Michael Gove has split with his girlfriend Lola Salem, a lecturer at Oxford University and contributor to the Telegraph and The Spectator, who has been charged with possessing indecent images of ch…

Last week, the SNP’s former Westminster leader Ian Blackford, speaking to The National newspaper’s podcast, suggested that the party’s refusal to take any seat in Westminster’s up…

From BBC Scotland today, based on the RCEM union convener in Scotland: A leading emergency doctor has said she is “completely terrified” about upcoming winter pressures on Scotland&#821…

I don’t usually blog about America unless it directly affects or involves Scotland, but for the latest example of how far that once great country has fallen into moral turpitude under Trump, …

Half of Glasgow's Catholic churches face closure under radical archdiocese plans. Kevin McKenna examines what will be lost and why it matters

The Tories have officially ripped up the Vow to which they were signatories in 2014. This was the panicked promise made by the Better Together parties – one of which was the Conservatives &#8…

By stewartb The Tories – that very same party which has failed, often by a long way, to win any national or UK election in Scotland since the mid 1950s – has the gall to threaten to downgrade the S…

investigates violence. Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary is also looking at Police Scotland’s approach to repeat offenders and victims. So, quickly, we’ve done this so many …

In 2024/25, 4 million children were living in poverty across the UK. Explore the latest official figures from the DWP’s annual poverty statistics.

The Tories have crossed the Rubicon. Since the independence referendum of 2014, which Better Together won on the basis of false promises, not the least of which was the promise that the powers of t…

I spend much of my life in instant reaction mode, and sometimes it helps to take a moment to think, reflect, and understand your anger

Above, a lightly-clad firefighter working in Dunwich heat next to a nuclear power station. In the Guardian today: The government quietly scrapped plans to prepare the countryside in England for wil…

The Guardian today, above, 20 years since women workers in the century-long Labour Party-run council first took it to court over unequal pay for equal work. Then less than two years after the SNP t…

From the SNP, two days ago, the above and: If you ever needed a textbook example of Westminster’s breathtaking contempt for the people of Scotland, Andy Burnham has just delivered it on a silver pl…

This is a revised version of a piece first published on this blog way back in April 2014, but I’ve republished it as it has become relevant again. Former Tory MP and erstwhile Conservative le…

In the National today, the above, and a report based entirely on events in England with no mention of the somewhat obvious fact that there have never been towering infernos in Scotland despite 6 to…

The only living politician mentioned by Andy Burnham during his jam tomorrow speech to the Labour party conference was John Swinney, and that was only in order to take a nasty, underhanded and emot…

I’m still struggling to walk following the recent fall and have developed a massive bruise on my left leg. Due to the pain I’m not sleeping well, but things are definitely going in the …

With only 1 day left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at:Crowdfunder at:  by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON…

With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at:  Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN W…

The Daily Record above today repeating a story from 2025. With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at:&…

With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at:  Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN W…

I was supposed to have been going to Lochgilphead today to do an event for Aye Fyne, but here I am at home nursing a very painful ankle and hirpling gingerly about the house – but only when I…

Warnings about the catastrophic effects of vital ecosystems collapsing were not published under previous prime minister

I don’t normally mention the Lib Dems in a blog piece, for much the same reason that I don’t mention the Monster Raving Loony Party, because they’re irrelevant, although unlike th…

Heather Cox Richardson, in her Letter from an AMerican on Substack, which I recommend subscribing to, said over night: According to the American Automobile Association, diesel hit its highest recorded...

I’m typing this in bed. Yesterday I had a nasty fall. Due to the stroke in 2020, I have very poor sensation and no spatial awareness in the left side of my body. This means I only know where …

Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at:  by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 …

Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at:  by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 By stewartb From the Aberdeen-based Energy Voice news w…

Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at:  by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From BBC UK today, the above, and: Passengers say they …

You’ve probably never heard of Elaine Stewart. She’s my local MP, one of the least distinguished Labour MPs out of the undistinguished bunch of careerists and lobby fodder elected to We…

YouTube video by Richard J Murphy

Andy Burnham has replied to John Swinney after the latter wrote to him asking for a meeting to put the process for triggering a Scottish independence referendum on a legal basis after Burnham repli…

My September column in Scots Independent, 100 years old this year. Available at: Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at:  Or by direct bank transfer to: JO…

The media appears to have woken up to the fact that there is a right-wing, profoundly fascist threat to stability within the UK. Events over the weekend in Dover and Portsmouth have achieved this outcome. A few people in black have been noticed. Rightly, politicians are condemning the actions of those...