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A senior SNP MSP has questioned the party’s co-operation agreement with the Scottish Greens after the shock loss of a Westminster seat to Labour. SNP needs to improve its messaging, says Thomson Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, said the SNP needs to look at its policies, proposition and messaging after the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election result. She said the party needs to speak for the people of Scotland and acknowledge the defeat. She also said she supports Humza Yousaf as the leader, despite being a rival campaign manager in the leadership contest earlier this year. Greens deal not…

How the proposal would have affected pupils and parents The Falkirk Council had proposed to reduce the covered travel distance for school pupils from two miles to three miles for secondary schools and from one mile to two miles for primary schools. This would have affected more than 1600 pupils, who would have to walk or find alternative transport to school. The council said this was the “least worst” option to save more than £1 million, as it faces a budget deficit of £64 million over five years. The proposal sparked a public outcry, with many parents and pupils expressing…

The 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final line-up has been confirmed following the conclusion of the group stages in France. Here are some of the highlights and surprises from the tournament so far. Portugal shocks Fiji with last-minute try In one of the biggest upsets in Rugby World Cup history, Portugal defeated Fiji 24-23 in their final Pool C match in Toulouse. The European minnows scored a try in the final minute and converted it to snatch a dramatic victory over the Pacific Islanders, who had led 23-10 at one point. Portugal, ranked 24th in the world, had never won a…

A Scottish father who fought for more than three years to secure greater contact with his young son has shared his story to raise awareness of the rights that many separated parents do not realise they have. He said he was only seeing his son for five hours a week before he sought legal help and eventually obtained a court order that allows him to have his son for 15 days a month. Separation and divorce affect millions of children in the UK According to statistics, there are about four million children in the UK whose parents are separated, and…

What is the Bute House Agreement? The Bute House Agreement is a co-operation deal between the SNP and the Scottish Greens, signed in August 2023. It gave the Greens two ministerial posts and a range of policy concessions, in exchange for their support for the SNP government in the Scottish Parliament. The deal also committed both parties to work together for a second independence referendum. Why is the deal controversial? The deal has been criticised by some SNP members and supporters, who fear that it will alienate moderate and pro-union voters, and that it will give too much influence to…

What happened in the attack? On Saturday, October 8, 2023, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. The militant group used motorcycles, pickup trucks, paragliders and speedboats to break through the security fence and infiltrate into nearby Israeli towns. They gunned down civilians on roads, in orchards and at a music festival, killing at least 700 people and wounding thousands more. They also dragged back dozens of captives, including women, children and the elderly, to Gaza. How did Israel respond? Israel retaliated with a massive bombardment of Gaza, hitting more than 800 targets and leveling much…

A young British man serving in the Israeli army has been killed in an attack by Hamas militants on the Gaza border, his family have said. Nathanel Young, 20, was one of the 26 soldiers who died in the invasion that started on Saturday. Who was Nathanel Young? Nathanel Young was a former pupil at JFS Jewish school in Kenton, north London. He had been living in the Bayit Shel Benji lone-soldier house in Raanana, a city in central Israel. He was serving with the Israeli Defence Services (IDF) as a combat soldier. His family described him as their “little…

A new book reveals the life and times of Ruaraidh Erskine of Marr, a Scottish poet and activist who influenced some of the most radical figures of the 20th century. Erskine of Marr: A forgotten hero of Scottish independence Ruaraidh Erskine of Marr was born in 1879 into a wealthy and aristocratic family. He was educated at Eton and Oxford, where he developed a passion for literature and politics. He became a founder of the forerunner of the National Party of Scotland, which advocated for Scottish self-determination and independence from Britain. Erskine of Marr was also a prolific writer, who…