News / Colin Mackay

Colin Mackay

Political Editor

Follow @STVColin

colin.mackay@stv.tv

Colin is Political Editor for STV News and reports on Scottish politics, mainly from Holyrood. He has covered every Scottish Parliament election, several General Elections, the 2014 Independence referendum and the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Colin Mackay: Analysis of Rishi Sunak’s visit to Scotland and meeting with Nicola Sturgeon

Insight

Did the PM undo any knots during his visit to Scotland?

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Colin Mackay: John Swinney’s Scottish budget was bold and surprising on tax

Insight

After a leaky start, bold Scottish budget taxed us by surprise

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Scottish independence: What is Nicola Sturgeon’s next move after Supreme Court referendum snub?

Insight

From the celeb jungle to virtual voting - what next for indyref?

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Colin Mackay: Any chance the Autumn Statement has stopped health workers and teachers from striking

Insight

Is there any chance the chancellor's plans will stop strikes?

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Autumn Statement: Humza Yousaf hopes Jeremy Hunt spends on health to fund NHS pay rises

Insight

Autumn Statement: Yousaf hopes for health spending to ease pressure

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

John Swinney warns Scottish Government ‘has nowhere else to go’ in public sector pay deal

Scotland

Swinney: 'Scottish Government has no more money left for NHS pay deal'

3 months ago

Ash Regan says Nicola Sturgeon ‘was well aware’ of personal stance on gender reform vote

Politics

Regan: Sturgeon 'well aware' of personal stance on gender reform vote

3 months ago

Colin Mackay: Prime Minister Liz Truss leaves Downing Street – but trust left long ago

Insight

Liz Truss leaves Downing Street - but trust left long ago

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Colin Mackay Insight: Truss’ campaign to be PM may have taken longer than her time in office

Insight

Truss' campaign to be PM may have been longer than her time in office

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

SNP conference doesn’t feel like the lead-up to another independence referendum

Insight

SNP conference doesn't feel like the lead-up to another referendum

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Colin Mackay: I’ve never seen a U-turn like Kwasi Kwarteng’s at Conservative conference

Insight

U-turn like no other - but Chancellor convinced he's on right road

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

What should we expect from Labour, Conservatives and SNP during the party conference season?

Insight

What should we expect from the political party conference season?

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

‘Respectful silence and support for the King’ – How Scotland reacted to the death of the Queen

Insight

'Pomp and circumstance almost over as Scotland shows respect for King'

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

John Swinney warns ‘no more government money’ available for local council pay deal amid union stalemate

Politics

Swinney: 'No more government money for local council pay deal'

5 months ago

Conservative hustings: Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak will soon have to tell us what they’re going to do

Insight

Eventually, the next PM will have to tell us what they're going to do

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss: What would you ask the candidates to be next Prime Minister?

Insight

What would you ask the candidates to be next Prime Minister?

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

RMT members vote against latest ScotRail pay offer as further strike action looms

Scotland

RMT members vote against latest ScotRail pay offer as strikes loom

6 months ago

Insight: If Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak ignores Nicola Sturgeon, they’ll put union at greater risk

Insight

If next PM ignores Nicola Sturgeon, they'll put union at greater risk

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Colin Mackay says Nicola Sturgeon’s independence plan could be the biggest political move she has made

Insight

Sturgeon's indyref2 plan huge gamble for leader not known for risk-taking

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Nicola Sturgeon admits ‘contemplating brain fog’ as a result of menopause symptoms

Politics

Nicola Sturgeon admits 'contemplating brain fog' during menopause

7 months ago

Scottish Government has set a date for indyref2 but we don’t know how they plan to do it

Insight

Date is set for indyref2 but we don't know how they plan to do it

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Boris Johnson: What happens now after Prime Minister narrowly wins confidence vote?

Insight

PM's jaiket hangs by a thread from the shoogliest of pegs

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

It will be a huge shock if Prime Minister Boris Johnson loses Conservative party confidence vote

Insight

It will be a huge shock if Boris Johnson loses confidence vote

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

The successes and failures for Nicola Sturgeon as she becomes longest-serving First Minister

Insight

What marks for Nicola Sturgeon on First Minster's report card?

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Ferries document found just in time for debate at Scottish Parliament

Insight

Ferries document found just in time for debate at Scottish Parliament

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Colin MacKay’s analysis as SNP and Labour gain while Tories slump in council elections

Insight

Council elections produce joy, relief, surprises and slumps

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Ruth Davidson: Boris Johnson has presided over a ‘culture of persistent law-breaking’

Politics

Ruth Davidson: PM has presided over 'culture of persistent law-breaking'

Updated 10 months ago

INSIGHT: Scottish Conservatives have ‘ruthlessly targeted pro-Union vote’

Insight

Scottish Conservatives have 'ruthlessly targeted pro-Union vote'

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

INSIGHT: How the Ukraine war has changed everything for Boris Johnson ahead of Aberdeen conference

Insight

How the war has changed everything for Boris Johnson

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

New poll suggests there are two key assets for Yes campaign

Insight

New poll suggests there are two key assets for Yes campaign

Colin MackayPolitical Editor

Today's Top Stories

Brothers James and Barry Gillespie still wanted by Police Scotland over links to organised crime

Scotland

Scots brothers wanted over links to organised crime 'still at large'

Nicola Sturgeon: Some Gender Recognition Reform Bill opponents are using women’s rights to hide transphobia

Politics

FM: Gender Bill opponents 'using women's rights to hide transphobia'

Teenage killer who stabbed young man in the heart during row in Kilwinning jailed for five years

Teen killer who stabbed young man in heart during row jailed

Dog goes viral after ripping off letterbox and chewing through door in Kelty, Fife

Edinburgh & East

Dog goes viral after ripping off letterbox and chewing through door

Claims Banff Academy pupils are identifying as cats branded ‘false rumours’ by Aberdeenshire Council

North East & Tayside

Claims pupils identifying as cats at school branded 'false rumours'

Family ‘broke down’ after pet cat died in Dunfermline house fire caused by tumble dryer

Edinburgh & East

Family 'devastated' after cat dies in house fire caused by tumble dryer

Scottish actor Alan Cumming returns OBE over ‘toxicity’ of British Empire and role of the monarchy

Entertainment

Alan Cumming returns OBE over 'toxicity' of British Empire

Latest in Politics

Matt Hancock paid £320,000 for controversial I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! appearance

Politics

Matt Hancock paid £320,000 for controversial I’m A Celeb appearance

Bernard Ponsonby on political row over trans woman rapist Isla Bryson

Insight

Trans row: Let prison service work free of political noise

Bernard PonsonbySpecial Correspondent

Scottish Government ministers to ‘step in’ to stop teaching numbers being cut

Politics

Ministers to 'step in' to stop teacher numbers being cut

Watch live as Nicola Sturgeon faces First Minister’s Questions amid teacher strikes and gender reforms row

Politics

Nicola Sturgeon faces MSPs amid teacher strikes and gender reforms row

Man charged with assaulting former health secretary Matt Hancock

Politics

Man charged with assaulting former health secretary Matt Hancock

Scottish Government ‘faces making huge public spending cuts’, Institute for Fiscal Studies says

Politics

Public spending in Scotland 'faces huge cuts' - new analysis

Haggis toasties on the menu as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak celebrates Burns Night

Politics

Haggis toasties on the menu as Sunak celebrates Burns Night

Popular Videos

Glasgow city centre Broomielaw road closed after cyclist hit by lorry in crash

City centre road closed after cyclist hit by lorry in crash

CalMac boss Robbie Drummond vows to find best system for building new ferries

CalMac boss vows to find best system for building new ferries

Lewis Capaldi reaches out to young fan after emotional reaction at Glasgow OVO Hydro concert goes viral

Entertainment

Lewis Capaldi reacts to viral clip of emotional young fan at Hydro gig

Sturgeon: Trans rapist Isla Bryson will not serve sentence at Cornton Vale

Scotland

Trans rapist Isla Bryson will not serve sentence at Cornton Vale

Prosecutors to consider joint police and safety regulator investigation into ScotRail Stonehaven crash

North East & Tayside

Prosecutors to consider report into fatal Stonehaven rail crash

Scotland Tonight: Timex Dundee strike recalled by sacked workers 30 years on

North East & Tayside

'Pushed aside as our jobs were taken' - 30 years since Timex strike

Ex-prison governor says trans rapist Isla Bryson should not be in prison at all-female Cornton Vale

Scotland

Ex-prison governor says trans woman rapist should not be in female jail

Featured Articles

Scotland Tonight: Author Peter May imagines Glasgow ravaged by climate change and airport gone

Entertainment

Glasgow's under water and the airport has gone - only a story?

Glasgow and Edinburgh cancer centres will share £4m to develop new treatments

‘No trace’ of cancer in patient’s body after experimental treatment

Tennent’s Sixes: Remembering when fans packed the SECC in Glasgow for football extravaganza

Football

'Fans and players loved it' - remembering the Tennent's Sixes