Wed, 26th March 2025

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will announce a funding boost for defence on Wednesday

Chancellor to announce defence spending boost
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver her statement at lunchtime on Wednesday

Energy Security Ed Miliband, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar at the Port of Greenock

Anas Sarwar raises potential split with UK Labour over oil future

Professor Duncan Macmillan

National Records of Scotland employee who stole thousands of documents

Don't Miss

Politicians from across the spectrum have signed an open letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves Picture:: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

UK ministers under mounting pressure over Scottish carbon capture site

Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye is to go up for sale.

World's largest clan sells off prized Scottish island castle

Exclusive Fears for Scotland's southernmost village over nursery closure

Travellers living in a cave near Wick, Caithness, around 1911.
PIC: The Johnston Collection/Wick

The Nazi eugenicist who visited Scottish Traveller children

Police officers were once a common sight on the streets but their numbers have dwindled (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

Scotland's 'policing deserts' are a worrying threat to the rule of law Scotsman comment

Chancellor Rachel Reeves wants higher growth rates, but she's going about it the wrong way (Picture: Peter Cziborra/WPA pool)

Here’s how the Chancellor should go for growth – and why she won’t Murdo Fraser

Normally busy streets were virtually empty of people during the first Covid lockdown five years ago (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

SNP has left our struggling NHS unprepared for another pandemic Jackie Baillie

John Swinney should learn from Keir Starmer's willingness to take unpopular decisions (Picture: Andy Buchanan/WPA pool)

SNP must stop shirking hard choices on free tuition and prescriptions Ian Johnston

44 Scotland Street

44 Scotland Street

Scotland Street Volume 18, Chapter 38: The Association of Scottish Nudists

44 Scotland Street

Scotland Street Volume 18, Chapter 37: Twenty-two sausages

44 Scotland Street

Scotland Street Volume 18, Chapter 36: Light, Lenin, etc

Scotsman Video

Scotsman Video

The latest video from The Scotsman

Featured Videos

An actor playing a police officer in Scottish Police federation film Relentless.

Watch: Inside Scotland's police as drone video shows 'relentless' job

Coul Links, near Embo, in the Scottish Highlands, which has been earmarked for a golf course development that has promised to bring money to the area, but has caused concern for conservationists

The 'special' habitat in spotlight as decision on golf course looms

Rachel Marsden cycling through Holyrood Park during the Edinburgh Dawn Patrol on Tuesday

I joined Edinburgh's Dawn Patrol for a stunning cycle ride at 5.40am Alastair Dalton

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

Highlights

Lorraine McIntosh and Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue. Thanks to Cafe Gandolfi, Glasgow.

Deacon Blue on celebrating 40 years and hitting the road in Edinburgh

Five-star Crossbasket Castle has unveiled its new hotel and entertainment-led restaurant

The luxury Scottish castle that’s been transformed after £20m makeover

Through the Shortbread Tin: Dramatising Scotland's great literary hoax

Dogs and staff shortages - how dining out has changed since lockdown

Home brewing coffee has become more popular in the last five years

How Millennials and Gen-Z have changed your morning coffee

I went to the newest shop on Edinburgh's Princes Street

Glasgow Tenement Apartments On a Leafy Street

You can buy an Edinburgh hovel for the same price as a Glasgow palace Gaby Soutar

Sport

New Dunfermline Athletic manager Neil Lennon speaks to the press.

How Lennon was wooed by Dunfermline in latest Scottish football role

After four years away from frontline Scottish football, Lennon explains return with Pars

Rangers face potential partial stadium closure after UEFA take action

Rangers issue statement after Fenerbahce banner

Andrew Shinnie celebrates his late winner for Livingston against Falkirk.

Championship title race not over yet as Livi slay Falkirk once again

Lions take down Bairns once more - but Falkirk still hold all the aces

Who will be the major contenders in 2025 as Masters looms on horizon?Martin Dempster

Martin Dempster

French clubs continue to swoop for Edinburgh players as Cherry eyed

Top 14 sides keen to land capital duo for next season

Ten-man Scotland Under-21s thrashed by Iceland in Murcia

Pinatar Cup campaign ends with dismal loss

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

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver her Spring Statement today.

Spring Statement 2025: Where the cuts will fall in today's budget

Dr Vivek Anand Oberoi, left, with Nishant Sharma, founder and CEO of Rutland Square Ltd.

Scottish spirits venture eyes £150m investment after tie-up with Bollywood star

Opinion

Then first minister Nicola Sturgeon gives a Covid-19 press briefing at St Andrews House on March 27 2020 (Picture: Michael Schofield - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Plan needed to avoid new pandemic carnage

Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

People are our greatest resource, Moderator tells Scottish Parliament

Sir Keir Starmer has upset some traditional supporters since he became Prime Minister (Picture: Chris Radburn - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Labour has lost right to call itself 'people's party'

As part of a celebration of Cardiff-born author Roald Dahl, a giant peach makes its way through the streets of the city (Picture: Matt Cardy)

BFG should rescue kids left heartbroken after Matilda musical scrapped Scotsman comment

Heritage and Retro

Dick Gaughan and Aly Bain in the Netherlands in 1972.

Exclusive The 'lost era' of music by iconic and 'powerful' Scottish folk singer

The plays have been created by five female writers.

The five 'forgotten' women who shaped Scotland

The glorious five-star Scottish castle hotel that's had £20m glow up

Barnton Bunker in Corstorphine Hill, Clermiston, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Cold War nuclear bunker in Scotland that 'could be used' by army

A mourning ring engraved with 19th Century Scottish geologist Hugh Miller's name and the date of his birth and death

19th century ring linked to Scottish geologist found on African beach

In the present day, Halloween is largely used as an excuse to whip out your best fancy dress costume and eat lots of sweets. However, in ancient Scotland the festival represented not only a significant milestone in the year relating to the harvest but also the time of year when the veil between the world of the living and the world of spirits such as demons, spirits and witches was at its thinnest. As such, this was when the Celts would take action to ward off the evil which threatened them and their land.

Story of Scotland's 'witches' revealed in book by pair who won pardon

The romantic Scottish riverside hotel opening after £2.5m makeover

Arts and Culture

Installation view of RSA New Contemporaries 2025

RSA New Contemporaries, Edinburgh review: 'not a quiet exhibition'

The festival named Lisa Clarkson as winner of the Scottish Short Film Award.

'Perfect' short film inspired by famed author wins festival prize

Wasps

Theatre reviews: Wasps | The Land That Never Was

Lorraine McIntosh and Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue. Thanks to Cafe Gandolfi, Glasgow.

Deacon Blue on celebrating 40 years and hitting the road in Edinburgh

Justine Watt, 51, from Dunbar, ran away to join the circus when she was 16.

Artist who ran away to join circus wins prize for ring-inspired work

RSNO strings

RSNO & Emilia Hoving, Edinburgh review: 'not much to tap your foot to'

Actor Alan Cumming. Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Alan Cumming to host Bafta ceremony for first time

Education

Jamie Morrison of Signpost International presenting to University of Dundee students during recent visit

Charity begins in the classroom

A Dundee charity is helping aspiring teachers explore new ways to teach children to be responsible citizens.

claire grainger

The study, which looked at the universities that are the best at commercialising their research work, placed the University of Edinburgh in eighth place.

How Scotland’s universities rank in new study of commercial spinout activity

Dundee University

Observers from Scottish Government body sent in to university meetings

University probe to ask if anyone 'sought to suppress' scale of crisis Calum Ross

Calum Ross

Hay's Way

Speed limits on single carriageways in Scotland would be cut from 60mph to 50mph (Picture: Lisa Ferguson)

Taxpayers' 'absurd' £250,000 bill revealed in car speed limit plans

Weather conditions in spring can lead to the outbreak of wildfires across Scotland.

Landowners 'should consider muirburn' as wildfire season unfolds

Fallen trees across the country are still blocking paths

Scotland's stunning forest walks still closed due to storm damage

Health

I went to this Edinburgh spa after dark and I've never slept better

Since the pandemic, more people are working from home full-time or on a more flexible, hybrid basis.

Lockdown legacy: How Scots are embracing flexible working five years on

The Scottish Family Party held the anti-abortion protest within a buffer zone.

Police called after second anti-abortion protest in buffer zone

Former health secretary Jeane Freeman with former first minister Nicola Sturgeon at the Scottish Parliament

Scotland avoided PPE ‘VIP lane’ due to devolution, Covid Inquiry told

People hugging at the National Covid Memorial Wall in London

'Hundreds more will die': Fears Scots not ready for next pandemic

The Duke of Wellington statue outside the Gallery of Modern Art wears a face mask.

15 era-defining moments from Covid lockdown, five years later

As the SNP prevaricates, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has already acted on some of the recommendations made by an independent review into the recording of sex data by public bodies (Picture: James Manning)

Why gender ideology could have ‘fatal consequences’ for trans people Susan Dalgety

Recommended

Give your mum the gift of relaxation this Mother's Day – Enjoy 15% off beauty treatments with Treatwell

Give your mum the gift of relaxation this Mother's Day

Beauty expert reveals must-have beauty products "I can’t live without” - up to 74% off in the Amazon sale

5 beauty products I can’t live without

Best Amazon deals on women’s fashion brands – up to 80% off including Levi’s, Calvin Klein, Adidas and Crocs

Best Amazon deals on women’s designer fashion brands

This is the best price we've ever know the Roomba J7 to be sold at

You won't beat the ludicrously low price on this Roomba robot vacuum

A webcam in Plaški, Croatia caught the spectacle in clear detail.

Glowing white swirl visible across UK - Met Office gives likely cause

Amazon Spring Sale: 26% off ghd Gold Hair Straightener & Styler – Limited Time Only

Amazon slashes price of ghd straighteners in Spring sale

The new Tesla Model Y is a huge improvement over the previous version - and that was the best selling car in the world

How to claim free tickets to win a £60,000 Tesla Model Y

Sport Opinion

Darcy Graham gave Scotland hope with a first-half try in Paris but France overpowered the visitors in the second half.

Fraser Brown: If you replace Townsend, you must appoint someone better
Some of Scotland’s play is blistering but questions remain over mental fragility
Fraser Brown

James McFadden celebrates after scoring against France at the Parc De Princes stadium in Paris in 2007 (Picture: Franck Fife)

Scotland can beat France if they show some James McFadden-style gallus Scotsman comment

Scotland struggled in the final quarter against Wales, conceding three tries.

I have concerns about the Scotland bench but pressure is on France

King Charles with Sir Chris Hoy during the launch of the Commonwealth Sport King's Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace on Monday (Picture: Jonathan Brady)

Why it's important to send small piece of Scotland to the Commonwealth Scotsman comment

Obituaries

Celebrate your loved one with GUESTPIX – The thoughtful way to cherish memories

Celebrate your loved one with a thoughtful way to cherish memories

The estimable Wendy Jones as captured by talented artist Verna Bond

Scotsman Obituaries: Wendy Jones, Scotsman Publicity department legend

Rugby Union

A number of Scots are expected to be included in the British & Irish Lions squad that will tour Australia this summer.

12 Scots who could be picked for British & Irish Lions this summer

Finn Russell was at the centre of Bath's big win over Gloucester.

String-puller Russell shines on Bath return in tasty derby win

Scotland's Lisa Thomson in action in the Women's Six Nations opener against Wales at The Hive Stadium. (Photo by Ewan Bootman / SNS Group)

Gritty Scotland claim 20-year first in Women's Six Nations opener

Edinburgh's Mosese Tuipulotu was red carded with five minutes remaining in the defeat to Benetton in Treviso. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Edinburgh rue red card as last-minute try secures victory for Benetton

Sean Everitt's Edinburgh Rugby side suffered another sore defeat against Benetton.

Edinburgh Rugby continue to vex fans but Everitt stays positive

Warriors' Nathan McBeth (R) score his side's fourth and decisive try to secure victory over Munster at Scotstoun. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Franco Smith makes 'own enemies' admission as Glasgow stage late rally

Scotland Under 20 full-back Jack Brown is set to be handed his Edinburgh Rugby debut in Italy this weekend. (Photo by Ewan Bootman / SNS Group)

Edinburgh return to scene of crime as Under 20 starlet set for debut

Franco Smith during a Glasgow Warriors training session at Scotstoun Stadium.

Franco Smith addresses his Glasgow budget amid flurry of departures

Scotland's Blair Kinghorn (left) and Huw Jones are included in the Six Nations team of the championship. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

2 Scots in Six Nations team of tournament as England outnumber France

Cars

Raffle House's bonus prize is a £65,000 Maserati - or the cash alternative

Just days left to win a £2.8 million house with a bonus prize

In the right colour, from the right angle, the Junior is very attractive

Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica review: Italian flair with a sensible side

Steven Chisholm with the Mazda CX-80 in Limekilns, Fife

Mazda CX-80 PHEV review: 7-seat Mazda impresses despite one flaw

The Garmin Mini 3 has all the features you'd need, and hides away so discreetly

Garmin Dash Cam Mini 3 review: Good things do come in small packages

The AMG 63S Convertible is a gorgeous car from any angle

Someone will win this £48,000 convertible V8 Mercedes for just 6p

Car batteries can be one of the most expensive parts to change in your car - so it's worth shopping sensibly, and there’s a price-matching scheme that can save a lot of money

Need a new car battery? Here's how to get one fitted cheaply

Must Read

Ad Feature Bed & Brunch at this luxury Tenerife hotel

Arbroath Cliff Tours, Cameron Smith

Ad Feature Explore Angus, the ‘birthplace of Scotland, for a fabulous family trip

The winners celebrated

Ad Feature Celebrities come together to support charity film awards