Scottish Government

John Erskine is currently seeking selection to be Scottish Labour's candidate for the region.

Political opinion: Highlands and Islands Labour hopeful urges cross-party backin...

Cara Hilton, Senior Policy Manager at Trussell

Disabled people shouldn’t bear the brunt of the challenges our country faces

John Erskine with Scottish Labour Leader, Anas Sarwar MSP

Scottish Parliament Committee progresses petition for Improved Digital Connectiv...

Volunteers unpack food donations at a food bank

Change is coming for families with more than two children, but not soon enough

(Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Scottish disability benefit rates rising in April: how much you'll get

John Erskine with Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.

Petition demands better digital connectivity for Western Isles

Celebrating Gaelic: A Language of Heritage and Culture

Celebrating Gaelic: A language of heritage and culture

Scottish secondary school rankings are broadly based on Higher exam results

Explainer How Scotland's best high schools are ranked - based on 'gold standard'

Iain Campbell is a Research Fellow in the Languages Sciences Institute of UHI

Gaelic requires a roadmap for radical change

New drainage and maintenance of existing drainage are among the activities to be banned.

Crofters are warned: “Farm more for nature”

View on need for CalMac change was “side-lined”

The conclusions of a Scottish Government “consultation” on west coast ferry services has “sidelined” key issues of governance while promising “increasing engagement” with communities served by CalMac.

Brian Wilson

The request for ministerial intervention came from Benbecula Medical Practice’s Patient Participation Group

​Minister agrees to meeting over air service concerns

Consultants propose new village for Barra

Farmers across Scotland are braced for long-planned changes to the way they are paid - pic: (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Le airgead àiteachais tha briseadh dùil gu bhith ann dha cuideigin

Scottish ministers have signed an extradition order to enable rape suspect Nicholas Rossi to be extradited to the United States, the Scottish Government has confirmed. (Credit: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

Extradition order signed for US rape suspect Nicholas Rossi

School support workers, cleaning staff and janitors are currently on strike in Scotland as the Unison union remains locked in a pay dispute with education chiefs. (Credit: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

Scottish school support staff stage strike in pay dispute

UK to trial new groundbreaking endometriosis treatment

Teachers strike Scotland 2023: Full list of dates EIS union members will strike in March and April

List of strike dates for teachers from EIS union in March & April

Going green on the Western Isles – one of the most experienced solar power teams begin renewable energy installations

Ad Feature Save the planet and money with renewable energy through solar panels

The hospital already relies heavily on locums.

Loss of surgeons is ‘a significant worry’

Angus McCormack quit the Health Board over Ingram appointment.

Health Board vice-chair ‘twice’ in isles

1 in 4 Scottish EV charging points faulty, claims BBC investigation

Estates and land-owners are being subsidised for environmental work.

Peat is the new gold mine for landowners

Angus MacNeil said he spoke to deputy chief executive of the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund and he told him: "that's it, we're coming to Scotland"

Abu Dhabi dosh for isles tunnels, says MP

It's unlikely that even the new timetable for the delivery of the new ferries from the Ferguson's yard will be met.

Detail on that damning Auditor's report into the ferries debacle

There has been frustration that even lifeline, major connections like that provided by the Loch Seaforth have been cancelled due to even a single case of Covid among the crew.

CalMac explain Covid policy

Roddie Mackay said the new council will face significant challenges.

Council Leader Mackay not seeking re-election

Environmental designations are hurting the isles fishing sector, according to industry representatives.

Environmental strictures are hurting the islands

An excess of environmental designations covering the Western Isles has brought the system into disrepute and left many “opposed to environmental designations in principle”.

Brian Wilson

The council met on Tuesday to discuss a three per cent rise.

Council tax rise will limit service cuts

The cuts facing the council are "the worst of any in Scotland".

Council cuts threaten ‘irreversible’ damage

It is feared the new licensing regime will damage tourism in the islands

Short-term lets license will add costs to tourism

Fish farm companies face a hike in Crown Estate rents.

Huge rent increases for salmon farming firms

The proposals to replace the ferries on the sounds of Harris and Barra with tunnels , should it prove technically feasible and funding be available, would take 25 years to come to fruition.

Isles tunnels proposal gets a lukewarm response

The new ferries are already five years behind schedule. Pic: John Devlin.

The not very encouraging view from Arran

The ferries are already five years behind schedule. Pic: John Devlin.

‘Ducktail’ design could further delay Hull 802

The islands housing stock is harder to insulate which means Scotland-wide schemes are unsuitable and leads to increased electricity costs

Islands face growing fuel poverty crisis

GROWTH SECTOR: Polycrubs, made from sturdy fish-farm tubing, represents an opportunity for all-year production of local food. Pic: John MacKinnon

Strategy for growing more local food

Is it sustainable for CalMac to continue to cancel services even when one crew member contracts Covid?

CalMac cancellations – guidance is vague

Erik Østergaard (left) being appointed as chair of David MacBrayne Limited could not have happened without political buy-in, given the wider controversies.

The Scottish Government quango colonialism must be challenged

HIE and council were able to support key infrastructure projects likes roads and causeways, but they have been stripped of that opportunity through stringent budget cuts. Pic: Nick Smith

Budget is ‘unhelpful and unacceptable’

Rural areas should be part of the main high-speed broadband rollout programme, say councillors

Western Isles Council lambast broadband voucher scheme for rural areas

Erik Østergaard (left) receiving his Honorary OBE from British Ambassador Dominic Schroeder in February 2020

CalMac appointment is an ‘insult’ to the islands

Farmed salmon is Scotland's top food export and supports 550 full-time jobs in the Western Isles

Fish farms to face more sea lice control measures

Erik Ostergaard

CMAL's Danish chair now to lead CalMac!

Six cases of the Covid-19 Omicron variant have been identified in Scotland, the Scottish Government has announced (Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Six cases of the Covid Omicron variant have been identified in Scotland - here's... Helen Johnson

A large part of the problem surrounds the fiasco of the new ferries at the Ferguson yard

Fighting to counter a timetable of failure

The report identified a number of issues in relation to housing provision in the islands. Pic: Ronan Wilson

Young priced out of the housing market

Councillor Donald Crichton

Islands to suffer from broadband inequality

Kallin harbour, Grimsay, North Uist

Inshore fishing as bad as aviation, says Green MSP

A report shows that cost has been the driving factor in the proposals to reduce the timetable on the Harris-Lochmaddy-Skye route

Harris ferries: Costs override community

These groups of people can now book their Covid-19 booster and flu jabs online

Fishermen have warned that if the agreement on more marine protection by the SNP-Green Coalition goes through many will not be able to survive

Crisis point for the Isles fishing industry

Study was the first of its kind

Fish farm study is evidence of inter-breeding

DISTORTED VIEW: Audit Scotland found there was a complete breakdown at the top of the Crofting Commission, who act as regulator of crofting land. (Pic: SCF)

A breakdown of trust at the Commission

A new comprehensive language learning course, SpeakGaelic, launches on October 15

Ad Feature New generation’s fresh approach to learning Gaelic

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