Epigraph to William McIlvanney’s Walking Wounded.

Wes Streeting rules out second independence referendum The UK Health Secretary said the country has had ‘enough of chaos’

'Absolutely not': Wes Streeting rules out second independence referendum

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Proof that I did actually manage to (briefly) stand up.

C’mon!

Shout out to The Scotsman’s Lisa Ferguson for some excellent footage.

The Scotsman surfs the waves with Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton YouTube video by The Scotsman

🏄‍♂️ To kick off @scotsman.com’s new series of leader interviews, I went surfing with @alex.scotlibdems.org.uk

Or rather, he surfed, I fell in. A lot.

You can watch the full video of that, plus my interview with him, on YouTube now:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=I-1E...

Swinney: Ming Yang would not have been blocked if it was in England The First Minister said the decision by the UK government was ‘unacceptable’

Swinney: Ming Yang would not have been blocked if it was in England

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Please send all gossip, jibes and rumours our way.

Nothing is too petty.

Election Diary: Sensitive Swinney, and sunshine on [redacted] The latest whispers, gossip and nonsense from the Holyrood campaign trail

Sensitive Swinney, Sunshine on [Redacted] and Reform’s ad van woes

It’s The Scotsman’s election diary!

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

SP26: You’ll have had your MSP then? With 42 MSPs already retired or deselected, this year's Holyrood election is all but guaranteed to have the highest turnover in the parliament's history - but of the 81 MSPs trying to get back in, which are at most risk?

SP26: You'll have had your MSP then?

Amongst the many lists of candidates published this week, here's one list sitting MSPs don't want to be on: those at risk of losing. With an almost certainly record-breaking turnover in MSPs this year, find out who is most at risk of an electoral sacking.

John Swinney signals major shift in SNP's position on new oil and gas The First Minister said events in the Middle East had changed the ‘dynamics’ of the debate

NEW: John Swinney signals major shift in SNP's position on new oil and gas

He told a Holyrood Sources event the war in Iran had changed the "dynamics" of the debate around developments such as Rosebank and Jackdaw:

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Had somehow missed the news about this new folk horror film festival in Leith. Sensational line up of films — and what a brilliant poster.

fiendsinthefurrows.com

Scottish Election 2026: The Scotsman Hustings with Scotland 2050 YouTube video by The Scotsman

If you missed last night’s hustings you can watch the full thing back here at your leisure:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=DIY1...

Front Page of The Scotsman newspaper has a headline about Scottish GPs asking for action on poverty

GPs urge next government to take drastic action on poverty @alistairkgrant.bsky.social covering RCGP Scotland survey findings- on the front page of the @scotsman.com

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Holyrood election: Anas Sarwar's slim hopes for a tactical route to Bute House Labour is trailing far behind the SNP in the polls but hopes to flip seats in key Central Belt battlegrounds

EXCL: Scottish Labour has plotted a route to put Anas Sarwar in Bute House. It involves Reform playing a part and Labour having the "moral mandate" to govern. It will also still need a big shift in the polls which hasn't looked like happening.
www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Line-up revealed for The Scotsman and Scotland 2050 hustings The hustings on March 31 will be your chance to grill politicians on the issues that matter to you

In central Edinburgh tomorrow evening? Come to our hustings!

🚨 6pm at the Assembly Rooms - tickets free via Eventbrite

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Interview: Brian Cox on Holyrood election, 'deadbeat' Trump and 'hideous' Farage In an exclusive interview with The Scotsman, the acclaimed actor discusses politics, war, and his hopes for the future

"He’s a f****** nuisance, and he’s ignorant, he’s so f****** ignorant about what’s going on in the world." My excl interview with Brian Cox and Nicole Ansari-Cox on Trump, Iran, independence, and the SNP."
www.scotsman.com/news/intervi...

Saw The Land Before Time at ‘toddler cinema’. Pure nostalgia.

I know what you’re thinking: if only you could somehow relive the joy, the excitement, the sheer thrill of the first proper day of the Holyrood election campaign.

Well, have I got a podcast for you…

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/1vLX...

Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Anas Sarwar: Scottish Labour won't do any deals with Reform Mr Sarwar ruled out any coalitions or deals with Nigel Farage’s party

Anas Sarwar rules out any coalitions, deals, or "stitch-ups" with Reform UK.

"We are not going to touch Reform"

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Malcolm Offord claims he 'instantly regretted' homophobic joke as Reform's only MSP backs him John Swinney has suggested ‘lots of people would laugh and applaud’ if they heard the offensive joke at a Reform event or conference

Malcolm Offord has claimed he "instantly regretted" his homophobic joke after having had "a bit to drink". His only Reform MSP, Graham Simpson, has backed him to remain party leader in Scotland. John Swinney disagrees.
www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

SNP Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has accused the Labour government of having "pulled the rug out from under Scotland’s renewables industry” by blocking the £1.5bn investment plans.

Labour blocks Chinese wind factory plans for Scottish Highlands over security fears The UK government has blocked Ming Yang’s wind turbine plans for the Scottish Highlands.

EXCLUSIVE: The UK Labour government has blocked Chinese firm Ming Yang's attempt to build a wind turbine factory in the Scottish Highlands that would have created hundreds of jobs. It is understood that national and cyber security fears could not be addressed.
www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Todays’s Edinburgh Evening News front page:

Granton Lighthouse to be transformed after securing £2m funding Edinburgh Council said the money will allow the historic building to be ‘brought back to life’

EXC: Granton Lighthouse to be transformed after securing £2m funding

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Andrew Tickell: Scots are being left in legal limbo when it comes to assisted dying The status quo almost never has to justify itself, this is especially true for the limbo of assisted dying

Holyrood's decision not to reform the law on assisted dying leaves us with the status quo - a kind of legal limbo which will add to the store of human suffering, but which is also inconsistent with the explanations given by the majority for opposing legislation.
www.thenational.scot/politics/259...

Reform UK pledges to cut number of MSPs in Holyrood The party said it would reduce the number of MSPs and ‘shut down the quangos’

Reform UK pledges to cut number of MSPs in Holyrood

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Sean Clerkin is protesting outside the Reform UK Scotland conference.

Alba threatens to call in police amid dispute with local office bearers The pro-independence party previously announced it will wind up as it is no longer financially viable

EXC: Alba threatens to call in police amid dispute with local office bearers:

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Today’s front page

Assisted dying legislation rejected by MSPs following emotional debate Liam McArthur, the MSP behind the bill, said many of those who voted against it would come to regret it deeply

Landmark assisted dying legislation has been rejected by MSPs following a historic and highly emotional vote in Holyrood.

Full coverage on @scotsman.com’s website:

www.scotsman.com/news/politic...