Tory bid for SNP to ditch plans for independence referendum bill fails at Holyrood

SNP members face a gruelling selection battle as 144 Nationalists race to become the party's candidate in just 32 Holyrood constituencies, the Record can reveal. Next year's Scottish Parliament election has already seen a huge number of people declare their ambition to become an MSP for the pro-independence movement.

harassment complaints against Alex Salmond.The First Minister is already being investigated over accusations she broke the rules relating to meetings with her predecessor and an adviser.But in another round of accusations, Sturgeon is said to have misled the Scottish Parliament about what she knew and when.Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton made the allegation and called for the remit of independent adviser James Hamilton’s inquiry into her conduct to widen.He said: "This would allow an independent

BBC is run in Scotland.The four politicians made five demands in an angry backlash at "editorial balance" going back to what they claim was bias in the independence referendum.A letter to the broadcaster and the UK Government was signed by Scotland's former justice secretary Kenny MacAskill and his Westminster colleagues Angus MacNeil, Douglas Chapman and Neale Hanvey.However, the letter, published in The National newspaper, quickly provoked a split in the party.

Margaret Ferrier has refused to resign following bombshell revelations over her 800-mile round trip while suffering from coronavirus.

covid lockdown protests.Owners and employees from bars, pubs and restaurants across Scotland's two main cities joined forces tonight in a peaceful protest.The hospitality workers dumped leftover ice outside the City Chambers in Glasgow and the parliament building in Edinburgh in a symbolic gesture about the new ‘draconian’ coronavirus measures.Organisers said the action “symbolises that we've been put on ice for the next 16 days” and is a drastic warning that “the hospitality industry in

Scottish Parliament tomorrow. Protesters plan to gather at Holyrood to rally against new tough restrictions.

First Minister. But as we all concentrated on Nicola Sturgeon as she laid out the tough new restrictions being introduced across the country for the next two weeks, one eagle-eyed Scots megastar noticed something else entirely.  For as he watched the live Scottish Government briefing along with the rest of us to find out our fate for the near future, singer Lewis Capaldi spotted the uncanny resemblance one SNP MP has to Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet.

Scottish independence is "wafer thin" and is largely based on the "political charisma" of Nicola Sturgeon.Veteran Nationalist George Kerevan said the party had been allowed to drift rightwards and was spending too much time trying to appease middle class voters.He accused senior SNP figures of wanting to placate a "conservative oligarchy" in Scotland made up of "lawyers, accountants, bankers, medial consultants, kirk ministers and university professors"."This group retains a unique, weighty, and

Douglas Ross overruled his MSPs by calling for the controversial Hate Crime Bill to be axed.Leaked emails reveal senior MSPs simply wanted to amend the plans, but Ross intervened to ensure the party supported scrapping the Bill altogether.The Government Bill, which is going through Holyrood, aims to bring together the existing hate crime laws into one piece of legislation.However, critics believe the Bill poses a threat to free speech and Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf recently responded by

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East Kilbride, this week reiterated his call for a U-turn on the Scottish Government to delay reopening until at least October 5.

drugs crisis should be declared a public health emergency and addicts treated with “compassion”, a Scottish MP has told the Commons.SNP MP Tommy Sheppard issued a plea for UK ministers to “see the wisdom” in decriminalising the possession of small quantities of drugs for personal use and taking a treatment-based approach to the abuse problem.The Edinburgh East MP was speaking as he introduced a 10-minute rule Bill which aims to reform legislation to allow safe consumption rooms that the Daily

Brexit and a devolution "power grab". The claim by a Labour MSP was made during a tense grilling for the UK Government minister over laws which will set an internal market once powers return from the EU to Westminster.

Brexit after the Scottish Government formally urged MSPs to reject the UK Government’s Internal Markets Bill. Mike Russell said the controversial bill, which Tory Ministers admit would break international law, was a “defining moment” for the constitution.

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Siobhian Brown, 48, hopes to be selected by the party to fight for the Ayr seat, which has been held by Mr Scott for two decades.  And if elected the married mum-of-three wants to make changes at Scottish Parliament level, which would sort out problems in the town. Councillor Brown would like to see legislation to force property owners maintain their buildings by cleaning gutters and so on.

Strict rules which forbid students already living in university accommodation from returning to their parents' house may be amended, an SNP minister has hinted. The Scottish Government has faced a backlash after more than 1,000 people were forced to self-isolate on campuses across the country following a spate of Covid outbreaks.

Humza Yousaf has declared his support for his wife Nadia El-Nakla, who has announced she is seeking the SNP’s nomination to stand for Holyrood. El-Nakla said she wants to challenge for the North East Fife seat held by Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, who won a 3,465 majority with 44% of the vote in 2016.

Sturgeon will speak to Boris Johnson on the phone this afternoon as both Holyrood and Westminster weigh up what options to take.A number of areas already have restrictions in place on social gathering, however it's believed there could be further measures announced later this week.It comes as 245 cases were confirmed over the last 24-hour period with no new deaths.The deaths from a positive case remains at 2,505, while the total number of confirmed cases in Scotland rose to 24,371.On Saturday,