Politics

Latest politics news and opinion from expert Scotsman journalists and contributors. The latest from Holyrood, Westminster and a global outlook from a Scottish perspective.

The Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood in Edinburgh. Picture: PA

Worries of non-fatal strangulation law being deprioritised
‘How can you consent if you lose consciousness?’
Rachel Amery

The cover of Nicola Sturgeon's upcoming memoir

Breaking Nicola Sturgeon reveals cover and title of her upcoming memoir

The University of Dundee's Queen Mother Building

Scottish university would run out of money within weeks without help

Ineos announced the closure of its oil refinery in Grangemouth last year

Grangemouth: Project Willow report unveils plans for 800 jobs

Catchment changes may be required for Boroughmuir High School in the long term, officials say

Edinburgh schools face catchment changes and temporary classrooms

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage

Reform UK records highest level of support in Scotland in new poll

Politics

Former Lothian MSP Neil Findlay

Former Labour MSP quits party over £5bn benefits cut

Neil Findlay says the Labour Party ‘lied to the British public’ at last year’s general election.

Why Conservative leader is wrong about climate change

Kemi Badenoch’s decision to echo Reform UK’s message about climate change will only make their voice...

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband during a meeting of the National Wealth Fund Taskforce in 11 Downing Street. PIC: Justin Tallis/PA Wire

Ed Miliband reveals deadline for Scotland's carbon capture approval

Ed Miliband has confirmed when a decision over whether to fund Scotland’s long-delayed carbon capture project will be made.

Readers' Letters: Sturgeon came so close to assuring a legacy to be proud of

Scotsman Letters

Larger Scots firms to pay £55m more in rates than English counterparts

The Scottish Retail Consortium criticised the disparity

Benefit reforms may have 'severe' impact on Scottish budget, warns SNP

‘Pro-work’ UK welfare shake-up to address status quo that is “failing the very people it is supposed...

Scottish Independence

Alex Salmond and Chris McEleny

Salmond wanted to build a new town called 'Independence' - Alba ally

First Minister John Swinney (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Swinney wants Northern Ireland-style trigger for independence poll

Scottish independence supporters on the march. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

Exclusive Last indy strategy damaged 'credibility', Pete Wishart says

Keir Starmer's plans to bulldoze through housing and infrastructure construction ─ including the relentless march of wind turbines ─ may not go down well with voters (Picture: Chris Radburn)

Labour's disastrous start is setting up a 2029 independence showdown John McLellan

Any decision to scrap independence spending from the Scottish Budget next month could have consequences

SNP must not axe independence spending in Budget, say Greens

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump dances at a campaign rally at Greensboro Coliseum (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Swinney backs Harris for president after Trump opposes independence

Former Scotland first minister and current Alba Party leader Alex Salmond has died aged 69.

Tributes for 'monumental figure' Alex Salmond pour in

More Scotsman politics

Women with early stage cervical cancer can end up waiting years to get a hysterectomy (Picture: Christopher Furlong)

Told she may have cancer, Jenny had to wait nearly a year to find out Jackie Baillie

Scotland's planning system is too slow, rent controls have driven away many buy-to-let investors and the wait for electricity connections to the grid can run into years (Picture: Damian Gillie/Construction Photography/Avalon)

How the SNP is making Scotland’s housing crisis worse Murdo Fraser

Given its harmful effects, social media simply cannot be allowed to continue in its current form (Picture: Spencer Platt)

How to launch social media revolution to strip Musk and co of power Ian Johnston

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

'This is not austerity': Sarwar defends cutting billions in benefits

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall making a statement on welfare reform in the House of Commons

Explainer Benefits overhaul: How does the welfare crackdown impact Scotland?

Screen grab of Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall making a statement on welfare reform in the House of Commons, London

Liz Kendall sets out overhaul of benefits system

Campaigners have claimed Scottish public bodies are not meeting single-sex spaces rules Picture: PA

SNP's top civil servant insists single-sex spaces use is lawful

Keir Starmer needs to ensure the disability benefits system is fair (Picture: Leon Neal)

Labour risks repeat of winter fuel row over disability benefit cuts Scotsman comment

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer believes the Government has a “moral responsibility” to reform welfare

SNP calls for '11th-hour U-turn’ by Starmer on ‘shameful’ benefit cuts

David Linden was the MP for Glasgow East

SNP Holyrood 'civil war' begins as David Linden puts himself forward

Canadian troops leave their trenches for an attack on the German positions during the First World War (Picture: The Print Collector/Heritage Images)

The historic ties that mean we must stand with Canada against Trump Alex Cole-Hamilton

Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the media after announcing she will not stand for re-election to the Scottish Parliament next year (Picture: Robert Perry)

Why Sturgeon leaving Holyrood is unfortunately not the end of an era Brian Monteith

First Minister John Swinney

John Swinney insists SNP does not have a woman problem

Solar panels on the roof of a property

Exclusive Solar panels on newbuilds 'wasting the sun', Scottish firm warns

The Chancellor faces a difficult battle to rebuild the economy

Spring Statement risks Scottish Budget hit and forcing SNP tax review

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is under pressure to boost defence spending and get the economy growing (Picture: Dan Kitwood)

SNP and Reform will benefit if Labour can't find ways to boost economy Scotsman comment

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves during a visit Babcock in Rosyth, to talk about growing the defence sector to kickstart economic growth and bolster national security

Reeves doubles down on welfare and says ministers must get a grip

Nicola Sturgeon's legacy is her insistence that men can be women if they choose and the backlash this view sparked (Picture: Andy Buchanan)

Why Sturgeon will be remembered as a mediocre politician who failed Susan Dalgety

A rally by university union members outside the Scottish Parliament (Picture: Lisa Ferguson)

University’s troubles worsened by UK’s hostility towards migrants Stephen Gethins

Brexit

Even ardent Remainers know the SNP's Brexit stance makes no sense Murdo Fraser

First Minister Humza Yousaf will rally against Brexit during an address in London.

Humza Yousaf accuses Labour and Tories of being in denial over Brexit

Brexiteers and Scottish nationalists are united by an enthusiasm for censorship Euan McColm

Brexit supporters celebrate as the United Kingdom exits the EU on January 31, 2020 (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Brexit myths created 'Schrodinger’s Britain' but the reality is very different

First Minister and SNP Leader Humza Yousaf who will make the case for righting the "historic wrong" of Brexit as he delivers a speech on independence. PIC: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Humza Yousaf: Independence can "right historic wrong" of Brexit

The clock face of Elizabeth Tower, known after the bell Big Ben, shows the hands at 11 o'clock as a Union Flag flies in front of it in London. Picture Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

Committee on cost-of-living would 'waste taxpayers money’, UK Government say

Has the UK Government turned into a 'Just Say No' machine?