutio...
30 Jan 2026 at 6:26pm
The Centre for Contemporary Arts, once a vital cultural institution, collapsed into liquidation on Friday, just one year after securing £3.4 million in multi-year funding from Creative Scotland.


Jim Wallace: the calm man of faith who helped shape devolution?s early years
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
29 Jan 2026 at 8:54pm
Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness, who has died at the age of 71, will be remembered as one of the key figures who helped shape the Scottish Parliament in its formative years.


Tributes to 'the best of men' Jim Wallace after death of former deputy first ...
by craig.williams@newsquest.co.uk | Craig Williams
29 Jan 2026 at 8:18pm
Tributes have been paid in Scotland following the death of former deputy first minister Jim Wallace after suffering complications as a result of surgery.


Former deputy first minister Jim Wallace dies aged 71
by craig.williams@newsquest.co.uk | Craig Williams
29 Jan 2026 at 7:15pm
Lord Wallace was undergoing a procedure at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on Thursday, but died as a result of complications from what was a scheduled major operation, his family have said.


MSPs back greyhound racing ban at first stage
by Craig Paton
29 Jan 2026 at 7:09pm
MSPs have backed a ban on greyhound racing in Scotland at its first parliamentary stage.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


John Swinney accused of having 'fabricated' hospital deaths inquiry evidence
30 Jan 2026 at 1:55pm

A row has erupted over John Swinney?s use of evidence into a public inquiry investigated hospital deaths.

Culture secretary Angus Robertson was questioned about his knowledge of a string of issues at Historic Environment Scotland

The Prime Minister signed a deal to slash levies on whisky, which he dubbed the ?jewel in Scotland?s crown?, from 10 per cent to five per cent.

The UK Government confirmed on Thursday that it would not be compensating the Waspi women after reviewing a 2007 Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) evaluation.

Wings over Scotland

Shield Of The Phantom
26 Jan 2026 at 1:02pm
Well, we gave it a go. It seems that it’s fine to farm important judgments out to mysterious shadowy figures who just make important chunks of them up out of thin air, and then issue them in your own name. Back in your boxes, plebs.

Yelling at the tide
21 Jan 2026 at 9:26am
We figured someone had to at least try. So in the light of this, we’ve sent a letter. - TO: Judge Susan Walker, President, Employment Tribunal (Scotland) Dear Madam President, I read with considerable dismay and alarm your response to a recent complaint from a Mr Ewan Kennedy regarding the conduct of Employment Judge Alexander …

The Secondhand Amendment
19 Jan 2026 at 12:04am
We’re really not sure this makes things any better with regard to the incredible tale that’s unfolded around the judgment in Sandie Peggie vs NHS Fife. In fact, on any interpretation we can think of, quite the reverse. But we’d better give you some context. The quote in the image above comes from the reply …

Learning Insanity
14 Jan 2026 at 4:29pm
This clip was broadcast on ITV News Wales this week. ? It’s a staggeringly obvious mess for a whole raft of reasons – a number of completely spurious, illogical and unsupported claims are accepted as facts without any sort of challenge or balancing voice (which has been standard practice on ITV News for a while …

Governing For Beginners
12 Jan 2026 at 2:31pm
My first ever real experience of politics was playing Dictator. Originally written by Don Priestley for the Sinclair ZX81 in 1982, it was a simple text-based game which subsequently came to other formats including the Commodore 64, BBC Micro, Elan Enterprise and the ZX Spectrum, which is where I encountered it. (Its legacy very much …

Grandpa John?s Nightmare
7 Jan 2026 at 12:17pm
It’s almost – almost – worth voting SNP in May because of this: ? Because it would be at least momentarily absolutely hilarious watching Swinney try to explain why his “100% guaranteed” second indyref didn’t happen if the SNP actually did get a majority on 30% of the vote (which is narrowly feasible on current …

Failure To Learn
5 Jan 2026 at 1:32pm
Scotland take on Haiti on Sunday 14 June (in the wee small hours of the morning), so this is nice, isn’t it? At least, it would be if incompetent idiots weren’t in charge. Firstly because the SNP – a party with a long and dismaying record of promising things it then doesn’t deliver – has …

And every day was exactly the same
3 Jan 2026 at 7:00am

List Voting For Cretins
2 Jan 2026 at 9:00am
This week The National published a poll it commissioned from Find Out Now for this May’s Scottish Parliament election, alongside a seat projection from Sir John Curtice. Here are the list-vote figures from the poll. The seat projection calculated that the election would result in 59 SNP MSPs (six short of the number John Swinney …

The Gulf War
1 Jan 2026 at 7:00am
Yesterday we noted in passing that independence support now outstrips that of the SNP by more than 20 points, making the party into a gigantic liability as the vehicle for enabling Scots to leave the UK. Put simply, even when voters want independence (as most now do), they’re not willing to vote SNP to get …

Craig Murray

Palestine Action Judicial Review
29 Jan 2026 at 6:59pm

I attach the full text of Lord Young’s decision granting the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine. A few points. Judicial Review can only be granted where the judge believes it has a realistic chance of success. Lord Young evidently believes that we have a realistic chance of success on our three grounds …

Palestine Action Judicial Review

Being There ? In Venezuela
26 Jan 2026 at 9:46am

I have now been in Caracas for 48 hours and the contrast between what I have seen, and what I had read in the mainstream media, could not be more stark. I drove right through Caracas, from the airport through the city centre and up to posh Las Mercedes. The next morning I walked all …

Being There – In Venezuela

Resisting the Respectable Opinion on Iran
15 Jan 2026 at 3:13pm

Iraq. Libya. Egypt. Syria. Gaza. Somalia. No CIA- and Mossad-constructed regime change operation in the Middle East has ever made life better for the ordinary people of the country, nor even delivered the promised increase in personal and political freedoms. The only limited improvement that might be gained comes from the lifting of Western sanction …

Resisting the Respectable Opinion on Iran

A Step Towards Sanity
13 Jan 2026 at 6:50pm

To my great surprise, the video recording of yesterday’s Court of Session hearing on the judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action is still active on the court’s website, and you can watch it. I do not know how long this will last. https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/livestream/court-of-session/case-p1017-25/#6dcfe87a-d9b7-49ba-9f01-ad69b8ad9c45 I have been used to the ludicrous restrictions on the …

A Step Towards Sanity

Court of Session Tomorrow on Palestine Action
11 Jan 2026 at 1:45pm

In the Western world today, fighting for freedom feels Quixotic, but I shall nevertheless wake early tomorrow to be at the Court of Session in Edinburgh by 9am to fight the proscription in Scotland of Palestine Action. I remain extremely concerned for the lives of the Palestine Action hunger strikers. As I predicted, Starmer’s government …

Court of Session Tomorrow on Palestine Action

Venezuela and Truth
4 Jan 2026 at 10:21am

The mainstream media covered Venezuela non-stop yesterday. They many times mentioned Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President, because Trump stated she is now in charge. They never mentioned that 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the torture to death of her father, socialist activist Jorge Rodríguez, by the CIA-backed security services of the US-aligned Pérez regime in …

Venezuela and Truth

BBC Scotland

Squabbling, U-turns and 'made-up' quotes - who's in the right over the hospi...
30 Jan 2026 at 7:58pm
The row over the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry continues to evolve with leaders trading increasingly barbed accusations.

Scotland's first deputy first minister Lord Wallace dies, aged 71
30 Jan 2026 at 10:25am
The former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader was undergoing a procedure at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Rosebank oil field 'could breach international law' over West Bank link
30 Jan 2026 at 6:20am
Campaigners claim the involvement of an Israeli firm could provide a legal argument to block the planned development

Jim Wallace: Lib Dem who repeatedly stepped in as first minister
29 Jan 2026 at 7:18pm
The former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader represented Orkney for more than 30 years.

'Damning' evidence of political pressure to open scandal-hit hospital - Sarwar
29 Jan 2026 at 6:23pm
The Scottish Labour leader says documents prove ministers pushed for the country's largest hospital to open early.

'My rent almost doubled, it was a harrowing experience'
29 Jan 2026 at 6:17am
Rents in Scotland are showing sharp increases as experts warn young people will be hit the hardest.

Ex-Labour MP's lobbying firm offered photo with minister and VIP dinner for £30k
29 Jan 2026 at 5:10pm
Jim Murphy's company Arden Strategies apologises for "errors" in promotional material for tech event.

US to prosecute captain of seized oil tanker
28 Jan 2026 at 7:09pm
The captain of the Marinera, accused of carrying oil for Venezuela, Russia and Iran, will be prosecuted in a US court.

'My dad's assisted death was beautiful,' says Green MSP
28 Jan 2026 at 4:31pm
Lorna Slater has spoken of travelling to Canada to be with her father as he ended his life.

Tories call for two-child cap on Scottish Child Payment
28 Jan 2026 at 3:11pm
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay says his party would cut the "bloated" welfare bill.

Early release scheme 'not enough' to reduce prisoner numbers, say jail bosses
27 Jan 2026 at 12:59pm
The latest tranche of releases has seen the total population in Scotland's overcrowded jails reduce by just 68 so far.

Review into Palestine Action ban will go ahead
27 Jan 2026 at 4:53pm
Scotland's highest civil court will consider a case over the proscribing of the group as a terrorist organisation.

Scot Goes Pop

Spectacular full-scale Scottish poll from YouGov shows the SNP and Greens on ...
29 Jan 2026 at 6:48pm
I will record a video about this poll at some point, but as I'm on a bus right now, I'll go retro and briefly give you the results in text form for the time being.Should Scotland be an independent ...

"Unaffordable and exploitative": the Alba Party hammers its long-suffering me...
27 Jan 2026 at 3:53am
Apart from the shocking membership fee news, which Alba members already know about (as long as they've been checking their emails closely enough), this video also contains the latest gossip from my...

The Blocking of Burnham: Doomsday for Labour, Christmas for the SNP
26 Jan 2026 at 2:44am
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

SNP secure stirring VICTORY in the Glenrothes West & Kinglassie by-election
23 Jan 2026 at 3:40pm
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

Yet ANOTHER poll shows a pro-independence majority as natty Norstat (formerly...
20 Jan 2026 at 2:44pm
Before anyone says anything, yes, I know I screwed up and randomly started referring to Norstat as "Panelbase" midway through the video.  I haven't got time to re-record it at the moment, so just s...

Will the Greenland - Trump crisis boost support for Scottish independence?
20 Jan 2026 at 8:43am
I made this video before the news broke about Donald Trump's comments on Diego Garcia, which has resulted in this bizarre commentary from Henry Zeffman on the BBC News website (it's possibly a tran...

It's happened: now even SURVATION are showing a pro-independence majority (al...
19 Jan 2026 at 1:39pm
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

SNP and Greens remain firmly on course for Holyrood pro-indy majority in supe...
16 Jan 2026 at 8:50am
Scot Goes Pop: The Final Fundraiser is underway (you can read more about why I anticipate it being the final one HERE) and it's already a bit over halfway towards its target figure of £1700.  A mil...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Starmer says Government will stay neutral on assisted dying
30 Jan 2026 at 9:41pm
There has been speculation that the Bill could fall if peers do not get through the more than 1,000 amendments tabled.

Jim Wallace Obituary: ?If Donald Dewar was father of the nation, Jim Wallace ...
30 Jan 2026 at 5:24pm
The former deputy first minister died on Thursday after complications from surgery

Glen Rosa ferry costs rise by £12.5m after latest six-month delay
30 Jan 2026 at 4:13pm
The overall estimated cost now stands at £197.5m

Scottish Labour accuses Swinney of fabricating hospital inquiry evidence
30 Jan 2026 at 3:55pm
Swinney said the inquiry?s counsel confirmed there was no political pressure to open the hospital on time

?Dedication, decency and compassion? of Lord Wallace hailed after sudden death
30 Jan 2026 at 11:44am
The 71-year-old Liberal Democrat former Scottish deputy first minister died on Thursday after complications from surgery

Trump blasts Starmer China trip as PM arrives in Shanghai for next leg of visit
30 Jan 2026 at 7:30am
The Prime Minister met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.

Mistakes made in past deindustrialisation must not be repeated, MPs warn
30 Jan 2026 at 7:02am
The Scottish Affairs Committee has published its annual report.

Former deputy first minister Jim Wallace dies after surgery ?complications?
29 Jan 2026 at 7:23pm
Lord Wallace, who served as Holyrood?s first-ever deputy first minister, was undergoing a procedure at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on Thursday.

Waspi women denied compensation for second time
29 Jan 2026 at 5:29pm
Pat McFadden said advertising meant ?vast majority of 1950s-born women already knew state pension age was increasing?

China to cut tariffs on Scotch whisky after Prime Minister secures deal
29 Jan 2026 at 5:02pm
The deal was signed on Thursday during Keir Starmer's visit to Beijing

Decision to order disclosure of alleged Alex Salmond misconduct ?justified?
29 Jan 2026 at 4:41pm
A request was made to Scottish ministers to release all written evidence gathered by independent investigator

Swinney blasts Labour?s ?betrayal? after no compensation for Waspi women
29 Jan 2026 at 3:58pm
Scotland?s First Minister John Swinney said it is ?deeply regrettable? those women who lost out after state pension changes would not be compensated.

?Damning evidence? of political pressure to open Glasgow super-hospital
29 Jan 2026 at 1:10pm
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said John Swinney had been 'found out'

Swinney faces FMQs as SNP urged to ?put things right? for Gypsy Travellers
29 Jan 2026 at 11:44am
John Swinney will face First Minister's Questions on Thursday afternoon

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Melania Trump documentary sells just 16 tickets in Scotland for opening day s...
30 Jan 2026 at 11:00am
The low sales reflect a global trend of disinterest in Melania, a feature-length documentary produced by Amazon.

The Labour Government's expanded Warm Home Discount will help struggling Scots
30 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
Labour Minister Martin McCluskey writes in the Daily Record about moves to help Scots pay their energy bills.

Scottish Labour education chief says tackling school violence is his top prio...
30 Jan 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: In an interview with the Record, MSP Paul O'Kane also reflected on how parenthood has shaped his attitude towards schools policy.

How Anas Sarwar could end up as First Minister with fewer than 35 Scottish La...
29 Jan 2026 at 8:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says there are only two realistic election outcomes for Holyrood after May.

Ten rising stars set to take the Scottish Parliament by storm after the elect...
29 Jan 2026 at 5:15pm
Paul Hutcheon and Chris McCall profile 10 Holyrood candidates under the age of 40 whose parties believe will hit the ground running if they get elected.

Scottish Labour trailing on 15% in new Scottish Parliament opinion poll
29 Jan 2026 at 3:13pm
The poll found Labour are five points behind Reform UK on the constituency vote.

SNP Government back in court after failing to publish Alex Salmond files
29 Jan 2026 at 3:13pm
Lawyers representing John Swinney's Government are arguing against the country's Information Commissioner.

WASPI women in Scotland denied compensation by UK Government for second time
29 Jan 2026 at 2:30pm
John Swinney described the move as an "historic betrayal of women in Scotland".

SNP Justice Secretary released serial paedophile from prison two months after...
29 Jan 2026 at 2:17pm
EXCLUSIVE: Angela Constance has been criticised over the decision to release Dundee sex offender William Cox on compassionate grounds.

Political pressure was applied over Queen Elizabeth University Hospital openi...
29 Jan 2026 at 1:25pm
Notes written by a Scottish Government official in 2020 state "no consideration was given to delaying the opening of the hospital despite the issues being faced".

The National

The National | Politics

New files reveal Prince Andrew inviting Epstein to Buckingham Palace for dinner
30 Jan 2026 at 10:16pm

ANDREW Mountbatten-Windsor offered Jeffrey Epstein dinner at Buckingham Palace with "lots of privacy", an email exchange appears to show.

I visited the Scottish Government's Nordic base in Denmark ? here's what I found
30 Jan 2026 at 7:00pm

A FEW days ago, I flew to Copenhagen on a mission ...

When is a terrorist not a terrorist? Whenever Labour think it's convenient
30 Jan 2026 at 6:42pm

THEY say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For the UK Government, that would seem to apply to terrorism as well

John Swinney 'must set out how Scotland's Israel boycott is enforced'
30 Jan 2026 at 5:44pm

CAMPAIGNERS have urged John Swinney to set out the exact steps his Government has taken to implement Holyrood?s call for a comprehensive state boycott of Israel.

SNP Government responds to Anas Sarwar's claim 'John Swinney misled Holyrood'
30 Jan 2026 at 5:04pm

THE SNP Government has issued an ?unequivocal? rejection of Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar?s claim that the First Minister misled parliament

Costs rise again for late and over-budget Ferguson Marine ferry
30 Jan 2026 at 5:24pm

SCOTLAND'S Deputy First Minister said it was ?very disappointing? that the costs have risen again for completing a new ferry that is both late and over-budget

Douglas Alexander 'throws toys out the pram' over Scottish Government speech ...
30 Jan 2026 at 5:03pm

DOUGLAS Alexander usually seems pretty pleased with himself.

Popular US journalist Don Lemon arrested after filming ICE protest
30 Jan 2026 at 4:46pm

US journalist Don Lemon has been arrested after filming an anti-ICE protest.

'Drivel': Anger as Douglas Alexander blames Scottish voters for Labour's decline
30 Jan 2026 at 4:31pm

SCOTTISH Secretary Douglas Alexander has been accused of spouting ?condescending drivel? after he appeared to blame Scots voters for not voting Labour

Eddi Reader leads line-up for Scottish independence 'revival' event
30 Jan 2026 at 3:58pm

SCOTTISH music icon Eddi Reader will lead a line-up of performers at an event aiming to reignite the country?s independence movement at Glasgow?s Oran Mor

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Tributes paid following the death of former deputy first minister Jim Wallace
30 Jan 2026 at 7:08am
First Minister John Swinney said he was 'profoundly shocked' by the death of the former Scottish Lib Dems leader

An opportunity for green growth in Scotland: why the Deposit Return Scheme is...
30 Jan 2026 at 6:00am
The new year brings change. Let?s make sure it brings opportunity too.

?Political pressure? pushed Glasgow hospital to open too early, minutes say
29 Jan 2026 at 10:00pm
First minister accused of putting ?politics before patient safety?

Reform surges ahead of Labour in new poll as SNP maintains lead
29 Jan 2026 at 4:39pm
The polling by YouGov suggests that the SNP will be the largest party by some distance, with 34 per cent of voters planning to back the party on the constituency vote and 29 per cent on the list

GP body calls on next government to improve primary care IT
29 Jan 2026 at 4:38pm
A survey found nearly half of GPs felt their PC or laptop is not fit for purpose

North Lanarkshire to become ?one of the world?s most advanced AI sites?
29 Jan 2026 at 11:33am
The UK Government says the new zone will attract ?8.2bn of private investment and will?benefit from?a further ?543m from a community fund ? raised via work on the site ? over the next 15 years

Ferry services to deploy Elon Musk?s Starlink tech
29 Jan 2026 at 11:15am
The contract was made with Clarus Networks to provide centralised fleet management

Tourism and events: a foundation of Scotland?s economy
29 Jan 2026 at 6:00am
Here?s to another year of innovation, resilience and sustainable growth in 2026.

Scottish councils could be financially unsustainable within three years, watc...
29 Jan 2026 at 5:00am
'Apocalyptic': Accounts Commission report triggers angry response

Government moves to add sex to Hate Crime Act
28 Jan 2026 at 4:07pm
MSPs have limited time to scrutinise the regulations

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Starmer announces visa-free travel to China after talks with Xi in Beijing ? ...
29 Jan 2026 at 5:32pm
Downing Street gives no date for when the agreement of 30 days of visa-free travel will come into forceFor more context on today?s Starmer-Xi meeting, China is the world?s second-biggest economy and Britain?s third-largest trading partner ? to which it exports £45bn of goods and services a year ?...

Deacon Blue ?appalled? by Reform UK?s Scottish leader quoting their song lyrics
27 Jan 2026 at 11:04am
Exclusive: Band hit out at party?s ?poisonous rhetoric? after Malcolm Offord makes reference to Dignity during speechOne of Scotland?s most celebrated rock bands, Deacon Blue, say they are ?appalled? that one of their greatest hits is being used by Reform UK?s new Scottish leader to bolster his p...

Tories withdraw ?mental health? briefing about Suella Braverman after former ...
26 Jan 2026 at 6:10pm
Her defection means there are now eight Reform MPs in the CommonsKeir Starmer was being interview by Beth Rigby from Sky News this morning when he defended the decision not to let Andy Burnham be a byelection candidate.After Starmer delivered his first answer (see 10.15am), Rigby asked him to wha...

Reform says it would cut green policies to fund £2bn income tax cut in Scotland
26 Jan 2026 at 4:36pm
Party?s pitch to voters in May Holyrood elections dismissed as ?profoundly unserious, almost comically so? by head of IPPR ScotlandReform UK would slash what it calls ?highly dubious? environmental protection measures to help fund a £2bn cut to income tax in Scotland if it won May?s Holyrood elec...

Scottish health board admits hospital water system linked to fatal infections
19 Jan 2026 at 12:03pm
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde makes last-minute U-turn in submission to hospitals inquiryScotland?s largest health board has finally admitted that contaminated water at a Glasgow super-hospital caused serious infections in child cancer patients that were linked to four deaths.NHS Greater Glasgow ...

Multimillionaire leader of Reform in Scotland refuses to reveal net worth
15 Jan 2026 at 3:26pm
Newly appointed Malcolm Offord, who became a Tory life peer in 2021, plans to stand for Holyrood in MayUK politics live ? latest updatesThe multimillionaire financier who has been made leader of Reform UK in Scotland has refused to say how wealthy he is, claiming that is a private matter.Malcolm ...

Scottish budget: SNP government cuts taxes for lowest earners
13 Jan 2026 at 7:06pm
Ministers will hope package of measures can aid efforts to retain power in May?s Holyrood electionsMinisters in Scotland have cut taxes for the lowest earners by a modest £11 a year, as the government dug into its reserves, cut spending and increased borrowing to fund new election pledges.With fo...

UK politics: Tories call for block on Chinese super-embassy amid claims of hi...
13 Jan 2026 at 6:11pm
Shadow home office minister Alicia Kearns says unredacted plans show 208 secret rooms and approving plans would be ?insanity?Q: Why are the Liberal Democrats still using X?Davey says he is not afraid to pick a fight with Elon Musk. He says Musk has interfered in British democracy ?in the most out...

?The response is a beautiful thing?: how Glasgow is squaring up to Reform
12 Jan 2026 at 5:36am
In the face of Nigel Farage, flag-waving and a longstanding housing crisis, some Glaswegians are taking on anti-immigration rhetoricSelina Hales has a thing about pineapples. She is talking in a quiet office, set aside from the bustle of Refuweegee, the charity she founded 10 years ago, and the w...

Software tackling deepfakes to be piloted for Scottish and Welsh elections
8 Jan 2026 at 6:07pm
Electoral Commission says tools to detect AI-generated content could be in place before campaigns beginElection officials are working ?at speed? with the Home Office on a pilot project to combat the use of deepfakes to target candidates standing in this year?s Scottish and Welsh elections.Officia...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Annual Fundraiser 2026 part 2
30 Jan 2026 at 6:08pm
Unfortunately when I published the previous post about this year’s fundraiser, I pressed publish too quickly and omitted the full details for donating via PayPal or Ko-fi. Here they are now and here is the link again to the GoFundMe fundraiser. Many thanks for supporting my work. It’s greatly appreciated.   https://www.gofundme.com/f/wee-ginger-dug-annual-fundraiser-2026   I?ve added …

Wee Ginger Annual Fundraiser 2026
30 Jan 2026 at 1:33pm
It’s that time of the year again, when I ask readers of this blog to make a contribution, big or small, to keeping this blog running for another year. As we approach the Holyrood elections, I have been increasing the frequency of new posts on the blog from theprevious two or three per week to …

Trump?s lawlessness comes to Scotland
29 Jan 2026 at 3:48pm
Donald Trump is infamously lawless. He is the first convicted criminal to be elected to the White House. That conviction alone, by no means the worst crime the oranged faced felon has allegedly committed, should have been enough to disqualify him from holding public office, but he was ushered into power by a corrupt Republican …

Reform UK?s authoritarian project for power
28 Jan 2026 at 2:55pm
The American author and poet Maya Anjelou famously wrote: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” That has never been more true than where we are now in British politics with the rise of the far right, the performative cruelty it espouses and its dehumanisation of minority groups. Reform UK …

England is driving on the right politically
26 Jan 2026 at 3:05pm
All is not well in the Labour party. Over the weekend Keir Starmer and his allies took the decision to throw away a by election in order to buy the politically ailing Starmer some more time in office. Starmer and his allies on Labour’s NEC voted to refuse permission to Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to …

The BBC?s bad treatment of NHS Scotland
24 Jan 2026 at 1:03pm
When a parent loses a child it is an unbearable tragedy, and I want to preface this blog piece with the important caveat that I in no way wish to cast any aspersions on the bereaved and fully support their drive to uncover the truth about what went on at the new Southern General Hospital …

The rich are enemies of democracy and of an independent Scotland
23 Jan 2026 at 4:39pm
The biggest political issue of our days is one that few politicians are talking about. That’s the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of a small minority. In 2023, the world?s richest 1%, defined as those with more than $1 million, owned 47.5 percent of all the world?s wealth ? equivalent to roughly $214 …

The fork in the road for Scotland, independence or the Golf of America
21 Jan 2026 at 1:51pm
Over the past week, the reasons for Scottish independence got even more pressing and urgent. Donald Trump, the so-called ‘Peace President’, is openly threatening Greenland, Denmark, Canada, and Latin America. Trump’s unilateral destruction of the post WW2 international order as he seeks total US hegemony over the Western hemisphere and the annexation of Greenland. Once …

The days of playing by rules stacked against Scotland will soon be over
19 Jan 2026 at 4:44pm
Just eighteen months ago, we were looking at the prospect of this year’s Scottish elections with dread and trepidation. Labour was in the ascendant on the back of its victory in the July 2024 Westminster General election and Anas Sarwar was confidently expecting to install himself in Bute House as First Minister, some excitable Labour …

Reform?s Scottish ?leader? ? the FIFA Peace Prize of Scottish politics
15 Jan 2026 at 2:15pm
Spare a thought for poor wee Malkie Offord, over the years he’s thrown hundreds of thousands of pounds at the political scene in a bid to make himself relevant, firstly with his ludicrously misnamed and suspiciously well funded Vote No Borders astroturfing campaign during the 2014 independence referendum, a cringeworthy campaign which made no impact …

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

Are Scotland?s ferries the worst or the best in the world?
30 Jan 2026 at 8:22pm
Support Talking-up Scotland -In this election year in Scotland, the 90% pro-Union media and their sponsors in the opposition parties will do everything they can to undermine the pro-independence parties. Thought vastly outnumbered, we will do our very best to counter their lies and get you, every day, the true stories and the sources of evidence to prove them. Help us if you can at https://www....

NHS England pays out NINE times as much as NHS Scotland, per head, for clinic...
30 Jan 2026 at 2:16pm
In the Guardian today: NHS medical negligence persisting in England ?despite 24 years of warnings? – MPs on influential committee excoriate health department and NHS England for errors costing £3.6bn a year. Medical negligence in the NHS keeps harming and killing patients because governments and health service bosses have not acted on 24 years? worth of warnings, MPs have said. In a scathing re...

The benefits for the NHS and for the wider economy of women retiring around 6...
30 Jan 2026 at 2:14pm
It's been argued that women should be able to retire at 60 because by then they often have caring responsibilities for elderly vulnerable parents reducing demand on the NHS and for grandchildren, enabling parents to work and help the economy. Is there research evidence for these claims? The answer below is Grok AI-assisted ie more trustworthy than you'd get from a politician or a newspaper that...

?It was Glasgow Labour Councillors on the Board who exerted pressure to get Q...
30 Jan 2026 at 9:50am
That headline is quote from a Herald Facebook comments section.1 Another comment suggested – ‘Labour had more to gain from the opening of the hospital as they had 9 councillors sitting on the health board.’ There were several other comments suggesting similar views. Are these any less reliable than what we have heard from BBC or Herald reporters or from Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie insisting ...

?It was Glasgow Labour Councillors on the Board who exerted pressure to get Q...
30 Jan 2026 at 9:49am

Scotland?s environment agency TWICE as effective in closing illegal waste dumps
30 Jan 2026 at 8:31am
According to BBC Breakfast this morning, the UK Environment Agency has been criticised for a failure to act on massive illegals waste dumps. You might not be expecting me to write this but, in Scotland, the dumping looks to be just as bad with Sepa reporting 58 dumps assessed as high-risk (posing significant environmental threats, typically larger-scale operations)1. The differences are in perf...

In every English university town your child is far more likely to be a victim...
29 Jan 2026 at 8:25pm

YouGov polls cannot be trusted to claim ?SNP vote falls?
29 Jan 2026 at 5:28pm
The Herald today has: Reform UK has surged ahead of Scottish Labour while the SNP?s regional vote share falls to its lowest level in 23 years, according to a bombshell poll. The latest polling from YouGov suggests the SNP will remain the largest party in Holyrood by a substantial margin despite a fall in support. YouGov polls have proven themselves regularly unreliable and with a bias against b...

Labour letting the Waspi women die in poverty is just business for my local L...
29 Jan 2026 at 1:16pm

Reposted as ?man? is arrested in connection with county lines drug offences i...
29 Jan 2026 at 1:07pm

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
26 Jan 2026 at 4:30pm
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

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

No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says - BBC
27 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says  BBC

SNP lead, Reform UK in second in YouGov January 2026 Holyrood voting intentio...
29 Jan 2026 at 1:58pm
SNP lead, Reform UK in second in YouGov January 2026 Holyrood voting intention  YouGov

The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage - politico.eu
13 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
The new hero of Scottish independence? Nigel Farage  politico.eu

Scotland has found its Mark Carney - New Statesman
30 Jan 2026 at 6:05am
Scotland has found its Mark Carney  New Statesman

Twenty-five years of data shows how link between identity and views on Scotti...
9 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Twenty-five years of data shows how link between identity and views on Scottish independence has grown stronger  The Conversation

Scottish independence poll 2025 - Statista
28 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
Scottish independence poll 2025  Statista

A Fresh Start with Independence - The Scottish Government
8 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
A Fresh Start with Independence  The Scottish Government

Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK's political landscape shi...
24 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK's political landscape shifts  Courthouse News

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

SnP celebrates 10th anniversary with new brand identity - Vietnam Investment ...
30 Jan 2026 at 7:41am
SnP celebrates 10th anniversary with new brand identity  Vietnam Investment Review - VIR

SNP lead, Reform UK in second in YouGov January 2026 Holyrood voting intentio...
29 Jan 2026 at 1:58pm
SNP lead, Reform UK in second in YouGov January 2026 Holyrood voting intention  YouGov

SNP Government responds to Anas Sarwar's claim 'John Swinney misled Holyrood'...
30 Jan 2026 at 5:07pm
SNP Government responds to Anas Sarwar's claim 'John Swinney misled Holyrood'  TheNational.scot

SNP announces application of limestone sands for Meadow Run - cbs19news.com
30 Jan 2026 at 9:31pm
SNP announces application of limestone sands for Meadow Run  cbs19news.com

Politics Show: Polanski pact, QEUH ?pressure? and SNP messaging - BBC
30 Jan 2026 at 4:08pm
Politics Show: Polanski pact, QEUH ?pressure? and SNP messaging  BBC

Borders health services could receive extra £29m in funding under budget prop...
30 Jan 2026 at 4:01pm
Borders health services could receive extra £29m in funding under budget proposals  Border Telegraph

New blow for SNP as bill for Glen Rosa ferry soars again - The Times
30 Jan 2026 at 4:55pm
New blow for SNP as bill for Glen Rosa ferry soars again  The Times

Scottish Government rules out new nuclear power plants despite MSP's plea - L...
30 Jan 2026 at 4:00pm
Scottish Government rules out new nuclear power plants despite MSP's plea  Largs and Millport News

Bombshell poll sees Reform UK surge ahead of Labour as SNP remains largest pa...
29 Jan 2026 at 3:54pm
Bombshell poll sees Reform UK surge ahead of Labour as SNP remains largest party  The Herald

Scottish bonds are an expensive mistake - The Spectator Australia
30 Jan 2026 at 9:37am
Scottish bonds are an expensive mistake  The Spectator Australia

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Scottish independence - Institute for Government
26 Jan 2026 at 4:30pm
Scottish independence  Institute for Government

David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit - Britannica
27 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit  Britannica

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

No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says - BBC
27 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
No independence referendum if SNP wins majority, Reeves says  BBC

SNP lead, Reform UK in second in YouGov January 2026 Holyrood voting intentio...
29 Jan 2026 at 1:58pm
SNP lead, Reform UK in second in YouGov January 2026 Holyrood voting intention  YouGov

In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland indepen...
3 Jun 2025 at 8:00am
In the United Kingdom, prime minister rejects possibility of Scotland independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK's political landscape shi...
24 Oct 2025 at 8:00am
Scotland casts fresh eye on independence vote as UK's political landscape shifts  Courthouse News

Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014...
27 May 2025 at 8:00am
Why Alberta?s push for independence pales in comparison to Scotland?s in 2014  The Conversation

Holyrood election must be ?referendum on SNP?s record?, says Liz Kendall - Th...
29 Jan 2026 at 12:27pm
Holyrood election must be ?referendum on SNP?s record?, says Liz Kendall  The Independent

Scottish independence poll 2025 - Statista
28 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
Scottish independence poll 2025  Statista