Scottish Labour do seem in denial of their own role in the downfall of Scottish Labour. Still. After all these years.

Scotland's mainstream liberal media. Appeasing and normalising the racist, xenophobic and fascist political views of Reform in Scotland.

On this day a Labour Prime Minister resigned. Sixteen years ago on 11 May 2010 Gordon Brown resigned as PM & left Downing Street. Sixteen years later could history repeat itself & Keir Starmer resign as PM?

The party of mass deportation, questioning Anas Sarwar's loyalty to the UK & Tommy Robinson supporters. Know Reform in the Scottish Parliament by their own words.

Changing leaders in office does not always lead to "chaos": John Swinney just won a SNP fifth term after replacing Humza Yousaf. Mark Carney won the Canadian election after replacing Justin Trudeau. Boris Johnson won a landslide election after replacing Theresa May.

Keir Starmer potentially has days left. One of the reference points being used by Labour people wanting to change leaders is how the SNP did it & reaped electoral reward. They changed post-Sturgeon from Humza Yousaf to John Swinney who just won a SNP fifth term last week.

Scottish Labour sources suggest they & Lib Dems become one group in Holyrood so it is unambiguous who the main opposition is. Scot Lab desperation to try & remain relevant at Holyrood. Emblematic of a party which has completely lost its way in Scotland. Alongside its Welsh & English comrades.

Keir Starmer talking about Keir Starmer. Again. As if this is going to change the political weather in the dying days of his Premiership.

Angela Rayner backs Andy Burnham returning to the Commons. Starmer's blocking of Burnham was the action of a factional leader. Not the leader of the entire Labour Party or acting in the interests of the govt or UK. Can he change or is he stuck in his ways as a weak leader? www.ft.com/content/99c8...

A gorgeous wee trip in sunny weather to the charming town of Garlieston in Wigtownshire looking out into Wigtown Bay. A planned village from the 18th century it has stunning views, a great cafe (Hive Cafe) and a fabulous pub and restaurant: The Harbour Inn which has atmosphere and good food.

A gorgeous wee trip in sunny weather to the charming town of Garlieston in Wigtownshire looking out into Wigtown Bay. A planned village from the 18th century it has stunning views, a great cafe (Hive Cafe) and a fabulous pub and restaurant: The Harbour Inn which has atmosphere and good food.

Time is surely up for Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar? When he is replaced Scot Lab will have completed a football team of leaders: Dewar, McLeish, McConnell, Wendy Alexander, Iain Gray, Johann Lamont, Jim Murphy, Kezia Dugdale, Richard Leonard & Sarwar. Who will be the 11th man or woman?

I remember a time when "crypto-fascist" used to mean a fascist hiding their bigotry. Now it means a fascist, open about their bigotry, and funded by crypto.

The Scottish Parliament has the biggest pro-independence majority in its history: 73: 56. But this is based on a SNP-Green vote of 40% FPTP and 41% list. It is a product of the most electorally distortive result in the Scot Parl's history: a product of the SNP's success in FPTP.

SNP high flyer Mairi McAllan asked about reasons for Scottish independence cited as one reason Thatcher's poll tax. This was imposed on Scotland in 1989; McAllan was born in 1993. Maybe the SNP need some new stories abt Scotland & indy rather than going on abt Thatcherism.

Both the SNP & Labour this morning are doubling down on locking out Reform in the Scottish Parliament. This is dishonest & wrong. First, they will have to speak to Reform MSPs in the Scot Parl Corporate Body. Second, it is counterproductive to gift Reform the moniker of being outsiders & insurgents.

After the dust settles the anti-democratic effrontery of Independent Green Voice: a far right spoiler has to be investigated by the Electoral Commission. They took 19,975 votes (0.84%) on the list & stopped the Greens winning one more seat.

Labour have been having an existential crisis since time memorial. But this feels acute. A few weeks more of inaction against Starmer does not matter in the long run. But every single day Starmer remains in office sucks the life force from this Labour Govt. He is a zombie PM leading a zombie govt.

Scottish Labour's retreat over the course of the seven elections so far of the Scottish Parliament is consistent. Almost as if after campaigning for a Scot Parl for decades they had no idea what kind of politics & vision Labour should advance in the Scot Parl. HT @europeelects.bsky.social

This is a complete misreading of Scottish politics. Home rule & campaign for a Scottish Parliament were championed by Labour & Liberals for decades. Any serious attempt to abolish the Scot Parl & impose WM direct rule would be the end of unionism & probably the union. spectator.com/article/will...

The Strange Death of Labour Scotland has a new chapter in the Scottish Parliament elections with Scottish Labour winning the lowest vote in its history as a nationwide party. And The Strange Death of Welsh Labour has proven to be a worthy sequel.

Nick Symonds Thomas says Starmer has proven he is "a winner' due to the 2024 election & that he won a "five year mandate". These are fictions: Labour won in 2024 due to not being the Tories. A sitting PM does not win a five year mandate. The UK is a parliamentary not presidential democracy. #c4News

How does Scotland respond to Faragism & the success of Reform? This has to be one of the main challenges to address. How do we defeat racism, xenophobia & the dehumanising of our fellow human beings? And how can we reach out to those who have voted for Reform out of protest?

The official No. 10 photo of Gordon Brown coming back into govt is a bizarre one. Rachel Reeves looks like a minister presiding over some kind of ceremony or civil partnership. All part of Downing Street's amateur operation on more serious issues (like bringing Brown back).

Gordon Brown has lots of qualities. But he is from a different political age: the New Labour era. It is telling that Starmer keeps drawing from this as he has little grasp of Labour. Brown's work on constitutional reform was always deeply conservative & abt maintaining WM parliamentary sovereignty.

A big weekend for Scottish football. @theguardian.com has long had poor coverage of Scotland & our football despite the best endeavours of Ewan Murray. But nowhere in the print version or online is there any piece on the dramatic & compelling Scottish Premiership title race.

"You don't change the pilot during the flight, you carry on" says David Lammy defending Keir Starmer as PM. You do change the pilot if he has lost control and the plane is in heading for a painful & disastrous plane crash

At this moment of crisis for Keir Starmer he has reached out to & brought into govt Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman. Both major political figures but last in office in 2010 and key forces from the New Labour era. More proof if needed Starmer has run out of road & ideas.

A SNP fifth term. A pro-independence majority in seats: the highest ever. Both impressive. Underneath that SNP-Green vote is 40.5% FPTP: down 8.5% from 49.0% in 2021; 41.2% list: down 7.3% from 48.5%. A resilience to SNP vote; impressive Green vote. But 58.2% Lab-Ref-Tory-LD FPTP & 53.8% list.

Trevor Phillips is still on @skynewsrss.bsky.social. Has he apologised for his unacceptable interview style with @zackpolanski.bsky.social last week? If not why not? He basically attempted to cancel Polanski's Jewish identity because he did not agree with him. That is not journalism.

The Londoncentric focus of @skynewsrss.bsky.social on football: "a big weekend for Arsenal, a big weekend for Man City, for West Ham & for Spurs." And that's it. No reference to the Scottish Premiership & it being "a big weekend" for Hearts, Celtic, Killie & St Mirren.

Some big trends in the Scottish election: The Scottish Labour vote is the lowest in the party's history as a national party: 19.2% FPTP; 16.1% list. The Scottish Tory vote is the lowest ever in its history: 11.8% FPTP; 11.9% list.

Some big trends in the Scottish election: The Scottish Labour vote is the lowest in the party's history as a national party: 19.2% FPTP; 16.1% list. The Scottish Tory vote is the lowest ever in its history: 11.8% FPTP; 11.9% list.

Were you up for the Highlands and Islands regional list result? The Scottish Parliament election count & results provided miles more drama & excitement than the entire campaign. Voters better at politics than many politicians.

2026 Scottish election: Final results in. Highlands and Islands regional list finally in from Inverness: Highland List Seats: SNP 1 Labour Reform 2 Green 2 Conservative 1 Lib Dem 1 Final Seats in Scottish Parliament: SNP 58 Labour 17 Reform 17 Green 15 Conservative 12 Lib Dem 10

A big thank you and respect for all your work, professionalism, attention to detail & commitment to aiding wider understanding of the democratic process. Not just in the current Scottish Parliament elections but over the years.

Anybody bailing out from the Highlands and Island result .... just remember in a few weeks the opening Scotland game in the FIFA World Cup against Haiti is even later at 2am. So if folk can stay up for the football ....

One argument for Starmer staying from Labour loyalists is he only won an election less than 2 years ago. Yet Harold Wilson won a majority in Oct 1974 & resigned as PM before completing 2 years of his term; Blair won in 2005 & resigned 2 years into his term. Precedent for Starmer going.

Were you up for Highlands and Islands? Could it become the Scottish equivalent of 'were you up for Portillo?'

Is the Scottish election and the lack of progress on independence really "a democratic outrage"? Ignoring that there is currently no SNP plan, strategy or detailed thinking on independence.

Matthew Syed has little grasp of UK party politics & parliamentary democracy. UK Prime Ministers do NOT have a five year term. They have to continually have the confidence of a majority of the Commons. Starmer does not; just as Blair lost the PLP & Thatcher Tory MPs. #Newsnight

Welsh turnout is 51.6%: 5.0% up on 2021. The highest turnout in Wales in any devolved contest since 1999.

Some takeaways: 1. Reform win 26%: stalling Reform bandwagon. 2. Reform despite the hype 6% down on 2025. 3. Reform's 26% is lower than Michael Foot's Labour won in 1983's disastrous defeat. 4. With a 5 party system in England & 6 party in Scotland & Wales FPTP is not fit for purpose.

Wonderful result in the South of Scotland region with the Greens gaining their first ever seat in these parts. Really glad to see Laura Moodie elected: a committed, intelligent, thoughtful community leader who will make a real impact in the Scottish Parliament.

Something wrong with this headline. Why are Reform allowed to be insurgents? But the Green rise is framed through Reform. Typical double standards.

The curtain draws on the political career of Ash Regan. She contributed so much: two failed attempts at the leaderships of parties she subsequently left. And of course the legend of the independence thermometer. Gone but never forgotten!

The Times Radio: How to win an Election: Before and After. Wonder what happened?

#BBCScotland's coverage of the Scottish Parliament election has included insiders talking to insiders; ignoring the Greens; and now bumping the election coverage for football. Last telling abt priorities: off with the election; on with Arbroath v. Dunfermline Athletic.

Farage's Reform are his 3rd successive party. He has been at this for 27 years. Michael Thrasher says abt Reform on #SKyNews: "Never seen a party come from nowhere to win 40%." a) They haven't come from nowhere; b) They haven't won 40%. Plus Commons projections put them 42 seats short of a majority.

The #GreenSurge continues in Scotland with another Green constituency seat gain from the SNP. The @scottishgreens.org Holly Bruce wins with a 3,101 majority over the SNP in Nicola Sturgeon's old seat where she won 60.2% in 2021.