Politics

Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord, left, and deputy Thomas Kerr.placeholder image

Reform UK to force MSPs to vote on burqa ban in Scotland

Reform UK says a previous debate they led on the issue was ended “prematurely”.

Opposition politicians called the latest statistics ‘atrocious’placeholder image

Emergency departments at risk of collapse, SNP ministers warned

It is being reported that a new food deal with the EU has been signed.placeholder image

New EU deal to remove Brexit red tape on food exports

The Acorn project will be based at Shell's St Fergus gas terminal near Peterheadplaceholder image

Exclusive SNP’s climate targets thrown into doubt over 'fairy tale’ technology

A floating wind turbine from the Kincardine offshore windfarm off the coast of Scotland (Image: Flotation Energy)placeholder image

Scottish jobs and investment 'in jeopardy' over UK renewables pivot

Illegal e-bikes seized in Edinburgh last monthplaceholder image

Police call for more powers to tackle e-bikes after 1,000 seized

Examples of the of robot warships:The MAST-13 (now known as Madfox) Autonomous Surface Vehicle, leaving the loading dock of HMS Albion. placeholder image

Ferguson Marine looking into building 'autonomous' robot warships

Tax on Scotch whisky is set to increaseplaceholder image

Exclusive Scottish Labour MPs under pressure to block UK Budget whisky tax hike

Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey aren't saying, but the signals about an early election were clear to see in last week's Budget. Picture: Ian Vogler/poolplaceholder image

Another general election! Labour looks set to go to the polls early Brian Monteith

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.

Oil industry expertise at the St Fergus gas plant and elsewhere in the North East makes it a good place to refine carbon capture and storage technology. Picture: Andy Buchananplaceholder image

Scientists and oil industry agree: carbon capture is no 'fairytale'

Carbon capture and storage technology is not a ‘con’, as some environmentalists like to claim

Scotsman comment

Sandie Peggieplaceholder image

Sandie Peggie loses legal fight against nursing union

Andy Burnham, left, and Shabana Mahmoodplaceholder image

Analysis Immigration retreat shows Burnham less keen on MP fight than Starmer

First Minister John Swinney met filmmaker Karan Johar to discuss Scotland’s potential as a creative partner and filming locations for future Indian film and television productionsplaceholder image

Exclusive John Swinney: Foreign trip critics 'don't understand selling Scotland'

Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishmanplaceholder image

Exclusive Scots Labour MP warns Andy Burnham against rejoining 'imperialist' EU

Chancellor John Healey poses for photographs as he leaves 11 Downing Street, London, before delivering his first Budget. PIC: Stefan Rousseau/Press Associationplaceholder image

The economic tanker is going to take time to turn around Christine Jardine

Politics

Blair McDougall, left, at Rolls Royce on Friday

Exclusive Removal of chemicals from site holding back Grangemouth investment

Blair McDougall said ‘the remediation of the land’ at the former oil refinery has ‘been identified a...

Swinney's 'spineless refusal' to back Rosebank despite Adura meetings

First Minister John Swinney is facing pressure on two fronts for sitting on the fence over whether h...

The planned Acorn carbon capture site.

Exclusive Use £5bn oil and gas revenue to fund Acorn carbon capture, says SNP

SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan has said the money projected to have been raised by the windfall tax on oil and gas giants should go towards the Acorn carbon capture project

Readers' Letters: Swinney must oppose licensing of strip clubs

Scotsman Letters

Nicola Sturgeon 'wants Andy Burnham to do well as Prime Minister'

The former first minister also said she thinks the Prime Minister cannot avoid a snap general electi...

Scottish Government urged to copy UK Budget business rate relief

Chancellor John Healey announced on Wednesday that the threshold for small business rate relief for ...

Scottish Independence

Prime Minister Andy Burnham (left) has spoke with John Swinney over the phone.placeholder image

‘Agree to disagree’, Andy Burnham tells John Swinney on independence

John Swinney has claimed the SNP could cut energy bills by one third with Scottish independenceplaceholder image

John Swinney to launch SNP's election campaign with independence push

Scottish independence supporters march through Glasgow.placeholder image

Reeves accused of 'astonishing arrogance' over indyref2 call

Jeremy Corbyn MPplaceholder image

Your Party could back Scottish independence, says Jeremy Corbyn

Scottish independence supporters on the marchplaceholder image

Exclusive Angus Robertson: Everyone asks about independence when I'm overseas

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Swinney's independence plan branded 'not sensible' by expert

Pro-independence protesters hold up Scottish National Party (SNP) emblems as they join a march organised by the grassroots organistaion All Under One Bannerplaceholder image

John Swinney hints at independence referendum 'precedent' legal bid

More Scotsman politics

Workers watch in the Dock in Rosyth as HMS Venturer rolls out the buildyard. HMS Venturer ventures forth as the First Type 31 frigate makes its debutplaceholder image

Babcock trying to 'contain' delays to warships being built in Rosyth

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, right, is accompanied by Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander during a visit to New College Lanarkshire's Motherwell Campus ahead of a speech focusing on the forming of closer ties with the Scottish governmentplaceholder image

Douglas Alexander: The next step for devolution is into our regions Douglas Alexander

Chancellor John Healey and Defence Secretary Wes Streeting at BAE's operations on the Clyde at Scotstoun, Glasgowplaceholder image

Swinney under fire by UK Defence Secretary for 'irresponsible' remarks

Chancellor John Healey leaves no11 Downing Street, London before delivering his first Budget. PIC: Stefan Rousseau/Press Associationplaceholder image

Kicking cans down the road is an improvement on scoring own goals Brian Wilson

The Acorn project will be based at Shell's St Fergus gas terminal near Peterheadplaceholder image

Only £12m of promised £200m funding will be given to Acorn project

Prime Minister Andy Burnham and First Minister John Swinney shake hands ahead of a bilateral meeting at the National Economic Council in Glasgowplaceholder image

Burnham: I don't want to see Scotland left out of my devolution plans

Prime Minister Andy Burnham and wife Marie France Van Heel celebrate in the stands at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadiumplaceholder image

Andy Burnham says his son is trying to get him to support Hibs

SNP ministers have designed a more generous benefits system than the rest of the UKplaceholder image

Explainer Scotland's benefits bill: why is it soaring and who is claiming money

Andy Burnham on his last visit to Scotland (Jeff J Mitchell/PA)placeholder image

Exclusive There's no limit to what John Swinney and I can achieve together Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham and John Swinneyplaceholder image

Burnham tells Swinney 'put politics aside' to give regions more powers

Russell Findlayplaceholder image

John Swinney repeatedly challenged on whether he supports Rosebank

The Acorn project will be based at Shell's St Fergus gas terminal near Peterheadplaceholder image

'Spectacular shambles' as carbon capture funding descends into chaos

Sir Peter Mathieson, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburghplaceholder image

Edinburgh Uni boss defends 'difficult' decisions amid staff strike

Colin Brown, executive council member of the FBU, warned that retained, on-call firefighters cover around 80 per cent of Scotland’s land mass, but added that there were “over 1,000 vacancies on the RDS system in Scotland”placeholder image

'Huge swathes' of the nation are left without fire service cover

Colin Brown, executive council member of the FBU, told MSPs that “the justice sector is creaking in every single area”.

Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healeyplaceholder image

Budget 2026 RECAP: Chancellor's plans and what they mean for Scotland

The whisky industry has criticised the Budgetplaceholder image

UK Budget 2026: Scotch whisky sector hails a 'disappointing blow'

SNP ministers to pass on funding to cut £100 off energy bills for those in council tax bands A-Dplaceholder image

UK Budget 2026: Scots households to benefit from £100 energy payment

John Healeyplaceholder image

Economic growth cannot just be a political slogan Sandy Begbie CBE

This year's budget targeted soaring energy prices.placeholder image

What are standing charges and how the budget will change what you pay

The Acorn project will be based at Shell's St Fergus gas terminal near Peterheadplaceholder image

'Hammer blow' for North Sea amid carbon capture funding row

John Healey gave his first Budget as Chancellor on Wednesdayplaceholder image

Analysis Boring John Healey succeeds in making UK Budget low key event

Chancellor John Healey ahead of delivering his UK Budgetplaceholder image

Explainer What John Healey's Budget spending plans mean for Scotland and you

John Healey will give his first Budget as Chancellor on Wednesday afternoon (Photo by Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA Wire)placeholder image

UK Budget: Healey told to 'restore' Scots waters naval vessel patrols

Robert Jenrickplaceholder image

Exclusive Reform accused of letting 'British refineries be undercut by imports'

First Minister John Swinney and Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville are under pressure to deliver more new homesplaceholder image

SNP criticised for 'appalling' new homes drop amid housing emergency

There are plans to build another gas-fired power station next to the existing one at Peterhead. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Imagesplaceholder image

SNP's 'catastrophic failure' by approving gas power station

(Photo: ChargePlace Scotland)placeholder image

Exclusive SNP-backed electric vehicle scheme sees decline in charging points

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We must put political differences aside to secure Grangemouth future Alex Cole-Hamilton

Union and European Union flags. PIC: PAplaceholder image

UK 'more at risk' after rejecting EU demand to join defence fund

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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.placeholder image

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

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