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Rubber over Scotland

Why we're pushing back on John Swinney's bid to axe our councils

COSLA Vice-President Steven Heddle warns the First Minister's plan to replace Scotland's 32 councils with regional and community tiers lacks evidence, ignores agreed joint work, and risks destabilising public services ahead of the 2027 local elections.

Online torture gangs - it’s hard to believe such evil exists in Scotland, but it does

John Healey holding the red box ahead of the budge

John Healey holding the red box ahead of the budge

Why one OBR chart from Healey's budget should alarm every Scottish voter

SNP must demand powers over broadcasting after death of BBC Scotland channel

Jackdaw's approval has intensified pressure on the UK Government to give Rosebank the green light, while exposing divisions over the future of North Sea drilling.

Jackdaw's approval has intensified pressure on the UK Government to give Rosebank the green light, while exposing divisions over the future of North Sea drilling.

Jackdaw was the easy part – now comes the real North Sea headache

Andy Burnham in Motherwell graphic

Andy Burnham in Motherwell graphic

25 years of devolution

Andy Burnham is looking for a Scottish adviser — they'll have their work cut out

Scottish independence

The SNP's internal independence divide won't disappear after party conference

As the nation’s creative spaces are being sold off, ministers at Holyrood must step up

As the nation’s creative spaces are being sold off, ministers at Holyrood must step up

Arts and culture

Ministers must step up to help creatives facing eviction from Scotland's arts spaces

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been invited to attend the SNP conference in Aberdeen during his visit to Scotland.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been invited to attend the SNP conference in Aberdeen during his visit to Scotland.

Andy Burnham has been invited to SNP conference - but should he actually go?

Nicola Sturgeon warned the SNP about the Greens. So why are they invited to speak about independence at party conference?

Nicola Sturgeon warned the SNP about the Greens. So why are they invited to speak about independence at party conference?

What's the SNP thinking giving the Scottish Greens an indyref2 platform?

John Swinney has defended his claim that Scots will “lose our pensions” under proposed changes to the triple lock.

John Swinney has defended his claim that Scots will “lose our pensions” under proposed changes to the triple lock.

Adult social care

Why John Swinney’s ‘lose our pensions’ claim does not add up

Graphic showing parliaments and voter

Graphic showing parliaments and voter

Scottish Parliament at 25

Has Holyrood been a launch pad for independence or a nationalist dead end?

Graphic showing a lengthy queue

Graphic showing a lengthy queue

The SNP's no compulsory redundancy policy doesn't mean no compulsory redundancies

Andy Burnham could blow Scottish indy out of the water - if he does this one thing

Labour's annual conference was a happy jaunt into the past

Labour's annual conference was a happy jaunt into the past

Adult social care

In Liverpool, Andy Burnham set out his vision for Britain — but can he deliver?

Andy Burnham was supposed to speak at Labour conference Scot Night event. He never showed up.

Andy Burnham was supposed to speak at Labour conference Scot Night event. He never showed up.

Inside Labour conference: How Andy Burnham's absence overshadowed Scot Night

Sign up for Unspun: Scottish Politics and get political analysis and insight straight to your inbox

Sign up for Unspun: Scottish Politics and get political analysis and insight straight to your inbox

Ending child poverty is Scotland's defining mission... but where's the policy?

Artificial intelligence is making it easier to create convincing fake images, audio and video, fuelling concerns about misinformation, political manipulation and declining trust in what voters see online.

Artificial intelligence is making it easier to create convincing fake images, audio and video, fuelling concerns about misinformation, political manipulation and declining trust in what voters see online.

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

A Dundee councillor’s deepfake shows AI’s threat to political trust

Next Tuesday's case could have a profound impact on FOI

Next Tuesday's case could have a profound impact on FOI

The Salmond files case could change how Freedom of Information works in Scotland

John Swinney's summit with Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin should worry Andy Burnham.

John Swinney's summit with Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin should worry Andy Burnham.

Celtic Alliance

Andy Burnham won't be the last Prime Minister - but John Swinney has got a point

We need to know if the BBC deliberately shafted Glasgow over the Commonwealth Games

The ghosts of SNP health secretaries past are casting a shadow over John Swinney’s NHS reforms.

The ghosts of SNP health secretaries past are casting a shadow over John Swinney’s NHS reforms.

Ghosts of SNP health secretaries past cast shadow over Swinney’s NHS reforms

Zack Polanski, Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham

Zack Polanski, Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham

The by-election that could redraw the British left for a generation

Gloria Steinem, whose famous essay If Men Could Menstruate asked how differently women’s health might be treated if men had periods, as new Herald research finds just 51 Scottish GPs have completed national menstrual health training.

Gloria Steinem, whose famous essay If Men Could Menstruate asked how differently women’s health might be treated if men had periods, as new Herald research finds just 51 Scottish GPs have completed national menstrual health training.

If men had periods, Scotland’s ‘shocking’ GP training figures might look different

John Swinney has put tackling violence against women and girls at the heart of his Programme for Government, but campaigners warn the real test will be whether years of policy promises finally translate into delivery.

John Swinney has put tackling violence against women and girls at the heart of his Programme for Government, but campaigners warn the real test will be whether years of policy promises finally translate into delivery.

Scotland has had the policies on violence against women. What it lacks is delivery

John Swinney is considering major reform of the NHS.

John Swinney is considering major reform of the NHS.

John Swinney's NHS health board shake-up could work. But there's a danger

Scottish independence

SNP in uproar as members claim Swinney just doesn’t care about independence

A walk around Victoria Quay, - the grand service building in Leith, is a brief experience.

A walk around Victoria Quay, - the grand service building in Leith, is a brief experience.

The civil servants aren't coming back. The SNP must rethink Victoria Quay

Monday will see the final episode of River City after 24 years on air

Monday will see the final episode of River City after 24 years on air

Edinburgh Festivals 2026

The loss of the Edinburgh TV Festival is the least of Scotland's broadcasting worries

What's more like? Meteors or an early election?

What's more like? Meteors or an early election?

Burnham's Goldilocks moment means a snap election is more likely than meteors

SNP can either cosplay as social justice warriors or fight homelessness with Burnham

The costs for John Swinney's World Cup trip have been published.

The costs for John Swinney's World Cup trip have been published.

FIFA World Cup 2026

The real cost of John Swinney’s £98k World Cup trip is public trust

Nicola Sturgeon and Joanna Cherry both made headlines with revealing appearances at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, underlining the risks, and rewards, of putting politicians on stage.

Nicola Sturgeon and Joanna Cherry both made headlines with revealing appearances at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, underlining the risks, and rewards, of putting politicians on stage.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Do we really want Nicola Sturgeon and Joanna Cherry at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

Trapped between cowards and cranks, the SNP has left the indy movement to unravel

Anas Sarwar is watching the Scottish Labour chaos from a safe distance.

Anas Sarwar is watching the Scottish Labour chaos from a safe distance.

Scottish Labour fights for survival. Anas Sarwar? He couldn't care less

The UK needs oil and gas for 75% of our energy use and we do not yet really have anything to replace it.

The UK needs oil and gas for 75% of our energy use and we do not yet really have anything to replace it.

GERS shows Scotland's oil revenues down but next year's figures are the ones to watch

Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan has apologised after describing rape as existing on a “spectrum” and referring to the “demonisation of rape”.

Scottish Green MSP Q Manivannan has apologised after describing rape as existing on a “spectrum” and referring to the “demonisation of rape”.

Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis

'Dear Q Manivannan, rape is not an intellectual thought experiment'

Andy Burnham has exposed a problem the SNP can no longer ignore

Spy glasses and their emerging threat in Scotland.

Spy glasses and their emerging threat in Scotland.

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

When Orwell's telescreens learned to walk: Scotland and the threat of spy glasses

Tax differences between Scotland and the Rest of The UK

Tax differences between Scotland and the Rest of The UK

'The uncomfortable truth': Is it time for us all to pay a little more tax?

Will the Scottish Government take the opportunity to change the narrative on Wednesday?

Will the Scottish Government take the opportunity to change the narrative on Wednesday?

City of Edinburgh Council

The government can correct its failures on Edinburgh fire funding this week. Will it?

Nicola Sturgeon condemned John Swinney's leadership of the SNP.

Nicola Sturgeon condemned John Swinney's leadership of the SNP.

Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon's brutal takedown of Swinney shows she has turned her back on SNP

Romesh Ranganathan and the cast of the BBC ad, Making The Case : The Musical

Romesh Ranganathan and the cast of the BBC ad, Making The Case : The Musical

What has the BBC Scotland channel ever done for us?

Firefighters continue tackling the Cairngorms wildfire, which has burned through about 25 square kilometres and remains active beneath the peat despite heavy rain.

Firefighters continue tackling the Cairngorms wildfire, which has burned through about 25 square kilometres and remains active beneath the peat despite heavy rain.

From the Great Fire of Rome to the Cairngorms: A warning for Scotland's politicians

Graphic showing Jenny Gilruth and John Swinney and a Laffer curve

Graphic showing Jenny Gilruth and John Swinney and a Laffer curve

Scotland taxed its highest earners more and may have ended up with less

Former Labour MSP Monica Lennon who has announced she will run as a candidate in a Scottish Labour leadership contest.

Former Labour MSP Monica Lennon who has announced she will run as a candidate in a Scottish Labour leadership contest.

‘Ready to lead’: Monica Lennon launches bid to revive Scottish Labour

Prime Minister Andy Burnham took indyref2 off the table in his meeting with First Minister John Swinney

Prime Minister Andy Burnham took indyref2 off the table in his meeting with First Minister John Swinney

Andy Burnham has just made a huge mistake over independence

Monica Lennon pictured in the office of The Herald where she was being interviewed by Herald political correspondent Hannah Brown.

Monica Lennon pictured in the office of The Herald where she was being interviewed by Herald political correspondent Hannah Brown.

I am ready to lead Scottish Labour, says left wing trailblazer

Douglas Alexander remains Scottish Secretary under Andy Burnham after surviving a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle.

Douglas Alexander remains Scottish Secretary under Andy Burnham after surviving a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle.

Inside Burnham’s gamble on Douglas Alexander after Labour’s Holyrood disaster

Graphic showing calculator and Scotland

Graphic showing calculator and Scotland

Burnham's tax tweak is good for Scottish workers but bad for Scottish ministers

Conservative Party

Finally, there’s a way to put the Sturgeon-Salmond-Murrell scandals to bed

Political comedian and satirist Matt Forde will appear at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.

Political comedian and satirist Matt Forde will appear at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.

Matt Forde on SNP scrutiny, Labour sexism and why Binface should fight Farage to win

Graphic showing rock Alex Salmond has installed at Heriot-Watt in 2014

Graphic showing rock Alex Salmond has installed at Heriot-Watt in 2014

Scrapping tuition fees was meant to help Scots students. Now it's shutting them out.

Count Binface claims to be the leader of the Recyclons from Sigma IX.

Count Binface claims to be the leader of the Recyclons from Sigma IX.

Clacton by-election

Athens invented Democracy. Count Binface might just save it.