Thu, 22nd May 2025

Money stacked on top of a council tax bill. PIC: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

SNP 'incompetence' blamed as report reveals 'titanic' council fund gap
The funding gap has been blamed on “incompetence and cuts” overseen by SNP ministers.

The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland, plays football during a visit to Leith Community Centre in Edinburgh. Picture: Chris Jackson/PA Wire

The day Prince William came to Leith - from Aston Villa to lipreading

Ferguson Marine's 'fundamental weaknesses' and Glen Rosa 'trade-offs'

Don't Miss

Scotland, England, Wales and Republic of Ireland will host Euro 2028 as part of a joint UK venture. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Scotland learn Euro 2028 fate as UEFA reveal qualification format

Old College at the University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh University staff vote for strikes as marking boycott looms

Sheku Bayoh, 31, died in May 2015 after being restrained on the ground by six police officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife

Senior counsel appointed to under-fire Sheku Bayoh inquiry

Shetland islanders are still awaiting news of any potential council tax hikes.

Inside the pioneering £1m 'Viking gene' project to screen thousands

When aspects of your life have been difficult, it can be difficult to trust people again (Picture: Phil Wilkinson)

A child expected to behave like an adult: Tales of the housing crisis Sean and Rachel

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after hosting a joint press conference during the UK-EU Summit at Lancaster House in London

I voted Remain, but here's why Starmer is getting too close to the EU Paul Wilson

Boris Johnson decided to call Keir Starmer an 'orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels' after the recent UK-EU deal (Picture: Liam McBurney/pool)

Boris Johnson's 'gimp' outburst shows why Brexiteers need to move on William Deans

Scotland's estates are responsible for significant social, economic and environmental benefits (Picture: CM Dixon/Heritage Images)

How Scotland's Land Reform Bill could fatally damage tenant farming Patrick Colquhoun

Arts news

New research shows that writing by hand rather than using the keyboard actually helps boost learning and memory. Photo: StockAdobe

The six Scottish authors shortlisted for major literary prizes

Six Scottish authors have been shortlisted

Actor Brian Cox backs fundraising drive to save arts centre

The centre has faced spiralling running costs, with a fundraising drive backed by the likes of Succe...

Joey Ansah arriving for the UK Premiere of The Bourne Ultimatum, in 2007.

Workshop to be led by actor who tackled Matt Damon in Bourne Ultimatum

The course is being run in association with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

The six Scottish authors shortlisted for major literary prizes Jane Bradley

Jane Bradley

The Booker Prize winner that will feature at Edinburgh book festival

The author and translator of the winning book will appear at the Edinburgh International Book Festiv...

The Booker-shortlisted translator who 'sneaks in' Scottish words

The International Booker Prize winner will be announced next week.

Scotsman Video

Scotsman Video

The latest video from The Scotsman

Featured Videos

Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft the Red Arrows complete a flypast. Picture: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Tattoo boss admits flypasts over castle 'at the mercy of' council

Global warming is affecting the oceans as well as the land and the consequences for humanity could be just as profound (Picture: Joseph Prezioso)

Why our biggest ally against climate change may be about to swap sides Ian Johnston

The poster for Tummy Monster

Tummy Monster: Glasgow director Ciaran Lyons talks about debut film

Ruth Gipps

Watch: The SCO Digital Season Part Three: Ruth Gipps, Seascape

Puzzles

Quick CrosswordTo test and hone your word skills

SudokuThe ultimate logic-based numbers game

WordwheelPit yourself against the clock with our simple anagram game

Sport

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou celebrates with the Europa League trophy after the 1-0 win over Manchester United in the final at Estadio de San Mames on May 21, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Postecoglou becomes Spurs legend as ex-Celtic boss fulfils promise

Spurs lift Europa League trophy after nervy final

Rangers next manager state of play amid Steven Gerrard snag - reports

Gerrard remains favourite amid conflicting Ancelotti reports

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin with the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup at Pittodrie Stadium, on May 21, 2025. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

Aberdeen final countdown far from ideal but Thelin has 'clear plan'

Positive news on poleaxed defender as Dons prepare for Hampden showdown

Tough call for Ryder Cup captain is now looking even more likely Martin Dempster

Martin Dempster

Finn Russell nominated for prestigious award alongside fellow Lion

What the stats say as Russell up for player of season

Scotland learn Euro 2028 fate as UEFA reveal qualification format

Safety net in place but no automatic qualification

Readers Gallery

May 2025: A selection of beautiful pictures from Scotland taken by our readers

April 2025: A selection of beautiful pictures from Scotland taken by our readers

Beautiful Mute Swan

March 2025: A selection of beautiful pictures from Scotland taken by our readers

Get The Scotsman app for mobile and tablet

The Scotsman app brings you exclusive, quality news and analysis from The Scotsman, Scotland’s National Newspaper.

Scotsman Sessions

Just a few of the artists who have performed Scotsman Sessions

The Scotsman Sessions: links to numbers 1-400

Kevin Lennon and Molly Innes

The Scotsman Sessions #430: Kevin Lennon and Molly Innes

Constant Vigier

The Scotsman Sessions #429: Constant Vigier

Jennie Lee: Tomorrow is a New Day

The Scotsman Sessions #428: Kit Laveri, George Docherty & Trish Mullin

Business

A CGI of how the new development will fit into the Collegelands regeneration project in the Calton area of Glasgow, which was started in 2004.

City ‘gap site’ to be filled with hundreds of student flats and new arts centre

ZeroAvia isdeveloping the world’s first zero-emission engines for commercial aviation. Picture: ZeroAvia

‘Green’ aero-engine plant to bring 350 skilled jobs to Scottish airport site

Politics

Pensioners are having fewer meals, turning down their heating and visiting libraries to keep warm because of cuts to their winter fuel allowance, a report issued two months ago said. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Starmer reveals policy U-turn on winter fuel payments cut
A reversal of the UK Labour government’s position on winter fuel payment cuts has been foreshadowed by Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Nurse Sandie Peggie, who is taking legal action against NHS Fife over access to single sex spaces, has welcomed the Supreme Court ruling

Nurse's 'disappointment' letter emerges over NHS trans doctor case

A new dawn: Plans for carbon capture and storage are at an advanced phase for VPI, where the intention is to be the anchor emitter for the Viking CCS project.

Acorn carbon capture project in doubt over Rachel Reeves 'bid' request

The Scottish Parliament debating chamber.

Former prostitute says 'multiple' MSPs bought her for sex

Palestinians struggle to get food rations outside a distribution centre in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip (Picture: Bashar Taleb)

Israel must come to its senses as Gaza babies face death by starvation Scotsman comment

The Grangemouth complex is one of the biggest single sources of climate-harming greenhouse gases in Scotland, belching out around three million tonnes of emissions each year

SNP told more heat pumps must be installed 'rapidly' in homes

Displaced Palestinians flee Khan Younis, Gaza, amid the ongoing Israeli military offensive in the area

UK ramps up pressure on Israel over offensive in Gaza and West Bank

A Bill is set to go before Parliament in the next few months to amend prostitution law

'We were treated like animals': Woman opens up on life as a prostitute

Opinion

Keir Starmer's team has negotiated a bad deal for Britain's fishermen, believes reader (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Readers Letters: Starmer should have had UK join EFTA trade allies

Can the Gallagher brothers, pictured in 1995, bring back 1990s-style optimism to Britain? (Picture: Dave Hogan)

Oasis's £1 billion UK tour can be spark that reignites Cool Britannia Scotsman comment

The Marks & Spencer store in Argyle Street, Glasgow. The recent cyber attack has left the business reeling (Picture: John Devlin)

You do a fire drill, so do a cyber attack drill

Campaigners from both sides of the argument demonstrate outside the Scottish Parliament (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

Care homes must not be forced to participate in assisted dying Murdo Fraser

Heritage and Retro

Outlander Scots Language explained: 13 Scottish words and phrases

Funeral of 100 soldiers from the 7th Battalion (Leith) Royal Scots who died in the Gretna Green rail disaster on May 22 1915. A new exhibition on the tragedy and the men who lost their lives has opened at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street, where the battalion was based. PIC: Royal Scots Regimental Museum

Leith's 'darkest dawn' remembered 110 years on

Founded in 1881 and revived in 2001, Bruichladdich Distillery achieved B Corp certification in 2020.

Hebridean whisky and gin distillery to play starring role in global film series

Orchardton House in Dumfries and Galloway has re-opened to the public. PIC: HES.

'Unique' 600-year-old house reopens after five year closure

The Fairy Pools on Skye is one of the island's most popular tourist draws, but the true story surrounding the landscape has nothing to do with fairies, says author Coinneach Maclean.

Tour guide hits back at 'gibberish' spoken about Gaelic Scotland

Jacobite train operator slammed for substitute 'Primark' carriages

An artist's impression of the development at Griminish, North Uist. PIC: Contributed

Luxury housing planned at 'New Luskentyre' in Outer Hebrides

Arts and Culture

Alan Cumming is artistic director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Alan Cumming on the magic of Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning: 'old-fashioned movie magic'

Installation view of the Solange Pessoa exhibition at Tramway, Glasgow

Art reviews: Solange Pessoa | Ciara Phillips

The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl

Edinburgh International Children's Festival: 'a celebration of joy'

Theatre reviews: Water Colour | Goodbye Dreamland Bowlarama

Kylie, Glasgow review: 'it's the chemistry'

Actor Brian Cox backs fundraising drive to save arts centre

Education

One of the buildings of the Gordonstoun School, in Elgin, where King Charles III was a pupil. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

Deal struck between King's former boarding school and Dubai club

The partnership involves the former Scottish private school attended by King Charles.

Learning the recorder at school has been a tradition going back decades

School recorder playing plummets - the instruments taking its place

Sometimes unnoticed among the children starting secondary school are primary classmates who are, for a range of reasons, no longer turning up (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

The children who just disappear between primary and secondary Karyn McCluskey

How striking teachers created a revolution in education 60 years ago Dr Pauline Stephen

Hay's Way

Beldorney estate has been sold by Highlands Rewilding

Exclusive Whisky chief buys castle after rewilding company has to sell up

Castlebay on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.

Visitors warned to bring own medication to islands over scarce supply

An illustration of how Flamingo Land at Loch Lomond would appear

Fury as Scottish Government set to approve Flamingo Land resort

Health

Weight-loss 'wonder drugs' should be part of a more deliberate approach, says a new survey

Scotland leads UK for weight loss in major new study

A clean and modern dental clinic equipped for comprehensive patient care.

New teeth, new you? Double Take Dental looks ahead to the future of dentistry

Over a third of older people surveyed last year said they would find it difficult to manage financially without their winter fuel payment. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Swinney announces date for £100 winter fuel payment for pensioners

Craig Murray with his wife Linda

Progress on cardiovascular health at risk as deaths rise

Craig Murray has described the double heartbreak of losing his son and his wife to the same heart condition in the space of seven years

Father ‘feels robbed’ after losing wife and son to heart condition

Warning to those who are more vulnerable to limit their exposure to direct sunlight.

Vulnerable Brits warned to avoid direct sunlight during hot spell

The Covid variant LP.8.1 was first detected in July 2024.

New Covid variant LP.8.1 warning signs and symptoms to look out for

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Bag yourself some massive savings in Amazon Essentials Week

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Free Samsung tablet with Sky’s Galaxy S25 phone deal

Show your dad how much you love him by giving him an insulting Father's Day card

These funny Father’s Day cards might actually make him laugh

Five Must-have beauty deals from Amazon including L’Oreal, Olay and Clarins

Five Must-have beauty deals from Amazon

Grab these fantastic Amazon deals on top beauty gadgets right now

Beauty writer approved beauty gadgets from Amazon

Affordable trip to Disneyland Paris with flights, hotel & park entry included from £139pp

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The Singleton Malt Master Selection

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Sport Opinion

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt knows results elsewhere will be irrelevant if his team don't do their job.

URC's rather messy conclusion to league season needs rethink
Edinburgh players could come off the pitch on Friday and still be unsure as to whether they’ve made the play-offs
Graham Bean

Bob MacIntyre plays his second shot on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club

Scottish Open has earned its place as golf's fifth strongest field

Scott McTominay, centre, celebrates with Napoli teammates after scoring against Torino on Sunday (Picture: Francesco Pecoraro)

McTominay draws Maradona comparison as Italy lauds Scottish superstar Scotsman comment

Hearts defender Michael Steinwender is shown a straight red card by referee John Beaton during the Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Aberdeen at Hampden. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Hearts wrong to blame John Beaton for Scottish Cup semi-final defeat

Obituaries

Stewart Spence - pictured with his dog Millie - ensured every guest received a warm welcome, no matter their status in life

Scotsman Obituaries: John Stewart Spence MBE, consummate Scottish hotelier

Rupa Tewari: 'She had music not just in her voice, but in her soul' (Picture: David Bull)

Scotsman Obituaries: Rupasree Tewari, respected community doctor

Rugby Union

Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby have learned their 2025-26 fixture schedule in the United Rugby Championship.

Glasgow and Edinburgh learn 2025-26 URC schedule and 1872 Cup dates

Glasgow Warriors' Sione Tuipulotu is pictured after being called up for the British and Irish Lions squad. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Tuipulotu 'all in' for Lions as he addresses international allegiance

Scotland will start off their Six Nations campaign in Italy.

Scotland's 2026 Six Nations fixtures revealed as competition changes

Sione Tuipulotu made his Glasgow Warriors comeback in the defeat to Leinster on Saturday. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

Edinburgh and Glasgow URC play-off quarter-final opponents confirmed

Duhan van der Merwe during an Edinburgh Rugby training session at the Hive Stadium last week. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Van der Merwe status ahead of URC play-off and Lions tour revealed

Darcy Graham stretches over the line.

Graham lights up Edinburgh as big rewards come capital club's way

Sean Everitt speaks after Edinburgh's win.

'Outstanding' Bradbury forward hailed after defining win over Ulster

Scotland U20 hooker Seb Stephen will make his Glasgow Warriors debut in Saturday's game against Leinster.

Don’t be too quick to discard foreigners who help develop Scots talent

Charlie Savala in action for Northampton Saints against Leicester Tigers.

Glasgow sign Tom Jordan replacement as familiar face returns north

Cars

Tracey Saunders could not believe her win

Foster carer wins £685k house and £57,000 car

The AMG E63S has an incredible exhaust note

Win a Mercedes-AMG E63 S for 6p

Motoring must-haves are now much cheaper on Amazon

Top Amazon car gadgets deals – save up to 50% on must-have tech

This gleaming McLaren supercar could be yours for 20p

McLaren 570GT prize draw: win a supercar or £53k cash for 20p

Gareth Butterfield has been driving a six-year-old Tesla Model 3 for a few weeks to see if they really are a used-car bargain

Living with a used Tesla: Battery-powered bargain, or EV ordeal?

The Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam is one of the smallest on the market

Vantrue E1 Pro: Compact 4K dash cam now under £110 on Amazon

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It comes as more men turn to AI for emotional support

Ad Feature Over two-thirds of men would consider marrying an AI, survey reveals

Black Castle Capital Partners Ltd

Ad Feature Investment company forced to clarify name after causing confusion