Columnists

Boris Johnson's Conservative party won backing of nearly seven-out-of-ten Brexiteers, but just one-in-five Remainers, while the Tory vote fell in Scotland in contrast to its performance at UK level, writes Professor John Curtice.

The SNP's general election campaign was dominated by trying to "Stop Brexit" and a majority of Scots still backed parties in favour of staying in the UK, writes Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union.

The SNP under Nicola Sturgeon has won another impressive mandate to hold a referendum on Scottish independence, writes former SNP depute leader Angus Robertson.

The SNP leader is the most dangerous populist of all, according to Tory MSP Adam Tomkins

Does anyone know the truth of a tale that a sailor called Auld Bob told Susan Morrison about the arrest of a chain-smoking, alcoholic monkey after a fight in a Leith pub at the heigh of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

This general election campaign – which saw politics descend to new lows – was just an amuse-bouche for the next Holyrood election in 2021, writes Gina Davidson.

When the in-laws come to stay for Christmas, remember to smile politely as they expand on their views about Donald Trump, Greta Thunberg and Prince Andrew, suggests Jim Duffy.

This should have been the climate change election, but it was dominated by Johnson’s buffoonery, writes Joyce McMillan.

The UK lost its Empire but then found considerable soft power on the international stage by championining democracy and human rights.

The row over sprouts vs rye on the field where the Battle of Prestonpans was once fought takes a new twist.

Holidays can be a difficult time. When everyone else seems to be ­merry and bright, it’s tough to be alone or facing up to a festive season after bereavement or break up, redundancy or illness.

There’s no mistaking it – we are in the thick of the ­festive season. Whether it’s the Christmas classics playing on repeat or the increasingly frantic reminders of how many shopping days there are to go, the anticipation is palpable.

With hard-right politicians in Spain talking about fighting to reclaim Gibraltar, the UK needs to adopt a pragmatic, not an emotional, stance on the issue and work with the Spanish government, writes Alastair Stewart.

Serco’s new £150 million Scotland-London overnight fleet is finally getting there after months of glitches but some creature comforts remain work in progress.

The Scotsman's Westminster correspondent, Paris Gourtsoyannis, reflects on a divisive general election campaign which can only bring more disappointment.

A national force like Police Scotland needs impartial scrutiny rather than being accountable directly to a politician, writes Kenny MacAskill.

Online retail giant Amazon supplies so much stuff to Bill Jamieson that his stockpile of cardboard boxes has taken over the garage and the garden shed, prompting him to consider taking radical action.

The current Dunard Concert Hall plan has been paused amid a legal challenge that could force some tough choices to be made, writes John McLellan.