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Kathleen Nutt

@kathleennutt.bsky.social

920 followers 270 following 47 posts

Political Correspondent at The Herald, email me with stories and tips to [email protected]

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Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · 10d

Exc: Pupils from low income families would be prioritised to receive residential outdoor education in a bid to cut the cost to the taxpayer under changes being considered to Liz Smith's Holyrood bill

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549692...

Low income pupils priority in outdoor education bill after SNP U turn

Pupils from low income households and those with additional support needs would have priority to receive residential outdoor education under changes…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · 10d

Exc: After her success in establishing buffer zones outside abortion clinics, Scottish Green co-leader
@gillianmacmsp.bsky.social has set her sights on decriminalising abortion

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549777...

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

Gillian Mackay: 'Decriminalising abortion is my next Holyrood goal'

The Scottish Greens MSP who successfully spearheaded legislation to create buffer zones at abortion clinics has set her sights on decriminalising…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Jun 30

She also steps up criticism of Holyrood's corporate body for its interim decision to ban trans people from using toilets in their acquired gender in the parliament building

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2527394...

Trans people are 'being demonised' says ex minister in new toilet ban attack

Trans people are being "demonised" in Scotland, according to former Scottish Government equalities minister Emma Roddick.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Jun 30

EXC: 'On equal marriage, gender and fox hunting, I am the opposite of Fergus,' SNP MSP Emma Roddick speaks about being challenged in May 2026 by Fergus Ewing and on being on a female 'hit list' of SNP MSPs

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2527368...

Emma Roddick on Fergus Ewing, being on a female 'hit list', and being sacked by FM

Emma Roddick hopes to rally independence supporters behind her as she dismissed claims by Fergus Ewing that personal support he has gained since…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Apr 2

While former First Minister Henry McLeish assesses what's happened since his 2008 report and why the prison population has climbed to around 8300 when he set the Scottish Government a target to cut it to 5000.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2505495...

Henry McLeish: Scotland's criminal justice system is wasting lives and money

Scotland's criminal justice system is "not working" and wasting human lives and money, according to Henry McLeish who authored a report on…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Apr 2

Education writer @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
examine the education background of prisoners and what qualifications some are achieving during their time in custody.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2504228...

Revealed: the qualifications achieved by individuals in all Scottish prisons

Scotland’s prisoners achieved a total of 18,628 qualifications during the last full academic year, The Herald can exclusively reveal.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Apr 2

Day 3 in our series investigating what's going on in Scotland's prisons also sees @rebeccamccurdy.bsky.social probe what rehab is on offer to prisoners and where it falls short.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2505504...

Scottish ministers accused of lacking leadership on alcohol rehab in prison

A leading charity has warned the Scottish Government lacks leadership amid the significant scale of problematic alcohol use in prison.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Apr 2

What's it like working in one of Scotland's overcrowded and 'red risk' prisons? I spent a day with a prison officer at HMP Low Moss to find out.

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502702...

Inside HMP Low Moss: what it's like working in one of Scotland hothouse prisons

Senior prison officer Alan Henderson describes working life at top secuity HMP Low Moss, currently operating on the highest red risk security status.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 31

So why has the SNP failed in its pledge to bring down prisoners numbers despite falling levels of violent crime? And why do Scotland (and England) have the highest imprisonment rates in western Europe?

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2503271...

Why has the SNP failed to cut prisoner numbers despite aim?

Since the SNP came to power 18 years ago the prison population has soared to a record of almost 9000 despite recommendations by a Commission set up…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 31

Amid their fears governors want the Scot Gov to bring back an automatic early release scheme for long term prisoners axed by the SNP in 2016

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2503116...

Governors press government to bring in early release scheme for serious offenders

Governors want return of an early release for long term prisoners, axed in 2016, to be brought back by John Swinney and Angela Constance amid record…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 31

While I report on an unprecedented warning from governors over the fears over the return of rioting - last seen in the late 80s/early 90s - as they deal with a prison population on course to reach record levels this year www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502756...

'Abnormal risk': Governors fear return of riots as prison population soars to record

Prison governors fear the return of rioting as an unprecedented number of prisons are placed on the highest security alert level.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 31

Rebecca McCurdy takes a deep dive into overcrowding investigating the rising population across the prison estate and the limited impact of early release or short term prisoners

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2503711...

Record prison overcrowding revealed despite new emergency release scheme

A record number of prisons are overcrowded despite emergency release schemes freeing hundreds of prisoners early.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 31

Enjoyed being part of @heraldscotland
team investigating the state of Scotland's prisons for our new series running all this week. Today Martin Williams examines the soaring cost of the country's prisons

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2504294...

'Staggering' £77,500-per-prisoner annual cost despite 25 yrs of jail crisis warnings

The taxpayer cost of Scotland's jails has soared to over £77,000 per prisoner - as the price of building new jails to end overcrowding has…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 26

Labour has been accused of briefing against one of its new Scottish MPs after he criticised government welfare cuts

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2503805...

Scottish Labour accused of briefing against rebel MP who attacked benefit cuts

Labour has been accused of briefing against one of its Scottish MPs after he spoke out massive government cuts to welfare benefits.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 12

Analysis: To her supporters in the SNP, Scotland's first woman First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
embodied a modern outward-looking European Scotland, to her detractors she blew the SNP off course from its founding goal.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2500204...

Sturgeon legacy: From SNP victories, to Branchform, Salmond and gender rows

To her supporters in the SNP Nicola Sturgeon was an election-winning machine who led the party to its biggest ever victory - to her detractors she…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 9

Analysis: Is John Swinney preparing for a Cabinet reshuffle? With Shona Robison & Fiona Hyslop standing down as MSPs in 2026 & Mairi McAllan returning from mat leave this yr, the FM may make pre-election changes to his top team

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2499067...

Is John Swinney preparing for a pre-election Cabinet reshuffle?

Is SNP First Minister John Swinney preparing for a pre-election Cabinet reshuffle?

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Mar 4

Unspun from me today: Could Nigel Farage's close friendship with President Donald Trump - deeply unpopular in Scotland - damage the chances of a Reform UK
breakthrough in Holyrood next year?

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2498032...

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

Analysis: Will Farage's friendship with Trump scupper Reform's Holyrood ambitions?

The deputy leader of Reform Richard Tice is to visit Scotland later this week when he is expected to announce further defections to his party.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Feb 25

The saga over whether the SNP will endorse Fergus Ewing as the party's Holyrood candidate for Inverness and Nairn next year suggests ongoing tensions in the party despite John Swinney's work to heal divisions. My analysis for Unspun

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2496291...
@heraldscotland.bsky.social

Analysis: What does John Swinney do with Fergus Ewing?

John Swinney promised to unite his party yet tensions are coming to the fore again over Fergus Ewing's bid to stand again for Holyrood.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Feb 5

SNP ministers have been warned they 'risk defeat' if oppose
@mspliz outdoor ed bill. SNP MSPs on committee did not back general principles due to concerns over cost and teachers' volunteering. Stage one vote due March
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2490962...

SNP 'risks defeat'if it opposes education bill which can bring 'life success'

SNP ministers have been told they face defeat in a Holyrood vote next month if they do not back an outdoor education bill which experts say can help…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Jan 29

EXC: After Scotland's most senior judge Lord Carloway asks if 'a hold up' in Branchform is down to the Crown Office or the police, Police Scotland make clear it's not them - pointing to the force's report sent to CO back in August
@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2489223...

Police Scotland suggest it is not to blame for Operation Branchform 'hold up'

Police Scotland have suggested it is not responsible for any 'hold up' in the Operation Branchform investigation following concerns raised by Lord…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Jan 28

Big development on the Scottish Budget today - which
@heraldscotland
scooped back in December after an exclusive interview with @alexcolehamilton.bsky.social
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2476184...

SNP and Liberal Democrats on cusp of Budget deal before final talks

"There are areas of great commonality between us and the SNP," says Scottish LibDems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Jan 21

Could the SNP and Labour form a coalition government after the 2026 Holyrood election? It's voters favourite two party form of government. But could it happen?
@alanroden.bsky.social thinks not; Andy Maciver thinks it's possible.
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2487276...

Analysis: Could the SNP and Labour do the 'unthinkable' and form a coalition?

Polling published at the weekend found a coalition between the SNP and Labour would be the most popular form of two party government after the next…

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Jan 14

Unspun from me tonight is a short profile of Pat McFadden - the enigmatic Scottish politician (and Celtic fan) who was in charge of Labour's general election and who rather unusually tends to shun the personal limelight
@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2485704...

Who is Pat McFadden? Celtic fan favoured to succeed Reeves as Chancellor

Minister for intergovernmental relations Pat McFadden has a successful record after being put in charge of Labour's general election campaign

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Jan 11

EXC: The Dean of the Faculty of Advocates Roddy Dunlop KC has sounded a human rights warning over the ongoing Operation Branchform investigation www.heraldscotland.com/news/2484705...
@heraldscotland.bsky.social

Operation Branchform: Dunlop sounds human rights warning over Murrell case

The Dean of the Faculty of Advocates Roddy Dunlop KC makes major intervention in Operation Branchform case.

www.heraldscotland.com

Kathleen Nutt @kathleennutt.bsky.social · Jan 7

My analysis for today's Unspun on the First Minister's warnings to other parties on Monday over the vote next month on the budget - was he scaremongering? @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2483969...

Analysis: Was John Swinney scaremongering over the Scottish Budget vote?

The First Minister made various threats in his address to businesses, trade unions and charities in Edinburgh on Monday including that medical…

www.heraldscotland.com