Current liabilities far exceed both cash at hand and projected income. I wish to place on record my grateful thanks to the membership for their efforts for our party and for our cause. It has been a privilege to work with them. We can be proud of what we sought to achieve and also the support which we gave to our founder in his time of need.
People look at Holyrood and think: Lets give them all a bloody nose', says Alex, a betting shop manager. Speaking in a focus group of people who voted Labour at the 2024 general election, Alex captured the downbeat mood of a cohort bitterly disappointed with the Labour government's early performance, frustrated by the record of the Scottish National party and wearied by what they described as scandal after scandal polluting public life.
The government is teetering - and how long the prime minister now lasts is a live, legitimate and open question. Today has been extraordinary and it is not over yet. Westminster had barely had time to digest the departure of the prime minister's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, when we learnt that his Director of Communications Tim Allan was off as well. That happened shortly before lunchtime, the latest case study in a prime minister appearing rudderless and no longer in control of events.
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
He urged moderate unionists no longer represented by the Tories and rational nationalists no longer represented by the SNP to find common ground in their support for Reform, but dismissed any prospect of a second referendum on independence in the medium term. I say no to the distraction of another referendum, for at least another 10 years, without ruling one out in the future, he said.
Announcing his resignation from the Conservative party, Lord Offord said: "From today, for the next five months, day and night, I shall be campaigning with all of you tirelessly for two objectives. "The first objective is to remove this rotten SNP government after 18 years, and the second is to present a positive vision for Scotland inside the UK, to restore Scotland to being a prosperous, proud, healthy and happy country."
They had managed to have three leaders in a little over a year: Nicola Sturgeon, Humza Yousaf and then John Swinney. It was a rate of attrition that would make even the Conservative Party of recent years blush. There had also been a high-profile and long-running police investigation into the SNP's finances, involving Sturgeon, who was told earlier this year she would face no action.
I think it it appropriate that I also apologise to this chamber and to all colleagues. For those of us who love this institution, it is important that we all act in a manner that does not bring it into disrepute. I wouldn't normally conduct myself in such a fashion. I regret that lapse last week and I wish to apologise to all colleagues.
Data from the Scottish Qualifications Authority showed this year's attainment gap was very similar to that of 2019, the year before the Covid crisis hit, when the gap for National 5s was 17 points.
