Keith Brown: Last News

Thousands of people in Shetland are facing a fourth day without power as engineers battle to restore supplies amid the threat of further snowfall and freezing temperatures. An extra 125 engineers were drafted in to help reconnect more than 2,800 homes which were left without power when heavy snow fell on cables earlier this week.

The Scottish Government has declared a major incident in Shetland as thousands of homes face days without power in freezing temperatures. Residents reported a blackout on Monday afternoon and despite efforts from SSEN engineers, power is expected to be off until Thursday.

Police officers in the UK are being targeted as a part of a recruitment drive by Australian law enforcement, leading to fears of a 'drain' on Police Scotland. Western Australia Police Force has launched a campaign specifically looking for applicants from the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.

The UK Government is "scared" of allowing a second Scottish independence referendum because it knows it will lose, the SNP's depute leader has claimed.

The SNP's depute leader has claimed the Supreme Court ruling on independence will see the Yes movement reach "new heights" - not shut down the debate.

The grieving dad of a teenager who died after taking ecstasy has called for a law targeting killer drug dealers.

The number of inmates in Scottish prisons who have neither been tried or sentenced has reached a record level.

MSPs have called for a nationwide ban on the sale of fireworks, following the shocking scenes in Dundee. SNP Justice Minister Keith Brown faced calls for a Scotland-wide ban in Holyrood today after last night's pyro riot in the Kirkton area of the city, reports the Courier.

The grieving families of two men who died in police custody have delivered a letter to the First Minister's residence to demand a meeting with her and the Justice Secretary.

The Scottish Government has announced that a new veterans support fund is now open to help improve the lives of former service personnel and their families. Applications can be made from now until November 19, 2022.

Liz Truss has been told to “come out of hiding” after remaining silent while the UK's economy tanks beyond belief.Less than one week after her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced a budget which the entire world has seemingly ridiculed and made the markets fall in dramatic fashion, PM Truss has not said a word.The budget-not-budget, announced last Friday, contained tax cuts upon tax cuts, for both the uber rich and those most in need – and it's been reported they were largely unfunded. READ MORE: UK, EU and United States are all 'running out' of weapons to send to Ukraine It also saw the pound drop to a record low against the dollar, too, and almost every UK bank pull its mortgage offers from the market.It has been criticised by virtually everyone, including the International Monetary Fund, the Bank of England and the Labour Party.And she is now being urged to do something about the chaos before it's too late and the economy crashes.Keith Brown, deputy leader of the Scottish National Party, said: “As the pound continues to plummet, Britain’s hopeless Prime Minister seems to have disappeared without trace.“It is astounding that Liz Truss has not made a single public appearance or statement since last Friday."It is time for her to come out of hiding and at least make the pretence of leading the country through this self-inflicted crisis.”And a Conservative MP told Pippa Crerar: “It's extinction level stuff.“This is like 2008, but worse.“We're messing with the very fundamental principle of providing a home for your family.“That's why it's different: it's real stuff.” The only comments Truss has made in recent days have been on the phone to Ukraine's President Volodomyr Zelenskyy about the crisis in Ukraine.

Sexual and violent crime in Scotland has risen over the last five years, according to the latest official statistics released by the Scottish Government.

Senior SNP ministers should give oral evidence to a committee of MSPs investigating the delayed Ferguson Marine ferries, the Lib Dems have demanded.

Bus passengers in Stirling and Clackmannanshire are being urged to have their say on timetable changes serving a pair of local routes.

The Met Office has issued a thunderstorm warning for parts of Scotland today as the country bakes in a sweltering heatwave.

The UK heatwave has cancelled Edinburgh trains to London today, causing travel chaos for Scots commuters. No trains will run beyond York, with train operators issuing stark guidance on the running of services from the capital due to the scorching temperatures.

From tomorrow until Tuesday, many parts of Scotland will be placed under an amber warning for extreme heat. Temperatures - according to Met Office forecasting - are expected to sit just shy of 30C in many parts of the country including the borders and Glasgow.

More than 300 firearms have been removed from the streets during a gun amnesty campaign by Police Scotland.

Victim Support Scotland has seen a dramatic surge in people it helps being at risk of suicide amid a large backlog of cases coming to court.

Miners pardoned for historic convictions linked to strikes should not receive compensation from the Scottish Government, the Justice Secretary has said.

The Lanarkshire family of a man who died in police custody have spoken of their disappointment after a public inquiry into the matter was ruled out.