The Herald

The Herald | Politics


Tory who devoted his career to Scotland?s ?three Fs?
by Alasdair Steven
31 Oct 2026 at 6:14am
?No one could quite match him for well-turned out aplomb?


Is Scotland ready for war? Inside the Clyde shipyard as preparations ramp up
by Kathleen Nutt
30 Oct 2026 at 6:00pm
IT's a bright autumn day in Glasgow and three senior UK ministers - the Chancellor, the Defence Secretary and the Scottish Secretary - are speaking to the media about what Andy Burnham's new government is doing to put Britain on a war footing.


Streeting attacks FM over claim Scotland 'being left defenceless' by UK Gover...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
30 Oct 2026 at 5:06pm
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the SNP's anti-nuclear policy poses one of the greatest risks to UK and Nato security.


Burnham says he and Swinney can 'find a way to work together' for Scotland's ...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
30 Oct 2026 at 4:07pm
Andy Burnham held talks with John Swinney in Glasgow, promising to explore fiscal devolution for Scottish cities and more control over employment support, as both leaders said they had found significant common ground,


Highland Council delays key decisions after seven-hour meeting runs out of time
by Olivia Andrews
30 Oct 2026 at 1:40pm
A number of key council decisions have been pushed back until next week after councillors debated for around seven hours and just made it to half way on their meeting agenda.


Court of Session finds Information Commissioner erred in law over Salmond files
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
30 Oct 2026 at 12:00pm
The Court of Session has ruled that the Scottish Information Commissioner applied the wrong legal test when ordering release of evidence from the Salmond ministerial code inquiry, finding that a real risk of identifying complainers is sufficient to block disclosure.


Revealed: Crown Estate Scotland board hit by staff grievances
by Kathleen Nutt
30 Oct 2026 at 5:05am
The board of an important Scottish Government public body has been hit by a series of grievances from staff, it can be revealed.


Swinney, Offord, Greer and Mackay to face off at Scotland's top political awards
by Herald Politics Team
30 Oct 2026 at 5:00am
John Swinney, Malcolm Offord and the Scottish Greens co-leaders are among the leading contenders as The Herald reveals the shortlists for its Scottish Politician of the Year in association with ScottishPower.


Burnham's Scotland meeting an opportunity to ?turn words into action?, Swinne...
by Rachel Keenan
30 Oct 2026 at 1:00am
The Prime Minister?s meeting in Scotland is an opportunity to ?turn words into action?, the First Minister has said.


New rules on major defence contracts to prioritise UK jobs and skills
by Kathleen Nutt
30 Oct 2026 at 12:05am
John Healey and Wes Streeting announce UK defence procurement reforms, requiring overseas contractors to invest in British jobs, skills and businesses.


Swinney ?understands? concern over allegations relating to Epstein?s Balmoral...
by craig.williams@newsquest.co.uk | Craig Williams
30 Oct 2026 at 3:32pm
John Swinney said he ?understands? the concern over the allegations relating to a visit to Balmoral by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.


Scottish Government considers 'temporary modular accommodation' to house pris...
by Katrine Bussey and Craig Paton
29 Oct 2026 at 6:24pm
The Scottish Government is considering using ?temporary modular accommodation? to house prisoners, after a warning the number of inmates in the country?s jails could reach almost 9,500 next summer.


Acorn funding row branded 'spectacular shambles' as ministers contradict each...
by andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth
29 Oct 2026 at 5:56pm
Business leaders have branded the UK Government's handling of the Acorn carbon capture project a "spectacular shambles" after ministers gave contradictory accounts of what the Budget means for the £200 million scheme.


Low-key Budget with many positives and no major shocks put under spotlight
by Karen Peattie
29 Oct 2026 at 5:18pm
Chancellor John Healey's debut Budget was put under the spotlight at The Herald's Budget Briefing event

The Scotsman

The Scotsman Politics


Douglas Alexander: The next step for devolution is into our regions
31 Oct 2026 at 6:01am

It?s time to take powers away from the centre at Holyrood, says Secretary of State for Scotland

John Swinney is under fire from the UK Defence Secretary for his claims the Labour government is failing to protect Scotland from Russia threats

Healey?s Budget took a pragmatic first step

The UK government had promised £200m of grant funding to the Acorn carbon capture project but only 6 per cent will be handed over

The Prime Minister said ?we need to get more power down into more parts of Scotland?

The Prime Minister said his son, Jimmy, is ?marrying into a Hibs family?

The Scottish government has designed a more generous social security system than the rest of the UK, but it has created a funding gap

Writing exclusively for The Scotsman, Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he and John Swinney ?won?t agree on everything? but ?share ambition for Scotland?s future?.

Wings over Scotland

Vibecoding A Better World
28 Oct 2026 at 3:13pm
AI may very well kill us all in the coming weeks and months, but in the meantime it’s a magical tool that enables even near-idiots to perform near-miracles. While the Scottish Parliament has been off for the October half-term and nothing’s been happening in politics, I’ve been occupying myself with modifying some very old computer …

Faces In Sand
17 Oct 2026 at 3:53pm
Ladies and gentlemen, the next leader of the SNP. ? To be scrupulously fair to the huffing dolt-child, we suppose in grey, chilly Aberdeen there could be some confusion on the matter. But remarkably, the above isn’t even nearly the dumbest thing that’s happened (so far) at this year’s SNP conference. It’s probably not even …

The fight about to come
14 Oct 2026 at 3:20pm
The obvious question is “Why haven’t you made a bigger one in all that time?” Did it not seem important until now? Was there nothing significant going on? Or were they just a little short of cash for some unknowable reason? Still, Keith’s going to make a “launch” speech. He makes it every year. It’ll …

Still Time To Save Her
9 Oct 2026 at 2:32pm
We’ve just had an extraordinary email from Police Scotland, readers. Here it is. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the real-life Timecops. Operation Branchform was closed on 20 March 2025. Nicola Sturgeon gave her infamous interview to Laura Kuenssberg – stating that she would not be handing back any of the items gifted to her by Peter …

There May Be Justice
5 Oct 2026 at 12:40pm
In a little under three days, Phase 1 complete. Wings readers: still the best. But what now? A couple of people have asked about the “stretch target” on the website. That was something CrowdJustice asked for and the reason it’s so high is that that figure was our lawyers’ estimate of the total cost of …

The Love Of Big Brother
3 Oct 2026 at 1:24pm
We were trying to work out what this reminded us of. And the answer was in the same place it usually is. It all checks out. The SNP spend their time grooming your children and trying to make basic parenting a crime. They endorse “gender-affirming care” that sterilises them and will stop them ever having …

In The Eyes Of The Law
1 Oct 2026 at 2:15pm
Our fundraiser to bring a judicial review of Police Scotland’s decision not to charge anyone with embezzlement in the case of the SNP’s missing £700,000 indyref fund is now live, and can be reached by clicking on this image, or here. The target of £30,000 represents the cost of the initial application (with contingency for …

Whatever Can Have Happened?
30 Sep 2026 at 1:50pm
Yesterday afternoon John Swinney announced an independent review into the dual roles of Scotland’s main law officers, the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General, which have been a subject of great controversy since the Scottish Parliament was re-convened in 1999. Wings welcomes this development unequivocally, albeit we’re slightly concerned that the former judge leading the …

The Turning Point
28 Sep 2026 at 1:10pm
We don’t have much to say about this graph that it doesn’t say for itself. The arrest of Peter Murrell on 5 April 2023, just a couple of weeks after his wife had realised the game was up and walked away before the cops came round and put a big blue tent up on their …

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 …

Craig Murray

This Cannot Last
29 Oct 2026 at 3:06pm

Netanyahu is seeking to build a new coalition with Jewish “opposition” parties to ensure the continued exclusion of Arabs from government in Israel. It will be a long and convoluted process but I expect he will eventually succeed. In the meantime he remains in power. Next week Trump will lose control of both Houses in …

This Cannot Last

The Epidemic of Billionaires
21 Oct 2026 at 11:54am

It takes a lot to get tens of thousands of people to riot. For it to happen simultaneously across several countries points to a supranational underlying cause, as opposed to local grievance at an egregious state injustice. That the temporary collapse of authority and restraint will allow some opportunists to loot is an inevitable concomitant. …

The Epidemic of Billionaires

The Unjust State
15 Oct 2026 at 2:06pm

“Forget justice, it’s much too expensive and time consuming. Plus if you take the government to court, you will have to spend your own money, and we are saving you from that”. That is a fair summary of the judgement by Lords Pentland and Troy and Lady Wise in our appeal against the suspension of …

The Unjust State

Does the Act of Union Still Apply?
12 Oct 2026 at 10:29am

Tomorrow at 10am we get the judgement in our appeal against the suspension of the Scottish judicial review of the proscription of Palestine Action. We cannot have won as the appeal – held by “urgent process” – was intended to allow a judicial review before the Supreme Court meets in the Ammori case on 4 …

Does the Act of Union Still Apply?

Fatuous False Flags
2 Oct 2026 at 10:16am

Rather than abandoning the plainly nuts Fairford narrative, Burnham and his government are doubling down on the claim it is an Iranian terror plot. It remains quite possible the men were indeed fuel thieves, simply stealing fuel from farms. They appear to have been equipped for fuel theft and all they were carrying was petrol. …

Fatuous False Flags

Losing My Religion
29 Sep 2026 at 12:07pm

I have lost faith both in Western social democracy, and in the institutions of international law. As both have been fundamental to the work of my life, this is rather a blow as I approach 70. A number of deeply shocking things have happened this past three years, not as extraneous events, but as conscious …

Losing My Religion

BBC Scotland

Scottish councils want a rethink on reform plans - is there a way forward?
30 Oct 2026 at 11:01pm
Council leaders have called for the Scottish government to reconsider a planned reorganisation of local authorities.

'No nation left behind' says Burnham after meeting first ministers in Glasgow
30 Oct 2026 at 4:56pm
The meeting involved representatives from the UK's four nations to discuss devolving more powers to regions and cities.

Court backs Scottish government appeal over Sturgeon inquiry evidence
30 Oct 2026 at 5:25pm
Ministers argued that complying with freedom of information requests could reveal the identities of women who made complaints against Alex Salmond.

Streeting denies 'kicking can down the road' in defence spending row
30 Oct 2026 at 11:23am
The government is under pressure to set out a path to greater defence spending, as ministers unveil plans to boost UK firms.

Delivery of new CalMac ferry MV Glen Rosa put back to February
29 Oct 2026 at 7:23pm
The state-owned Ferguson shipyard has now been asked to fit redesigned propellers to the ship prior to handover.

Scottish prisons 'at the brink' after worst riot in a decade
29 Oct 2026 at 4:46pm
The prison service said violence and destruction at Polmont last month was an example of "bubbling tension" caused by increasing overcrowding.

Scottish ministers to work with councils on £100 energy payment rollout
29 Oct 2026 at 11:51am
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth says the Scottish government aims to replicate the UK government scheme but says it is "not a perfect solution".

Scottish government aiming to replicate chancellor's £100 energy payment scheme
28 Oct 2026 at 4:35pm
John Healey has announced households south of the border in council tax bands A-D will receive the one-off payment.

Budget 2026: Key points at a glance
28 Oct 2026 at 4:55pm
Here?s what you need to know from John Healey?s first Budget, as the chancellor sets out the government?s tax and spending plans.

Government minister calls for review of 'unacceptable' BBC Scotland channel c...
28 Oct 2026 at 5:41pm
The BBC announced the dedicated Scotland channel would move online as part of measures to make savings of £500m.

Scotland's recycling rates at five-year low. How is your area doing?
27 Oct 2026 at 3:32pm
Environmental regulator Sepa says households recycled 42.8% of waste in 2025 - down from 44.3% the previous year.

MPs and MSP detained by Israel and barred from entering West Bank
27 Oct 2026 at 4:34pm
SNP MP Lara Bird and the Scottish Greens MSP Kate Nevens were part of an international delegation turned away by Israeli security forces.

Scot Goes Pop

Was the SPUC's attempted fringe meeting in Aberdeen a "classic McEleny politi...
28 Oct 2026 at 2:59pm
Also in the video below - SHE'S BACK!!!  Corri Wilson, matriarch of the "Corri Nostra" faction of the defunct Alba Party, has emerged from hibernation, and this time she wants to "explain democracy...

I'm sensing a pattern here...
28 Oct 2026 at 8:06am
My YouTube channel has reached two new milestones over the last few days - it's hit 2000 subscribers, and for the first time one of the individual videos has exceeded 10,000 views.  That prompted m...

Majority of Scots want independence, says ELEVENTH Norstat poll IN A ROW - ev...
25 Oct 2026 at 6:38pm
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...

Mounting evidence that the SNP leadership would be serious about using a hung...
24 Oct 2026 at 3:31am
Over the last few days, several people have been asking how I fared in the SNP internal elections.  As I explain in the video above, I'm pretty much certain that I've been elected to one of the fou...

The BBC, realising they haven't betrayed Scotland quite hard enough yet, anno...
21 Oct 2026 at 12:07pm
An audio podcast version of the above video can be heard HERE, and will soon be available on Apple Podcasts HERE.*  *  *Just a reminder that the YouTube videos I create are unlikely to ever produce...

How did we end up with such a poor media? STV can't even get the basics righ...
20 Oct 2026 at 11:58am
I haven't watched any TV news over the last few days, so my main knowledge of the McGill's meltdown comes indirectly from social media, but I've just watched a full three-minute report from STV New...

GOD BLESS MOTHER NATURE! It's raining Survation polls showing Scotland wants ...
19 Oct 2026 at 7:33am
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...

52% support for independence - 14-point lead for SNP - new Scottish poll is C...
15 Oct 2026 at 10:35pm

STV Politics News

Latest Politics News | STV News

Streeting condemns Swinney?s ?irresponsible and unfounded? comments on defence
30 Oct 2026 at 7:36pm
The First Minister has claimed the UK Government is ?failing to keep Scotland secure?.

Swinney ?deeply concerned? by Acorn carbon capture decision
30 Oct 2026 at 4:30pm
The funding mechanism for the project was changed in the Chancellor?s Budget this week

Four nations must ?move at same pace together?, Burnham says on devolution
30 Oct 2026 at 4:26pm
The Prime Minister met leaders from Scotland and Wales and representatives from Northern Ireland to discuss regional devolution

Information Commissioner ?erred in law? with Salmond files order, court rules
30 Oct 2026 at 12:35pm
Scottish ministers appealed against an order to disclose exempted material

PM?s Scotland meeting an opportunity to ?turn words into action? ? Swinney
30 Oct 2026 at 7:23am
John Swinney said the UK Government should work with the Scottish Government to deliver devolution proposals.

Budget will see many Scots ?staring down barrel? of high energy bills ? SNP
30 Oct 2026 at 7:09am
More than 800,000 Scots could face higher gas bills because of a decision to replace standing charges with higher gas unit prices.

Swinney pressed to give explicit support for Rosebank oil development
29 Oct 2026 at 4:06pm
Tory leader Russell Findlay said the First Minister is happy to give his opinion on a range of issues, ?but not on the North Sea?

?Everyone?s struggling?: Businesses and communities react to Budget
29 Oct 2026 at 7:06am
Scottish firms call for help to ?steady the ship? while pensioners say soaring bills continue to outpace available support.

Scottish Government to pass on £100 to Scots for winter fuel bills after Budget
28 Oct 2026 at 4:05pm
Around 20 million households will get £100 from the UK Government this winter to help with energy bills, John Healey announced on Wednesday

Budget 2026: What it means for your bills, pay and pension
28 Oct 2026 at 2:17pm
John Healey unveiled the UK Government's tax and spending plans in the House of Commons.

Chancellor John Healey to outline tax and spending plans in 2026 Budget
28 Oct 2026 at 11:17am
The chancellor will unveil the first Budget of Andy Burnham?s premiership at 12.30pm on Wednesday

Majority of responses to consultation on smoking Bill ?generated by AI bots?
28 Oct 2026 at 9:27am
The responses were ?overwhelmingly targeted? at opposing plans to restrict the sale of disposable vapes

Swinney calls for ?substantial support? with energy bills in UK Budget
28 Oct 2026 at 7:20am
Scottish First Minister John Swinney spoke out ahead of Chancellor John Healey?s first UK Budget on Wednesday.

Andy Burnham urged to deliver ?meaningful help? in Budget instead of ?showboa...
28 Oct 2026 at 7:01am
The SNP's Kirsty Blackman has demanded action from Burnham to help those facing cost of living pressures

Daily Record

Daily Record - Politics

Information Commissioner 'erred in law' when ordering ScotGov to disclose 'Sa...
30 Oct 2026 at 10:40pm
The Court of Session appeal judges backed ministers in their appeal that they shouldn't have to release information relating to the Hamilton Inquiry.

Andy Burnham warns too many young Scots are out of work as he pushes for UK-w...
30 Oct 2026 at 4:29pm
The Prime Minister met leaders from Scotland and Wales and representatives from Northern Ireland to discuss handing regions more powers to control employment support.

John Healey warns Scots he 'can't remove all the pressures' households face t...
30 Oct 2026 at 4:11pm
The Chancellor told Record readers he was "trying to take a bit of pressure off" by offering a £100 payment to help with rising energy bills this winter.

SNP defence policy is waving a 'white flag' by calling for nuclear disarmamen...
30 Oct 2026 at 3:18pm
The UK Defence Secretary said the First Minister's claims that Scotland's coast was undefended were "irresponsible and unfounded".

Shocking images show Scotland?s worst prison riot in a decade after young thu...
30 Oct 2026 at 11:11am
Several prison officers sustained minor injuries as they struggled to main control.

John Healey urged not to leave Scots miners 'in the dark' over £1.2bn pension...
30 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
EXCLUSIVE: A group of SNP MSPs representing former Scots mining communities have written to the UK Government to demand it urgently pays out the remainder of a £1.2bn pension scheme.

Andy Burnham offers to work with devolved governments to spread power to regions
30 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
Andy Burnham will meet John Swinney in Glasgow on Friday after the PM called for "deeper" devolution in Scotland.

Andy Burnham to meet John Swinney in Glasgow after PM called for 'deeper' dev...
29 Oct 2026 at 3:10pm
The Prime Minister will lead a summit in Glasgow on Friday attended by leaders of the devolved administrations and other senior Labour Cabinet figures.

Scottish prisons overcrowding crisis means jails could 'refuse' to take new i...
29 Oct 2026 at 2:00pm
Official projections show the number of Scots banged up could hit a record 9,500 by next summer unless further action is taken to ease overcrowding.

Scotland's rough sleepers beg John Swinney to tackle homelessness and get the...
29 Oct 2026 at 4:30am
With Andy Burnham aiming to get every rough sleeper in England a route off the streets before Christmas, Scotland's homeless want Swinney and the SNP to follow suit.

The National

The National | Politics

Britain must remember the successes of preparing for peace and not war
31 Oct 2026 at 5:00am

THIS year marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Andy Burnham fought for power ? now he?s afraid to use it
31 Oct 2026 at 5:00am

WE got a clearer insight this week into what Andy Burnham?s plans for government are, with the Chancellor delivering

Students? victory in Serbia can be template for Scots to emulate
31 Oct 2026 at 5:00am

IN April last year, a political consultant I know sent me the following DM, sourced from his wanderings: ?Amazing things afoot in Serbia ? students have been occupying universities and high schools since December and are being supported by a huge percentage of the population.

Russell Findlay challenged by SNP MSP to answer 'simple question' on North Se...
31 Oct 2026 at 5:00am

THE leader of the Scottish Conservatives has been challenged by an SNP MSP to answer ?one simple question? around taxation of North Sea oil ...

Second new CalMac ferry delayed due to shortage of specialist engineers
30 Oct 2026 at 8:17pm

THE handover of a new CalMac ferry being built in Turkey has suffered a further delay following a shortage of specialist engineers ...

Only cheap jibes and real-terms cuts on offer for Scotland
30 Oct 2026 at 7:55pm

PROFESSOR Richard Murphy hit the nail on the head in his article on the Budget (Forget what?s in the budget. It?s what was missing that matters, The National, October 29) when he said: ?We have a clueless Government in office.

Scottish Government hits back at Wes Streeting amid defence row
30 Oct 2026 at 6:59pm

THE Scottish Government has hit back at the Defence Secretary after he called John Swinney's concerns that Scotland was being left ?defenceless? by the UK Government ?irresponsible and unfounded? ...

?Historic? dockworkers anti-war strike shuts 113 ports worldwide amid wider p...
30 Oct 2026 at 6:00pm

DOCKWORKERS in 113 ports across the world went on strike on Friday as part of an international campaign against arms shipments and to demand better working conditions

Andy Burnham's 'Tower of Babel' devolution promises to keep everyone guessing
30 Oct 2026 at 5:32pm

A GREAT cloud of confusion descended over Glasgow.

Are the Prime Minister and First Minister tiptoeing towards Scottish independ...
30 Oct 2026 at 5:30pm

The small press pack was ushered in through two security doors, up the stairs of a large open-plan hall and into a tiny meeting room

Holyrood Magazine

Holyrood Website

Andy Burnham and John Swinney hail ?constructive? talks about devolution
30 Oct 2026 at 4:30pm
The first minister said the meeting was a ?welcome start? on the prime minster's ambition to deliver economic growth

MSPs launch AI-generated image abuse inquiry
30 Oct 2026 at 10:16am
The Criminal Justice Committee will consider whether existing laws offer sufficient protection

War of words over Acorn Project funding
29 Oct 2026 at 4:50pm
UK and Scottish government figures clash over ?200m commitment

John Swinney refuses to set out stance on Rosebank
29 Oct 2026 at 3:22pm
The first minister was questioned multiple times by opposition party leaders

Dumfries and Galloway College generating ?142m for economy, report finds
29 Oct 2026 at 5:00am
It equates to a return of ?12 for every ?1 received in public funding

Councils and trade unions hit out against 'top down' local government reform
29 Oct 2026 at 12:00am
Cosla, Unison, GMB and Unite join forces

UK Government invests in Edinburgh and Glasgow in ?breathing room? Budget
28 Oct 2026 at 2:23pm
The Scottish Government has confirmed it will pass on a ?100 energy payment to households

Budget: Scotland to host new ?18m tech academy
28 Oct 2026 at 12:27pm
UK Advanced Chip Design Academy announced

?Wholly unacceptable?: Culture secretary urges Ofcom to review BBC Scotland c...
28 Oct 2026 at 10:53am
The move to axe the linear channel was announced last week

AI bots sent three in four responses to UK smoking consultation, report claims
27 Oct 2026 at 10:30pm
Safeguard call for public health policymaking

Guardian - Scottish Politics

Scottish politics | The Guardian

Local devolution decisions rest solely with Scotland and Wales, first ministe...
30 Oct 2026 at 5:53pm
John Swinney and Rhun ap Iorwerth say devolving power further is up to Holyrood and Senedd ? not WestminsterScotland and Wales?s first ministers have told Andy Burnham that decisions on local devolution rest solely with their parliaments, in response to the prime minister?s push to extend English...

Business secretary says UK needs to understand direction of EU before signing...
30 Oct 2026 at 4:21pm
This blog is now closedDowning Street has paid tribute to Patrick Stewart following the actor?s death. At the daily lobby briefing, the PM?s spokesperson gave a comment that was a bit more extensive than the usual No 10 contribution when a great British celebrity dies. The spokesperson said that ...

No 10: Hegseth ?wrong? to say most non-US Nato soldiers didn?t fight in Afgha...
19 Oct 2026 at 5:18pm
Downing Street delivered a rare rebuke to a senior member of Donald Trump?s administrationAsked why the Lib Dems were opposed to a third runway at Heathrow when they professed to be in favour of growth, Cooper said she did not accept that a third runway would produce all the benefits its supporte...

SNP says campaign for next referendum on independence ?has already begun?
17 Oct 2026 at 4:45pm
John Swinney tells party conference SNP will use ?six-figure war chest? to renew argument for leaving UKJohn Swinney has said that the second referendum campaign for Scottish independence ?has already begun?, revealing a nationwide effort to renew the argument for leaving the UK in his keynote ad...

Burnham v Swinney: will the UK PM overshadow the SNP?s conference?
15 Oct 2026 at 7:00am
Prime minister presents new kind of challenge for SNP, and his Scottish visit will loom large over its big eventThis year, even Andy Burnham is invited to the Scottish National party conference. But by the time John Swinney stands up to address members on Saturday afternoon in Aberdeen to reinvig...

Burnham tells Zelenskyy?s UK?s support for Ukraine ?will not change? ? as it ...
14 Oct 2026 at 6:06pm
Zelenskyy says he will be discussing intelligence sharing ?difficulties? and Starlink access with BurnhamPMQs is about to start.Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question.After @genevieve_holl reported this last night, various sources in the Trump administration who are supportive of Farage s...

MI5 chief Ken McCallum confirms Russia did interfere in Brexit referendum but...
13 Oct 2026 at 5:23pm
He argued there was no evidence to suggest the result of the Brexit vote had been swayed as a result of the effortAndy Burnham promises ?serious dialogue? over UK?s relationship with EUZia Yusuf, Reform UK?s home affairs spokesperson, has said he does not agree with his colleague Suella Braverman...

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...

Wee Ginger Dug

Wee Ginger Dug

Blog break
30 Oct 2026 at 1:07pm
I’m currently struggling with a nasty cold so will be taking a few days away from blogging until I feel better. I had planned to write about the underwhelming budget, or rather meh-dget, and how it shows that for all the hype around Burnham, he’s very much continuity Labour centrism and is already falling very …

These Islands? dishonest best out of three indyref plan
28 Oct 2026 at 11:44am
In an interview with The Herald, marking a significant shifting of the previous intransigence of a die-hard Unionist campaign group, Professor Colin Kidd, a historian who is a member of the advisory board of the anti-independence campaign organisation These Islands has acknowledged that opponents of independence “can’t keep on saying no indefinitely to a second …

The paramilitary far right must be nipped in the bud
27 Oct 2026 at 2:01pm
We have now had another fascist military style parade consisting of men dressed all in black, often wearing black ski masks or balaclavas and scarves to hide their faces, parading in formation in public spaces in Scotland, in what is clearly an attempt to intimidate and sow fear. On Friday, around 100 men dressed in …

Newly independent countries can quickly establish a currency
25 Oct 2026 at 2:06pm
One of the biggest mistakes the Yes campaign made during the 2014 referendum campaign was Alex Salmond’s declaration that a newly independent Scotland would enter a currency union with the remnant UK and continue to use pound sterling as its currency. This gave the Better Together parties the opportunity, which they immediately took, to assert …

BBC Scotland?s useful idiots
24 Oct 2026 at 11:34am
Police Scotland has announced that it will make no further investigations into the finances of Yes Scotland, having found no evidence of criminality. Headed by Blair Jenkins, Yes Scotland was the organisation which represented the official Yes campaign in the 2014 referendum. It handed over its full accounts to Police Scotland after a complaint was …

The £1 trillion cost of the Union to Scotland
23 Oct 2026 at 1:46pm
Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey has admitted that if the UK had in set up a sovereign wealth fund on the basis of income generated from North Sea oil and gas as Norway did in the 1980s, it would currently be worth in excess of the eye watering sum of £1 trillion pounds. That …

The BBC, switching off Scotland
21 Oct 2026 at 1:57pm
The BBC has announced that the BBC Scotland channel is to close in spring 2027 as part of its cost-cutting measures. Also ceasing linear broadcasting will be BBC Three and BBC Radio 4 Extra. The channels will become online only. The BBC Scotland Channel was established in 24 February 2019, replacing the BBC Two Scotland …

Buses, indy and Reform?s implosion
19 Oct 2026 at 2:16pm
Despite BBC Scotland doing its best to ignore or marginalise the recent SNP conference in Aberdeen, the SNP have come out from their conference, united, confident and energised with a batch of eye-catching policies which are likely to be popular with the public, not the least of which is the commitment to take Scotland’s bus …

Pulling Focus
17 Oct 2026 at 10:47am
It’s a sign of how spooked they are by the Celtic Alliance and the question of Scottish independence that just won’t go away that both Andy Burnham and Kemi Badenoch decided to pay visits to Scotland during the SNP conference in desperate and transparent attempts to pull focus, like a narcissistic mother with a bad …

It?s time to abolish the Scotland Office
16 Oct 2026 at 1:06pm
On the first day of the SNP conference, the membership voted overwhelmingly for the abolition of the Scotland Office and the post of Secretary of state for Scotland, also known as the Scottish Secretary. The vote was of course symbolic as the Scotland Office is a department of the Westminster government while its head, the …

The Courier

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Scottish Politics News From Holyrood and Westminster | The Courier

Could Rosyth-Europe ferry set sail thanks to Brexit reset?
27 May 2025 at 6:01am
Hopes have been raised for a simple solution to a cross-border problem.

Kirkcaldy MP demands pro-suicide forum is torn down
26 May 2025 at 6:01am
Around 100 suicides have been linked to the sickening forum which provides guidance to people on ending their life.

UHI Perth aviation students warn of ?unsettling times? after training firm?s ...
26 May 2025 at 6:00am
Worried Samuel Hughes, 19, is among students sharing their fears at a time of crisis for Perth College.

Fresh Dundee University strike begins over compulsory Levehulme Centre job cuts
26 May 2025 at 6:00am
University staff are taking five days of industrial action as the institution pushes ahead with plans to axe the forensic research hub.

NHS Fife nurse at centre of controversial trans tribunal suing her own trade ...
25 May 2025 at 2:32pm
A&E medic Sandie Peggie is now taking legal action against the Royal College of Nursing.

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University still to strike rescue deal with government
23 May 2025 at 5:46pm
Opposition MSPs have expressed concern at the time taken to agree a deal almost a month after the fresh recovery plan was unveiled.

6 senior figures who left Dundee University during financial crisis
23 May 2025 at 5:10pm
Several university chiefs have moved on since £30m financial black hole emerged.

Dundee University activist artist leads degree show protest over financial cr...
23 May 2025 at 4:45pm
Duncan of Jordanstone student Finn Millar says he wants to play a part in "keeping the university alive".

John Swinney admits constituents have expressed Perth leisure concerns to him
23 May 2025 at 6:01am
The first minister wants further talks between both sides of Perth leisure debate.

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University chief operating officer Jim McGeorge quits
22 May 2025 at 1:58pm
Dr Jim McGeorge ? who was responsible for good governance - had been on a period of extended leave.

Talking up Scotland

Talking-up Scotland

Prisoner recalls in England & Wales running at 15 to 25 the rate in Scotland ...
30 Oct 2026 at 9:31am
In the Guardian today, the above and: More people were recalled to jails in England and Wales in the first half of this year than were released, despite government efforts to reduce the prison population, according to figures released on Thursday. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data shows that 12,338 people were recalled to custody between the beginning of April and the end of June, while 12,278 peo...

Percentage of babies born in ambulances ?on the road? in England & Wales is a...
30 Oct 2026 at 8:43am
Headlining on BBC Scotland today, the above. How common is this? It is at least the third time a woman has had to give birth at the side of the A96 since 2018, with two other cases reported by the Press and Journal, external in 2021 and 2022. Approximately 0.05% or less of all births to Moray families since the 2018 downgrade. In England? Office for National Statistics data for England and Wale...

Online gangs forcing children to self-harm ? Only BBC Scotland headline it de...
30 Oct 2026 at 8:17am
Only BBC Scotland has this story: Detectives in Scotland have joined international law enforcement in targeting online gangs which groom and coerce children into acts of self-harm. Officers are hunting members of loose online networks of sadists known as “The Com”, which mainly targets girls on gaming platforms and social media. The groups, mostly comprised of teenage and young adult males, hav...

House of Commons Public Accounts Committee condemns Sizewell C Nuclear projec...
29 Oct 2026 at 7:43pm
Thanks once more to Frances McKie for alerting us to this In the Times yesterday, the above and these key points: The article (paywalled on The Times) critiques the Sizewell C nuclear project?s financing as a high-risk ?terrible deal? for UK taxpayers and consumers, drawing on the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report Under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, consumers start...

Record 90% of Scots attend cultural events in 2025 but UK under Labour saw a ...
29 Oct 2026 at 4:35pm
From Scottish Household Survey 2025 findings: Cultural Engagement published today: In 2025, cultural engagement is high. Nine in ten respondents (90%) were culturally engaged through attendance at a cultural event or place, participation in a cultural activity, or both. This has increased from 88% in 2023. Cinema is the most commonly attended cultural event or place (53%). Reading books, poetry...

Scottish vessels made £885m in 2025, up 16% even though they landed 10% fewer...
29 Oct 2026 at 4:33pm
From Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2025 Published 29 October 2026 Scottish vessels landed 479 thousand tonnes of sea fish and shellfish in 2025. A decrease of 10 per cent compared to 2024 but an increase of nine per cent compared to 2021. Scottish vessels landed £885 million of sea fish and shellfish in 2025. Adjusted to 2025 prices, this is an increase of 16 per cent compared to 2024, and ...

Suspected drug deaths plummet despite pressure of Nitazines thanks to treatme...
29 Oct 2026 at 4:30pm
From Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly ?report October 2026, the above and: Of particular interest: 82% of cases were aged 35 years and over. The most common age categories were 45 to 54 years (32%), followed by 35 to 44 years (26%) and 55 to 64 years (20%). Source: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/rapid-action-drug-alerts-and-response-radar-quarterly-rep...

Drug-related hospital admissions fall by 50% from peak in August 2020
29 Oct 2026 at 4:29pm
From Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly ?report, published today, the above and: Between April and June 2026, there were 1,901 drug-related hospital admissions (weekly average 146). The total number of admissions during this time was: 5% lower* than the previous quarter (2,007; weekly average 154) 16% lower* than the same period in 2024 (2,272; weekly average 175) 17% lower...

SNP Government builds THREE times as many houses for older people and people ...
29 Oct 2026 at 4:28pm
From Excel Tables: Housing for older people and people with disabilities Last updated 27 October 2026 In the 5 last years of the Labour Government at Holyrood (2002 to 2006) there were on average 256 houses for older people/very sheltered. In the last 5 years (2022 to 2026), under the SNP, the equivalent figure is 807, THREE times as many. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/housing-stati...

Nearly 11 000 more properties to rent in private sector in last five years
29 Oct 2026 at 4:27pm
From Housing statistics: Scottish Landlord Register data Published 27 October 2026 the above show a decline in the number of landlords but an increase in the number of properties available to rent. https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-landlord-register-data/ How has this been reported in ‘out’ media? Funny that, owner associations claim they have fewer properties to let yet official figur...

Scotland and Independence

"scotland independence -guardian" - Google News

UK, Scotland agree to explore greater autonomy despite divisions over indepen...
30 Oct 2026 at 5:21pm
UK, Scotland agree to explore greater autonomy despite divisions over independence  Anadolu Ajans?

Three of the UK?s four nations are led by parties advocating a split. Which i...
8 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Three of the UK?s four nations are led by parties advocating a split. Which is most likely to go?  The Conversation

Building consensus on independence needs to come first - The National Scot
29 Oct 2026 at 7:39pm
Building consensus on independence needs to come first  The National Scot

John Redwood: Scottish independence is a mistake - Conservative Home
21 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
John Redwood: Scottish independence is a mistake  Conservative Home

Third independence referendum should follow any Yes vote, says leading histor...
27 Oct 2026 at 7:58pm
Third independence referendum should follow any Yes vote, says leading historian  The Herald

'Bring it on': Flynn challenges Burnham on independence referendum - BBC
15 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
'Bring it on': Flynn challenges Burnham on independence referendum  BBC

SNP must answer mortgage question if it?s serious about independence - The Times
27 Oct 2026 at 5:12pm
SNP must answer mortgage question if it?s serious about independence  The Times

Reform MSPs walk out of parliament in protest against independence debate - BBC
22 Sep 2026 at 8:00am
Reform MSPs walk out of parliament in protest against independence debate  BBC

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

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

SNP

"SNP" - Google News

Russell Findlay challenged by SNP MSP to answer 'simple question' on North Se...
31 Oct 2026 at 5:04am
Russell Findlay challenged by SNP MSP to answer 'simple question' on North Sea tax  The National Scot

Duquesne, SNP Announce Basketball Partnership - Duquesne University Athletics
30 Oct 2026 at 2:54pm
Duquesne, SNP Announce Basketball Partnership  Duquesne University Athletics

One million Scots facing higher energy bills, say SNP - Morning Star | The Pe...
30 Oct 2026 at 5:21pm
One million Scots facing higher energy bills, say SNP  Morning Star | The People?s Daily

MPs and MSP detained by Israel and barred from entering West Bank - BBC
27 Oct 2026 at 4:34pm
MPs and MSP detained by Israel and barred from entering West Bank  BBC

The Scottish National Party turns to the right - The Economist
19 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
The Scottish National Party turns to the right  The Economist

SNP?s Call to Action: Strengthen the Country?s Brain Health Infrastructure Wi...
30 Oct 2026 at 5:00pm
SNP?s Call to Action: Strengthen the Country?s Brain Health Infrastructure With Better Nutrition  Seafoodnews

Burnham v Swinney: will the UK PM overshadow the SNP?s conference? - The Guar...
16 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Burnham v Swinney: will the UK PM overshadow the SNP?s conference?  The Guardian

Healey?s budget gives SNP licence to avoid the real battles - The Times
28 Oct 2026 at 5:15pm
Healey?s budget gives SNP licence to avoid the real battles  The Times

SNP under attack for 'appalling' drop in new homes despite declaring housing ...
28 Oct 2026 at 6:00am
SNP under attack for 'appalling' drop in new homes despite declaring housing emergency  The Scotsman

News - SNP's Andy Buntin elected as Mid Argyll's new councillor - West Coast ...
30 Oct 2026 at 10:51pm
News - SNP's Andy Buntin elected as Mid Argyll's new councillor  West Coast Today

Referendum (Google News)

"Scotland referendum -guardian -telegraph" - Google News

UK, Scotland agree to explore greater autonomy despite divisions over indepen...
30 Oct 2026 at 5:21pm
UK, Scotland agree to explore greater autonomy despite divisions over independence  Anadolu Ajans?

second independence referendum ?off the table? ? The NEN - North Edinburgh News
31 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
second independence referendum ?off the table? ? The NEN  North Edinburgh News

Three of the UK?s four nations are led by parties advocating a split. Which i...
8 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Three of the UK?s four nations are led by parties advocating a split. Which is most likely to go?  The Conversation

Scotland 'not like Manchester', Swinney says in dig at PM Burnham - BBC
17 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland 'not like Manchester', Swinney says in dig at PM Burnham  BBC

Second Scottish independence referendum 'must be a double vote', historian sa...
27 Oct 2026 at 6:02pm
Second Scottish independence referendum 'must be a double vote', historian says  The National Scot

Alberta?s referendum: Similar to Scotland, but not quite the same - Calgary J...
19 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Alberta?s referendum: Similar to Scotland, but not quite the same  Calgary Journal

SNP independence strategy: Does the party really want another referendum? - T...
29 Oct 2026 at 6:37am
SNP independence strategy: Does the party really want another referendum?  The Herald

Scotland political snapshot, October 2026 - YouGov
15 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Scotland political snapshot, October 2026  YouGov

Andy Burnham?s speech a distraction from anti-democratic block on independenc...
16 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Andy Burnham?s speech a distraction from anti-democratic block on independence referendum, say Greens  Scottish Greens

Labour: There won?t be a Scottish independence referendum - ITN
16 Oct 2026 at 8:00am
Labour: There won?t be a Scottish independence referendum  ITN