Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s not all a big love in for Scottish Labour just now, though. And Keir Starmer isn’t the only member of the UK government coming under fire… kieranandrews.substack.com/p/divided-ov...

Our @representingborder.bsky.social political leader interviews made headlines this week. Here’s some behind the scenes analysis. What we've learned from Holyrood's first week back: passing the budget will be easy for John Swinney. www.itv.com/news/border/...

Senior Scottish Labour source on leadership row: “Complete madness, irrational and stupid. No10 has very few members left in the cabinet they haven’t briefed against. They need an HR director not more policy wonks.” Analysis for @representingborder.bsky.social www.itv.com/news/border/...

The SNP has upgraded its campaigning operation but - despite being clearly ahead in the polls- still lags behind Labour on that front Six months out from the Holyrood election, here’s some analysis for @representingborder.bsky.social in praise of unsung political heroes www.itv.com/news/border/...

Watch Dr Dan Fisher @dx-fisher.bsky.social on ITV's Representing Border yesterday sharing expertise in immigration policy with @kieranandrews.bsky.social📹📣 From the UK Gov's proposed changes to Leave to Remain, to Scotland's shifting attitude on immigration. Watch: www.itv.com/watch/news/c...

"Perhaps it is because she is still in politician mode and does not want to damage her party. Whatever the reason, 'Frankly' could do with a touch more frankness" 📚 @kieranandrews.bsky.social reviews Nicola Sturgeon's 'Frankly' | @panmacmillan.bsky.social bit.ly/46eTuwj

Exclusive story from earlier today: South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has been charged with possession of indecent images. He has been “administratively suspended” by Labour while the case progresses. www.itv.com/news/border/...

Quite right. I was astonished to see well rehearsed books - like your own, or David Torrance’s - alongside total schlock claiming to offer the inside story on Sturgeon’s arrest.

Good to see Amazon removing inaccurate SNP biographies If you want the real stories behind the party leadership, try Break-Up: How Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon Went To War amzn.eu/d/fepBbiy

What can we expect from the Scottish govt's Medium Term Financial Strategy today? @stephenboydippr.bsky.social spoke to @kieranandrews.bsky.social @itvborder.bsky.social ➡️ Enhanced level of detail on risks + plans to mitigate them, info that we can compare year upon year, tax increases & more.

EXC: Leader of Dumfries & Galloway Council steps down Conservative Gail Macgregor quit less than an hour before vote of no confidence, saying she was doing so with 'the heaviest of hearts' New administration - D&G’s *fourth* in three years - expected to be chosen at special meeting this afternoon

NEW: Not becoming a national park may cost Galloway millions of pounds of investment, the Rural Affairs Secretary has admitted. Mairi Gougeon won't tell @kieranandrews.bsky.social whether Scot Gov will invest in the region instead. She says they've 'not had those conversations'

BREAKING: The Scottish Government has dropped plans for a Galloway National Park. It was one of the key commitments when the SNP formed a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens. @gregoryhoare.bsky.social explains how we got to this point 👇

🎶 WATCH: Conservative Borders council leader Euan Jardine is a rapper He performs his debut single for @representingborder.bsky.social www.itv.com/news/border/...

UK Gov could cut electricity bills by up to 30% by removing renewable subsidies, Climate Change Committee member Keith Bell says. But the Professor adds that the move would lead to either higher gas bills or taxes

The Conservatives should NOT aim for a deal with Reform UK, Alister Jack says. Former Scottish Secretary believes John Swinney and the SNP are 'secretly' trying to boost Reform's profile, to split the unionist vote. STORY: www.itv.com/news/border/...

NEW: The Conservatives were wrong to get rid of Boris Johnson, Alister Jack says. The former Scottish Secretary - a key political ally and friend of the former PM - says Johnson would have had a chance of winning the 2024 election. STORY: www.itv.com/news/border/...

More from @kieranandrews.bsky.social exclusive interview with Alister Jack - who says the Tories made a mistake in ditching Boris Johnson, and suggests former PM might have been able to win 2024 General Election

In his first interview since quitting as MP, ex-Scottish secretary Alister Jack… - Calls for gender apology from John Swinney+Nicola Sturgeon - Says Boris Johnson should not have been forced out as PM and suggests could have won elex - Rejects betting ban for MPs www.itv.com/news/border/...

'I am disappointed in the UK government's performance so far' - General Secretary of STUC @scottishtuc.bsky.social Roz Foyer (@rozfoyer.bsky.social) tells Kieran Andrews (@kieranandrews.bsky.social) Labour is in danger of lurching 'to the right'. Full interview: www.itv.com/news/border/...

I’ll take this as a source of pride. 🇺🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺

And myself, apparently - no doubt due to the Russian joke I made sitting behind Farage in the House of Commons a few weeks ago. I am distraught, as you can imagine.

Scottish MPs @blairmcdougall.com, @stephengethins.bsky.social and Johanna Baxter have been added to the list of politicians banned from Russia for making what the Kremlin calls "hysterical statements...in which threats are interspersed with lies and outright rudeness"

Calling Reform UK far right is a 'lazy slur', according to party's Deputy Chair in Scotland. David Kirkwood says he's happy with term 'populist', because it 'means we're doing what people want'. Reform UK hasn't been invited to Scottish Government's anti-far right summit, taking place today

🎥 ICYMI: Watch the full report here Moving testimony from Lynn Sweeney as @representingborder.bsky.social reveals that one in five people working for Scotland’s fire and rescue service say they have experienced or witnessed bullying or harassment www.itv.com/watch/news/f...

NEW: 'There is absolutely no place for bullying' John Swinney says he's 'concerned' by ITV Border's investigation into inappropriate behaviour in Scotland's fire service. First Minister says SFRS 'has to address those concerns'

In a statement, Scottish fire and rescue service chief officer Stuart Stevens said a confidential service had been launched to allow staff to report issues anonymously. He added that bullying and harassment were 'not tolerated'. Story: www.itv.com/news/border/...

EXC: Scotland’s fire and rescue service is in the grip of a bullying 'crisis'. 'This didn't just affect my job, it impacted on who I was as a person', a former staff member tells @kieranandrews.bsky.social. Full story: www.itv.com/news/border/...

EXC: Scotland’s fire and rescue service is in the grip of a bullying “crisis” with more than one in five employees having been victim of or witnessed inappropriate behaviour ITV investigation uncovers complaints of discrimination and harassment www.itv.com/news/border/...

NEW: Anas Sarwar acknowledges economic growth and poverty in the UK are 'not where we want them to be'. But the Scottish Labour leader defends the Chancellor's Spring Statement. He says both UK and Scottish Governments need to do more. www.itv.com/news/border/...

'There is concern amongst Labour members and MPs' John McTernan, former Political Secretary to Tony Blair, warns benefit cuts could impact Labour's 'brand'. Last week the UK Government set out welfare changes aimed at saving £5 billion. www.itv.com/news/border/...

What will the SNP group look like after the Holyrood election - and why are so many women standing down? New internal rules say party “reserves the right to add additional female candidates to the selection contest” Analysis for @representingborder.bsky.social www.itv.com/news/border/...

Ash Regan and Kenny MacAskill on Alex Salmond's views about Alba leadership "His view was you couldn't have the only parliamentarian in the whole party not in the top leadership team" "All those who know Alex well...have all endorsed me. I think they knew who had Alex's back"

EXCL: Retiring female SNP MSPs do not need to be replaced by female candidates in a change of the party’s rules It means that Stephen Flynn can stand to replace Audrey Nicoll in his preferred seat of Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, which wouldn’t have been possible in 2021

NEW: Scotland's Finance Secretary is to quit Holyrood at the 2026 election. Shona Robison (@shonarobison.bsky.social) tells @kieranandrews.bsky.social it was an 'incredibly difficult decision' not to stand for re-election. She was part of the original intake of MSPs in 1999

'We have to hope that the United States remains our ally' The Scottish Government's External Affairs Secretary @angusrobertson.bsky.social tells Kieran Andrews 'even saying that out loud remains a concern' Full interview on tonight's programme: www.itv.com/news/border/...

'I don't think President Trump should come to Scotland at all. He's not welcome here' Lorna Slater says Donald Trump should not get a second state visit to the UK. The @scottishgreens.org co-leader says he 'can't be trusted' because of the suspension of military aid to Ukraine

It's been a while since I watched All The President's Men, but I don't think Nixon ever openly threatened to pass a law that made quoting anonymous sources illegal. Ironic he does this on the day the WaPo comment section betrays the legacy of its news section. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/f...

'I believe we will win the election next year' Anas Sarwar (@anassarwar.bsky.social) says he's not a gambler, but if he was he'd bet on Scottish Labour to win 2026 Holyrood election. Full interview on tonight's Scottish Labour conference programme: www.itv.com/news/border/...

Labour promises every patient will be seen by a GP within 48 hours. Will it work? We ask the frontline UK government policies still hang over Scottish party. @gregoryhoare.bsky.social speaks to a nursery upping fees because of NI hike @representingborder.bsky.social www.itv.com/news/border/...

ICYMI: Leo Varadkar says the US no longer “shares the same values” as Europe, so the EU should “strengthen relationship” with UK He also called for Brussels to be flexible on red lines and strike “bespoke” deal with Sir Keir Starmer

Interesting comments from former Irish Taoiseach on what form he thinks future EU / UK relationship should take. Full interview at this link, from about 11pm this evening: www.itv.com/news/border/...

EU should offer UK 'bespoke relationship' because of its 'size and importance', Leo Varadkar tells @kieranandrews.bsky.social. Former Taoiseach says there should be closer trade agreement. But not realistic to expect UK to rejoin single market & customs union #Brexit www.itv.com/news/border/...

NEW: Leo Varadkar warns 'we don't have an America that shares the same values as us'. The former Irish Taoiseach calls for the EU and UK to 'strengthen' their relationship in light of Donald Trump's presidency. Exclusive interview: www.itv.com/news/border/...

'The public are entitled to have the full disclosure by US and British intelligence' Ex-justice secretary Kenny MacAskill calls for release of documents about Lockerbie bombing but says investigation was carried out correctly. SNP MSP Christine Grahame wants a public inquiry

Ian Murray backs Sir Keir Starmer over Anas Sarwar in row over Waspi compensation payouts

Whisky tariffs could be 'catastrophic' - Finance Secretary Shona Robison says Scottish Government is 'concerned' but 'optimistic' President Trump won't implement trade barriers.

Exclusive: Three children under the care of social services in Birmingham were left homeless for five months, my ITV News investigation has uncovered. A “shocking” and “extreme” case of failure: the care crisis colliding with the housing crisis. www.itv.com/news/2025-01...