Excl: The North Sea offshore industry has called on the UK government to designate oil, gas and renewables assets as critical national infrastructure in response to the growing threat from Russian aggression. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called on Keir Starmer to "urgently" address defence spending after the scathing resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Pretty shocking to hear Lord Malcolm Offord describe people as "men of fighting age" when talking about refugees and asylum seekers at FMQs. Pretty clear @johnswinney.bsky.social wasn't impressed.

Another huge blow for Keir Starmer as Defence Secretary John Healey quits, warning the PM's proposed defence investment plan “could make the country less safe”. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

How far right activists promoted Glasgow riot hours before unrest broke out (by @martynmcl.bsky.social) www.scotsman.com/news/how-far...

Scottish councils may be forced to cut services or stop providing them altogether as they grapple with a £529m funding gap to balance the books, a stark report from the Accounts Commission has warned. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

“Some members of this parliament have sought to fan the flames of this division, with continual talk of strangers and calls of further protests tonight. Their duty is to their constituents and people of Scotland and not American neo-Nazis on social media.” www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

The scenes we saw in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayr last night are unacceptable. Scotland is a welcoming nation and those who choose to make their lives here are valued members of our communities. Racism, hatred and intimidation have no place in Scotland. We must stand against it.

Scotland's carbon footprint is increasing and SNP ministers have admitted that cutting annual emissions by just 1% is nowhere near good enough. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Reform UK MSPs taking the huff in the Scottish Parliament after being called out for climate denial by SNP Climate Action Secretary @gillianamartin.bsky.social

ICYMI: Excl: Scottish renewables projects are poised for a £1bn bill for transmission charges as the industry brands the UK regime "not fit for purpose” and is “seriously affecting the commercial competitiveness of Scottish offshore wind projects”. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

The SNP is in talks with HMRC over whether Peter Murrell's embezzlement and falsifying of receipts and invoices could have led to VAT fraud, John Swinney has confirmed. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Peter Murrell's potential assets have been revealed in court documents after his legal team suggested he would be able to repay at least some of the funds he embezzled from the SNP. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

This is how Peter Murrell carried out his embezzlement of SNP funds. What we still don't know yet, is what motivated him to do so. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

John Swinney has admitted that a lack of “adequate controls” within the SNP helped Peter Murrell to cover his tracks in embezzling £400,000 from party finances. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Peter Murrell drove just four miles in the £124,000 motorhome he purchased with embezzled SNP funds. The day after ordering the vehicle, he bought "three guides to inspirational journeys around Scotland, England and Wales and Ireland in a camper van or motorhome”. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

The longer the SNP cannot answer basic questions over the Peter Murrell scandal and refuses to open itself up to scrutiny over what happened, the more painful this will likely be for the party and John Swinney www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Tomorrow's @scotsman.com front page: Guilty: Murrell behind bars

🧵Big news day. Being in court to see Peter Murrell be handcuffed after admitting embezzling £400,000 of SNP funds was a surreal moment. Still lots of questions being asked about how the SNP regains trust after all this. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

My analysis on John Swinney's Cabinet and why giving policy briefs a fresh pair of eyes will do the SNP no harm as it Hears up for a third decade in power. www.scotsman.com/news/scottis...

That's @johnswinney.bsky.social's full ministerial team confirmed. Some big jobs in there. Giving his government policy briefs a fresh pair of eyes will surely do the SNP no harm as it gets poised for a third decade of power at Holyrood.

My analysis of what we can expect from the new Scottish Parliament. It could be unpredictable. It could be hostile. It could be business as usual. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Football can be absolutely rotten sometimes

Not sure I've ever been this nervous watching a game as a neutral. Cannot imagine how Jambos must be feeling right now.

Exclusive: Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain has told First Minister John Swinney she is stepping down from the role www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Kenny Gibson will be some character as presiding officer. Asked about his own colourful language used in parliament in the past, Mr Gibson said he was “a repentant sinner”. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

A difficult first day back for SNP MSP Stuart McMillan. Loses out on the presiding officer election. Loses out on first of two deputy presiding officer elections. Because first two were won by SNP MSPs, he is excluded from contesting the final election. It's also taking so long to get this done.

NEW: Kenny Gibson has been appointed the Scottish Parliament's presiding officer. This should be fun.

As expected, we have four nominees to be the next presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament. Kenny Gibson (SNP), Clare Haughey (SNP), Liam McArthur (LibDem) and Stuart McMillan (SNP). Winner to be confirmed just after 2.30pm.

I'm sure it's not as easy as it looks. Staring straight down the camera beforehand makes this, tbh

Members of Scottish Labour's SEC have blamed the election defeat on Michael Marra for having "neutered" the party's policy platform and manifesto, Jackie Baillie for her "grip on the party machinery" and pinned the flawed constituency strategy on Douglas Alexander. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Outrageously soft decision.

Focus on Labour's Westminster chaos but here's my analysis on just how bad Anas Sarwar's campaign to become first minister was. Yes, the UKG wrecked his chances, but the manifesto, the strategy and believing he was a presidential candidate led to a humbling defeat www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Some highlights from the Glasgow election count yesterday 🟢 Holly Bruce winning a historic victory in Glasgow Southside for the Scottish Greens

🚨🎧 New election special episode of The Steamie podcast available 🔴Anas Sarwar's humbling moment 🟡John Swinney's unprecedented fifth term for SNP 🟢Greens a serious force in Scottish politics open.spotify.com/episode/5Ete...

Laughed at this account being set up. But in all seriousness, when this happens, it will allow Labour to edge past Reform as biggest opposition party at Holyrood. Not evident where Scottish Labour can go from here, especially of Anas Sarwar manages to stay as leader.

🟡My analysis after SNP secures unprecedented fifth term at Holyrood 🔴Surely Anas Sarwar cannot remain Labour leader 🟢Historic day for Scottish Greens and Reform 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Unionist parties seem destined for opposition without indyref2 being called www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

BREAKING: Anas Sarwar has conceded defeat for Scottish Labour in the Holyrood elections. "We argued the case for change, made the argument for change but ultimately it's an argument we have lost."

Here's today's front page of the @scotsman.com as we await the start of the Holyrood election results.

Monsoon season starting in Glasgow today won't help voter turnout. I'll be covering the count for the city's eight constituencies and seven list seats tomorrow. Glasgow is a key battleground for the SNP v Labour, as well as for the Greens and Reform. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

This is genuine and official AI attack advert from Scottish Labour. Thought it was a spoof. Can we please not. Nobody asked for this.

Anas Sarwar has accused SNP ministers of "not taking seriously” Scotland’s drug death crisis and claimed inaction from SNP ministers was “an insult to those families” who have lost loved ones to drugs misuse, www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Anas Sarwar said Scottish Labour MPs will oppose the "political stunt" in the Commons but said he stands by calling for Keir Starmer to quit over what he described as the "Mandelson scandal". The SNP has said he has "chosen Starmer over Scotland". www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

John Swinney has published his initial steps for independence if the SNP is returned to power. It sounds pretty familiar. Questions remain over whether he think there would be a legal case based on the precedent of the first SNP majority, if Labour blocks his plan. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Angus Robertson moved out of his Edinburgh Central constituency under the radar. The SNP minister faces a tough three-way battle to keep hold of his seat. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Anas Sarwar has argued that "more than half the constituencies in Scotland that are on a knife-edge" adding that “which way they go will decide this election". Labour thinks it's more sophisticated ground and social media campaign can nudge them past the SNP. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

John Swinney has warned Donald Trump that threats of tariffs will cause "economic damage" in Scotland, the rest of the UK and the United States. Bit of a gear change from the First Minister previously cosying up with the US President. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

A lighter moment on the campaign trail today as John Swinney gets nutmegged while on a visit to Greenock Morton's Cappielow with actor Martin Compston

Quite obvious why Scottish Labour quickly dropped it's short-lived marketing strategy that posed the campaign as simply 'Anas Sarwar for First Minister'

Some bad news for the SNP in this new poll. No good news for Labour, mind. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...