Prof Sir John Curtice said the result forecast in a YouGov poll would make it “more difficult” for Keir Starmer to resist Swinney’s indy drive.

Britain’s top pollster has said a shock poll showing the SNP on course for a historic majority would give John Swinney a mandate to demand IndyRef2.

Prof Sir John Curtice, of Strathclyde University, said it would make it “more difficult” for Keir Starmer to resist Swinney’s independence push although cautioned many Scots still need to be persuaded.

Coming ahead of the first TV leaders debate tonight, YouGov’s MRP poll of the election campaign shows John Swinney’s party could take 67 of 129 seats. Only once before have the Nats achieved a majority, in 2011 which led to the 2014 independence referendum.

If the poll results were replicated on May 7, Prof Curtice said: “The SNP would say precedent suggests they have a mandate.

“We can probably anticipate the UK Government will say no. Swinney says he’s got something up his sleeve, but we don’t know what it is.

“It would certainly present them with an opportunity to say, in response to the usual cry from the unionist side this was a once in a generation event, the people of Scotland have now clearly indicated they do want another referendum.”

He added polls suggesting Plaid Cymru will win the Welsh election would mean “nationalist first ministers in all three devolved jurisdictions” – with Sinn Fein in charge at Stormont – creating a huge headache for Westminster.

YouGov’s poll also shows Labour and the Tories staring down the barrel of historic losses, with Reform set to win second place with 20 seats.

Labour would win 15 seats in its worst ever Holyrood performance, while the Greens would make gains to win 11, followed by the Lib Dems on nine, while the Tories reduced from 31 to a rump of seven MSPs.

Tonight, Swinney, Labour’s Anas Sarwar, the Tories’ Russell Findlay, Reform’s Malcolm Offord. Greens co-leader Ross Greer and Alex Cole-Hamilton of the Lib Dems face off in a 90-minute BBC leaders debate in Paisley, the first televised setpiece of the campaign.

Labour leader Sarwar, who yesterday was out campaigning with deputy chief Jackie Baillie in Balloch, called on Swinney to use the debate to “apologise to every patient” stuck on NHS waiting lists.

YouGov’s poll found Baillie is at risk of losing her Dumbarton seat to the SNP which the Labour veteran has held since 1999.

Speaking to our sister title The Sunday Mirror, Sarwar said: “I accept that we go into the election as underdogs, but this is an election I believe that Labour can win.”

Despite the positive poll for the SNP, one constituency which is at risk, according to YouGov, is Culture Secretary Angus Robertson’s Edinburgh Central seat, where Lorna Slater of the Scottish Greens could defeat him by “wafer-thin” margin.

Robertson, who is also the SNP campaign director, said: “We are on the verge of a historic majority that would unlock the fresh start of independence.”

Reform chief Offord said: “The Tories and Labour are finished in Scotland. It is clear that the only way to keep the SNP out is by voting Reform.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

“Fans just let him be himself, he was speaking and dancing with everyone.”

Scotland has more pubs than you could ever hope to visit, and while all have their own charm there are a few that are a cut above the rest. For the Daily Record’s latest Pub of the Week, we are journeying to a Dundee bar that recently caught the attention of none other than global superstar Justin Bieber.

Abandon Ship is a vibrant bar situated on Whitehall Crescent that has earned a loyal following thanks to its off-the-wall decor and energetic ambience. Together with its friendly staff and the wide selection of cocktails available, it is a popular destination amongst Dundee’s students.

While students are a common sight at bars, it is not every day you spot an A-list celebrity at a Scottish pub. However, that is exactly what happened when Justin Bieber was seen partying with locals at Abandon Ship in 2025—and even bought everyone drinks.

As reported by the Daily Record, Bieber shocked punters at the bar last October when he used Abandon Ship as a filming location for an impromptu music video. The global superstar filmed the visuals for his song ‘BAD HONEY’ at the venue, with the video receiving more than 12 million views since it was released on October 7.

Those enjoying a drink at the colourful bar couldn’t believe their eyes as the ‘What Do You Mean?’ hitmaker chatted, danced with, and got to know fans during the one-of-a-kind shoot. However, only around 15 lucky fans actually made it inside the exclusive bash.

Speaking to What’s The Jam, local administrator Chelsey McQuillan said: “He was so kind and genuine, asking about our lives. Fans just let him be himself, he was speaking and dancing with everyone. He was genuinely so kind, he bought everyone drinks. I think he enjoyed himself.

“The bar did not advertise, it was a surprise to them as well. My friend had seen him about half an hour earlier and I was out so I decided to go along, it was a very small party of around 15 people and they weren’t just letting people in.

“I saw the door open and I made a run for it and his security let me in, then they shut the door behind me so I was just lucky.”

While it is always a novelty to spot a celebrity in a Scottish venue, it is far more important that locals enjoy spending time there. Fortunately, that is certainly the case with Abandon Ship as the bar currently has an impressive rating of 4.6 out of five on Google based on 259 reviews.

One punter shared: “Blink and you’ll miss it but it’s a cracking wee place for a beer. Brilliant decor and would be a great atmosphere when busy. Music was decent too. More places should be like this!”

A second agreed: “Amazing cocktails, such a good vibe, the best music, what more could you want. Highly recommend for drinks in Dundee.”

More information can be found on the Abandon Ship Facebook page. Meanwhile, see below for the Daily Record’s previous Pubs of the Week:

The 53-year-old was sacked by the BBC shortly before it emerged the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into him in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.

Mills was due to perform a DJ set at the Ibiza Symphonica summer concert at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate on August 15.

An Ibiza Symphonica statement read: “We have carefully considered the serious nature of matters in the public domain concerning Scott Mills and have decided to move forward without Scott as part of our line-up.

“We feel this is the most appropriate way to maintain the focus on the spirit of Ibiza Symphonica which is an event rooted in enjoyment, celebration and positivity.

“We cannot wait to welcome audiences to what promises to be a joyful and memorable evening on August 15th.

“Further line-up announcements will be made in due course.”

It comes after Channel 4 announced it would not show the final episode of The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand Up To Cancer, which features the DJ as a celebrity contestant, because of allegations against Mills – saying the show would be replaced by an alternative episode.

Recommended reading:

Following his sacking, Mills stepped back from his role as an ambassador for MS Society UK on Tuesday (April 7), while children’s cancer charity Neuroblastoma UK has decided to “part ways” with Mills, who had been a patron since 2021.

He has also been dropped as the host of the BBC’s new Race Across The World spin-off podcast.

Since Mills’ sacking, the BBC has admitted it knew about a police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence in 2017, but said it “acted decisively” after receiving “new information” in the weeks before his sacking.

On Wednesday last week, Mills released a statement through his lawyers saying he had been the subject of “rumour and speculation” since he was fired, and that he “co-operated fully” with the police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence.

From world-class theatre to community showcases and live music, there’s plenty happening across the town.

Here are five of the best events to check out this week.

See a Classic Reimagined: Waiting for Godot

Waiting for Godot (Image: Octagon Theatre)

Samuel Beckett’s iconic play arrives at the Octagon Theatre in a major new co-production running from Wednesday, April 15 to Saturday, May 2.

Starring Matthew Kelly and George Costigan, this fresh staging places audiences in the round, immersing them in Beckett’s stark and darkly humorous world.

Tickets start from £15, making this a great opportunity to catch a landmark piece of theatre close to home.

Support Local Performers at the Albert Halls

Dawsons Academy of Dance & Stage celebrates 35 years with Tonight’s The Night on Wednesday, April 15.

The show promises an energetic mix of dance, singing, and musical theatre, showcasing the talents of local young performers.

It’s a feel-good community event where, as the organisers say, “every pupil feels like a star for a night.”

Experience the Energy of K-Pop Live

K-Pop fans won’t want to miss K-Pop Party at the Albert Halls on Thursday, April 16.

Described as the UK’s first touring K-Pop concert experience, the show features hits from global superstars including BTS, BLACKPINK and TWICE, alongside music inspired by Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters.

With immersive staging and high-energy performances, it’s designed for both dedicated fans and newcomers alike.

Enjoy a Stadium-Style Tribute to Coldplay

Rounding off the week, Coldplace, widely regarded as the world’s leading Coldplay tribute act, perform at the Albert Halls on Sunday, April 19.

The show features all the biggest hits, from Yellow and Fix You to Viva La Vida and A Sky Full of Stars, complete with LED wristbands for a full stadium-style experience.

It’s the only Greater Manchester date on their April tour, making Bolton a key stop for fans.

Explore Local Talent at Bolton Museum’s Open Art Exhibition

Bolton Museum is celebrating the very best of local creativity with its 2026 Open Art Exhibition, running until Sunday, May 17.

Featuring more than 240 works from artists who live, work or study in the borough, the exhibition spans painting, photography, textiles, sculpture and digital art. Visitors can also vote for the Visitors’ Choice Award.

With free entry, it’s one of the most accessible cultural events in Bolton this spring.

The protests – which involved blockades of streets in the capital, Ireland’s only oil refinery, and key depots – strangled fuel distribution across the country and prompted an escalated policing response that resulted in several arrests and public order gardai deployed in Cork, Galway and Dublin.

Away from film sets, Duhamel, who is based primarily in Minnesota, gravitates towards a simpler life away from Hollywood, spending time outdoors with his wife Audra Mari, 32, and growing family. He reflects: “Running around, exploring the woods, jet skiing, tubing… it’s just, it’s such a great way for them to just see… a simpler life.”

Two fire crews were called to the scene in Pottery Lane, off Dodsworth Avenue, shortly after 11.15pm on Saturday (April 11).

Firefighters extinguished the shed that had been on fire in the rear garden and dampened down the area, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

A service spokesperson said: “York and Acomb’s crews attended an incident at a residential property involving a shed fire in the rear garden.

“Crews used two hose reel jets, two breathing apparatus, one thermal imaging camera and lighting to extinguish and dampen down [the area].”

US Vice President JD Vance has said that no agreement has been reached with Iran after 21 hours of negotiations in Islamabad, citing their nuclear ambitions as a key blocker for peace

JD Vance has announced that no deal has been reached with Iran following 21 hours of negotiations, pointing to the country’s nuclear ambitions as a major stumbling block.

Talks between the US and Iran were held in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, over the weekend, with the vice president heading up the American delegation.

“The bad news is we have not reached an agreement,” Vance told reporters.

Sources indicate there were numerous “disagreements” between the Iranian and American delegations throughout the discussions, with Iranian media citing “excessive demands” and “overreach” from Washington.

Reports emerging from within the peace talks suggest the status of the strait remains a significant bone of contention, though Vance indicated the crux of the matter centred on a nuclear enrichment agreement.

Vance stated that the principal sticking point was that the US hasn’t seen a “fundamental commitment of will for the Iranians not to develop a nuclear weapon”.

He went on to say: “That is the core goal of the President of the United States, and that’s what we’ve tried to achieve through these negotiations.”

Speaking to journalists outside the White House on Saturday, Donald Trump claimed military victory over Iran and played down the significance of the ongoing ceasefire talks, insisting “regardless of what happens, we win”.

“Let’s see what happens – maybe they make a deal, maybe they don’t,” the president said. “It doesn’t matter. From the standpoint of America, we win.”

Vance confirmed he would be returning to the US following the conclusion of the talks. He continued: “We go back to the United States having not come to an agreement.

“We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on.

“And we’ve made clear as we possibly could. And they have chosen not to accept our terms.”

Following Tuesday’s fragile ceasefire agreement, Iran and the US were attempting to broker a lasting resolution to the conflict.

The two nations face substantial hurdles as they remain deeply divided on crucial matters.

Townend has now won the Gold Cup and National in the same season for a second time and had the choice of eight horses from the Mullins yard to ride.

“When they jumped off I got into a nice rhythm again, I still didn’t think he travelled with the enthusiasm of the first year, but I just thought the cheekpieces helped me in the middle part of the race,” he explained.

“I saw the horse in front [Jordans], I wasn’t going to be the one to go chasing them. I was able to get a lead to the Elbow and I didn’t know where the loose horse was going. He [I Am Maximus] is a really, really good horse, that’s why [I always believed in him]. Obviously, Grangeclare West’s preparation was really good in the Bobbyjo, but this lad wasn’t telling me not to ride him.”

In all, 16 horses finished the race. Robbie Dunne was taken to hospital after a heavy fall from Stellar Story, while three horses – Mr Vango, Top Of The Bill and Quai De Bourbon – were all taken back to the racecourse stables for further veterinary assessment after falls.

The winner will, doubtless, be paraded outside Mullins’s local, The Lord Bagenal, at some stage but do not expect it to last as long as the race.

Explaining the winner’s character, Mullins said: “Normally the horses come to the car park, we have an ice-cream van for the kids and people want their photographs taken with the horses.

“Galopin Des Champs was there for an hour and a half, Lossiemouth for two hours, but I Am Maximus… he ate about three babies and kicked about four pensioners. We had to load him and take him home after five minutes. That’s I Am Maximus, he’ll eat you without salt. He is a character – don’t stand in his way.”

PC Mark Roberts was jailed for speeding through a red light while responding to a 999 call where he smashed into an elderly couple and killed a 74-year-old woman

A police officer who raced through the streets in response to a call about a choking baby has been jailed after his car crashed into a motorbike and killed a woman.

PC Mark Roberts of Northumbria Police was responding to the grade-one emergency call when his marked car smashed into an elderly couple, Ronald and Muriel Pinkney, as they rode their motorbike in Gateshead, north East, on July 8, 2022.

A court heard how Roberts, from Darlington, was driving at 43mph on the 30mph stretch of road near the MetroCentre. As he approached the lights, he was driving around 25mph when his car crashed into the couple, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

Mrs Pinkney, 74, tragically suffered fatal injuries to her head and neck in the horror smash which occurred on a 30mph stretch of road near the MetroCentre. Mr Pinkney also sustained injuries, including a bleed on the brain and several fractures.

The cop has since been prosecuted and convicted of of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving, Birmingham Live reports, despite a plea from the couple’s daughter not to send him to prison.

Roberts was arrested after the collision and answered ‘no comment’ to questions during his police interview but provided a prepared statement.

In it, he said the ambulance service had requested assistance about a choking five-week-old baby, which indicated paramedics did not believe they could get to the patient before police.

Roberts said he took his marked vehicle from Whickham police station, activated his blue lights and sirens, changing the tone of the alert at times, as he made his way through traffic and red lights.

Moments before the collision, the officer saw a white van make an emergency stop. He said: “I couldn’t see anything else before travelling towards the junction. The next thing I recall is there was a bang and both airbags deployed and I hit the windscreen, which knocked me out for a few seconds.”

He he then saw two people on the ground with crash helmets on. Roberts blacked out again and was treated in an ambulance and then taken to hospital. He said: “I believe this was a tragic accident.”

Jurors were told Northumbria Police’s roadcraft guidance stated that risk taking, even in a ‘noble cause’, was not justified. In mitigation, the court heard Roberts was ‘heartbroken’ by the ordeal.

The court was told he had led a ‘remarkable life of public service’, joining the police after an Army career which saw him serve in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

He was jailed for two years and three months at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday (April 7).

Passing sentence, Judge Francis Laird KC, said: “In my judgement only a custodial sentence can be justified for these offences.”

The judge told Roberts that he was entitled to use exemptions from the speed limit and the ban on driving through red lights but that ‘these exemptions must be exercised cautiously and appropriately’.

“Your speed as you approached the junction was too high,” the judge said. “You observed the junction was clear and you simply chose to drive through without stopping or at least reducing your speed to a point where you could stop should another motorist enter the junction.”

He went on to say: “The evidence suggests Ronald and Muriel Pinkney were visible to you when you approached the junction, however you were so focused on getting to your destination you failed to notice them.”

Roberts was also banned from driving for five years and one month.

The couple’s daughter, Dawn Hunter-Pinkney, said in a statement that the family ‘don’t blame the officer for what happened’.

She said: “For a long time we were angry but the more we hear about why the officer was driving the way he was, the more we understand.” She went on to say: “We don’t want him to go to prison for doing his job.

“We do accept this is a very tragic accident with a very tragic outcome, but sending the officer to prison won’t bring mam back.”

Ms Hunter-Pinkney said her parents had been inseparable and her dad had been ‘devastated’ by his wife’s death, going from doing everything with her to ‘doing almost nothing’.

She said: “My dad used to be very active and fit, now he rarely leaves the house.”

Roberts has been suspended by the force. Andy Hill, assistant chief constable of Northumbria Police, said: “I reiterate my previous comments in recognising that no words will make the pain of Mr Pinkney, his family and anyone impacted by this tragic incident, any easier.

“On behalf of Northumbria Police, I wish to express my sincere condolences for your loss and our thoughts very much continue to be with you at this time.” He added: “Each and every day we respond to emergencies and thankfully tragedies of this nature are extremely rare.

“Officers are highly trained and supported to help ensure they keep both themselves and the public safe. Regrettably, on this occasion the standard of driving fell short of what it is expected which has led to the most devastating of outcomes.”