The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Nicola Sturgeon: Murrell, her future and the unanswered Branchform questions
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
26 May 2026 at 4:56pm
Can Nicola Sturgeon ever escape the shadow that Operation Branchform casts over her legacy?


'Very complex': Ex SNP treasurer explains why he didn't spot Murrell's embezz...
26 May 2026 at 12:46pm
Former SNP national treasurer Colin Beattie has said he is 'hurt' after Peter Murrell was convicted of embezzling more than £400,000 of party funds.


MSP pleads with Police Scotland to save cancelled sick kids taxi parade
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
26 May 2026 at 11:20am
Edinburgh and Lothians East MSP Miles Briggs has urged Justice Secretary Neil Gray to intervene following the 'bizarre decision'.


Nicola Sturgeon showed remarkable lack of curiosity over SNP finances, says f...
by Katrine Bussey
26 May 2026 at 10:46am
Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon showed a ?remarkable lack of curiosity? over SNP finances, with a former MP claiming those seeking answers were deliberately frustrated by the party hierarchy.


'With candour': Sturgeon promotes book this week as Murrell behind bars
26 May 2026 at 10:13am
Nicola Sturgeon is promising to discuss her career "with candour" as she continues to promote her book this week while her estranged husband the former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell is behind bars.


Holyrood set to back Swinney on second independence referendum
by Katrine Bussey
26 May 2026 at 8:24am
Successive UK governments have dismissed repeated calls from SNP first ministers for a second referendum


SNP MSP questions why party auditors did not detect embezzlement
26 May 2026 at 4:03pm
A senior SNP MSP has questioned why the party's auditors failed to spot Peter Murrell's embezzlement.


Debate on independence in Holyrood overshadowed by Peter Murrell guilty plea
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
26 May 2026 at 4:09pm
SNP figures were accused of ?organised crime tactics? in a Scottish Parliament debate on independence overshadowed by Peter Murrell?s guilty plea.


Peter Murrell 'abused privileged position' in SNP embezzlement case
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy and Hannah Brown
25 May 2026 at 7:27pm
Peter Murrell admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP over a period of 12 years.


How does the SNP recover from Peter Murrell's embezzlement scandal?
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 6:04pm
Peter Murrell admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP. So what now for the SNP?


What Peter Murrell really spent SNP money on: motorhome, cars and luxury goods
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 3:27pm
A staggering 125-page document published by the court outlines the scale of Peter Murrell's spending after he confessed to embezzlement from the SNP.


SNP urged to keep promise and fund South Sub feasibility study within six months
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
25 May 2026 at 12:30pm
City of Edinburgh councillors voted to instruct transport convener Stephen Jenkinson to raise the issue with transport secretary Stephen Flynn.


Nicola Sturgeon breaks silence after Peter Murrell pleads guilty to SNP embez...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
25 May 2026 at 12:05pm
Nicola Sturgeon has broken her silence after her estranged husband and Ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell pleaded guilty in court to embezzling £400,310.65 from the political party.


Peter Murrell showed 'utter contempt' for public, says police chief after gui...
by donald.erskine@newsquest.co.uk | Donald Erskine
25 May 2026 at 11:48am
The police chief overseeing the investigation into Ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has released a scathing statement following his guilty plea in court today.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP minister accused of being 'lackey' denies blocking scrutiny of party fina...
26 May 2026 at 1:54pm

Kirsten Oswald told journalists: ?I don?t think I?m known as somebody who shuts down debate?

The Prime Minister spoke out after the former SNP chief executive admitted embezzling £400,000 from the party

Some 23 Scottish Labour MPs have signed a letter to SNP Health Secretary Angela Constance asking her to ?to reinstate the role as a matter of urgency and give women?s health the attention it deserves.?

In the High Court in Edinburgh, a quiet guilty plea marked the pinnacle of a saga that has dogged the SNP for years

Peter Murrell faces charges of embezzling more than £459,000 from the party

John Swinney has apologised to SNP members impacted by Peter Murrell?s embezzlement of party funds and donations

Timeline of some of the most significant developments around Operation Branchform

The former chief executive pled guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from SNP

The former SNP chief executive, who is Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband, will be sentenced next month

Wings over Scotland

No Money Back, No Guarantee
26 May 2026 at 9:39am
Peter Murrell wasn’t even locked up in his cell at Saughton (we hope it’s the same one as Craig Murray’s) when the chump-suckering resumed. And as the Nicola Sturgeon Loyal, led by her most faithful of lieutenants, set out to try to take control of the post-conviction narrative, let’s take a look at just what …

The Final Robbery
25 May 2026 at 1:09pm
So there it is. We did tell you so. There will be no trial, no cross-examination, no explanation. The people of Scotland, the members and supporters of the SNP, the wider Yes movement, none of us will ever know what really happened. Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? We’ll never find out how this …

Only An Excuse
21 May 2026 at 7:45pm
Despite what you or we might think, in the eyes of the Scottish Football Association this ISN’T a pitch invasion. This is simply what a football match in progress looks like. Because according to the absolutely extraordinary statement they’ve released this evening, that was game time. The clock was still running, nothing was being added …

The Queer Parliament
20 May 2026 at 1:36pm
We were excited to discover this old footage of a very young John Swinney. ? How thrilled he must be that he’s managed to make his dream come true. Because in the Scottish Parliament at least, there are now no men and no women, and indeed pretty much only wankers. Just days into its five-year …

The Land Of No Laws
17 May 2026 at 2:20am
This game of football is not over. Except for viewers in Scotland, where no laws apply. Don’t get us wrong, readers. In the (minimum of) 32 seconds that were left to play, it was highly unlikely that Hearts were going to score the two goals they needed to win the league. It is improbable that …

Steadying The Ship
15 May 2026 at 3:20pm
Looks like this, apparently.

The Broken Rainbow
13 May 2026 at 2:04pm
The image below is a graph illustrating how many seats each party won in last week’s supposedly “proportional” Scottish Parliament election, compared to how many they would have won if the electoral system had been actually proportional. The SNP and Greens are now over-represented by 37% and 50% respectively, while the Unionist parties are all …

The Hills Of Far Away
12 May 2026 at 10:01am
Anyone seeking to make a compelling argument for the proposition that Scotland’s politicians and lawmakers are simply too farcically incompetent to ever be trusted with running an independent country had a gift-wrapped Godsend delivered to them last week by the idiot student children of Edinburgh. But we can’t really put the blame on the colourfully-haired, …

And Nothing Happened Forever
9 May 2026 at 3:22am
Well, we told you so. We told you in March (and indeed long before then) that the 2026 Holyrood election was a giant waste of time and money that would deliver exactly the same useless Parliament we already had, and so it proved. The SNP ended up giving half-a-dozen seats to the Greens, Labour donated …

Pick Your Poison
7 May 2026 at 12:43am
At the end of last year we noted the unusual and persistent levels of divergence in Scottish political polling. As polls have become much more frequent during the election campaign, nothing about that has changed. The final polls, published yesterday, are so far apart from each other that they tell us basically zip. Analysing this …

Craig Murray

Dr Manivannan
14 May 2026 at 6:00pm

The furore around the election of Dr Manivannan to the Scottish Parliament is deeply troubling. There is no argument whatsoever that they were eligible to stand for election. The law was changed specifically in order for those on temporary visas to be able to stand in Scottish parliamentary elections. I confess I am not sure …

Dr Manivannan

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE
13 May 2026 at 6:03am

While the Court of Appeal has now stopped the High Court contempt of court action against Rajiv Menon KC for defending his client, this is purely on procedural grounds. They ruled that Judge Johnson had to go via the Attorney General to the High Court, not direct. It is now referred back to Johnson who …

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK?s Central Nervous System
11 May 2026 at 7:32pm

Unquestioning Zionism has for decades been the entry ticket to the British political and media Establishment. Anybody who was not a fully certified and compliant zionist would find their career limited – as Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Duncan, Robin Cook and David Mellor all found. Most others, of course, were never allowed to progress that far. …

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK’s Central Nervous System

The 2026 Scottish Elections
6 May 2026 at 5:40pm

We get so trapped inside the logic of the UK’s crazy electoral systems we often do not see what is really happening. Two thirds of active voters, voted against Starmer’s Labour at the last general election. He was always highly unpopular. Just as Starmer’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election was based on only …

The 2026 Scottish Elections

The Morass of Injustice
2 May 2026 at 11:24am

A vast cloying morass of injustice has visibly submerged the British legal systems in anything connected to Palestine. In a quite incredible series of linked and kinked events this week, the senior KC representing one of the Palestine Action activists in the Filton trial was in the Court of Appeal arguing against being found in …

The Morass of Injustice

An Inspiring Story
21 Apr 2026 at 7:54am

In 2018, at the height of the economic crisis in Venezuela through crippling sanctions, Kellogg’s announced the overnight closure of their Maracay factory with hundreds of redundancies – and massive knock-on effects in the local community. The workers refused to accept the closure and, with government assistance, restarted the factory. It is still running eight …

An Inspiring Story

BBC Scotland

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum
26 May 2026 at 5:41pm
The demand was the Scottish government's first item of business in the new parliament.

Sturgeon showed 'remarkable lack of curiosity' over SNP finances, Cherry says
26 May 2026 at 2:01pm
The former SNP MP has called for an independent inquiry into how Peter Murrell was able to embezzle more than £400,000.

'I'm the man with the money,' Murrell told Shetland jeweller
26 May 2026 at 6:06am
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell bought a necklace for his wife, Nicola Sturgeon, during the visit to Shetland during a by-election campaign.

How long could Peter Murrell spend in prison?
26 May 2026 at 10:34am
A hefty custodial sentence is almost certain after the former SNP chief executive embezzled £400,000 from the party.

The questions raised by the Peter Murrell embezzlement controversy
25 May 2026 at 12:08pm
Thecase has been hanging over the SNP like a toxic cloud since the police investigation began five years ago.

The painstaking work to uncover Peter Murrell's crimes
25 May 2026 at 8:07pm
How dogged work by detectives and forensic accountants led to the former SNP chief executive's conviction for embezzlement.

How it unfolded: The SNP finances controversy
25 May 2026 at 1:16pm
Some of the key dates from a period of turmoil for the Scottish National Party.

Scottish ministers call for tougher restrictions on new drivers
25 May 2026 at 8:19am
The changes would see new drivers face restrictions on things such as driving at night and carrying passengers.

Deputy FM warns there will 'undoubtedly' need to be cuts
24 May 2026 at 1:47pm
Jenny Gilruth said the Scottish government had been "very upfront about the challenge we face".

How has free bus travel for young people worked in Scotland?
25 May 2026 at 6:09am
As England moves to give people under the age of 15 free bus travel, under-22s in Scotland have had free bus passes for four years.

Candidates for by-elections to replace former MPs announced
22 May 2026 at 5:57pm
Stephen Flynn and Stephen Gethins stood down as MPs after being elected to Holyrood earlier this month.

Man guilty of sending threatening letter to lord advocate
22 May 2026 at 6:24pm
Matthew Sylvestre sent threatening handwritten notes to Dorothy Bain KC and emails to Nadia El-Nakla, wife of former first minister Humza Yousaf.

Scot Goes Pop

As "Self-determination Tuesday" dawns, is Andy Maciver right to say independe...
26 May 2026 at 2:05pm
For anyone who would like to help support my YouTube channel, I've set up a new Ko-Fi page HERE, which offers the options of either a small recurring monthly subscription, or a one-off donation.  (...

Let's examine the evidence: does RevStew's "brave" Ba'athist propagandist com...
25 May 2026 at 11:02pm
The controversial far-right blogger "Stew" has done yet another of his tweets about me without mentioning me by name - he does this regularly so that he can later do his schtick of "look! search fo...

Some thoughts on Peter Murrell's betrayal of SNP members
25 May 2026 at 2:20pm
So just some miscellaneous thoughts about today's news that Peter Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzling a six-figure amount from the SNP - * Speaking as someone who is used to living on a shoest...

Ignore the Brit Nat propaganda: what was the REAL vote share for pro-independ...
25 May 2026 at 3:46am
If you enjoy Scot Goes Pop's polling and election coverage so much that you start to feel an inexplicable urge to buy me a hot chocolate or a ham-and-cheese toastie, donations are very welcome.  Th...

Another update on the Great Scot Goes Pop Video-Blogging Experiment
24 May 2026 at 9:11am
For two-and-a-half months between late February and early May, I was so wrapped up in writing the 73 daily constituency profiles for The National that a) I had much less time to make YouTube videos...

First Makerfield by-election poll shows Andy Burnham could be in TROUBLE
23 May 2026 at 9:40pm
*  *  *Catch up with last Wednesday's award-winning blogpost: "S*** just got real, lads. The famously always wrong blogger "Stew", who said there was "zero chance, barring nuclear war or an alien i...

The biggest problem for British Nationalist propagandists like Fiona Bruce wh...
23 May 2026 at 1:07pm
Fiona Bruce claimed in her position as Question Time host on Thursday night that the 2014 independence referendum result had settled the issue for "twenty or thirty years".  That is an outrageous c...

A blogpost in which, in an act of sheer madness, I express a brief personal v...
22 May 2026 at 7:38pm
Given the fanaticism of Scottish football supporters, it's not really possible to gently dip one's toe in the water of the controversy over the Celtic v Hearts league decider, but nevertheless that...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

How long will Peter Murrell be jailed for after admitting he embezzled £400,0...
26 May 2026 at 1:21pm
Murrell, the estranged husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, pled guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday

Holyrood set to back Swinney on second independence referendum
26 May 2026 at 6:59am
Swinney has tabled a motion calling on the UK Government to make a Section 30 order

Sturgeon ?had no suspicion? personal items were purchased with SNP funds
25 May 2026 at 5:37pm
The former first minister of Scotland said she was not aware of many of the items being purchased by Peter Murrell.

Length of SNP finances investigation was ?crucial?, senior officer says
25 May 2026 at 2:47pm
Operation Branchform, which cost more than £2m, is now 'complete', according to Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston

Swinney: Murrell?s embezzlement of £400,000 from SNP an ?overwhelming betrayal?
25 May 2026 at 2:02pm
Murrell has admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of pounds from the party.

Nicola Sturgeon ?deceived and let down? by former husband Peter Murrell
25 May 2026 at 12:39pm
In January 2025, Sturgeon announced that she and Murrell were ending their marriage

Who is Peter Murrell? SNP supremo and estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon
25 May 2026 at 11:46am
From one half of Scotland?s most influential power couple to convicted criminal

Scottish Government will ?undoubtedly? need to make cuts ? deputy first minister
24 May 2026 at 6:10pm
Scotland?s auditor general previously said ministers lacked a clear plan to deal with a £4.7 billion funding gap by 2029-30

Scottish Government will be ?bold, innovative and ambitious? on industry ? Flynn
24 May 2026 at 4:47pm
The new cabinet secretary for Economy has met former workers of the Grangemouth refinery and Mossmorran ethylene plan

Police bill for investigation into SNP finances tops £2m
24 May 2026 at 11:07am
Operation Branchform was launched in 2021

Scottish First Minister should apologise over Troubles remarks, DUP says
23 May 2026 at 12:50pm
John Swinney?s comments caused ?genuine hurt among victims and survivors?, Gavin Robinson said

John Swinney hosts first meeting of ?streamlined? Scottish cabinet
22 May 2026 at 3:05pm
The Scottish First Minister announced a scaled-down cabinet earlier this week

Burnham says backing him in by-election would be ?vote to change Labour?
22 May 2026 at 2:53pm
At the launch of his by-election campaign in Makerfield, Andy Burnham seemed to set out his vision for not just the area but also the country.

What do the Andrew files tell us?
21 May 2026 at 6:16pm
A wad of documents dropped today reveals the details surrounding the appointment of former prince Andrew as the UK?s trade envoy in 2001

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Downing Street rejects second Scottish independence referendum after Holyrood...
26 May 2026 at 5:49pm
SNP and Green MSPs teamed up to pass a symbolic motion at the Scottish Parliament tonight to demand an IndyRef2 - but Downing Street will take no notice.

John Swinney's flawed indyref2 plan will never secure a second referendum
26 May 2026 at 5:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says the indyref2 debate at Holyrood is performative politics at its worst.

SNP ridiculed for 'painful lack of awareness' over independence debate 24 hou...
26 May 2026 at 3:24pm
John Swinney was told his timing was "comical" as he once again attempted to kick-start another campaign for independence.

Former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie claims Peter Murrell went to 'extreme leng...
26 May 2026 at 1:12pm
Beattie was arrested and questioned by detectives as part of Operation Branchform in 2023 before being told he would face no further action.

Peter Murrell may have paid for Nicola Sturgeon's lavish bookshelves with sto...
26 May 2026 at 11:32am
EXCLUSIVE: Calls have been made for transparency on whether the fitted library was part of corrupt Peter Murrell's embezzlement.

Peter Murrell shopping list: 12 of the most ridiculous items ex-SNP chief spl...
26 May 2026 at 10:06am
Peter Murrell's decade-long spending spree will go down in Scottish political history. But of the 1,300 purchases scrutinised by prosecutors, what items really stood out?

Holyrood set to back second independence referendum in first debate since ele...
26 May 2026 at 8:33am
First Minister John Swinney has tabled a motion calling on the UK Government to make a Section 30 order, to devolve to Holyrood the powers needed for such a vote to take place.

Nicola Sturgeon denies knowledge of Peter Murrell spending spree after estran...
25 May 2026 at 5:24pm
Sturgeon, who dramatically resigned as first minister in 2023, has denied any involvement in her husband's embezzlement.

John Swinney says SNP members who donated to IndyRef fundraiser won't be refu...
25 May 2026 at 3:04pm
Swinney - who was in charge of the party when Peter Murrell was first appointed chief executive of the SNP - said he was "gutted" by the chain of events which led to Operation Branchform.

The Peter Murrell scandal is so bad it would shame a banana republic
25 May 2026 at 2:17pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon says it is a disgrace a husband and wife team were allowed to run a political party.

The National

The National | Politics

US and Israel 'seeking to hand control over Al-Aqsa Mosque to Israeli interests'
26 May 2026 at 4:47pm

THE US and Israel are reportedly planning to upend the system governing Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque complex by handing more power to Tel Aviv.

Why is there still no answer to the key question which sparked SNP police probe?
26 May 2026 at 4:35pm

PETER Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzlement. But look at some corners of the Scottish press, and you?d be forgiven for thinking ...

Reform MSP Thomas Kerr's company struck off after failing to file accounts
26 May 2026 at 4:20pm

THE PR firm owned by Reform UK?s Scottish deputy leader Thomas Kerr has been struck off and dissolved after apparently failing to file its accounts ...

Tech expert points out privacy pitfall in plan to ban under-16s from social m...
26 May 2026 at 2:53pm

THE campaign to ban social media for people under the age of 16 is gathering pace.

Campaign launched urging UK Government to investigate Brits who served in IDF
26 May 2026 at 2:48pm

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to demand that the UK Government monitor and investigate who have served in the IDF during the genocide in Gaza ...

Sign up for The Celtic Alliance Report newsletter for free now
26 May 2026 at 2:34pm

As interest in constitutional change continues to grow, The Celtic Alliance Report will be providing a free and simple way to keep up to date, all in one place, delivered straight to your inbox

Scottish Government to bring back plans to criminalise misogyny, says John Sw...
26 May 2026 at 2:33pm

THE Scottish Government will bring back plans to criminalise misogyny after dropping the legislation last year, John Swinney has announced.

Read John Swinney's speech in full as MSPs debate independence referendum powers
26 May 2026 at 2:21pm

John Swinney has asked MSPs to formally request the transfer of powers from the UK Government to Scotland to allow a second independence referendum to be held

More than 300k children helped by Scottish Child Payment, figures show
26 May 2026 at 1:51pm

The Scottish Government has said eradicating child poverty is a ?key focus? as new figures show more than 300,000 children are in receipt of a child benefit

Scots Tories fail in bid to quiz prosecutors on 'why Nicola Sturgeon wasn't c...
26 May 2026 at 1:45pm

THE Tories have failed in a bid to force Scotland?s top law officers to publish any reasoning behind decisions not to charge or prosecute Nicola Sturgeon ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum
26 May 2026 at 7:01pm
The vote followed a statement from First Minister John Swinney, who also led a debate titled ?Ambitious for Scotland?, in which he outlined his plans for the session of parliament

Anas Sarwar unveils Scottish Labour shadow cabinet
26 May 2026 at 3:03pm
Irshad Ahmed named as shadow minister

A national mission for lifelong learning
26 May 2026 at 7:00am
As the nature of work and technological change accelerates, degrees and post-school education must evolve, supporting people not just into work but throughout their careers. We look forward to working with MSPs from across the chamber to meet the economic

Is Labour's Energy Independence Bill the beginning of the end for North Sea o...
26 May 2026 at 1:50am
The energy shock caused by the war in Iran has re-started the debate about the future of North Sea oil and divided opinion among MSPs taking their seats in a new-look Holyrood

MSPs to vote on plans for second independence referendum
26 May 2026 at 1:39am
First Minister John Swinney will ask the Scottish Parliament this afternoon to formally request that the UK Government transfer the powers required to hold an independence referendum

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling ?400,000
25 May 2026 at 12:06pm
Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband faces a prison term when he is sentenced next month

Social media companies strengthen child protection but Ofcom says more to be ...
22 May 2026 at 4:17pm
Some firms failed to set out how they would improve safety on their platforms ? particularly in relation to feeds

Scottish Conservatives reshuffle top team
22 May 2026 at 12:53pm
All bar one of their MSPs have been given a role

Reform unveils Scottish frontbench
21 May 2026 at 6:17pm
Leader Malcolm Offord has taken on the economy and public sector reform portfolios

Presiding Officer says ?status quo not an option? amid parliamentary shake-up
21 May 2026 at 5:08pm
There will now be two sessions of FMQs each week - on Tuesday and Thursday

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

SNP accused of ?embezzling? voters over Peter Murrell?s theft of party funds
26 May 2026 at 4:51pm
Scottish National party?s attempt to focus on call for independence referendum overshadowed by embezzlement scandalThe Scottish National party was accused of ?embezzling? voters after opposition leaders highlighted the crisis over Peter Murrell?s misuse of £400,000 from party funds.The scandal ov...

Labour says Reform UK ?in chaos? as Zia Yusuf publicly tells Jenrick he?s got...
26 May 2026 at 5:40pm
?Robert?s answer is not Reform policy?, Yusuf said about an answer that Jenrick gave to journalists days earlierKeir Starmer has said that SNP leaders need to explain why they did not realise that Peter Murrell was stealing more than £400,000 from the party.Asked about yesterday?s court proceedin...

Luxury watches, iPads and a Jaguar: what Peter Murrell bought with embezzled ...
25 May 2026 at 6:25pm
Former SNP chief also blew chunks of the stolen £400,310 on posh coffee machines and a robotic lawnmowerPeter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000The list of luxury items bought by Peter Murrell using the £400,310 he stole from the Scottish National party runs to about 100 pages, and read...

Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP
25 May 2026 at 5:46pm
Former husband of Nicola Sturgeon faces long prison sentence after admitting stealing from party to fund lavish lifestyleLuxury watches, iPads and a Jaguar: what Peter Murrell bought with embezzled fundsPeter Murrell, once one of the most powerful people in British politics, faces a long prison s...

Streeting says he resigned because Labour ?in fight of our lives against nati...
20 May 2026 at 5:18pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereLabour is in a curious, transitional state at the moment. Officially Keir Starmer is committed to staying as leader and prime minister until the next election. There is no formal leadership contest underway. But, informally, it has alre...

ChatGPT and other AI bots made huge errors before Scottish election, study finds
20 May 2026 at 3:56pm
Exclusive: Electoral Commission calls for new controls as Demos finds tools made up fake scandals, invented candidates or gave wrong dateUK politics live ? latest updatesThe Electoral Commission has called for new legal controls over misinformation from AI chatbots, after a thinktank found they h...

UK supermarkets urged to consider voluntary price caps on essential foods
20 May 2026 at 12:03am
Retail sources rebuff government proposal as ?unjustified? and likely to push costs up across boardUK supermarkets have been asked by the government to consider freezing the prices of some essential foodstuffs to protect the public from inflation fuelled by the Middle East conflict.They would be ...

Minister defends Mandelson file redactions and says documents to be released ...
19 May 2026 at 5:15pm
Darren Jones says release will be ?one of the largest government publications ever laid in this house?On Friday parliament?s intelligence and security committee issued a damning statement about the government?s response to the humble address requiring the release of documents relating to the appo...

Starmer has ?full confidence? in Streeting despite health secretary?s allies ...
13 May 2026 at 6:00pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:Streeting to resign and challenge Starmer, allies sayLibby Brooks is the Guardian?s Scotland correspondent.An odd dispute of interpretation has emerged overnight between the Scottish and UK governments. Yesterday evening a Scottish gov...

Streeting to meet Starmer on Wednesday as the prime minister defies calls to ...
12 May 2026 at 9:22pm
A number of Streeting?s allies resigned from their ministerial posts on Tuesday and called for Keir Starmer to quitStarmer tells cabinet he will not quit without leadership challengeHere are some pictures from No 10 this morning.Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the PM, is now being interviewe...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Explaining a parliamentary mandate for the staunch of hearing
26 May 2026 at 3:16pm
Today Holyrood gets the ball rolling on putting into action the pro-independence mandate given to it by the people of Scotland at the recent election, which as we all know by now resulted in the largest ever majority of pro-independence MSPs in the history of the Scottish Parliament. I’ll blog about the debate and vote …

Branchform?s over and the SNP is still standing
25 May 2026 at 1:41pm
Well, after five long years, murder tents, and over £2 million in police costs, it’s all over bar the inevitable shouting, and of course the not insignificant matter of what is likely to be a substantial custodial sentence. Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party. …

The supposed ?Once in a generation? pledge is a Westminster myth
23 May 2026 at 12:31pm
On Thursday evening’s edition of BBC Reform Time, Fiona Bruce, the completely unbiased and neutral right wing unionist host, editorialised in aid of Tory MP Harriet Cross who had insisted that the question of independence had been “settled” in 2014 and attempts to revisit the matter “have to end, they have to end.” Bruce interjected …

John Swinney fires the starting gun on independence push
22 May 2026 at 1:30pm
He’s not mucking about. On the back of Holyrood’s record pro-independence majority, John Swinney has announced that there will be a debate and vote in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday on securing a Section 30 order for an independence referendum. With 72 pro-independence MSPs in the chamber, the motion will pass easily despite the predictable …

The British media is hiding Holyrood?s independence majorities
20 May 2026 at 5:01pm
Something interesting, and entirely predictable, has been happening in the British media since the SNP comprehensively defeated the parties of Westminster rule in this month’s Holyrood elections, being returned for a fifth term in office in a Scottish Parliament which has its largest ever pro-independence majority, making this the fourth Scottish Parliament in a row …

Something wicked this way comes
17 May 2026 at 1:27pm
We are rightly concerned about Reform UK, which has now gained representation in the Scottish Parliament, although as I had hoped, it performed more poorly than most polls forecast and failed to win a single constituency seat, narrowly missing out to the SNP in the Banffshire and Buchan Coast constituency which had been widely tipped …

The Celtic Alliance can break Westminter?s constitutional logjam
15 May 2026 at 6:33pm
One of the biggest developments in British political history came to pass after the recent parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, yet it predictably went all but unnoticed by a British media which struggles to comprehend England outwith the M25 and for which Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are terra incognita marked “here be dragons” …

Labour?s rigged electoral system has bitten it on the bum
13 May 2026 at 3:51pm
Ever since the Holyrood election last week in which the SNP won a crushing victory over the dependency parties, those parties and their client media have been crowing that John Swinney must drop his “obsession” with independence because the SNP “failed” in the election and did not win an outright majority for the SNP. Alex …

John Swinney is right to lock out Reform
12 May 2026 at 3:02pm
It hasn’t even been a week since the Holyrood election which took the SNP to its record fifth election win in a row, securing more MSPs than all the anti-independence parties combined, and winning more seats than Labour ever has. The British parties and their friends in the press are getting their hysteria and outrage …

Labour and the British media, stuck in the first stages of grief
10 May 2026 at 7:37pm
They’re not taking it at all well are they. Ever since the SNP handsomely won the Holyrood election, for the fifth time in a row, winning more seats than all the branch office parties combined, and together with a record performance from the Scottish Greens, the two pro-independence secured the largest ever independence majority in …

The Courier

[CaRP] Can't open remote newsfeed [403].
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

NHS England overall hospital waiting list is 5% longer than in Scotland
26 May 2026 at 6:03pm
From Stage of treatment waiting times New outpatients, inpatients and day cases published today, the above and: At 30 April 2026, there were an estimated 572,206 individuals on at least one new outpatient, inpatient or day case waiting list. This is equivalent to around 1 in 10 of Scotland?s population (mid-2024 estimates). Within this total, 444,036 individuals were estimated to be waiting for...

Waits for key NHS Scotland diagnostic tests plummet
26 May 2026 at 6:02pm
From NHS waiting times – diagnostics – Waits for key diagnostic tests, published today, the above and: The total waiting list size (number of ongoing waits) for the eight key diagnostic tests combined was 112,696: 27,931 endoscopy waits and 84,765 radiology waits. This is a 9% decrease (-11,296) from the previous quarter-end, when there were 123,992 ongoing waits. The latest quarter end has the...

In England and Wales, one third fewer have had access to NHS primary dental c...
26 May 2026 at 6:01pm
From NHS dental data monitoring report January to March 2026 published today: 5,273,339 people were registered with an NHS dentist. This is an estimated 95.1% of the Scottish population, using the 2024 National records of Scotland population estimate. 3,273,405 (62.1%) of these registered patients have participated in NHS primary dental care within the last 2 years. Source: https://www.publiche...

England is abortion capital of Europe with 31% more than Scotland
26 May 2026 at 6:00pm
From Termination of pregnancy statistics Year ending December 2025 published in Scotland today, the above and: Following an acceleration in 2022, the rate of increase in demand for termination services has slowed and is the same this year as last, with 17.6 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 years receiving a termination in 2025. Source: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/termination...

Scotland?s IVF service ? target-busting for 11 years saving lives and reducin...
26 May 2026 at 5:59pm
From IVF waiting times in Scotland Quarter ending 31 March 2026 published today: During the quarter ending 31 March 2026, 373 patients were screened. The 90% standard was met, with all patients attending a screening appointment within 52 weeks of referral. Source: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ivf-waiting-times-in-scotland/ivf-waiting-times-in-scotland-quarter-ending-31-mar...

AI cannot find a single police investigation of a suspected purely financial...
26 May 2026 at 2:25pm
There are several media reports today trying to justify the length and the methods of Operation Branchform, so: Chatgpt – Can you find a photograph of a UK police investigation of a suspected purely financial crime where a blue tent was placed on the suspect’s garden? Chatgpt AI – I couldn?t find a verified news photograph matching all of these conditions together: Most publicly available UK ?b...

NHS England has 23% fewer beds and too high occupancy and we know how that tu...
26 May 2026 at 2:23pm
From Acute hospital activity and NHS beds information (quarterly) Quarter ending 31 December 2025 published today: There were on average 13,550 available staffed beds per day for all acute specialties in the quarter ending 31 December 2025 ? a 0.1% decrease compared to the same quarter in the previous year. An available staffed bed is a bed which is resourced for inpatient or day case care. Of ...

Bacterial infections fall 11% and are amongst lowest per head in Scotland in ...
26 May 2026 at 2:22pm
From Group A Streptococcus (GAS) quarterly surveillance report Report to Q1 2026 published today: There were 65 iGAS cases reported. This has decreased by 11.0% compared to quarter 1 2025, when there were 73 notifications. The highest rates of iGAS were reported from NHS Borders at 2.6 cases per 100,000 population, followed by NHS Tayside and NHS Fife (each 1.9 per 100,000). While NHS Greater G...

Pleasant Jockoland? Extreme heatwaves will happen to ?a meaningfully lesser e...
26 May 2026 at 10:15am
No doubt, I’ll be accused of tasteless, insensitive, gloating but haven’t we had it for centuries, southern commentators, comedians gloating about ‘chilly jockoland?’ Karma coming? In the Guardian today: Heatwaves are becoming the norm. This is what Britain will look like in the year 2052 – f you think the temperature uncomfortable today, let me take you to the last day of July 2052, the rays o...

As an English judge is soft on three young gang rapists BBC News does not cal...
26 May 2026 at 8:58am
As BBC Breakfast ask Gisele Pelicot to discuss the astonishing, shameful, failure by an English judge to detain three frankly evil young gang rapists, BBC Scotland seem unable to find a story to tell us that things are as bad here. They tried in June 2025 when annual crime statistics were published showing an increase in sex crimes. The media in Scotland are headlining the increase in recorded ...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum - BBC
26 May 2026 at 5:41pm
Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum  BBC

Scotland Renews Push for Independence With Labour in Turmoil - Bloomberg.com
26 May 2026 at 5:45pm
Scotland Renews Push for Independence With Labour in Turmoil  Bloomberg.com

How to watch the Scottish Parliament vote on Section 30 referendum powers - T...
26 May 2026 at 5:10am
How to watch the Scottish Parliament vote on Section 30 referendum powers  The National Scot

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

Democratic mandate reached for independence referendum - Scottish Greens
26 May 2026 at 8:41am
Democratic mandate reached for independence referendum  Scottish Greens

Scotland: Former SNP executive admits embezzling party funds - DW.com
26 May 2026 at 2:54am
Scotland: Former SNP executive admits embezzling party funds  DW.com

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

Ex-Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling funds - Al Jazeera
25 May 2026 at 9:27pm
Ex-Scottish National Party chief pleads guilty to embezzling funds  Al Jazeera

MSPs set to vote on plans for second independence referendum - BBC
25 May 2026 at 10:47pm
MSPs set to vote on plans for second independence referendum  BBC

Debate on independence in Holyrood overshadowed by Peter Murrell guilty plea ...
26 May 2026 at 4:33pm
Debate on independence in Holyrood overshadowed by Peter Murrell guilty plea  The Herald

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling party funds - BBC
25 May 2026 at 2:08pm
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling party funds  BBCPeter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP | Scotland  The GuardianFormer Scottish National Party chief Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling $920,000  RNZPeter Murrell facing years in jail for embezzling SNP funds  The TimesSturgeon ?must come clean? on what she knew about husband?s £400k theft  The...

Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
Final YouGov MRP of the 2026 Holyrood election shows the SNP falling short of a majority  YouGov

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum - BBC
26 May 2026 at 5:41pm
Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum  BBC

Scotland: Former SNP executive admits embezzling party funds - DW.com
26 May 2026 at 2:54am
Scotland: Former SNP executive admits embezzling party funds  DW.com

Luxury watches, iPads and a Jaguar: what Peter Murrell bought with embezzled ...
26 May 2026 at 2:31am
Luxury watches, iPads and a Jaguar: what Peter Murrell bought with embezzled funds  The Guardian

How the SNP survived scandal to keep ruling Scotland - Financial Times
25 May 2026 at 11:32pm
How the SNP survived scandal to keep ruling Scotland  Financial Times

Ex-SNP treasurer refuses five times to apologise over Peter Murrell crimes - ...
26 May 2026 at 3:32pm
Ex-SNP treasurer refuses five times to apologise over Peter Murrell crimes  The Times

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation

Sturgeon showed 'remarkable lack of curiosity' over SNP finances, Cherry says...
26 May 2026 at 2:01pm
Sturgeon showed 'remarkable lack of curiosity' over SNP finances, Cherry says  BBC

SNP accused of ?embezzling? voters over Peter Murrell?s theft of party funds ...
26 May 2026 at 5:17pm
SNP accused of ?embezzling? voters over Peter Murrell?s theft of party funds  The Guardian

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum - BBC
26 May 2026 at 5:41pm
Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum  BBC

Scotland Renews Push for Independence With Labour in Turmoil - Bloomberg.com
26 May 2026 at 5:45pm
Scotland Renews Push for Independence With Labour in Turmoil  Bloomberg.com

Democratic mandate reached for independence referendum - Scottish Greens
26 May 2026 at 8:41am
Democratic mandate reached for independence referendum  Scottish Greens

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

How to watch the Scottish Parliament vote on Section 30 referendum powers - T...
26 May 2026 at 5:10am
How to watch the Scottish Parliament vote on Section 30 referendum powers  The National Scot

MSPs set to vote on plans for second independence referendum - BBC
25 May 2026 at 10:47pm
MSPs set to vote on plans for second independence referendum  BBC

Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum - ...
12 May 2026 at 1:00am
Scotland's head of government vows to hold another independence referendum  ConstitutionNet

MSPs to vote on plans for second independence referendum - Holyrood Website
26 May 2026 at 12:39am
MSPs to vote on plans for second independence referendum  Holyrood Website

Swinney: Scots will ?resoundingly? back independence if second vote takes pla...
26 May 2026 at 3:04pm
Swinney: Scots will ?resoundingly? back independence if second vote takes place  Ham & High

There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Sc...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
There?s little love for the SNP ? so why does the party look set to win in Scotland?  The Conversation