The Herald

The Herald | Politics


MPs call for investigation into alleged Islamophobia in Reform UK
by Will Meakin-Durrant
27 May 2026 at 4:08pm
Twenty-seven MPs have called for the equalities watchdog to investigate alleged Islamophobia in the Reform UK party


Iran says it has received framework deal to end war and open Strait of Hormuz
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 May 2026 at 2:07pm
Iranian state television is reporting that Tehran has received an initial framework of a deal with the United States of America to end the current conflict


John Swinney rejects call for inquiry into Peter Murrell scandal
27 May 2026 at 12:44pm
John Swinney has rejected growing calls for an independent investigation into SNP finances in the wake of the Peter Murrell scandal.


Sturgeon and her allies 'shut down questions on SNP finances'
27 May 2026 at 11:49am
A former member of the SNP's ruling body has told how he tried to raise concerns over the party's financial transparency but was shut down by Nicola Sturgeon and her allies.


Justice Secretary weighs in on police decision to scrap escort for taxi outing
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
27 May 2026 at 10:26am
Tory MSP Miles Briggs had urged Mr Gray to step in following the ?bizarre decision? by the force, which prompted organisers to cancel the event.


Funding confirmed for much-anticipated South Sub 'tram-train' feasibility study
by Josh.Pizzuto-Pomaco@newsquest.co.uk | Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco
27 May 2026 at 9:39am
The survey will assess the possibility of reopening the line to passengers using ?tram-trains?, which are sturdier and faster than normal trams.


Energy bills to rise by £221 from July due to US war with Iran
by jody.harrison@heraldandtimes.co.uk | Jody Harrison
27 May 2026 at 7:22am
Regulator Ofgem has revealed the level of the annual energy price cap for July to September


Peter Murrell and the strange phenomenon of the 'political death wish'
27 May 2026 at 4:09pm
Peter Murrell is today in prison having admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP over 12 years and facing a long sentence behind bars when he is sentenced next month. Everyone is wondering why do he do it?


'Gutted, disbelief': Inside the SNP's Holyrood group a day after Murrell conv...
27 May 2026 at 5:00am
SNP MSPs may have been putting on brave faces as they gathered on Tuesday in Holyrood a day after their party's former chief executive was convicted of embezzling party funds over 12 years.


Humza Yousaf hopes Peter Murrell 'ends up with a hefty prison sentence'
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
27 May 2026 at 9:44am
Humza Yousaf says he was ?flabbergasted? when police seized Peter Murrell?s luxury motorhome during the SNP finance scandal, as he calls for a ?hefty? prison sentence.


Shelter Scotland warns ?racism lies? being 'weaponised' in housing crisis
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
27 May 2026 at 5:00am
A housing charity has warned misinformation around migrants and refugees risks fuelling division and distracting from the chronic shortage of homes driving Scotland?s housing crisis.


Swinney: Questions over Nicola Sturgeon and Branchform 'insulting' to rule of...
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
26 May 2026 at 6:11pm
John Swinney has said it is 'incredibly inappropriate' for opposition politicians to question Operation Branchform and Crown Office judgment.


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.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


SNP unlikely to roll out manifesto pledges as IFS issues stark 'fiscal reckon...
27 May 2026 at 1:54pm

Economists have warned it is unlikely the SNP will be able to roll out all of its manifesto promises

The First Minister rejects demands for an independent probe

The former first minister said Murrell had ?hideously betrayed the trust of so many people?

It came as Sir Keir Starmer said there are ?questions that need to be answered?

Health Secretary Angela Constance is encouraging everyone to nominate those who have gone above and beyond in health and social care.

Some areas of West Lothian, which includes Angela Constance?s Almond Valley constituency, have nearly 30 per cent lower uptakes than others.

Wings over Scotland

All The Dirt From My Eyes
27 May 2026 at 12:21pm
So, having made a statement on Monday morning which asserted that she wouldn’t make any further statements, then making another statement on Monday afternoon, Nicola Sturgeon and her solicitor issued a third statement in 36 hours last night. And while we acknowledge that this is a very high bar to clear, it contained one of …

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 …

Craig Murray

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review ? Stitch-Up Incoming?
27 May 2026 at 12:58am

The proscription of Palestine Action was sold to MPs and the media on the basis of a deliberate campaign of lies, fronted by Yvette Cooper, then Home Secretary, and Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan police. Both have deep commitment to Israel. Cooper is owned by the Israel lobby. What is worse, they then attempted …

Palestine Action Scottish Judicial Review – Stitch-Up Incoming?

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

BBC Scotland

Sturgeon defends 'no comment' police interview after SNP funds probe arrest
27 May 2026 at 11:15am
The former SNP leader's solicitor says her response was "standard" and she later provided written answers to detectives' questions.

First-time buyers offered up to £10,000 interest-free loans from next month
27 May 2026 at 4:15pm
The Scottish government has launched the First Homes Fund for those looking to get on the property ladder.

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum
26 May 2026 at 6:10pm
The demand was the Scottish government's first item of business in the new parliament.

John Swinney denies 'sweeping Murrell scandal under carpet'
26 May 2026 at 6:12pm
Opposition MSPs have criticised the first minister and ex-SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon following Peter Murrell's guilty plea.

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.

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.

Scot Goes Pop

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION: Newly-elected Scottish Parliament decides by 72 votes to...
27 May 2026 at 8:36am
Other recent videos: Is Scottish independence "closer now than on the day before the 2014 referendum"?What was the REAL vote share for pro-independence parties at the 2026 Holyrood election?First M...

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...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

First-time buyers offered up to £10,000 interest-free loans from next month
27 May 2026 at 3:57pm
The First Homes Fund will provide successful applicants with a £10,000 contribution towards a deposit

Sturgeon says ?no comment? answers during arrest standard legal advice
26 May 2026 at 9:18pm
The former first minister?s lawyer said it was standard legal advice.

MSPs back John Swinney?s independence motion but Westminster rejects referendum
26 May 2026 at 7:48pm
The Scottish Parliament has voted for Westminster to transfer powers to Holyrood to allow a second independence referendum to be held.

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

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

5 SNP contenders to replace John Swinney as party leader
27 May 2026 at 5:00pm
Swinney has pledged to serve a full five years as First Minister and lead his party into the 2031 Holyrood election. But if he decided to go early, who could be in line to replace him?

John Swinney claims 'no need' for Holyrood inquiry into Peter Murrell and ask...
27 May 2026 at 12:07pm
The First Minister hit out at what he described as the "politicisation" of Peter Murrell's decision to plead guilty to embezzlement.

Sturgeon quizzed over campervan and fountain pen after Murrell conviction
27 May 2026 at 10:38am
One Dunfermline resident claimed he spotted the then first minister in a supermarket a short distance from the house where the infamous campervan was parked outside.

Nicola Sturgeon could give evidence under oath if Murrell probe plan approved
27 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Scottish Labour are pushing for a Holyrood committee probe that has rocked Scottish politics.

Holyrood inquiry into Peter Murrell's SNP embezzlement must take place to res...
27 May 2026 at 4:30am
The public wants answers and an inquiry is the correct way to proceed.

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.

The National

The National | Politics

27 MPs call for investigation into alleged Islamophobia in Reform UK
27 May 2026 at 4:47pm

Twenty-seven MPs have called for the equalities watchdog to investigate alleged Islamophobia in the Reform UK party

Spike in US flights from Prestwick Airport shows need for ban, say Greens
27 May 2026 at 4:46pm

THE Scottish Greens are renewing calls for the US to be banned from using Prestwick Airport after The National exclusively revealed its use spiked before the latest strikes on Iran.

John Swinney to seek Section 30 order for indyref2 in talks with Keir Starmer
27 May 2026 at 1:09pm

JOHN Swinney will request a Section 30 order from the Prime Minister when they meet in ?the next few weeks? following Holyrood calling for powers over an independence referendum to be devolved

John Swinney rejects Labour calls for parliamentary probe into Murrell embezz...
27 May 2026 at 12:12pm

JOHN Swinney has rejected Labour calls for an independent investigation into SNP finances in the wake of Peter Murrell pleading guilty to embezzlement

Awkward Keir Starmer clip resurfaces as energy price cap rockets
27 May 2026 at 10:42am

AN awkward clip of Keir Starmer pledging to freeze energy bills under a Labour government has re-emerged on social media as the price cap is set to rocket by 13%.

Energy must be in Scotland's own hands, SNP say as price cap set to increase
27 May 2026 at 9:16am

WESTMINSTER cannot be trusted with Scotland?s energy, the SNP have said after it was revealed the energy price cap will be increased in July ...

'No comment' answers during arrest standard legal advice, Nicola Sturgeon says
27 May 2026 at 8:10am

NICOLA Sturgeon has defended her reported decision to give ?no comment? answers to the police during her arrest, saying it's standard legal advice ...

First Minister John Swinney promises to deliver deposit help for first-time b...
27 May 2026 at 7:57am

FIRST Minister John Swinney has promised to deliver ?concrete help? with support for first time buyers ...

Millions face higher energy bills as UK price cap rises
27 May 2026 at 7:37am

Ofgem will raise the energy price cap by 13 per cent from July due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the regulator has announced ...

Revealed: Surge in US military flights from Prestwick before latest Iran strikes
27 May 2026 at 5:00am

US military use of a Scottish airport spiked in the days before the latest strikes on Iran, The National can reveal ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Scotland?s only cybersecurity social enterprise reinvests ?3m to combat threa...
27 May 2026 at 4:11pm
Vulnerability testing, cyber MOTs and executive education programmes have been provided to charities and SMEs

Nicola Sturgeon?s solicitor defends ?no comment? police interview after arrest
27 May 2026 at 1:20pm
Nicola Sturgeon's solicitor Aamer Anwar said the response was ?standard advice offered on a regular basis in our jurisdiction?

Lack of humanoid robotics regulation risks ?misuse?
27 May 2026 at 11:48am
The rapid growth of such technology is outpacing lawmakers and public understanding

Net zero sector worth over ?10bn to economy, report finds
27 May 2026 at 4:00am
But some in the sector warn delays to infrastructure and policy uncertainty is creating a ?transition gap? amid efforts to move away from fossil fuels

Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum
26 May 2026 at 9:00pm
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

Campaigners call for action as majority of children admit to spending too muc...
26 May 2026 at 12:37pm
The UK Government is expected to announced social media restrictions soon

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

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Humza Yousaf says Peter Murrell deserves ?hefty? sentence for embezzlement
27 May 2026 at 11:09am
Former first minister speaks out after SNP?s ex-chief executive pleaded guilty to stealing £400,000 from party UK politics live ? latest updatesHumza Yousaf, Scotland?s former first minister, has called for Peter Murrell to get a ?hefty? jail sentence after he admitted stealing £400,000 from the ...

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...

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...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

The first salvos have been fired in the latest stage of the independence camp...
27 May 2026 at 4:20pm
On Tuesday, the first working day of a new Scottish Parliament, with a record pro-independence majority, the fourth such majority in a row, MSPs voted by 72 to 55, a majority of 17 to adopt a motion calling on the Westminster government “to make a Section 30 order under the Scotland Act 1998 to devolve …

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 …

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

Highest level of common mussel production ever recorded in Scotland after yea...
27 May 2026 at 5:19pm
From Scottish Shellfish Farm Production Survey 2025 published today: The Scottish Shellfish Farm Production Survey 2025 was published today. This Official Statistics publication details statistics on the employment, production and value of shellfish from Scottish Shellfish Farms. It is structured to follow trends within the common mussel, Pacific oyster, native oyster and king scallop species s...

Long after Murrell was charged, trust in the SNP was way ahead and after this...
27 May 2026 at 2:55pm
Only two months ago and at the end of a bloody, dirty, campaign by the other parties, the SNP remained miles ahead in terms of trust. From Ipsos, the Paris-based, no-horse-in-the-race trusted pollster, these are big leads and utterly remarkable for a party in power for near two decades. Take out the undecided/none of these and the SNP figure will be even higher. Yes, I see Reform UK on immigrat...

5 Conservative, 5 Labour, 1 Lib Dem and 0 SNP MPs have been accused of a betr...
27 May 2026 at 2:32pm
Since 1980.

434 ?UK? nurses and midwives who should have been banned and have worked for ...
27 May 2026 at 1:48pm
In the Guardian today: Nurses and midwives who should have been banned from treating patients have practised over the last 12 years because of ?potentially dangerous? failings by a medical regulator. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has admitted that its ?completely and utterly unacceptable? mistakes meant it failed to protect the public from about 15 professionals whom it should have ba...

Four years after SNP bill in Scotland, only children in England and Wales sti...
27 May 2026 at 1:46pm
In the Guardian today: Children seeing extreme violence while held needlessly in jail, says England and Wales watchdog Prisons inspectorate finds almost 100 children each year are remanded to custody only to be bailed or moved. One child told inspectors he had watched through his window as another child was stabbed and had ?found that scary?. Most were in custody for the first time, few were gi...

Guardian writer?s scenic 111-mile, 3½-hour, bus trip for just £2. Now who did...
27 May 2026 at 1:44pm
In the Guardian today: A new cap on bus fares in the Highlands and islands makes exploring this stunning archipelago in Scotland a breeze – The views are remarkable. From one window, gorse-gold hills roll west towards mountains patched with snow. On the other side, fields of new spring lambs slope down to a silver sea. Elsewhere, the bus crosses wide estuaries and cascading burns. There are tha...

Houses for older people and people with disabilities ? very sheltered ? Scotl...
27 May 2026 at 9:10am
From Housing statistics: Housing for older people and people with disabilities, last updated 26 May 2026, the above extract and: Housing for older people and those with disabilities is currently provided by Local Authorities through the Housing Statistics Annual Return. https://www.gov.scot/publications/housing-statistics-housing-for-older-people-and-people-with-disabilities/ Note the level of ...

How the social sector housing stock in Scotland plummeted in the Labour years...
27 May 2026 at 8:51am
Above, left, the social housing stock in Scotland, increasing by 6.5% in the SNP years and, above right, decreasing by 17.6% in the Labour years. From Housing Statistics: Social housing stock, last updated 26 May 2026, published yesterday, the above tables and: These figures provide the total number of social housing stock in Scotland. They are updated each year using information from Housing S...

Producing more than half of the UK electricity from wind but Scots will just ...
27 May 2026 at 8:38am
with their bills is on the rise in Scotland according to Consumer Scotland. BBC Reporting Scotland in their regular wee BBC Breakfast inserts go on to suggest, via two brothers, a ‘tribal’ strategy, as they put it themselves, where they, their families and others live in the one house to keep energy bills down. So, it’s just up to us to cope with high energy bills is it? Are you sure we couldn’...

Level of reported domestic abuse incidents in Scotland unchanged since 2008 b...
27 May 2026 at 8:30am
of domestic abuse is being reviewed. An inspection report in 2024 found that not enough was being done to provide basic information to victims during the justice process. BBC Reporting Scotland in their regular wee BBC Breakfast inserts report an important story that does, I agree, need reporting. As a ‘news’ service should they also give us some context and answer questions such as: Is this a ...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote - NZ Herald
26 May 2026 at 9:41pm
Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote  NZ Herald

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum - BBC
26 May 2026 at 6:10pm
Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum  BBC

Scottish Parliament supports proposal for independence referendum - AzerNews
27 May 2026 at 3:12pm
Scottish Parliament supports proposal for independence referendum  AzerNews

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

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

Downing Street rejects Holyrood call for independence referendum - The Nation...
26 May 2026 at 8:59pm
Downing Street rejects Holyrood call for independence referendum  The National Scot

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

Scottish independence referendum? What John Swinney and the SNP would do if t...
27 May 2026 at 6:00am
Scottish independence referendum? What John Swinney and the SNP would do if they were true patriots  The Scotsman

Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum -...
26 May 2026 at 6:01pm
Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum  Holyrood Website

Scottish parliament backs call for new independence referendum - Brussels Signal
27 May 2026 at 9:42am
Scottish parliament backs call for new independence referendum  Brussels Signal

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Sturgeon defends 'no comment' police interview after SNP funds probe arrest -...
27 May 2026 at 11:15am
Sturgeon defends 'no comment' police interview after SNP funds probe arrest  BBC

Former Scottish National Party chief Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzlin...
25 May 2026 at 8:22pm
Former Scottish National Party chief Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling $920,000  RNZ

Estranged husband of former Scottish leader admits $540K embezzlement of part...
25 May 2026 at 9:46pm
Estranged husband of former Scottish leader admits $540K embezzlement of party funds  Stuff

Peter Murrell sentence: How long could former SNP chief executive spend in pr...
26 May 2026 at 10:34am
Peter Murrell sentence: How long could former SNP chief executive spend in prison?  BBC

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum - BBC
26 May 2026 at 6:10pm
Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum  BBC

The painstaking work to uncover Peter Murrell's crimes - BBC
25 May 2026 at 8:07pm
The painstaking work to uncover Peter Murrell's crimes  BBC

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

'I'm the man with the money,' Murrell told Shetland jeweller - BBC
26 May 2026 at 6:06am
'I'm the man with the money,' Murrell told Shetland jeweller  BBC

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell in custody after admitting £400,000 ...
25 May 2026 at 12:54pm
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell in custody after admitting £400,000 embezzlement charge  BBC

The SNP may have won again but Scottish politics has been upended | Scottish ...
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
The SNP may have won again but Scottish politics has been upended | Scottish elections 2026  The Guardian

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum - BBC
26 May 2026 at 6:10pm
Scottish Parliament endorses SNP call for independence referendum  BBC

Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote - NZ Herald
26 May 2026 at 9:41pm
Scottish Parliament backs move for new independence vote  NZ Herald

Scottish Parliament supports proposal for independence referendum - AzerNews
27 May 2026 at 3:12pm
Scottish Parliament supports proposal for independence referendum  AzerNews

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

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

Downing Street rejects Holyrood call for independence referendum - The Nation...
26 May 2026 at 8:59pm
Downing Street rejects Holyrood call for independence referendum  The National Scot

Scottish Parliament backs request for new independence referendum from London...
27 May 2026 at 12:19am
Scottish Parliament backs request for new independence referendum from London  EFE - Agencia de noticias

Scottish parliament backs call for new independence referendum - Brussels Signal
27 May 2026 at 9:42am
Scottish parliament backs call for new independence referendum  Brussels Signal

Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum -...
26 May 2026 at 6:01pm
Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum  Holyrood Website

Scottish Parliament to move on new independence vote - RTE.ie
26 May 2026 at 5:30am
Scottish Parliament to move on new independence vote  RTE.ie