Opposition

Surveys show number of pupils getting musical instrument lessons has dropped in recent years

SNP's free music policy fails to boost uptake with 92% missing out

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon (centre) alongside her former deputy John Swinney. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Record £1.9m bill for Scottish Government spads labelled 'morally indefensible'

The crest from the University of St Andrews. Funding for universities and colleges has been cut by 46 million pounds

Ministers under fire after U-turn on £46m for universities and colleges

Opposition leaders in Holyrood, Alex Cole-Hamilton of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Anas Sarwar of Scottish Labour, and Douglas Ross of the Scottish Conservatives.

Holyrood opposition test out attack lines on new First Minister Humza Yousaf

RAF Scampton could be transformed into housing for asylum seekers - but locals aren’t happy

Row as historic RAF base could be used to house 1,500 asylum seekers

Labour leader Anas Sarwar and his Tory and Lib Dem opposites must let the public know what they have to offer, says reader (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Opposition must get ready for government

David Alexander is CEO of DJ Alexander Scotland Ltd

Inevitable increase in evictions shows need for a new approach - David Alexander

Demonstrators show their support for the UK Government's decision to block Scotland's Gender Recognition Reform Bill in Glasgow earlier this month (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA)

Most Scots think next first minister should ditch gender reform legal challenge

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged health leaders at an emergency meeting to take "bold and radical" action to alleviate the winter crisis in the NHS. Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

How to watch Prime Minister’s Questions live

Opposition parties should stop attacking the Scottish Government on the NHS and come up with positive suggestions for improvement, says reader (Picture: Adobe)

Readers' Letters: Let’s hear how Opposition would help NHS

Outgoing SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford won't be missed, says Brian Wilson (Picture: House of Commons/PA)

Brian Wilson: Blackford's SNP group at Westminster were a rabble without a cause

SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon issues a statement at the Apex Grassmarket Hotel in Edinburgh following the decision by judges at the UK Supreme Court in London that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to hold a second independence referendum.

SNP: Opposition are 'denying the result of 2021 election' by opposing referendum

Kwasi Kwarteng has cut his trip to the International Monetary Fund in Washington, USA short.

Will Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announce a budget U-turn today?

Have Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng come up with a magical formula that had escaped their predecessors in Downing Street? (Picture: Dylan Martinez/WPA pool/Getty Images)

Christine Jardine: Chancellor failed to address winter of worry facing millions

Waste management company Biffa has been given a 10-year contract to handle the logistics of Scotland’s deposit return scheme (DRS) when it begins next year.

Biffa awarded 10-year contract for deposit return scheme

Shortly before resigning, Boris Johnson sacked Michael Gove from the Cabinet, with a No 10 insider referring to Gove as a 'snake' (Picture: Andrew Parsons Pool/Getty Images)

Susie Dent: Boris Johnson and the rich language of friendship and betrayal

Wolves were once found all across the UK (Picture: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

How restoring native predators can help tackle the invasive species crisis

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer speaks during a "dismal" Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday. He and his people need to do better, writes Ayesha Hazarika.

Starmer now desperately needs people to sit up and take notice of him

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.

Opposition demand parliamentary statement around report 'fiddling' accusations

“Support Gay Marriage” is a perfectly legitimate political slogan but so is “Ban Gay Marriage”, argues Euan McColm. Picture: Getty Images

Freedom of expression works two ways – to say and listen - Euan McColm

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gets away with not addressing concerns, says reader (Picture: Fraser Bremner - Pool/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Opposition fails to hold Sturgeon to account

Covid Scotland: Health Secretary under fire after he urges Scots to ‘think twice’ before calling 999 for ambulance

Yousaf under fire after urging Scots to ‘think twice’ before calling 999

Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi is left in agony after another robust challenge in the Alkmaar encounter. His manager says referees must deal with the "treatment" being meted out to him "on face value" to ensure the in-form Japanese striker is allowed to deliver on his talents. (Photo by Rico Brouwer / SNS Group)

Postecoglou urges referees to give Celtic talisman Furuhashi fair protection

‘If your telescope is really good, perhaps you’ll even make out the swirling clouds of Jupiter’s upper atmosphere’ (Photo: JPL/NASA/Getty Images

Jupiter will be in 'opposition' this week and will appear bright in the sky - he...

Opposition parties have called for answers around the drop in the number of care home investigations

'No excuse' for drop in number of care home investigations

Hospitals across the country have been feeling the strain

NHS Lanarkshire at ‘breaking point’ while Highland hospital on 'Code Black'

Braden Davy. Picture: Contributed

Angus Council: Criticism piles high as second troll unmasked

Minister for women's health Maree Todd.

Number of women affected by cervical screening error 'may be higher'

The Fan Zone for EURO 2020 is being built as preparations are ramped up ahead of kick off. A giant tv screen is installed for fans.

Glasgow Euro fanzone to cost taxpayer at least £84,000 just for the screens

Opposition party candidates rounded on the SNP’s record on education on Tuesday evening, amid an ongoing row over SQA advice for final assessments that critics have laelled ‘exams in all but name’. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Opposition parties condemn SNP record on education at Scotsman hustings event

Nicola Sturgeon takes the oath before giving evidence to the Holyrood committee set up to investigate the Scottish government's handling of complaints made about Alex Salmond (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Will election give SNP the power to further debase Scotland? – Brian Wilson

Boris Johnson calls Pro Trump riots in Capitol Building 'disgraceful'

Boris Johnson calls Pro Trump riots in Capitol Building 'disgraceful'

The Covid-19 pandemic will continue into 2021.

Hope on the horizon but challenges for NHS, the year ahead for health - Elsa Mai...

Other MSPs should follow the example of Independent Michelle Ballantyne

Opposition should challenge new Covid lockdown - Brian Monteith

Protests outside Celtic Park have required a police presence (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)(Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Celtic banner was crass on so many levels, not least the timing

Monica Lennon has criticised the Scottish Government.

Patients suffering from chronic pain have 'unacceptable' waiting times

Landmark: Former Royal High School building

'Decisive' action call over Edinburgh's former Royal High School building

113 people were discharged from hospitals to care homes after a positive Covid-19 test between March and May.

MSPs back immediate public inquiry into Scottish care home deaths

Bryson DeChambeau has been in talks about establishing the proposed Premier Golf League. Picture: Getty

Premier Golf League: Negotiations ongoing to create ‘new world of golf’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer prepares his conference speech in his office in Parliament

Keir Starmer vows to make UK ‘best place to grow up and grow old in’

Time has come for a vote of no confidence in Nicola Sturgeon - Brian Monteith

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran who is vying for the leadership

Ayesha Hazarika: What is the point of the Lib Dems now?

(Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images)

MPs have voted against maintaining food hygiene and animal welfare standards in ...

John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) prompted heated exchanges in the Commons as SNP MPs rushed to condemn 'anti-Englishness'

'Racist' protesters at border were 'inspired by SNP politician's comments', says...

Sir Mark Sedwill has stepped down from his role as Cabinet Secretary and national security adviser (Getty Images)

Sir Mark Sedwill: who is the top UK civil servant and why has he resigned from g...

EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier (Picture: Olivier Matthys / POOL / AFP)

UK must ask EU for Brexit extension – Letters

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announcing the furlough scheme in March. Picture: Getty Images

Rishi Sunak warned winding down furlough scheme risks mass job cuts

Nicola Sturgeon said she was aware the impact school closures were having on pupils

School closures will hit poorest pupils hardest, admits Nicola Sturgeon

Keir Starmer was entirely right to apologise to the Jewish community for the actions of some of the £3 revolutionaries who flocked to the party under Jeremy Corbyn (Picture: John Devlin)

Keir Starmer’s first act as leader shows Labour is back on track – Brian Wilson

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy and Sir Keir Starmer at a leadership hustings last month. Picture: John Devlin

Euan McColm: Next Labour purge looms as Sir Keir Starmer must fight fire with fi...

Sajid Javid. Picture: PA

Sajid Javid: Tories will push 'again and again' for general election

Dennis Robertson apologises for ‘no North Sea jobs crisis’ comment

Leader: Labour’s Trident U-turn leads nowhere

Euan McColm: SNP Lords could make a difference

Ed Miliband targets lenders

In full: Andrew Mitchell’s resignation letter and David Cameron’s response

The Scotsman Top Stories

Stephen Fry is a past winner of the comedy award. Picture: Getty Images

Flagship Fringe comedy awards plunged into crisis over loss of sponsor

Campers and walkers have been warned to avoid any naked flames to cut the risk of igniting 'tinder-dry' vegetation after a spring with very low rainfall

Wildfire danger: Warning as giant week-long blaze burns in the Highlands

Scottish Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton says Scottish local authorities should follow Cornwall Council's lead on source local motion (pic: Katharine Hay/The Scotsman)

Scottish councils should follow 'fantastic' Cornwall 'source local' model