Scottish Conservatives 'doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome'

Thursday, 23 May 2013 23:20

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By a Newsnet reporter

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has come under renewed pressure to rethink her party's strategy in Scotland after Murdo Fraser, who narrowly lost the party's leadership election to Ms Davidson after their disastrous showing in the 2011 Scottish election, made a fresh call for the party to loosen its ties to the Conservatives south of the Border.

Writing in the Scotsman newspaper, Mr Fraser urged the party to embrace further powers for the Scottish Parliament in an attempt to make the Conservative more relevant to Scottish politics.

UK Govt must talk to Scottish Govt before referendum to 'help voters' says Electoral Commission

Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:48

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By a Newsnet reporter

Following evidence given by John McCormick, Electoral Commissioner for Scotland, at the Referendum Bill Committee on Thursday, the SNP is making a fresh call for the UK government to engage in pre-referendum talks.

When it signed the Edinburgh Agreement, the UK Government pledged to co-operate fully with the Scottish Government in the run up to next year's independence referendum, but since then various UK Government ministers have pointedly refused to hold talks with the Scottish Government.

Labour MSP Ken Macintosh left red faced as Amazon attack backfires

Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:20

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By a Newsnet reporter

The SNP has accused the Scottish Labour party of hypocrisy after Labour's finance spokesperson Ken Macintosh attacked the Scottish Government over its use of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) which helped online firm Amazon bring a significant volume of jobs to Fife.

At First Minister's Questions, Mr Macintosh criticised the Scottish Government's decision to award £10 million to Amazon "given its apparent unwillingness to pay the correct levels of corporation tax to this country".

First Minister's Questions - 23 May 2013 - video

Thursday, 23 May 2013 17:32

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In keeping with our aim to provide, as often as we can, a full recording of First Minister's Questions, we have uploaded the latest session.

Many people are unable to navigate both the Scottish Parliament's own recordings and BBC Scotland’s online recording of the event, and thus Newsnet Scotland believes that by publishing here we make the event accessible to a much wider audience than would otherwise be the case.

Eric Joyce charged with breach of peace after incident at Edinburgh airport

Wednesday, 22 May 2013 16:47

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By a Newsnet reporter

Falkirk MP Eric Joyce has been charged with breach of the peace following an incident at Edinburgh airport on Sunday.

According to witnesses, Mr Joyce, who had arrived on a flight from London, left his mobile phone on the plane and allegedly became abusive after staff refused to allow him to return to the aircraft to collect it.

Treasury claims on independence 'don’t quite add-up' says financial expert

Tuesday, 21 May 2013 23:38

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By Martin Kelly

The conclusions reached by the UK Treasury on the effects of independence on Scotland’s financial sector "don’t quite add-up" a leading financial expert has claimed.

Rod MacLeod, a leading financial and banking expert and Partner at Tods Murray Solicitors, has claimed a report issued on behalf of the UK government "fails to appreciate the true nature of banking regulation".

Greens call for fairer society in independent Scotland

Tuesday, 21 May 2013 22:52

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By a Newsnet reporter

Patrick Harvie MSP, co-convenor of the Scottish Greens, has called on voters who have yet to decide how they will vote in next year's referendum to consider the opportunity that a Yes vote presents to create a fairer and more just Scotland.

Mr Harvie said that the report, Scotland's Economy, the Case for Independence published on Tuesday by the Scottish government, which highlighted the economic advantages which an independent Scotland would enjoy, also points out that social and economic inequalities have been widening in the UK.