The Scottish Conservatives' Holyrood debate on immigration, claiming without evidence that asylum seekers are putting pressures on local communities, shows May's election campaign will be grim and grubby. Scottish politics is at risk of being dragged into the gutter. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Didn't expect my tabs-heavy lifestyle to be in such a minority.

Despite watering down targets, rowing back and binning off climate action, refusing to publish an energy strategy since 2017 and delaying the blueprint for cutting emissions, the SNP Government insists Scotland reaching net zero by 2045 has “never been in question”. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Edinburgh's housing convener will be sacked after refusing to quit amid an angry row with her Labour colleagues after her comments proposing the capital's proportion of affordable housing is cut, despite the city being engulfed in a housing crisis. Such a mess. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Douglas Ross's Right to Recovery Bill will have its stage 1 vote this week. But the well-intended legislation, which would give those with an "addiction" or "dependency" on alcohol or drugs a right to treatment, could exacerbate Scotland's drug death crisis. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

The Scottish Conservatives insist the party is not pandering to Reform and the misinformation Nigel Farage is spreading over immigration. Tories using their Holyrood debate time for this tomorrow.

Excl: The Labour housing convener of Edinburgh City Council has suggested the city's allocation of affordable homes should be cut, despite the capital grappling with a housing crisis www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Heat pump installations in Scotland have gone backwards. Campaigners have warned that the repeated delays to the watered down Heat in Buildings Bill has "left homeowners and industry in limbo, stalling progress and undermining confidence". www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

🎙🎧 New episode of The Steamie podcast from @scotsman.com. We discuss Labour conference and what it means for Anas Sarwar's chances at May's election and look ahead to Tory conference. With @alistairkgrant.bsky.social, @andrewjquinn97.bsky.social and Rachel Amery open.spotify.com/episode/0hBr...

NatureScot's advice to rid communities of urban gulls: -Draw "googly eyes" on takeaway boxes -Wave arms around -Stare them out www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Rent controls will be made permanent after exemptions were agreed, while second and empty home-owners in Scotland can expect their council tax bills to shoot up. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

'Do they love our country?': Sir Keir Starmer lumps SNP in with Reform in Labour conference speech, via @andrewjquinn97.bsky.social www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Shona Robison has called on opposition MSPs not to "draw out the drama" of this year's budget, delayed by the UK government, warning councils could struggled to balance the books. She also gave her biggest hint yet about the possibility of a council tax freeze. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

John Swinney has endured a frustrating few days in office. My analysis on what the First Minister faces ahead of him delivering one of the most crucial speeches of his career at next month's SNP conference www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Scotland’s specialist national sexual offences court could open the door to survivors being able to view proceedings via video link. It has the potential to be game changing for victims but has already become a political football before it's got off the ground www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

First Minister @johnswinney.bsky.social is delivering a speech in front of a packed SEC in Glasgow on his strategy to eradicate child poverty. An extra 100,000 children in Scotland will need to be lifted out of poverty by 2030 for the Scottish Government’s targets to be hit.

SNP ministers have been accused of failing in an apparent attempt to fix its “embarrassing omnishambles” tourist tax plans with a bid to table a last-gasp motion to the Scottish Government’s flagship Housing Bill. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

An SNP minister is facing an accusation he 'physically assaulted' Douglas Ross. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

My analysis on why victims will ultimately pass judgment on whether abolishing the not proven verdict is a success and why a more stricter jury majority (set to now be two thirds) could actually cause more harm to rape survivors. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

BREAKING: A genuinely historic moment for Scotland as the controversial 'not proven' verdict is abolished after MSPs voted in favour of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill. Lots more of changes to come for Scotland's criminal justice system. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Scotland is poised to establish a specialist sexual offences court after MSPs rejected a Labour proposal to scrap the plan. Tomorrow, the Scottish Parliament could take a historic step in abolishing the 'not proven' verdict for criminal trials. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Scottish Labour has been accused of "another broken promise" after tabling a "wrecking" amendment for a specific sexual offences court, despite vowing to set one up in the party's manifesto www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

NEW: The rape survivor who sparked the campaign to abolish Scotland's 'not proven' verdict, Miss M, has called on MSPs to end the "harrowing process" for victims in a crunch Holyrood vote this week. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

-Abolishing Scotland's 'not proven' verdict this week a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve the criminal justice system" for rape survivors -Fears proposed changes to jury majorities a risk “terrifyingly low” rape conviction rate “will drop even further”. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

We stand in solidarity with people seeking safety and against acts of violence and intimidation taking place in parts of the country. Times are tough but people fleeing war and persecution are not to blame for Scotland’s problems. Everyone deserves to be safe and feel like they belong.

Bad result today. But, rainbow 🌈

Excl: MSPs have been "cowed by these incredibly aggressive voices" opposing trans rights, while some politicians have "actively played a leading role in misleading the public", the Scottish Greens co-leader has warned. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer speaks about his party's election prospects next year -shoud "take seriously" any chance to reenter government -surge in support fuelled by Sturgeon SNP voters jumping to Greens -dismisses "civil war" narrative www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has vowed to safeguard jobs at the beleaguered Ferguson Marine yard and “collapse the over-bureaucratic system” as he branded the saga a "ferry fiasco SNP clusterfuck" www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

@johnswinney.bsky.social has criticised the Scottish Conservatives' "disgusting" debate on asylum seekers and refugees as the Tories came under fire for spreading misinformation. Russell Findlay's party has been warned it is "panicking about Reform". www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

"Either Anas Sarwar is too embarrassed to admit he was cut out of the loop, or he simply doesn't matter enough in Keir Starmer's Labour Party to be consulted." www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

The only photo posted (so far) by the Scottish Government of John Swinney's meeting with Donald Trump and the US President looks raging.

John Swinney held breakfast talks with Peter Mandelson after the ambassador was embroiled in a Jeffrey Epstein row overnight. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

I'm all for the Scottish Parliament being a place to protest. But there appears to be a "rapist rights group" currently protesting outside Holyrood that has been accused of harassing survivors of sexual assault. Hopefully they won't be getting any sympathy from inside the parliament.

How is Ryan Christie still managing to play for Scotland in 2025? Infuriating.

👏New👏Steamie👏out👏now Holyrood returns from recess! Plus, Cat Stewart tells us what it was like to interview Boris Johnson on stage… and dishes out some behind-the-scenes goss. Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/734h... Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...

Shona Robison in December: "By March 2026 no one will wait longer than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment or day case treatment." Neil Gray asked if the promise will be met: "That’s our aspiration." The SNP's election focus is delivery. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said Nigel Farage is "welcome to them" in addressing defectors who no longer wish to be in the Scottish Conservatives. “If people don’t like our policies, then they are welcome to leave.” www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Questions have been raised over when Labour and the Scottish Parliament were told about allegations relating to Colin Smyth and when that information was passed on. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Anas Sarwar’s speech in Glasgow to mark a return to Holyrood after summer recess has been overshadowed by a pro-Palestine protester confronting him on the podium. They have been protesting in the building during his speech.

Terrible look for the Scottish Greens to have the new co-leaders elected on a turnout of 12.7 per cent of members receiving 300ish votes each. But the have immediately called for "serious internal reform" of the party. Greens poised to make gains in May's election. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

BREAKING: Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay have been elected the new co-leaders of the Scottish Greens. Lorna Slater narrowly misses out at the second stage of voting.

Colin Smyth has had his Holyrood pass deactivated. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

🎙🎧 New episode of The Steamie podcast from @scotsman.com We discuss Graham Simpson's defection from the Tories to Reform and what it means for Russell Findlay and the Conservatives. I also chat to @johnswinney.bsky.social about whether the defector should quit open.spotify.com/episode/2ghc...

@johnswinney.bsky.social has called on Graham Simpson to quit Holyrood after defecting from the Tories to Reforim, highlighting the "legendary hypocrisy" of him bringing forward recall legislation. The FM also told me Farage has "contaminated" the immigration debate. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

✍️My analysis on Tory MSPs venting frustration over the "utter chaos" under Russell Findlay's leadership as defections mount. And as for those MSPs who raise concerns - "He just says anything to get you out of the room then calls you a wanker." www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Nigel Farage, without evidence, falsely suggesting a rise in crime in Glasgow, is linked to it being a dispersal city for asylum seekers fleeing war and persecution. Also, announcing Tory MSP Graham Simpson has defected to Reform.

No10 spokesman not prepared to criticise anything about Farage speech today. Not his description of "invasion", not his prediction that the UK on brink of civil war, not plans to pay the Taliban or Iran to take back migrants, or indeed to rule out doing so themselves.

Whoever wins next year's Holyrood election will inherit a dire financial landscape. Scotland's weaker tax base compared to rUK and SNP over commitments on social security and public sector pay means there'll be no room for any new policies without big cuts elsewhere. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

🔴 The Scottish Government has indicated it will not fund an expansion of Edinburgh's tram system costing up to £2.9 billion: www.scotsman.com/news/politic...