When is the Airdrie and Shotts by-election and who is expected to win?

Perthshire North dubbed it “utterly shameful”, “mindless vandalism” and tweeted that he feared it was part of a “worrying trend” of such actions. He said other Scottish Conservatives had received death threats and across the country residents feared repercussions might follow if they put up blue posters to support the party candidates on their land.

coronavirus Hancock turned the tables on SNP MP Dave Doogan who asked the Health Secretary if he would match the SNP’s commitment to increase health spending by 20 per cent “to truly build back better”? First Minister Nicola Sturgeon committed the SNP to a four per cent increase in NHS spending for each of the next five years if returned to office.

Douglas Ross being in charge of the Scottish Tories. He said: “My politics and his are different.

furloughed and the most recent figures show a drop in the employment rate. Labour also aims to create 19,000 jobs through a new programme of social home building, 7,500 roles through energy efficiency upgrade work, a 10,000-strong Scottish Conservation Corps and 48,000 jobs through a kickstart scheme.

Brexit had shown there was a need for more ways of getting to Europe. And she added that having " new low-carbon ferries carrying freight and holidaymakers" would also help tackle the climate crisis.

TV debates already taken place. Party leaders from all sides of the political divide have been up and down the country looking to secure your vote ahead of polling day.

Patrick Harvie said the gap between the wealthiest in society and poorest had only grown wider during repeated lockdowns. He said it was "crucial" for the most well-off to pay an increased share of taxation to help pay for Scotland's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Scottish Government actively encouraged the public to register for postal ballots due to lockdown restrictions which will likely limit the number of people who can enter polling stations at once come May 6.It means that a large chunk of the final result will already have been cast by the time polling stations open for business at 7am.Postal ballots will be issued from April 14 and must be completed and returned to the address provided by 10pm on May 6 to count.Malcolm Burr, convener of the

Head over to our new Lanarkshire Live Facebook page to make sure you're up to date with the top stories in the regionHowever, officers now believe the man was severely unwell, with a low body temperature, rather than injured.A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "Around 8.40 am on Monday, April 12, a 53-year-old man was found lying seriously unwell in wooded area.“He was taken by ambulance to University Hospital, Monklands.“Enquiries are ongoing to establish how he came to be there.”*Don't miss

Sarwar land Labour ahead of the Tories and what is holding him back? Nicola Sturgeon’s handling of the covid pandemic, despite the high death rate and despite the care homes scandal, has served her well. Voters look like they want to reward the First Minister for leading the nation during a very difficult year and every time she gives a covid update they are reminded of that.He’s only been boss for six weeks or so and Sarwar has gained ground.

Boris Johnson rebuffs her demand, the next Holyrood term could be marked by a constitutional standoff.

underway with party leaders and candidates pounding the streets to attempt to secure your vote. One of the highlights of the elections in recent years has been the introduction of TV debates.The five main political party leaders faced off against one another on March 30 in what was the first debate of the Holyrood election.

Join thousands of others and get the latest Scottish politics news sent straight to your inbox.The Scottish Parliament will sit later today after being recalled for only the sixth time in its history to show respect to Prince Philip.Holyrood's presiding officer, Ken Macintosh, announced that MSPs would be able to return to the Holyrood chamber to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh with a motion of condolence from 11am on Monday.All of the parties at Holyrood have also temporarily suspended

new Alba Party combined next month, with 45% opposed, once those who did not express an opinion were excluded from the result.Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly said there would be grounds for a new vote on Scotland's future if her party wins a majority of MSPs on its own, and has ruled out working with Salmond.The pro-independence Greens are also hostile to the Alba Party but have talked up the prospect of forming a coalition with the Nationalists if they fall short of a majority.But just 50% of

Anas Sarwar this week unveiled a recovery plan to boost the post-lockdown economy.

parliament is in danger of becoming a “circus” if the agenda is dominated by egos and old arguments about independence. The Scottish Labour leader said he was feeling positive about his campaign despite polling showing Labour languishing in third place behind the Tories with a month to go to voting day.

Ruth Davidson got top billing in the video, while Douglas Ross appeared after the half-way point.

Douglas Ross was quizzed about the Prime Minister travelling north to participate in the Holyrood election that takes place on May 6. Just last month the part-time assistant referee revealed Johnson would join him in the lead-up to polling day.

election. Neil Gray, who stepped down as an MP to run for the Holyrood chamber, took to Twitter to say he had been bitten when he was out leafleting.

elections.Prue, whose brother David died in agony from cancer, said it was inhumane to rob the terminally ill of the choice to end their own life.David, who spent eight months, growing progressively worse from bone cancer, desperately wanted to die and end his suffering.He spent the last weeks of his life fluctuating between a semi-comatose state and unbearable pain.Prue said: “That is no way to treat a human being.