Conor Matchett
@conormatchett.bsky.social
Chief Politics Writer at The Scottish Sun - "One of the better bin-raking bollocks-horns"
The only thing it is useful for is to blunt the SNP's preferred framing of the election as a referendum on Starmer, in the hope it refocuses the campaign on the SNP's domestic record. It's fundamentally a campaign strategy Hail Mary
February 9, 2026 at 3:05 PM
The only thing it is useful for is to blunt the SNP's preferred framing of the election as a referendum on Starmer, in the hope it refocuses the campaign on the SNP's domestic record. It's fundamentally a campaign strategy Hail Mary
The SNP's failure to a) modernise the case for independence, and b) coherently argue for it, remains the most self-defeating failure of their time in office since 2014
If you still can't answer Qs on pensions/currency in a way that people can see the trade-offs, you're just not trying hard enough
If you still can't answer Qs on pensions/currency in a way that people can see the trade-offs, you're just not trying hard enough
January 20, 2026 at 3:53 PM
The SNP's failure to a) modernise the case for independence, and b) coherently argue for it, remains the most self-defeating failure of their time in office since 2014
If you still can't answer Qs on pensions/currency in a way that people can see the trade-offs, you're just not trying hard enough
If you still can't answer Qs on pensions/currency in a way that people can see the trade-offs, you're just not trying hard enough
SNP in particular still in thrall to Sturgeon's worst habits of solving problems that weren't actually problems (e.g. named persons, offensive behaviour at football, gender - not saying not important to someone, but wouldn't have moved the dial even if they weren't mucked up as badly as they were)
January 20, 2026 at 3:41 PM
SNP in particular still in thrall to Sturgeon's worst habits of solving problems that weren't actually problems (e.g. named persons, offensive behaviour at football, gender - not saying not important to someone, but wouldn't have moved the dial even if they weren't mucked up as badly as they were)
In short, if they win they'll inherit a very difficult demographic, tax, and benefits challenge having committed themselves to changing none of it. Which I'm sure will work perfectly.
January 20, 2026 at 3:37 PM
In short, if they win they'll inherit a very difficult demographic, tax, and benefits challenge having committed themselves to changing none of it. Which I'm sure will work perfectly.
they currently should about weekly in parly. Had they not done that, they could, you know, argue that maybe free prescriptions shouldn't be handed to well-off folk, but they can't.
Instead it's just chat about 'waste' and their main NHS offer is cutting the number of health boards to three...
Instead it's just chat about 'waste' and their main NHS offer is cutting the number of health boards to three...
January 20, 2026 at 3:37 PM
they currently should about weekly in parly. Had they not done that, they could, you know, argue that maybe free prescriptions shouldn't be handed to well-off folk, but they can't.
Instead it's just chat about 'waste' and their main NHS offer is cutting the number of health boards to three...
Instead it's just chat about 'waste' and their main NHS offer is cutting the number of health boards to three...
Definitely not. IMO their biggest strategic mistake was in Feb last year committing to not remove the main free 'giveaways' in Holyrood (e.g. free tuition, prescriptions etc.) when they still looked on for winning this May. Has totally boxed them in and committed them to unsustainable spending...
January 20, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Definitely not. IMO their biggest strategic mistake was in Feb last year committing to not remove the main free 'giveaways' in Holyrood (e.g. free tuition, prescriptions etc.) when they still looked on for winning this May. Has totally boxed them in and committed them to unsustainable spending...
where they are saying lots of things focus groups are telling them, but are actually arguing *for* nothing and ultimately *saying* nothing that changes where voters sit, what they believe, and what they want
January 20, 2026 at 3:28 PM
where they are saying lots of things focus groups are telling them, but are actually arguing *for* nothing and ultimately *saying* nothing that changes where voters sit, what they believe, and what they want
Politicians have stopped telling hard truths because they think voters will punish them for it
Instead, they choose to repeat back what they hear on the doorstep and hope being in room instead of the other ones will magically make it all better. Scot Lab the absolute *epitome* of this in Scotland..
Instead, they choose to repeat back what they hear on the doorstep and hope being in room instead of the other ones will magically make it all better. Scot Lab the absolute *epitome* of this in Scotland..
January 20, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Politicians have stopped telling hard truths because they think voters will punish them for it
Instead, they choose to repeat back what they hear on the doorstep and hope being in room instead of the other ones will magically make it all better. Scot Lab the absolute *epitome* of this in Scotland..
Instead, they choose to repeat back what they hear on the doorstep and hope being in room instead of the other ones will magically make it all better. Scot Lab the absolute *epitome* of this in Scotland..
In nerdy Holyrood election news, looks like Russell Findaly will stand just on the list "to free him up to campaign across Scotland" - understand most likely West of Scotland region
Douglas Ross did the same in 2021 and it worked - but will ruffle a few feathers internally
Douglas Ross did the same in 2021 and it worked - but will ruffle a few feathers internally
January 19, 2026 at 3:31 PM
In nerdy Holyrood election news, looks like Russell Findaly will stand just on the list "to free him up to campaign across Scotland" - understand most likely West of Scotland region
Douglas Ross did the same in 2021 and it worked - but will ruffle a few feathers internally
Douglas Ross did the same in 2021 and it worked - but will ruffle a few feathers internally
Jenrick seems to be explaining why the Tory Party isn't the best vehicle for his personal political ambitions, rather than why he thinks Reform are a better pick for UK voters.
January 15, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Jenrick seems to be explaining why the Tory Party isn't the best vehicle for his personal political ambitions, rather than why he thinks Reform are a better pick for UK voters.
One of my major gripes in 2026 is politicos standing up and saying in one breath "we must end this postcode lottery of services delivered by local councils!" and in the next say "we must decentralise power so local choices are made locally"
Centralisation mostly a symptom of credit-seeking
Centralisation mostly a symptom of credit-seeking
January 14, 2026 at 3:06 PM
One of my major gripes in 2026 is politicos standing up and saying in one breath "we must end this postcode lottery of services delivered by local councils!" and in the next say "we must decentralise power so local choices are made locally"
Centralisation mostly a symptom of credit-seeking
Centralisation mostly a symptom of credit-seeking
EXCLUSIVE: Cops were called to Holyrood after a mug used by Michael Matheson went missing - sparking fury with it labelled a waste of police time
Comes after no police action over Mr Matheson's £11,000 iPad roaming bill for footie he charged to taxpayers...
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/1579300...
Comes after no police action over Mr Matheson's £11,000 iPad roaming bill for footie he charged to taxpayers...
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/1579300...
Police called after Michael Matheson's MUG goes missing from Holyrood
COPS were bizarrely called to Holyrood to probe the disappearance of a mug used by shamed ex SNP minister Michael Matheson. Officers were “miffed” at having to investigate the coffee cup mystery at…
www.thescottishsun.co.uk
January 13, 2026 at 9:14 AM
EXCLUSIVE: Cops were called to Holyrood after a mug used by Michael Matheson went missing - sparking fury with it labelled a waste of police time
Comes after no police action over Mr Matheson's £11,000 iPad roaming bill for footie he charged to taxpayers...
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/1579300...
Comes after no police action over Mr Matheson's £11,000 iPad roaming bill for footie he charged to taxpayers...
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/1579300...
I'll be blunt, Steve, I'd need a new job.
It's less a question of *who* is there and more *what* is there. No matter what people on BlueSky or elsewhere would like to think, it's a pretty good window into a certain type of politics that is pretty prevalent across the UK, in the same way BlueSky is
It's less a question of *who* is there and more *what* is there. No matter what people on BlueSky or elsewhere would like to think, it's a pretty good window into a certain type of politics that is pretty prevalent across the UK, in the same way BlueSky is
January 11, 2026 at 3:40 PM
I'll be blunt, Steve, I'd need a new job.
It's less a question of *who* is there and more *what* is there. No matter what people on BlueSky or elsewhere would like to think, it's a pretty good window into a certain type of politics that is pretty prevalent across the UK, in the same way BlueSky is
It's less a question of *who* is there and more *what* is there. No matter what people on BlueSky or elsewhere would like to think, it's a pretty good window into a certain type of politics that is pretty prevalent across the UK, in the same way BlueSky is
I still use Twitter for work but I've almost completely stopped using it for personal reasons because it's just so much nothing. When I'm on holiday I barely touch it and my life is better for it. Without work, I'd be off it. That's no good place for a social media network to be in.
January 11, 2026 at 3:35 PM
I still use Twitter for work but I've almost completely stopped using it for personal reasons because it's just so much nothing. When I'm on holiday I barely touch it and my life is better for it. Without work, I'd be off it. That's no good place for a social media network to be in.
Still get upset at the treatment of Calvin Stengs, now languishing on loan at Pisa despite winning several Champions Leagues and a decade of consecutive Eredivisies with 20 goals a season as a winger in my youth-fuelled AZ Alkmaar side.
January 5, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Still get upset at the treatment of Calvin Stengs, now languishing on loan at Pisa despite winning several Champions Leagues and a decade of consecutive Eredivisies with 20 goals a season as a winger in my youth-fuelled AZ Alkmaar side.
As a United fan it feels like we operate like the UK Gov. It's all Comms' fault, not a fundamental problem with how the club is run or what it wants to achieve.
January 5, 2026 at 10:31 AM
As a United fan it feels like we operate like the UK Gov. It's all Comms' fault, not a fundamental problem with how the club is run or what it wants to achieve.
Happy New Year everyone!
Remember, if you haven't bombed a strategically important nation and seized its authoritarian head of state and effectively it's government and industrial economy by January 5, you'll have bad luck all year
Remember, if you haven't bombed a strategically important nation and seized its authoritarian head of state and effectively it's government and industrial economy by January 5, you'll have bad luck all year
January 3, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Happy New Year everyone!
Remember, if you haven't bombed a strategically important nation and seized its authoritarian head of state and effectively it's government and industrial economy by January 5, you'll have bad luck all year
Remember, if you haven't bombed a strategically important nation and seized its authoritarian head of state and effectively it's government and industrial economy by January 5, you'll have bad luck all year
Reposted by Conor Matchett
Ex-Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun has Lunch with the FT and in one of those instances so rare that you know he didn't sign an NDA, says exactly why as.ft.com/r/e503690d-8...
January 2, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Ex-Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun has Lunch with the FT and in one of those instances so rare that you know he didn't sign an NDA, says exactly why as.ft.com/r/e503690d-8...
I've yet to hear a compelling reason why Sarwar wouldn't take Reform's votes to become FM come May 8 if that was the difference between him being FM or out of a job.
December 22, 2025 at 7:02 PM
I've yet to hear a compelling reason why Sarwar wouldn't take Reform's votes to become FM come May 8 if that was the difference between him being FM or out of a job.
Have you met this Scottish Labour party?
December 22, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Have you met this Scottish Labour party?
Point of retweeting Mark's projection is more to make the point that
A) I reckon polls will narrow once the public switches on to a Holyrood election (though not as much as ScoLab need)
B) The SNP's chances of a majority remain miniscule, and pro-indy one is over-priced (as it always tends to be)
A) I reckon polls will narrow once the public switches on to a Holyrood election (though not as much as ScoLab need)
B) The SNP's chances of a majority remain miniscule, and pro-indy one is over-priced (as it always tends to be)
December 22, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Point of retweeting Mark's projection is more to make the point that
A) I reckon polls will narrow once the public switches on to a Holyrood election (though not as much as ScoLab need)
B) The SNP's chances of a majority remain miniscule, and pro-indy one is over-priced (as it always tends to be)
A) I reckon polls will narrow once the public switches on to a Holyrood election (though not as much as ScoLab need)
B) The SNP's chances of a majority remain miniscule, and pro-indy one is over-priced (as it always tends to be)
People think I'm joking when I say I think Scottish Labour will try to run a minority government if they finish second.
I'm really not, and I think they'll try it even if there is a razor-thin pro-union majority.
It'll be chaos, but who doesn't love a bit of that?
I'm really not, and I think they'll try it even if there is a razor-thin pro-union majority.
It'll be chaos, but who doesn't love a bit of that?
Final Scottish Parliament poll tracker of the year, before the Christmas holidays start in earnest. SNP projected one short of a majority.
Seats (+/- 2021):
SNP: 64 (-)
Lab: 18 (-4)
Ref: 18(+18)
Grn: 12 (+4)
Con: 9 (-22)
LD: 8 (+4)
Alba: 0 (-)
20 marginals: 16 SNP, 3 Labour, 1 Conservative.
1/3
Seats (+/- 2021):
SNP: 64 (-)
Lab: 18 (-4)
Ref: 18(+18)
Grn: 12 (+4)
Con: 9 (-22)
LD: 8 (+4)
Alba: 0 (-)
20 marginals: 16 SNP, 3 Labour, 1 Conservative.
1/3
December 22, 2025 at 5:49 PM
People think I'm joking when I say I think Scottish Labour will try to run a minority government if they finish second.
I'm really not, and I think they'll try it even if there is a razor-thin pro-union majority.
It'll be chaos, but who doesn't love a bit of that?
I'm really not, and I think they'll try it even if there is a razor-thin pro-union majority.
It'll be chaos, but who doesn't love a bit of that?
If you can't admit you've broken a manifesto promise (Starmer, Reeves, Swinney), or that you broke Covid rules (Johnson), or tanked the economy (Truss) - why would voters expect someone to have the self-respect to uphold standards on lesser issues? Pathetic across the board.
December 15, 2025 at 1:44 PM
If you can't admit you've broken a manifesto promise (Starmer, Reeves, Swinney), or that you broke Covid rules (Johnson), or tanked the economy (Truss) - why would voters expect someone to have the self-respect to uphold standards on lesser issues? Pathetic across the board.