Tories to push for end of prisoner voting in Holyrood debate
The Scottish Tories will this week push for an end to prisoner voting in a Holyrood debate.
Scottish Conservatives
Sturgeon criticised for missing ‘pivotal’ UK call to make TV briefing appearance
Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of missing “pivotal” coronavirus talks with Boris Johnson and the other leaders from across the UK to take part in her TV briefings.
Tories demand clarity and certainty from road map out of lockdown
The Scottish Government must provide clarity and certainty to Scots in its updated road map for easing coronavirus restrictions, the Conservatives have said.
Claiming care home report was downplayed is nonsense, says Health Secretary
The Scottish Tories have accused ministers of spinning a report into hospital discharges to care homes, a claim the Health Secretary has branded “nonsense”.
Schools catch-up plan and recruitment of 3,000 teachers urged by Tories
The Scottish Government should form a “catch-up plan” to address the disruption to schooling caused by the pandemic, Conservative leader Douglas Ross has said.
Majority of Scots still back independence but fewer believe SNP is united – poll
Another poll has shown a majority of Scots support independence – while also revealing an increase in the number of people who believe the SNP is divided.
MSPs vote narrowly to extend newspaper rates relief
The Scottish Parliament has voted narrowly to extend business rates relief for newspapers, despite the SNP opposing a Conservative motion calling for the support to continue into the next financial year.
Scottish news publishers face ‘immediate crisis’ as Holyrood ends coronavirus support
Scotland risks being the only European country not to offer a coronavirus support package for its independent news publishers.
Scottish Government unveils £33bn infrastructure plan for next five years
Spending on healthcare, education, transport and environmental infrastructure over the next five years will exceed £33 billion, the Scottish Government has forecast.
‘A debacle of the worst kind’: Scottish Government in ‘disdainful’ response to ferries fiasco
The Scottish Government's refusal to accept responsibility for the "catastrophic failure" that is the islands ferry debacle is "shocking", say opposition parties.
Aberdeen ‘ghost town’ fears met with ‘slap in the face’ from Nicola Sturgeon
North East MSP Liam Kerr has accused First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of giving Aberdeen a "slap in the face" after he asked a question on the city's retail future.
First Minister continues to defend roll-out rate despite another Sunday slump
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has again defended the Scottish Government's speed of the vaccine roll-out, following another "fall" in the Sunday rate.
Holyrood rejects criticism of IndyRef2 planning during the pandemic
The Scottish Parliament has backed the idea of planning another independence referendum despite accusations it is “reckless and damaging” to do so during the coronavirus pandemic.
Douglas Ross says he gets ‘flak’ at football and as leader of Scottish Tories
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has said there are similarities between his job and officiating at football matches – saying he receives an “awful lot of flak” in both roles.
SNP and Conservative governments accused of ‘childish gameplay’ over vaccine
"Childish game play" over vaccine dose numbers is not helping the country's battle against the coronavirus, it has been warned.
Douglas Ross: Scottish Government sitting on £700m from Westminster – get it spent
The news at the start of the week that mainland Scotland was going into a second lockdown was difficult to hear.
Scott Begbie: Setting out on a year with aim to do more better
I am determined to do something in 2021 I’ve never achieved before... keep my New Year’s resolutions.
Fire service hoaxers slammed as Aberdeen records highest rate in Scotland
Aberdeen had the highest rate of malicious calls to the fire service in Scotland last year, with almost 7% of reports found to be hoaxes.
Scottish Parliament refuses to approve Westminster post-Brexit trade deal
The Scottish Parliament has voted against giving consent to the UK-EU trade bill, hours after it was approved in Westminster.
Sketch: Oh no it wasn’t or oh yes it was? Holyrood recall ‘meaningless’
At its best, Wednesday's recall resembled a second-rate pantomime performed with the grace of a school rugby team looking for something to tide them over until the end of term.
Increase in north-east drug deaths ‘troubling’
The number of patients admitted to north-east hospitals after taking ill with illegal prescription drugs is on a “troubling trajectory”, it has been claimed.
Tories hail £1,500 per person ‘Union boost’ for tackling Covid-19 in Scotland
Scotland has received a “Union boost” worth the equivalent of £1,500 per person for efforts to tackle coronavirus, the Tories have claimed.
Concerns over lack of smoke alarms in north-east homes
Emergency crews dealt with fires in 150 north-east homes this year with no smoke alarm.
Hundreds of attacks on north-east teachers reported
Further support for north-east school staff has been called for after it emerged hundreds of teachers have been the victims of attacks in school.
Publish NHS board vaccine plans to prevent postcode lottery, say Tories
Health board vaccine delivery plans should be published to prevent a “postcode lottery” from developing, according to the Scottish Conservatives.
Dear Boris… Douglas Ross pushing for three-fold increase in seasonal workers
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has sent a second letter in as many months to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ask for an increase in seasonal workers.
Island ferries: ‘Catastrophic failure’ of build process will see communities suffer
The investigation into the delayed construction of ferries set to serve the Western Isles that went over budget by almost £100 million has dubbed the fiasco a "catastrophic failure".
Dame Elish Angiolini, Sheku Bayoh and the ‘broken police complaints system’
Investigations into deaths in police custody should be completed within a year, says a leading police complaints investigator.
Leader of Conservative party calls for Scottish Labour to follow Aberdeen’s coalition lead
The leader of the Scottish Conservatives today hailed Aberdeen's Labour councillors and called on Scottish Labour to work together with the Tories party to create a "Unionist coalition".
Covid-19 vaccination data must be published weekly once jabs begin, say Tories
The publication of weekly vaccine data once the programme is under way is vital, according to the Scottish Tories.