Exc: @elenawhitham.bsky.social assumed she would stand again for Holyrood but after being elected in 2021 she told me why she is to bow out. She is one of 39 MSPs who are leaving - raising questions over our political culture. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2570942...

EXC: The SG's heritage agency was left with no leader for 5 months after a top civil servant blocked bids to hire an interim CEO when new CEO went on sick leave, leaked emails show. Matter now subject of Audit Scotland probe. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2569490...

EXC: The Scottish Greens' Patrick Harvie has called on SG minister Jenny Minto to step up support for trans people. He told her "to be confident this cross party support is something you can rely on in the face of significant hostility from other quarters". www.heraldscotland.com/news/2569480...

EXC: Leaked emails detail a build up to an 'escalating crisis' over the leadership of heritage agency Historic Environment Scotland. SG first warned by board of 'governance issues' in February, correspondence reveals. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2569197...

Former Scottish Greens leader @patrickharvie.bsky.social has urged Holyrood to reverse its ban on trans people using toilets in their acquired gender in the building. He made the plea following the Sandie Peggie tribunal ruling. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2568535...

'Dr Upton should never have been put through such a grotesque media circus for simply doing her job' www.heraldscotland.com/news... @kathleennutt.bsky.social

EXC: SNP minister Siobhain Brown has dealt a major blow to Ash Regan's Unbuyable Bill telling MSPs she does "not believe fundamental concerns" "including primarily the safety of women" have been answered by Ms Regan. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2568560...

MSPs are asking Angus Robertson what steps he is taking to ensure officials pass him 'critical information'. Comes after email revealed invites to HES board meetings. But Cab Sec later said officials didn't pass on the invites. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564002...

Exc: Lawyers want clarity on what changes will be made to ensure the accused in sexual offences proceedings has a fair trial. Ruling said current approach risked breaching Art 6 of the ECHR. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564109...

Exc: Ex chair of HES wrote to top official asking Angus Robertson to attend a board meeting. Mr Robertson told MSPs he had not been invited to any board meetings. I asked the SG if invite was passed on - not been told if it was or not. Full story here: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2560575...

Unspun: Why Angus Robertson's appearance before today's culture committee failed to dispel the impression he was 'missing in action' as the HES crisis unfolded. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2560241...

Exc: MSPs on a Holyrood cross party group which supports a change in the law on prostitution defend working with organisations opposed to abortion and gay marriage. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2559980...

Exc: The leader of Unison Scotland has urged Scottish Labour to back a visa system for care workers after its research found many suffering racism at work with most not reporting it amid fears of losing their immigration status. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2558177...

Exc: How has an order involved in the Magdalene laundries, where 'fallen women' were taken into forced labour, become an established member of a Holyrood group? A survivor of abuse in a Scots children's home hits out. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2557513...

Glasgow's education director has resigned with immediate effect after discovering that text messages from a year ago may become public. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2556211... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

What's going on in Scotland's heritage agency? Here's my behind-the-scenes investigation into the crisis at the organisation charged with looking after more than 300 of the country's most important historic buildings and sites. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2556942...

Exc: Pupils from low income families would be prioritised to receive residential outdoor education in a bid to cut the cost to the taxpayer under changes being considered to Liz Smith's Holyrood bill @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549692...

Exc: After her success in establishing buffer zones outside abortion clinics, Scottish Green co-leader @gillianmacmsp.bsky.social has set her sights on decriminalising abortion www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549777... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

EXC: 'On equal marriage, gender and fox hunting, I am the opposite of Fergus,' SNP MSP Emma Roddick speaks about being challenged in May 2026 by Fergus Ewing and on being on a female 'hit list' of SNP MSPs @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2527368...

What's it like working in one of Scotland's overcrowded and 'red risk' prisons? I spent a day with a prison officer at HMP Low Moss to find out. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502702...

Enjoyed being part of @heraldscotland team investigating the state of Scotland's prisons for our new series running all this week. Today Martin Williams examines the soaring cost of the country's prisons www.heraldscotland.com/news/2504294...

Labour has been accused of briefing against one of its new Scottish MPs after he criticised government welfare cuts @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2503805...

Analysis: To her supporters in the SNP, Scotland's first woman First Minister Nicola Sturgeon embodied a modern outward-looking European Scotland, to her detractors she blew the SNP off course from its founding goal. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2500204...

Analysis: Is John Swinney preparing for a Cabinet reshuffle? With Shona Robison & Fiona Hyslop standing down as MSPs in 2026 & Mairi McAllan returning from mat leave this yr, the FM may make pre-election changes to his top team @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2499067...

Unspun from me today: Could Nigel Farage's close friendship with President Donald Trump - deeply unpopular in Scotland - damage the chances of a Reform UK breakthrough in Holyrood next year? www.heraldscotland.com/news/2498032... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

The saga over whether the SNP will endorse Fergus Ewing as the party's Holyrood candidate for Inverness and Nairn next year suggests ongoing tensions in the party despite John Swinney's work to heal divisions. My analysis for Unspun www.heraldscotland.com/news/2496291... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

SNP ministers have been warned they 'risk defeat' if oppose @mspliz outdoor ed bill. SNP MSPs on committee did not back general principles due to concerns over cost and teachers' volunteering. Stage one vote due March @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2490962...

EXC: After Scotland's most senior judge Lord Carloway asks if 'a hold up' in Branchform is down to the Crown Office or the police, Police Scotland make clear it's not them - pointing to the force's report sent to CO back in August @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2489223...

Big development on the Scottish Budget today - which @heraldscotland scooped back in December after an exclusive interview with @alexcolehamilton.bsky.social @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2476184...

Could the SNP and Labour form a coalition government after the 2026 Holyrood election? It's voters favourite two party form of government. But could it happen? @alanroden.bsky.social thinks not; Andy Maciver thinks it's possible. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2487276...

Unspun from me tonight is a short profile of Pat McFadden - the enigmatic Scottish politician (and Celtic fan) who was in charge of Labour's general election and who rather unusually tends to shun the personal limelight @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2485704...

EXC: The Dean of the Faculty of Advocates Roddy Dunlop KC has sounded a human rights warning over the ongoing Operation Branchform investigation www.heraldscotland.com/news/2484705... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

My analysis for today's Unspun on the First Minister's warnings to other parties on Monday over the vote next month on the budget - was he scaremongering? @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2483969...

Enjoyed interviewing Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater where I asked her about the ending of the Bute House Agreement by Humza Yousaf and what may lie ahead for her party and for Holyrood in 2026. Full interview here @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2482317...

Analysis: As Humza Yousaf announces he will not stand for Holyrood in 2026, attention focuses on what Nicola Sturgeon will do. The SNP begins selecting candidates for each Holyrood seat in early February - so deadline looms @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2480121...

New twist in long running FOI case relating to James Hamilton inquiry as Information Commissioner writes to the Permanent Secretary saying SG evidence contained 'factual discrepancies'. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2479794...

A series of papers launched by former FM Nicola Sturgeon in June 2022 which declared 'It’s time to talk about independence' is ending. The latest paper was published in April by Humza Yousaf www.heraldscotland.com/news/2477397... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

Big week in Scottish politics as Shona Robison unveils draft budget on Wednesday. Get all our coverage with a 12 month subscription for £20 . Offer ends at midnight tomorrow. www.heraldscotland.com/subscribe/

EXC: Greens are prepared to vote against the SNP budget if it doesn't meet their demands on climate change and council funding www.heraldscotland.com/news/2476370... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

Full story on how Budget talks between Lib Dems and SNP ministers here www.heraldscotland.com/news/2476184... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

EXC: @alexcolehamilton.bsky.social says there are 'areas of great communality' between the Lib Dems and SNP as the two sides prepare for a final round of talks on Tuesday before Scottish Budget is unveiled on Wednesday. @heraldscotland.bsky.social

EXC: Shona Robison will end the council tax freeze for 2024/25 announced by Humza Yousaf at the SNP conference last year when she unveils her Budget on Wednesday. Move is being strongly welcomed by Cosla www.heraldscotland.com/news/2476163... @heraldscotland.bsky.social

Keir Starmer was today urged by Ed Davey to exempt hospices from the rise in national insurance contributions. Davey made the plea at PMQs as he told of a man who died in 'excruciating pain' as he could not get end of life care www.heraldscotland.com/news/2475460...

MSPs hear of funding woes over plans for Scottish slavery museum. SG supported rec from group chaired by Sir Geoff Palmer in Jan but said it couldn't afford the £5m cost - now MSPs told project needs 'significant resources' @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2475209...

The deaths of 242 people while homeless last year is a 'source of shame' for @scotgov, say opp parties. Figures reveal deaths among homeless have risen significantly since 2017 when numbers first collected. Half of those who died in 2023 were under 45. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2475117...

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has accused the UKG of lacking basic competence over its decision to increase employers NIC arguing it "could prove to be disastrous for the economy". www.heraldscotland.com/news/2474987...

How are rural communities impacted by access to legal aid? @kathleennutt.bsky.social speaks to Orkney's sole legal aid solicitor Serena Sutherland. She says the situation is "not sustainable". 👇 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2472767...

You can find every article from the first two days of The Herald's in-depth investigation into Scotland's legal aid crisis HERE: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2472727... @andrewlearmonth.bsky.social @kathleennutt.bsky.social @rebeccamccurdy.bsky.social @hannahmargbrown.bsky.social

'All of this has the potential to harm some of the most vulnerable members of our communities' www.heraldscotland.com/news/2472384... @kathleennutt.bsky.social

Day Two of our legal aid series & @rebeccamccurdy.bsky.social 's inside story is a real eye opener. "As we walked through the court, the lawyer told me: 'For some of my clients, I’m one of the most constant things in their life as their solicitor.'" www.heraldscotland.com/news/2472143...