Promises made, promises delivered. Aberdeen’s new GP walk-in centre will open on 23 June - the seventh in Scotland, and we will open another four within the first 100 days of this government. We’re making it easier for you to see a GP and ending the 8am rush.

Right… 3… can we sub off anyone we’re planning to start next week now please.

Eldest just asked if Ian Wright played for #Scotland… “No…why do you ask?” His gran had given him some #WorldCup Stickers she was handed in M&S… Has #IanWright defected to Scotland? Maybe a ‘You’re Scottish now’ clause in his contract he didn’t notice when joined Celtic? Welcome aboard Ian!

BREAKING: Parliament backed our plans for a private jet tax and a mansion tax. In a cost of living crisis, it is right that those with the broadest shoulders contribute a bit more - while the majority of taxpayers in Scotland continue to pay less tax than elsewhere in the UK.

look how much craftsmanship we've lost in clothing in just a hundred years

This chart is bonkers. I think there's two possible explanations for why the UK runs so far ahead of other European countries – neither of them good. And the annual April price jump speaks to a wider issue. For more detail, see my column in this weekend's Observer. observer.co.uk/news/busines...

A majority in the Scottish Parliament has just backed our call to devolve energy powers to Scotland. We can’t afford being tied to the failed policies at Westminster. Scotland’s energy should work for Scotland - with the powers we need to help bring people’s bills down.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Yesterday, Scotland’s Parliament backed a second independence referendum. 👀 Not one unionist MSP made a positive case for staying in the UK. 🤔 If they’re so confident, why fear letting Scotland choose its future? Or are they worried this time the answer will be yes?

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Parliament must unite behind our right to decide.

RE: new #Bluey episodes, a reminder that the reason Bandit (the dad) is an archaeologist is because dogs love digging up bones! However, Bluey’s creator Joe Brumm is also brother of renowned Stone Age expert, Professor Adam Brumm, who specialises in the earliest known cave art found in Indonesia…

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Congratulations to John Swinney on being elected First Minister of Scotland by the Scottish Parliament. The SNP Scottish Government has secured a renewed mandate and will always be on your side. Thank you to everyone who voted SNP.

BREAKING: SNP leader John Swinney has been elected First Minister of Scotland. MSPs officially backed him to retain the office in the first vote of the new Holyrood parliament. Read more: www.thenational.scot/news/2...

Got to be impressed by five in a row. But enough about the #SNP, I hear Celtic won the league again. #theoldswitcheroo

crucial context: Peter Mandelson was sacked from the first New Labour government for having a £373,000 *loan* (not a gift) from a Labour colleague (Geoffrey Robinson) to buy a house

The Prime Minister called me tonight to extend his congratulations on the SNP’s election victory. We discussed the cost of living issues faced by the public and the election of the largest number of MSPs committed to Scottish Independence. We agreed to meet next month for talks.

The most damning resignation letter yet, I think:

Well on the one hand, if you don’t ask, you don’t get, and on the other hand, JESUS CHRIST Martin.

Also, can I just say, personally, I think it is fully insane that a lot of soft left MPs have decided that Louise Haigh doing something daft at the start of her career re: a lost mobile phone is electoral Kryptonite but Angela Rayner's May 2025 home purchase is no big deal.

Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth hopes to be first minister on Tuesday

Certainly sounded like Anas Sarwar is planning to go as Scottish Labour leader sooner rather than later. Under questions from Gary Robertson on BBC this morning Sarwar refused to say he was staying on. Trying to wait until Keir Starmer goes and is replaced at UK level?

This 1952 memo from the Pentagon UFO files is superb There is no point preparing for aliens ‘because no one of consequence is going to take this rubbish seriously unless it happens. At that point, our policy will be determined in the traditional manner of grand panic.’ 🤣 www.war.gov/medialink/uf...

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to read into the Brown and Harman appointments beyond "we're out of ideas so here's a desperate throwback to a bygone era".

A message of “Please stay with us for the Highlands and Islands Regional Declaration” feels like we’re being trolled at this stage.

The live feed of the endless Highlands and Islands count is the political successor to the overnight Big Brother E4 feed. In this essay I will www.youtube.com/live/V8yJMft...

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥃

Think how bad the Labour result would have been if they had never ran that AI Greyfriars Bobby advert.

Remember all the complaints about no through the night counting? Feels like a couple of counts have taken that to heart and are going for it now.

57 seats for the #SNP in the constituencies. The best result in a Scottish election for another party was Donald Dewar’s Labour winning 56 seats overall in 1999.

Sadiq Khan says Labour faces an "existential" threat and "London has been taken for granted for too long". Wants "bold assertion" of progressive values to take on the Greens.

EXCLUSIVE: A Scottish Labour official has called on Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie to resign as the dust settles on what looks to be a disastrous result for the party in the Holyrood election Read here: www.thenational.scot/news/2...

🥳 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 SNP WIN! Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale has chosen Calum Kerr. Thank you to everyone who voted SNP.

BREAKING: Eluned Morgan has announced she will resign as Welsh Labour leader after losing her seat in the Senedd elections Read here: www.thenational.scot/news/2...

The SNP's Zen Ghani wins Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok. Anas Sarwar a distant second.

When John Swinney took over as SNP leader just 2 years ago the polling suggested the SNP would win just 35 seats. With 80 seats (including regions) still to declare the SNP is already on 41 seats. And BBC projecting possibly 59 seats.

U.K. local election results could mark “the beginning of the end” for the Labour Party, according to the head of one of its biggest union backers. Follow our live blog for the latest updates 👉 www.politico.eu/article/uk-e...

Yass!

🥳 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 SNP WIN! Renfrewshire North & Cardonald has chosen Michelle Campbell. Thank you to everyone who voted SNP.

Eastwood! Holy moly! Congratulations to Kirsten Oswald! #SNP

Does the rules of the Scottish Labour Party stipulate that the post has to be filled by an MSP? Or can an MP be the leader?

Anas Sarwar just conceded on the BBC after just 7 results. Trying to pin the blame on the ‘wave’ against Labour. Not a hint of taking responsibility. Fascinating to see how that goes down with Labour folk. This is the second election he’s led Labour into… but it’s all someone else’s fault?

Stephen Gethins for the SNP in Dundee City East! Jack Middleton in Aberdeen Central… cracking result. And Hannah Mary Goodlad is Shetland… incredible. #SNP

🥳 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 SNP WIN! Congratulations to Heather Anderson, elected for Dundee City West.

Heather Anderson storming #SNP victory in Dundee City West, congratulations!

The 10 yo is currently lobbying for the 2031 election to be put back a few months so he can vote in them.

Last stop on the Edinburgh SNP knock up tour in #EdinburghNorthern Assisted by my SNP yellow clad assistant. Still a few hours to get out and #VoteSNP for Euan Hyslop!