The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Scottish Greens' call to evict US military from Prestwick Airport slapped down
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
18 Feb 2026 at 6:06pm
The Greens claimed that the airport is financially dependent on ?ongoing and routine use by the military?, rather than commercial flights.


Lord Advocate denies 'political interference' over Murrell update to Swinney
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
18 Feb 2026 at 5:49pm
During a tense appearance in Holyrood on Wednesday afternoon, Dorothy Bain said she was not considering her position.


Titan Crane 'fiasco' ignites Facebook showdown among Clydebank politicians
by emily.moore@newsquest.co.uk | Emily Moore
18 Feb 2026 at 4:53pm
Leading Clydebank politicians have ignited a dispute over the responsibility of the Titan Crane's closure via a comment section on Facebook


Could parents take Scottish Government to court over new religious education ...
18 Feb 2026 at 4:00pm
The Scottish Government's new religious education law is controversial, with critics warning it diminishes parental rights.


SNP edging toward Holyrood majority in new poll as Reform and Labour tie
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
18 Feb 2026 at 2:00pm
The SNP is edging toward a majority in May's Holyrood election, a new poll has suggested, with Reform UK challenging Labour for second place


Captain of Marinera tanker indicted in U.S after being taken from Scotland
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
18 Feb 2026 at 11:36am
The captain of a tanker seized north of Scotland and taken to the Moray Firth has been officially charged in the United States


Glasgow's council tax could be raised by 5% amid refugee homelessness crisis
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
18 Feb 2026 at 10:58am
Council bosses have repeatedly warned of a coming funding crunch over the overspend on homelessness services, which they blame on the UK Government.


Holyrood election 'at risk' due to backlogs and shortages at Royal Mail
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
18 Feb 2026 at 10:14am
The union which represents postal workers has warned the state of Royal Mail services in Scotland poses a risk to May's Holyrood election


Calls for answers about Lord Advocate?s email to FM on Peter Murrell charge
by Nick Forbes
18 Feb 2026 at 8:19am
The Conservatives are now saying the Lord Advocate must explain her message to the First Minister


Close Glasgow's 'failed' drug consumption room, Scottish Government urged
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
18 Feb 2026 at 6:00am
The UK's safe drug consumption room has "failed", the Scottish Tories have said as they call on the Scottish Government to close the Glasgow facility.


'All eyes' on Westminster as The Herald gets set for Budget Briefing
by scott.wright@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Scott Wright
18 Feb 2026 at 4:32am
Scottish business leaders will gather to debate the big issues in Glasgow


Much debated religious education bill passes at Holyrood
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
17 Feb 2026 at 8:17pm
A bill seeking to change the process for children withdrawing from religious education has passed in the Scottish Parliament


Civil servants' hybrid working policy isn't working. That must change
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
17 Feb 2026 at 3:27pm
Figures revealed core civil servants are rarely in the office despite a Scottish Government target of 40% hybrid working.


'Choosing to deny support': Scots rape crisis centres hammer government over ...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
17 Feb 2026 at 4:49pm
Three rape crisis centres have hit out at the Scottish Government for instituting a ?significant real-terms? funding cut they say will make women and girls less safe.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP in touching distance of Holyrood majority with Reform poised to edge pass...
18 Feb 2026 at 2:01pm

The SNP is on course to match its performance in the 2021 election despite its vote share having dropped, according to a new poll.

Scots think both the SNP and Labour represent ?more of the same? in politics.

The SNP has published its regional list candidates for the 2026 Holyrood election.

Some patients have been told to start preparing to come off the medicine immediately due to the national shortage.

John Swinney?s government is under fire after waiting times for A&E departments soared - with the situation facing patients branded ?unacceptable?

Wings over Scotland

The Future Is Yesterday
18 Feb 2026 at 2:10pm
So on the one hand there’s obviously very little point paying attention to the SNP’s regional list candidates for May’s Holyrood election, because as this website has comprehensively demonstrated over recent months, the chances of the SNP having any list MSPs elected are remote. However, nothing is impossible, so let’s take a look at the …

Scotland In Numbers
17 Feb 2026 at 11:30pm
Cost of keeping vital rape crisis services in Glasgow operating: £500,000. Amount of money wasted by the Scottish Government fighting and losing court cases to try to remove women’s rights: £1.14 million. Angry yet?

The Longest Road
16 Feb 2026 at 1:23pm
As the six-year fight for justice for Alex Salmond continues, we thought you might like to see this clip from this morning’s Mike Graham Show, interviewing Paul McManus, the businessman and drummer in Glasgow rock band Gun who’s stepped up to fund the Salmond family’s case against the Scottish Government despite disagreeing with much of …

The Modern Politician
10 Feb 2026 at 5:17pm
A play in three acts: And you thought ours were spineless. Poor old Anas, though. If 24 hours is a long time in politics these days, a week is forever. And a month hardly even bears thinking about. As for a year and a half, well, the less said the better.

A Dumber Nation
9 Feb 2026 at 3:52pm
In politics, readers, evil and stupidity aren’t the same thing. But nor are they exclusive. Before we ask you to consider which of the terms applies to the Scottish Government led by John Swinney, we’d like you to read this letter sent to Wings by the auntie of two women imprisoned in Scottish jails. “I …

Echoes of history
8 Feb 2026 at 5:26pm
The Sunday National’s front page today elicited a sigh of “So what?” from most. We’ve already GOT a “pro-indy” majority at Holyrood and have done for the last 10 years, for all it’s been worth. But to be fair there was a paragraph in the article that at least raised a quizzical eyebrow. Because, y’know, …

A Stitch In Timing
5 Feb 2026 at 4:09pm
Readers will probably be aware that literally as you read this, the Scottish Government is in court trying to defend its policy of letting male murderers be housed in women’s prisons by arguing that the Equality Act 2010 (as ruled on by the Supreme Court in the For Women Scotland case) is incompatible with the …

The Marshalling Plan
2 Feb 2026 at 1:25pm
Another month has passed, so we suppose it must be time for the third of our polling-analysis pieces for the Scottish Parliament election in May. (Last time round we assessed the grotesque rank idiocy of voting SNP on the list if you want a pro-indy majority, and the time before that we considered the possible …

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 …

Craig Murray

Two Little Caracas Videos
17 Feb 2026 at 6:34am

I hope to write a serious article shortly about the position of Venezuela, which is rather that of a hostage with a gun to their head, attempting to appease a psychopath. But for now here are a couple of small videos illustrating that it is a lie that the country is failed, starving or repressive. …

Two Little Caracas Videos

Postpone The Celebrations
14 Feb 2026 at 7:46am

On the face of it the English High Court ruling that the Palestine Action proscription is unlawful makes the decision that the proscription remains in place pending appeal utterly illogical. But what if the High Court ruling is deliberately designed to fail at appeal? I believe that it is. They chose an extremely narrow path …

Postpone The Celebrations

Is The USA Controlling Venezuela
7 Feb 2026 at 5:54pm

My first video report from Venezuela: My being here reporting is entirely possible due, as is all my journalism and activism, to your individual subscriptions and donations. We now have a Venezuela reporting crowdfunder. I have simply edited the Lebanese GoFundMe crowdfunder, because that took many weeks to be approved and I don’t want to …

Is The USA Controlling Venezuela

Filton Acquittals Demolish Starmer and Cooper Lies About Palestine Action
5 Feb 2026 at 6:49pm

As the trial finished at Woolwich Crown Court of the six Palestine Action activists who entered the Filton factory to destroy Israeli killer drones, Starmer, Cooper, Lammy and Mahmood are left bereft of a single guilty verdict in the case on which they relied heavily to label Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. I could …

Filton Acquittals Demolish Starmer and Cooper Lies About Palestine Action

Trump, Pirate of the Caribbean
3 Feb 2026 at 11:14am

I have now been here a week and I think that I have absorbed enough to attempt a little analysis, as opposed to the simple impressions I gave shortly after arrival. Those impressions remain valid however: this is not a repressive state. I was on the Randy Credico show live on WBAI New York on …

Trump, Pirate of the Caribbean

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

BBC Scotland

Scotland's top law officer not considering position over Murrell memo
18 Feb 2026 at 6:57pm
The lord advocate has been grilled by MSPs over her email about a criminal charge against the ex-SNP chief executive.

Swinney was told of Murrell charges weeks before they became public
18 Feb 2026 at 3:43pm
Former SNP chief executive Murrell is accused of embezzling £459,000 from the party over a 12-year period.

'No guarantee' bus driver's killer will have free pass removed
17 Feb 2026 at 1:22pm
MSPs are demanding assurances Keith Rollinson's attacker will not get concessionary travel upon his release.

Ministers deny involvement in delay to Murrell court hearing
17 Feb 2026 at 4:33pm
A preliminary hearing which was scheduled to take place this Friday has been moved to 25 May.

Free tuition under threat without revenue boost, report warns
17 Feb 2026 at 6:42am
Scotland's more generous benefits and public policies may have to be reconsidered, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Officers call for police cars to be equipped with guns
16 Feb 2026 at 2:38pm
The Scottish Police Federation wants the country to follow New Zealand in allowing officers to quickly access weapons in emergencies.

New adverts urge boys not to share sexist content online
16 Feb 2026 at 11:54am
The Scottish government campaign highlights the hurt that online misogyny can cause to women and girls.

Sarwar says Starmer 'welcome to chap doors' during Scottish election campaign
15 Feb 2026 at 12:08pm
The Scottish Labour leader has said he stands by his decision to call for the prime minister to resign.

Government sues dentists for not treating enough NHS patients
14 Feb 2026 at 1:54pm
More than 250 dentists are understood to be facing legal action as ministers look to reclaim bursary funding.

Desperate times are behind Sarwar's PM resignation call
14 Feb 2026 at 9:14am
Anas Sarwar's demand for Sir Keir Starmer's resignation may look disloyal but it was borne of fear and frustration.

Glen Sannox ferry return delayed by anchor fault
13 Feb 2026 at 6:42pm
The CalMac ship was been out of action since November for annual overhaul and other work

Peter Murrell accused of embezzling £459,000 over 12-year period
13 Feb 2026 at 5:57pm
The former SNP chief executive is accused of illicitly purchasing items including luxury goods, jewellery, cosmetics, two cars and a motorhome.

Scot Goes Pop

Analysis of new More In Common poll showing the SNP on course for big victory
18 Feb 2026 at 4:09pm
Just a quick note to let you know that I have a new article at The National about the freshly-released More In Common poll, which has the SNP on course for 64 seats - the same as in 2021, but on a ...

REVEALED: The secret results of Alba's rigged 2023 NEC elections, and the hig...
17 Feb 2026 at 7:14pm

"Harken, brothers, what is that irritatingly persistent yet strangely compell...
16 Feb 2026 at 4:03pm

REVEALED AT LAST: What Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh NEVER wanted you to know - the "s...
14 Feb 2026 at 3:36pm
In October 2023, Alex Salmond took to the stage of Alba's 2023 conference in Glasgow, theatrically brandishing what he claimed was a "black dossier" containing unspecified evidence of unspecified w...

REVEALED: It was the Alba Party's acting Chair, DEBBIE EWEN, who was behind t...
12 Feb 2026 at 6:52pm

BREAKING: Alba takes another major step towards total disintegration, as the ...
12 Feb 2026 at 3:53pm
It shows you the level of (justified) paranoia within the ultra-Stalinist Alba party that three different people (who as far as I know are all unconnected with each other) have contacted me about a...

"The joke is over": Now even the SALMOND FAMILY have turned their backs on th...
11 Feb 2026 at 3:28pm
Today brings the news of the resignation of Gail Hendry, Alex Salmond's sister, from the Alba NEC, and indeed after making the video below I was told that several other NEC members (plus at least o...

Which leader did Anas Sarwar just bring down - was it Keir Starmer, or himself?
10 Feb 2026 at 4:27am
There aren't many outlets that report Scottish polling accurately and without unionist bias.  If you value the service Scot Goes Pop provides, you currently have a thrilling opportunity to help wit...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Lord Advocate denies giving First Minister ?political advantage? in Murrell case
18 Feb 2026 at 6:14pm
Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC faced questions over why details of the charge were given to John Swinney

John Swinney vows to respect court ?independence? amid Peter Murrell charge q...
18 Feb 2026 at 12:42pm
The First Minister declined to comment on why he was given sight of the indictment weeks before it was made public

Calls for answers about Lord Advocate?s email to FM on Peter Murrell charge
18 Feb 2026 at 8:59am
The Conservatives say the First Minister received a ?private warning? about the charges against the former SNP chief executive

From the mines to the North Sea: Workers fear history is repeating itself 
18 Feb 2026 at 6:33am
Workers in the energy industry believe the transition to renewables is pushing the sector towards collapse

Displaced workers scheme could create 30,000 hours of social care each month
18 Feb 2026 at 6:33am
The scheme helps employers recruit international workers who are already in the UK, but who have lost their sponsored employment.

Holyrood backs FOI reform but any changes will be after May election
17 Feb 2026 at 9:37pm
While the Scottish Government did not support the Bill, MSPs voted by 85 votes to 30 with eight abstentions.

Scottish Government denies involvement in delay to Peter Murrell court appear...
17 Feb 2026 at 5:19pm
The next hearing for the former SNP chief executive has been moved to after the Holyrood election

?No guarantee? teen who killed bus driver will have free travel pass removed
17 Feb 2026 at 1:39pm
The boy who killed Keith Rollinson could be released within weeks after two years in secure accommodation

Scotland may need to cut free university and benefits amid budget strain, thi...
17 Feb 2026 at 6:19am
A think tank has warned the Scottish Government may need to find ways to collect more tax to keep certain benefits

?We?re struggling and nobody?s listening?: Families lose hope ahead of Holyro...
17 Feb 2026 at 6:19am
Parents tell STV News they don't have a political home as the cost of living crisis forces sacrifices

Public will value my honesty in call for Starmer to quit, says Sarwar
15 Feb 2026 at 11:40am
The Scottish Labour leader was pressed on whether his own position has been weakened by the events of this week.

Swinney: Timing of Murrell embezzlement hearing is matter for the courts
14 Feb 2026 at 1:24pm
The First Minister spoke after a hearing for former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was moved until after the election

Labour should reverse ban on new oil and gas licences, Blair?s think tank says
13 Feb 2026 at 8:32pm
The windfall tax, currently set at 38%, was introduced under the previous government in May 2022.

I did not step back from urging Starmer to quit in call with him ? Sarwar
13 Feb 2026 at 4:51pm
The Scottish Labour leader said he spoke to the Prime Minister on the phone on Thursday

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Trump U-turns again on Chagos Islands and attacks Starmer over deal
18 Feb 2026 at 8:36pm
Donald Trump has once again reversed his position on the UK?s Chagos Islands deal, attacking Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the lease of the strategic Diego Garcia military base just weeks after ...

Lord Advocate denies being corrupt after John Swinney briefed on Peter Murrel...
18 Feb 2026 at 5:55pm
Dorothy Bain faced questions from MSPs following the revelation she had emailed the First Minister with details of the charge against Peter Murrell.

Scottish politics today: John Swinney refuses to comment on Lord Advocate 'ti...
18 Feb 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its daily 5pm briefing of the top stories in Scottish politics.

SNP close in on Holyrood majority despite 'voter disillusionment' with Nats' ...
18 Feb 2026 at 2:00pm
John Swinney is on course to remain as First Minister despite the Nationalists facing a "clear sense of voter disillusionment after nearly two decades in office".

John Swinney 'tipped off' over Peter Murrell trial as Lord Advocate called be...
18 Feb 2026 at 12:42pm
Dorothy Bain reportedly emailed the First Minister on January 19 with information regarding the charges against Peter Murrell.

Glasgow council to hike tax by 5% and borrow £30m to tackle refugee homelessn...
18 Feb 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: The SNP-led administration is considering taxing and borrowing more to fill a near £50m black hole partly caused by a rise in homelessness.

Scottish politics today: 'No guarantee' teen killer won't get free bus pass o...
17 Feb 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its daily 5pm briefing of the top stories in Scottish politics.

Peter Murrell trial delay had nothing to do with Scottish Government, insists...
17 Feb 2026 at 2:59pm
Ex-SNP chief executive Murrell, 61, was originally due to appear in court in Glasgow on February 20.

SNP Minister refuses to say if thug who killed bus driver will be banned from...
17 Feb 2026 at 1:18pm
Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, said a question about the killer was ?disrespectful? and claimed he could make no ?guarantees?.

Scots warned 'we're already in conflict with Russia' as UK Government plans d...
17 Feb 2026 at 11:02am
Keir Starmer is considering making a significant increase in UK defence spending after warning world leaders of the need to "spend more, faster".

The National

The National | Politics

Prominent Scottish peace activist dies aged 87 as tributes pour in
18 Feb 2026 at 6:52pm

Tributes have poured in following the death of a prominent Scottish independence and peace activist

Independence is not handed out like a prize for good behaviour
18 Feb 2026 at 6:30pm

I READ Bruce Crichton?s letter on February 16 about the ?Voluntary Union Bill,? and I?ll be honest ? it left me shaking my head. He?s a decent man, I?m sure, but there?s a real streak of naivety running through what he?s arguing. It?s the kind of argument that sounds clever in theory and collapses the second you hold it up to real life.

Lord Advocate warns Anas Sarwar 'not to undermine law' after Peter Murrell le...
18 Feb 2026 at 6:12pm

SCOTLAND?S top law officer has accused Labour MSP Anas Sarwar of putting ?factual errors into the public domain? and reminded him to ?ensure that scrutiny of the acts of independent prosecutors should not be done in a way which undermines the rule of law? ...

Rachel Reeves heckled during visit to Sainsbury's
18 Feb 2026 at 5:18pm

Rachel Reeves has been heckled during a visit to a supermarket

Lord Advocate rejects claim 'SNP got political advantage from Peter Murrell m...
18 Feb 2026 at 5:10pm

SCOTLAND'S most senior law officer has denied breaching protocol or giving any political advantage to SNP ministers after she informed the First Minister about details of the charges against Peter Murrell weeks before they became public.

Why 8000 migrant workers are preparing to sue the UK Government
18 Feb 2026 at 5:00pm

A GROUP representing over 8000 migrant workers across the UK is preparing to take the UK Government to court over the proposed changes to immigration rules.

Scottish Greens deny claim party officials ?asked Your Party to stand aside i...
18 Feb 2026 at 4:38pm

THE Scottish Greens have denied a claim that senior party figures ?suggested Your Party stand aside? at the upcoming Holyrood elections ...

No 10 working with adviser despite sexual misconduct claims
18 Feb 2026 at 4:15pm

Downing Street has continued to work with an adviser despite sexual misconduct claims against them, it has emerged

MSPs reject bid to ban Donald Trump's military from Scottish airports
18 Feb 2026 at 3:50pm

MSPs have rejected a bid to ban Donald Trump?s military from using publicly-owned Scottish airports

Expert analysis as new poll puts SNP in touching distance of majority
18 Feb 2026 at 3:08pm

THERE is something mildly dizzying about an opinion poll which shows the SNP on 33 per cent of the Holyrood constituency vote and 31 per cent of the list vote, and yet purportedly places the SNP just one seat short of achieving a single-party overall majority ? which is the threshold...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

SNP one seat short of majority, new poll finds
18 Feb 2026 at 2:00pm
John Swinney has said a majority could lead to another referendum on Scottish independence

Demand for answers after John Swinney ?tipped off? about Peter Murrell case
18 Feb 2026 at 1:02pm
Details of the charges were made public on 13 February ? but the first minister was made aware on 19 January

National Crime Agency: War on online child abuse is becoming tougher
18 Feb 2026 at 10:48am
Tech firms and regulator must do more, NCA says

All to play for: Scottish games industry unveils election asks
17 Feb 2026 at 4:57pm
Chris van der Kuyl: 'The global industry is changing rapidly, and we cannot stand still'

Douglas Ross:?Peter Murrell adjournment ?stinks?
17 Feb 2026 at 3:14pm
SNP minister says government did not intervene on scheduling

Techscaler sets sights on New York as programme expands
17 Feb 2026 at 5:00am
Kate Forbes announces investment drive

Next Scottish Government faces tough choices as funding advantage diminishes,...
17 Feb 2026 at 12:57am
If similar public services are to remain over the next parliament, the IFS says the next government would be required to either raise taxes or cut spending elsewhere

Scottish Government official questioned over Mandelson ties
16 Feb 2026 at 4:23pm
The Director-General for Economy has been questioned over his contact with Peter Mandelson, according to?reports

Revolutionising NHS Scotland?s Digital Healthcare: A Unified, National Approach
16 Feb 2026 at 6:00am
By working in partnership, OneAdvanced and NHS Scotland can accelerate digital innovation, improve outcomes for patients and clinicians, and establish a future-ready health and care system aligned to Scotland?s long-term strategic ambitions.

Millionaire rock drummer takes on Alex Salmond case against Scottish Government
13 Feb 2026 at 2:45pm
Paul McManus of Gun brought in thanks to Fergus Ewing MSP and PR guru Jack Irvine

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

The Guardian view on Scotland?s housing crisis: supply has failed to keep pac...
18 Feb 2026 at 6:25pm
The country?s homelessness legislation is ambitious and humane. But too many people are still sleeping on the streets or in temporary accommodationRough sleeping in Scotland has risen by 106% over the past three years. Record numbers of children are now living in temporary accommodation, official...

?It?s betrayal?: Shetland?s scallop fishers brace for arrival of UK?s largest...
17 Feb 2026 at 12:00pm
Huge project by Norwegian-owned Scottish Sea Farms gets go-ahead amid concerns over the environmental cost of fish farming and threat to traditional way of lifeAt Collafirth, north Shetland, Sydney Johnson is unloading two-dozen bags of scallops by throwing them over his head like medicine balls ...

Tuesday briefing: The factors that will shape the future of Scotland
17 Feb 2026 at 7:55am
In today?s newsletter: As Scottish voters prepare to go to the polls, how can Labour, Reform and the Conservatives capitalise on weakening trust in the SNP?Good morning. The SNP has been in government since 2007, a phenomenal 19-year run, but polling suggests Scottish voters? trust in its ability...

Mick Duncan obituary
16 Feb 2026 at 8:39pm
My friend and fellow architect Mick Duncan, who has died aged 86, imbued his architecture with human scale and proportion, whether for the extensive buildings for Stirling University, at Victoria Quay housing the Scottish Executive in Leith, or in the modest yet stately headquarters for United Di...

Scottish Labour leader says he doesn?t regret calling for Starmer to quit ? U...
13 Feb 2026 at 4:30pm
Anas Sarwar said that he stood by what he said when he announced on Monday that he wanted the prime minister to stand downThe Equality and Human Rights Commission has welcomed a high court ruling defending the interim guidance it issued to organisations about the implications of the supreme court...

Jeane Freeman obituary
12 Feb 2026 at 5:57pm
SNP politician who served as Scottish health secretary and led the government?s response to the covid pandemicJeane Freeman, who has died aged 72, held two critical roles in the SNP government at Holyrood, leading the Scottish government?s response to the Covid pandemic alongside Nicola Sturgeon ...

Anas Sarwar says Starmer can campaign in Scotland after calling for him to quit
11 Feb 2026 at 5:59pm
Scottish Labour leader agrees PM can support party?s effort to win May?s Holyrood election in abrupt about-faceThe Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, has agreed that Keir Starmer can campaign for the party in the Holyrood elections just days after calling for the prime minister to resign.In a m...

Anas Sarwar says Starmer welcome to campaign for Labour in Scotland, days aft...
11 Feb 2026 at 5:56pm
Two days ago, the Scottish Labour leader said he wanted the prime minister to avoid Scotland during the election campaign because of his deep unpopularity with votersFamilies of nurses and carers have said they fear being torn apart under an immigration crackdown condemned as ?an act of economic ...

No 10 confident Sarwar acted alone in call for Starmer to go
10 Feb 2026 at 8:17pm
Downing Street initially feared Scottish Labour leader?s move was part of a wider leadership challenge Downing Street is increasingly confident that Anas Sarwar?s call for Keir Starmer to stand down was not part of a coordinated plot by a leadership rival to bring down the prime minister, the Gua...

Starmer says he ?will never walk away? as Burnham joins Labour figures backin...
10 Feb 2026 at 6:12pm
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereKemi Badenoch has said that Keir Starmer just received a ?stay of execution? yesterday. Speaking to reporters on a visit this morning, she said:Starmer is in a very dangerous place. The Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the quie...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The choice facing Scotland is independence or fascism.
18 Feb 2026 at 5:13pm
A major new poll was published on Wednesday which confirms other recent polls in showing that Scots are on track to elect a pro-independence majority to Holyrood in May’s election. Even better, this new poll, carried out by More in Common, shows that the SNP are within striking distance of winning an absolute majority in …

Westminster?s great Scottish energy rip off
17 Feb 2026 at 3:07pm
In news that hasn’t appeared anywhere on BBC Scotland to my shock and surprise, that’s shock and surprise as in “I was shocked and surprised to learn that the Pope believes in god.” A majority of MSPs have backed a campaign calling for an end to rip off energy bills in Scotland. Despite Scotland being …

Fundraiser update and a look to the election in May
14 Feb 2026 at 12:54pm
I thought I’d publish an update on the progress so far of the 2026 Wee Ginger Dug annual fundraiser. This is always an anxious time of the year as I ask other people to put their money where my mouth is. The blog is free to read for all and eschews advertising, paid content or …

Billionaire tax evader blames poor people for Britain?s problems
13 Feb 2026 at 1:05pm
73 year old billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, the UK’s own racist granddad, moved to the tax haven of Monaco in 2020 in order to avoid paying his fair share of taxes. He’s doubtless one of those English people living abroad who considers himself an ‘expat’ and not an immigrant. It’s equally likely that he doesn’t speak …

Labour?s real problem in Scotland is that Sarwar and Starmer are the same.
12 Feb 2026 at 9:10am
It’s hard to overstate just how much of a shambles the Labour party in Scotland has got itself into. On Wednesday The Herald was reporting that branch manager Anas Sarwar had doubled down on his call for Keir Starmer to stand down as Prime Minister while at the very same time The Guardian’s Scottish correspondent …

Labour sleaze and its dangerous association with Palantir
11 Feb 2026 at 2:35pm
To paraphrase Shakespeare, Oh what a revolting web we weave when we mire ourselves in sleaze. Labour’s self inflicted paedophile adjacent chaos continues. Starmer has now belatedly removed the Labour whip from Labour peer Matthew Doyle, who served as Starmer’s chief of communications until March last year. Doyle was given a peerage by Starmer on …

Starmer and Sarwar, the Tweedledum and Tweedledumber of political arrogance
10 Feb 2026 at 1:26pm
If you’re having a bad day today, console yourself with the thought that Anas Sarwar is having a much worse day than you are, cue the world’s tiniest violin. Sarwar can’t do anything right, not even lay claim to the title of Scotland’s leading self-important nepo-baby, Fergus Ewing has got that one sewn up. In …

Keir Starmer gets bitten by his soon to be neutered Scottish poodle
9 Feb 2026 at 4:23pm
I’m not going to lie, I never expected that in 2026 I’d have “Excitedly awaiting a press conference from Anas Sarwar” on my bingo card. Due to the rapidly unfolding Mandelson scandal, in the space of 24 hours Keir Starmer has lost his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and his director of communications Tim Allan. …

Starmer, Corbyn, and implications for May?s Scottish elections
9 Feb 2026 at 11:55am
The big political story of the moment is of course the psychodrama enveloping Keir Starmer and the Labour party over the fallout from Starmer’s decision to appoint serial sleaze magnet Peter Mandelson to the high profile position as British ambassador to the USA despite Mandelson’s close ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and decades long …

it?s not John Swinney who must be held to account for Mandelson, it?s Starmer...
8 Feb 2026 at 1:56pm
Certain individuals such as the execrable Russell Findlay, the soon to be electorally humbled branch manager of the Tories in Scotland, and Mandy Rhodes, the editor of Holyrood Magazine, a publication with considerably fewer readers than this blog, are attempting to make political capital out of the fact that when on an official visit to …

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

Youth employment nearly 60% higher in England than in Scotland
18 Feb 2026 at 6:48pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Once more, the Times‘ supposed Scotland edition does not just not do Scotland, it misrepresents it. There are no directly comparable data for 18 to 24 year-olds but there are for 16 to 24 year-...

News houses built in flood risk areas ? 1 in 9 in England but only 1 in 200 i...
18 Feb 2026 at 6:47pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON In the Guardian today, the above, and: One in nine new homes in England built between 2022 and 2024 were constructed in areas that could now be at risk of flooding, according to new data. The f...

As drug deaths fall and as locals find fewer discarded needles, Annie Wells c...
18 Feb 2026 at 6:45pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON In the Herald today: The UK’s only drug consumption room has been branded a “failed experiment” as the Scottish Government faces calls to shut down the facility. The Thistle, based on Hunter St...

No A&E system in the world is reported as hitting targets, post pandemic yet S...
18 Feb 2026 at 6:44pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Full reports: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/02/18/no-ae-system-in-the-world-is-reported-as-hitting-targets-post-pandemic-yet-scotlands-media-are-addicted-to-it/ https://talkingupscotland...

Reported cases of paedophilia far fewer per head in Scotland than in other pa...
18 Feb 2026 at 6:42pm
No tasteless images here. Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON This is a classic example of why the SNP or the Scottish Government would never employ me but I do not see why, in this struggle against the odds, we should refuse to c...

As Herald platforms former GP?s shop steward, now apparently Labour Party act...
18 Feb 2026 at 11:36am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON The Herald today has – Warning of rising pressure on GPs – by Andrew Buist, supposedly a ‘senior doctor‘ but really just a former shop steward. Here’s the opening text: I don’t need to tell you...

No A&E system in the world is reported as hitting targets, post pandemic yet S...
18 Feb 2026 at 11:09am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON Is any A&E system, in the world, hitting targets, post pandemic? Note - this is an AI report so far more trustworthy than anything you'll get from BBC Scotland, STV, the Herald................. ...

As Scotsman?s unnamed ?medical professionals? dream up another NHS crisis how...
18 Feb 2026 at 10:51am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON The Scotsman today, front page claim – A&E system ‘in perpetual crisis’ as target missed again, is based on a statistically meaningless, one week variation, of only 0.4%, in a winter week of ice...

Using the ?Scotland?s? co-codamol shortage to conceal how for three years now...
18 Feb 2026 at 10:20am
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON BBC UK is headlining the above serious problem, crisis, in the funding of local pharmacies, often a lifeline service in some communities. BBC Scotland, as we’ll see below, cannot just mirror thi...

Laughable ? the Scotsman?s ?top economist? casting doubt on the SNP budget is...
17 Feb 2026 at 11:30pm
Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. In the Scotsman, 4 days ago, and influencing other reports in Scotland’s media: SNP budget ‘looks increasingly detached from reality’, top economist warns – SNP ministers have not got the money to pay for doctor?s pay deals with next year?s budget looking ?increasingly detached f...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

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

Tributes pour in after death of 'leader in Scotland's peace movement' - TheNa...
18 Feb 2026 at 7:35pm
Tributes pour in after death of 'leader in Scotland's peace movement'  TheNational.scot

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

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

If Sarwar really puts Scotland first, why won't he back our right to leave? -...
18 Feb 2026 at 6:34am
If Sarwar really puts Scotland first, why won't he back our right to leave?  The Herald

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

New book charts writer?s role in thwarting Scottish independence - gatescambr...
3 Feb 2026 at 10:32am
New book charts writer?s role in thwarting Scottish independence  gatescambridge.org

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

Scottish independence could 'reduce energy bills by more than a third', First...
8 Dec 2025 at 8:00am
Scottish independence could 'reduce energy bills by more than a third', First Minister John Swinney says  Sky News

SNP still insist independence means cheaper energy bills despite mounting evi...
16 Feb 2026 at 1:08pm
SNP still insist independence means cheaper energy bills despite mounting evidence against it  Scottish Daily Express

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Swinney was told of Murrell charges weeks before they became public - BBC
18 Feb 2026 at 3:43pm
Swinney was told of Murrell charges weeks before they became public  BBC

SNP ?edges towards? Holyrood majority with 64 seats, poll finds - The Times
18 Feb 2026 at 3:12pm
SNP ?edges towards? Holyrood majority with 64 seats, poll finds  The Times

Expert analysis as new poll puts SNP in touching distance of majority - TheNa...
18 Feb 2026 at 3:37pm
Expert analysis as new poll puts SNP in touching distance of majority  TheNational.scot

SNP one seat short of majority, new poll finds - Holyrood Website
18 Feb 2026 at 2:08pm
SNP one seat short of majority, new poll finds  Holyrood Website

SNP in touching distance of Holyrood majority with Reform poised to edge pass...
18 Feb 2026 at 8:03pm
SNP in touching distance of Holyrood majority with Reform poised to edge pass Labour, new poll finds  The Scotsman

SNP edging toward Holyrood majority in new poll as Reform and Labour tie - Th...
18 Feb 2026 at 1:57pm
SNP edging toward Holyrood majority in new poll as Reform and Labour tie  The Herald

Peter Murrell accused of embezzling £459,000 from SNP, court papers show | Sc...
13 Feb 2026 at 7:02pm
Peter Murrell accused of embezzling £459,000 from SNP, court papers show | Scotland  The Guardian

AMD Preparing Linux Kernel For "RMPOPT" To Help Reduce Overhead On SEV-SNP Se...
17 Feb 2026 at 9:22pm
AMD Preparing Linux Kernel For "RMPOPT" To Help Reduce Overhead On SEV-SNP Servers  Phoronix

The Highlander's Dilemma: 19 Years of SNP Fatigue Opens Door for Reform - str...
17 Feb 2026 at 10:10am
The Highlander's Dilemma: 19 Years of SNP Fatigue Opens Door for Reform  streamlinefeed.co.ke

Councillor joins SNP - but will remain an independent - Helensburgh Advertiser
18 Feb 2026 at 10:03am
Councillor joins SNP - but will remain an independent  Helensburgh Advertiser

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

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

Scottish independence views 'like belief in God', says Alex Cole-Hamilton - T...
15 Feb 2026 at 11:03am
Scottish independence views 'like belief in God', says Alex Cole-Hamilton  TheNational.scot

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

Swinney sets out latest plan for an independence referendum - BBC
4 Sep 2025 at 8:00am
Swinney sets out latest plan for an independence referendum  BBC

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

Swinney says SNP win would trigger new Scotland referendum | Daily Sabah - Da...
18 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Swinney says SNP win would trigger new Scotland referendum | Daily Sabah  Daily Sabah

Scottish independence could 'reduce energy bills by more than a third', First...
8 Dec 2025 at 8:00am
Scottish independence could 'reduce energy bills by more than a third', First Minister John Swinney says  Sky News

Scottish political snapshot, November 2025 - YouGov
17 Nov 2025 at 8:00am
Scottish political snapshot, November 2025  YouGov

Scottish leader vows another independence vote if his party wins in May - Pre...
18 Jan 2026 at 6:59pm
Scottish leader vows another independence vote if his party wins in May  PressTV