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☆ Humza Yousaf wins leadership election of Scotland’s ruling party, set to lead the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Newly appointed leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Humza Yousaf, speaks following the SNP Leadership election result announcement at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on March 27, 2023. Humza Yousaf on Monday was elected the new head of the Scottish National Party, promising in a speech to bring the party together, support citizens with the cost-of-living crisis and deliver independence from the United Kingdom. He is slated to assume political leadership in Scotland following his nomination in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday. He told BBC Scotland that his leadership style compared to his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon would be "less inner circle and more big tent." If approved on Tuesday, he will be the country's sixth leader since the establishment of the Scottish parliament in 1999.

☆ Scotland's next leader to be announced with independence movement in crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Scotland's Health Minister Humza Yousaf and Scotland's Finance Minister Kate Forbes, contenders to become the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Scotland's First Minister, attend the SNP leadership hustings, in Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain, March 12, 2023. REUTERS/Craig Brough/PoolLONDON, March 27 (Reuters) - The next leader of Scotland will be announced on Monday with the victor facing the challenge of uniting a country divided over its future and revitalising an independence movement that dreams of ending its three-centuries-long union with England. The Scottish National Party (SNP), which runs Scotland's semi-autonomous government, has been plunged into crisis since Nicola Sturgeon, the country's longest-serving leader, announced last month she was standing down after eight years, saying she had become too divisive to lead the nation to independence. Britain's vote to leave the European Union two years later when a majority of Scots wanted to stay, and Scotland's handling of the coronavirus pandemic brought new support for independence. However, an opinion poll showed the backing for independence dropped to 39% this month after touching a record 58% in 2020.

☆ Scottish National Party chief executive quits after membership numbers dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - The chief executive of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), Peter Murrell, said on Saturday that he was resigning with immediate effect after accepting responsibility for a misleading statement about SNP membership numbers. "Responsibility for the SNP's responses to media queries about our membership number lies with me as Chief Executive. While there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome," Murrell said in a statement issued by the SNP. Murrell is the husband of outgoing SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, who announced on Feb. 15 that she was stepping down as Scotland's first minister, triggering an SNP leadership contest which is yet to conclude. Murrell said he had intended to stay as SNP chief executive until after the leadership contest was over.

☆ Britain's coronation throne gets revamp ahead of King Charles' crowning
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] The inside of Westminster Abbey in central London is seen in this general view taken April 20, 2011. Charles will follow some of his famous forebears, such as King Henry VIII, Queen Victoria and his own mother Elizabeth II, in being crowned on the chair. It has featured in coronation ceremonies since 1308, and has been the chair used to crown monarchs since Henry IV in 1399, the Abbey says. "The coronation chair is extremely fragile. It has a complex layer structure which means that the gilding layers on it often flake off," Blessley said.

Sturgeon, in office since 2014, unexpectedly announced last week she was resigning as first minister of Scotland’s semi-autonomous government, saying she had become too divisive. The frontrunner to succeed her and become the next leader of her Scottish National Party (SNP) is Humza Yousaf, a Sturgeon loyalist who faces criticism for his record in government. The campaign so far has been dominated by a debate about views on social issues such as gay marriage, transgender rights and abortion. "The big fundamental question of facing the party... is how it's going to acquire majority support in Scotland for independence: That question has not been addressed." Reporting by Alistair Smout, Andrew MacAskill and Elizabeth Piper; editing by John StonestreetOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Scottish finance minister Kate Forbes to run for country's leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Scottish finance minister Kate Forbes said on Monday she would run in the leadership contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish National Party (SNP) leader and Scotland's first minister. Forbes, who was elected to the Scottish parliament in 2016 and became finance secretary in 2020, is the third candidate to enter the race since Sturgeon's surprise resignation last week. Forbes, a Christian, was among senior politicians who urged the Scottish government in 2019 not to rush into gender reform legislation. Health minister Humza Yousaf and former minister Ash Regan have said they will run in the contest to replace Sturgeon. Two other possible contenders, 53-year-old culture minister Angus Robertson, a former deputy leader of the party, and John Swinney, the 58-year-old deputy first minister, have ruled themselves out.

☆ Scotland's health minister Humza Yousaf to run for country's leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Scottish Health Minister Humza Yousaf said on Saturday he would run in the leadership contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish National Party (SNP) leader and first minister. Yousaf becomes the first to publicly announce his intention to stand in the race after Sturgeon's surprise resignation earlier in the week saying she had become too divisive and too tired to carry on. loadingThe SNP has said it will choose a new leader within six weeks through a ballot of its members, which will close on March 27. Sturgeon, 52, said she was not leaving politics and that she would stay on until a successor has been picked. Reporting by Muvija M, additional reporting by Jahnavi Nidumolu; Editing by Kylie MacLellan and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nicola Sturgeon Resigns as Scotland’s First Minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( James Hookway | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Nicola Sturgeon said staying on as first minister might harm Scotland’s bid for independence from the rest of the U.K.EDINBURGH, Scotland—The leader of Scotland’s government and the head of its pro-independence Scottish National Party said on Wednesday she would resign, an unexpected move that follows a recent slump in support and controversy over an initiative to expand transgender rights. Nicola Sturgeon , who has led the Scottish Parliament for the past eight years, said she would have less energy for the job and that staying on might do more harm than good for the cause of independence from the rest of the U.K. Scotland’s Parliament has powers over local matters, including health and education, but not national ones, such as defense or diplomacy, which are reserved for the U.K. Parliament at Westminster.

Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation as Scottish first minister in a surprise press conference in Edinburgh on Wednesday, saying her departure is not the result of short-term pressures. Sturgeon has been Scotland's longest-serving first minister, acting in the position and as leader of the Scottish National Party since 2014. In November, the U.K.'s highest court ruled that any second Scottish independence vote would have to be approved by the U.K. government. Stewart McDonald, a SNP member of parliament, said on Twitter, "Nicola Sturgeon is the finest public servant of the devolution age. She will be an enormous loss as First Minister and SNP leader."

☆ Scottish First Minister Sturgeon to resign - BBC
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Nicola Sturgeon is expected to resign as the first minister of Scotland later on Wednesday after eight years in the job, the BBC reported. Sturgeon became the leader of the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) in the wake of its 2014 independence referendum when the country voted 55% to 45% to remain as part of the United Kingdom. She had recently become embroiled in a row over transgender policies after Scotland passed a Gender Recognition Reform Bill, making it easier for people to change their legal gender. The Scottish government declined to comment. Reporting by Kate Holton and Muvija M, Editing by Paul SandleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Analysis: Scotland's Sturgeon bows out at 'critical moment' for independence fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

While Sturgeon said she was "firmly of the view that there is now majority support for independence in Scotland", the polls suggest there is more work to do. In the aftermath of the court ruling, some polls showed a majority support for independence, but that has recently come down back towards 2014 levels. "If that stops being the case, then that really could knock them back, and really could damage the cause of Scottish independence." "The movement has been left with no clear strategy for independence," Salmond, who now leads the Alba party, said. "Voters see no clear successor to (Sturgeon) - it illustrates how dominant a figure she has been for so long," pollster Mark Diffley said.

☆ British lawmaker's email account hacked by Russian group
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - A British lawmaker said his private email was hacked by a group, thought to be Russian, and he wanted to speak out publicly to warn others about the attackers' tactics. Later he discovered the member of staff had not sent the email. The NCSC said that Russia-based SEABORGIUM and Iran-based group TA453 were active in 2022 and it deemed it necessary to issue an advisory last month urging individuals in certain sectors to be vigilant. On Wednesday, the NCSC, which is part of GCHQ, Britain's intelligence, security and cyber agency, said it was providing an individual with support. "The NCSC regularly provides security briefings and guidance to parliamentarians to help them defend against the latest cyber threats," it said in an email.

☆ U.K. government to veto Scotland’s gender self-recognition law
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The Scottish government is likely to challenge the decision at the U.K. Supreme Court. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called the decision by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government “a full-frontal attack” on the Scottish parliament, which approved the bill last month. “The Scottish Government will defend the legislation and stand up for Scotland’s Parliament,” she said on Twitter. This is the first time a U.K. government has blocked a Scottish law since the Scottish government and parliament were established a quarter century ago. The move will provide fodder for nationalists who want Scotland to break away from the U.K. and become an independent country.

☆ Scottish Law on Gender Recognition Blocked by U.K. Government
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Max Colchester | David Luhnow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack said the law ‘would have a significant impact’ on equalities rules in other parts of the U.K. The U.K. government on Monday blocked a law voted by Scotland’s parliament on gender recognition, the first time that the London-based government has stopped a Scottish law from passing, in a move that will deepen divisions between Scottish nationalists and the U.K. The controversial Scottish law, passed in November, makes it easier for transgender people to get official government recognition of their acquired gender by removing any need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria and lowering the age from 18 to 16.

Summary UK uses power to block Scottish bill for the first timeSturgeon: decision is an attack on devolved powersUnclear how issue may impact support for independenceLONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The British government will block a bill passed by the Scottish parliament that makes it easier for people to change their legal gender, its Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said on Monday, the first time it has invoked the power to veto a Scottish law. The move sparked a fresh argument with the devolved Scottish government, which has also been thwarted in its attempts to hold a new independence referendum. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, in charge of the devolved nationalist government, said she would defend the legislation and "stand up for Scotland's parliament." "This is a full-frontal attack on our democratically elected Scottish Parliament and its ability to make its own decisions on devolved matters," Sturgeon, who leads the Scottish National Party's (SNP), said on Twitter. But it is unclear whether the move by Britain to overrule Scotland's gender bill will fuel appetite for independence, as the SNP's own leadership is divided on the issue.

☆ UK's Sunak: Concerns about Scotland's gender reforms should be examined
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak said it was "completely reasonable" for his government to examine transgender reforms passed in Scotland on Thursday given concerns raised by campaigners about the impact on women's safety. "Lots of people have got concerns about this new bill in Scotland, about the impact it will have on women and children's safety," he told reporters on Friday. The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) bill, which was backed by the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) and other parties in the country's devolved parliament except for the Conservatives, passed by 86 votes to 39. Supporters of the bill, however, said the reforms benefit transgender people and pose no threat to women's rights. "Any attempt by the UK government to undermine the democratic will of the Scottish parliament will be vigorously contested by the Scottish government."

☆ Scotland cannot hold an independence referendum without UK government approval, top court rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON — The U.K.'s Supreme Court on Wednesday told the Scottish government it cannot hold a fresh independence referendum without the U.K. government's consent. Supreme Court President Lord Reed said in broadcast remarks that the Scottish Parliament did not have the power to legislate on matters reserved to the U.K. Parliament, including the union. A referendum was held in in September 2014 in which Scotland voted to remain in the U.K. by 55% to 45%. The Scottish National Party, which backs independence, became a major political force when it won a majority in the Scottish Parliament in the 2011 election. "However, we must be clear today that the Supreme Court does not make the law — it interprets and applies it," she continued.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), announced earlier this year that she intended to hold an advisory independence vote on Oct. 19, 2023, but that it had to be lawful and internationally recognised. Polls suggest voters remain evenly split over whether or not they support independence and a vote would be too close to call. The Scottish government's most senior law officer had asked the UK Supreme Court whether the Scottish government could pass legislation paving the way for an advisory second referendum without the approval of the UK parliament. "The Scottish parliament does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence," said Robert Reed, the president of the UK Supreme Court. Under the 1998 Scotland Act, which created the Scottish parliament and devolved some powers from Westminster, all matters relating to the Union of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England are reserved to the UK parliament.

Prime Minister Liz Truss announces her resignation at 10 Downing Street on October 20, 2022 in London, England. Leon Neal | Getty ImagesLONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned Thursday following a failed tax-cutting budget that rocked financial markets and which led to a revolt within her own Conservative Party. "I recognize though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party. I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to announce that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party." The number who have written letters to Brady expressing no confidence in the prime minister was reported to be over 100 by Thursday.

Venerable Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, best known as the dragon-loving half-giant Hagrid from the "Harry Potter" film franchise, died on Friday, his managers said. "We are hugely saddened to hear of the passing of the magnificent Robbie Coltrane who played Hagrid with such kindness, heart and humour in the Harry Potter films," the “Harry Potter” film franchise said in statement. Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid in the "Harry Potter" series. He was an incredible actor and a lovely man.”And fellow “Harry Potter” actor James Phelps, who played one of the Weasely twins, recalled being a fresh-faced 14-year-old, nervous on first day on the set in September 2020. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said "Ftiz" was one her favorite TV characters and called Coltrane a "Scottish entertainment legend."

☆ Liz Truss and King Charles III could be the end of the 'United' Kingdom
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Peter Mcloughlin | World Politics Review | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

King Charles III and Prime Minister Liz Truss now lead a United Kingdom with profound divisions. However, when this ends with the late queen's funeral Monday, the new heads of state and government, King Charles III and Liz Truss, will be left leading a United Kingdom that is profoundly divided. However, the EU, the Irish government and most nationalists in Northern Ireland oppose any unilateral changes to the treaty. Nationalists, who are growing in numbers in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, might see this as the moment to unravel the union. Peter McLoughlin is a lecturer at Queen's University Belfast, where he focuses on contemporary political history in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

☆ După Brexit, Regatul Unit riscă să devină Regatul Destrămat; Scoţia şi Irlanda de Nord, tot mai aproape de UE
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-03 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +3 min

Mişcarea de independenţă din Scoţia a crescut în amploare, după referendumul pentru independenţă din 2014. Atunci, 55% dintre scoţieni acceptau să rămână în Marea Britanie. O situaţie specială întâlnim în Irlanda de Nord, care a reprezentat, de altfel, un punct delicat în negocierile Brexit dintre Marea Britanie şi UE: frontiera dintre Irlanda (membru UE) şi Irlanda de Nord (parte a UK) este singura pe uscat dintre Uniunea Europeană şi Regatul Unit. Perspectiva unei „vămi dure” între Irlanda şi Marea Britanie a provocat îngrijorări referitoare la posibila revenire a violenţelor din regiune din anii 1970-1980. „Astfel, cu cât Marea Britanie se îndepărtează mai mult de UE, cu Irlanda de Nord va avea mai multe lucruri în comun cu UE şi, implicit, Irlanda”.

Persons: scoţienii, Nicola Sturgeon, Boris Johnson, CNN Katy Hayward, Britanie, Matthew O'Toole Organizations: Uniunii Europene, National, UE, Uniunea Europeană, Queen's University, Adunarea Locations: Marii Britanii, UE, Regatul Unit, Anglia, Ţara Galilor, Scoţia, Irlanda de Nord, UK, Regatului Unit, Londrei, Irlanda, Irlandei de Nord, Belfast

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