John Swinney warned of 'difficult decisions' over restoring Union Street building when pressed today in Holyrood by @paulsweeney.bsky.social if the 19th century building gutted by Sunday's fire will be faithfully restored.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2592481...
Exc: A senior European diplomat has warned of a university's plans to cut language courses just as the UK is preparing to rejoin the EU's Erasmus scheme.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/wes...
Unspun: Can the Scottish Greens benefit from the Greens' bounce in England?
Analysis in the wake of Hannah Spencer's by-election victory and what it might mean for Scotland.
Party has sights on Glasgow Southside come May 7.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2590400...
EXC: Nearly £100m has been paid out by NHS Scotland in maternity negligence claims over past 5 years, an investigation by
@hannahmargbrown.bsky.social reveals.
Lead story in @heraldscotland.bsky.social new in-depth series on country's maternity services.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2585776...
EXC: Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer says the SNP would be taking a 'huge step backwards' if it does a governing deal with the Lib Dems after the May election.
He added SNP members would 'not put up' with it.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2587444...
EXC: Greens candidate @irisduane.bsky.social has promised to try to persuade Holyrood chiefs to lift a ban on trans people using toilets in their lived gender in the building if she is elected an MSP in May.
Story here:
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2583999...
Unspun: My analysis of the public discourse around Ash Regan's prostitution bill (written ahead of last night's vote in Holyrood which saw the bill defeated).
'Why did the debate around the Unbuyable Bill become so toxic?'
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2582172...
EXC: Police Scotland give updated estimated costings for Ash Regan's Unbuyable bill saying its proposals could cost public purse up to £312million a year if they become law.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2581872...
New: The Scottish Government will not back Ash Regan's 'Unbuyable bill' on Tuesday in a key Holyrood vote.
SNP minister Siobhian Brown set out the position in letter to criminal justice committee earlier today.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2581664...
John Swinney has defended his election push for independence in the wake of Donald Trump's Greenland threats and global turmoil.
He set out his views following a major speech on international affairs.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/wes...
Scotland's top earners would benefit most from Reform UK's income tax cuts - while those on lower salaries much less, calculations by two think tanks have revealed.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
Analysis for Unspun here:
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2580100...
The IFS has assessed Reform UK income tax cuts pledge.
"Scotland can have lower taxes if it chooses to – but would require a reduction in the range & scope of public services & social security benefits provided to residents.”
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2579971...
EXC: Scottish Greens unveil Iris Duane as their candidate for Glasgow Kelvin & Maryhill where Labour's Pam Duncan-Glancy was forced to withdraw.
If elected Ms Duane would be the first openly transwoman to become an MSP.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2577770...
EXC: Former SNP minister Fergus Ewing has urged John Swinney to apologise for not releasing files on a probe into Nicola Sturgeon amid a FOI battle with a Scot who first made his request for info in April 2021.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2577534...
If you're not a subscriber and want to read my analysis we have a great offer on for subscription to
@heraldscotland - 12 months for £20.
x.com/heraldscotla...
What's behind the SG's decision to go to court to block release of files from Nicola Sturgeon probe after watchdog said some files should be released?
SG say making files public would be in contempt of court.
But critics disagree.
My analysis here:
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2575942...
A total of 120 women, men and non-binary people, all working in the sex industry in Scotland, have signed an open letter urging MSPs to oppose Ash Regan's bill
www.heraldscotland.com/news...
@kathleennutt.bsky.social
𝘐𝘔𝘈𝘎𝘌: 𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘸/𝘗𝘈 𝘞𝘪𝘳𝘦/𝘗𝘈 𝘐𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴
What has Nicola Sturgeon done since standing down from office almost 3 years ago? Has she moved on frontline politics despite being an MSP? And how do her post FM activities compare with those of her predecessors and successor?
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2575475...
Exc: @elenawhitham.bsky.social assumed she would stand again for Holyrood but after being elected in 2021 she told me why she is to bow out.
She is one of 39 MSPs who are leaving - raising
questions over our political culture.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2570942...
EXC: The SG's heritage agency was left with no leader for 5 months after a top civil servant blocked bids to hire an interim CEO when new CEO went on sick leave, leaked emails show.
Matter now subject of Audit Scotland probe.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2569490...
EXC: The Scottish Greens' Patrick Harvie has called
on SG minister Jenny Minto to step up support for trans people. He told her "to be confident this cross party support is something you can rely on in the face of significant hostility from other quarters".
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2569480...
EXC: Leaked emails detail a build up to an 'escalating crisis' over the leadership of heritage agency Historic Environment Scotland.
SG first warned by board of 'governance issues' in February, correspondence reveals.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2569197...
Former Scottish Greens leader @patrickharvie.bsky.social has urged Holyrood to reverse its ban on trans people using toilets in their acquired gender in the building. He made the plea following the Sandie Peggie tribunal ruling.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2568535...
'Dr Upton should never have been put through such a grotesque media circus for simply doing her job'
www.heraldscotland.com/news...
@kathleennutt.bsky.social
EXC: SNP minister Siobhain Brown has dealt a major blow to Ash Regan's Unbuyable Bill telling MSPs she does "not believe fundamental concerns" "including primarily the safety of women" have been answered by Ms Regan.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2568560...
MSPs are asking Angus Robertson what steps he is taking to ensure officials pass him 'critical information'.
Comes after email revealed invites to HES board meetings.
But Cab Sec later said officials didn't pass on the invites.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564002...
Exc: Lawyers want clarity on what changes will be made to ensure the accused in sexual offences proceedings has a fair trial.
Ruling said current approach risked breaching Art 6 of the ECHR.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564109...
Exc: Ex chair of HES wrote to top official asking Angus Robertson to attend a board meeting.
Mr Robertson told MSPs he had not been invited to any board meetings.
I asked the SG if invite was passed on - not been told if it was or not.
Full story here: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2560575...
Unspun: Why Angus Robertson's appearance before today's culture committee failed to dispel the impression he was 'missing in action' as the HES crisis unfolded.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2560241...
Exc: MSPs on a Holyrood cross party group which supports a change in the law on prostitution defend working with organisations opposed to abortion and gay marriage.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2559980...
