Excl: A grieving mum has accused Nicola Sturgeon's former nursing chief of "rubbing salt in our open wound" after suggesting QEUH families be offered a "trip to Disneyland". Fiona McQueen has quit her position as chair of the Scottish Police Authority. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Thirty years ago, 16 children and their teacher were killed at Dunblane Primary School and 15 more children were injured. Scotland will never forget the suffering and the unimaginable loss the families have endured. We will always hold them all in our hearts.

A UK defence minister has told the SNP to "step up and show their support” for the military operations in the Middle East. The appeal came after announcing the creation of two defence technical excellence colleges in Scotland if funding is matched by SNP ministers. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Fiona McQueen has quit as chairwoman of the Scottish Police Authority after I uncovered her "disgusting" comments suggesting grieving families at the centre of the QEUH infections scandal be offered a trip to Disney for their pain. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander has insisted the UK government "will not stand in the way" if Holyrood backs Scotland's assisted dying bill. It comes after an almighty stooshie erupted, including an intervention by John Swinney over devolved competence. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

The Scottish government has published its long-delayed research paper outlining options to split the Lord Advocate's dual roles. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Whatever you make of Scottish government staff being required to work in the office two days a week, it seems wild that civil service bosses are not monitoring whether it is happening or not. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

John Swinney has opened the door to a multi-million-pound Glasgow fire recovery fund after the devastating blaze that engulfed the "national asset" in the city centre www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

MSPs will begin the final stage for Scotland's assisted dying legislation tomorrow - with the final vote next week. I spoke to @orkneymsp.bsky.social about his legislation, disability rights concerns and why he thinks it's time Scotland legalised assisted dying. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Want to grill representatives from all of Holyrood's political parties ahead of the election? Come along to the Scotland 2050 hustings at the Assembly Rooms on March 31, chaired by @scotsman.com Tickets are free: www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Joani Reid: "I am not under investigation by the police and no accusations have been against me. I have done nothing wrong. I love my country.” www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

NEW ANALYSIS: UK emissions fell 2.4% in 2025 as coal fell to a 400-year low. Incredibly, we used less coal last year than than in 1600, when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne and Shakespeare was writing Hamlet. All the details in our article: www.carbonbrief.org/...

Last week, UK lobbying regulator closed investigation into ex Tory MP Ben Howlett We offered Howlett money to work for a fake Chinese investor. He introduced us to a dozen Labour MPs Regulator didn't even speak to us. Our system is broken New, by me: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/we-paid-an...

The mould outbreak at Glasgow's infection scandals hospital has been upgraded to a "red" alert, John Swinney has confirmed. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Anas Sarwar said Labour bosses were considering action including suspension of Joani Reid after her husband was arrested as part of the Chinese spy investigation. Wes Streeting has told The Scotsman that he backs Joani Reid with a warning not to "rush to judgement". www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Joani Reid: "I have never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law." www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Interesting Holyrood poll this. Reform fall back down to fourth place behind the Greens. Labour recovering but still way behind the SNP. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

NEW: @monicalennon.bsky.social is "profoundly disappointed" after a Holyrood committee blocked her ecocide legislation progressing before May's election. 90 out of the 129 MSPs backed the bill at the stage one vote. The SNP government was also supportive. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Anas Sarwar said he didn't have a projected cost or timescale for the long-delayed project. He also suggested private finance could be levered in to pay for the project long-championed by the SNP www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: The chairman of the Climate Change Committee has hit out at net zero misinformation by Reform and the Tories, particularly over the costs where we've had some "really irresponsible figures" bounded around. "It's simply not true that we can't afford it." www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Some stinging analysis from @scotsman.com's Rachel Amery on Scottish Labour's 'conference' and what the mood is really like in the party as it faces down the prospect of a horrific Holyrood election www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Anas Sarwar has told Scots to "hold your nose" and vote Labour to oust the SNP from government at May's Holyrood election. Quite a candid plea - a very difficult sell after the Gorton and Denton by-election and a dismal poll putting Labour in fourth place at Holyrood www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Cracking view for the media of Anas Sarwar's keynote speech at Scottish Labour's conference in Paisley

Disastrous backdrop to Scottish Labour conference. Anas Sarwar needs some big, bold plans to rescucitate his dwindling changes of becoming the next first minister. So far we've seen him repeat pledges already made and tweaking existing SNP policies. This being one www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Scotland's spending watchdog has warned the boards that direct funding for health and social care services will be forced into cuts as they grapple for a £450m funding gap in the coming financial year. www.scotsman.com/politics/snp...

A Scottish Labour government would reduce Scotland's health boards to just three bodies and strengthen economic organisations under the Scottish National Investment Bank, Anas Sarwar has confirmed. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

The Lord Advocate wouldn't admit that she forgot she had notified the First Minister in March 2025 about the Peter Murrell case, but that appears to be what's happened here. A lack of clear explanation from the Lord Advocate has not helped matters. www.scotsman.com/politics/lor...

The Climate Change Committee has warned that "significant risks" exist in the Scottish Government's climate change plan with a lack of detail over the heat transition after SNP ministers shelved their flagship heat in buildings bill until after the Holyrood election. www.scotsman.com/politics/snp...

Excl: Anas Sarwar has warned Scots not to "press the FU button" by backing Reform at May's election, arguing that a mass protest vote could "destroy" Scotland’s NHS and communities. Also stressed only Labour can beat the SNP in constituency contests across Scotland. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

My analysis on why May's Holyrood election could be a golden chance for the Scottish Lib Dems to re-establish themselves as an important voice in Scottish politics. www.scotsman.com/politics/sco...

Excl: Scotland’s spending watchdog is investigating the SNP's flagship ScotWind projects amid fears the revenue has been "frittered away" to balance Holyrood budget pressures www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Economists have warned that SNP ministers have already used up the majority of a three-year pay policy in two years and is "symptomatic of a broader can-kicking strategy". Whoever wins May's election will "have to seriously grapple with implausible settlements". www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Scottish Lib Dems leader @alex.scotlibdems.org.uk believes his party can help "deprive" the SNP of a Holyrood majority as they set their sites on 10 constituencies in May's election, including six in the Highlands. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

🚨🎙New episode of The Steamie. @alistairkgrant.bsky.social, @andrewjquinn97.bsky.social, Rachel Amery and I have a sensible look at the Lord Advocate row. Also: 🔵Scottish Tories facing Holyrood trouncing 🟢Greens feeling upbeat 🟠 I interview @alex.scotlibdems.org.uk open.spotify.com/episode/4B1N...

Excl: A Holyrood committee has been accused of ignoring the will of parliament after trying to kill @monicalennon.bsky.social's legislation to criminalise ecocide - despite being backed by MSPs to proceed. Opponents claim the Bill is being "rushed" through. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

John Swinney is absolutely fizzing with rage at FMQs over Russell Findlay's accusations of "corruption" levelled at Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain.

The Scottish Government’s just transition commission has delivered its final report and it's pretty scathing. It warns about deindustrialisation, reacting to crises rather than foresight and that the "social licence" to tackle the climate crisis is at risk www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Quite something for the Lord Advocate to come to Holyrood and deny "corruption". Feels like suggestions there's been a tip off or interference is for the tin hat brigade, but still some questions remain over why this happened www.scotsman.com/news/scottis...

A new poll shows the SNP is within touching distance of claiming the Holyrood majority @johnswinney.bsky.social believes will be the catalyst for a second independence referendum. The @moreincommonuk.bsky.social study puts Labour narrowly behind Reform in third place www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Anas Sarwar has revived his plans to "end the 8am rush" for GPs almost a year to the day he first tabled them. With time running out for Labour to turn things around, my analysis on whether the party is running out of steam before the campaign even gets underway. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

The IFS has warned that whoever forms the next Scottish government will be forced to raise taxes if they are to maintain Scotland’s free university tuition, free prescriptions and more generous benefits system as Holyrood's funding from Westminster is poised to erode www.scotsman.com/politics/war...

'Bring it on': Reform's Malcolm Offord rumoured to be plotting bid to take on Jackie Baillie www.scotsman.com/politics/bri...

Excl: SNP ministers are attempting to claw back thousands of pounds from hundreds of dentists for not seeing enough NHS patients after receiving bursaries www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Analysis: How a remarkable moment unfolded for Anas Sarwar and how the move could throw Scottish Labour's Holyrood election campaign, already on the cusp of disaster, into chaos. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

I am heart sore this morning at the death of Jeane Freeman, a wonderful Cabinet colleague. Jeane gave selfless service to Scotland especially as Health Secretary during Covid. In designing Scotland’s social security system, she put dignity and respect at its heart. (1/2)

As Monica Lennon's ecocide legislation passes it's first Holyrood vote, my analysis on whether backbenchers coming up with all the ideas shows the SNP government is running out of steam , particularly on tackling the climate crisis www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

NEW: MSPs have voted 90-26 in favour of Monica Lennon's legislation to criminalise ecocide at the stage one vote. Amendments drawn up by net zero secretary Gilliam Martin and Monica Lennon will be "streamlined" at stage 2, with the final vote taking place before the election.

After my reporting of Fiona McQueen's "Disneyland" comments on @scotsman.com was raised at FMQs today, John Swinney has full confidence in her to continue as chair of the Scottish Police Authority. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: @monicalennon.bsky.social has warned it would be "unwise" to pause her legislation to criminalise ecocide in Scotland. MSPs will vote on the Bill at stage 1 today. The Scottish Government has confirmed it will support the general principles of the legislation. www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Excl: Scotland’s chief nursing officer suggested the health board should have paid off grieving families with “a trip to Disneyland” following fatal infections at Glasgow's superhospital www.scotsman.com/politics/qeu...