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Unionists

The leadership election is a chance to reset

Ben Macpherson: Better for SNP to go down a gear than crash on road to indy

The European Parliament building, in Strasbourg, eastern France
The European Parliament building, in Strasbourg, eastern France

Readers' Letters: The benefits of EU membership go far beyond trade

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater, who has said unionist parties should have the "courage of their convictions" and call another vote on Scottish independence.
Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater, who has said unionist parties should have the "courage of their convictions" and call another vote on Scottish independence.

Unionists should have ‘courage of their convictions’ on Indyref2 – Lorna Slater

Pointing out the lack of detail in the SNP's plans for Scottish independence does not actually resolve the constitutional question (Picture: Russell Cheyne/pool/Getty Images)
Pointing out the lack of detail in the SNP's plans for Scottish independence does not actually resolve the constitutional question (Picture: Russell Cheyne/pool/Getty Images)

Unionists who call themselves democrats cannot deny SNP a referendum

Supporters of the Yes and No campaigns gather outside Dumbarton Town Hall in September 2014 ahead of the Scottish independence referendum (Picture: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Supporters of the Yes and No campaigns gather outside Dumbarton Town Hall in September 2014 ahead of the Scottish independence referendum (Picture: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Unionists need to make the emotional case for staying in the UK – John McLellan

Prime Minister Liz Truss's supposed proposals on an independence referendum make it hard to see any shift away from 'muscular Unionism', writes Kenny MacAskill. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
Prime Minister Liz Truss's supposed proposals on an independence referendum make it hard to see any shift away from 'muscular Unionism', writes Kenny MacAskill. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

It's hard to see Truss rowing back on 'muscular Unionism' - Kenny MacAskill

British Prime Minister Tony Blair (right), and Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble on the platform during the Labour Party Conference at Blackpool in 1998. Picture: Press Association
British Prime Minister Tony Blair (right), and Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble on the platform during the Labour Party Conference at Blackpool in 1998. Picture: Press Association

David Montgomery: I hope Trimble took quiet pride in the way N Ireland developed

Glasgow has been named one of the world's top cities by residents (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Glasgow has been named one of the world's top cities by residents (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Scotland is outperforming UK in many areas

The opposing sides in the independence debate need to engage with each other, a reader argues
The opposing sides in the independence debate need to engage with each other, a reader argues

Readers' letters: Opposing sides must get out of their echo chambers and start l...

Scottish election results while Tony Blair was Prime Minister have a message for unionists (Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Scottish election results while Tony Blair was Prime Minister have a message for unionists (Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

History shows unionists need a modern-day Tony Blair to make their case

Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross fails to understand that support for Scottish independence has always been driven by policy disagreement, now more than 40 years old, on how major social and economic reforms isses should be delivered, writes Joyce McMillan. PIC: PA
Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross fails to understand that support for Scottish independence has always been driven by policy disagreement, now more than 40 years old, on how major social and economic reforms isses should be delivered, writes Joyce McMillan. PIC: PA

Unionists at a standstill with their case against independence - Joyce McMillan

Nicola Sturgeon is set to publish the first of her government's papers on independence.
Nicola Sturgeon is set to publish the first of her government's papers on independence.

Analysis: Scotland deserves indy answers, it is time for the SNP to deliver them

Nicola Sturgeon and Boris Johnson could both be guilty of faulty reasoning around demographic support for independence.
Nicola Sturgeon and Boris Johnson could both be guilty of faulty reasoning around demographic support for independence.

Analysis: Reliance on demographic trends around independence is lazy politics

The UK’s broadcasting watchdog has added the terms "nat" and "yoon" to a list of offensive words.
The UK’s broadcasting watchdog has added the terms "nat" and "yoon" to a list of offensive words.

New Ofcom study classifies ‘Nats’ and ‘Yoons’ as offensive terms

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack believes polls showing 60 per cent support from an independence referendum could be enough to persuade Westminster to allow one (Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack believes polls showing 60 per cent support from an independence referendum could be enough to persuade Westminster to allow one (Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Nationalists should consider a 'super-majority' in Indyref2 – Scotsman comment

Will independence-supporting celebrities who live abroad such as actor Alan Cumming, seen with former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2012, back Arbroath campaign? (Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP/GettyImages)
Will independence-supporting celebrities who live abroad such as actor Alan Cumming, seen with former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2012, back Arbroath campaign? (Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP/GettyImages)

Readers' Letters: Which modern barons will back Arbroath stunt?

One of the main arguments against independence is what currency Scotland would use (Graphic: Mark Hall/JPI Media)
One of the main arguments against independence is what currency Scotland would use (Graphic: Mark Hall/JPI Media)

Scotland's future: what are the arguments against Scottish independence?

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross urged people to vote for his party to stop the SNP holding an independence referendum. He lost. (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA)
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross urged people to vote for his party to stop the SNP holding an independence referendum. He lost. (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA)

Unionists need to prepare for an independence referendum – Kirsty Strickland

Scotland faces a choice between an independence referendum or recovery from the pandemic, says Douglas Ross (Picture: John Devlin)
Scotland faces a choice between an independence referendum or recovery from the pandemic, says Douglas Ross (Picture: John Devlin)

Here's how to stop SNP's independence referendum plan – Douglas Ross MP

Amid the back and forth over independence between Nicola Sturgeon and Douglas Ross, new Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is starting to look like the reasonable one in the middle (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Amid the back and forth over independence between Nicola Sturgeon and Douglas Ross, new Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is starting to look like the reasonable one in the middle (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Unionists need a clearer vision of Scotland's future in UK – Scotsman comment

Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross spoke to The Scotsman's political podcast, The Steamie.
Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross spoke to The Scotsman's political podcast, The Steamie.

Douglas Ross: Unionists 'downed tools' after 2014 referendum

Douglas Ross has labelled the Labour leadership candidates “fair weather Unionists” as he launches the Scottish Tory election message.
Douglas Ross has labelled the Labour leadership candidates “fair weather Unionists” as he launches the Scottish Tory election message.

Douglas Ross labels Labour leadership candidates ‘fair weather Unionists’

"Those Scottish people who value their Britishness won’t find that reflected in the actions of the government which is supposed to act in their interests too". Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images
"Those Scottish people who value their Britishness won’t find that reflected in the actions of the government which is supposed to act in their interests too". Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

Scots who value Britishness won’t find that in the government - John McLellan

Michelle Ballantyne has been named as the Scottish leader of Reform UK (Getty Images)
Michelle Ballantyne has been named as the Scottish leader of Reform UK (Getty Images)

Michelle Ballantyne MSP: who is the new Scotland leader of Nigel Farage's politi...

Edward Carson's statue in the grounds of the Stormont parliament in Northern Ireland (Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire)
Edward Carson's statue in the grounds of the Stormont parliament in Northern Ireland (Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire)

Unionists should heed century-old warning from Ireland – Kenny MacAskill

Experts say fish have intelligence, so should we be eating them?
Experts say fish have intelligence, so should we be eating them?

Readers' Letters: Be smart, don't eat fish

Douglas Ross has spoken of the 'perception' that Scotland and the rest of the UK no longer share the same values being a driving force behind independence (Picture: John Devlin)
Douglas Ross has spoken of the 'perception' that Scotland and the rest of the UK no longer share the same values being a driving force behind independence (Picture: John Devlin)

Even new Scottish Tory leader realises unionism has a problem – Tommy Sheppard

A member of the public walks past a TV screen at The Sound Counsel in Edinburgh as Nicola Sturgeon takes part in a virtual sitting of the Scottish Parliament (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)
A member of the public walks past a TV screen at The Sound Counsel in Edinburgh as Nicola Sturgeon takes part in a virtual sitting of the Scottish Parliament (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

Sturgeon's less macho style may be driving indy surge –Kirsty Strickland

Boris Johnson cannot simply dismiss rising support for independence by saying the 2014 referendum was a 'once-in-a-generation' event (Picture: Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images)
Boris Johnson cannot simply dismiss rising support for independence by saying the 2014 referendum was a 'once-in-a-generation' event (Picture: Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images)

Why Johnson cannot continue to 'just say no' to Indyref2 – Scotsman comment

Is Boris Johnson truly committed to the unionist cause? (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Is Boris Johnson truly committed to the unionist cause? (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Scottish independence: Here’s what voters need from both sides –Scotsman comment

Cabinet minister Michael Gove suggested he was interested in the idea that people born in Scotland but living elsewhere in the UK could vote in any future referendum of independence (Picture: Pippa Fowles/10 Downing Street/Crown Copyright/PA Wire)
Cabinet minister Michael Gove suggested he was interested in the idea that people born in Scotland but living elsewhere in the UK could vote in any future referendum of independence (Picture: Pippa Fowles/10 Downing Street/Crown Copyright/PA Wire)

How unionists are flirting with ethnic nationalism – Joyce McMillan

Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume has died at the age of 83 (Picture: Gerry Penny/AFP via Getty Images)
Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume has died at the age of 83 (Picture: Gerry Penny/AFP via Getty Images)

Obituary: John Hume, Nobel Peace Prize winner who helped negotiate Good Friday A...

Independence supporters march through Glasgow
Independence supporters march through Glasgow

Why Unionists have a battle to save UK from the SNP – Paris Gourtsoyannis

Prime Minister Boris Johnson departs 10 Downing Street to attend Prime Minister's Questions at the Houses of Parliament
Prime Minister Boris Johnson departs 10 Downing Street to attend Prime Minister's Questions at the Houses of Parliament

Gaffe as Boris Johnson mistakes senior Lib Dem for an SNP MP

Alex Salmond leaves the High Court in Edinburgh on March 23, 2020, after being acquitted. Picture AP
Alex Salmond leaves the High Court in Edinburgh on March 23, 2020, after being acquitted. Picture AP

Vitriol after the Salmond trial is toxifying the Yes movement - Dani Garavelli

The Scotsman Top Stories

Kate Forbes
Kate Forbes

Kate Forbes rejects job in new First Minister Humza Yousaf's Government

New First Minister Humza Yousaf with his deputy Shona Robison. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
New First Minister Humza Yousaf with his deputy Shona Robison. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Humza Yousaf announces Shona Robison as deputy and confirms role for Kate Forbes

Humza Yousaf speaks to the media after being voted the new First Minister at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
Humza Yousaf speaks to the media after being voted the new First Minister at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

What Humza Yousaf said and what he meant in speech after FM vote