Andrew Learmonth

I'd totally forgotten it! What a belter.

Kate Forbes confirms she will not seek re-election at Holyrood in 2026

The Deputy First Minister will not stand at next year's Holyrood election

@andrewlearmonth.bsky.social

THE WEEK IN SCOTTISH FOOTBALL PATTER 2025/26: Vol. 1

It estimates your age but doesn't tell you what age it's estimated, which feels a little cruel.

An SNP spokesperson said the party remained united under John Swinney.

“There are better organisations I could be giving a membership to than this one that I don’t feel has been making the right decisions for quite some time.”

Speaking exclusively to The Herald's
@teddyjamieson.bsky.social ahead of her Edinburgh Fringe show, Black said she’d ended her membership in recent weeks.

“For a long time I’ve not agreed with quite a few decisions,” she said.

The former MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South says the party is no longer making the right decisions and has “capitulated” on LGBT rights.

Former SNP MP Mhairi Black has left the party Speaking to The Herald ahead of her upcoming show at the Edinburgh Fringe, Black admitted that she had ended her membership of the SNP in recent…

EXC: Mhairi Black quits the SNP www.heraldscotland.com/news/2533985...

"There’s still a part of you that can’t help feeling like a failure.” Former SNP MP @hannahbardell.bsky.social talks to @heraldscotland.bsky.social's Unspun Live about losing her seat at last year's election and what happened next. Full episode on Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/7vbm...

The tumultuous history of Oasis and their inextricable link with Scotland Oasis play the first show of their long-awaited reunion in Cardiff on Friday night but the band are forever tied to Scotland

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2454220...

Sarwar must take on Labour in Westminster if he is to win Holyrood Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour don’t want to be judged by Labour’s record at Westminster, they have to distance themselves from that government

Mark McGeoghegan: Sarwar must take on Labour in Westminster if he is to win Holyrood www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Poll Analysis: Ipsos 12th – 18th of June 2025 A truly catastrophic poll for the Conservatives, and a perhaps overcooked record set of figures for the Greens, whilst the SNP's constituency advantage continues to give them far more than their fare share.

Poll Analysis: Ipsos 12th - 18th of June 2025

Holyrood seats projection:
SNP ~ 59
Labour ~ 23
Reform UK ~ 17
Green ~ 16
Conservative ~ 7
Lib Dem ~ 7

Independence:
Yes ~ 52%
No ~ 48%

The welfare bill vote will "go ahead on Tuesday," Angela Rayner tells PMQs

SNP veteran Fergus Ewing to run as independent in next year's Holyrood election Veteran MSP Fergus Ewing will run as an independent in 2026, ending his five-decade association with the SNP.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2525345...

The Herald's Unspun Live heads to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Herald’s flagship podcast heads to Edinburgh Fringe with four nights of political insight in Summerhall's dissection room, with guests…

Across four nights, audiences will hear from First Minister John Swinney, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, and Britain’s leading polling expert, Professor Sir John Curtice.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2522065...

Liam Gallagher hits out at Edinburgh Council after leaked documents from council officials suggested Oasis fans were drunk, fat and old.

See all of the Oasis frontman's comments HERE: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2524019...

𝘚𝘊𝘙𝘌𝘌𝘕𝘚𝘏𝘖𝘛: 𝘓𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳/𝘟

@andrewlearmonth.bsky.social

Nicola Sturgeon: Rupert Everett’s ‘witch’ remark was misogynistic Nicola Sturgeon says Rupert Everett used ‘deeply misogynistic tropes’ after he called her ‘a witch’ in an interview with The Herald

Nicola Sturgeon accuses actor of misogyny after he calls her ‘a witch’

As politicians bicker, Scotland faces losing yet another manufacturing powerhouse Proposed cuts at Falkirk bus company add to a run of industrial job cuts in Scotland

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2523554...

You’ll be hard pushed to find a better analysis of last week’s by-election than this from @ballotbox.scot

Inside story: How Labour's triumph in Hamilton has left the SNP and Swinney reeling Three days on from the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, party insiders reveal how Labour secured a narrow victory — while SNP…

"The thing about donkeys though, is they are known for being sure-footed, steady and persistent"

This analysis of the Labour's expectation-busting win in Hamilton from @andrewlearmonth.bsky.social and @kathleennutt.bsky.social is well worth a read

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2522249...

This is the last hurrah for Scotland's golden generation - so who's going to step up? Tartan Army footsoldiers are witnessing the last hurrah of a golden generation of Scottish talent - are the country's best kids good enough to…

Fans are witnessing the final hurrah of Scotland's golden generation - the World Cup qualifying campaign will be the last for many of the national team's mainstays.

But who is going to step up and replace them when they go?

In @heraldscotland.bsky.social.

www.heraldscotland.com/sport/252216...

Big thanks to everyone who has helped me out in with the pieces I’ve written for our series, which has got another bumper day to run tomorrow. We’ve been blown away by the response so far, especially by the huge number of new subscribers.
Catch up here: www.heraldscotland.com/news/subscri...

a man stands in front of an ice cream truck that says popeye ALT: a man stands in front of an ice cream truck that says popeye

Getting ready for a night of by-election results and the collapse of Rome.

7/ The SQA hires 5,000 invigilators per exam diet, plus 8,000 markers and 1,500 assessors and verifiers.

6/ As a result, the SQA was ordered to pay her £348.18 — including holiday pay and payment for unpaid pre-exam duties.

It’s a modest sum — but the precedent could be expensive.

5/ The tribunal also noted the level of control the SQA exercised, such as strict handbooks, policies and no use of invoices — all signs of a worker-employer relationship.

The SQA even admitted it was not a “client” of Ms Shanks.

4/ Crucially, the tribunal found invigilators had to personally carry out their duties — one of the key conditions for worker status.

Substitutes were only allowed in emergencies and had to be trained by the SQA.

3/ The SQA had argued Ms Shanks was more like a self-employed contractor — and claimed invigilators, many of whom are retired, “don’t need the usual statutory protections”.

The judge firmly rejected that.

2/ Jennifer Shanks, who worked as an SQA invigilator in Cumbernauld after retiring from the polis, has been awarded backdated holiday pay.

An employment judge ruled she met the legal test for being a “worker” — meaning she should have received paid leave.