The bottomless prison cell

Herald on Sunday, Sunday National, 9th November 2025. If the pollsters are to be believed, Scottish Labour finds itself in a difficult spot. The next Holyrood election is rapidly approaching. After almost 20 years of SNP government, the 2026 election is looking increasingly tricky for Anas Sarwar’s party. Instead of the healthy lead you might…

“These censures are deemed necessary…”

Herald on Sunday, Sunday National, 2nd November 2025. The phrase “these censures are deemed necessary” gives the game away. Notice the emphasis on necessity. In the third palace press release since 2019 to announce that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor would be stripped of his magic names, Charles and Camilla confirmed on Thursday that a “formal process”…

To the Malmsey butt

Herald on Sunday, Sunday National, 19th October 2025. I thought exile, the Tower, or the Malmsey butt were more traditional ways for English kings to dispose of unwanted royal brothers – but this week we’ve seen a new innovation. If you worry the foundations of your royal house are shaking, that public mistrust is growing,…