Colin Mackay

Edinburgh

Political Editor at STV News (Glasgow and West)

Political Editor for STV News

Articles

Hubris, secrecy and a £122m bailout: Dundee scandal is a wake-up call for all universities

1 week ago | news.stv.tv | Colin Mackay |Kevin Scott

This is beyond damning. The principal and other senior managers at the University of Dundee knew their student numbers were falling and knew they were millions of pounds in deficit. But the fact that they not only failed to do anything about it but covered it up and kept spending is incredible. Attracting overseas students has been a big part of the business model for Scotland’s universities for quite a few years. It worked at Dundee University – until it didn’t.
ASX plans to attract more IPOs don’t go far enough

1 week ago | firstlinks.com.au | James Gruber |John Abernethy |Peter Swan |Colin Mackay

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Insight: A minimalist reshuffle at Bute House, but is John Swinney just rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic?

2 weeks ago | news.stv.tv | Colin Mackay |Victoria Pease

This was one of the most minimalist reshuffles I have seen. In fact it was so small they weren’t even going to bother with the ritual of ministers going in the front door of Bute House. In the end they relented and first in was Mairi McAllan, with the Clydesdale MSP returning to work from maternity leave and straight back in to Cabinet as housing secretary.
Labour win Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election

3 weeks ago | news.stv.tv | Colin Mackay

This is a big win for Labour. They were largely written off at times during this campaign – yesterday you could get odds of 11 to 1 on Labour to win, and I think quite a few of their campaign activists took those odds. Part of that was because their candidate Davy Russell wasn’t much of a media performer. He preferred chapping doors and yesterday Labour knocked on the doors of 8,000 identified supporters – that’s not far short of their actual vote.
Labour win shows how far SNP still has to go to rebuild trust with voters

3 weeks ago | news.stv.tv | Colin Mackay

The result from Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse is a big surprise. Great for Labour, grim for the SNP, good enough for Reform. Hamilton is the home of big by-election shocks. Last night might not be in the same league as Winnie Ewing’s historic Hamilton by-election win in 1967 but it is still a surprise. Almost everyone I spoke to expected the SNP to win.
Countdown begins for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election

1 month ago | news.stv.tv | Colin Mackay

In two weeks time, voters in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse will go to the polls in a by-election following the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie. Hamilton by-elections loom large in Scottish political history and this could give an early indication of what will happen at next year’s Scottish Parliament election.
'Scunnered': The mood in crucial by-election battleground

1 month ago | news.stv.tv | Colin Mackay |Gianni Marini

I spent the day in Hamilton town centre on Wednesday and must have spoken to maybe 40 people. The apathy and the anger were almost overwhelming. Many didn’t want to speak on camera, many didn’t really have a view. But many who did speak told me they were scunnered with all the political parties. I met more SNP voters than any other party but many of them were fed up with the party’s record in government but supported independence. Some didn’t really know why they were voting SNP.
Why are only SNP and Reform putting up candidates for Hamilton by-election debate?

1 month ago | news.stv.tv | Colin Mackay |Gianni Marini

I’ve been to a lot of by-elections so apathy from the voters doesn’t surprise me, but apathy from the candidates really is a new one on me. We are planning a candidates’ debate on Scotland Tonight on Monday, June 2 – but only the SNP and Reform are willing to take part. The Lib-Dems and Greens ruled it out from the start; the Conservatives don’t look likely. And after much to-ing and fro-ing, Labour is not willing to put up its candidate, Davy Russell.
Assisted dying in Scotland is not a done deal

1 month ago | news.stv.tv | Colin Mackay |Gianni Marini

Despite a much bigger parliamentary vote than anyone had expected, legalised assisted dying in Scotland is still far from a done deal. MSPs voted by 70 to 56 to support the general principles of Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill. There are currently 128 MSPs following the death of Christina McKelvie, that leaves two votes unaccounted for.
Former oil worker left 'terrified' as Grangemouth redundancies begin

1 month ago | news.stv.tv | Calum Loudon |Colin Mackay

An oil worker has said he has been left “terrified” as redundancies have officially begun after Petro-Ineos announced the end of a century of oil refining at Grangemouth. Petro-Ineos, which runs the refinery, notified staff by email that all oil refining work had ended and that the first group of redundant workers are leaving the plant – with 200 to depart by the end of June.