Archive
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Martin Boyle opens up on return to form as Hibs stake their claim for third
MARTIN BOYLE is increasingly becoming Hibs’ most influential and important player – and was once again the difference maker on Saturday against Aberdeen. READ MORE: Rangers boss Steven Gerrard's 'worst performance of the season' admission after
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Tories accused of 'profound misunderstanding' of the causes of poverty in the UK
THE UK Government have been accused of having a "profound misunderstanding" of the causes of poverty and food insecurity. The Scottish Government made the accusation as it published a new report showing it had a "distinctive approach” to tackling
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No 10 plan to use Prince Edward as a Union-saving puppet is beyond a joke
THE mere suggestion of Prince Edward prostituting himself as a puppet of BoJo is, for him and his wife, a humiliation. As the son of the Queen it should not even be considered that he or any heir to the throne could be trundled out in that way to “
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The rule of law as we know is being eroded – it's time for action
WHEN I was doing a course in political theory a great many decades ago, we were taught that the judiciary always took pride of place over the executive, meaning that the government had to obey the law. No-one queried this, no-one argued, it was just
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Nicola Sturgeon welcomes record daily vaccination figures
SCOTLAND has set a new record high for the number of people to receive their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, with more than 50,000 getting the jag in one day. New figures released by the Scottish Government showed that 839,266 people have
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Why 'radical’ independence movements are destined to fail
I HAVE to admit that Cat Boyd’s article left me more bemused than ever on her explanation as to the existence of the RIC, now defunct (‘All social movements are destined to suffer this fate’, February 4). Most punters would not have a clue as to what
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LibDems accused of being pro-Brexit after claims Yes vote would be 'three times' worse
THE LibDems have been accused of being pro-Brexit as a Scottish MP claims a Yes vote for Scottish independence would be "three times the cost" of Brexit. Writing in Scotland on Sunday today, LibDem MP Alistair Carmichael accused the SNP of not
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Ed Miliband backs Union flag strategy to win back voters for Labour
ED Miliband has sparked criticism of his party after calling for Labour to embrace British patriotism to win back voters. The former party leader, in an interview with Andrew Marr, seemingly endorsed proposals for Labour to adopt a Union flag-based
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Regional lists could be the key to delivering a strong SNP majority in Holyrood
THE next parliamentary term is the biggest in Scottish history - it's when we can help our communities recover from the pandemic and move forward together towards a brighter future as an independent European country. To achieve that we need
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Outrage as Tory minister confirms £130bn Trident renewal push despite pandemic
BORIS Johnson's government is to push ahead with a £130 billion plan to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system despite the grave financial crisis caused by the pandemic. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said today there were no proposals to postpone
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Seven deaths and 584 cases announced in latest Covid update
ANOTHER seven people have died in Scotland after contracting Covid-19, the Government has announced. A further 584 cases have also been recorded, with a positivity rate of 6.9%. The deaths, recorded among people who tested positive in the previous
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Nicola Sturgeon remains the greatest asset in fight for independence
WE have been moved to write this letter from sheer incredulity and frustration. As a nation, and if you were to begin to include every political and factional standpoint, we would appear to have expectations of our First Minister which are bordering
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Senior Tory denies panic over the Union despite 20 polls with Yes majority
A UK Cabinet minister has denied there is panic in Number 10 over ongoing majority support for independence – despite a series of moves by Downing Street to try to counter a sustained shift in public opinion. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace tried
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Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine less effective against South African variant
THE Oxford-AstraZeneca jag is less effective against the South African variant of Covid-19, new research suggests. Scientists found the vaccine offers only limited protection against mild disease caused by the South African mutation. However
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Scotland rugby stars criticised for not taking knee before England game
SCOTLAND coach Gregor Townsend has said it’s up to his players if they want to take the knee before a game. There was anger on social media on Saturday after just four of the team who beat England at Twickenham took part in the stance adopted
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MSPs threaten to quit Holyrood Salmond inquiry over withheld submission
MSPs are considering quitting the Alex Salmond inquiry, according to reports. The warning came after the decision to withhold the former first minister's submission to James Hamilton’s investigation into whether or not Nicola Sturgeon broke the
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'Completely unforgivable': Fury at Michael Gove as trade nosedives post-Brexit
THE disastrous impact of Brexit on Scotland’s exporters has been branded “completely unforgivable” after the full extent of the staggering trade drop-off was revealed. A survey of international hauliers has found the volume of exports travelling
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Jackie Weaver got little thanks for supporting parish councillors to hold meetings
THE past year has been blighted by the big, black cloud of Covid, but Zoom has shone a glimmer of light. Embraced by young and old, the tech-savvy and the Luddites in equal measure, we have much for which to thank technology in these times of lockdown
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It's time for the SNP to call out fake news from Unionists
OH how correct Lesley Riddoch is to point out the persistent failing of those who represent the independence-seeking population of Scotland in Government to rebut the claims made against our ability to more than pay and manage our way in the world.
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Mike Small: Reason and rationality have to replace rage if we are to recover
A NEW report by scientists tells us that a “cacophony of human noise is hurting all marine life”. This major new assessment concludes that the “ocean soundscape is being drowned out by human activity” with a massively detrimental impact on all sea
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The quiet Argyll glen which saw one of the bloodiest clan battles ever fought
IT was on this date in 1603 that one of the bloodiest and certainly one of the most one-sided of all clan battles was fought between Clan MacGregor and Clan Colquhoun in Glen Fruin, which lies between Loch Lomond and the Gare Loch. Nowadays the
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Why we must keep independent Scotland’s armed forces under strict control
I HAD been out of office on the Friday, inspecting the Combined Cadet Force at Dollar Academy. It was a pleasant enough occasion, standing there in No 1 rig, waggling a shiny sword about for a march-past. Made a change from gloomy Faslane, anyway.
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Jeane Freeman: All adults in Scotland could have had Covid jag in summer
ALL adults in Scotland could have had their first Covid jag by the summer, Jeane Freeman has said. The Health Secretary was speaking as the number of Scots to have had a vaccine dose has rocketed in recent days. In total, by Saturday, 786,427
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Joanna Cherry's sacking was wrong, says SNP's former PR chief
THE SNP were wrong to sack Joanna Cherry from their Westminster frontbench, according to the party's former communications chief. Kevin Pringle said he didn't think it was "right or credible for Cherry to have gone from hero to zero" as he pointed
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Every show and film coming to Disney's new add-on service Disney+ Star
Disney has announced their new add-on service Star is set to be launched across the UK in February. Disney+ Star is set to go live in February and will host a host of shows and films from Disney-owned FX, 20th Century Studios, and 20th Television
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Long Read: The inside story of the week that rocked the SNP
LAST Wednesday, the SNP’s weekly Zoom meeting of Westminster MPs ended in a major row. What was supposed to be a regular catch-up had turned into a ferocious argument about the party’s approach to gender recognition. The session heard claims that
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Brexit triggers spike in anti-Scottish sentiment in England, study finds
BREXIT has triggered a rise in anti-Scottish sentiment in England, according to academics who have uncovered a “surprising” number of experiences of hostility south of the Border. The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) researchers say evidence
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Alex Salmond inquiry: How did we get here and where will the probe go next?
IT’S going to be a busy couple of weeks for MSPs. The SNP chief executive Peter Murrell is up in front of them for a second time on Monday, Salmond is due to appear on Tuesday, while First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will give her evidence on February
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How to win the argument, case and a referendum for Scotland’s independence
THE SNP are high in the polls, Nicola Sturgeon’s popularity is hugely positive, massively outperforms Boris Johnson and independence has now been in the majority for 20 polls in a row over the past 12 months. Boris Johnson has not had a good Covid
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Michael Russell calls for unity ahead of crucial vote at Holyrood elections
SNP president Michael Russell has issued a plea for unity in his party, warning independence in the next Parliament will only happen if everyone works to secure a majority in the Holyrood election. Writing in the Sunday National today, he says
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More than 1000 people sign up to new independence group Now Scotland
MORE than 1000 people have signed up to join the new national membership organisation of the Yes movement within its first 24 hours. Now Scotland, which is aiming to bring grassroots independence campaigners together, formally launched on Friday
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John Swinney: Hunger doesn’t take a holiday and neither can our support
SOME have suggested that Covid-19 has been a great equaliser, but in reality, the burden of the pandemic has fallen disproportionately on low-income families, with many struggling to cover the costs of basic essentials, including food. The Covid
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Brexit and Covid chaos spark calls for Irish unification – and fears of violence
THE break-up of the UK has been hastened by Brexit not just north of the Border but on the island of Ireland too with Irish unification becoming a real possibility within five years. A recent Sunday Times poll revealing that 51% of the 2392 people
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New Covid variant that originated in England now circulating in Scotland
THE new variant of Covid-19 originally reported from the South of England is circulating widely in Scotland, it has been revealed. It has also been announced that 10 residents have died and 43 staff at a care home in Fife had contracted coronavirus
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Downing Street launches Brexit taskforce amid fishing sector chaos
A NEW taskforce set up to tackle the devastating impact of Brexit on the fishing and seafood industry is to meet for the first time this week. The new group has been set up by the UK Government in response to rising anger over the lack of action
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Concern over ‘brutal toll’ on police mental health being sidelined
CONCERNS over the mental health of police officers have been raised after it was revealed that more than 100,000 days were lost to mental health issues in under two years. The “brutal toll” has led to claims the mental health of police officers
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Common Weal Group manifesto for ‘the people, not profit’
RENT controls, a National Care Service and investment in publicly owned renewable energy are key priorities in a “People’s Manifesto” launched by the SNP Common Weal Group (CWG) ahead of this year’s Scottish Parliament elections. The group has
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REVEALED: How Bonnie Prince Charlie has been hiding in a famous painting
BONNIE Prince Charlie is hiding in one of Britain’s most famous paintings, according to a US-based researcher. The Duke of Cumberland can also be seen in the 18th-century March of the Guards to Finchley, believes Jeremy Bell who has been studying
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Brutal Tory recovery cycle must not put public health at risk
WHILST the Prime Minister is “optimistic” about the prospect of summer holidays, healthcare workers are desperately fighting the third wave of Covid-19. And so life continues, trapped in a brutal cycle of opening up and closing down with no lessons
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Cheerio, rat year ...and bring on the strong, patient ox this Chinese new year
FOR most of us it was a rat of a year we were glad to see the back of – but for the Chinese 2020 was the Year of the Rat, which was meant to bring wealth and surplus. And despite being in the early throes of coronavirus they celebrated en masse
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Campaigners warn of ‘real risk’ Scotland won’t meet climate goals
GREEN campaigners have accused the Scottish Government of “flawed thinking” and “unjustified optimism” over their plan to cut emissions. Friends of the Earth Scotland said there is a “real risk” Scotland’s climate strategy will not deliver the
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Scottish musician Hector Shaw following in famous footsteps with debut single
HIS first memories of music are of his mum and dad headlining festivals around the world and now Hector Shaw is following in their musical footsteps by forging his own creative career. Inspired by the passion for music of Capercaillie’s lead singer
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Scottish universities have £2m worth of shares in firms linked to West Bank settlements
SCOTTISH universities have shares worth more than £2 million in companies linked to settlements in the West Bank which are considered illegal under international law, The Ferret can reveal. Companies backed financially by Scots academic institutions
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Charting the increase of anti-Scottish hostility in England
‘Why don’t you go back home?” said the woman to John (not his real name) when she heard his Scottish accent. As he later told us, it felt somewhat ironic as he was at Liverpool Pier Head for the Cunard bicentenary celebrations – a shipping company
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Michael Russell: SNP must make peace as infighting only serves our opponents
ON Monday, with the double whammy of a malicious leak by a member of the SNP’s National Executive and the news of a controversial Westminster front bench reshuffle causing worry and upset to SNP members and making their social media fizz with fury
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Review: Silence no longer golden as bullies meet their match
Wolfstongue by Sam Thompson and Illustrated by Anna Tromop Published by Little Island Books WHEN books are aimed towards children, especially around the ages of nine to 12 when they begin to become more mature and learn lessons about the ways
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New Scottish university boss working 'nightshift' from Australia due to pandemic
THE new principal of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is "getting used to doing the nightshift". That's because Professor Todd Walker is logging in to do the job from his home in Australia after Covid delayed his relocation to
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Nicola Sturgeon to ‘set the record straight’ at Alex Salmond inquiry
NICOLA Sturgeon is looking forward to “setting the record straight” and taking on “absurd, contradictory and utterly baseless conspiracy theories” when she appears before a Holyrood committee. A spokesperson for the First Minister also said she
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Free meals could see £200m in economic benefits for Scotland
FREE school breakfasts provided to disadvantaged Primary 3 pupils for just one year could generate up to £200 million for the Scottish economy, a new report has found. Giving the meals to disadvantaged children aged six to seven could result in
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Scotland dealing with a big tourism challenge in the face of Covid
SCOTLAND’S countryside and its national parks are enduring favourites for visitors who return year on year to savour their charms. But when the Covid-19 crisis hit last year some parts of rural Scotland became congested with day-trippers and mini-break
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Behind the Scottish book club with strings attached
SCOTTISH Ensemble, the UK’s leading string orchestra, has launched the latest in its “musical book club” series with classical star Sally Beamish lined up to appear first. One of the country’s foremost living composers, she will be joined in conversation
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EU citizens being denied access to crucial services as Brexit chaos continues
A SPANISH student who has lived in Scotland for nearly 21 years claims she has been barred from 78 jobs since September because the UK Government has refused to give EU nationals physical proof of their settled status. Ana Garcia (whose name we
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How persecution and superpower politics effect oppressed Uighur and Rohingya minorities
AS a foreign correspondent these past four decades, I’ve sadly been no stranger to the horrors of ethnic cleansing and genocide. From the Balkans to African countries like Rwanda and the Darfur region of Western Sudan, I’ve witnessed the grisly evidence
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Captain Tom’s heroics were shamelessly and cynically exploited by the Tories
MY mum always told me never to speak ill of the dead, especially in the immediate aftermath of their passing. So, this column is not about Captain Sir Tom Moore, the 100-year-old war veteran, who raised almost £33m for NHS charities by walking
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Touchy, charmless and abrasive: Douglas Ross is the Scottish Tories personified
A RED letter day. We are, by my reckoning, some 187 days into Douglas Ross’s leadership of the Conservative Party in Scotland. In the summer of last year, Jackson Carlaw’s poll ratings were deemed both unacceptable and unsustainable by his party colleagues
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Stark statistics paint a grim picture for Scotland's artists hit by Covid crisis
A CALL has been made for a dedicated fund to support artists and art organisations after a survey revealed the toll taken by the pandemic on Scotland’s creative community. It shows 65% of those working in visual arts suffered a loss of income for
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Ruth Wishart: Propaganda war begins as Union’s dirty tricks unit targets voters
FOR those whose gaze keeps straying to matters unconnected with gaining independence, let me point out that the Unionist camp is already dressed for battle, and pumping out daily propaganda. It may consist of material which is misleading, mischievous
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Mark Brown: Scottish Opera’s newest free-to-view film goes into the woods
ENGELBERT Humperdinck. The name of the German composer of the late-19th and early-20th centuries is sewn into musical legend. Partly, it must be admitted, that’s because, the English crooner Arnold George Dorsey somewhat brazenly borrowed the
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What's on in Scotland this week? Seven things for seven days
1 THE need for drug reform is urgent and independence can help us to do that. Peter Krykant runs a safe drug consumption safety service and is pushing for further powers for Scotland. An online discussion with Peter is available via Zoom on Thursday
