Striking image this one
The Labour frontbench unable to even look Diane Abbott in the eye as she asks about the Mandelson-Epstein scandal
These are not the faces of ministers confident that they are on the right side of history
The UK Government has been accused of a 'political scandal on the scale of Peter Mandelson' after snubbing a petition calling for an inquiry into pro-Israel influence in politics and democracy
Tomorrow's front page 📰
Keir Starmer still insists he won't resign as MPs grill PM over Mandelson vetting
Bus fares in Scotland would be capped at £2 per journey, the SNP’s manifesto has pledged
NEW: Peter Mandelson failed security vetting but the UK Government decided to appoint him US ambassador anyway, it has emerged
And frankly thank God someone has thrown a genuinely interesting policy out there that at least gets people talking about this election!
Fixing potholes and business rates are important obviously but like ... Let's dream a little bigger here
Reform and co are going to be up in arms shouting about Marxism again - which is going to sound mental to people who just want their weekly shop to be remotely affordable
This is a great policy announcement because:
1) it's actual action on cost of living, not vague pledges to "tackle" it (eg Labour)
2) the furious reaction from the right exposes that the people who claim to be on the side of regular folk mainly care about shareholder's profits
While discussing the costs he believes immigrants place on the NHS, he claimed anonymous Scottish doctors are worrying about migrants with HIV getting free treatment
"Think of that. Think of the cost," he told the audience
www.thenational.scot/news/2602103...
Malcolm Offord
NEW: A top HIV charity has offered Malcolm Offord a meeting to discuss the realities of the illness as he was accused of "regurgitating scaremongering nonsense" about the condition at a Reform rally in Aberdeen
The Greens have also slammed his "disgusting comments"
'We're being emasculated, and our democratic rights are being ignored'
Alan Cumming reacts to Wes Streeting saying the UK won't 'give' Scotland another independence referendum
While you're here, a subscription is just £20 for a whole year in our Spring Sale. Join us today! Thenational.scot/subscribe
While you're here, a subscription is just £20 for a whole year in our Spring Sale. Join us today! Thenational.scot/subscribe
Alan Cumming reads a copy of The National
Alan Cumming with Laura Webster
Fantastic to have Alan Cumming on today's National Podcast. Whole thing now on YouTube and audio streaming platforms, enjoy!
youtu.be/6U2BxJ1Hc3Y?...
Been busy working on a very special edition of The National Podcast today 👀
Thanks to Alan Cumming for giving us an hour to discuss so many topics - independence, the election, LGBT rights, Scottish theatre, the rise of Reform...
Going live tonight.
On Wednesday Beirut woke to a beautiful sky-blue day. The heavy rain of the past few days gone; a temporary reprieve from the wet conditions faced by the thousands of displaced living on the streets, writes Janet MacDonald ✍️
Anas Sarwar refused to answer the public's questions on a route indyref2 in a heated BBC leaders debate ⬇️
The BBC's Scottish election debate saw Anas Sarwar spring a trap on John Swinney – and it was all but impossible to avoid, our political editor Xander Elliards writes ✍️
👉 www.thenational.scot/news/2...
A first look at The National's front page tomorrow 📰
Labour 'stick two fingers up' to Scots
A one-year-old girl has died and her seven-year-old sister injured after an Israeli airstrike hit their father's funeral in south Lebanon
Join us at Glasgow School of Art on the 29th April for an amazing evening of radical hope with @georgemonbiot.bsky.social hosted by the brilliant @lauraewebster.bsky.social
Last few tickets left - don't miss out ! makehopepossible.org/tickets/
You can read all that and lots more here. Thanks to Will for the great piece, he will be back with more in a few weeks
www.thenational.scot/news/2601240...
Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth with Lindsay Whittle
Super to have analysis from @willhaycardiff.bsky.social on the Welsh election, setting out:
🌼 Why this is such an unprecedented election for Wales
🌼 How an increase in young voters seeing themselves as Welsh not British is changing things
🌼 Plaid's approach to talking about independence
Thousands of activists are preparing to set sail to Gaza on a historic humanitarian mission.
The Global Sumud Flotilla – the largest civilian flotilla in history – will soon launch⛵
Here's everything you need to know 👉www.thenational.scot/news/26011282.global-sum...
Keir Starmer is under scrutiny after an RAF spy plane was tracked flying over Lebanon at the same time Israel killed over 250 people in a barrage of air strikes 🇱🇧
Event promotional graphic for "An Evening with George Monbiot." The poster uses a torn-paper design divided into three vertical panels. The left yellow panel displays the event title, ticket prices starting at £8.50, the website makehopepossible.org/tickets, and our logo. The center white panel, titled "Hosted By," features two hosts and their respective dates: Laura Webster (Editor of The National) for Glasgow on April 29, and Assa Samaké-Roman (Journalist and Author) for Dundee on April 30 and Edinburgh on May 2. The right green panel features a large portrait of George Monbiot wearing glasses and a blue plaid shirt.
It's official: two of Scotland's finest journalists will be hosting our conversations with George Monbiot!
@lauraewebster.bsky.social is the editor of The National, and will host our Glasgow events.
@assasr.bsky.social is a freelance journalist and will host our Edinburgh and Dundee events.
Excited to be interviewing the excellent @georgemonbiot.bsky.social at the end of the month. Come along and see it in person!
Our hustings was great, though the LibDems were the only Unionist party who came
And Alex Cole-Hamilton did a good job answering some tough questions in his Leader Interview (despite personally disagreeing with The National's stance)
youtu.be/qdAwqP9_rng?...
His response was to refuse to answer me and turn and walk away (quite rude really)
If that's not avoiding print journalists Anas I'm not sure what is?
🧵Anas Sarwar is quoted in the Express today saying "I've not tried to avoid print journalists a single day [of the campaign]"
This is not true.
I asked Anas, in person, this week, why Labour have been ignoring our requests for a Leaders Interview or to join the hustings ...
