Mon, 25th September 2023

Strikes are set to hit schools on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Photo: John Devlin

Yousaf urges Unison to suspend school strike and put deal to members
Schools are set to close across Scotland this week

First Minister Humza Yousaf, and SNP Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn joined SNP candidate for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, Katy Loudon, at Cambuslang Miners Monument. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

SNP will consider amendments to independence motion, says Yousaf

Exclusive Gender pay gap widens to record level at Holyrood body

Don't miss...

1Hollywood writers' strike set to come to an end after five months

2What Scotland need to qualify for RWC quarters after beating Tonga

3Review: New National Gallery spaces 'triumph of space, light and shadow'

4Edinburgh boarding school puts focus on addressing male mental health stigma

5Book review: The Running Grave, by Robert Galbraith

Yellow warnings for wind and rain have been issued by the Met Office as Storm Agnes bears down on the UK

When does Storm Agnes hit Scotland, as yellow wind warning issued for rain

A child vaping. The Scottish Government wants to crack down on access to disposable vapes

Shops to face restrictions on vape sales under Scottish Government plans

The accident happened on London Road, at its junction with Arcadia Street. Picture: Google

Elderly patient onboard an ambulance dies after crash with taxi

The centre from Lockerbie won 43 caps in a career that saw him give service to Edinburgh, Border Reivers, Biarritz and Wasps.

Former Scotland rugby star Nick De Luca on his new role at Edinburgh school

Dear Rishi, net-zero technologies can help reduce the cost of living Christine Jardine

Rishi Sunak resorts to project fear by scrapping policies that never existed Alexander Brown

Flat viewing and house hunting, we're back to negotiating estate agent Gaby Soutar

Fears of the final flowering of Scotland's arts and culture Julia Armour

Lifestyle

Former Bake Off contestants on their most memorable dishes from the show

Josie Long, comedian, who has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe for over two decades, has written her first book of short stories, Because I Don't Know What You Mean and What You Don't. She appears at this year's Wigtown Book Festival. Pic: John Devlin

Comedian Josie Long at Wigtown Book Festival

An image from Iman Tajik's series of photographs, The Dreamers

Season of plenty: Autumn art highlights across Scotland

Book review: Politics on the Edge: A Memoir From Within, by Rory Stewart

The Scotsman Sessions #380: The Filthy Tongues and Maria Rud

Nicole Cooper as The Fool Lear's Fool PIC: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

Theatre review: Lear's Fool, Botanic Gardens, Glasgow

Album reviews: Kylie | Don Letts | Jorja Smith | MALKA

Rugby World Cup

Stuart McInally won 49 caps during a stellar career for Scotland.

McInally' emotional retirement post after World Cup ended by injury

Stuart McInally declared it “a privilege” to have been able to end his rugby career at the Rugby Wor...

Hooker Matthews is a perfectly able deputy for Scotland – Dalziel

John Dalziel is adamant new recruit Johnny Matthews will prove a perfectly able deputy after Scotlan...

Johnny Sexton celebrates Ireland's crucial 13-8 win over South Africa.

Ireland brush aside complacency and say full focus is on Scotland

Captain Johnny Sexton insists Ireland are not thinking about anything beyond Scotland as they seek to avoid complacency following previous World Cup failures.

Fraser Brown: Where opener was lost, one thing that must change and ref issues Fraser Brown

Scotland know they will have to 'do it the hard way' in Pool B

Gregor Townsend admitted Scotland will have to “do it the hard way” if they are to reach the World C...

Scotland player ratings for win over Tonga as two backs are stand-out performers

Scotland recorded their first win of the 2023 Rugby World Cup with a 45-17 victory against Tonga....

Scotsman Video

The latest video from The Scotsman

A sideways look at Westminster with Westminster Correspondent, Alexander Brown

The Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood in Edinburgh

Scotsman Politics Show - First Minister's Questions

Exclusive Author Diana Gabaldon says 'weird' Outlander was almost never published

The Scotsman Sessions #379: Chris Dennis

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

Scotland Street Volume 17, Chapter 15: Everything’s Ruined – It’s Official

Scotland Street Volume 17, Chapter 14: Reintroducing Wolves

Scotland Street Volume 17, Chapter 13: Hopper, Loneliness, Greek Revival

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

Politics

Schools will close in 24 council areas in Scotland next week, including in Fife. Picture: PA

School strikes to go ahead in 24 council areas after weekend talks break down

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar speaks to the media after himself and Scottish Labour candidate for Rutherglen and Hamilton West Michael Shanks unveiled a billboard on their party's plan to make work pay in Cambuslang.

Anas Sarwar's home heating proposals will 'dramatically increase fuel poverty'

Former prime minister Gordon Brown who has said that states which banked 'staggering' profits from the high price of oil last year should pay a global windfall levy to help poorer nations in the fight against climate change. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Gordon Brown: States that reaped 'staggering' oil profits should pay global wind...

Kimberly Darroch and daughter Milly Main

Patient safety legislation ‘must include Milly’s Law’, says Labour

Co-leader of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie at the 2023 Scottish Green Party Spring Conference at the Golden Jubilee Conference Centre in Clydebank.

Patrick Harvie says he 'will never condemn' climate activists who break the law

File photo dated 14/6/2023 of Scottish Liberal Democrat Alex Cole-Hamilton who will use his party conference speech to call for the "real terms" cut to pupil equity funding to be addressed. At the party's UK conference in Brighton on Sunday, Mr Cole-Hamilton will take aim at the Scottish Government's commitment to education. Issue date: Sunday September 24, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SCOTLAND LibDems. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Yousaf will be last Nationalist FM, says Scots Lib Dem leader

Analysis Could financial pressures cause a Scottish council to go bust?

Falkirk Council will meet to discuss the proposed cuts on Wednesday. Picture: Michael Gillen

Council warns of bailout risk as local authorities pushed to 'breaking point'

Sport

Glasgow Warriors' Jonny Matthews has been called into the Scotland squad.

Hooker Matthews is a perfectly able deputy for Scotland – Dalziel

John Dalziel is adamant new recruit Johnny Matthews will prove a perfectly able deputy after Scotlan...

Hearts extend Devlin's contract as duo have say on midfielder's situation

Hearts midfielder Cammy Devlin has extended his contract with the club by an extra year....

US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson speaks to the media during a joint press conference at Marco Simone Golf Club. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Gentle jousting rather than gladiators battle in first captains Ryder Cup chat

In the city where Julius Caesar was stabbed multiple times, Zach Johnson is feeling confident his players won’t do a Phil Mickelson on him if more away misery is heaped on the Americans in the 44th Ryder Cup.

The nerds will be loving rugby's controversies, the casual fan ends up baffled

Aidan Smith

McInally' emotional retirement post after World Cup ended by injury

Stuart McInally declared it “a privilege” to have been able to end his rugby career at the Rugby Wor...

Rangers reaction: Patience thin, 'dangerous' road refusal, Bisgrove's teaser

Rangers defeated Motherwell 1-0 at Ibrox on Sunday, but the victory was far from convincing and left...

Opinion

Children from Lochnell Primary School, Oban, take part in a Maths Week Scotland event (Picture: Martin Shields)

Maths Week means there's lots of educational fun to be had during school strikes

There are special areas in Perth Prison where inmates can relax and talk to staff members (Picture: Community Justice Scotland)

If veteran prison governor still believes in rehabilitation, so should we

Labour was in control when the flawed contracts for the ambitious Edinburgh trams scheme were signed.

Scotsman Letters: Labour's principal role in costly Edinburgh trams debacle

Alan Munro is an insolvency expert, Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP

Covid fraud aftershocks continue to reverberate - Alan Munro

Education

Two unions suspend industrial action, but strikes still set to go ahead

Two of the three unions that were set to be involved in school strikes next week in Scotland have suspended industrial action – but the move will not prevent schools closing

Dale Miller

The council officer has referred to a 2017 incident at Portobello’s Towerbank Primary School where a girl was almost struck by a falling piece of concrete in a toilet

Officer warned Edinburgh council about concrete safety issues six years ago

Open day to showcase school’s holistic learning experience for children aged 5 to 18. Submitted image

Ad Feature Find out all that Bridge of Allan School offers at open day

Prospect of school strikes 'stressing' out children, parent says

Ed Cullinane

Rural Affairs

A motion raised to scrap plans to allow the male deer cull season to be open all year round has been successful (pic: John Stillwell)

Deer cull season plans to be debated in Parliament following successful motion

The Scottish Government proposals have prompted animal welfare concerns

Charity wins bid to take over Scottish Government-owned farmland in Highlands

The community aims to build a garden, orchard and allotments...

Calls have been made to review the right to roam policy in Scotland to address the influx of particularly roadside campers since the legislation was introduced two decades ago (pic: Jeff J Mitchell)

England should learn from Scotland 'right to roam' issues

Calls have been made for land access guidance and legislation to be reviewed with an increase in roadside campers over the last two decades.

Promising lapwing test shows farmers are 'part of the solution not the problem'Katharine Hay

Seawilding: One community's battle to replenish Scotland's native oyster

With oyster season having started and a string of festivals dedicated to the bivalve mollusc ahead, ...

Highland hospitality sector battling to survive with staff shortages

Pubs, hotels and cafes are having to close more often to give staff a rest due to lack of employees....

The booing? Let's not get too woke about what happens at football matches
We insisted it wasn’t important, that it no longer bothered us. Yes, the fixture used to be yer actual raison d’etre as far as Scots were concerned, but not any more. It used to be the means by which we sought consolation for all manner of historical grudges – social, cultural, political. Now our strong feelings about it were just that – history.

Supporters buses outside Hampden Stadium.

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