Alex Salmond: Scotland’s first nationalist leader and a tireless campaigner for independence: Alex Salmond, possibly one of the most famous Scottish politicians of recent decades, and certainly the best-known face of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has died at the age of 69. The former first minister of Scotland, a long-standing member of the Westminster …
Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s departing first minister, and the art of the resignation speech: Humza Yousaf’s resignation as first minister of Scotland was, in the end, expected, after a chain of events made his position untenable. It was trailed from early in the morning that he would be resigning, so when he finally addressed the media …
John Byrne: paying tribute to one of Scotland’s greatest creative cultural forces: Marking his immense contribution to the creative life of Scotland, a great outpouring of affection for the artist and playwright John Byrne followed the announcement that he had died at the age of 83 – fittingly perhaps – on St Andrew’s Day. His …
Scotland’s legal go-ahead for safer drug consumption rooms is a gamechanger: On the basis of the information I have been provided, I would be prepared to publish a prosecution policy that it would not be in the public interest to prosecute drug users for simple possession offences committed within a pilot safer drugs consumption facility. …
Choose Irvine Welsh: new documentary explores the life of Scotland’s ‘urban Shakespeare’: On August 23, Scottish novelist Irvine Welsh’s beloved Edinburgh football team, Hibs, went head-to-head with Aston Villa in the Europa League. But they were also competing for attention with the world premiere of Choose Irvine Welsh, a documentary by filmmaker Ian Jefferies about …
Trees discovered at record-breaking altitudes highlight why we should restore Scotland’s mountain woodland: The Scottish Highlands are celebrated for wide-open views of spectacular glens (valleys) and rugged peaks. After centuries of landscape change, particularly deforestation caused by humans, it is easy to forget how well trees can thrive there. But new discoveries of small trees …
Scotland’s medieval Declaration of Arbroath is too important for cherry picking by politicians: As long as a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be subjected to the lordship of the English. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom alone, …
DNA study sheds light on Scotland’s Picts, and resolves some myths about them: Pictish stones feature distinctive symbols. © Cathy MacIver, Author provided The people known as the Picts have puzzled archaeologists and historians for centuries. They lived in Scotland during the early medieval period, from around AD300 to AD900, but many aspects of their …
Humza Yousaf becomes Scotland’s first minister: a decade of polls suggest he’ll struggle to deliver independence, just like Nicola Sturgeon: Humza Yousaf is to be the first minister of Scotland after narrowly winning the election for leader of the Scottish National Party. In his victory speech, he said he was “determined to deliver” independence for …
Isla Bryson: Scotland’s transgender prisoner policy was assessed as not affecting women: The decision to place double rapist Isla Bryson in the segregation unit at Scotland’s Cornton Vale women’s prison, ahead of sentencing, has sparked a political crisis that looks unlikely to abate soon. Following a backlash, Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon quickly announced that …
How the UK government’s veto of Scotland’s gender recognition bill brought tensions in the union to the surface: From calls for a second Scottish independence referendum and speculation about “indy-curiousity” in Wales, to the collapse of the power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland, the state of the UK union has been the subject of much political …
Is Scotland’s media ready for the next independence referendum?: Sergio Azenha / Alamy Amid some of the most challenging political and economic circumstances for decades, another even greater disruption to people in one part of the UK could be upon us soon. Liz Truss may have dismissed Scotland’s democratically elected leader as an “attention seeker”, …
Why John Byrne is one of Scotland’s greatest artists: A Big Adventure, John Byrne’s retrospective at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery, offers a fascinating insight into the breadth of skills of one of Scotland’s best-known creative forces. During an illustrious career he has traversed a number of cultural genres with success as an artist, playwright and …
South Africa in the news: Gregor Townsend pledges to ‘cast net wide’ for Scotland’s Six Nations squad and opens door to Sean Maitland, Cameron Redpath and Jonny Gray returns: Gregor Townsend has opened the door of Six Nations selection for a host of players after admitting he will ‘cast the net wide’ when considering his …
South Africa in the news: Gregor Townsend makes seven changes to Scotland’s line-up for Japan clash: Gregor Townsend has made seven changes to his Scotland side for Saturday’s fourth and final Autumn Test against Japan at Murrayfield.: “South Africa” – BingNews Bevan Rodd and Jamie Blamire to start in England front row against South Africa: …
South Africa in the news: Fraser Brown: Scotland’s last clash with Japan had everything – including Typhoon Hagibis: Scotland’s last meeting with Japan was one of the most unbelievable games I’ve been involved in, and not just because of the build-up, although that was like nothing I have ever experienced before.: “South Africa” – BingNews …
South Africa in the news: Scotland’s physicality pleased Gregor Townsend but he knows South Africa will be even tougher: Gregor Townsend was delighted with the way his Scotland side stood up to Australia’s physicality but knows it will be even tougher next weekend when South Africa are the visitors.: “South Africa” – BingNews COP26 delegation …
COP26: Scotland’s coral reefs are on the line at Glasgow climate change summit: Cold-water coral reefs occur at greater depths than their tropical equivalents. Sebastian Hennige, Author provided The demise of tropical coral reefs has come to symbolise the threat of climate change to the natural world. Teeming with life and bursting with colour, these …