Alex Massie

The predictably chaotic launch of the hate crime bill piles more pressure on Humza Yousaf as polls show Scotland warming to Sir Keir Starmer

Scotland’s best-performing state school is alone in operating outside local government control. The SNP’s refusal to accept this is dragging standards ever lower

A privileged position in the Union it deplores pays for the SNP’s social largesse, but there is still a mismatch between the government’s revenues and its spending ambitions

Humza Yousaf’s Augustinian defence of his policy U-turn on cutting carbon emissions took some doing after he had accused the UK government of an “unforgiveable betrayal’ in the autumn

Many of the problems the former leader did not solve were bequeathed to him by his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon

The first minister didn’t need to pick the fight that ended his reign any more than the Tories needed to force the vote that may leave them facing a stronger SNP leader

Kate Forbes may have made a more interesting leader, but Nicola Sturgeon’s former deputy is the safer bet and will hope to return normalcy to his beleaguered party

John Swinney can talk about collaboration but the fact is there can be no compromise between nationalists and Unionists

The deputy first minister recognises people’s right to act in ways she disapproves and no legislative consequences flow from her own prejudices

John Swinney’s government calls out problems but refuses to acknowledge the part its policies played in bringing them about