Strange things happening today; I customarily look at Wings Over Scotland and newsnetscotland more or less every day, but have been having a few problems, no doubt due to Windows 10, Word and general auld man’s incompetence.  However today when I clicked on newsnetscotland I got a big notice  “403 –  Access to this site is forbidden.”  So I have been unable to read the thoughts of Derek Bateman;  I tried going through his website but fell at the first twitter!  Might come all right.  Wings was OK.   I returned last week from a fortnight in Lanzarote, very nice.  My eldest son and hisRead More →

So, we have had yet another week of the Tory Westminster Government treating us like a bit of smelly pooh on the end of their foot. The behaviour of the English MPs towards the Scottish MPs has been diabolical. The Deputy Speaker certainly wore his heart on his sleeve in his treatment of Joanne Cherry last week during the Brexit debate. The Tory MPs were criticising John Berkow for his non impartiality over the Trump statement. Someone should pull Lindsay Hoyle up for his open hostility to elected members of his own house. So, as I write this on a sunny St Valentine’s day, whereRead More →

Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work was in Invergordon last week where he was one of the signatories of the £315m Inverness City Region Deal along with Lord Dunlop from the Scottish Office and Margaret Davidson, Leader of the Highland Council which is run by the minority administration of the nonsensically named “Independent Group”.  Lauded as investment to significantly enhance and improve the lives of all Highland residents when the proposal was first mooted hence its original name, the City and Region Deal, in a time of financial restraint, many Highland causes and groups welcomed potential investment into theirRead More →

You could be forgiven for thinking the Scottish Budget negotiations have gone awry. The first attempt to gain parliamentary approval failed to gain a majority. A second attempt has now been held but when the media invite went out for assembled hacks and snappers, it was to be during a visit by the Finance Cabinet Secretary, Derek Mackay, to Howdenhall Police Station. Was this a last minute public appearance before Derek entered the station to ‘assist police with their enquiries’? The mind boggled. A difficult week in a difficult time. A Scottish Budget that is at the mercy of smaller parties determined to secure concessionsRead More →