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Morning Star: Holyrood backed Scotland's 'right to decide'. The Independent: Reform walked out of a 'farce'

Two reports on one Holyrood debate lead with two different events. The Morning Star reports that MSPs passed John Swinney's motion and does not mention a walkout. The Independent leads with Reform UK leaving the chamber. It was published before the vote, so it gives no result.

Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’
Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’ as published by Morning Star · seen at Morning Star
Anglosphere United Kingdom

What both reports carry. On 22 September, First Minister John Swinney put a motion to the Scottish Parliament that "Scotland is a nation that has a right to decide its own future". Both reports quote him at length.

Where they part.

Morning Star The Independent
Leads with The vote: Holyrood "voted to back" the motion The walkout: Reform MSPs left the chamber
Result of the vote Passed "Set to be passed" later that day
Opposition quoted Scottish Labour's Michael Marra Reform's Malcolm Offord
Wales and Northern Ireland Motion followed a deal among the three devolved leaders Not mentioned
UK government Not quoted Andy Burnham says a referendum is "off limits"

Labour's objection. Marra told MSPs, according to the Morning Star, that the debate was "about managing the First Minister's party". He moved an addendum on child poverty.

Reform's objection. Offord said constitutional matters are reserved to Westminster, The Independent reports. When the Presiding Officer refused to cancel the debate, he called it "a farce" and led his MSPs out.

What is not settled. - Neither report gives a vote tally. Only the Morning Star says the motion passed. - Only The Independent reports the walkout. The Morning Star calls the debate "rowdy" but neither confirms nor denies it. - Only the Morning Star reports the agreement with Wales and Northern Ireland. We do not hold its terms.

What this is about. The Scottish Parliament has debated whether Scotland has the right to decide whether it stays in the United Kingdom.

How it got here. - The Scottish Parliament, known as Holyrood, opened in 1999 under the Scotland Act 1998. It makes law on devolved matters such as health, education and justice. The constitution, including the Union itself, is reserved to Westminster. - In 2014 Scotland held an independence referendum with the UK government's agreement. The Independent reports that 55% voted to stay in the UK. - The Scottish National Party (SNP) has governed Scotland since 2007 and has kept asking for a second referendum. UK governments have refused. - In November 2022 the UK Supreme Court ruled that Holyrood cannot legislate for a referendum without Westminster's consent. Since then, a referendum has needed London's agreement.

Who is involved. - John Swinney, SNP leader and First Minister, tabled the motion. - The UK government. The Independent reports that Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said another referendum is "off limits". - Scottish Labour, led at Holyrood by Michael Marra, says the SNP has the wrong priorities. - Reform UK, led in Scotland by Malcolm Offord, says Holyrood should not debate the question at all. - Wales and Northern Ireland. They have their own devolved governments. The Morning Star reports that their leaders agreed with Swinney to demand powers to hold constitutional referendums.

What is at stake. A Holyrood motion does not change the law. The power to call a referendum stays with Westminster. What the motion can do is put a formal statement from the Scottish Parliament on the record. If the three devolved governments do act together, the question stops being only Scotland's and becomes one about how power is shared across the UK.

Where it stands. The Morning Star reports that the motion passed on 22 September. We hold no tally and no response from the UK government after the vote.

What is being argued about

  • Whether Holyrood passed Swinney's 'right to decide' motion, and by what margin
  • Reform UK's walkout and its argument that the constitution is reserved to Westminster
  • Scottish Labour's claim that the debate served the SNP, not voters
  • A reported agreement among the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders to seek referendum powers
One debate, two lead eventsSide by side
OutletWhat it led withOpposition voice quotedSays the vote passed?
Morning Star"HOLYROOD voted to back the people of Scotland's 'right to decide'"Scottish Labour: "This debate is about managing the First Minister's party, not leading the country"Yes
The Independent"Reform UK MSPs have staged a walkout from the Holyrood chamber"Reform UK: "This debate is not just a farce, it is an insult to the Scottish electorate"No: "set to be passed at Holyrood later on Tuesday"
Neither report gives a vote tally.
Sources M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
22 September: when each report was publishedTimeline
  1. 2026-09-22— no time published Scottish Parliament Debate on Swinney's motion that Scotland "has a right to decide its own future"
  2. 2026-09-2215:55 BST Morning Star publication time Morning Star Reports that Holyrood voted to back the motion after a "rowdy debate"No walkout mentioned
  3. 2026-09-2217:36 BST The Independent publication time The Independent Reports the Reform walkout; says the motion is "set to be passed" later that dayNo result given
The report published later is the one that gives no result.
Sources M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The bias in this coverageBias

Two reports, two different lead events

One report leads on the vote and does not mention the walkout. The other leads on the walkout and was filed before the vote, so it gives no result. Neither report gives a vote tally.

1 reports that mention the Reform walkout 1 reports that give the vote result 0 reports that give a vote tally

Whose opposition is heard

Each report quotes the first minister at length. One gives the reply to Scottish Labour and the other gives it to Reform. No report quotes both parties.

1 reports quoting Scottish Labour 1 reports quoting Reform 2 reports quoting the first minister
Scored without the mastheads. Where the two passes differ, both are kept.
Sources M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →

Claims and verdicts

unverified Holyrood passed John Swinney's motion that 'Scotland is a nation that has a right to decide its own future'.
Only the Morning Star reports that the vote passed. The Independent, published about two hours later, says only that the motion was 'set to be passed', so it does not confirm the result.
Checked against 2 sources:
M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
unverified Reform UK MSPs walked out of the chamber after failing to get the debate cancelled, and Malcolm Offord called it a 'farce'.
Only The Independent reports the walkout and quotes Offord. The Morning Star describes a 'rowdy debate' but does not mention a walkout, and does not contradict one.
Checked against 2 sources:
The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
unverified The motion followed an agreement between the leaders of the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to demand powers to hold constitutional referendums.
Only the Morning Star carries this background. The Independent does not mention any agreement with Wales or Northern Ireland.
Checked against 2 sources:
M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →

Who wrote it

K Katrine Bussey The Independent
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Figure given only report to give the 2014 result×1
Lead choice headline leads with the Reform walkout, not the vote×1
Lead choice leads on the walkout, with Reform named as the actor×1
Measure chosen gives the 2014 result as a figure×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
3 unverified
From 16 reports we hold under this byline, at The Independent. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
M Matt Kerr Morning Star
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Cause stated flat The report assigns the cause itself, without attributing it to anyone.×1
Context supplied only report to say the motion came from an agreement of three devolved governments×1
Lead choice leads on the vote passing and never mentions the Reform walkout×1
Loaded word Adds an adjective to an attributed forecast figure.×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 misleading6 unverified1 true
From 78 reports we hold under this byline, at Morning Star. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
The bylines on the reports this story is built from. Hover one for what our passes have measured on their reporting.

Coverage, outlet by outlet

The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
The only report of the Reform walkout, with Malcolm Offord calling the debate "a farce". It carries Andy Burnham's position that a referendum is "off limits" and gives the 2014 result as 55% to stay. It was published
News UK UK Politics Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate Malcolm Offord, the leader of Reform UK in Scotland, branded the debate a ‘farce’ Katrine Bussey Tuesday 22 September 2026 17:36 BST Bookmark Comments Go to comments Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover Malcolm Offord tells Kemi Badenoch 'it's not personal' after defecting to Reform Your support helps us to tell the story Read more Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating th
Lead choice: leads on the walkout, with Reform named as the actor — “Reform UK MSPs have staged a walkout from the Holyrood chamber after failing in their bid to have a debate on Scottish independence cancelled.”
Outcome unreported: filed before the vote and gives no result — “This is set to be passed at Holyrood later on Tuesday”
Stated flat: says without attribution that the prime minister retreated — “The Prime Minister however had to pull back from comments he made in the Commons chamber”
Figure given: only report to give the 2014 result — “where 55% of voters backed staying in the UK”
Lead choice: headline leads with the Reform walkout, not the vote — “Reform MSPs stage Holyrood walkout over Scottish independence debate”
Voice quoted: Reform leader's word 'farce' carried in the report's own narration — “Lord Offord labelled the debate a "farce" and led his fellow MSPs in a walkout.”
Measure chosen: gives the 2014 result as a figure — “where 55% of voters backed staying in the UK”
Voice quoted: UK government position carried only in paraphrase plus a two-word quote — “despite Prime Minister Andy Burnham having again made clear another referendum is “off limits””
Read it at The Independent → https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/reform-msps-holyrood-wal…
M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Holyrood backs Scotland’s ‘right to decide’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → —
The only report that says the motion passed, and the only one to link it to an agreement with the leaders of Wales and Northern Ireland. It quotes Scottish Labour's Michael Marra: "None of the reasons that independence
Justice System / 21 September 2026 Specialist rape courts to be rolled out across England and Wales 21 September 2026 Scotland / 21 September 2026 Charles Windsor challenged on council tax 21 September 2026 Workers' Rights / 21 September 2026 Rail union protests against Chiltern Railways’ plans for driver-only services 21 September 2026 Politics / 21 September 2026 Davey insists he will remain Lib Dem leader despite concerns over party's relevance 21 September 2026 Wokers' Rights / 21 September 2026 UCU dismiss bosses' ‘wishful thinking’ on Dundee strike 21 September 2026 Education / 21 Septem
Lead choice: leads on the vote passing and never mentions the Reform walkout — “HOLYROOD voted to back the people of Scotland’s “right to decide” on the country’s constitutional future following a rowdy debate today.”
Voices quoted: quotes the SNP first minister, then Scottish Labour; Reform is not quoted — ““This debate is about managing the First Minister’s party, not leading the country,” he said.”
Context supplied: only report to say the motion came from an agreement of three devolved governments — “following an agreement between leaders of the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland”
Voice quoted: quotes Labour's objection at length and does not mention the walkout — “Moving his addendum focusing on child poverty, Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra argued that the SNP had a “different priority.””
Read it at Morning Star → https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/holyrood-backs-scotland-right-d…
Checked, didn’t cover
T The Irish Times
Centre estimate · not a score
The Irish Times 🇮🇪IE · digital · No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Actor framing The release is framed as a joint agreement, with no pressure mentioned ×1Actor named Names the residents as the ones who blocked the road ×1Actor named killers named as 'loyalist gunmen'; verb 'shot dead' ×1With no actor named construction no actor named for the theft or the driving in the standfirst ×1 from 1358 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RNZ
Centre estimate · not a score
RNZ 🇳🇿NZ · digital · PUBLIC No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Headline against body headline claims a 20-year decline reversed; the first line of the body reports a new low in reading ×1Headline against body headline claims a turnaround; the text carries a record low and puts it on boys ×1 from 2328 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → ABC News (Australia)
Centre estimate · not a score
ABC News (Australia) 🇦🇺AU · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Actor label and hedge The same man is called 'far-right' and named by his legal name. The act is hedged with 'allegedly', where the longer report states it flat. ×1A different count, stated flat one dead and 140 missing, unattributed, earliest of the four ×1Affected counted The only report to count the local people affected ×1Are the dead named one of the dead named, through a relative at the hospital ×1 from 4667 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → C CBC News
Centre-left estimate · not a score
CBC News 🇨🇦CA · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Asserted vs attributed the measure is attributed to the three governments; the territory is called occupied in the outlet's own voice ×1Attribution kept in the headline the sourcing travels with the claim into the headline ×1Figure rounded in the headline more than 600 in the headline; the body sources it to a flight-tracking site ×1How the sourcing is hedged the claim is hedged to an unnamed newspaper in both headline and body; the reporting is not held by this report ×1 from 2730 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
Silence is recorded, not inferred — each of these was read when we built this story and carried nothing on this event.
We could not read these
BBC News
Centre estimate · not a score
BBC News 🇬🇧UK · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Dating and attribution 'It was not until Tuesday' is a judgement about delay, not a date. No other report we hold comments on how long the German finding took. ×1How hard the claim is stated Headline says the UN voted to adopt and replace; the last sentence of the report says the vote is non-binding ×1How hard the claim is stated The qualification arrives in the last sentence and is immediately overridden by an effect the report gives no source for. ×1Which figure is used States the replacement as done — the Assembly voted to replace the map — where the resolution urges states to use a different projection. ×1 from 473 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Daily Telegraph
Right estimate · not a score
The Daily Telegraph 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Nothing scored yet. We do not carry a rating for any outlet — only what we have measured from published text. Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Times
Centre-right estimate · not a score
The Times 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Nothing scored yet. We do not carry a rating for any outlet — only what we have measured from published text. Outlet profile in The AI Times →
These are must-cite outlets for this desk that we did not manage to read when we built this story. That is a gap in our reach, not a silence on their part, and it is not evidence of anything about this story.

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