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Matt Kerr
A bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes on Thursday is seen in the town of Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, April 3, 2026
CWU Conference 2026 / 10 May 2026
10 May 2026
Reform UK Scottish leader Lord Malcolm Offord speaks to the media outside Trinity Church in Larkhall, Lanarkshire, on the campaign trail for the May 7 Holyrood election, May 5, 2026
Holyrood Election / 6 May 2026
6 May 2026
Campaigners take part in a Stop Rosebank protest outside the UK Government building in Edinburgh, after the controversial Equinor Rosebank North Sea oil field was given the go-ahead, September 30, 2023
Holyrood Elections / 6 May 2026
6 May 2026
THE GREAT ILLUSIONIST: Scotland First Minister John Swinney (centre) with assorted worthies at Wheatley Housing Development in Wallyford, East Lothian, apparently keen on accelerating housebuilding throughout Scotland, January 2026
Holyrood / 6 May 2026
6 May 2026

As Scotland heads to the polls, the main parties offer variations on the same script, says MATT KERR

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, during a visit to Bathgate, while campaigning for the upcoming Holyrood election, May 4, 2026
Scotland / 5 May 2026
5 May 2026
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn at the launch of the Scottish National Party 2026 Scottish Parliament election campaign, at Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, March 26, 2026
Scotland / 5 May 2026
5 May 2026
Tenement flats along Comely Bank in Edinburgh
Scotland / 5 May 2026
5 May 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar unveils his plan for the first 100 days of a Scottish Labour government, whilst campaigning for the upcoming Holyrood election in Edinburgh, April 30, 2026
Scotland / 4 May 2026
4 May 2026
Scottish Green party supporters hold placards
Scotland / 4 May 2026
4 May 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar unveils his plan for the first 100 days of a Scottish Labour government, while campaigning for the upcoming Holyrood election in Edinburgh, April 30, 2026
Holyrood Election / 4 May 2026
4 May 2026
First Minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader John Swinney with SNP candidate for Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith Ben Macpherson (left), launches a campaign billboard for the upcoming Holyrood elections on Leith Walk in Edinburgh, April 29, 2026
Scotland / 30 April 2026
30 April 2026
Scotland / 1 May 2026
1 May 2026
The Lady Justice statue atop the Central Criminal Court
Britain / 30 April 2026
30 April 2026
The logo for Glasgow airport
Scotland / 30 April 2026
30 April 2026
Reform UK Scottish leader Malcolm Offord speaking at the Reform UK Holyrood election campaign rally in Aberdeen, April 13, 2026
Reform UK Scotland / 29 April 2026
29 April 2026
A BP petrol station in Lymm in Cheshire, April 15, 2026
Climate Crisis / 28 April 2026
28 April 2026
Scottish National Party (SNP) leader John Swinney delivers a speech on the early actions a re-elected SNP Government would take to support people, at Pearce Institute, Glasgow, April 27, 2026
Scotland / 27 April 2026
27 April 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, along with party supporters, at Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on the campaign trail for the upcoming Holyrood election, April 23, 2026
Britain / 24 April 2026
24 April 2026
Delegates during the first day of the STUC conference in the Caird Hall, Dundee, April 20, 2026
Aw That / 25 April 2026
25 April 2026

But that’s OK, says MATT KERR, as talking is what will help us get things done

Prime Minister Keir Starmer departs 10 Downing Street, London, to attend Prime Minister's Questions at the Houses of Parliament, April 22, 2026
STUC 2026 / 22 April 2026
22 April 2026
Scottish Green party co-leader Gillian Mackay during a visit to the Palestine Museum Scotland in Edinburgh, October 17, 2025
STUC 2026 / 22 April 2026
22 April 2026
First Minister John Swinney addresses delegates during the STUC conference in the Caird Hall, Dundee, April 21, 2026
STUC 2026 / 21 April 2026
21 April 2026
The Morning Star fringe at STUC 2026
STUC 2026 / 21 April 2026
21 April 2026
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer during the STUC conference in the Caird Hall, Dundee, April 20, 2026
STUC 2026 / 21 April 2026
21 April 2026
A view of bank notes
STUC 2026 / 20 April 2026
20 April 2026
School children in a classroom
STUC 2026 / 20 April 2026
20 April 2026
Money is stacked on top of a council tax bill
STUC 2026 / 21 April 2026
21 April 2026
Delegates during the first day of the STUC conference in the Caird Hall, Dundee, April 20, 2026
STUC 2026 / 20 April 2026
20 April 2026
SNP leader John Swinney and candidates for Dundee City West, Heather Anderson, Dundee City East, Stephen Gethins, and Angus South, Lloyd Melville, at the launch of the new campaign battle bus in Dundee Law, April 18, 2026
Holyrood Elections / 20 April 2026
20 April 2026
A view of the Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm amongst existing electricity pylons on the Romney Marsh in Kent, December 28, 2017
Climate Crisis / 20 April 2026
20 April 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar holds up a manifesto booklet during the launch of the party's manifesto for the upcoming Holyrood election, at the University of Edinburgh Hospitality and Events Collection in Edinburgh, April 13, 2026
Holyrood Elections / 19 April 2026
19 April 2026
Scottish National Party (SNP) Leader John Swinney at the launch of the party's manifesto for the Holyrood election, at Barras Art & Design (BAaD) in Glasgow, April 16, 2026
Scotland / 16 April 2026
16 April 2026
A general view of staff on a NHS hospital ward
Scotland / 16 April 2026
16 April 2026
Ambulance workers on the picket line outside London Ambulance Service (LAS) in Deptford, south-east London, during a strike by members of the Unison union in the long-running dispute over pay and staffing, February 10, 2023
Healthcare / 15 April 2026
15 April 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, SNP leader John Swinney and Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord during the Scottish party leaders Channel 4 news election debate in Glasgow. Picture date: Tuesday April 14, 2026.
Scottish Labour / 15 April 2026
15 April 2026
Workers' Rights / 14 April 2026
14 April 2026
Workers' Rights / 15 April 2026
15 April 2026
Scottish Green Party co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay (left) at the launch of their manifesto for the upcoming Holyrood election, at Barras Art and Design in Glasgow, April 14, 2026
Holyrood Elections / 14 April 2026
14 April 2026
Reform UK Scottish leader Malcolm Offord at a press conference at the Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel in Aberdeen, whilst campaigning for the upcoming Holyrood election, April 8, 2026
Scotland / 13 April 2026
13 April 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar holds up a manifesto booklet during the launch of the party's manifesto for the upcoming Holyrood election, at the University of Edinburgh Hospitality and Events Collection in Edinburgh, April 13, 2026
Scotland / 13 April 2026
13 April 2026
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice at a press conference at the Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel in Aberdeen, whilst campaigning for the upcoming Holyrood election, April 8, 2026
Aw That / 11 April 2026
11 April 2026

As world leaders posture and local politicians bore, voters are left with a grim choice: despair, disengage — or start imagining something better, says MATT KERR

The unfinished Glen Sannox Caledonian Macbrayne ferry in the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, May 10, 2022
Scotland / 8 April 2026
8 April 2026
Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Russell Findlay taking part in the CBI Scotland Joint Business Hustings at the Royal Bank Of Scotland, Conference Centre, Edinburgh, April 2, 2026
Scotland / 7 April 2026
7 April 2026
Scotland / 7 April 2026
7 April 2026
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, RFA Stirling Castle, in Leith
Transport / 7 April 2026
7 April 2026
Scottish Green party co-leader Gillian Mackay during a visit to the Palestine Museum Scotland in Edinburgh, October 17, 2025
Britain / 7 April 2026
7 April 2026
Tenby Harbour, April 2016 [Beata Mitręga / Creative Commons]
Climate Crisis / 6 April 2026
6 April 2026
Reform UK leader in Wales Dan Thomas (left) and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage at the Reform UK manifesto launch for the Senedd elections in May, at the International Convention Centre Wales in Newport, March 5, 2026
Far Right / 6 April 2026
6 April 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar (centre) with party candidate for Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill James Adams (second left) during a visit to the G20 Youth Project in Glasgow, to announce his party's plans for young people's mental health, April 3, 2026
Scotland / 3 April 2026
3 April 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar speaks to the media during a visit to Leaf & Bean in Edinburgh, April 2, 2026
Scotland / 4 April 2026
4 April 2026
A preschool age child playing with plastic building blocks
Scotland / 2 April 2026
2 April 2026
First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney during campaigning in Stirling for the Scottish Parliament elections, March 31, 2026
Scotland / 2 April 2026
2 April 2026
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar at the launch of the party's 2026 Scottish Parliament election campaign Barras Art and Design (BAaD), Glasgow, Glasgow, March 26, 2026
Scotland / 1 April 2026
1 April 2026
Tenement flats along Comely Bank in Edinburgh
Scotland / 31 March 2026
31 March 2026
General view of the Alexander Dennis site at Camelon, near Falkirk
Scotland / 31 March 2026
31 March 2026
A preschool age child playing with plastic building blocks
Scotland / 31 March 2026
31 March 2026
STUC general secretary Roz Foyer delivers a speech during the SNP annual conference at the Event Complex Aberdeen, October 11, 2025
Scotland / 30 March 2026
30 March 2026
ART TAKES A STAND: The Homeless Jesus bronze statue in Glasgow, located at Nelson Mandela Place near St George's Tron Church, was created by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz and installed in December 2017 / Pic: Brian Deegan/CC
Aw That / 28 March 2026
28 March 2026

Art matters because stories, herstories, histories, and even flights of fancy matter, posits MATT KERR

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Reform UK Scottish leader Malcolm Offord (right) at the Reform UK Scotland manifesto launch and candidate announcement for the upcoming Scottish Parliament elections, at Ingliston Country Club & Hotel, March 19, 2026
Scotland / 25 March 2026
25 March 2026
UCU members at Edinburgh University gather for a rally in George Square, Edinburgh, September 8, 2025
Scotland / 25 March 2026
25 March 2026
Scottish Green party co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay during a visit to the Palestine Museum Scotland in Edinburgh, October 17, 2025
Scotland / 24 March 2026
24 March 2026
A general view of a central heating thermostat
Scotland / 24 March 2026
24 March 2026
A member of public smokes a cigarette
Health / 24 March 2026
24 March 2026