On:
In: Margaret Hamilton

So, eventually enough Conservative MPs get concerned enough about PM’s behaviour and the effect it will have on their ability to get re-elected. The PM is asked to step down. Eventually he reluctantly says he’ll step aside when new conservative leader is elected. Story gets out that he and Carrie want massive wedding party at Chequers. Presumably because they only had a modest event after the wedding? The people of the country not happy. Within days it’s announced the event will not take place. The process to elect the next conservative party leader, and PM, is announced. There will be debates between the candidates onRead More →

On:
In: Aileen Orr

I have to admit I’ve been partying with a cat, not just any ordinary cat, a cat with a tale.  Now they say animals of the feline kind have nine lives, according to Larry, he’s had more like ninety nine.  After a few whiskas and water, he spilt the milk.  It seems his flat mate was the culprit and not poor old Larry.  He admits he did party, he did do some molly, he did overhear official secrets and said spread ‘em in exchange for a new sofa for his comfort.  He was accused of picking up birds outside the office, but he said he let them all go, tooRead More →

On:
In: Margaret Hamilton

Boris is home from his trip where he tried his best to look like a world leader. To be fair, someone had obviously made an attempt to tidy him up a bit, however it’s a bit like putting me in high heels and feminine dress. It’s just not comfy.  No sooner is he home and the main topic of discussion is what and when did he know about complaints regarding Mr Pincher. Let’s be honest, he was close to the guy, he knew. Had probably witnessed occasions in the past. The massive difference between my world and the PM’s world is expectation. When my sistersRead More →

On:
In: Stephen Bird

“The rules are simple, they lie to us, we know they are lying, they know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, we know they know we know they are lying, but they are still lying.” – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn “A lie told once remains a lie but a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth.” Goebbels “When truth is replaced by silence ,the silence is a lie.”― Yevgeny Yevtushenko There are times when I watch some Unionists dissing Scotland and or nationalism and I wonder if they believe the words coming out of their mouths or if they know we know theyRead More →

On:
In: Michael Hance

In January 2020, I joined thousands of other independence supporters marching through a sodden Glasgow city centre. It was one of many indy marches I’ve been on. Huge gatherings of hopeful people who have come together across Scotland since 2011. In Glasgow that Saturday there was anger and joy. Anger that the UK government remained determined to continue with its plans to remove Scotland from the EU against the democratically expressed wishes of the Scottish people. And joy that once again we showed ourselves to be a diverse, energetic, optimistic group. Thousands of people who could be mobilised rapidly from across the country to showRead More →

On:
In: Aileen Orr

Photo credit: Ian Bell At this time, we Borderers celebrate who we are, what we are and where we have been, be it far far away.  Common Riding are to us what every local celebration in every Scottish community means to them, only this is pash off the stratosphere.   No celebration anywhere is as colourful, emotion filled and our royalty are hand picked from the oor ain faimlies.  This being a honour which is fulfilled with great decorum.  It’s also a great excuse to buy a new hat!   We know how to party but we know how to remember and respect our past.  For thoseRead More →

On:
In: Margaret Hamilton

Well, I survived the long weekend of very little tv and wall to wall monarchy wonderfulness. The BBC and mainstream media did their best to scunner us with wall-to-wall unionism.  The other half checked out the tv schedule for the bank holiday weekend (when did it start Thursday and end Sunday? Just for Lizzie then?) Apparently a lot of the films available to view on tv are all about how wonderful Britain is. I finally broke a week past Monday and commented on a post mentioning Elizabeth the second. I pointed out that she is our first Queen Elizabeth as their first was only of England.Read More →

On:
In: Stephen Bird

Well, that’s the 2022 Local Council Elections over! So maybe now is a good time to talk about Local Government. One of the few things we all know about it is that it’s becoming more and more of a misnomer. The old saying has it that “he who pays the piper calls the tune” and this is very much the case in the Council chambers up and down the country. Between finance being provided increasingly from Holyrood (and with the threats of the muppets in Westminster doing another power grab). Once it enters the Council coffers money is increasingly being “ring fenced” giving less andRead More →

On:
In: Maureen MacGregor

Like everywhere else in the country,  the recent local election results were particularly fortunate for us in Highland Region.  SNP councillors were returned in every ward bar one with the majority being returned on first preference votes and many successes with two candidate wards.  The results were expected in one way as the campaigns had been positive with the candidates putting in a tremendous amount of work but unexpected in the sense that Highland is traditionally seen as Independent and the opposition parties and candidates had in some cases fought personal and hostile campaigns.  As some councils were won outright by the SNP, others beganRead More →

On:
In: Michael Hance

The swifts have returned to my bit of West Lothian. They turn up round about the same time every year. Not on an exact date but in this first couple of weeks in May. They arrive on a south or south-west wind and bring cheer to the heart and confirmation that the long gloomy Scottish winter is finally past.  My spirits were lifted this weekend not only by the arrival of these aerial visitors from the south but by the news that the so called ‘national anthem’ had been booed by Liverpool football fans at the English FA Cup Final.  Fans didn’t just restrict themselves toRead More →