The Herald

The Herald | Politics


?That is unaffordable?: Business owners confront Swinney over rates surge
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
2 Apr 2026 at 6:34pm
Business owners across Scotland are warning of closures and job losses as soaring rateable values push costs beyond reach. One restaurateur?s story has become a stark symbol of the pressure facing high streets.


Scottish solicitors join case against Donald Trump executive orders in the U.S
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
2 Apr 2026 at 4:21pm
The Law Society of Scotland has joined a court case in the United States challenging executive orders issued by President Donald Trump targeting firms for the clients they represent


Exile, error and illusion on the ballot paper for next month's election
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
2 Apr 2026 at 3:49pm
Nearly 700 candidates are standing in Scotland?s election ? but behind the numbers lie stranger stories: an exiled figure like George Galloway, disappearing candidates, and a ?party? accused of misleading voters.


Safer drug-use facility dividing Edinburgh politics ? what each party told Th...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
2 Apr 2026 at 2:31pm
With the Holyrood election just five weeks away, The Herald asked the six major candidates running in the Edinburgh Central constituency to provide their view.


Every Holyrood hopeful standing in Edinburgh ? from the well-known to the wacky
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
2 Apr 2026 at 2:08pm
Parliamentary hopefuls will contest six constituencies across the city on May 7, as well as seven seats on the regional list.


'Tears are being weaponised': Leader of LGBTQ Greens quits after top candidat...
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
2 Apr 2026 at 12:10pm
Emma Cuthbertson, who led the Rainbow Greens alongside Guy Ingerson, has resigned her membership after Mr Ingerson was blocked from standing.


More than 4.2m people registered to vote in May elections
by Lucinda Cameron
2 Apr 2026 at 11:58am
More than 4.2 million people were registered to vote in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament elections by December 2025, a slight drop on the previous year, figures show.


Greens pledge 'free bus travel for all' as they launch campaign
by Craig Paton
2 Apr 2026 at 7:43am
The Scottish Greens are to pledge free bus travel as they launch their election campaign in Edinburgh.


Poll: Is Scottish or UK government viewed as performing better on business?
by ian.mcconnell@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Ian McConnell
2 Apr 2026 at 4:37am
The major poll, published by The Herald today, reveals which of the Scottish or UK governments is viewed as performing better.


Scottish business leaders' overwhelming view on Brexit revealed
by ian.mcconnell@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Ian McConnell
2 Apr 2026 at 4:35am
The results of a major poll of Scottish business leaders by The Herald are revealed today and make for fascinating reading


Major exclusive poll of business leaders yields fascinating results
by ian.mcconnell@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Ian McConnell
2 Apr 2026 at 4:32am
A major exclusive poll of Scottish business leaders by The Herald has yielded fascinating results


Sarwar: Reid should be sacked if wrongdoing found as Holyrood candidate row g...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
2 Apr 2026 at 11:26am
Joani Reid should be sacked as an MP if any wrongdoing is uncovered, Anas Sarwar has said, as he also accused a dropped Scottish Labour candidate of ?lying? to party staff.


Malcolm Offord: Why I disagree with Reform UK climate change 'deniers'
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
2 Apr 2026 at 12:18am
Malcolm Offord has distanced himself from a Reform UK mayor who said she does not believe in climate change by stating he has been ?to the North Pole?.


Reform leader accuses rival parties of ?gaslighting? voters on immigration
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
1 Apr 2026 at 4:32pm
Reform UK has accused rival parties of ?gaslighting? voters over migration and housing pressures in Glasgow.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Swinney warned of 'tumbleweed' high streets due to rates hikes
2 Apr 2026 at 7:44pm

The First Minister was challenged over the issue while attending a business hustings in Edinburgh

Mohammed Ameen was replaced as the Labour candidate for Glasgow Southside on Wednesday after he e appeared in private at Ayr Sheriff Court last Thursday.

The First Minister was criticised after signalling a change in position on North Sea development

The Scottish Labour leader promised to ?make sure more of the cost pressures are put on the online giants in the distribution centres? and bring in ?more reliefs for the individual businesses in town centres and high streets?

The party?s Scottish press officer north of the border, Amanda Crawford, has also quit.

The First Minister commented after new polling shows Reform voters prefer the idea of John Swinney to Anas Sarwar

The First Minister said ordinary people will pay the price

Wings over Scotland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Craig Murray

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

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

The Weight on Delcy Rodriguez

The Caracas Metro
26 Mar 2026 at 6:46am

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

The Caracas Metro

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

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

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

Seeing Trump Clearly
21 Mar 2026 at 12:19pm

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

Seeing Trump Clearly

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

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

Radicalism and Scottish Independence

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

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

Has Venezuela Abandoned Socialism?

BBC Scotland

How does the NHS in Scotland compare with the rest of the UK?
2 Apr 2026 at 11:00pm
BBC Verify looks at key measures to see what progress is being made and whether Scotland can be compared with other nations.

'An awful experiment': Families' cash boost as two-child limit is scrapped
2 Apr 2026 at 11:00pm
The nine-year policy that capped financial help at two children has been scrapped.

Swinney softens stance on North Sea drilling as oil prices soar
2 Apr 2026 at 2:01pm
The first minister said energy security should be a primary concern when making decisions on oil and gas projects.

More than 4.2 million registered to vote in Scottish Parliament election
2 Apr 2026 at 11:16am
The overall total, and that of 16 and 17-year-olds, is slightly down on last year.

SNP candidate ditched over handling of Linden complaints
1 Apr 2026 at 3:08pm
Tracy Carragher was a deputy council leader when it was reported that her former colleague had made unwanted advances towards a teenager.

Navy investigated links between nuclear sub commander and MP
1 Apr 2026 at 5:44pm
No disciplinary action was taken over the allegations of an inappropriate relationship with Scottish MP Joani Reid.

Labour drops election candidate after fraud charge
1 Apr 2026 at 2:37pm
Glasgow Southside hopeful Mohammed Ameen made no plea when he appeared in court last week.

Call for business rates reform as Scots face cost of living crunch
1 Apr 2026 at 4:50pm
One live music bar firm in Glasgow says it is facing a near six-fold increase and may have to lay off staff.

The huge task of rewiring Britain's electricity grid from top to bottom
1 Apr 2026 at 9:12am
The massive task of getting the power from where it is generated to where it is used involves a massive upgrade of the grid.

Green candidate replaced by rival who complained about him
31 Mar 2026 at 5:22pm
Guy Ingerson was due to top the North East list for the party until he was dropped due to an unresolved complaint.

Former SNP candidate accused of sex offences
31 Mar 2026 at 5:25pm
Fife councillor Stefan Hoggan claims there is a "a vile and disgusting vendetta" against him.

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

Scot Goes Pop

My plans for Scot Goes Pop's coverage of the Holyrood election campaign
2 Apr 2026 at 8:30pm
This post will come as a relief to some of you, because I've decided to temporarily go back to conventional blogging for the remainder of the Holyrood campaign.  The emphasis is on the word "tempor...

Joani of (Noah's nuclear-armed) Arc
1 Apr 2026 at 5:04pm
The senior naval officer Reid was reported for 'inappropriate' behaviour with at Faslane is *separate* to the captain she is linked to tonight by the FT's @LOS_FisherThe captain has reportedly step...

Shock poll portends weather boffin coup threat for Atlas chief Lyon
1 Apr 2026 at 8:57am
You've probably seen the propaganda poll from yesterday that the hapless Alliance to Liberate Scotland, aka "the Atlas", commissioned from Find Out Now.  It used the infamous Archie Stirling questi...

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

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

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

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

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

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

40% of 16 and 17-year-olds not registered to vote in Scottish election
2 Apr 2026 at 11:12am
Scots have until midnight on April 20 to register to cast their ballot in the Holyrood poll

Next government must ensure Scots get ?fair share? of green wealth ? campaigners
2 Apr 2026 at 9:04am
A poll has found about two thirds of Scots are in favour of energy projects being owned by communities and locally authorities

Greens to pledge free bus travel for all as they launch campaign
2 Apr 2026 at 9:01am
The party will promise to expand on the policy they championed while in government

PM urges Farage to sack Reform housing spokesman over ?shameful? Grenfell remark
2 Apr 2026 at 8:54am
Reform's housing spokesperson Simon Dudley said housing safety regulations had gone too far in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Swinney calls on PM to recall House of Commons to deal with UK energy ?crisis?
2 Apr 2026 at 8:53am
Scotland?s First Minister said Keir Starmer was ?sleepwalking? into an ?unprecedented energy crisis?

Royal Navy investigated relationship between nuclear submarine commander and MP
2 Apr 2026 at 8:50am
Joani Reid stepped down from the Labour party last month after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China

Labour candidate dropped after being charged with fraud
1 Apr 2026 at 12:51pm
Mohammed Ameen was running in the Glasgow Southside constituency

SNP pledge to open ?heart and lung MOT? centres
1 Apr 2026 at 8:43am
The centres would screen for diseases including cancer, COPD and heart disease

End ?ridiculous? royal tax breaks, Greens urge in election pledge
1 Apr 2026 at 8:18am
The party it was unfair the ?scandal-ridden? family were given perks while costs were soaring for regular people

Sarwar: SNP has sold out Scottish industry by sending jobs and investment abroad
1 Apr 2026 at 8:14am
The party leader promised that a Scottish Labour government will build and buy more in Scotland

Starmer to update on cost of living as Iran conflict pushes diesel tank to £100
1 Apr 2026 at 7:10am
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is due to speak at a press conference later on Wednesday morning

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

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

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

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Scottish politics today: Reform UK Holyrood campaign in 'meltdown' as more ca...
2 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
The Record brings you its regular 5pm round-up of the day's top Scottish politics stories

Joani Reid must quit as MP if 'any hint of any wrongdoing', says Anas Sarwar
2 Apr 2026 at 1:43pm
The MP for East Kilbride voluntarily surrendered the Labour whip last month following the arrest of her husband on espionage charges.

Anas Sarwar accuses fraud charge candidate of 'lying' to Scottish Labour staff
2 Apr 2026 at 1:30pm
Sarwar criticised Mohammed Ameen after the Record revealed he had been charged.

Malcolm Offord's election agent was embroiled in anti-semitism row over BBC j...
2 Apr 2026 at 12:11pm
EXCLUSIVE: Jean Anne Mitchell said she had been "tired" when she shared a post as a Labour candidate mentioning Nick Robinson's Jewish heritage.

Nuke sub captain who sent 'flirtatious' messages to Scots MP bound by 'no sec...
2 Apr 2026 at 12:00pm
The married Faslane-based officer?s 'inappropriate' relationship with Scottish Labour?s Joani Reid - whose husband is accused of spying for China - could have left him open to blackmail, sources say.

Reform's Holyrood campaign in 'meltdown' after three more candidates drop out
2 Apr 2026 at 10:03am
A party insider said Reform figures are angry over the low List rankings given to them by Scottish leader Malcolm Offord and his allies.

SNP Government set to miss landmark target on reducing child poverty in Scotl...
2 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
John Swinney has made reducing child poverty his number one priority as First Minister.

MSP and paedophile belt out karaoke classic in clip filmed at birthday bash
2 Apr 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Footage obtained by the Record shows Pam Duncan-Glancy doing karaoke with serial sex offender and pal Sean Morton.

Trump makes astonishing claim King Charles would have backed Iran war
1 Apr 2026 at 8:17pm
Donald Trump has made an astonishing claim that King Charles would have taken a "different stand" from Keir Starmer and backed his war in Iran

Reform UK's Glasgow press conference shows they are one trick ponies with lit...
1 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon was left unimpressed with Malcolm Offord's media event in Scotland's largest city.

The National

The National | Politics

Anti-abortion group active in Scotland under fire over missing US funding det...
2 Apr 2026 at 6:00pm

AN anti-abortion group active in Scotland has withheld details about the amount of US funding it receives ...

Nigel Farage says it's 'difficult' to work out why Donald Trump started Iran war
2 Apr 2026 at 5:17pm

DONALD Trump?s motivation for fighting a war against Iran was unclear, Nigel Farage has said, as Kemi Badenoch warned the US President must not walk away from the Middle East war.

'Rooting out predators is more important than independence', says John Swinney
2 Apr 2026 at 4:56pm

FIRST Minister John Swinney has said he is sending a message to SNP members that rooting out predators is more important than independence...

Youth Parliament and council face split after Jordan Linden conviction
2 Apr 2026 at 4:05pm

THE Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) has launched an appeal to a Scottish Council urging them not to support a motion to suspend activity

As Europe sets out emergency plans to tackle fuel crisis ? why won?t Keir Sta...
2 Apr 2026 at 4:02pm

MANY countries worldwide have been swift to introduce emergency measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the US-Israel war on Iran ? notably the rise in fuel costs ...

Labour ministers 'must drop feud and speak up for STV North' amid planned cuts
2 Apr 2026 at 4:02pm

TOP Scottish ministers in the UK Government have been urged to ?break their silence? over plans to axe STV North.

The state of play in every Scottish constituency explained ? find yours here
2 Apr 2026 at 2:48pm

The National is publishing a profile for every constituency in the upcoming Holyrood elections on May 7 ? here's how to find information about your area

30 Scottish groups condemn Home Office over plans putting children at risk
2 Apr 2026 at 2:33pm

Over 30 Scottish organisations have sent a letter to the Home Office condemning proposals that could pose serious ?risks to children?s safety?...

Warning as far-right extremists use Green 'front' party to 'confuse voters'
2 Apr 2026 at 2:23pm

SCOTTISH Green co-leader Ross Greer has issued a warning about ?hateful extremists? in a far-right group who are running in the Holyrood election ?to take votes away? from them.

This seat could be the breakthrough for John Swinney?s SNP majority
2 Apr 2026 at 2:14pm

One of the rather sweet things about Labour?s victory in Scotland in the ?loveless landslide? of the 2024 UK election is that it allowed them at long last to advance beyond their traditional socialist bastion of (checks notes) Morningside

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Scottish Child Payment must change to end child poverty, think tank says
2 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
The next Scottish Government must be 'clear-eyed' on the problem, it is claimed

Local Authorities Guide: Shetland Islands Council
2 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
Council leader Emma Macdonald answers questions about local authority

SNP candidate dropped over handling of Jordan Linden complaints
1 Apr 2026 at 3:00pm
The SNP councillor has been accused of ignoring or downplaying allegations about Linden in a council motion. ?

MP Joani Reid in submarine base conduct allegations
1 Apr 2026 at 1:19pm
Reports emerge of separate incidents

AI NHS integration a ?significant challenge?
1 Apr 2026 at 11:27am
Good governance and building public trust must be part of the rollout, an innovation agency has said

Local Authorities Guide: Scottish Borders Council
1 Apr 2026 at 7:00am
Council leader Euan Jardine answers questions about local authority

SNP and Labour blame each other amid jobs risk at Alexander Dennis
31 Mar 2026 at 4:55pm
Up to 115 roles are at risk of redundancy

Scottish university partners with bank on agentic AI research programme
31 Mar 2026 at 12:01pm
Experiments to test the efficacy of agentic AI in software teams

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

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

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

UK politics Q&A, as it happened: Andrew Sparrow answers your questions on Sta...
2 Apr 2026 at 5:50pm
This blog is now closedQ: Do you agree with the Tories about wanting more oil and gas drilling from the North Sea?Davey says Kemi Badenoch claims she can get an extra £2.5bn in tax revenue by allowing more exploration in the North Sea. He says she is ?just lying?. He says everyone knows that that...

Reeves criticises Trump for starting Iran war with no ?clear plan? to get out...
1 Apr 2026 at 5:15pm
This blog is now closedStarmer says he understands why people are concerned about the cost of living.He says he has already set out a five-point plan to deal with the crisis.Just look at what?s happening today. Today your energy bills will be cut because of the action that we took at the budget. ...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Shettleston doesn?t need Reform?s racism, it needs to be part of an independe...
2 Apr 2026 at 1:10pm
On Wednesday, April Fool’s Day, Reform UK unveiled its racist and scaremongering advert for the Scottish election next month. It was appropriate that they did so on April Fool’s Day because they are taking the electorate for mugs. The consists of image showing apparent migrants crowded onto a small inflatable dinghy with text reading “Scotland …

It?s not just independence which is at stake in this election
31 Mar 2026 at 6:13pm
The weekend kicked off the election campaign with a well attended march and rally for independence held in Edinburgh on Saturday. I’m sure you all followed the reports about it on BBC Scotland, oh, right. It was far too busy talking about the ferries again wasn’t it. Every political party talks up its chances during …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As Ukraine and Iran wars mark the end of cheap oil and gas, Scotland transfer...
2 Apr 2026 at 5:06pm
From Energy Statistics for Scotland ? Q4 2025 published today: Electricity transfers data show that Scotland exported 21.7 TWh of electricity and imported 0.9 TWh of electricity in 2025. This means that Scotland?s net exports of electricity (exports minus imports) in 2025 were 20.8 TWh. Scotland?s net electricity exports in 2025 had an indicative value of £1.7 billion based on the average whole...

BBC Scotland still acting as if it is an opposition party to the SNP in Scotland
2 Apr 2026 at 11:18am
By Liz S BBC Scotland website yesterday : Headline ? ?Labour drops election candidate after fraud charge? At 14.57pm that article , which was only added yesterday onto their site, was the 4th article on the Scotland main page, by 4pm above, gone and the 2nd article on the Scottish politics page. The top article yesterday on both the Scotland main page and politics page was this: ?SNP candidate ...

Reposted as next week?s disability cuts in England & Wales will make people d...
2 Apr 2026 at 11:02am

Reposted as ?UK terror? surge is forewarned by senior police officer in London
2 Apr 2026 at 10:57am

How UK Labour might follow the Trump Administration ?doing something horrifyi...
2 Apr 2026 at 10:47am
In Futurism, yesterday: It isn?t just the guys handling plutonium who need to worry about radiation ? every US nuclear worker, from the plumbers patching leaks to the janitors mopping floors, has a reason to be on guard. New reporting by High Country News detailed the startling impact the Trump administration is having on the safety of nuclear energy workers. As part of the administration?s ?nu...

Open Letter to Lesley Riddoch of Politics from a Scottish Perspective podcast...
2 Apr 2026 at 9:29am
Open Letter to Lesley Riddoch of Politics from a Scottish Perspective podcast, episode 921: https://lesleyriddoch.com/podcast Dear Lesley With the greatest, genuine, respect, I must protest your recent, unnecessarily heated and, unusually, ill-informed, characterisation of my extensive, evidence-based research into ferry services across the developed world, without, it seems, much background re...

Reform UK make the case, again, for Scottish Independence.
1 Apr 2026 at 4:27pm
Above the utterly implausible hazardous routes by which small boats full of migrants would have to travel to come ashore in Berwick or in Stranraer but, hey, geography was never Reform UK’s strongpoint judging by their new campaign vans below. So, they’re not coming to Scotland by boats. They’re coming by bus, train or car, up the road from England? Easily solution full independence and border ...

Scotland is first to recognise and to invest in research into Childhood Demen...
1 Apr 2026 at 4:09pm
to officially recognise childhood dementia and the Scottish Government has provided £118 000 to Alzheimers Scotland to employ two Childhood Dementia Development Officers but for Sophia that’s coming too late. BBC Reporting Scotland today at 1pm had a report on the above, featuring an interview with a father that had me in tears. So moved, I did not notice the above comment that came half-way th...

A1 Edinburgh to Lamberton road deaths and overall accident rates plummet to c...
1 Apr 2026 at 4:08pm
Eight months ago, the Scotsman had the above, platforming some opposition politicians. It’s behind a paywall so who cares. Note the ‘alarming’ casualty toll. Finding the above report was triggered by seeing Transport Scotland number of collisions on the A83: FOI release, published today, which revealed: I wonder if this FOI was requested by those well-known figures, Edinburgh MSPs, Alex Cole-Ha...

As gangs of youths run riot in Clapham for second night will Scotland?s plumm...
1 Apr 2026 at 4:06pm
In the Telegraph and other media today, the above story and: Another day, another mini-riot, as gangs of marauding youths run amok ? this time in Clapham, south London. A few days ago social media was full of footage of what seemed to be teenagers (they were all in hoodies so one can?t be sure how old they were) causing chaos in Wolverhampton, throwing eggs at anyone they could find. Video then...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

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

Thousands march for Scottish independence in major Edinburgh rally - thenatio...
28 Mar 2026 at 3:50pm
Thousands march for Scottish independence in major Edinburgh rally  thenational.scot

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

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

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

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

The SNP's failure to secure a majority should kill off talk of a second refer...
20 Mar 2026 at 7:02am
The SNP's failure to secure a majority should kill off talk of a second referendum  Holyrood Website

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

Energy crisis could strengthen case for independence. Here's how - thenationa...
1 Apr 2026 at 4:46pm
Energy crisis could strengthen case for independence. Here's how  thenational.scot

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Former SNP candidate accused of sex offences - BBC
31 Mar 2026 at 5:25pm
Former SNP candidate accused of sex offences  BBC

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

Scottish ruling party backs controversial new oil and gas fields - politico.eu
2 Apr 2026 at 3:07pm
Scottish ruling party backs controversial new oil and gas fields  politico.eu

Why I want to lead an activist SNP government - The Times
2 Apr 2026 at 5:00pm
Why I want to lead an activist SNP government  The Times

Swinney softens stance on North Sea drilling as oil prices soar - BBC
2 Apr 2026 at 2:01pm
Swinney softens stance on North Sea drilling as oil prices soar  BBC

This seat could be the breakthrough for John Swinney?s SNP majority - thenati...
2 Apr 2026 at 2:35pm
This seat could be the breakthrough for John Swinney?s SNP majority  thenational.scot

The SNP is spooked by the rise of Reform. This oil and gas U-turn proves it -...
2 Apr 2026 at 5:49pm
The SNP is spooked by the rise of Reform. This oil and gas U-turn proves it  The Telegraph

Councillor accused of 'instilling more fear' as care cuts row rumbles on - La...
2 Apr 2026 at 12:49pm
Councillor accused of 'instilling more fear' as care cuts row rumbles on  Largs and Millport News

Five weeks to stop an SNP majority - Scottish Conservatives
2 Apr 2026 at 5:13pm
Five weeks to stop an SNP majority  Scottish Conservatives

Pressure mounts on Ed Miliband after SNP softens stance on North Sea oil - GB...
2 Apr 2026 at 8:41pm
Pressure mounts on Ed Miliband after SNP softens stance on North Sea oil  GB News

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First Minister John Swinney?s speech to the SNP?s 2026 Campaign Conference - ...
14 Mar 2026 at 7:00am
First Minister John Swinney?s speech to the SNP?s 2026 Campaign Conference  snp.org

Scottish leader John Swinney says SNP winning majority in May election would ...
17 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish leader John Swinney says SNP winning majority in May election would be green light for indyref2  Sky News