Shona Craven

Columnist & Community Editor

Shona edits the National Conversation section of the paper and also writes a Tuesday column, which usually takes a sideways look at the week's developments in Scottish, UK and international politics.

Shona edits the National Conversation section of the paper and also writes a Tuesday column, which usually takes a sideways look at the week's developments in Scottish, UK and international politics.

Latest articles from Shona Craven

Kate Forbes has set out her vision for Scotland’s economic policy

Comment Shona Craven: Honesty is the best policy when debating taxation

IT’S quite the in-tray for new SNP leader John Swinney: unite the party, regain support from other MSPs, and make the case for independence to those who are not yet convinced. All while, in his words, working towards building a stronger, fairer Scotland ...

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Scottish Green Party co-leaders Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie pictured ahead of the Scottish Green Party conference

COMMENT Shona Craven: A policy labelled 'progressive' should not be above scrutiny

"ALL wars that are progressive are just, and all wars that impede progress are unjust.” No, not the latest self-righteous tweet from Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer, but the words of famous progressive Mao Zedong ...

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Keira Bell transitioned as a teenager but later said she regretted the decision

COMMENT Shona Craven: A shift in attitude towards child gender transition is welcome

‘THIS is as insulting and ignorant an article as I have ever regretfully read. I am ashamed of The National for publishing this crap.”

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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer

COMMENT Shona Craven: The UK can’t afford to shatter dreams of parenthood

NEW data has revealed the brutal impact on 100,000 single-parent families of the Tories’ “two-child cap” – a policy that has been loudly condemned since its introduction in 2017...

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Rishi Sunak risks looking ‘soft on crime’ if he waters down Suella Braverman’s policies

COMMENT Shona Craven: Homelessness plan leaves Rishi Sunak stuck between rock and hard place

FINALLY, an issue that is uniting Tories on the left and the right...

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Angela Raynor is guilty of leading women to believe their pension has been

COMMENT Shona Craven: Claims of women's pension 'theft' were always misleading

‘WHEN I started work at 16 I expected my pension when I was 60,” Tricia Marwick wrote on Twitter/X at the weekend.

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Five episodes of GB News shows presented by Tory MPs have been found by Ofcom to have breached broadcasting rules

comment Shona Craven: GB News will use Ofcom ruling to boost its coffers

“A CHILLING development for all broadcasters, for freedom of speech, and for everyone in the United Kingdom” was the typically measured response of GB News to being rapped on the knuckles by Ofcom yesterday.

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A stock image of a woman checking a pregnancy test

COMMENT Abortion access could be under threat south of the Border. Here's how

AT first glance, it appears that access to abortion in England and Wales could be increased by the UK Parliament this month, or on the other hand it could be curtailed ...

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Chloe Oswald's Chocolatia chocolates are 'designed to be absolutely devoured' ... but lovely to look at too

Letters Made in Scotland by women: from gin and chocolate to mugs and frogs
FROM drawing to distilling, ceramics to crochet, talented women the length and breadth of Scotland are making gorgeous, delicious and inspiring products .

Donald Trump speaks at a Republican rally

COMMENT Shona Craven: Splitting the real from the fake in politics is harder than ever

IT’S easy to start feeling detached from reality when listening to politicians speak. Not just when they give slippery answers to straightforward questions, but also when they loftily claim to speak on behalf of the nation, presuming to tell us what we’re concerned about and how they have the answers.

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