One of the ways in which the Better Together campaign won the referendum in 2014 was to successfully scaremonger Scotland’s pensioners into believing that their state pensions would not be sa…

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…

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…

Andy Burnham has given his first speech to the Labour party conference as Prime Minister. The speech was a whole lot of jam tomorrow, hopey change and changey hope. The only real difference from St…

Andy Burnham has given his first speech to the Labour party conference as Prime Minister. The speech was a whole lot of jam tomorrow, hopey change and changey hope. The only real difference from St…

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 …

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…

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…

Reform UK MSPs have walked out of the Scottish Parliament during a debate on Scottish independence ...

Alt: Orange Angry Orange

Reform UK MSPs have walked out of the Scottish Parliament during a debate on Scottish independence ...

THE new Scottish Labour leader has said he doesn’t like being called a Unionist after accepting Scotland has the right to decide its own future ...

It’s something akin to a quiet earthquake: home nations jointly declaring their wish to be freed from English domination. A big move needs a big response, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

As far as wanting another independence referendum is concerned, Scotland is definitely in settled will of the people territory. A new poll carried out by Norstat for the campaign group Believe in S…

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 …

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…

The flag waving We’re not nationalists we’re British brigade are seriously rattled by the Celtic Alliance, although of course they’d never admit to it, they’re currently doi…

On Monday there was a historic meeting in Cardiff, the first time ever that pro-independence First Ministers from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland met and agreed a common framework for the pur…

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…

Speaking to The National this week after Andy Burnham – perhaps inadvertently – set out the conditions for Scotland to hold an independence referendum, polling expert Professor John Cur…

Scotland Yard confirms it is investigating allegations broadcast by Channel 4 after undercover sting

In PMQs on Wednesday, Andy Burnham was asked by SNP MP Chris Law about the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and the trigger for an Irish unification referendum, and after Burnham stated that he was awar…

BBC Scotland’s latest ‘Scotland is shite’ story is to tell us that Scottish educational performance has fallen behind that of England. This finding is based on Pisa rankings. Howe…

Alt: Desert Tumbleweed Rolling

Alt: Back To The Future Train

If there are smoking guns, Channel 4 and Verbatim’s undercover sting on Reform UK is a slow motion video of the bullet exiting the barrel and hitting its target. If you haven’t seen the…

The Accounts Commission warns "robust oversight" is needed to tackle a £110m budget gap spanning the next two financial years.

You might have thought that any measure aimed at helping struggling households during a cost of living crisis would be welcome, particularly at a time when there’s an ever widening gap betwee…

The Labour party in Scotland has got itself into a hopeless mess on the topic of another independence referendum. Actually, that previous sentence could just have stopped at the word mess. The two …

With intentionally spiteful timing, failed prime minister Keir Starmer announced that he’s stepping down as an MP just as his successor was due to address Parliament for the first time. With …

The former prime minister said he would now turn his focus to international affairs.

The first crack has appeared in the “We’re not nationalists we’re British” dam against the rising tide of support for independence and the generational shift that puts oppos…

THE SNP will not work with Reform UK in any “way, shape, or form”, the First Minister has said ...

As ever, when I take a few days off from the blog, there’s a lot to catch up on. There was the Survation poll on independence published on Thursday which reported a 52% result for Yes (with d…

Ex-Breitbart editor has vocally supported immediate deportations for anyone who can’t prove US residency

THE SNP’s Westminster leader has U-turned after opening the door to a deal with Reform UK that would put Nigel Farage’s party into power if they…

As sure as night follows day or the Labour branch office in Scotland is unwilling to learn from its repeated electoral kickings, the Labour party at Westminster is equally unwilling to change, retr…

PM said he would set bar at £500k, but trade unions say funding reforms could undermine their ability to donate to Labour

MALCOLM Offord demanded Holyrood bosses knock down walls to give him a double sized office, The National understands.