SNP candidacy battle for Scottish election goes on as initial ballot results in historic tie

Ian Blackford, the SNP Westminster leader, made a plea for party unity and patience against internal calls to rush into a referendum without the legal backing of the UK government.

free school meals for all primary school pupils. The party also heard from SNP depute leader Keith Brown.

Donald Trump has failed to have his bid for “a thousand” houses at one of his Scottish golf courses included in a long-term development scheme.South Ayrshire Council is not considering proposals by the Trump Organisation among its plans for future building work in the area around the Turnberry resort.That’s despite boasts by the outgoing US president after he took over the site in 2014 that he “would have the right to build at least a thousand houses on Turnberry, if I wanted to”.But his hopes

Scots singers Joshua Grant and Luke La Volpe are battling it out in the UK charts this week. The talented young musicians are currently neck and neck in the iTunes top 40, prompting a "wee Oasis vs Blur situation" as they both vie for the top spots of the official rundown on Friday.

John Swinney on the first day of the party's virtual conference. It signals the start of what promises to be a long and hard fought election campaign before voters go to the polls in May 2021.

referendum. Before the first speeches, Sturgeon said she has "never been so certain" Scotland will achieve independence.

indyref2 should take place in 2021 if it is “safe” and claimed Boris Johnson would not block another vote.However, in an interview with the Daily Record, he declined to be drawn on the broken relationship between Sturgeon and Alex Salmond.He also refused to say whether he would campaign alongside the former SNP leader if there was a referendum.The SNP’s virtual conference starts today amid calls by senior party figures for another vote on Scotland’s constitutional future.Indyref2 will be central

brain tumour. Heartbroken friends and family of little Sophia Walker have paid tribute to the Glasgow youngster after she died from the terminal condition.

Kate Forbes, the Scottish Finance Secretary, has accused Rishi Sunak of cutting the Scottish government’s capital spending budget while increasing overall spending across the UK.

lockdown rules. The Westminster group leader demanded Ollie Taylor explain himself after posting a picture taken in Caithness, as Blackford believed the man was from the South of England.

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.Tributes have been paid to a hero Scots paramedic who has tragically died after battling coronavirus - just months after returning to the frontline to help with the pandemic.Rod ‘Rodders’ Moore was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 on October 22.The 63-year-old, who was an avid Falkirk FC fan, detailed his progress on Twitter and

Rangers look to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table. Steven Gerrard 's team will have played two games more by the close of play on Sunday but an 11-point gap at any stage of the season would border on the unassailable for Neil Lennon's charges.

pandemic, says Boris Johnson.The Prime Minister sent a message to the SNP on 'rebuilding' the UK 'from its ravages' in the wake of the pandemic that's killed over 50,000 Brits this year so far.Johnson insisted that this was no time for Scots to contemplate 'division or distraction about our national constitution'.The PM also slammed Nicola Sturgeon for her 'focus on separation' and vented that it 'had to stop'.His address was during a Scottish Conservative virtual conference.It comes days after

Scottish independence is "highly sophisticated", the SNP's economics guru has insisted. Andrew Wilson, who wrote a controversial report on the costs of splitting from the UK, said Scotland could no longer afford to remain in the UK.

Black Watch, the SNP has urged.

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.The outstanding efforts of residents, workers, community groups, businesses and volunteers have been recognised in a Scottish Government-backed national initiative.Getting Better Together, Paul’s Parcels and Salvation Army, all based in Shotts, were all highly commended in Scotland Loves Local’s High Street Heroes awards.The Scotland Loves Local campaign is designed to encourage more people to support the

#Inverclyde.

Amazon warehouse in Dunfermline after it broke out on Thursday night. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene on Sandpiper Drive at around 9.30pm amid reports of flames on the second floor.

Perthshire South and Kinross-shire.Jim, a lifelong campaigner for Scottish independence, announced his success on Friday, after a vote by nationalist party members.Racecourse among the "worst hit" by pandemic and faces "major cash deficit"He will now take over from Roseanna Cunningham as the SNP candidate for the Scottish Parliament at next year’s elections.Originally from Perth, Jim became a sheep farmer, shepherding for 13 years in the north east corner of the Ochil hills.He had the idea to