Alistair Grant
@alistairkgrant
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Political editor @TheScotsman and @scotonsunday . DM or email alistair.grant @jpress .co.uk
Edinburgh, Scotland
Joined June 2009
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Last Seen Profiles
Protest against the Hate Crime Act outside the Scottish Parliament.
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901
6K
MSPs have rejected a Conservative bid to retain charitable tax breaks for private schools.
Under
@scotgov
plans, private schools will no longer be eligible for charitable relief on their business rates from September 1, 2020:
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618
2K
John Bercow on Indyref2: “At the time it was agreed it would be once in a generation, subject to one very important caveat – unless there was a material change. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s very hard to argue that there hasn’t been a change.”
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Private schools to be stripped of their charitable tax breaks from September 1, 2020, under
@scotgov
plans:
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Boris Johnson tells journalists in Aberdeenshire he will not seek a Brexit extension even if it's passed in law. "I will not. I don't want a delay."
@heraldscotland
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714
1K
Boris Johnson arrives at Bute House for his meeting with Nicola Sturgeon, to a chorus of boos from the crowd.
@heraldscotland
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BREAKING: Court of Session rules proroguing Parliament was UNLAWFUL. Gasps in court. Decision now expected to go to the UK Supreme Court.
@heraldscotland
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910
An extremely painful FMQs for Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP. Never a good sign when your opponents on both sides of the chamber are laughing.
Nicola Sturgeon very unconvincing when trying to defend the the £3k a day rate paid to Tim Hair for his work on the ferries
#FMQs
Anas Sarwar: "Were you signing Lionel Messi?"
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NEW: Humza Yousaf says the SNP's auditors resigned "around about October" last year, with no replacement yet brought in.
He tells journalists: "It's certainly problematic, I won't deny that at all."
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The former Liberal Democrat candidate for Ross, Skye and Lochaber has publicly backed the SNP's Ian Blackford:
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.
@joannaccherry
pays tribute to legal team and calls for Parliament to be recalled. She says it is "probably the most significant constitutional law decision" of the last century.
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Full statement from Scottish Secretary Alister Jack as he confirms UK Government will block Scotland’s gender recognition legislation.
It’s the first time in the history of devolution that this mechanism has been used.
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Exc: Less than a third of people in Scotland support Nicola Sturgeon’s timetable for a second independence referendum next year, a new poll suggests
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Quite something watching this back following today's confirmation that Nicola Sturgeon failed to retain her Covid WhatsApps.
‘Can you guarantee to the bereaved families that you will disclose emails, WhatsApps, private emails if you’ve been using them. Whatever. That nothing will be off limits in this inquiry?’
My question to
@NicolaSturgeon
August 2021
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2K
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EXC:
@GoodLawProject
is setting up a Scottish office to pursue cases north of the border amid concern that judges down south are being "bullied" out of holding power to account.
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Justice Secretary Keith Brown, who was infrastructure secretary at the time of the ferries fiasco contract, has refused to answer questions after being doorstepped by journalists.
"You've had a full response from the FM - I've nothing to add to the response from the FM."
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Humza Yousaf declines to stop for the media to answer after FMQs
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Holyrood Park, 4:44am. A time, I can confirm, no human being should be awake.
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NEW: Scottish Tories say they will give Nicola Sturgeon ‘a last chance’ to resign on Tuesday.
If the FM does not, the party will move to a vote of no confidence on Wednesday.
Ruth Davidson’s statement 👇
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Off on paternity leave for the next few weeks. I wish politics all the best.
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Nicola Sturgeon’s return to the Scottish Parliament earlier this week was “calculated” to draw attention away from comments made by the SNP’s former treasurer, Douglas Ross has suggested.
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Here's a summary of the Court of Session ruling (apologies for the crumpled paper). It says Boris Johnson's decision to prorogue was "unlawful because it had the purpose of stymying Parliament".
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Alex Salmond on Nicola Sturgeon: "Nicola lost her nerve on independence back in 2017 and has never recovered it – it's as simple as that."
And on the SNP: "Many of the SNP leadership are among the most graceless people I've ever come across."
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Tories accuse Nicola Sturgeon of 'Trump-style meltdown' over vaccine row
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Story here:
To say this raises a number of questions is an understatement.
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Six SNP MSPs rebel by abstaining on the Scottish Government's wide-ranging Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Bill (juryless trials etc)
Annabelle Ewing
Fergus Ewing
Kate Forbes
Christine Grahame
Ivan McKee
Michelle Thomson
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David Mundell in Oct last year: "Unfortunately Mr Johnson seems to behave in a way that suggests he is only focused on his own self interest and not on the interests of our country...I think what is a fact is that Mr Johnson is not an asset for the Scottish Conservative Party."
I congratulate Boris Johnson on his clear win in the leadership contest. Our party must now unite behind the new leader and Prime Minister, so we can get on with the job of delivering Brexit, whilst maintaining a strong United Kingdom
2K
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.
@AlynSmith
: “This is a slam dunk for Scotland’s parliamentarians against a UK Government that has been arrogant and obstructive throughout this entire process”.
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Scotland's Pisa results: Severe declines in maths, science and reading shows 'Curriculum for Excellence' isn't working – Professor Lindsay Paterson
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Can 100% confirm that when I arrived at the Tory leadership hustings, eggs were being thrown towards the queue of party members waiting to get in to the venue.
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Understandable anger from opposition MSPs about the way the (re)discovery of this document was announced by the Scottish Government.
@GrahamSMSP
tells the chamber: "The first I've seen of it has been on Twitter. I've just seen it now."
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Several complaints about behaviour of SNP ministers 'outstanding', says union
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NEW: SNP confirms there will be zero media access to the party hustings.
Oh well, it’s only the election of the next First Minister of Scotland!
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Nicola Sturgeon meets EU citizens at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Edinburgh, where she took no questions from newspapers or PA.
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The view from Arthur’s Seat at just after 8am this morning.
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NEW: Keir Starmer has asked Rebecca Long-Bailey to step down from the Shadow Cabinet. Spokesman: "The article Rebecca shared earlier today contained an antisemitic conspiracy theory."
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Keir Starmer says he is 'frustrated' the SNP are talking about independence during crisis
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MPs including
@joannaccherry
and
@TommySheppard
address the media outside the Court of Session, alongside
@JolyonMaugham
.
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Humza Yousaf not hanging about after FMQs to answer questions about Michael Matheson’s resignation.
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.
@ScotTories
say vaccine passport scheme should be delayed indefinitely following problems with the app.
Douglas Ross also calling for
@scotgov
to “guarantee compensation to anyone who misses an event or any business who loses income solely because the SNP’s app does not work”.
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Ivan McKee told
@TheScotsman
: "If all I’m doing is listening to businesses venting their frustrations, and I’m not able to actually have the tools to fix anything, then there’s no point in me carrying on doing that.”
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New poll puts support for Scottish independence at 55%, flipping 2014 result
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I wrote about the Gaelic crisis, and efforts to secure the future of the language, for today’s
@heraldscotland
.
SNP’s Kate Forbes said she would support the idea of housing developments reserved for Gaelic speakers or those willing to learn.
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New: Greens propose tunnel under Firth of Forth as part of £22bn 'rail revolution'
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Scottish Conservatives face general election wipeout in wake of Christmas party scandals, poll shows
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'When I asked [Salmond] why he had tried to destroy his former protégée, he chuckled for several seconds. “If I wanted to destroy her, that could have been done,” he said.'
Interesting read in The New Yorker:
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This is absolutely devastating, crushing news for anyone who cares about film.
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Scotland to follow Irish citizenship model after independence, says Humza Yousaf
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Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh having to tell MSPs off for laughing during Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard's question at FMQs. Brutal.
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Really excited to be taking on the role of political editor of
@TheScotsman
and
@scotonsunday
from later this month. No doubt covering Scottish politics will continue to be a quiet and relaxing affair.
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Anas Sarwar: Leslie Evans should 'consider her position' over Alex Salmond saga
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Tories say Holyrood should be recalled for summer Covid statements by Sturgeon
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Asked if he would want Kate Forbes in his Cabinet, Humza Yousaf replies: "Who would not want Kate? She's an exceptional talent."
Ash Regan? "Let's see where we get to in this race."
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First week as political editor of
@TheScotsman
and
@scotonsunday
. Pls get in touch with stories, gossip, general chat – and to add me to any mailing lists.
For all abuse, my old email address should be grand.
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John Swinney tells BBC GMS that the “landmarks” of the Scottish Government’s legal advice on the judicial review have been published. (Nothing has been published for the month of November 2018.)
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Nicola Sturgeon warns Donald Trump ban on travel to Scotland also applies to him
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Starting my 30s as I mean to go on: with a Bloody Mary in one hand and a Chocolate Orange in the other.
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Classic "chefs' recipe" on the side of my plain Tesco cheese sandwich.
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🔴 Politics in Scotland has become glib, immature and "deeply unserious", a former leader of Scottish Labour has said.
Johann Lamont also condemned the “scale of self-righteousness” in Holyrood:
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Nicola Sturgeon accused of throwing disgraced Derek Mackay 'under the bus' over ferries scandal
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🔴 On this drug decriminalisation call, Labour shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves told journalists: “I do not think this sounds like a good policy. I find it quite stunning that this would be a priority for the Scottish Government”
BREAKING: Drugs should be decriminalised for personal use, Scotland's drug minister has announced.
Calls on UK Gov to bring forward a review of drug law or devolve the powers to make the change.
Also calls for action on safe consumption rooms.
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Nicola Sturgeon urges Scots to 'keep the heid' as pubs and restaurants reopen tomorrow
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Journalistic expenses during WWII (from Alfred Draper's Scoops and Swindles)
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Just received a press release claiming Edinburgh is the least stressful city in the UK to drive in. Never been more baffled.
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Successfully ran a 5k every day of January. Really recommend it if you want these long, cold winter days to feel even longer and colder.
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Half a dozen more police just entered SNP HQ in Edinburgh.
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Angela Rayner speaking to journalists in Scotland about this in the long ago, distant time that was last Friday:
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Gordon Brown accuses SNP ministers of wasting money on separate social security agency
The former PM said Social Security Scotland was set up 'for status reasons':
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Nicola Sturgeon confirms to
#SNP19
that she will demand a Section 30 order to hold a second independence referendum "before the end of this year". Standing ovation from delegates.
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Labour by-election candidate Michael Shanks: "We've been out pounding the streets. [The SNP has] been nowhere to be seen."
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Humza Yousaf to 'explore' whether SNP will pay Peter Murrell's legal fees
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Lots to worry the SNP in this polling. Utter stalemate.
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That'll be two referendums, three general elections, a Holyrood election, a European election and a local election since I innocently ventured into journalism in summer 2014. I now demand to be referred to as a "veteran hack".
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- Labour confirms it will back the vote of no confidence in Humza Yousaf.
- Liberal Democrats will back it.
- Greens meeting later to discuss.
- Ash Regan (Alba) says she’s writing to the FM and her support will depend on his answer to that.
Extraordinary day.
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100% stealing "I wish you well in dealing with these issues" as my new email sign-off.
Miaow! Lord Keen tells PM he tried to find a "respectable argument" for the most contentious parts of the UK Internal Market Bill but couldn't find one that worked
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"I even suggested we might debate [independence] live on television – at which point his adviser said it was probably time that he left."
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Presumably an uncomfortable read for the Scottish Greens.
Patrick Harvie in 2011: "The campaign against Souter's bigoted agenda inspired me to get into politics, and any principled party would have told him where to stuff his money."
NEW: The controversial former donor Brian Souter is back in the SNP tent — and helped organize a glitzy business dinner for Humza Yousaf, FOI docs reveal
Top Yousaf SpAds even asked Souter if he could "nudge" people to attend the dinner
Story below:
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You can also read the full summary of the Court of Session's ruling here:
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SNP confirms it has appointed AMS Accountants Group as the party's new auditors.
Humza Yousaf: "We take our statutory obligations extremely seriously, so it is welcome news that AMS Accountants Group will complete the accounts for both the party and the SNP Westminster group."
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Just wasted my state-sanctioned exercise by walking to the shop to buy booze, only to be knocked back because I didn't have ID. Cheering that the small humiliations of daily life continue in the age of Covid.
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Edinburgh on day five of the bin strike.
Someone handing out flyers on the Grassmarket just pitched their show with: “Get out of the rubbish, come and see a comedy show”
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Wow - big increase in Alex Cole-Hamilton's majority in Edinburgh Western, from 2,960 in 2016 to 9,885.
#ScottishElections2021
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Story here:
SNP minister linked to ferries fiasco refuses to answer questions from media
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🔴 EXC: Hollywood actor Brian Cox to play key role in Alex Salmond's Edinburgh Festival Fringe show
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If you’re wondering why I, Alistair Grant, do not feature on this year’s Scottish Press Awards shortlist, it’s because I’ve actually transcended the need for awards. I’m existing in a state of Pure Journalism.
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Alex Salmond announces legal action over conduct of Scotland's top civil servant
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UK Government branded 'international embarrassment' over aviation tax cut
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Gaelic-speaking communities are unlikely to survive beyond this decade unless urgent action is taken, a comprehensive new study has warned.
It estimated there are only around 11,000 Gaelic vernacular speakers (those who use it socially, day-to-day).
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Labour's 'arrogance' will not go down well with voters, says SNP by-election candidate
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Back at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, where a panel of three judges is set to rule on whether Boris Johnson's decision to prorogue Parliament was unlawful and unconstitutional.
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Ministers hope to vaccinate one million Scots by the end of January
Heartening to be able to write this headline:
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"If an independent Scotland joins the EU, that could lead to a hard border between Scotland and England, a proposition that would scupper any realistic chance of winning a second independence referendum." SNP MSP Alex Neil in today's
@heraldscotland
:
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SNP council leader Jordan Linden resigns after sexual misconduct allegation
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