The Herald

The Herald | Politics


'Largest fire and rehire in history': Marra urges Labour to condemn Glasgow C...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Sep 2026 at 3:11pm
Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra used his debut UK Labour conference speech to urge delegates back an emergency motion condemning Glasgow City Council's bid to fire and rehire up to 25,000 non-teaching staff over a collapsed equal pay deal.


'Shameful attack on free speech' as protestors arrested outside Labour confer...
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 Sep 2026 at 2:24pm
Arrests have taken place outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool after protestors held up signs referencing Palestine Action, in what Amnesty International called a 'shameful' attack on free speech


SNP could hold balance of power as new MRP projects hung parliament
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Sep 2026 at 1:06pm
A new MRP from More in Common projects the SNP would win 27 Scottish seats at a general election, with Labour taking 18. Nationally, the model points to a hung parliament, with Andy Burnham's party the largest on 250 seats.


Scottish Government asked Glasgow City Council to halt fire and rehire of all...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Sep 2026 at 12:10pm
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth has confirmed she personally told Glasgow City Council to pause fire and rehire plans affecting 23,000 staff ? contradicting earlier claims from Justice Secretary Neil Gray that the crisis was a matter for local government alone.


65-year-old Scottish Lib Dem MP told she's 'too old' to stand for re-election
by rebecca.mccurdy@newsquest.co.uk | Rebecca McCurdy
27 Sep 2026 at 11:47am
Christine Jardine, MP for Edinburgh West since 2017, says she was told she was too old to stand again and calls the attitude 'quite sexist'. Sources say she was forced out by an ally of Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.


Jenny Gilruth refuses to say how many council jobs could be lost in shake-up
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Sep 2026 at 11:04am
Scotland is on course for its biggest shake-up of local government in a generation ? but the Deputy First Minister won't say how many council jobs could go.


Domestic abuse workers in Glasgow outline huge wage cuts in council pay plans
by gaby.mckay@newsquest.co.uk | Gabriel McKay
27 Sep 2026 at 10:00am
New pay plans from Glasgow City Council could see domestic abuse workers have their salaries cut by £11,000 per year, with Assist staff warning of the impact


Burnham warns masked immigration protests creating 'fear and intimidation' on...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Sep 2026 at 9:58am
Andy Burnham has branded masked immigration protests 'unacceptable' and warned they are creating fear on British streets.


Seriously John? Your belief in decriminalising all drugs displays appalling i...
by Kevin McKenna
27 Sep 2026 at 6:15am
Men like Scotland?s irrelevant First Minister when they want to channel their ageing hippie ten years after everyone else has gone through it' says our columnist Kevin McKenna


Marra takes charge of Scottish Labour ? but is Burnham still in control of it...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
27 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
Andy Burnham preaches control and devolution but eleven years after Labour MSPs called the UK-Scottish party relationship dysfunctional, it's the Prime Minister, not Michael Marra, who still holds Scottish Labour's fate in his hands.


MP wants Murrell and Sturgeon to face Westminster Branchform probe
by Kathleen Nutt
27 Sep 2026 at 5:00am
A member of a Westminster committee which is to probe party political funding following Operation Branchform wants Nicola Sturgeon and her estranged husband Peter Murrell give evidence to the inquiry.


Kate Forbes opens up about faith, freedom and the SNP's failures
by Kevin McKenna
27 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Kate Forbes reflects on faith, freedom, independence and the SNP's years in power in a wide-ranging interview with Kevin McKenna. Scotland's former Deputy First Minister discusses the leadership contest, the party's mistakes since 2014, gender reform, energy policy and why she believes the case for independence still endures.


Scots campaigner and bar owner behind the UK Aids Memorial Quilt dies
by Alasdair Steven
27 Sep 2026 at 6:00am
Scottish campaigner behind powerful tribute to Aids victims


Scottish Greens demand answers over police deployment at Drumcree parade
by Nick Forbes, Press Association Scotland
27 Sep 2026 at 8:10pm
Scottish police supported an Orange Order parade on Garvaghy Road, Northern Ireland, Scottish Greens to call for a review of the deployment agreement.

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine set to quit Westminster after being told she is ...
27 Sep 2026 at 7:05pm

The Edinburgh West MP also told The Scotsman that party officials have raised concerns over her age

Andy Burnham came onstage before the new Scottish Labour?s speech, but left before he started speaking

The SNP government?s finance secretary suggested any savings made in the shake-up of local councils are a ?long-term? ambition.

Concerns over ?forward-looking? scope of review

Glasgow City Council is in a mess of both Labour and the SNP?s making - a hellish situation ahead of local elections

GB Energy has pledged to create 10,000 jobs through projects it invests in, with the majority expected to be based in Scotland.

Wings over Scotland

Cowering From Destiny
24 Sep 2026 at 11:29am
Alert readers will recall that last year the SNP convened a summit in Glasgow for the sole purpose of uniting the nation in preventing Nigel Farage becoming Prime Minister. The party also regularly tells us that to actually achieve independence, support would have to build to an overwhelming consensus into the 60-65% range, rather than …

His Majesty?s Loyal Sabre
21 Sep 2026 at 1:50pm
Funny how people change, isn’t it? That sounds a lot to us like “Bombs Not Bairns”. We watched the first episode of “The Wargame” at 2am this morning (it’s toe-curlingly bad, shot like a soft-focus corporate promo with three-second cuts, constant dramatic music and the politicians delivering wooden press-conference soundbites rather than any sense of …

A Thousand Islands In The Sea
16 Sep 2026 at 1:22pm
We’re getting so much correspondence from Police Scotland at the moment that we’re starting to feel like their guiltily-neglected penpal. This one, though, is slightly more involved than their usual two-paragraph brushoff. Don’t get too excited, though – it amounts to the same thing. This is self-evident gibberish. Nobody was prosecuted, let alone convicted, over …

Fear And Favour
15 Sep 2026 at 1:10pm
This is what it looks like, if you’ve ever wondered. It’s basically the police’s own version of a seven-hour “no comment” interview. Let’s take a moment to remind ourselves of that letter of 20 August, because it was a pretty significant and serious piece of professional correspondence to have been so casually tossed away in …

Like Responsible Citizens Do
14 Sep 2026 at 12:13pm
Given the refusal of Police Scotland to meaningfully answer our questions, we’ve been left with no alternative but to report Nicola Sturgeon for the crime of reset. We’re sure the matter will be handled with the exact same professional diligence and complete and fearless impartiality that it would be for any other accused person. The …

A Long Hard Think
11 Sep 2026 at 3:37pm
More than three months ago now, we sent Police Scotland a Freedom Of Information request. A few minutes ago we finally received a response. Brace yourselves. That is, um… interesting. Retaining gifts you know were bought with embezzled money is the common-law crime of reset in Scots law, under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act …

Anything But That
1 Sep 2026 at 1:04pm
The SNP really really don’t want to have another independence referendum, but if somebody somehow FORCES them into one, they DEFINITELY don’t want to have it in circumstances where they’d be starting the campaign with a 16-point lead. (We must conclude from all this, incidentally, that John Swinney LOVES the Tories, because he had no …

Haven?t had a dream in a long time
31 Aug 2026 at 8:43pm
These are strange days, readers. It’s getting hard to tell who’s on which side. To be honest, we’d take George Foulkes’ offer in a heartbeat. It’s not ideal, because there should be no limits on democracy, but the UK government can perfectly lawfully deny another indyref indefinitely anyway (and seem entirely inclined to), so we’d …

The Shortest Day
29 Aug 2026 at 1:07pm
Something rather extraordinary happened yesterday, dearest readers. Very briefly, we absolutely genuinely thought someone in a position of some influence in the SNP had taken a meaningful step towards being serious about independence. We are not being sarcastic. Look: here it is. (Transcript at bottom of article.) ? Dave Doogan is the SNP’s leader at …

The Slowest Dawning
28 Aug 2026 at 1:44pm
Now, readers, it’s not much of a secret that anyone who’s still supporting the SNP in the hopes that they’ll deliver Scottish independence is – and let’s put this as gently and kindly as possible – a bit thick. From a membership high of 125,000 in the run-up to the 2021 Holyrood election, fully 60% …

Craig Murray

Palestine Action Judicial Review
23 Sep 2026 at 4:51pm

On Friday we have our appeal against the suspension of the Palestine Action judicial review in Scotland. Our legal crowdfunder has been closed down by the card processors following Trump’s designation of Palestine Action as a global terrorist organisation. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/scottish-challenge-to-proscription/dashboard/ If you can, please come to the Court of Session in Edinburgh for 10am. If …

Palestine Action Judicial Review

Four Days in Ekaterinburg
21 Sep 2026 at 1:26pm

I was surprised a few weeks ago to get an invitation from Yana Lantratova, Russian Federal Commissioner for Human Rights, to deliver a speech on human rights to the International Youth Festival in Ekaterinburg. It is approaching 20 years since I was last in Russia, and I tend to avoid invitations from governments. But on …

Four Days in Ekaterinburg

Dishonesty and Deceit
7 Sep 2026 at 7:31pm

UPDATE We got an expedited date to “reclaim” (appeal) against the suspension of the case, on 25 September. We shall also be reclaiming against the decision not to send the case straight to the Inner House. All parties seemed to agree there may just be time, if our appeal is successful, to finish the Scottish …

Dishonesty and Deceit

Nonsense Drones and Novichok
3 Sep 2026 at 2:14pm

Europe urgently needs to re-establish access to Russian oil and gas. Gas prices are high – as all UK energy consumers know – and German gas storage is at a record low for September. Gulf production is degraded, supplies are cut off and its long-term strategic stability undermined. German manufacturing already suffered a 9.5% production …

Nonsense Drones and Novichok

Dr David Halpin and David Kelly
29 Aug 2026 at 12:26pm

Dr David Halpin, a redoubtable campaigner over the murder of Dr David Kelly, and a friend of this blog for over twenty years, has died. He will be missed. His sister Mary was for many years an invaluable commenter here and occasional researcher for me. Unfortunately about ten years ago I banned her for comments …

Dr David Halpin and David Kelly

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism
25 Aug 2026 at 5:50pm

We still don’t have a decision on whether the Scottish judicial review of Palestine Action can proceed. Lord Young is thinking about it. Last Thursday’s hearing went about as well as it could go. The UK government produced no written argument and barely seemed to be trying. They moved in court for the Scottish judicial …

Of Judges, Juries and Fascism

BBC Scotland

Marra claims Scottish government 'hoarding power' in conference speech
27 Sep 2026 at 5:57pm
The new Scottish Labour leader addressed the UK party conference in Liverpool a week after being elected.

Domestic abuse workers face £11k pay cut under new council scheme
27 Sep 2026 at 9:07am
Staff are concerned the cuts will put vulnerable women using council services at further risk.

Glasgow City Council pauses plan to fire and rehire 23,000 staff
26 Sep 2026 at 2:28pm
Talks between the council and three unions will resume early next week to try to reach a new deal on pay.

PM rejects drugs decriminalisation after Swinney backs it
25 Sep 2026 at 7:08pm
Scotland's first minister had called for the move as part of measures to tackle the drugs deaths crisis, but the prime minister said he did not support it.

No furlough compensation for Alexander Dennis after conditions not met
25 Sep 2026 at 7:01pm
The transport secretary said the pledged support depended on the firm securing a minimum number of orders and bus manufacturing jobs in Scotland.

Ridiculed MSP says chest infection and lack of sleep led to committee blunder
25 Sep 2026 at 11:21am
Collette Stevenson says she has faced "misogynistic bullying" after asking whether government agency Transport Scotland is a charity.

Swinney backs decriminalisation of drugs after spike in deaths
24 Sep 2026 at 4:49pm
The Scottish First Minister has backed the move - though it would have to be signed off by the UK government.

GB Energy boss defends Aberdeen job creation record
24 Sep 2026 at 2:33pm
Dan McGrail says the state-owned renewables investment firm is directly recruiting two people a week, and its funding is benefitting thousands more.

Drug deaths rise sharply in Scotland as figures remain worst in Europe
23 Sep 2026 at 3:43pm
The figure rose by 11% last year, bringing the total deaths in a decade to more than 11,000.

Council leaders wary of radical plan to redraw Scotland's local government map
22 Sep 2026 at 11:03pm
Local politicians across Scotland are digesting plans for the biggest shake-up of the council system in 30 years.

Reform UK MSPs jeered as they walk out of Scottish independence debate at Hol...
22 Sep 2026 at 7:18pm
The party's leader in Scotland, Malcolm Offord, describes the debate as an insult and a waste of time.

Lib Dems the most influential party at Holyrood, Cole-Hamilton says
22 Sep 2026 at 12:29pm
The Scottish party leader made the claim as he addressed the UK conference in Brighton.

Scot Goes Pop

Is Robin McAlpine hallucinating, or is he trying to gaslight us?
26 Sep 2026 at 2:06am
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

YouGov MRP mega-poll shows SNP on course to hold the BALANCE OF POWER at West...
24 Sep 2026 at 2:58pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

HUGE milestone for Scottish independence as TENTH Norstat poll in a row shows...
22 Sep 2026 at 8:29pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

WHO KNEW that the Brit Nats would be SO triggered by the mere idea of a total...
21 Sep 2026 at 2:16pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Labour slump to THIRD PLACE in Scottish subsample as Burnham's YouGov horror ...
16 Sep 2026 at 1:53pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Burnham U-turns on the U-turn: after just 24 hours, he reverts to the previou...
11 Sep 2026 at 5:01pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Burnham's REVOLUTIONARY U-turn as he accepts Scotland can have an independenc...
10 Sep 2026 at 1:09pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

Burnham suffers more Scottish poll MISERY as SNP enjoy 17-point lead in YouGo...
9 Sep 2026 at 1:15pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *If you'd like to help Scot Goes Pop to continue, please check out my Ko-Fi pa...

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Marra condemns Glasgow City Council over shelved plans to fire and rehire tho...
27 Sep 2026 at 3:35pm
The three trade unions and Glasgow City Council are expected hold further talks to find a resolution next week

Marra to call for more decentralisation of Holyrood powers at Labour conference
27 Sep 2026 at 11:33am
Speaking at the UK Labour conference in Liverpool, Michael Marra will say that ?too much power? is centralised in Scotland

Andy Burnham: I don?t think now is the time for Scottish independence referendum
25 Sep 2026 at 6:22pm
Andy Burnham insisted that a 'clear resolution was reached' in 2014.

Both sides must ?get around table? in Glasgow fire and rehire dispute ? minister
25 Sep 2026 at 8:23am
Justice secretary Neil Gray said the Scottish Government supports ?fair work principles?

Scrapping windfall tax early could cost UK £8.6bn by 2030, say campaigners
25 Sep 2026 at 7:31am
The campaign group Global Witness has written to Chancellor John Healey

Reform no confidence vote in drugs minister fails to secure support from MSPs
24 Sep 2026 at 6:19pm
It comes after figures released this week showed Scotland has the worst rate of drug deaths in Europe

Reform call for vote of no confidence in drugs minister Maree Todd over drugs...
24 Sep 2026 at 3:27pm
It comes after statistics revealed Scotland has the worst rate of drug deaths in Europe

John Swinney to face MSPs at FMQs following drug death stats and Reform walko...
24 Sep 2026 at 1:27pm
FMQs could see Swinney face questions over Scotland's drugs deaths statistics, which were released on Wednesday

Presiding officer will not tolerate ?stunts? in Holyrood after Reform UK walkout
23 Sep 2026 at 8:44pm
Reform UK Scotland?s leader Lord Malcolm Offord led his MSPs out of the chamber on Tuesday, decrying the debate as a 'farce'.

Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord brands independence debate a ?stunt?...
22 Sep 2026 at 4:55pm
The Reform UK Scotland leader said the debate was a 'waste of time' and claimed he was representing two million Scots who didn't vote in the election

Fewer councils but no new powers, Gilruth signals in sweeping plans
22 Sep 2026 at 2:46pm
Scotland?s deputy first minster is planning the biggest shake-up to Scotland?s local authorities in decades

Insight: What can we expect from Burnham?s meeting with Trump?
22 Sep 2026 at 10:33am
Andy Burnham will be in New York on Tuesday for a 24-hour trip, which will include a 30 minute meeting with Donald Trump

Michael Marra: Scotland has the right to decide its own future, says Scottish...
21 Sep 2026 at 5:49pm
Michael Marra was elected on Saturday to replace Anas Sarwar, who quit Holyrood for the House of Lords. 

Swinney: Flying business class to World Cup allowed me to fulfil Holyrood duties
21 Sep 2026 at 1:05pm
The First Minister?s flight cost about £18,000 when he could have flown with the Scottish Football Association for £1,000

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

SNP should ?hang heads in shame? over Glasgow City Council threat to sack 23,...
27 Sep 2026 at 3:29pm
Douglas Alexander told the Labour conference in Liverpool the threat of fire-and-rehire is "happening not in 1926, but 2026".

Douglas Alexander claims Glasgow 'miles behind' not 'miles better' after SNP ...
27 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
The Labour minister warned major fires, drug deaths and economic decline had left Scotland's biggest city lagging behind.

Michael Marra says Scottish Labour will work with SNP but won't offer John Sw...
26 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: In an interview with the Record, the new Scottish Labour leader branded plans to reform councils as a "dog's dinner on the back of a fag packet".

Andy Burnham supports 'solidarity between UK nations' as he rejects SNP calls...
25 Sep 2026 at 5:42pm
Speaking ahead of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, the Prime Minister said it was important "not to focus on something that would be a matter of huge division".

SNP-run Glasgow City Council branded 'pathetic and cowardly' after threatenin...
25 Sep 2026 at 8:28am
Council bosses caused uproar last night after resorting to desperate Tory-style fire-and-rehire tactics to try and resolve a long-running equal pay dispute.

Drug deaths crisis in Scotland would have been resolved if it was a 'middle c...
24 Sep 2026 at 3:03pm
Michael Marra said it was "indefensible" that Scots from the poorest backgrounds were 15 times more likely to die from taking drugs.

Cops probing Nicola Sturgeon complaint say 'no update' a week after allegatio...
24 Sep 2026 at 10:59am
The Record understands Stuart Campbell has yet to be contacted by police since making his complaint regarding the ex-SNP leader.

Scots struggling to pay off council tax debt could be hit by higher bailiff c...
24 Sep 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: Glasgow MSP Holly Bruce warned higher debt collection fees would "punish the most vulnerable people who are already struggling".

Trans row nurse Sandie Peggie 'felt discriminated against' by union, employme...
23 Sep 2026 at 5:28pm
Nurse Sandie Peggie is embarking on another employment tribunal, this time against the Royal College of Nursing, after a partial victory against NHS Fife in December.

Drug deaths: How Scotland compares with other European countries
23 Sep 2026 at 11:46am
The mortality rate in Scotland is now 2.4 times the rate of England, 1.6 times the rate of Northern Ireland and 1.5 times the rate of Wales.

The National

The National | Politics

Is decriminalisation the right response to high drugs death toll?
27 Sep 2026 at 8:30pm

WINTER has arrived. It is dreich. Outside the rain is ?chucking it doon?. I adjust the central heating timer to grant me an extra half hour of comfort and warmth. I remember it?s my late father?s 101st birthday and raise my morning coffee cup to his photo.

First minister Michelle O?Neill accused of ?breaking the law? on Garvaghy Road
27 Sep 2026 at 3:05pm

NORTHERN Ireland?s first minister Michelle O?Neill has been accused of ?breaking the law? by her actions on the Garvaghy Road

Number of Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza rises above 74,000
27 Sep 2026 at 2:50pm

THE Palestinian death toll from Israel's genocide in Gaza has surpassed 74,000, according to Gaza?s Health Ministry

New 'megapoll' predicts result of every Scottish seat as Labour close in on SNP
27 Sep 2026 at 2:30pm

A NEW ?megapoll? has predicted how every seat in Scotland would vote if a General Election were held tomorrow ? with the SNP remaining the largest party despite a hefty Labour surge ...

Scots in most deprived areas 28 per cent more likely to develop cancer, study...
27 Sep 2026 at 12:24pm

Scots living in the country?s most deprived areas are 28 per cent more likely to develop cancer than people in the least deprived postcodes, new research has shown

Humza Yousaf reveals why he didn't sue Elon Musk after bitter online feud
27 Sep 2026 at 12:21pm

FORMER first minister Humza Yousaf has revealed why he chose not to sue billionaire Twitter/X owner Elon Musk ...

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu says he will not play against Israel
27 Sep 2026 at 10:52am

BOLTON goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has confirmed he has refused to participate in the Republic of Ireland?s controversial Nations League fixtures with Israel as a matter of ?principle?

Laura Kuenssberg forced to address loud protest as she interviews Andy Burnham
27 Sep 2026 at 9:30am

LAURA Kuenssberg was forced to address a loud protest live on air as she interviewed Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the first day of Labour's party conference

Thousands protest after Drumcree parade given clearance in late-night hearing
27 Sep 2026 at 8:29am

THOUSANDS of protesters have blocked the predominately nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown in a bid to prevent a contentious Orange Order parade passing

Scottish firm blanks Holyrood and Westminster politicians over Gaza gas project
27 Sep 2026 at 5:00am

A SCOTTISH oil firm has been accused of showing ?complete contempt? for Holyrood and Westminster after ignoring concerns over its Gaza gas project from both an MSP and an MP ...

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Glasgow City Council to fire and rehire workers as equal pay talks break down
25 Sep 2026 at 1:00pm
Senior official accuses Unison union of 'betraying' members

St Andrews University student named Young Software Engineer of the Year
25 Sep 2026 at 12:56pm
Computer science student Lily Martin won first place for a project that uses 2D wildlife images to reconstruct 3D models of animals

Collette Stevenson: Transport Scotland ?lapse? was brought on by illness
25 Sep 2026 at 12:40pm
MSP breaks silence after 'online bullying'

More than just a holiday
25 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
Our ambition is to grow a visitor economy that contributes to healthier and more vibrant places, and helps create places where people want to live, work, study, visit and invest.

John Swinney defends drugs record as party leaders criticise lack of progress
24 Sep 2026 at 5:30pm
Michael Marra said over 7,000 lives had been lost to drugs since the government declared a public health emergency

Reform UK bids to oust drugs minister Maree Todd
24 Sep 2026 at 5:06pm
Challenge over drugs death figures

OpenAI agent hacked Australian Government websites, Australian PM says
24 Sep 2026 at 1:27pm
This is the first publicly reported case of an AI model breaching a government system

More support for survivors of sexual violence as forensic nurse programme rol...
24 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
'Crucial' access promised across Scotland

Progress on Alcohol Problems made possible through Partnerships
24 Sep 2026 at 7:00am
The Scottish Alcohol Industry Partnership (SAIP) is an alliance of alcohol beverage producers and trade representatives working together to support initiatives that promote responsible consumption and tackle harmful drinking in Scotland.

UK aiming to lead on new global AI standards, Burnham tells UN
23 Sep 2026 at 4:12pm
The UK is aiming to lead the efforts to establish global safety standards for artificial intelligence, Andy Burnham has told the United Nations General Assembly

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

UK politics live: Pat McFadden tells Labour activists they should not defend ...
27 Sep 2026 at 6:11pm
Work and pensions secretary says the current system is flawed because it consigns too many people to a life on benefits when they would be better off working?I can deliver?: Burnham pledges radical change on eve of Labour conferenceKuenssberg puts it to Burnham that, according to the Health Found...

New powerful synthetic opioids behind sharp rise in Scottish drug deaths
23 Sep 2026 at 2:12pm
Eleven per cent increase in fatalities last year partly down to presence of nitazenes in Scotland?s illicit drug marketNew forms of a powerful synthetic opioid have contributed to a sharp rise in Scottish drug deaths, with the latest data showing an 11% increase in fatalities last yearAnnual figu...

Scottish Labour?s new leader backs Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gasfields
19 Sep 2026 at 1:52pm
Michael Marra supports development of the North Sea sites, calling for a ?more rational? approach to energy policyScottish Labour?s new leader Michael Marra has backed the development of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gasfields in the North Sea in one of his first acts after being elected, call...

Planning permission for new Scottish AI datacentres suspended for up to a year
16 Sep 2026 at 7:28pm
MSPs vote for strict environmental impact assessments and will delay decisions until national strategy is developedHolyrood has voted to pause planning applications for all new AI datacentres for up to a year until the Scottish government has developed a national strategy.On Wednesday, MSPs backe...

UK politics: Farage hints that Reform?s £72m donations may not be legal under...
14 Sep 2026 at 6:04pm
In an interview about the donations, he said they are compliant with the law ?today?Andy Burnham has cancelled engagements today and tomorrow following the death of his father Roy, who was suffering from Alzheimer?s, the Press Association reports.Burnham has spoken about his father?s illness whic...

Westminster?s time is coming to an end, say first ministers of UK?s Celtic na...
14 Sep 2026 at 2:21pm
Leaders in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland discuss independence and call for constitutional change at summitWestminster?s time is coming to an end, the first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have said at a summit aimed at putting the UK?s Celtic nations on the path to indepe...

UK politics: Andy Burnham pressed on borrowing costs and spending at first PM...
2 Sep 2026 at 5:36pm
Burnham faced questions from Kemi Badenoch and other MPs amid speculation over budgetIn the news release to mark the first anniversary of his election as the Green party?s leader, Zack Polanski highlighted what he described as 10 achievements during his first year in charge. For the record, this ...

Swinney sticks with pledge to cap prices on basic foods in Scotland
1 Sep 2026 at 5:52pm
First minister sets out his government?s agenda and defends policy described by industry groups as a ?potty gimmick?John Swinney insisted on Tuesday he still planned to introduce a legally binding price cap on bread, milk and other essential food items in Scotland despite fierce opposition from f...

Tuesday briefing: Scotland has promised on violence against women ? can it de...
1 Sep 2026 at 6:46am
In today?s newsletter: First minister John Swinney has pledged to put an end to violence against women and girls. But can he turn ambitious laws into real change?Good morning. Violence against women and girls, in all its myriad forms ? physical and mental, blatant and insidious ? is a global chal...

Channel 5 drama to examine how Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband stole SNP ...
26 Aug 2026 at 2:00pm
To Nicola, Love Peter will focus on couple?s relationship during 12-year period of embezzlement and fallout of caseChannel 5 is reuniting with the producers of Power: the Downfall of Huw Edwards for a drama about how Nicola Sturgeon?s estranged husband embezzled £400,000 from the Scottish Nationa...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

What happened to the old consensus on an indyref trigger?
25 Sep 2026 at 6:57pm
I was supposed to have been going to Lochgilphead today to do an event for Aye Fyne, but here I am at home nursing a very painful ankle and hirpling gingerly about the house – but only when I have to – I’m trying to keep off my foot as much as possible. There has …

Illiberal and undemocratic, the Lib Dem and Labour approach to indyref2
23 Sep 2026 at 1:22pm
I don’t normally mention the Lib Dems in a blog piece, for much the same reason that I don’t mention the Monster Raving Loony Party, because they’re irrelevant, although unlike the Monster Raving Loony Party they are also insufferably self-important and talking about them only encourages them. However Tuesday’s vote in Holyrood on the inalienable …

The settled will of the people of Scotland is for a second indyref
22 Sep 2026 at 1:51pm
As far as wanting another independence referendum is concerned, Scotland is definitely in settled will of the people territory. A new poll carried out by Norstat for the campaign group Believe in Scotland has found that 55.6% of Scots want another referendum within the next ten years while a further 12.6% believe there should be …

Err a Marra oan ra barra
20 Sep 2026 at 12:12am
I’m typing this in bed. Yesterday I had a nasty fall. Due to the stroke in 2020, I have very poor sensation and no spatial awareness in the left side of my body. This means I only know where my left foot is if I am looking at it. Yesterday when navigating some steps in …

Labour?s lying reply to Believe in Scotland?s petition
16 Sep 2026 at 2:57pm
You’ve probably never heard of Elaine Stewart. She’s my local MP, one of the least distinguished Labour MPs out of the undistinguished bunch of careerists and lobby fodder elected to Westminster in July 2024, supposedly to represent Scottish constituencies. Stewart features amongst the six Labour MPs representing Scottish constituencies who appear in list compiled by …

The positive case for the Union will be along shortly, this time they mean it.
15 Sep 2026 at 2:49pm
The flag waving We’re not nationalists we’re British brigade are seriously rattled by the Celtic Alliance, although of course they’d never admit to it, they’re currently doing their best impression of the Catherine Tate character Lauren, screaming, “Lookit my face am I bovvered?” as they go red white blue and puce in their ostensibly unbovvered …

The Cardiff Agreement marks a new chapter in the path to independence
14 Sep 2026 at 7:06pm
On Monday there was a historic meeting in Cardiff, the first time ever that pro-independence First Ministers from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland met and agreed a common framework for the pursuit of self-determination for their respective nations. The meeting was a sharp rebuke to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, telling him that self-determination can …

Burnham?s expected reverse ferret
10 Sep 2026 at 7:23pm
Andy Burnham has replied to John Swinney after the latter wrote to him asking for a meeting to put the process for triggering a Scottish independence referendum on a legal basis after Burnham replied to a question from SNP MP Chris Law at PMQs on Wednesday asking him about that process detailed in the Good …

The independence cat is out of the bag
10 Sep 2026 at 2:43pm
Speaking to The National this week after Andy Burnham – perhaps inadvertently – set out the conditions for Scotland to hold an independence referendum, polling expert Professor John Curtice acknowledged that if an independence referendum were to be held tomorrow, Scotland would most likely vote Yes. He stated that a vote is going to be …

Burnham?s crack in the constitutional dam
9 Sep 2026 at 3:17pm
In PMQs on Wednesday, Andy Burnham was asked by SNP MP Chris Law about the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and the trigger for an Irish unification referendum, and after Burnham stated that he was aware of every word in the Good Friday Agreement, Law asked: “So he Burnham will therefore know that the Northern Ireland …

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

Reposted for greater attention to this shocking objective measure of just how...
27 Sep 2026 at 5:16pm

In one year NHS England declared 217 times as many critical and major inciden...
27 Sep 2026 at 1:51pm
With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 As BBC Scotland today reports a critical incident in NHS Grampian, we can report that, in 2024, the most rec...

You may be wondering what on earth the ?marching season? is all about?
27 Sep 2026 at 10:51am
With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By Liz S The BBC has an article today on their N Ireland page: ?Who are the Orangemen?? Then incredulously i...

PM stupidly rejects drugs decriminalisation after Swinney correctly backs it ...
27 Sep 2026 at 9:11am
With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From BBC Scotland, two days ago: Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he does not support decriminalising dr...

Ferret attacks SNP based on work of ?Luke de Pulford? a Tory ?human rights ca...
27 Sep 2026 at 8:03am
With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 The Ferret’s Paul Dobson, who ironically has previously attacked the ‘SNP Government’ on links between Scott...

History tells us that Burnham?s first-time buyers scheme will be funded by ro...
27 Sep 2026 at 7:34am
With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From BBC Politics today, the above and: Prime Minister Andy Burnham is to introduce a new scheme to try to h...

Fire and Water! CalMac ferry-user group thought to be safe
26 Sep 2026 at 11:11pm
From the Sun today, the above, and: THIS is the jaw-dropping moment a huge inferno rips through a ferry off the coast of a British holiday hotspot sparking a frantic evacuation. Shocking footage showed towering plumes of smoke billowing from the flaming vessel north of Mykonos, Greece. With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at...

Drug related deaths among the young plummet in Scotland but climb in England ...
26 Sep 2026 at 10:41pm
With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 Scotland’s drug-related deaths peaked in 2020 and the overall trend since then has been down, but within tha...

European Union Drugs Agency ? drug deaths ?must be understood as underestimat...
26 Sep 2026 at 5:42pm
With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 By JB We all saw the MSM headlines yesterday: ? although Scotland?s drug deaths fell they still ?remain? the...

Huge surge in child exploitation ? carrying drugs in body cavities and sexual...
26 Sep 2026 at 2:07pm
With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland's work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code ? 08-91-04 Account ? 12266421 From Human Trafficking NRM referrals re county lines ? 10yrs published by Police Scotland today, that ?refer...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination - A...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination  Al Jazeera

PM Andy Burnham says second Scottish independence referendum remains 'off lim...
10 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
PM Andy Burnham says second Scottish independence referendum remains 'off limits'  BBC

Independence support to surge if Nigel Farage becomes PM, poll finds - The Na...
24 Sep 2026 at 2:18pm
Independence support to surge if Nigel Farage becomes PM, poll finds  The National Scot

Russia cites Scottish independence in United Nations speech on Ukraine - The ...
24 Sep 2026 at 2:49pm
Russia cites Scottish independence in United Nations speech on Ukraine  The Herald

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders unite behind independence push f...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:18pm
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders unite behind independence push from UK  Courthouse News

Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland to demand UK allow independence referendum ...
13 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland to demand UK allow independence referendum  The Jerusalem Post

Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish Leaders To Sign Joint Declaration on Independ...
13 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish Leaders To Sign Joint Declaration on Independence  The Media Line

Cameron shrugs off ?Tory toff? worries to rally voices against Scottish indep...
26 Sep 2026 at 6:59pm
Cameron shrugs off ?Tory toff? worries to rally voices against Scottish independence  politics.co.uk

Independence referendum ?not off the table? amid meeting between Scotland, Wa...
13 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Independence referendum ?not off the table? amid meeting between Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  The Independent

Burnham rows back on second Scottish independence referendum - telegraph.co.uk
10 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Burnham rows back on second Scottish independence referendum  telegraph.co.uk

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

NanoTS: a deep learning tool for accurate SNP calling in nanopore long-read t...
22 Sep 2026 at 12:05pm
NanoTS: a deep learning tool for accurate SNP calling in nanopore long-read transcriptome data  Nature

SNP could hold balance of power as new MRP projects hung parliament - The Herald
27 Sep 2026 at 4:14pm
SNP could hold balance of power as new MRP projects hung parliament  The Herald

New 'megapoll' predicts result of every Scottish seat as Labour close in on S...
27 Sep 2026 at 6:40pm
New 'megapoll' predicts result of every Scottish seat as Labour close in on SNP  The National Scot

SNP should ?hang heads in shame? over Glasgow fire and rehire plan ? Alexande...
27 Sep 2026 at 5:59pm
SNP should ?hang heads in shame? over Glasgow fire and rehire plan ? Alexander  The Independent

Drugs crisis has deepened under SNP as NHS cash thrown at the wealthy - scots...
27 Sep 2026 at 6:00am
Drugs crisis has deepened under SNP as NHS cash thrown at the wealthy  scotsman.com

SNP ?would wield significant leverage in next parliament? - thetimes.com
24 Sep 2026 at 1:35pm
SNP ?would wield significant leverage in next parliament?  thetimes.com

Scottish Government asked Glasgow City Council to halt fire and rehire of all...
27 Sep 2026 at 12:26pm
Scottish Government asked Glasgow City Council to halt fire and rehire of all staff  The Herald

Calls to scrap £17m NHS MyCare app after only 22,000 downloads - thetimes.com
27 Sep 2026 at 4:20pm
Calls to scrap £17m NHS MyCare app after only 22,000 downloads  thetimes.com

The full SNP Annual National Conference agenda ahead of next month's event - ...
25 Sep 2026 at 2:34pm
The full SNP Annual National Conference agenda ahead of next month's event  The National Scot

Edinburgh University is getting ?less Scottish?? Blame the SNP - thetimes.com
26 Sep 2026 at 5:20pm
Edinburgh University is getting ?less Scottish?? Blame the SNP  thetimes.com

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination - A...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Leaders of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland unite for self-determination  Al Jazeera

John Swinney aiming for independence referendum by 2031 - BBC
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
John Swinney aiming for independence referendum by 2031  BBC

Scotland has right to decide constitutional future, new Scottish Labour leade...
22 Sep 2026 at 11:00am
Scotland has right to decide constitutional future, new Scottish Labour leader says  BBC

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders unite behind independence push f...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:18pm
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders unite behind independence push from UK  Courthouse News

Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders unite in push to leave UK - ABC Ne...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders unite in push to leave UK  ABC News & Headlines ? Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Independence referendum ?not off the table? amid meeting between Scotland, Wa...
13 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Independence referendum ?not off the table? amid meeting between Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  Yahoo News New Zealand

Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish parties to hold independence summit - Le Mond...
14 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish parties to hold independence summit  Le Monde.fr

Independence support to surge if Nigel Farage becomes PM, poll finds - The Na...
24 Sep 2026 at 2:18pm
Independence support to surge if Nigel Farage becomes PM, poll finds  The National Scot

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Unite in Calls for Independence and EU R...
18 Sep 2026 at 6:35am
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Unite in Calls for Independence and EU Return  politicstoday.org

If SNP want independence, they need to put the economy above endless welfare ...
25 Sep 2026 at 1:34pm
If SNP want independence, they need to put the economy above endless welfare splurges  The Herald