The Herald

The Herald | Politics


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


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


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


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


Live: Fallout after Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling from the SNP
25 May 2026 at 6:54am
Live updates from the High Court in Edinburgh as Peter Murrell appears


Glasgow City Council faces 'mini equal pay' scandal, claims former employee
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
25 May 2026 at 6:30am
A man who worked for Glasgow City Council for 40 years says he feels "cheated" after the authority refused to hear his grievance


SNP accused of 'shameful disdain' as oil and gas given junior portfolio
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 6:00am
The SNP faces growing criticism over John Swinney's decision to make energy a junior ministerial portfolio in his government.


Timeline: How Operation Branchform unfolded as Peter Murrell appears in court
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 5:00am
This is how the story of the SNP finance investigation - Operation Branchform - unfolded from the independence fundraiser to Peter Murrell's appearance in court/


Peter Murrell in court accused of embezzling almost £460,000 from SNP
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 5:00am
Peter Murrell will appear in court accused of embezzling almost £460,000 from the SNP over a period of 12 years.


Who is Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, accused of embezzlement?
by Kathleen Nutt and Rebecca McCurdy
25 May 2026 at 5:00am
For almost a decade Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon were the husband and wife team in charge of the SNP.


Change has to happen as new Scottish Cabinet gets down to work
by Colin Borland
25 May 2026 at 4:32am
New faces in parliament and around Scottish Cabinet table should bring fresh perspectives


Pressure mounts on Swinney as parties demand SNP donor refunds after Murrell ...
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
25 May 2026 at 4:06pm
Pressure is mounting on John Swinney to refund SNP supporters and answer questions after Peter Murrell?s guilty embezzlement plea sparked anger across Scotland?s political parties.


Swinney ?horrified? by Murrell embezzlement as he apologises to those impacted
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
25 May 2026 at 2:32pm
John Swinney says he is ?gutted?, ?horrified? and ?betrayed? after Peter Murrell?s guilty plea as he apologises to SNP members and donors.


Complainer says Murrell plea exposes ?moral decay at the heart of the SNP?
by hannah.brown@newsquest.co.uk | Hannah Brown
25 May 2026 at 1:54pm
A complainer says Peter Murrell?s guilty plea exposes a ?moral decay at the heart of the SNP? as he calls for donor refunds and party reform.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon in Pictures: The couple's marriage in 20 ph...
25 May 2026 at 3:42pm

Nicola Sturgeon announced that the couple were to get divorced in January last year.

Peter Murrell?s purchases using funds he embezzled from the SNP have bene revealed.

How police investigation into concerns over party finances ended with guilty embezzlement plea

Former first minister and SNP leader releases statement saying she was ?deceived and let down? by estranged husband

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

Once at the helm of Scotland?s biggest political party, Mr Murrell pleading guilty closes a chapter on the country?s most powerful political couple.

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

Mr Murrell played a vital role in the party for more than two decades, helping to turn it into the dominant force in Scottish politics.

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

Almost 80 per cent of Scots think the economy is in worse shape now than it was a year ago.

Campaigners have hit out at the ?pretty shocking? situation over AI data centres.

Wings over Scotland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The value bet
6 May 2026 at 4:25pm
To pass the time on (praise be to Baby Jeebus) the last day of the Holyrood election campaign, we thought we’d do a catch-up summary of all the seat projections we could find from last month and this month. Here it is. Now, as it happens we think the potential seat ranges are significantly wider. …

Craig Murray

Dr Manivannan
14 May 2026 at 6:00pm

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

Dr Manivannan

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

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

URGENT FILTON TRIAL UPDATE

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

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

Zionism Has Poisoned the UK’s Central Nervous System

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

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

The 2026 Scottish Elections

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

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

The Morass of Injustice

An Inspiring Story
21 Apr 2026 at 7:54am

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

An Inspiring Story

BBC Scotland

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling party funds
25 May 2026 at 2:08pm
Murrell, the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, is remanded in custody after he pleads guilty to misappropriating more than £400,000.

The painstaking work to uncover Peter Murrell's crimes
25 May 2026 at 12:35pm
How dogged work by detectives and forensic accountants led to the former SNP chief executive's conviction for embezzlement.

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.

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

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

Toilets and changing rooms must be used on basis of biological sex, guidance ...
21 May 2026 at 7:30pm
The guidance was published on Thursday following the landmark Supreme Court ruling last year.

Extra FMQs session confirmed in Holyrood shake?up
21 May 2026 at 5:57pm
Two first ministers question times will be held each week, one for party leaders and one for backbenchers.

Scotland's benefits bill not too high, new deputy FM says
21 May 2026 at 10:03am
Jenny Gilruth, who has also been named as finance secretary, says she "makes no apology" for the country's welfare system.

Scot Goes Pop

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

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

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

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

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

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

BOMBSHELL polling suggests Andy Burnham will NEVER be "King" of the UK's True...
22 May 2026 at 7:48am
*  *  *Catch up with last Wednesday's critically-acclaimed blogpost: "S*** just got real, lads. The famously always wrong blogger "Stew", who said there was "zero chance, barring nuclear war or an ...

For one post only: a KC amnesty
21 May 2026 at 1:12pm
Someone suggested yesterday that I should start publishing KC's comments again, because it would boost the overall posting rate by motivating others to "take him down".  Believe it or not, KC does ...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

VAT slashed to 5% on summer attractions in chancellor Rachel Reeves? cost of ...
21 May 2026 at 3:11pm
Rachel Reeves also announced a 10p per mile increase in tax-free mileage rates and cut import tariffs on more than 100 food products

Green candidate: ?I was made to withdraw from election over student visa?
21 May 2026 at 11:32am
Another Green candidate, Dr Q Manivannan, ran and won despite being on a student visa

John Swinney unveils slimmed-down Scottish Government Cabinet
20 May 2026 at 3:34pm
The new Cabinet of nine, including the First Minister, is down from twelve before the election.

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

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

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

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

Peter Murrell 'stole money' from Alex Salmond over thirty years ago
25 May 2026 at 2:15pm
EXCLUSIVE: Sources close to the late First Minister said Salmond was adamant Murrell was a thief who had taken money from his office.

Peter Murrell splashed SNP cash on Jaguar, jewellery and cosmetics as full li...
25 May 2026 at 1:10pm
Peter Murrell splashed out thousands of pounds of SNP cash on a series of expensive goods.

Nicola Sturgeon breaks silence after estranged husband Peter Murrell pleads g...
25 May 2026 at 12:05pm
Sturgeon has denied all knowledge of her husband's crimes and claimed she was "misled just as others were".

Man who exposed Peter Murrell 'vindicated' after guilty plea
25 May 2026 at 11:40am
EXCLUSIVE: Indy campaigner Sean Clerkin also called for the SNP to repay supporters whose donations were later embezzled by the former chief executive.

Operation Branchform's most shocking moments as Peter Murrell pleads guilty
25 May 2026 at 10:41am
As Scotland's highest-profile criminal investigation concludes, the Record looks back at some of the key moments from the incredible case.

Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling SNP funds as party chief executive
25 May 2026 at 10:40am
Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband issued a guilty plea at the High Court in Edinburgh

Ex Labour MSP says party could have been more 'ambitious' as he criticises Ho...
25 May 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: In a wide-ranging interview, Paul O'Kane reflected on a campaign that saw Scottish Labour collapse to their fifth defeat in a row to the SNP.

The National

The National | Politics

We must leverage rise of the far right to achieve independence
25 May 2026 at 5:00am

The Scottish Parliament will tomorrow call upon the UK Government to devolve to it the powers to hold a referendum on independence

Top security expert hits out at Nigel Farage's 'unsubstantiated' phone hack c...
25 May 2026 at 3:07pm

The former chief of the UK's cyber security agency has hit out at claims made by Nigel Farage that his phone was "hacked" by Russian agents

'F*ck them': Ally Heather's response to those who deny Scots is a real language
25 May 2026 at 1:44pm

HISTORIAN and broadcaster Alistair Heather has told those who insist the Scots language isn?t ?real? to ?f"ck them?, while arguing that decades of cultural change are now ?feeding directly into the independence debate? by rebuilding Scotland?s confidence in its own voice

'Overwhelming betrayal': John Swinney responds to Peter Murrell's £400k embez...
25 May 2026 at 1:43pm

FORMER SNP chief executive Peter Murrell?s embezzlement of more than £400,000 from the party is ?terrible breach of trust? and a ?overwhelming betrayal?, leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney has said

MSPs question expert report into social class at Holyrood
25 May 2026 at 1:34pm

MSPs have questioned an expert's report into social class at Holyrood after it concluded there is only one politician in the Scottish Parliament with a working class background.

Nicola Sturgeon responds as Peter Murrell admits embezzling £400k in party funds
25 May 2026 at 12:04pm

NICOLA Sturgeon has responded after her estranged husband Peter Murrell was remanded in custody at the High Court in Edinburgh after pleading guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the political party.

UK political systems do not work for the benefit of the many
25 May 2026 at 12:00pm

SO Zionist Israel conducts piracy on international waters and the UK Government looks the other way.

It?s deeply irritating to hear millionaires claim to be hard done by
25 May 2026 at 12:00pm

TOM Hunter?s complaint reported in Saturday?s National seems to be that people like him pay an awful lot of tax because they are very, very rich.

Vladimir Putin might consider using a tactical nuke to ?focus minds?
25 May 2026 at 12:00pm

THE special relationship, so beloved of the British establishment is on its last legs. President Trump and Prime Minster Netanyahu?s war with Iran has turned the ?special relationship? into a ?very expensive relationship?.

John Swinney to hold press conference on Peter Murrell ? how to watch
25 May 2026 at 11:03am

JOHN Swinney is set to hold a press conference after former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell pled guilty to embezzlement charges

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

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

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

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

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

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

SNP: UK Government is copying our homework on cost of living
21 May 2026 at 3:32pm
Douglas Alexander defends Treasury plan amidst 'copycat' claims

Green candidate claims she was made to withdraw from election over student visa
21 May 2026 at 1:17pm
The Scottish Greens have said that no candidates were blocked from standing due to their visa status

Chancellor Rachel Reeves to announce food price action
21 May 2026 at 8:08am
Treasury grocery plan comes weeks after SNP manifesto pledge

Jenny Gilruth named as new deputy first minister and finance secretary
20 May 2026 at 4:34pm
A slimmed down cabinet has been announced by John Swinney

New virtual security service launched to strengthen cyber resilience
20 May 2026 at 1:30pm
The vCISO service is designed to provide organisations across the country with senior-level cyber security leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP
25 May 2026 at 10:53am
Former husband of Nicola Sturgeon admits reduced charges in court after deal with prosecutorsPeter Murrell, once one of the most powerful people in British politics, faces a long prison sentence after he admitted to stealing more than £400,000 from the Scottish National party to fund a lavish per...

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

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

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

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

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

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

2026 UK elections: full results from local, Scottish and Welsh votes
12 May 2026 at 8:35am
From devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales to councils and mayoralties in England, find out what happened in your areaElections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions Continue reading...

2026 elections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions
11 May 2026 at 7:43am
Keir Starmer?s party lost out to Reform and the Greens, with no respite in Scotland, Wales or England. These maps show the scale of the historic resultsFull results from England, Scotland and WalesLabour has suffered heavy losses across England, Scotland and Wales, losing ground to opponents on t...

Minority groups brace for surge in racism after Reform UK election gains
11 May 2026 at 6:00am
Members of minority communities in Birmingham and elsewhere fear results could lead to rise in hostile rhetoricConceding defeat at the election count at Birmingham?s Utilita Arena on Friday, the outgoing Labour leader of the city council, John Cotton, made a plea. ?What I would encourage the next...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mission (almost) accomplished
9 May 2026 at 2:40pm
Originally I had intended to blog yesterday as the results came in, but they arrived later than I had expected and we did not have the certainty that the new Scottish Parliament would have a pro-independence majority until well into the evening. The final set of results, the allocation of list seats for the Highlands …

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

Swinney and Sinn Fein ? The staggering hypocrisy of Murdo Fraser and the medi...
25 May 2026 at 11:04am
See her smile at the former IRA leader – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18607911 There’s Con List MSP Murdo Fraser outside Holyrood three days ago to groom the relatives of Scottish soldiers killed in the Troubles in Northern Ireland and damn the First Minister for meeting with the Sinn Fein leadership. He writes: It was good to meet a group of our veterans and representatives o...

Green datacentres seem a no-brainer for energy and water-rich Scotland
25 May 2026 at 10:27am
In the Guardian today: A Scottish government policy designed to encourage datacentres to build in Scotland could lead to a massive volume of carbon emissions being ignored, according to an analysis by a Scottish charity. ?Green datacentres? are at the heart of Scotland?s ambitions to develop economically. Enshrined in national policy, they are part of a larger, UK-wide effort to attract big AI ...

NHS Scotland ? only half the diagnostic scans outsourcing and building capabi...
25 May 2026 at 10:10am
In the Guardian today: The NHS England is paying private firms record sums to analyse diagnostic scans because hospitals are too busy and understaffed to do the work themselves, research has revealed. The amount being spent on outsourced the interpretation of CT and MRI scans is ?spiralling out of control? and reflects a short-sighted failure to train enough doctors, ministers are being told....

Massive news missed by all of MSM ? Older men in Scotland just as violent as ...
25 May 2026 at 7:30am
There is a clear positive trend revealed in the ‘total offenders’ column data above from Re-conviction statistics for male offenders: FOI release published in March 2026. Violent crimes over the eight year period from 2012/13 to 2020/21, among under 21s fell from 181 to 44, more than three-quartered! For 21 to 30 year-olds from 492 to 231, it more than halved! Then, however, for all of the over...

A Tale of Two Peters ? Despite computerised systems, DNA evidence from Nicola...
24 May 2026 at 10:07am
Today, the not-even-vaguely Scottish Daily Express, reminds us that Peter Murrell is in court tomorrow and that the cost of the police investigation is £2 million and counting, for a case of fraud which cost the taxpayer £0. In August 2025, as Nicola Sturgeon spoke of the ordeal of being arrested and as MSM Monitor?s question above waited to be answered, the trial of the SNP CE looks suspicious...

The Islay Whisky Festival 2025 was the ?most successful? to date contrary to ...
24 May 2026 at 8:55am
The Islay Whisky Festival 2026 started in Friday. I’ve seen no media talk of a ferry fiasco though the 7am next Tuesday sailing has been cancelled. Surely that will cause terrible disruption for travellers going home? In June 2025, stewartb surprised us all when he found out this: The Islay Whisky Festival 2025 is the ?most successful? to date contrary to ferry ?fiasco? fake news You may recall...

Drug deaths in England being seriously under-counted
24 May 2026 at 8:31am
Opioid deaths in England 50% higher than recorded In September 2025 (most recent data for this purpose) , BBC UK reported: More than 13,000 heroin and opioid deaths have been missed off official statistics in England and Wales, raising concerns about the impact on the government?s approach to tackling addiction. Research from King?s College London, shared exclusively with BBC News, found that t...

Road deaths halve and offences fall by a third as ?SNP? Road Safety Framework...
23 May 2026 at 3:15pm
In the Edinburgh Reporter February 2026 based on a Sunday Mail report: Scotland?s roads are becoming deadlier amid rising fatalities and surging traffic offences, latest figures reveal. Police Scotland say 92 people were killed in car, motorcycle and cycling collisions between April and September 2025 ? nine more than the same period last year, an increase of almost 11%. They included one child...

?It isn?t tax payers money, it?s the government?s money and the government ch...
23 May 2026 at 3:09pm
By rogercolkett You know that I support your untiring efforts to confront the lies obfuscations and omissions of the mainstream media that seek to show Scotland in as negative a way possible. And I share your annoyance at the waste of resources by the UK Government on projects that provide no benefit to Scotland, it?s part of the reason that I want  Scotland to be an independent country. The ma...

HS2 is a testament to the massive transfer of money from the poor to the prof...
23 May 2026 at 3:05pm
By derekscott1953 HS2 is a testament to the massive transfer of money from the poor to the Professional classes ? lawyers, land-owners, consultancies, NGOs, layer upon layer of takers, who, given the massive cost rises, late delivery and dubious benefits, are clearly ?unprofessional?. £102 or 103 billion, up from £35 billion, all to shave minutes off the journey into London. History does not re...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Democratic outrage for unionist parties to reject Scotland's path to independ...
25 May 2026 at 12:51pm
Democratic outrage for unionist parties to reject Scotland's path to independence  Scottish Greens

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

First Minister announces date for Holyrood Scottish independence vote - The N...
21 May 2026 at 9:10pm
First Minister announces date for Holyrood Scottish independence vote  The National Scot

'Will parts of Scotland seek independence from the rest?' - The Herald
25 May 2026 at 6:35am
'Will parts of Scotland seek independence from the rest?'  The Herald

Scottish Greens say campaign for independence must focus on building a fairer...
25 May 2026 at 1:51pm
Scottish Greens say campaign for independence must focus on building a fairer, greener Scotland  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain - Reuters
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain  Reuters

John Swinney?s independence rhetoric practically a call to arms - The Times
24 May 2026 at 3:15pm
John Swinney?s independence rhetoric practically a call to arms  The Times

Caught between the UK and EU: What?s next for young Scots? - France 24
27 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Caught between the UK and EU: What?s next for young Scots?  France 24

The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

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

Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP - The Guardian
25 May 2026 at 2:40pm
Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP  The Guardian

Sturgeon?s estranged husband admits embezzling £400k from SNP - The Telegraph
25 May 2026 at 2:08pm
Sturgeon?s estranged husband admits embezzling £400k from SNP  The Telegraph

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400k fr...
25 May 2026 at 4:31pm
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400k from the party  Sky News

Peter Murrell admits embezzling £400,000 of SNP party funds - BBC
25 May 2026 at 12:57pm
Peter Murrell admits embezzling £400,000 of SNP party funds  BBC

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling party funds - BBC
25 May 2026 at 2:08pm
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling party funds  BBC

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

SPICe general election Scotland 2026 results and analysis - SPICe Spotlight
9 May 2026 at 8:00am
SPICe general election Scotland 2026 results and analysis  SPICe Spotlight

John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victo...
8 May 2026 at 8:00am
John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ?greater respect? after SNP victory | Scottish politics  The Guardian

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

Democratic outrage for unionist parties to reject Scotland's path to independ...
25 May 2026 at 12:51pm
Democratic outrage for unionist parties to reject Scotland's path to independence  Scottish Greens

The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional chan...
6 May 2026 at 8:00am
The next Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to put constitutional change back on the agenda  Institute for Government

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

Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028 - BBC
12 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028  BBC

First Minister announces date for Holyrood Scottish independence vote - The N...
21 May 2026 at 9:10pm
First Minister announces date for Holyrood Scottish independence vote  The National Scot

Scottish Greens say campaign for independence must focus on building a fairer...
25 May 2026 at 1:51pm
Scottish Greens say campaign for independence must focus on building a fairer, greener Scotland  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

'Will parts of Scotland seek independence from the rest?' - The Herald
25 May 2026 at 6:35am
'Will parts of Scotland seek independence from the rest?'  The Herald

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

The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking - The Economist
30 Apr 2026 at 8:00am
The question of Scottish independence is alive but not kicking  The Economist

David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit - Britannica
18 May 2026 at 6:00am
David Cameron - Scottish Referendum, 2015 Election, Brexit  Britannica