/qresearch/ -  Q Research

Dough

https://fullchan.net/?9116ff5c286aaed1#BLLGKoFs8Q3tJE65w5wGRPNRRCb2C1xdEUM1YqsjkA55

>>20038163

TY BAKER!

new bread link #9 added to General.

o7

>>20042226

Thanks to BV Triple_A

Archived Scotland posts

https://8kun.top/qnotables/res/39180.html

(adding to dough, will get a BV edit to add to top of this bread as well)

>>20038163

Updated Dough

https://fullchan.net/?99b3e8668b0075f6#H6zML3KyVkZ3WESruLepBMP51motfXxjASiLkonvKW4m

Now includes link to archived Scotland posts

>>20038155

>Archived Scotland posts

>

>https://8kun.top/qnotables/res/39180.html

Thanks, I wasn't aware of this page.

>>20038155

>https://8kun.top/qresearch/archive/index.html

>

I'd tried here before but looked like it was only for "General" and until now thought that none of the old Scottish boards are there. I stand corrected, I've been working my way back from 2023 and so far have found back to no'5 …. will try and find the others when I have more time and focus.

>>20042358

>Thanks to BV Triple_A

>

>Archived Scotland posts

>

>https://8kun.top/qnotables/res/39180.html

>

>(adding to dough, will get a BV edit to add to top of this bread as well)

Thanks again, to you and all the BV's. So much corruption, hard to keep up. ;)

>>20038158

>>>20038120 Historic Abuse Bun Part Two

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/five-men-charged-historic-sex-31661803

Five men charged with historic sex abuse at Edinburgh Academy which spanned 24 years

Edinburgh Academy has been the subject of hearings at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry this year and now five men, aged between 69 and 90, have been charged with serious offences

Mark Connor

13 DEC 2023

Five men have been arrested in connection with historic abuse at one of Scotland’s most prestigious private schools. Aged between 69 and 90, the men have been charged over alleged incidents at Edinburgh Academy spanning 24 years.

A sixth man, aged 74, will also be reported to the Procurator Fiscal. The abuse incidents are alleged to have taken place at what is one of Scotland’s top fee-paying schools between 1968 and 1992.

Edinburgh Academy has been the subject of hearings at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry this year. Former pupils who suffered sexual and physical abuse shared their experiences in person and in witness statements.

Broadcaster Nicky Campbell was one of those who has spoken out about the abuse he suffered. He has formed the Edinburgh Academy Survivors group last year with 39 former pupils.

The Edinburgh Academy hearings follow similar inquiries into other leading Scottish schools including Fettes College and Loretto. Campbell previously alleged he was abused while at the school by former maths teacher and rugby coach Iain Wares, who also taught at Fettes College and now lives in South Africa.

Wares, 84, faces more than 80 charges of historic abuse relating to more than 40 victims aged as young as nine. He also faces separate charges of sexual misconduct in Cape Town.

A South African court approved a UK extradition request in 2020 but the process has been delayed by an appeal against the decision.

Detective inspector Colin Moffat said: “We would like to thank everyone who has come forward and assisted our enquiries to date. While the investigation of child abuse, particularly non-recent offences, can be complex and challenging, anyone who reports this type of crime can be assured that we will listen and we will investigate all reports, no matter when those offences occurred or who committed them.

“If you have suffered abuse, or you know anyone who may have been the victim of child abuse then please call Police Scotland on 101.”

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-government-puts-justice-system-3166721

SNP government puts justice system at risk through changes which 'have little evidence'

The Scottish Government want to make a string of reforms to the criminal justice sector, including axing the not proven verdict but this has been blasted by leading defence lawyers.

David Walker

13 DEC 2023

The Scottish Government's proposed criminal justice changes were torn apart by leading defence lawyers who accused the SNP of failing to undertake proper research before trying to make wholesale reforms in the sector. Holyrood heard from those in the industry who will be severely affected by the plans.

A number of differences have been put forward by the SNP Executive which would change the legal system in Scotland. This includes the axing of the Not Proven verdict, and reducing the number of jury members from 15 to 12.

Scotland's criminal justice sector is one of the most unique in the world, but the tweaks would put it more in line with England. And it has led to a huge outcry from the legal profession who claimed that it could impact on the fairness of trials, and the "innocent until proven guilty" aspect of law.

Stuart Murray, who is the President of the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, claimed that the current eight out of 15 was not suitable either as the system "should be stronger than that." He added: "There should be more built in protections.

"It has to be unanimous in most states in America, it's unconstitutional to have anything less than unanimity. I would suggest that the figures required for a verdict in Scotland should be raised from eight to perhaps 10.

"The problem is that the research isn't in place to come to any of your conclusions. And I think that the Scottish Government have made a number of proposals to make landscape changes in the criminal justice system with a lack of research, and that has to change."

He was asked what research he wanted, and he was even more critical as he said "well some research. Quite frankly, there's been very little in Scottish Government research. Looking at the jury system, and the pilot scheme for removing juries in rape and attempted rape cases in the High Court, the research which has been carried out is almost non-existent."

Another controversial aspect of the criminal justice reforms is a pilot for running rape trials with only a judge, with campaigners claiming that some juries believe rape myths. The government also wants to improve the conviction rate for the crime.

Ronnie Renucci KC, who is the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, described the evidence, which consists of mock jury results, as not viable as it did not showcase what actually happens in rape trials. He said: "Our criticism is that we should not be changing our whole legal system based on mock research.

"Research with mock jurors which really didn't mirror in any way what actually happens in the court. My understanding is that the mock trial lasted an hour. I have conducted between 200 and 300 rape diets in my career, I've never had one lasting only a day.

"So therefore, to say that this is good research, and we are asking you to change our criminal justice system on that basis, I think we should really hesitate before making major decisions based on that type of information."

Mr Murray added that the amount of wholesale changes being made at one time means that key tenets of the justice system "unadulterated access to justice and the rights of the accused of being innocent until proven guilty" was at "substantial risk.

>>20038158

>>>19890640 Updated John Halley Advocate Bun

>>20038158

>>>20038116 Updated Historic Abuse Bun Part One

>

>>>20038120 Historic Abuse Bun Part Two

A couple of good book reviews for John Halley in the U.S

Image 1

https://www.laweekly.com/a-heros-stand-for-justice-a-critical-review-of-a-judicial-monstering-by-john-halley/

A Hero’s Stand for Justice: A Critical Review of “A Judicial Monstering” by John Halley

Image 2,3 and 4

https://nyweekly.com/book/unmasking-legal-shadows-john-halleys-a-judicial-monstering-unleashes-a-heroic-tale-of-the-fight-against-corruption/

Unmasking Legal Shadows: John Halley’s “A Judicial Monstering” Unleashes a Heroic Tale of the Fight Against Corruption

pdf 4

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374152623_SCAI_Summary_-_Child_Trafficking_Through_Prostitution-FINAL

SCAI Summary - Child Trafficking Through Prostitution-FINAL

September 2023

In book: A Judicial Monstering: Child Sex Abuse Cover Up And Corruption In Scotland (pp.Pages 161-195)Publisher: Amazon

Authors:

John Halley

Faculty of Advocates, Scotland; Judiciary of Scotland

The rule of law is fundamental in a democratic society. What happens when the rule of law becomes the rule of lawyers? Read my account of the Kafkaesque manipulation of the law and the truth in order to cover up the urgent need to investigate longstanding concerns about organised child sexual abuse in Scotland.

Chapter 17 of John Halley's book. (IN FULL)

"THE NOTE"

The 17,500 word note sent to Lady Ann Smith the chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI).

>>20076245

>"THE NOTE"

>

>The 17,500 word note sent to Lady Ann Smith the chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI).

>pdf 4

>

>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374152623_SCAI_Summary_-_Child_Trafficking_Through_Prostitution-FINAL

>>20038158

>>>19890640 Updated John Halley Advocate Bun

>>20038158

>>>20038116 Updated Historic Abuse Bun Part One

>

>>>20038120 Historic Abuse Bun Part Two

>>20089527

A Judicial Monstering: Child Sex Abuse Cover Up and

Corruption in Scotland

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CH2FQ669?

ref_=cm_sw_r_tw_ud_dp_NYBHP0FX7HF6HSJTE7FD

Chapter 8: Cancer Diagnosis and Disability Discrimination

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373737967_A_Judicial_Monstering_Child_Sex_Abuse_Cover_Up_and_Corruption_in_Scotland

>>20089650

Here's the introduction to the book. Probably good to read the intro and progressing toTHE NOTEbefore reading Chapter 8.

>>20038158

>>>20038122 Updated Covid Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scottish-covid-inquiry-should-stopped-31683999

Scottish Covid Inquiry should be stopped until Nicola Sturgeon's WhatsApps mystery is solved, demands bereaved son

Exclusive: William Jolly gave evidence to the UK Covid Inquiry last week and has insisted that the Scottish one has been 'compromised' by the alleged deletion of WhatsApps by Scottish Government figures.

David Walker

16 DEC 2023

Demands have been made for the Scottish Covid Inquiry to be paused completely because it has been "compromised" by the Scottish Government's WhatsApp scandal. William Jolly, who was a member of the Scottish Covid Bereaved group, believes that the mystery surrounding the deletion of correspondence by the likes of Nicola Sturgeon needs to be solved first.

The former First Minister has refused to confirm or deny whether she wiped her phone of crucial messages related to her decision-making during the pandemic. A number of other prominent figures, including clinical director Jason Leitch, have also been accused of doing similar.

This row broke out back in October with Humza Yousaf being forced to apologise for his failure to hand over key documents which the UK Covid Inquiry asked for. This includes tens of thousands of WhatsApps from government officials and cabinet secretaries.

It has still not been resolved, with SNP ministers not scheduled to give evidence to the Scottish Covid Inquiry until well in 2024. But Mr Jolly believes that the furore is overshadowing the probe, and that it should be shelved until Ms Sturgeon tells the truth about her correspondence.

He lost his dad during the pandemic, and gave evidence at the UK Covid Inquiry last Friday. He hit out at the care home's treatment of his father as he claimed the boss lied about being by his side when he died.

Mr Jolly was a member of the Scottish Covid Bereaved group but is now longer part of it following a political disagreement. He told the Scottish Daily Express: "I don't understand how we can have a Scottish Covid Inquiry, an open forum where the party that are being investigated are openly accused of, and not denying, not keeping appropriate records, deleting records, deleting WhatsApps.

"The thematic approach of the Inquiry is all wrong, its the wrong way round, all those who have been found to have deleted correspondence, WhatsApps, emails should be questioned right now, and the inquiry should have them questioned to find out the truth and whether they have compromised the inquiry.

"We cannot have an inquiry where this is happening, it's been fatally flawed by the reporting that people like Nicola Sturgeon and others have deleted messages.

"The Scottish Inquiry has been seriously compromised and should be stopped until those responsible in the SNP for allegedly deleting vital evidence are investigated. These people should be called to explain to the public and the bereaved why they have not kept record, why they've deleted, why they have altered them, because if they don't do that soon, it's too late and it makes the inquiry false."

Ms Sturgeon has insisted that she has "nothing to hide" from the inquiry but refused to confirm or deny she had deleted WhatsApps when asked by journalists. She said: "I have nothing to hide - I am committed to full transparency to this inquiry and to the Scottish inquiry when it takes place, and I'm committed to that in the interests of everybody across this country who was affected by COVID.

"I gave my all to the management of the pandemic. Transparency for the families affected, by everybody affected by the pandemic, matters really a lot to me."

The Scottish Covid Inquiry was approached for comment.

Just a reminder

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-burner-phones-luxury-pens-29785443

SNP 'burner' phones, luxury pens and even a fridge being probed by cops as crisis deepens

I think we know where the WhatsApp messages went?

>>20090161

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-burner-phones-luxury-pens-29785443

SNP 'burner' phones, luxury pens and even a fridge being probed by cops as crisis deepens

Operation Branchform is looking into money raised for a second Scexit referendum and has already seen the arrest of Peter Murrell and Colin Beattie

Douglas Dickie

23 APR 2023

Officers probing the SNP's finances are searching for burner phone-style sim cards as part of the investigation, it has emerged. Luxury pens, designer pots and pans, and even a fridge freezer are also being looked at as part of Operation Branchform.

It follows revelations last week that jewellery formed part of the investigation while a campervan bought by the party seemingly to fight the 2021 Scottish elections has been seized by officers. It is the latest blow to the Nats, who have had to endure the arrest of former chief executive and husband to Nicola Sturgeon Peter Murrell and treasurer Colin Beattie MSP in the last fortnight.

It has been reported that officers are looking for information from the sims which are commonly used in untraceable phones. They are usually used to stay anonymous and protect the usage and identity of the person who has it.

A source with knowledge of the investigation told the Sunday Mail: "Something police are looking for is sim cards used in unregistered mobile phones. They want to know the numbers connected with these cards which could also contain numbers called and text messages.

"It's not uncommon for people to have unregistered mobile sim cards which can be bought from any shop, there's nothing wrong with having a so-called burner phone, but police want a record of these phones in the SNP."

A second source told the paper: "There is an extensive list of items the police are interested in which will probably be surprising some people. It is mostly high-value items - expensive pens, pots and pans, jewellery, but also a fridge freezer. This is a very extensive inquiry and clearly absolutely no stone is being left unturned."

Both Murrell and Beattie - who has since quit as treasurer and been replaced by Stuart McDonald MP - were released without charge pending further inquiries. Speculation is now mounting that Ms Sturgeon could be next to be questioned as part of the operation, which focuses on over £600,000 of money raised in 2017 that was supposed to be 'ringfenced' for a second Scexit referendum.

Scottish Conservative Party chairman Craig Hoy said: "It is crucial the SNP cooperates fully with the police investigation and gives the public the answers they deserve to questions that remain unanswered. Humza Yousaf must also finally suspend the senior SNP MSPs - including Nicola Sturgeon - who are associated with the investigation."

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "These details raise deeply worrying questions about practices at the heart of the SNP. This arrogant and sleaze-ridden party needs to start operating with some much-needed transparency and consistency - the people of Scotland deserve nothing less."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "It looks like Humza Yousaf and his new treasurer have got a hell of a mess to get to the bottom of. I wish SNP politicians were focused on our urgent public service crises like the fact that one in seven Scots are now on an NHS waiting list."

The Nats are also facing a race against time to employ new auditors ahead of a July 7 deadline after Johnson and Carmichael quit last year. We told on Saturday that senior sources are not confident new ones will be installed.

Both Police Scotland and the SNP declined to comment on the Sunday Mail story.

>>20090161

>>20090498

>>20038158

>>>20038115 Updated Operation Branchform Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/operation-branchform-cops-investigating-peter-31639222

Operation Branchform cops investigating Peter Murrell's £95k electric Jaguar

The I-Pace SUV was registered in October 2019, two years before the former SNP chief executive was seen attempting to sell a similar Jag at a We Buy Any Car office in Glasgow

John Ferguson & Ben Borland

10 DEC 2023

The purchase of a luxury £95,000 Jaguar is being investigated by police as part of the fraud probe into SNP finances. Peter Murrell is alleged to have purchased the electric I-Pace SUV from a dealership in Edinburgh.

A top-of-the-range motor fitting the description of the Jaguar – which was registered in October 2019 – was photographed in the driveway of the Glasgow home the former SNP chief executive shares with his wife, Nicola Sturgeon, in March 2021.

The revelation in the Sunday Mail heaps pressure on Mr Murrell, 59, and the former first minister, who have both been arrested and questioned as suspects by Operation Branchform detectives. The car has since been sold – understood to be via popular car buying firm, We Buy Any Car.

It's the second vehicle to be looked at as part of the fraud probe since a camper van was seized earlier this year. A source told newspaper: "Police have interviewed at least one worker at the dealership about the sale. This is an extremely high end vehicle, one of the most expensive electric SUVs on the market.

"The basic price start at around £80,000 and optional extras can get you up to £95,000 if you are going for all out luxury. It goes without saying that it is completely outwith the price range of most people, especially in a cost of living crisis."

The Jaguar is fully electric and goes from 0-62mph in just 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 125mph. A separate source has told the Sunday Mail that late in 2021, Mr Murrell was spotted attempting to arrange to sell an I-Pace at a We Buy Any Car office close to his home in Glasgow.

The registered keeper of the vehicle pictured on his driveway changed in February 2022 and the registration plate was replaced a month later before being switched back earlier this year.

The source said: "I was driving into the We Buy Any Car offices and I was surprised to see Peter Murrell driving out in a very high spec electric Jaguar. I asked the boy working at the desk and he said Murrell had been looking to sell the car."

Operation Branchform was launched in July 2021 following seven complaints that more than £600,000 of "ring-fenced" donations to pay for a second independence referendum campaign were missing from the SNP's accounts.

In August 2021, leaked video footage reveals that a clearly furious Ms Sturgeon told a meeting of the party's NEC not to talk about the finances.

She said: "Just be very careful about suggestions that there are problems with the party's finances because we depend on donors to donate. There are no reasons for people to be concerned about the party's finances and all of us need to be careful about not suggesting that there is."

But police are now investigating more than 1000 alleged instances of fraud as part of their huge probe. A £110,000 luxury camper van was seized from Mr Murrell's mother's driveway in April.

>>20090876

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..continued…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

On the same day, Mr Murrell was arrested and questioned as police began a two-day search of the couple's home. Officers also raided the SNP's HQ in Edinburgh and removed boxes of documents.

Former party treasurer Colin Beattie was later arrested before the arrest of Ms Sturgeon herself in June. All three individuals were released without charge and Ms Sturgeon has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: "This latest revelation demands answers from the SNP. The allegations are incredibly serious and, quite frankly, the whole situation stinks. Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon have driven trust in Scotland's politics into a ditch.

"Only by booting out this whole rotten SNP government can we get decency and integrity back into our politics."

'Top lawyer Stuart Munro has been engaged'

Money left to the SNP in wills is also being investigated as well as the purchase of everything from pots and pans to luxury pens, jewellery and other household items including a fridge freezer. An Amazon account used to buy everyday purchases forms part of the inquiry.

Police were also seeking burner phones and SIM cards at various stages in the investigation, while First Minister Humza Yousaf has admitted he has seen a list of items on a warrant.

Earlier this year outgoing Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone revealed the probe had grown beyond the initial allegation of fraud. He hinted it had expanded to look at "potential embezzlement" and the "misuse of funds" since being launched two years.

The SNP has said it is not paying legal fees for Mr Murrell. But the party is understood to have engaged lawyer Stuart Munro, whose expertise includes "white collar crime" and who represented the former administrator of Rangers FC in a major fraud prosecution.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further."

An SNP spokesman said: "We cannot comment on a live police inquiry."

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/court-hands-brutal-ruling-snp-31709471

Court hands brutal ruling to SNP amid Nicola Sturgeon FOI transparency row

SNP ministers have been told by a panel of senior judges that they attempted to avoid being an 'open and transparent government' in a severe dressing down for the Government

Jessica North

19 DEC 2023

SNP ministers attempted to put up a “technical barrier” that would have defeated “open and transparent government”.

This is according to a panel of senior judges who made the scathing ruling at the Inner House of the Court of Session following efforts to conceal key findings in an investigation into Nicola Sturgeon in 2019.

The Scottish Government was told their reasoning behind withholding evidence gathered during an investigation into a breach of the ministerial code was not valid, at a separate court case earlier this month.

This session heard the government lawyer argue that ministers did not hold the information requested. However, in their most recent statement, judges said: "There should be no scope for the introduction of technicalities and unnecessary legal concepts calculated to over-complicate matters," and added minister's arguments "defeat the objective of open and transparent government".

In 2019 Ms Sturgeon referred herself to independent adviser James Hamilton following concerns that she failed to record meetings and phone calls she had with her predecessor Alex Salmond and his former chief of staff after he was the subject of complaints from two civil servants.

Mr Hamilton investigated and issued a report in March 2021 in which he determined Ms Sturgeon did not breach the code. Mr Harrop asked Scottish ministers two weeks later to be provided with all written evidence gathered by Mr Hamilton during his investigation.

However, shortly after Mr Hamilton's findings were published in March 2021 an FOI request to the government sought the publication of all evidence gathered by him.

The judges said: "Such an approach would be liable to restrict the disclosure of information in ways that run counter to the clear legislative policy."

The ruling continued: "Whether information is or is not held by a public authority is fundamentally a question of fact. Sophisticated legal analysis of the meaning of the concept of ‘holding’ information is neither necessary nor appropriate.

"It is clear from his decision that the Commissioner fully understood the law on what was intended by the concept of holding information and that he correctly applied the law to the facts and circumstances of the case.

"He recognised, in particular, that the issue did not revolve around an interpretation of the arrangements made for Mr Hamilton’s independence from the Scottish Government, but turned instead on the narrower question of whether the information was held by the Scottish Ministers."

It added: "The Ministers’ submissions seek to attach disproportionate weight to Mr Hamilton’s independence; they fail to acknowledge the wider context in which the investigation took place. The context was the operation of a system designed to ensure compliance with the Scottish Ministerial Code. Mr Hamilton’s role was essentially that of an adviser to the Scottish Ministers.

"It is also significant in considering whether an appropriate connection exists to recall that the information was held on the Scottish Government’s IT systems.

"In this connection it is notable that in their written submissions the Ministers accept that they (or their officials) could gain access to the information. They acknowledge that some of the email accounts of secretariat members had permission settings which allowed team members access and they accept that those inboxes were accessed on one occasion.

"The Ministers’ argument comes to this. They are entitled to rely on access restrictions which they unilaterally created and which they could unilaterally retract. Such an approach would in effect permit them to construct a technical barrier between them and the information with a view to putting the information beyond the reach of the freedom of information regime.

"This would defeat the objective of open and transparent government."

Scottish ministers will now have to go back to the original freedom of information request and abide by transparency rules.

>>20038158

>>>20038122 Updated Covid Bun

>>>20038158

>>>20038130 Updated SNP WhatsApp Scandal Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-government-lose-phone-vital-31691539

SNP Government 'lose' phone with vital Covid messages on it in latest 'unacceptable' Inquiry scandal

The Scottish Government has claimed it cannot find key civil servant Andrew Slorance's phone and can't access his laptop despite potentially vital messages about its Covid pandemic response being on them.

David Walker

17 DEC 2023

The Scottish Government have become entangled in yet another Covid scandal as officials claimed that they had lost a phone which could contain key pandemic messages. Already, SNP ministers have been rebuked by the UK Covid Inquiry for failing to hand over all the correspondence which was asked for.

Now, it has been reported that a mobile device which could contain messages between a civil servant and key members of the coronavirus response team is missing. Bureaucrats said they could not locate the phone of Andrew Slorance after his widow handed it to them last summer.

Humza Yousaf and Shona Robison have already fought off a vote for them to refer themselves for breaching the ministerial code after being accused of lying to MSPs about the instructions they received from the UK Covid Inquiry. Both the first minister and his deputy claimed that the inquiry had only requested all WhatsApp messages, including from groups as recently as September.

This was later contradicted by a written statement from Ms Robison which confirmed the inquiry had requested “key communications and significant correspondence, including WhatsApp messages” in February. Nicola Sturgeon and her health secretary were accused of deleting their correspondence.

Scottish Government officials also claimed that they were unable to access any material from Mr Slorance's laptop as he has not been switched on since his death in December 2020. His wife Louise told the Sunday Mail: "It says a lot about the level of information governance at the Scottish Government that this has been allowed to happen.

“It’s incredulous to think the Government can’t access vital information on a laptop just because it hasn’t been switched on for three years.”

Dad-of-five Andrew, 49, was a key member of the Covid response team but died from the virus while awaiting a bone marrow transplant at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. His death has caused a scandal of its own, with Louise claiming she has been let down by the SNP Executive.

She said that her husband was in regular communication with the likes of Ms Sturgeon, ex-health secretaries Mr Yousaf and Jeane Freeman and national clinical director Jason Leitch. If his devices can't be found/turned on, vital evidence may not be passed to the inquiries.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "It is simply unacceptable for the SNP to withhold information from the Covid inquiries. For vital information stored on mobile devices to have gone missing without explanation beggars belief."

The Scottish Government was unable to say why the phone had been lost or laptop inaccessible but said it had "now handed all relevant retained messages to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry".

Ms Slorance previously accused the SNP Executive of playing "fast and loose" with information from the last months of her husband's life. In a statement, she said: "The laptop should contain much of the basis for government decision-making during 2020, from emails to documents and from planning to final policy.

"As a shielder, Andrew was not in the office for the most part up to his death in December 2020, 'water cooler conversations' could not happen. His work mobile could provide insight into that type of chat."

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/comment/took-christmas-shopping-trip-sauchiehall-31718443

I took a Christmas shopping trip to Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow and it's just beggars and bargain shops

What was once Glasgow's favourite thoroughfare is now a shadow of its former self and pales into comparison with the likes of nearby Buchanan Street

Douglas Dickie

20 DEC 2023

Less than a week until Christmas and Glasgow city centre was packed with shoppers. Buchanan Street and Argyll Street were full of people out grabbing their final gifts as they look to get prepared for December 25.

But on Sauchiehall Street and the situation was quite different. Once the jewel in the Glasgow shopping town, it looked a shadow of its former self on what was admittedly a rather dreich winter's night.

The street hit the news again this week due to a council project that has left shoppers squeezing past fenced-off parts of the road. The dug-up pavements hardly scream winter wonderland, but the truth is, even with the full street accessible, Sauchiehall Street pales in comparison to its neighbours.

In the immediate vicinity of the Buchanan Galleries, it isn't too bad. But cross Renfield Street and it takes on a rather grim guise.

Bargain shops dominate while many of the shop alcoves, at least on my visit, had homeless people sitting in them, trying to keep warm and looking for any scarps of change passers-by could throw them.

It was a sad indication of the poverty that still exists in this city and perhaps a timely reminder of how many of us should feel lucky this Christmas. The presence of the unfortunate can be seen in many Glasgow streets, but it was perhaps a symbol of the journey Sauchiehall Street had been on.

What was once the richest street in Glasgow was now a painful vision of what has happened to the city over the past 20-odd years. I'm not for a second blaming the homeless for being there - it isn't their fault - but I could see how it might feel intimidating to some if they are out after dark on the street - especially given how few people were actually around.

Not that there's nothing on Sauchiehall Street. At my third attempt I was able to locate an item in Boots and the Waterstones remains a shop you can get happily lost in. Bargain shops certainly have their place and they are much better than a boarded-up unit. But there is no doubt it all added up to a rather depressing scene.

Just a few yards away, plush Buchanan Street was alive and even the Buchanan Galleries - seemingly destined to be torn down - seems to have the edge over the street that gave the facility its name. The project that's caused much consternation is part of a £5.7 million makeover.

But it feels like Sauchiehall Street needs a lot more than a few trees cut down. The problems go much deeper and if it is to compete with the likes of Buchanan Street then Glasgow City Council needs to show some real ambition and make it fit for the 21st century.

>>20038158

>>>20038127 Michelle Mone Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/uk-news/michelle-mone-breaks-silence-deny-31639341

Michelle Mone breaks silence to deny wrongdoing and say: 'I'm sick and tired of the lies about me'

The former bra tycoon, 52, says she is receiving treatment for her mental health and says most people would see her as a 'horrible person. A liar, a cheat, a thief' – but insists she will win the 'cruel and nasty' court fight over PPE contracts

Ben Borland

10 DEC 2023

Michelle Mone has dramatically broken her silence over the PPE contracts scandal, insisting she has done nothing wrong. And the Tory peer said she and her husband, Doug Barrowman, were "sick and tired of reading all the lies every single day in the media".

Lady Mone did admit she had made an "error" by repeatedly denying any link to a firm awarded contracts worth £200million during the early months coronavirus pandemic. The couple only acknowledged their involvement in PPE Medpro last month.

PPE Medpro is being investigated by the National Crime Agency (NCA). It is also being sued by the UK Government for £122m plus costs for "breach of contract and unjust enrichment".

The Scottish businesswoman recommended the firm to ministers in 2020 and it won lucrative contracts to supply surgical gowns and masks. Last week, a court heard the sterile gowns "failed dismally" and are still in storage costing the taxpayer around £3.2m a year.

In a new online documentary, which was funded by PPE Medpro, Lady Mone admitted she "may indirectly benefit" as Mr Barrowman's wife, but insisted: “It's not my money." Her husband was the chairman and leader of the PPE Medpro consortium.

Lady Mone, 52, also revealed that she is struggling with her mental health. "I am a very, very strong woman," she said. "I'm seeing a doctor and on medication and everything else, which I'm very against, but yeah, I needed it."

She insisted she never hid her involvement in the company and denied attempting to defraud the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), she said: "Absolutely not. How can I defraud them when they knew I was involved? There's over 1,400 emails and communication on WhatsApps and phone calls. How can they say they didn't know I was involved? They knew everything."

Asked if she will win the legal fight, she said: "Yeah, we will win, because we did nothing wrong, and it's cruel and it's nasty, but we will win."

Lady Mone said she put PPE Medpro forward, but those behind the firm "got the contracts on their own merits". She also denied any suggestion she received favourable treatment by the government because she is a Conservative peer.

She said she was "a conduit" and "a liaison person", adding: "I brought it all together. I wanted the guys to succeed. I wanted the NHS to succeed. I wanted a win-win situation for everyone. Both myself and my husband declared our interest, and if they had any issue with that whatsoever, when they knew of my involvement and my husband's involvement, why did they ever give the contracts in the first place? They must have been satisfied, and they knew everything."

'I didn't lie whatsoever. Why would I lie?'

Lady Mone denied allegations by former UK health secretary Matt Hancock that she was aggressive and threatening as she sought to help PPE Medpro win Covid contracts.

She said she had spoken to Mr Hancock about "a completely different subject", adding: "I can sometimes come across feisty. It's just part of me. But I'm certainly not aggressive, I wasn't abusive, and I think he's gotten that completely wrong. To be honest with you, I'm not a fan of his anyway."

Asked if she had lied or told untruths at any point during her communications with the government and the DHSC, she said: "Never, absolutely no. I didn't lie whatsoever. Why would I lie?"

Lady Mone also said she did not know about the existence of a VIP lane for suppliers "until I read about it in the newspapers myself".

Put to her that she had lied to the press by saying she had no involvement in PPE Medpro, she said: "I made an error in what I said to the press. I regret not saying to the press straight away ‘yes, I am involved’, and the government knew I was involved, and the emergency Cabinet team knew I was involved. The government, DHSC knew that I was involved, the NHS, all of them knew I was involved. The legal team advised myself and my husband not to comment and not to say of my involvement in PPE Medpro.

"What I did say to them was ‘I'm not a shareholder’, which was true. I'm not a director, which was true, I am not financially benefiting directly, which is true. But I didn't want to start speaking to the press about it, and I didn't want the pain for my family again through the media."

>>20114446

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….continued…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

'People see me as a liar, a cheat and a thief'

Asked if she had benefited in any way from PPE Medpro money, either directly or indirectly, Lady Mone said: "Look, my husband's an entrepreneur. There were many entrepreneurs involved in PPE, supplying PPE.

"And the consortium he led supplied huge volumes at very competitive prices that saved the NHS tens of millions of pounds. What my husband decides to do after the event, and who benefits from that, is at his discretion. I am his wife and I may indirectly benefit, but that's just like all other families around that are married. That's just it. That is not my money. I don't have that money. It's not my money."

Lady Mone was made a life peer by David Cameron in 2015 after selling an 80 per cent stake in her Ultimo lingerie company. She took a leave of absence from the House of Lords in December last year following the PPE Medpro allegations.

Asked how she thinks people see her, she said: "Right now, I think they probably see me as a horrible person. A liar, a cheat, a thief. I think they've just made up their mind – on social media we have this kind of kangaroo court that everyone decides, and they've all made up their mind."

>>20038158

>>>20038127 Michelle Mone Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/raging-michelle-mone-fumes-rishi-31701350

Raging Michelle Mone fumes at Rishi Sunak as Scots baroness 'no longer a Tory Party member'

The Scots peer admitted lying to the press about her involvement with PPE Medpro, a consortium led by her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman

Douglas Dickie

18 DEC 2023

Baroness Michelle Mone has launched an attack on UK Ministers and Rishi Sunak as the row over her involvement with a PPE firm deepens. The Scots peer has faced calls to resign from the House of Lords after admitting she lied about her links to PPE Medpro, a consortium led by her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman.

And on Monday it emerged she is no longer a member of the Conservative Party. She was made a peer by David Cameron in 2015 but has been on a leave of absence from the Lords and without the Tory whip for a year.

She has dug into the row by hitting out at Rishi Sunak after he said he was taking the issue "incredibly seriously". PPE Medpro made millions of pounds in profits from a government deal to supply personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic after she recommended it to ministers.

Sir Keir Starmer said she should be expelled from the Lords as he urged the Government to "come clean" about the scandal he described as a "shocking disgrace". The Labour leader piled pressure on ministers to answer "serious questions" about what they knew, including who started the conversations with Lady Mone in the first place.

On the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, Lady Mone's first major broadcast interview since the controversy emerged, she admitted she did not tell the truth about her connection to PPE Medpro, while insisting that she and her husband have "no case to answer". She conceded she stands to benefit from contracts worth more than £200 million to supply gowns and face masks.

She had said she made the denial to protect her family from press intrusion. The Glasgow-born businesswoman, who famously made her fortune from selling bras, also took part in an online 'documentary' aimed at telling her side of the story.

Mr Sunak told reporters during a visit to Scotland on Monday: "The Government takes these things incredibly seriously, which is why we’re pursuing legal action against the company concerned in these matters." Reacting to his remarks, Lady Mone tweeted: “What is @RishiSunak talking about?

"I was honest with the Cabinet Office, the Government and the NHS in my dealings with them. They all knew about my involvement from the very beginning."

This was rejected by Tory former health minister Lord Bethell, who replied that she "wasn’t ‘honest’ about her financial interest to me". "She didn’t explain ‘from the very beginning’ about her financial ‘involvement’," he said, adding that it was not in her register of financial interests as a member of the House of Lords.

Lady Mone’s interview saw her name-check Michael Gove, saying she contacted the then-chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster at the start of the pandemic to offer help. On Monday, she accused the Cabinet minister and Department of Health official Sir Chris Wormald of overseeing a "huge waste in PPE contracts".

Sir Keir said: "This is a shocking disgrace from top to bottom. And, as every day goes past, there are more questions that need to be answered.

"There’s now suggestions there was early private contact with members of the Cabinet that may have started this unhappy story in the first place. So the Government needs to come clean.”

He urged Mr Gove to make a statement in the Commons. Asked if Lady Mone should be expelled from the Lords, the Labour leader said: "I don’t think she should be in the Lords. I think the Government should be held to account for this."

Tory ministers echoed the calls for the lingerie entrepreneur not to return to the upper chamber. Energy efficiency minister Lord Callanan told Sky News he hoped she would "see sense" and "would not be coming back to the House of Lords".

And Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho told LBC Radio: "At the moment she’s on leave, and I think considering everything that has come out she’ll want to consider that position very carefully."

The Government last December issued breach of contract proceedings against PPE Medpro over the 2020 deal on the supply of sterile gowns. The firm is defending the legal action. The company is also being investigated by the National Crime Agency into suspected criminal offences in the procurement of PPE contracts.

>>20116631

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/michelle-mone-ppe-deal-not-31706283?int_source=mantis_rec&int_medium=web&int_campaign=more_like_this

Michelle Mone PPE deal is NOT a 'great scandal', says Nigel Farage as peer urged to pay back money

Fresh from his stint in the Australian jungle on I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, the former UKIP politician reckons there are bigger issues relating to the pandemic

Douglas Dickie

19 DEC 2023

Baroness Michelle Mone's links to a PPE deal with the UK Government is NOT a 'great scandal', at least according to Nigel Farage. The Scots peer, 52, admitted at the weekend that she had lied about her links to PPE Medpro, which was awarded Covid contracts of over £200 million from UK Ministers in 2020 to supply personal protective equipment such as face masks and gowns.

Lady Mone's husband Doug Barrowman, 58, stands to make a profit of around £60m as part of the deal after she recommended Medpro. The pair are being probed by the National Crime Agency on suspicion of fraud and bribery while Medpro is being sued by the Department of Health and Social Care for breach of contract for allegedly supplying non-sterile gowns.

The Glasgow-born businesswoman, who was handed a seat in the House of Lords by David Cameron in 2015, has insisted she has done nothing wrong. She and Barrowman appeared in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday to tell their side of the story, but the car-crash appearance, which included her saying she didn't "honestly see what we've done wrong", appears to have backfired.

On Monday, Lady Mone hit out at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after he said he was taking the scandal seriously. But despite the widespread public attention, Farage, fresh from his stint on I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, reckons it is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

Instead, he said government waste was a bigger issue. Speaking on GB News, he claimed around £10 billion worth of purchased PPE had been "written off, destroyed or lost". Of Lady Mone's involvement, he said: "… on the face of it, this looks like the great scandal to come out of the pandemic, but folks, it really isn't."

He added: "There were over 14,000 companies that applied for PPE contracts, many people making very, very big profits out of it. And yes, of course there was a high priority lane, where those that were known to government ministers had a much better chance of getting the orders and, of course, Baroness Mone was a part of that."

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Lady Mone and Barrowman to pay back the money they made from the Medpro deal. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there were "huge questions" for the UK Government to answer.

He accused the Tories of using the Covid crisis to help allies "make millions" and added: "It's absolutely disgusting that Michelle Mone seems to think that she's the victim when, in actual fact, the victims here are the health care professionals or patients who required quality PPE but weren't able to get it. The victim here is the taxpayer who expected the money to be spent protecting families from the pandemic.

"And the victims in the longer term are those that require money from the government to support the most vulnerable. That's why it's disgusting and that's why we need to get our money back."

Lady Mone famously made her name as the head of lingerie company Ultimo. She and businessman Barrowman, who founded the Knox Group of Companies, married in November 2020.

Asked about the scandal on Monday, the PM said: "The Government takes these things incredibly seriously, which is why we're pursuing legal action against the company concerned. That's how seriously I take it and the Government takes it. But it is also subject to an ongoing criminal investigation. And because of that, there's not much further I can add."

The comment prompted Lady Mone to post on social media: "What is Rishi Sunak talking about? I was honest with the Cabinet Office, the Government and the NHS in my dealings with them. They all knew about my involvement from the very beginning."

>>20126259

>>20038158

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/edinburgh-crime-former-top-lawyer-john-mayer-facing-jail-after-downloading-hundreds-of-child-abuse-pictures-4455202

Edinburgh crime: Former top lawyer John Mayer facing jail after downloading hundreds of child abuse pictures

He downloaded more than 500 images of children being sexually abused.

Alexander Lawrie

21st Dec 2023

A former High Court lawyer is facing a jail sentence after he was found guilty of possessing indecent images of children on his laptop.

Retired advocate John Mayer downloaded more than 500 horrific pictures depicting the sexual abuse of children aged between 12 months and 14 years old. Mayer, 70, deleted the shocking collection of images and was found to have used computer cleaning software in a bid to hide his online activity.

Mayer, who turned to writing crime novels after retiring from his legal career, was caught when police officers seized several electronic devices during a raid on his home at Duddingston in Edinburgh in January 2021.

The lawyer denied any knowledge of the pictures but was found guilty of possessing the depraved images by a jury following a three day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court this week.

The trial heard from forensic computer analyst David McGowan who was working with Police Scotland as a cyber crime officer at the time of Mayer’s arrest on January 28, 2021.

Mr McGowan told the jury he was tasked with examining Mayer’s laptop seized during the police raid and said he found documents including an application for Mayer to become a part time sheriff. Mr McGowan, 35, said he also discovered thumb nail images on the hard drive which had been left behind on the device after the original files had been deleted.

He said the images showed children aged between one and 14 being “subjected to sexual posing and non-penetrative sexual activity with other children and adults”. Mr McGowan said the most serious images showed children engaged in “penetrative sexual activity with other children and adults”. The court was told the pictures were categorised as 117 at Category A, 193 Category B and a 201 at Category C.

The expert also told the jury the laptop contained the ADB Shredder programme that is used to permanently delete computer files.

Mayer told the trial he was a retired advocate who had acted in High Court trials, worked with the International Criminal Court at The Hague and had specialised in fighting international child abuse and abduction. Mayer said he had bought the laptop while living in Greece in 2018 and used the device to write his novels and for storing personal documents.

He told the jury he also used the device to download TV programmes and movies from the Pirate Bay website and at times the content he been corrupted with conspiracy themed material.

Mayer said he had allowed his wife, a cousin and a team of Albanian builders at his Greek home to access his laptop while he was not present. He told the court he had never seen the child abuse images on his laptop and denied ever accessing them online.

He said: “I have never seen these images. I didn’t know they were there. I would have been crazy to have something illegal on my laptop that the authorities look for.”

Following the evidence, the jury deliberated for around four hours before returning a majority guilty verdict of Mayer possessing indecent images of children between August 9, 2019 and January 28, 2021. The jury also him convicted of a charge of taking, or allowing to be taken, indecent images of children at his Edinburgh home between the same dates.

Sheriff Iain Nicol said: “Having regard to the verdict of this jury I am going to defer sentence for a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment. It is fair to forewarn you that a custodial sentence is a possibility.”

Mayer was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and sentenced was deferred to February next year.

>>20130634

Comyns Beaumont - The Great Deception (2016)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12901235/scotland-earthquake-locals-woken-sleep-magnitude-2-tremor.html

Earthquake hits Scottish isles: Shocked locals are woken by 'loud bang' they 'thought was military jet' as 2.0 magnitude tremor strikes

* The tremor was centred on the village of Kimelford, Argyll, in west Scotland

Summer Goodkind

26 December 2023

Residents in a rural Scottish town were left shaken after an Earthquake hit in the early hours of Christmas Eve.

The tremor was centred on the village of Kimelford, Argyll, in west Scotland, and hit a magnitude of 2.0 on the Richter Scale.

According to the British Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 5:16am on December 24 at a depth of 3.1 miles (5km).

Frightened residents said the tremors sounded like 'a military jet'.

Others described it as 'a loud, low rumble like a heavy vehicle passing' and a 'loud bang that woke me up'.

The quake was strong enough that it was even felt on other Scottish isles including Lochgilphead, Mull, and Lismore.

It was the latest - and 12th - tremor to be recorded in the wider area recently.

On December 15 a 1.5 magnitude quake was logged at Morvern.

The epicentre was close to the A884 near Loch Arienas.

A previous tremor on December 9 saw an earthquake measuring 2.1 magnitude hit in the area.

The event was felt in Mallaig and Morar and by islanders on Lismore in the Inner Hebrides.

Residents of Lismore described a 'loud rumbling sound'.

Villagers in Mallaig and Morar said they also 'felt a weak trembling', as well as experiencing the same noise.

Since October 10, Morvern has been hit by at least 12 earthquakes.

There are roughly 200-300 earthquakes in Britain every year, but the vast majority are so small that no one notices them.

However between 20-30 are over 2.0 magnitude which can be felt over a wider area.

The largest known Scottish earthquake on land occurred near Loch Awe in 1880, with a magnitude of 5.2.

UK earthquakes, particularly in Scotland, are most often attributed to glacial rebound. Until about 10, 500 years ago much of the north of the UK was covered by a thick layer of ice - which pushed the rocks down into the underlying mantle.

These rocks have been slowly rising back up ever since the ice melted, causing occasional earthquakes in the process.

The UK is also subject to tectonic stresses caused by the expansion of the Atlantic Ocean, which is slowly pushing the entire of Eurasia to the east, and from the northward motion of Africa, which is pushing into Europe from the south.

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-cant-trusted-housing-crisis-31743977

SNP 'can't be trusted' with housing crisis as more than 16,000 children were left homeless last Christmas

Edinburgh had the highest number of children and adults who were forced to apply for homes

PA & Jessica North

24 DEC 2023

The SNP "cannot be trusted to tackle this issue" said an MSP in response to figured highlighting the prevalence of homelessness.

Figures provided by the Scottish Government in response to a parliamentary question from the party found that there were 28,154 live homelessness applications on December 25, 2022 - an 11% increase on the 25,458 in 2021.

The data showed 32,749 adults and 16,493 children were in temporary accommodation on Christmas day last year.

Edinburgh has the highest number of live applications, with 6,128 covering 7,465 adults and 3,902 children.

That was followed by Glasgow, with 4,863 covering a combined 9,394 individuals.

In Fife, 3,259 individuals were homeless on Christmas, followed by 2,634 in West Lothian and 2,260 in South Lanarkshire.

It means 49,242 people in Scotland were without a permanent home on Christmas 2022.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that 9,500 children - and 15,000 families - face the festive season without a permanent home

Liam McGarry, housing spokesman for the Scottish Lib Dems, is using his own experience of being made homeless at 16 to urge ministers to take action.

The party is urging the Scottish Government to build 60,000 affordable homes to address homelessness, while bringing forward legislation that would strengthen the duties on public bodies to prevent the crisis.

Mr McGarry said: "At Christmas time, most of us will have the security of a roof over our heads, but we now know that tens of thousands of Scots are not so lucky.

"A lack of availability, skyrocketing prices and poor-quality housing are all playing a part in making life miserable for far too many.

"Temporary council accommodation is stretched to breaking point, pushing people into unstable situations, sofa-surfing or even living on the streets.

"Scottish Liberal Democrats want to build more homes of every kind, re-establish social renting as a viable option and strengthen our commitment to ending homelessness across Scotland."

The Scottish Government has been asked for comment.

>>20038158

>>>19969605 Alex Salmond suing the Scottish Government for £3m following 'unlawful' sexual misconduct probe

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-government-destroy-massive-batch-31755001

SNP Government destroy massive batch of files after Alex Salmond legal defeat

The latest transparency revelation comes amid ongoing legal battles between Alex Salmond and the SNP Government he used to lead

Jessica North

27 DEC 2023

The SNP has been told to "urgently come clean" after it was revealed that hundreds of official records were destroyed following a legal battle with Alex Salmond.

During the month that followed the 2019 judicial review defeat at the hands of the former First Minister and now Alba leader at the Court of Session, a total of 1,058 files were deleted. Tory MSPs are calling it "very suspect".

The day after the case ended on January 9, 2019, 251 records were destroyed. Mr Salmond is now expected to use this new information in his new legal case against the Scottish Government.

Earlier in the year he lodged a petition at the Court of Session alleging “misfeasance” by various past and present officials at the SNP led government.

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy told the Daily Mail: "This massive batch of deletions looks very suspect and the SNP must urgently come clean over this staggering number of files that were wiped in a single day.

"The public will be asking serious questions about why this decision was taken only a day after they bowed to the inevitable and conceded the Alex Salmond judicial review.

"The murkiness at the heart of the SNP government only continues to grow. With almost a quarter of the entire files that they deleted that year being wiped on one date, they cannot try and typically cover this up."

Mr Salmond's lawyer, Gordon Dangerfield, accused the Scottish Government of previously withholding documents from the judicial review case and the parliamentary inquiry into the handling of complaints about the former First Minister.

He added: "It is too early to say whether this latest cache is part of that litany of deception or just a coincidence of dates."

The latest controversy follows a landmark transparency case that rules against the Scottish Information Commissioner who sought to withhold evidence into Nicola Sturgeon's ministerial code investigation during the Salmond saga. The deleted documents were not able to be submitted as evidence in this instance.

Details released by the Scottish Government in response to a freedom of information request showed that among the first 251 files was a document from the human resources (HR) team about guidance and procedures from 2005 onwards. Other files included correspondence with an HR helpdesk and details of 'special bonus' payments to staff in 2007 and 2008.

In the whole of 2019, some 1,096 files were deleted, with nearly a quarter of them destroyed the day after Mr Salmond's legal victory and the vast majority removed in the same month as the case concluded. In its FOI response, the Scottish Government said the records were destroyed in line with its agreed "record retention schedule" in 2019.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Information saved in line with the Scottish Government's record management plan is subject to formal retention schedules that results in deletion after a set period of time, in common with other governmental bodies and organisations.

"Scottish ministers and special advisers do not have direct access to the electronic record and document management system used by the Scottish Government and have never requested the deletion of any records."

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/kate-forbes-admits-snps-overseas-31764362

Kate Forbes admits the SNP's overseas offices promote Scotland as separate to the UK

The £7.8million-a-year network of 'pretend embassies' are using 'soft power' to promote 'Scottish Government values' and send a message that 'Scotland wants to align with the EU'… but they aren't getting involved in politics, of course!

Ben Borland

29 DEC 2023

MSPs at Holyrood recently heard from three of the leading lights of the SNP's so-called 'Foreign Legion', as they described how they use "soft power" to promote "brand Scotland" across the globe.

The network of nine 'overseas' offices has been given a bumper budget of more than £7.8million next year, despite growing concern at the Scottish Government running a 'shadow' foreign affairs strategy at odds with that of the UK. There is also frustration in Whitehall at SNP ministers using foreign trips to promote Scottish independence.

Some suspect the plush offices in some of the world's major capital cities – dubbed 'pretend embassies' – are a key part of this long-term effort to portray Scotland as 'ready-made state in waiting' that is already semi-detached from the UK.

Kate Forbes, one of the most influential figures in the SNP, did little to correct this impression when she said "obviously, I would not ask you to comment on political matters" before adding that it was "fascinating to see people relate to Scotland as an entity in and of itself rather than one that is subsumed within the wider United Kingdom".

Her comments came at a meeting of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee shortly before Christmas. It heard from Chris Thomson – the outgoing head of the Washington DC office – along with Katrine Feldinger and Catriona Radcliffe, the heads of the Copenhagen and Beijing offices.

They all said their role involved the use of "soft power" through cultural events such as Burns Suppers, St Andrew's Day dinners, concerts and ministerial visits in order to give a positive impression of "brand Scotland".

SNP Depute Leader Keith Brown also brought up the subject of politics, despite the fact that civil servants are supposed to be scrupulously neutral. He described recent attempts by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack and Foreign Secretary David Cameron to stop the Scottish Government setting its own agenda on foreign affairs as "a cross between a juvenile huff and some control freakery".

Mr Thomson – whose office is based in the British Embassy in Washington and whose successor will earn £83,000 a year – said: "Things can happen at home, and in the political sphere, that will have an impact on what we do but, as officials, our job is to get the work done."

He added: "The situation is really positive. We watch the politics and try to stay as far from them as possible, but we work well with our colleagues. That is not something that you will find me complaining about. I do not have to wear a hard hat at work and we do not have any fights in the office; it is genuinely very positive."

Ms Feldinger added, somewhat cryptically: "We are, of course, all aware of the context that we operate in and we have conversations about how best to manage that because, as Chris said, that is our job. So far, that is going very well."

Discussing Brexit and the Scottish Government's relationship with the EU, she declared that "Scotland… still wants to be part of the EU's work". Ms Feldinger added: "We still get a very friendly welcome, and it is incredibly important that we maintain that during the next decade to ensure that Europe is still aware that Scotland wants to align with it. There is a lot of global and geopolitical instability, and wanting to be part of something stable sends a really strong message."

Ms Radcliffe also appeared to suggest there was a political side to her role, when she spoke about External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson's recent visit to China. She said: "We posted on our social media channels every day at the end of each visit to update people on what the cabinet secretary had done, what he had said and who he had met, and to share Scottish Government values in relation to what we do here."

>>20154754

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/world-news/humza-yousafs-foreign-legion-expands-31764065

Humza Yousaf's 'Foreign Legion' expands to 54 – more than the budget, tax or strategy teams!

There are now nearly five times as many staff working in the SNP's network of overseas offices as there are in the 'Directorate for Propriety and Ethics'… which maybe won't come as a surprise to many people!

ByBen Borland

28 DEC 2023

The SNP Government has given a detailed breakdown of the number of staff working in its controversial network of 'overseas' offices. The headcount now stands at 54, with many of those on the top salary bands.

Seven of the nine offices in Beijing, Washington DC, Ottawa, Paris, Dublin, Berlin and Copenhagen have a Head of Office supported by a Deputy Head. Although their pay grades are not given, the new Head of Office in the States will be paid a salary of £83,000 a year.

The civil servants in charge of the 'Scotland House' offices in Brussels and London are paid at Director and Deputy Director level, which is understood to be in excess of £90,000 a year.

Of the 54 employees in the international offices, some 36 are employed directly by the Scottish Government with the remaining 18 recruited by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in each country.

Remarkably, the headcount is now larger than the Directorate For Propriety And Ethics (12 staff), the Directorate For Offshore Wind (23 staff), the Directorate For Tax And Revenues (26 staff), the Directorate For Strategy (27 staff), the Directorate For Budget & Public Spending (37 staff), the Directorate For Digital Health And Care (43 staff), and the Directorate For Chief Nursing Officer (53 staff).

There are now as many people working in the SNP's overseas offices – dubbed the 'Foreign Legion' by cynics who believe the money could be better spent at home – as there are in the Directorate For Culture And Major Events (54 staff).

The budget for maintaining the nine offices is set to rise by nearly 12 per cent next year, soaring from £7,004,000 in the current year to £7,824,000 in 2024/25. This increase is despite the swingeing cuts imposed on other parts of the public sector by Finance Secretary Shona Robison.

Earlier this year, the Scottish Daily Express revealed the number of staff working in the foreign 'embassies' had increased just eight in 2016/17 to its current record high. And there are plans to further expand the network with another office due to open in Warsaw before the end of the parliamentary term in 2026.

At the time, Alexander Stewart MSP told the Scottish Daily Express: "This huge expansion in overseas staff will dismay the public, particularly given the SNP Government are imposing swingeing cuts on essential services."

The Scottish Government said the international office budget represented just 0.02 per cent of the overall spending plans, adding: "This is an investment which has delivered outsized benefits, connecting to the global Scottish diaspora, boosting trade and investment, and sharing Scotland's distinctive voice on the global stage."

>>20154866

>>20154754

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/fury-snp-overseas-office-spending-31726181

Fury as SNP overseas office spending to rise by 12 per cent while public services suffer

Exclusive: The budget allocation for the SNP's 'pretend embassies has increased by over £1million in just two years, despite swingeing cuts to services at home in Scotland

Jessica North

21 DEC 2023

The Scottish Conservatives say taxpayers will be "furious" to hear that spending on the SNP's overseas offices will increase while other budgets are set to be slashed.

The SNP/Green Government has increased the budget for its controversial network of nine hubs – dubbed 'pretend embassies' by critics – by more than £1million in the space of just two years.

In 2022-23, the figure was £6,823,000 which then rose to £7,004,000 in the current year. Now it is set to soar to £7,824,000 for all nine offices, an increase of £820,000 when compared to last years – a rise of nearly 12 per cent.

"It's very telling that while SNP ministers impose swingeing cuts to essential services, they have increased their spending on overseas offices by a whopping £800,000," said Tory deputy spokesman for the constitution, external affairs and culture Alexander Stewart.

Meanwhile, Shona Robison's budget saw tax hikes and cuts to rail services and energy transition funds, as well as frontline services like housing, social justice and child poverty schemes.

Mr Stewart added: "Scottish taxpayers, who are being squeezed even more by Shona Robison's brutal budget, will rightly be furious. The millions being lavished on these offices highlight that the SNP’s priorities will always be skewed towards promoting their independence obsession in any way they can.

"The millions being lavished on these offices highlight that the SNP's priorities will always be skewed towards promoting their independence obsession in any way they can."

Pretend embassies… and you're paying

The nine offices are located in Beijing, Washington, Ottawa, Paris, Copenhagen, Brussels, Dublin and Berlin – as well as another so-called 'overseas' base at Scotland House in London. Only Paris has seen its budget reduced for next year.

The offices in Brussels, the US and China were opened under Scottish Labour, before the SNP launched a huge expansion programme under Nicola Sturgeon. The Scottish Government has opened six offices in almost seven years with another in Warsaw due to be opened by the end of this parliamentary session.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “International offices are maintained by all devolved governments and Scotland’s network has served and been supported by Ministers from a range of administrations for decades.

“Scotland’s international network attracts investment and creates domestic opportunities and benefits for the people of Scotland. We will continue to work with our friends and partners in Europe and beyond to reaffirm diplomatic ties, improve our global networks and unlock new economic and trading opportunities.

“Scotland has long benefitted from the inward investment our international network has helped to secure. As EY reported earlier this year, Scotland remains the most attractive place in the UK to invest after London, and outpaced the UK for foreign direct investment for a second year running, with a record 126 inward investment projects secured last year.”

>>20154983

>>20154866

>>20154754

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/poll-hammer-blow-snp-support-31769278

Poll hammer blow for SNP as support for independence DROPS in 2023 despite claims

Exclusive: Analysis of every independence poll using the 'yes/no' question in 2023 shows support for leaving the UK has actually dipped compared with 2022

Douglas Dickie

29 DEC 2023

Support for Scexit dropped in 2023 despite Nationalist claims it is on the rise, the Scottish Express can reveal. With hopes of a second independence referendum dashed, the SNP has been pushing alternative ways to break up the UK, including using the next UK general election as a "de facto" plebiscite.

But analysis of every poll using the 'yes/no' question asked to voters in 2014 shows support for independence has actually decreased over the past 12 months. The average 'yes' percentage out of the 47 polls taken in 2023 is 43.3 per cent.

That is down from almost exactly 45 per cent in the 26 surveys conducted during 2022. And support for the Union has risen slightly over the past 12 months.

In 2022, it averaged 45.9 per cent. But that has risen to 46.9 per cent in 2023. If don't knows were excluded, the corresponding result in a referendum would be 53.5 per cent for the union and 46.5 per cent for breaking up the UK.

The figures will be a hammer blow to the nationalist movement which has insisted for months that support for Scexit was rising. Others have . Just six polls in 2023 gave independence a lead - less than 13 per cent of the survey conducted. In comparison, there were seven polls with a 'yes' lead in 2022 - 27 per cent of all those conducted.

Three of this year's 'yes' leads were in polls carried out by Find Out Now with two being conducted by Ipsos Mori. The other was carried out by Opinium. It comes with the SNP struggling in the polls ahead of the next general election. Other polling also suggests a heavy bias towards 'yes' in the question, with the gap even wider if a 'remain/leave' question is asked.

Reacting to the data, Scottish Conservative deputy constitution spokesman Alexander Stewart said: "For all the SNP’s spin, Scots have repeatedly made it clear they are sick and tired of their independence obsession. They want Humza Yousaf and his colleagues to be focused on their real priorities, rather than aiming to turn the next General Election into a proxy referendum.

"The SNP should be spending time and resources on issues such as reducing NHS waiting times and restoring educational standards in Scotland’s schools." It comes as Alex Salmond took a pop at his former party, saying Scotland had endured a "decade of drift" under the SNP.

Mr Salmond, who quit the SNP in 2018, claimed the "foundation" of the case for independence had been the apparent competence of the government that he had led, this had been "badly eroded" under his successors. He also went on to accuse the SNP, now led by Humza Yousaf, of having "given up the ghost on presenting a coherent independence strategy".

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/world-news/scotlands-top-prosecutor-welcomes-court-31728181

Scotland's top prosecutor welcomes US court date for Libyan accused of being the Lockerbie 'bomb maker'

As memorial services to the 270 people murdered on this day 35 years ago take place on both sides of the Atlantic, a court in Washington DC has set a date for the start of the second Lockerbie trial

Ben Borland

21 DEC 2023

The Lord Advocate has welcomed the fixing of a trial date for the man suspected of building the bomb which brought down a plane over Lockerbie as she paid tribute to the victims.

Libyan Abu Agila Masud, 72, is to go on trial in Washington DC on May 12, 2025 facing three charges which he denies. He is alleged to have helped make the bomb which killed all 259 passengers and crew on board the jumbo jet bound to New York from London 35 years ago on December 21, 1988.

Another 11 people were killed in Lockerbie when wreckage destroyed their homes in what remains Britain’s deadliest terrorist attack. Former Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi is so far the only man convicted in relation to the bombing.

Speaking on the 35th anniversary of the atrocity, Dorothy Bain KC said: “For 35 years now the families of the 270 people murdered on the night of December 21 1988 have borne their losses with huge dignity and my thoughts are with them.”

The Lord Advocate, who is attending a memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery in the US, added: “The court in Washington DC has now fixed a date of May 12 2025 for the Masud trial. I welcome this development and am encouraged with the progress in the court process.

“Scottish and US authorities have worked together since 1988 to bring those responsible for this atrocity to justice. That work continues as a dedicated team of Scottish prosecutors and officers from Police Scotland support the US Department of Justice and the FBI in this prosecution.”

After he was found guilty in 2001 by three Scottish judges sitting at a special court in the Netherlands, Megrahi was sent to prison in Scotland but was controversially granted compassionate release in 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, returning home to Libya where he died in 2012.

Police Scotland’s Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham is also the 35th anniversary service in Washington, which he said was a “great honour”. “Time is no barrier to justice and Police Scotland remains committed to bringing those responsible for this atrocity to justice,” he added.

Kara Weipz, from a group representing 400 US relatives and friends, also welcomed the court date, saying: “It’s finally justice in this country and it’s something that members of the group have waited a very long time to see. It’s what we’ve wanted. We’ve wanted justice, and it’s coming. Hopefully.”

The mood in the town is 'sombre'

A further memorial was held at Tundergarth Church outside Lockerbie, which sits opposite the field where the nose cone of the plane fell to the ground. The service was led by Jeff Brown, Moderator of the Presbytery of Annandale and Eskdale, who said: “We remember all those taken in a senseless act of violence 35 years ago.”

Wreaths were also being laid at Rosebank Crescent, which became the site of a huge crater, and Sherwood Crescent, where houses were also destroyed. Later, a minute’s silence was held at the Garden of Remembrance at Dryfesdale cemetery just outside Lockerbie.

Pupils from Lockerbie Academy gave readings and a piper played as the wreaths were laid. Local MP David Mundell, a former Scottish secretary, was among those attending and described the mood as “sombre” as the town marked the anniversary.

He said: “I wasn’t in the town that night but obviously I remember it very, very well as news unfolded as to what had happened, I think everybody can remember where they were, obviously I had lots of friends and family still here. I remember vividly the days afterwards.

“But it’s always been about the stoicism people here displayed when that event happened, the way they stepped up to the mark and helped not just the victims but the armed forces, police, the emergency services who were involved afterwards, it was a remarkable effort by the community.”

>>20038158

>>>20038124 Updated Glasgow LEZ Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/glasgows-botched-low-emission-zone-31698146

Glasgow's 'botched' low emission zone blamed for 20 per cent drop in business

The controversial car ban is due to hit other big cities next year despite backlash in Glasgow from local businesses who say the impact is 'alarming' for businesses struggling to get back on top after the pandemic

Jessica North

18 DEC 2023

Glasgow's businesses have reported a 10 per cent drop in footfall due to the council's Low Emission Zones (LEZ) with some saying they are experiencing a 20 per cent drop in business.

Leon Thompson from UK Hospitality said "still very fragile" businesses have been hit by a "marked spike in the downturn of footfall into the city centre" since the rules were introduced back in June. The hospitality boss also took aim at the poor provision of late-night public transport.

Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland he said: "We really need to have our businesses to be able to trade at their optimal level and at the moment, that's proven to be a challenge. And if you look at Glasgow City's performance against other cities and in Scotland, it really is trailing and that's obviously a concern for cities who will have the experience at least coming in next next summer."

Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister Graham Simpson MSP said: "These stark remarks from the hospitality industry highlight yet again the deeply damaging impact Glasgow's botched low emission zone has had since it was imposed by the SNP-Green council six months ago."

The SNP-led local authority became the first to implement restrictions on older vehicles being driven into the city centre with Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen in line for similar schemes to be enforced next year.

Mr Thompson said: "The issue that we have with the scheme is that there's really no evidence that it's doing much more than that threatening the viability of businesses in Glasgow City Centre."

He added: "Footfall has been reported as being down 10 per cent. Some businesses are saying that they're 20 per cent down on their own business, which is really quite alarming, particularly at this point, when hospitality businesses need to be trading at an ultimate level to to try and break even, so it just another burden and difficulty for our businesses right now."

Addressing the other challenge for late-night venues, he said public transport plays a role. "A lot of it is about how long the services run for that because if you look at most affected parts of the hospitality industry, it's the late-night elements."

He added: "And that's because bus services finish earlier, the underground stops, trains, sisters cease to run. So really, it's about opening up public transport so it's available for much longer. into the evening than it currently is."

Mr Simpson said the SNP "cannot ignore that businesses are openly saying it is threatening the economic viability of the city2.

"While everyone wants to improve the air quality in the city, this scheme was rolled out in the wrong manner at a time when businesses were still struggling after Covid and with rising bills due to the global cost-of-living crisis," he added.

"Glasgow is now lagging behind other cities in terms of economic performance and Leon Thompson is right to urge the council to get on with improving public transport options.

"Coupled with the low emission zone, that is putting many people off coming into the city centre, which is a double whammy for businesses. Other cities who are planning their own low emission zones must learn lessons from the major errors made by the SNP-Green council in Glasgow."

The city council say it will be some time before the benefits of the LEZs can be reported particularly as the main expected benefit relates to the long-term average pollution concentrations.

They state "this is a statutory process we're monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of any Scottish LEZ" adding that "the council will follow the process and report back to our new transport strategy that has a substantial focus on improving bus travel."

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/comment/nationalist-mp-admitting-uses-fake-31768878

Nationalist MP admitting he uses fake quote to boost separatist argument shows how low they'll go

Neale Hanvey reckons Tories ignore a quote by Margaret Thatcher - probably because it's made up. But the Nat penchant for fake news is a very real problem

Douglas Dickie

29 DEC 2023

The SNP setting up its own rebuttal unit to tackle fake news has emitted many a laugh from anti-Nationalists. Given the independence movement's penchant for just making things up, there was a definite feeling of 'pot kettle black' about the whole thing.

But perhaps we shouldn't dismiss Nats' use of fake news with a roll of the eyes and shrug of the shoulders. This isn't just confined to the fringes of Scexit supporters, it is a very real problem among elected politicians.

The use of fake energy statistics was a fantastic example. Trumpeted by the likes of 'Air Miles' Angus Robertson to big up the independence cause abroad, anyone correcting it was met with accusations of 'talking Scotland down'. Humza Yousaf casually throws around untrue facts and figures at FMQs yet responds without a hint of humility when this is pointed out to him.

The situation came to mind again this week when Alba MP Neale Hanvey admitted to using a fake Margaret Thatcher quote to push his argument. He was responding to a meme on social media featuring the completely debunked quote from the former PM that the SNP sending a majority of Scottish MPs to Westminster was grounds for breaking up the UK.

Hanvey, who faces electoral humiliation at the next general election after jumping into bed with Alex Salmond's motley crue of has-beens and never-weres, responded to a comment asking if the Tories still stood by Thatcher's words. He said: "They ignore it. I have asked them repeatedly in debate. This is the one thing she was right about, and they know it."

There's a good reason they ignore it. Most of us tend not to offer much of an opinion on completely made-up quotes.

Only Mr Hanvey knows if he's aware the meme is a lie - although he should do now with many people correcting him. Does it even matter to him? It's true in the mind of Nationalists, and that's all that matters.

And while Mr Hanvey represents Alba, he has company. We've previously told of how the SNP's deputy leader Keith Brown used the fake quote in his party conference speech a few months ago. We've pointed this out to the SNP. Twice. Yet, it remains on their website to this day.

A new Yes website launched by the SNP is littered with factual inaccuracies. It includes infographics Nats can use online that feature out-of-date information, and yet it was heralded by Humza Yousaf.

The SNP, Alba and independence movement in general have a major dishonesty issue. They inhabit the world of 'post truth' they would claim to rally against. It exposes the utter sparseness of their argument that they are reduced to taking things out of context or simply inventing them to further their cause.

It proves that they will stoop to any low in their pursuit of breaking up the UK. And it begs the question if we can trust anything they say given lying seems to be second nature to them.

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/secretive-snp-government-refuse-reveal-31774670

Secretive SNP Government refuse to reveal what Humza Yousaf spoke about in controversial meeting with Icelandic Prime Minister

Exclusive: The First Minister was rebuked by then-foreign secretary James Cleverly for meeting the Icelandic Prime Minister without a Foreign Office diplomat present and his government have refused to reveal what was said in that summit.

David Walker

30 DEC 2023

The Scottish Government have been caught up in a new secrecy row after officials refused to reveal what Humza Yousaf spoke about in his controversial meeting with Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir. The pair's summit in New York came under scrutiny after the First Minister refused to allow a UK Government diplomat to sit in on it.

It is the rules that a Foreign Office official must be present when SNP ministers meet with foreign politicians but this has been breached numerous times by the nationalists. Most recently, Mr Yousaf was rebuked by Lord Cameron after chatting with Turkish President Erdogan without being accompanied by the UK Government.

But a similar row broke out in October when it was claimed that the First Minister blocked a Foreign Office representative from his meeting with the Icelandic PM at New York's Climate Week. It provoked an angry reaction from then-foreign secretary James Cleverly who threatened to pull his department's support for these summits.

He warned the SNP that his officials will "communicate to host governments that we do not judge it appropriate for them to meet" with Scottish Government ministers unless a diplomat is present. He penned a letter to Angus Robertson where he expressed his disappointment that they had contravened "longstanding" guidance.

This guidance applies to both the Westminster and Holyrood administrations and states that a senior Foreign Office official must be present at all meetings between devolved governments and foreign diplomats. The UK Government have accused the nationalists of attempting to undermine UK-wide messages, including on Brexit and Scexit.

Mr Cleverly added that if SNP ministers continue to prevent attendance by UK diplomats he will instruct Foreign Office officials to "withdraw from facilitating meetings between Scottish government ministers and ministers of foreign governments".

The Scottish Daily Express asked the SNP Executive for minutes from the meeting between Mr Yousaf and the Icelandic PM but were rebuffed, as they cited a loophole in the freedom of information rules. They claimed it would affect section 32, international relations.

This legislation states: "Its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially— relations between the United Kingdom and any other State; relations between the United Kingdom and any international organisation or international court; the interests of the United Kingdom abroad; or the promotion or protection by the United Kingdom of its interests abroad."

A briefing note for the meeting was provided though, which highlighted that the two politicians would be discussing on and offshore wind projects. And the SNP even offered to give advice to the Icelandic government when it comes to climate change.

The First Minister was told to ask Ms Jakobsdóttir whether Iceland has "considered providing funding on Loss and Damage?" If not, his officials were "happy to provide advice/support on this. We could have a briefing ready for your Climate Minister to consider ahead of the COP28 meeting in Reykjavik."

Mr Yousaf was forced to plead with the UK Government not to shut his international embassies after Lord Cameron was furious when he met Turkish President Erdogan without a UK diplomat present. He called the former Prime Minister "petty" despite him not following the rules.

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/shona-robison-jets-exclusive-ski-31777108

Shona Robison jets off to exclusive ski resort frequented by George Clooney and Kylie Minogue days after clobbering Scots with tax hikes and funding cuts

The Scottish Government finance secretary enjoyed a festive break to Chamonix, an exclusive resort in the French Alps, just days after subjecting Scots to one of the worst budgets since devolution.

David Walker, John Ferguson & Hannah Rodger

31 DEC 2023

Shona Robison has been blasted after it was revealed she jetted out to an exclusive ski resort frequented by celebrities just days after presenting a brutal budget which included tax hikes and funding cuts. The finance secretary spent Christmas in a luxury spa hotel in the French Alps, where rooms cost up to £520 a night.

The four-star Heliopic Hotel and Spa is based in Chamonix which is a favourite winter retreat for huge names such as George Clooney and Kylie Minogue. And the SNP minister was pictured enjoying drinks and dinner at the Michelin-recommended Ashokan restaurant where a £78 three-course menu includes foie gras, black truffle and scallops.

Her lavish getaway came just days after she presented a budget which "clobbered" Scots due to more tax hikes and refusal to hand over business rates cash. Mental health and housing funds were also slashed to fill a £1.5bn black hole.

The Sunday Mail reported that "eyebrows were raised" when she announced she would be flying out to Chamonix after delivering the bad news. A source told the the paper: "For the vast majority of families struggling through the cost of living crisis a skiing holiday is a completely unattainable dream.

“Many will be having to think whether they can afford to turn the heating on this winter never mind go to a luxury Alpine spa. A decade ago part of the appeal of the SNP was that they seemed to understand what ordinary people were going through compared with Westminster elites. But after all these years in power it now feels like they are out of touch and drunk on power.”

Her budget was described as a "tax and axe" one, with experts warning that it could destroy jobs and devastate public services. Councils were not given enough money to fund a council tax freeze, and high earners were battered with another tax hike a year after the last one.

The source added: “Ironically it is businesses like Scotland’s ski resorts at Glencoe and Aviemore that are finding it tough at the moment due to Robison’s failure to introduce rates relief available in England.”

A number of other big celebrities also holiday in Chamonix including singer Katy Perry and actors Penelope Cruz and Michael Fassbender. The resort the SNP minister enjoyed her time in is at the foot of Mont Blanc and is classed as one of Europe's best spas.

Luxurious rooms rocket in price over Christmas and the hotel also offers a swimming pool, ice cave, Japanese bath and a jacuzzi with stunning mountain views. On the hotel’s website it says guests can “ski through immaculate snowy landscapes” in one of the “most beautiful ski resorts in the Alps”.

The children’s menu at the Ashokan costs £39 while the plush hotel bar serves Jeeper and Domaine Frank Verlet champagnes for up to £112 a bottle along with £14 cocktails and £34 glasses of cognac. Guests can also enjoy luxury spa treatments at the Nuxe basement spa which offers massages for up to £125 and deluxe anti-ageing facials for £160.

A spokeswoman for Robison said: “Ms Robison had a short, three-night family break over Christmas.”

Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells said: “The thought of Shona Robison living it up at an elite ski resort will stick in the craw of Scots clobbered by her devastating budget. While politicians, like everyone else, are entitled to a holiday, it’s tone deaf of the finance secretary to jet off on a luxury break just days after hiking taxes on hard-working Scots and imposing eye-watering cuts on key public services.”

Her fellow Tory MSP Murdo Fraser described the situation as "all a bit Marie Antoinette" referencing the late French queen who enjoyed luxury while the French people toiled in poverty.

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-humiliatingly-snubbed-scottish-31774916

Humza Yousaf humiliatingly snubbed by Scottish Government who rejected request to publicise his Time magazine front cover

Exclusive: The First Minister proudly asked his administration to share the Time magazine on their social media but was told this could not be done due to the article mainly focusing on the SNP.

David Walker

30 DEC 2023

Humza Yousaf faced a humiliating snub by his own government after he tried to make them publicise his Time magazine front page. The First Minister was proud to appear on the cover of the prominent international publication as he was lauded as the country's first Muslim leader.

In the puff piece, the journalist for the article was given unrivalled access to the newly crowned SNP leader back in August when they accompanied him on a number of photoshoots, including in Largs and at a Ukrainian flower-laying ceremony. They declared him as one of TIME's Next Generation Leaders, which was rubbished by critics.

This front page became a familiar sight on the SNP's social media as they boasted about him being chosen for this article. But now the Scottish Daily Express can reveal that the Scottish Government were not quite so keen on the entire ordeal.

A lot of preparation work went into the magazine article, with a number of photo shoots taking place, including on the balcony in his office. The actual article lavished praise on him, describing him as "the first Muslim politician ever elected to lead a Western democracy" – although in fact he is merely the leader of a devolved administration.

In emails seen by this website, the First Minister instructs his office to ask the Scottish Government to publicise the front page on their social media accounts. One of his private secretaries emails the SNP Executive to say "The First Minister had asked that our comms teams do some follow up when this is live please?"

The article is then published on October 5, but his request is rebuffed by the civil servants working within the administration. They write: "Just to flag that the Time Magazine feature has now published. Time have shared a link to the article on Twitter here which the FM may wish to share to his personal account: TIME on X: "Meet the newest class of Next Generation Leaders: 10 trailblazers shaping our future.

"Unfortunately given the party political content and focus throughout the article it’s not one we are able to post to SG social channels. Apologies."

This humiliating rejection came due to the fact that the article focuses massively on Mr Yousaf's dreams of breaking up the UK, and also on the turmoil which had engulfed the SNP during his short reign at the top. It covered Scexit, gender reforms and also the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election which ended in a thrashing for the nationalists.

He told Time that if he can get independence support to a consistent high- so far an impossible feat despite more than 16 years in power for the Nats- then "it'll be impossible for the UK government" to continue to say no. But this has culminated in a plummeting support for the SNP.

The First Minister also added: "Being attached to this unequal union is what is holding us back and I believe that weaves its way through every single issue that people are grappling with today."

Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy was scathing in his assessment of the interview at the time. He said: "He's chosen to defend the worst errors of his predecessor and ignore Scotland's real priorities by continuing to focus on separatist obsessions. He may not have long to enjoy his exposure in publications such as Time magazine before the electorate call 'time' on his leadership."

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-hits-out-cronyism-31772642

Humza Yousaf hits out at 'cronyism' in Honours system weeks after ex-SNP president handed plum role as 'impartial' government adviser

The First Minister was quick to criticise the fact Liz Truss gets to appoint new peers but his comments come weeks after Michael Russell was appointed as Chair of the Scottish Land Commission (SLC), a taxpayer-funded impartial role.

David Walker

30 DEC 2023

Humza Yousaf has moaned about the long-standing Honours tradition, describing it as "naked political cronyism at its worst." He comments came after former Prime Minister Liz Truss was allowed to nominate 11 of her allies for honours, despite only lasting 49 days in office.

This list included Tory donor Jon Moynihan, her deputy chief of staff in Number 10 Ruth Porter and former chief executive of the Vote Leave Brexit campaign Matthew Elliott, with all three being recommended for peerages. Two Conservative MPs were also honoured, with Alec Shelbrooke receiving a knighthood and Jackie Doyle-Price becoming a dame.

Novelist Shirley Conran was the only non-political figure on the list as she became a dame for services to mathematics education as founder of the charity Maths Anxiety Trust. Ms Truss's list was published at the same time as the King's New Year honours and over a year after she left office.

The announcement has annoyed the SNP, despite one former adviser wanting the nationalists to start accepting positions in the House of Lords. The First Minister took to social media to outline his anger as he said: "The Honours system isn't fit for purpose.

"Naked political cronyism at its worst. We should have a system that rightly recognises the excellent contribution people make to their communities and to trailblazers in their respective fields. Not political donors & cronies.'

But some social media commentators highlighted that cronyism is something which is rife within the nationalist party as well, as evidenced by the appointment of former president Michael Russell to an apparently impartial Scottish Government adviser role. He stepped down from his job to take on the role of Chair of the Scottish Land Commission (SLC).

This is a taxpayer-funded job which is meant to be unbiased but concerns were raised about Mr Russell as he has previously labelled non-Nats as "enemies" and "anti-Scottish." He will be expected to advise ministers about land reform in Scotland, and may need to be critical.

His appointment was voted through at Holyrood in the last week before recess, with the SNP and Scottish Green majority ensuring he won. But opposition critics blasted this as "jobs for the boys" pointing out how volatile the former MSP was to anyone outwith his own party.

Scottish Tory rural affairs spokeswoman Rachael Hamilton said: “The last thing the Scottish Land Commission needs is an SNP yes man, but that is exactly what Mike Russell is. He will do anything for independence, but the evidence is clear he cannot be independent in this role. Mike Russell has called political opponents enemies and anti-Scottish.

“Only last month he ludicrously blamed my party for Michael Matheson’s iPad scandal. He is beyond repair and his judgement is skewed. As we are about to embark on important land reform, Mike Russell’s uncompromising and entrenched views will undermine that work.

“Jobs for the boys will only compromise land reform, not facilitate it. Mike Russell will only act in the SNP’s interests at every turn, rather than acting in Scotland’s interests as the new chair of the SLC.”

Scottish Tory MSP Roz McCall responded to Mr Yousaf and said: "Like giving the former SNP President one of the top jobs at the Scottish Land Commission you mean?"

>>20165784

Pretty sure I posted this on the last board, but will re-post…

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/michael-russell-suddenly-steps-down-31576496

Michael Russell suddenly steps down as SNP president weeks after being re-elected

The nationalist grandee confirmed that he was quitting as president of the party as he is taking on a new role with the Scottish Land Commission.

David Walker

1 DEC 2023

SNP grandee Michael Russell has announced his shock resignation as president of the party, just weeks after he was re-elected to the role. The former Scottish Government minister claimed that he was taking on a new job in land reform meaning he can't commit his time to his role within the nationalists.

At the SNP's October conference he fought off a coup attempt as Graeme McCormick, who compared the party's independence plans to flatulence in a trance, attempted to unseat him but was thrashed quite soundly. But now the role will be vacant once again.

Pro-indy newspaper the National reported that he has sent his resignation letter to Humza Yousaf, explaining that he is in the process of taking on a new job in land reform with the Scottish Government. He spoke about an "unprecedented year for the SNP".

He wrote: "As a result as president of the party I have been called upon to undertake a whole range of unexpected tasks - which I was glad to do - and I hope my contribution over the last nine months has helped to steady the ship. I am glad to see you now firmly in the vanguard of a whole new SNP generation which has taken over the key positions of responsibility in Government, Parliament, council chambers and the party.”

Mr Russell is expected to become the new chairman of the Scottish Land Commission and will need to dedicate his time to this job instead. He also added that February will mark 50 years since the first time he voted SNP and May will mark 50 years of membership.

He said: "Given that, and the fact that I am now 70, I had thought to step away from my party responsibilities at some stage over the next year but the timescale for fulfilling that intention has now been accelerated by circumstances.

“Weighing on my mind was the fact that this might well be the last opportunity I had to make a significant contribution to both the issue and (although land reform is an urban as well as rural issue and is needed Scotland wide) especially to the communities in the Highlands and Islands with whom I have worked, and where I have lived, for many years."

Mr Russell has been known to write madcap columns for the National as well, including accusing the Scottish Tories of destroying democracy because they were holding Michael Matheson to account for him falsely claimed £11k data roaming bill.

He served as an MSP from 2011 to 2021 and held numerous cabinet positions, including education and the constitution. The SNP’s former Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “I have had the privilege of working with @Feorlean over many decades in @theSNP.

“He is a man of diverse talents and I am sorry he is stepping back from being party president although I am happy for Michael that he will be using his considerable talents on land reform. Good luck my friend.”

However, Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: “It speaks volumes for the state of the feuding, scandal-ridden SNP, that Mike Russell would want to desert a sinking ship in favour of a cushy job with a Scottish government quango.

“But many people will question whether someone so partisan and tribally devoted to Humza Yousaf’s party is the right person to lead the Scottish Land Commission.”

>>20166060

>>20165784

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-government-kept-eye-cronyism-31783085

SNP Government kept eye on cronyism row after it handed £405k to Islamic group linked to Humza Yousaf

New documents released by the National Records of Scotland showed that Alex Salmond's cabinet were kept up-to-date on the scandal surrounding the handing of taxpayer cash to the Scottish Islamic Foundation which included his former aide as chief executive and the now First Minister as a director.

David Walker

1 JAN 2024

Alex Salmond's SNP government kept a close eye on a cronyism row involving an Islamic group with links to Humza Yousaf. He handed the Scottish Islamic Foundation (SIF) £405,000 in grants to help it run events which never actually came to fruition.

This caused a scandal back in 2008 as the organisation had no track record of being able to put on events of the scale it promised, and its founding chief executive was the now First Minister's cousin Osama Saeed who was a former aide to Mr Salmond and stood as an SNP candidate in the 2010 general election.

Ministers in the cabinet were kept abreast of the row surrounding this cash as they were updated on a growing number of parliamentary questions and freedom of information requests about the SIF. This is shown in newly released papers published by the National Records of Scotland (NRS).

The SNP government were told that Mr Salmond's special advisers were helping to field queries from rival MSPs due to the high "media interest" surrounding the group and the payment. Mr Yousaf himself was a director of the SIF from May 2008 until September 2009 with his then girlfriend Gail Lythgoe being a director from June to December 2009.

They were later married before divorcing, with the First Minister now wedded to Nadia El-Nakla. At the time of the scandal, he was a parliamentary assistant to SNP MSP Bashir Ahmad, while Ms Lythgoe was the national secretary of SNP Students.

The SIF claimed it would hold the country's biggest ever celebration of Islamic culture in Glasgow in June 2009 and labelled it IslamFest. However, the project collapsed and the group had to repay £128,000 after spending £72,000 on development, with Mr Salmond predicting that it would be an "enormous event" for the city and Scotland.

It also failed to hold an Islamic financial event called Etisal which it pencilled in for November 2009 but this also never happened. Half of the original £400,000 in grants was withheld.

The SIF was included in a Scottish Cabinet Analysis of News and Current Events (SCANCE) report on 19 August 2008. It said: “A number of media reports over the past month have claimed that Scottish Government funding has been provided to the Scottish Islamic Foundation because their chief executive (Osama Saeed) has strong links to the SNP.

“A total of just over £400k has been provided: £200k (of an estimated £1.4m) for IslamFest; £190k for a partnership project to develop and promote education and personal development for young Muslims and encourage greater community involvement; and small amount for set up costs for the organisation.

“All grants were subject to normal funding processes and scrutiny. Political and media interest remains high, with 20 Parliamentary Questions and 16 Freedom of Information requests due to be answered.

“Audit Scotland is reviewing the grant assessment and payment process at the request of George Foulkes MSP and Frank McAveety MSP has written to ask for an independent inquiry.”

>>20166380

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………continued…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The SIF was discussed again two weeks later in the SCANCE report for 2 September. This said: “Following media reports over the past months claiming that Scottish Government funding had been provided to the Scottish Islamic Foundation (SIF) because its chief executive (Osama Saeed) has strong links to the SNP, the Scottish Government has received 26 Parliamentary Questions (PQ) and 21 Freedom of Information requests (FOI).

“Audit Scotland has been asked by George Foulkes MSP to review the grant assessment / payment process for some of the monies paid to SIF. Frank McAveety MSP has also written to the First Minister with a series of questions and calling for an inquiry. Audit Scotland's reply to Mr Foulkes will issue on Monday, 1 September.

“Correct procedures were followed in providing the grants and it is expected that this will be reflected in the response. Outstanding PQs/FOls will issue concurrently, followed by the response to Mr McAveety.

“Special Advisers were involved in preparing the responses to the PQs/FOls and it is believed that the information going into the public domain will be uncontroversial. However, media interest remains high. Communications Health will be provided with lines and briefing has been put forward for the legislative programme statement and FMQs.”

The SIF collapsed in January 2013 after spending £203,000 in government grants, with Mr Saeed quitting as chief executive in March 2010 following a damning audit report which showed that it went almost £5,000 into the red in its first year. Auditors reported “significant doubt” about its ability to continue as a going concern.

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/departing-snp-mp-philippa-whitford-31772343

Departing SNP MP Philippa Whitford blames bad press headlines for Humza Yousaf's poor performance as First Minister

The Central Ayrshire MP also admitted that the sudden resignation of Nicola Sturgeon, and lack of natural successor for her, had been a mistake and could have prompted the party's collapse in the polls.

David Walker

30 DEC 2023

A departing SNP MP has blamed the Scottish press for the shockingly poor start to Humza Yousaf's reign as First Minister. Dr Philippa Whitford is one of eight Nat MPs who are retiring at the next general election amid an exodus following the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon.

And she claimed that newspapers in Scotland were having a negative impact on the Scottish Government, despite numerous mistakes from Mr Yousaf himself building up his poor reputation. In his nine months in Bute House, he has become embroiled in a number of scandals.

These range from Operation Branchform, which saw the arrest of Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon and Colin Beattie to his deputy Shona Robison being forced to correct the record on Covid WhatsApps after falsely claiming that the UK Inquiry had only asked for correspondence in September.

He has also refused to sack his good friend Michael Matheson who lied to journalists and MSPs about why he racked up a £11k data roaming bill in Morocco. He claimed there was no personal use after his kids admitted to him they had watched Scottish football games while abroad using his data.

Despite this, Ms Whitford claimed that it is the press's fault that Mr Yousaf has not had a good time as First Minister, while also admitted that Ms Sturgeon's resignation also had a big impact. She told the National: "I think the loss of Nicola was significant.

"I think people are very impressed at how Humza is speaking about the war in Israel and Palestine. His nuance and his humanity are showing through. But his initial time, including the leadership election, was overshadowed with the police investigation into party finances which is still hanging there.

“What we have that is very noticeable in Scotland is relentless headlines that are always pitched in a negative way, instead of actually [for example] the Scottish NHS, while struggling post-pandemic, is outperforming the other three, or we are making progress at the end of secondary in closing the attainment gap.

“Nothing in Scotland is ever reported positively, and so I think all of that builds up, but it [the SNP dipping in the polls] started from losing Nicola and particularly the police investigation.”

We previously told how pollster Sir John Curtice said how the resignation of Ms Sturgeon had prompted the collapse in the polls for the SNP. He described how Mr Yousaf was much more unpopular than his predecessor and this was a key reason why support for the party had plummeted from 43 per cent to 36 per cent.

Ms Whitford also hit out at the fact that the SNP had not groomed a successor to the former First Minister, causing the fractious leadership contest and ending with the elevation of a failed health secretary. She said: “I think maybe a weakness of the party was, with the strength and also the relatively young age of Nicola, there hadn’t been any succession planning.

“When Alex Salmond stood down, albeit very suddenly, Nicola had been deputy first minister and she had clearly been groomed as a strong successor and I don’t think we had a field of people that were already in that sort of position. Therefore for any of them to be elected, frankly, it was going to be a big step up."

>>20116700

>>20116631

>>20038158

>>>20038127 Michelle Mone Bun

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/11739904/michelle-mone-doug-barrowman-sale-accounts-frozen/

BRA-GAIN HUNT Michelle Mone & billionaire hubby launch £80m sale of luxury villa, jet & yacht after accounts frozen in PPE probe

It was reported the bra tycoon discovered the freeze on her accounts when her card was declined at a petrol station just before Christmas.

Harry Williamson

3 Jan 2024

MICHELLE Mone and her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman are selling their luxury house, private jet and superyacht worth £80m at slashed prices.

Baroness Mone had her bank accounts frozen by the National Crime Agency amid a probe into the PPE firm MedPro.

The NCA is said to be investigating claims of fraud and bribery surrounding PPE Medpro.

The firm, run by Barrowman, got more than £200 million in government contracts during the pandemic.

It was reported the bra tycoon discovered the freeze on her accounts when her card was declined at a petrol station just before Christmas.

Tory peer Mone and Barrowman are now flogging luxury items for millions.

A six-bedroom villa on the Caribbean island of St Barthelemy belonging to Barrowman has been on the market since 2021 but the price tag has been slashed from £63m to £41m, the Daily Record reports.

Barrowman's luxury yacht, the Lady M, has been up for grabs for over a year.

But the 39-metre vessel is now on sale for a reduced price of just under £7million.

The megarich couple are also understood to have sold their £7.5m Cessna private jet, a £7million villa in Portugal's Algarve and their London townhouse for £19million.

A spokesperson for Barrowman told The Daily Record: “The media’s ridiculous ­obsession with every tiny detail of Michelle and Doug’s personal life continues to reach desperate levels.

"They have both been very successful in business for decades, so if they plan to write about every asset that they own, might be buying or could be selling, ­journalists would be writing for a very long time.

"This is a futile attempt to distract from Doug Barrowman’s robust ­fightback against the PPE Medpro allegations over the last few weeks.”

Last month, we told how Baroness Mone owned up to personally benefitting from a £200m PPE contract after lying to the press for months about her involvement.

In an interview with the BBC, Baroness Mone admitted she had lied about her links to PPE firm Medpro, but insisted that she and her husband have "no case to answer".

Lady Mone insisted that lying to the media is "not a crime", but that it had been an “error”.

>>20038158

>>>20038124 Updated Glasgow LEZ Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/glasgow-shopping-disaster-footfall-collapses-31808305

Glasgow shopping disaster as footfall collapses over Christmas and SNP blamed for 'alarming' decline

Susan Aitken has been blamed for a huge slump in sales for Glasgow's struggling shops as the city's festive footfall plummeted and ended up the worst in the UK.

David Walker

5 JAN 2024

Glasgow's festive footfall slumped in December, new figures have revealed, with the SNP blamed for presiding over this "alarming" decline. Scotland's biggest city suffered the biggest drop in shoppers out of the 11 big cities across the UK, which was contrasted with Edinburgh sitting top of the table, with a positive result.

We previously told how the nationalist council was blasted for making a mess of one of its most iconic shopping streets, Sauchiehall Street, which was dug up and fenced off before Christmas and remains an eyesore. This, coupled with "unkempt" buildings, make the city undesirable.

New figures from the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) revealed that footfall in Edinburgh increased by 6.4 per cent in December year on year but in Glasgow this decreased by 9.6 per cent. Overall, Scottish footfall did fall by 2.2 per cent during the same time period which is better than UK average decrease of five per cent.

Bad weather was blamed for the poor showing on what is traditionally seen as "the busiest trading month of the year." David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, added: "This was the third successive monthly decline, rounding off a pretty drab final trading quarter of the year for Scottish stores. Footfall fell across most destinations with only Edinburgh seeing an improvement."

The shocking figures in Glasgow were blamed on the SNP, with local Scottish Tory MSP Annie Wells calling them "deeply alarming." She told the Scottish Daily Express: "This is symbolic of the SNP-led Glasgow City Council as well as SNP ministers in Edinburgh’s repeated failure to support businesses in Scotland’s largest city.

“Glasgow’s economy is continuing to lag behind other parts of Scotland and the United Kingdom due to a severe lack of ambition from the council and a failure of the SNP to properly fund local authorities. That has left many parts of the city looking tired and unkempt which is putting many people off from using Glasgow’s shops.

“These figures must be an urgent wake-up call for SNP representatives at all levels to urgently outline how Glasgow’s businesses will thrive once again, otherwise more will only shut their doors.”

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh's footfall is about a sixth down on pre-Covid levels, showing the impact of the pandemic on shopping. Last year, the SNP handed out vouchers worth £105 to 85,000 people living in the city which they could spend in local shops, which boosted sales and could have led to the big disparity. We previously told how some Glaswegians used these gift cards instead to buy heroin.

Mr Lonsdale described how Glasgow has struggled much like many retail destinations. He told the Scottish Daily Express: "Both foot-traffic and retail sales across Scotland have been becalmed as the elevated cost of living, higher mortgages, and the continued prevalence of hybrid working – meaning fewer commuters - have taken a toll.

"That said, the city’s retail scene has tremendous strengths including in luxury items such as jewellery and watches and in fashion retailing with many brands of international repute. Over and above that the city has a massive catchment area and extensive public transport system.

"The city council has thought creatively in the past about how it might help retail, including its 2022 shopper stimulus scheme. It may wish to consider what other measures might be needed to bring the energy and footfall back.”

The SRC use figures which are calculated using precise shopper numbers entering retail stores across the UK, whichever destination they are located. But Glasgow City Council disputed these statistics, claiming it had actually experienced growth year on year, using its own method which are based on cameras in city centre streets and that it had "strong confidence" in them.

>>20189895

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….continued………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A spokesman said: "Our figures, which we have strong confidence in, show that retailers in Glasgow city centre enjoyed year on year growth for the festive period in 2023, with figures of +12.7% and +16.4% in the two weeks before Christmas compared to 2022, and 2% growth in the sales period between Boxing Day and Hogmanay.

"Glasgow city centre is key to the economies of both the city and Scotland, being home to more than 150,000 jobs and over 4,000 businesses which contribute to annual economic activity of almost £10 billion. Given the obvious importance of the area performing well, we are working with all of the sectors in the city centre to develop plans that will deliver success, such as the work on the Golden Z (the retail core of Argyle, Buchanan and Sauchiehall Streets) that will identify action to maximise its attractiveness to retailers, residents, shoppers and visitors.”

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-labels-herself-chief-31805003

Nicola Sturgeon labels herself 'chief corporate parent' as she blames others for failure of key children in care promise

The former first minister always claimed that her aim to reform the care system in Scotland through The Promise was one of her main aims but attacked her former government for failing to implement it, despite only resigning last year.

David Walker

4 JAN 2024

Nicola Sturgeon claimed that she was called the "chief corporate parent" in Scotland as she blamed others for the failure of her much-lauded Promise to children in care. The former first minister described how emotional she got announcing that she wanted to overhaul the care system by 2030 in her 2016 SNP conference speech.

But the progress on this has been glacial, with the policy’s oversight board admitting last year that it was unlikely to be completed by 2030. It said: “Sadly, due to the worsening circumstances for so many and the current pace of change, the Promise Oversight Board does not believe that delivering the original aims… is realistic within that timeframe“.

Ms Sturgeon abdicated blame for this as she hit out at the media for making politics about the "easy choice" and blamed "very, very vested" interests for pushing back against changes and institutional "inertia [which] makes it sound more passive than it actually is".

She made these comments in an interview with Baroness Casey for her BBC Radio 4 programme, Fixing Britain, where they discussed her flagship policy to help care-experienced children. She pledged that her reform of the care system would help all young people would grow up "loved, safe and respected".

But now after leaving office she has claimed that there was an "implementation gap" with the policy which meant it was failing to achieve effective change in the system despite strong rhetoric. It is known as The Promise and was created as part of a response to the Independent Care Review which found that children in care were over-policed and over-criminalised.

Ms Sturgeon told BBC Radio 4 about how emotional she was when giving her speech at the 2016 SNP conference. She said: "I had decided in advance that as I delivered that commitment I would look directly at them because they were looking directly to me as, called me the chief corporate parent in the country.

"And I think they wanted to see if I meant it, and I was determined to look at them but as I did so, I knew I wasn't going to get through the speech without crying and it's the closest I've ever come on a public platform, particularly in a speech at a political party conference, to actually breaking down completely.

"I became that day, and still today, very emotionally invested in this and actually the people around me, and I don't mean this as a criticism of them, civil servants at the time would gently suggest that I needed to keep a degree of distance and it wasn't always wise to become emotionally involved in things you were dealing with as first minister.

"But there was a big part of my thinking at the time telling me that that is what the problem was, that nobody was getting emotionally involved in the lives and the chances and the fates of these young people."

She then went on to say there was an "implementation gap" and that if the government don't solve this then the promise she made will "have been broken and for me that is unthinkable."

Megan Moffat, a policy officer at Who Cares? Scotland, criticised the progress being made. She said: "The day it was launched there was a statement and every political party supported us doing this - 'We've all signed up to keep The Promise' - but often that means it's low-hanging fruit.

"It's changing the language on something rather than changing the practice. So for example, instead of calling it sibling contact, we're changing documents to call it family time, so that it's more accessible to kids.

"But what we're not actually doing is upholding the rights of brothers and sisters not to be separated in care. So I think we really have a look at what we're doing and how we get this back on track because we're already four years into a ten-year implementation plan."

Scottish Conservative deputy education spokeswoman Roz McCall said vulnerable children were "paying the price" for inaction. "Nicola Sturgeon might not be fronting up The Promise any longer, but Humza Yousaf cannot continue to let Scotland's children down and must urgently outline how it will be delivered, four years on from when it was first pledged," she said.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/call-msps-pay-doubled-bid-31813313

Call for MSPs' pay to be DOUBLED in bid to improve quality at Holyrood - how much does yours earn

Scottish politicians already earn salaries that dwarf the average Scots wage but former Tory adviser Andy Maciver reckons they need to be paid more if we want a better quality of debate

Douglas Dickie

5 JAN 2024

A political commentator has said MSPs should be paid MORE so a better quality of politician is attracted to Holyrood. While most voters already think our lawmakers are earning too much - along with their generous expenses system and multitude of freebies - Andy Maciver believes "we need to dramatically increase the salary of MSPs and government ministers".

He reckons this is one of the best ways to get more "good, experienced, intelligent politicians" into Holyrood. The former Tory adviser thinks there is a shortage of quality on the benches, something that was highlighted by the recent budget debates.

And writing in The Herald, he said: "I know the horror which usually greets such a call, however this is, I am afraid, a classic chicken-and-egg." Maciver said the current basic salary for an MSP was not "small", but that was "the reward side of the risk: the reward of being a politician".

He added: "The risk cannot be ignored. The job insecurity, the propulsion of you and your family into public life, the scrutiny in the press and on social media of everything you have ever done in your life, and the hours, often misunderstood by those outside politics, which are often debilitatingly long."

He said politics was "not a charitable pursuit for most people" and "most of those who are theoretically interested in being an MSP, but who already earn a similar salary, simply stay in their job where the reward is the same but the risk is much lower"

He went on: "They would think twice, though, if the salary of an MSP was, let's say, doubled to £134,000. And if the salary of a minister was doubled from £99,000 to £198,000, and of a first minister from £165,000 to £330,000."

Maciver also called on the use of open primaries to select candidates so voters also have a say on who their candidates will be rather than simply being picked by the party. He also wants to see more powers invested in local politics but it is his suggestion of raising MSPs pay that will likely rankle with ordinary Scots.

How much does your MSP earn?

The basic salary for an MSP is £67,662 a year but many earn more than that for having additional responsibilities. Taking home the most cash is SNP leader Humza Yousaf who is entitled to an additional £98,016 for being First Minister- more than the Prime Minister - taking his annual pay to £165,678.

And his nine cabinet ministers (all SNP) all take home an extra £50,849. That means Shona Robison, Michael Matheson, Jenny Gilruth, Mairi McAllan, Neil Gray, Mairi Gougeon, Angus Robertson, Shirley-Anne Somerville and Angela Constance all earn £118,511.

Earning an extra £31,854 for a salary of £99,516 are the 18 Scottish Government Ministers (all SNP unless stated): Elena Whitman, Jamie Hepburn, George Adam, Tom Arthur, Joe FitzPatrick, Jenni Minto, Maree Todd, Natalie Don, Graeme Dey, Fiona Hyslop, Richard Lochhead, Gillian Martin, Patrick Harvie (Green), Lorna Slater (Green), Christina McKelvie, Emma Roddick, Paul McLennan and Siobhian Brown.

Also picking up an additional salary is presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament Alison Johnstone whose salary of £118,511 is an extra £50,849. Her two deputies Liam McArthur and Annabelle Ewing pick up an extra £31,854 for a salary of £99,516.

Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC also picks up an MSP's salary plus £66,430 to earn £134,092. Solicitor General Ruth Charteris KC receives an MSP's salary plus £48,038 meaning she is paid £115,700.

All other MSPs just get the basic amount apart from dual mandate MSPs like Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, who is also an MP. He is only paid £22,554 for his Holyrood work. Labour MSP Katy Clark is also on a dual mandate salary as she is a member of the House of Lords.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/cash-strapped-humza-yousaf-pleads-31805541

Cash-strapped Humza Yousaf pleads with tycoon Brian Souter to organise business dinner in blow to Scottish Greens

The First Minister is attempting to mend relationships with the Stagecoach founder after he stopped donating to the SNP under Nicola Sturgeon as his party faces a cash crisis.

David Walker

4 JAN 2024

Cash-strapped Humza Yousaf asked tycoon Sir Brian Souter to help organise a business dinner as he brought the former SNP donor back into the fold. But it could prove to be contentious for the Bute House Agreement due to him challenging LGBT equalities law previously.

The First Minister promised a business reset when he took over from Nicola Sturgeon, and the nationalists have been struggling to stay afloat money-wise due to lack of big donations. These dried up under the former occupant of Bute House, with Alex Salmond having a close relationship with the former Stagecoach entrepreneur.

Sir Brian is one of Scotland's richest men and is socially conservative, meaning his values never aligned with Ms Sturgeon's, and he stopped donating when she was in charge. But he was asked by Mr Yousaf to help arrange a dinner with business leaders at a five-star hotel.

He previously campaigned to keep a ban on teaching about LGBT in Scottish schools which put him on collision course with the likes of Patrick Harvie. The new first minister won the SNP leadership contest on his socially liberal record to contrast himself with rival Kate Forbes, who strongly signalled her social conservatism.

The Scottish Greens co-leader said that Mr Souter's campaign had led to him getting into politics. He previously said: "The campaign against Souter's bigoted agenda inspired me to get into politics, and any principled party would have told him where to stuff his money."

Politico reports that the tycoon was courted by Mr Yousaf's advisers who asked him to help organise a dinner to repair ties between business and government. They liased with his aides when arranging the gathering in Edinburgh last summer, with Sir Brian agreeing to help "nudge" other business figures.

In the exchanges between the first minister's chief of staff Colin McAllister suggested a list of potential invitees to the aide from Souter Investments Ltd company who replied that "Brian is happy with the proposed list below." He then said that Sir Brian "offered to reach out to some people” regarding the dinner.

He added: "I will leave it to you guys to judge who that might be but we would be very grateful if he could nudge people as he feels appropriate." In response, the aide said: "Brian is fine with reaching out to people once we have the date in the diary."

The event was billed by Mr Yousaf's team as a "Business Leaders Dinner" eventually went ahead on July 27 at the luxury Prestonfield House in Edinburgh. He attended, along with his wellbeing economy secretary Neil Gray and former media proprietor Ellis Watson as well as nine other figures who names were redacted.

Sir Brian's aide tried to book the luxury hotel on the Scottish Government's behalf which was politely declined by Mr McAllister. In minutes circulated after the dinner, Mr Yousaf told those present that "engagement with business has already highlighted the need to involve business more effectively in policy.”

The business leaders were invited to “raise issues with FM and his wider ministerial team in the future.” Pressed on the dinner, a Scottish Government spokesperson said “ministers routinely engage with a wide range of business leaders as a normal part of government."

They added that Mr Yousaf “has been clear since taking office that resetting the relationship between government and business is a priority.”

Scottish Tory MSP Stephen Kerr said: "This rather undoes a lot of the positioning Humza Yousaf did in the SNP leadership contest as the liberal alternative to Kate Forbes. I suppose when the bank balance goes in the red, out goes the principles (if they were ever there!)"

>>20191038

Brian Soutar wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Souter

Robin Gloag, first husband of Dame Ann Gloag

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Gloag

>>20191038

>>20191884

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64355631

Stagecoach co-founder Dame Ann Gloag charged with human trafficking offences

21 January 2023

James Cook

Scottish transport tycoon Dame Ann Gloag has been charged with human trafficking offences.

Her husband David McCleary and two other members of their family have also been charged.

All four strongly deny the charges against them.

BBC Scotland has been told that the 80-year-old co-founder of Stagecoach was charged after voluntarily attending Falkirk police station with Mr McCleary for an interview on Thursday.

A statement issued on behalf of Dame Ann said that she could not comment on the details of an ongoing investigation.

But it added: "Dame Ann Gloag strongly disputes the malicious allegations that have been made against her, her foundation and members of her family."

It went on to say she would "vigorously defend herself and the work of her foundation to protect her legacy and continue her work helping thousands of people in the UK and abroad every year."

Police Scotland confirmed that four people were charged in connection with an investigation into alleged human trafficking and immigration offences.

A spokesperson said a report would be sent to Scottish prosecutors.

Charity work

It is understood Sarah Gloag, who is Dame Ann's stepdaughter and daughter-in-law, attended voluntarily at Livingston police station in West Lothian with Dame Ann's son-in-law Paul McNeil.

The allegations are believed to relate to people who were brought to Scotland as part of Dame Ann's charity work with the Gloag Foundation.

A source close to Dame Ann told the BBC that the family were "victims of collusion" and had endured "a Kafkaesque nightmare for the last two years."

The source added: "Everybody is bewildered by these accusations and the level of this investigation.

"It is deeply ironic that Dame Ann actually funds an Eastern European charity called the Open Door Foundation whose job it is to stop the trafficking of poor women into sex crimes.

"She is very attuned to the real dangers that are going on in this world.

"This is bizarre. We are dealing with technicalities.

"There are countless people who are stepping forward to support Dame Ann from around the world."

Sarah Brown, wife of former prime minister Gordon Brown, took to Twitter to voice her support for Dame Ann.

Mrs Brown said: "Gordon and I have known Ann Gloag for many years through her huge personal commitment to Freedom from Fistula and supporting girls' health & education.

"She is a remarkable campaigner and quietly generous charity supporter. These charges just don't add up."

Another charity voiced its support for Dame Ann, with Monica Boseff, executive director of the Open Door Foundation, saying she has "compassion and high moral values".

The foundation says it works to provide "emergency shelter for victims of any form of human trafficking" and described Dame Ann a "long time supporter and friend" who provided donations.

Bus operator

Dame Ann retired from Stagecoach in 2019, almost 40 years after she founded the firm with her brother. At the time she was Scotland's richest woman.

The Perth-based firm grew out of Margaret Thatcher's deregulation of the bus industry in the 1980s.

It became one of the UK's biggest bus and coach operators, employing more than 24,000 people.

Dame Ann is now a philanthropist with charity interests around the world.

She set up the Gloag Foundation to support projects that "prevent or relieve poverty and encourage the advancement of education, health and religion in the UK and overseas".

The foundation supports charities including Freedom from Fistula, a charity founded by Dame Ann, which supports women and children in Sierra Leone, Malawi and Madagascar.

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/shona-robisons-tax-hikes-raise-31836256

Shona Robison's tax hikes will raise extra £84m but millions more will be lost as high earners find loopholes

The finance secretary announced that the Scottish Government wanted to hike up taxes for thousands of Scots but this will only bring in a small amount compared to overall income tax revenue of over £1bn.

David Walker

8 JAN 2024

The Scottish Government have been blasted for hiking up taxes in its latest budget even though it only brings in a "drop in the ocean" of total revenues for the cash-strapped SNP executive. Forecasts from the Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) revealed that £118m would be lost due to behavioural changes from the country's high earners.

Finance secretary Shona Robison's "tax and axe" spending plans have been described as one of the worst budgets since devolution as it included a string of spending cuts, including to the housing budget and ScotRail. But it was the lack of business support and increased taxes for thousands of Scots which upset critics, with even those within the Scexit movement complaining.

A new "advanced" tax band was introduced for Scotland's highest earners, with those making above £75,000 being forced to pay more tax. The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) warned that around 114,000 Scots in this band will pay up to £1,871.13 more income tax next year, and up to £5,231.81 more than someone on the same salary in other parts of the UK.

Those who make between £100,000 and £125,140 will also need to pay an effective rate of 67.5 per cent on this slice as the tax-free personal allowance is withdrawn. This rises to 69.5 per cent when National Insurance is taken into account.

Ms Robison also increased the top rate of tax in Scotland by 1p to 48p, hitting 40,000 workers with income over £125,140. That is 3p in the pound higher than the top rate south of the border.

Professor Graeme Roy, chairman of the SFC, wrote in the Herald that they estimated that the "introduction of the new 'advanced rate; - for earnings above £75,000 - will raise £74 million, whilst increasing the top rate - on earnings above £125,140 - will raise a further £8m."

He added that "these estimates include our assessment of some taxpayers changing their behaviour. For example, a taxpayer impacted by these policies may choose to pay more money into a pension scheme or alter the hours they work. We estimate the behavioural responses to these two specific policy changes to be worth £118m next year."

In the piece, he cautions the Scottish Government against "widening the tax differential with the rest of the UK much further without evidence that doing so will not impact long-term growth prospects." He writes: "Ultimately, securing robust real-terms growth in the economy is the crucial mechanism to delivering the earnings that - with a progressive tax system - can lead to sustainable growth in tax revenues."

The Scottish Tories pointed out that the SNP Executive needed to focus on something other than raising taxes to fill out its massive £1.5bn budget black hole. Liz Smith, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, told the Scottish Daily Express: “Professor Roy is quite right to point out that the money brought in by SNP’s latest tax hike will be a drop in the ocean compared with total revenues – and the black hole they created in the public finances.

“He’s also correct to stress the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s conclusion that real growth – which stalled under the SNP’s watch – is the only realistic way that Scotland’s economy can recover from this government’s mismanagement. And, as he warns, one of the most likely things to prevent growth is if the tax gap with the rest of the UK persists and widens.”

Income tax revenues of £1.8bn have been forecast by the SFC. Humza Yousaf said that he would "not apologise" for the widening gap in taxes between Scotland and the rest of the UK, insisting that his progressive tax changes was part of Scotland "social contract" pointing out the freebies Scots receive, including university tuition and free prescriptions.

>>20213193

>>20209585

>>20038158

>>>20038129 Updated Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Four

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/comment/nicola-sturgeon-can-dodge-snps-31829581

Why Nicola Sturgeon can dodge SNP's 45 per cent income tax rate when she finally finishes her book

The former First Minister signed a £300,000 book deal with Pan Macmillan but will only need to pay 19 per cent tax on any profits after setting up her own company

Douglas Dickie

8 JAN 2024

Nicola Sturgeon could dodge paying the SNP's new 45 per cent income tax rate on any profits relating to her new book. Instead, the former First Minister would be liable to pay just 19 per cent while hard-working Scots are hammered by her friend Shona Robison.

The Finance Secretary announced increases in income tax for middle and high earners at last month's Scottish budget. But Ms Sturgeon need not worry after she set up her own private limited company to manage the income from her memoirs.

The former SNP leader signed a book deal with publishers Pan Macmillan last year worth up to £300,000. As a backbench MSP, Ms Sturgeon currently earns £67,662 - below the new £75,000 tax rate.

But even if the profits from the book take her above that, she would be liable to pay just 19 per cent after creating the company on September 7. Speaking to the Sunday Mail, tax adviser at the Chartered Institute of Taxation Chris Thorpe said: "If you ask people why they’re doing it most would say it’s for tax reasons if they’re being honest about it but there are some good commercial reasons too.

"That’s rarely the only reason, I’d say tax is the biggest reason why people do it but sometimes people need to set up a company for regulation reasons or in order to get work if it's public sector contracts." He added: "With a limited company you’re taxed on your profit - 19 per cent corporation tax - but you are only then taxed as an individual on whatever you take out.

"So you can sort of choose then how much to take out. People can also pay themselves through dividends which is a lower rate of tax than income tax and they don’t pay National Insurance on this as well.

"You’ve got that flexibility with the company. I’d say you’ve got this double bonus in Scotland whereby you’re subject to not only a lower dividend tax rates but you’re also subject to UK bands and corporation tax levels."

Ms Robison introduced a new advanced rate of 45 per cent for income between £75,000 and £125,140 together with the increase in the top rate to 48 per cent when she set out her spending plans in December.

Ms Sturgeon is the sole shareholder and director of Nicola Sturgeon Limited, which is registered in Kinghorn, Fife. Her MSP Register of Interests states she holds an ordinary £1 share in the company which "does not yet have any income, but future book and related earnings will be made to it".

It also confirms she received £75,000 from Pan Macmillan in August, the first of four installments as part of the deal. She states she will work on the book for around 10-15 hours a month.

Pan Macmillan claims the book will be a "deeply personal and revealing memoir from one of Britain’s most significant political leaders of recent times".

>>20038158

>>>19990428 Police Scotland loses another senior officer as former interim chief constable stands down

>>20038157

>>>18399774 Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone to retire after five years in job

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/police-scotland-exodus-third-top-31836029

Police Scotland exodus as THIRD top cop to quit crisis-hit organisation in less than a year

Deputy chief constable Malcolm Graham has become the third top cop after Sir Iain Livingstone and Fiona Taylor to announce their retirement amid a funding crisis in the force.

David Walker

8 JAN 2024

A third top cop is set to quit Police Scotland, joining an exodus of experienced staff from the crisis-hit organisation. Deputy chief constable Malcolm Graham has announced his intention to retire from policing in just three months' time, after almost 30 years' service.

He joins fellow deputy chief constable Fiona Taylor and former chief executive Sir Iain Livingstone in exiting the force in just under a year. Sir Iain retired back in August last year, while Ms Taylor will also be hanging up her uniform next month.

The exodus of top staff comes as Police Scotland faces a funding crisis and a new leader, with Jo Farrell joining from Durham Constabulary. But her reign got off to a bumpy start when she was forced to apologise for making an on-duty cop drive her home to Northumberland from Edinburgh after trains were cancelled due to Storm Babet.

Mr Graham was a candidate to replace Sir Iain as the country's top cop but lost out to Ms Farrell and has now decided to exit the force as well. He leads the Local Policing portfolio, and notified the Scottish Police Authority on Monday and will leave Police Scotland on April 8.

He said: “After almost 30 years in policing, including more than 11 as a chief officer, I have decided the time is right to leave Police Scotland and take up new challenges. It has been a privilege to serve the people of Scotland as a police officer and I hope to be able to do so in some other capacity in the future. I want to thank my colleagues and friends in Police Scotland, in partner agencies, and in communities across the country, for the support they have given me throughout my career.”

Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “I want to thank Malcolm for his outstanding leadership throughout a distinguished career defined by integrity and commitment. Malcolm has driven high standards of compassion and professionalism in Police Scotland, establishing our Major Investigations Team and enhancing our response to Violence Against Women and Girls. He played a vital role in the policing response to the Covid pandemic and following the death of Her Majesty The Queen."

Mr Graham announced last month that the force was looking at closing 29 police stations across the country, including two busy stations in Edinburgh and one in Glasgow city centre. A recruitment freeze was also put in place over the festive period to free up cops to help out in communities over the busy time.

Cops are also investigating Scotland's governing party over alleged embezzlement and misuse of funds, with Operation Branchform leading to the arrest of Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell and Colin Beattie. Police Scotland have been criticised for the alleged glacial pace of the operation, with no charges brought since the probe started in summer 2021.

Mr Graham became Deputy Chief Constable in 2019 and took on the remit of Crime and Operational Support, where he was responsible for specialist policing functions including major crime investigations and major incident response. He also led the policing response to the Covid=19 pandemic and the policing operation for the funeral of Her Majesty The Queen.

The Scottish Police Authority is currently recruiting to replace Ms Taylor, with the Authority now being forced to consider whether a separate process is necessary to fill the vacancy caused by Mr Graham's retirement.

>>20213193

>Good idea using ZOOM or something to negate the "need" for 2nd homes. The only problem is that they don't want to serve anyone other than self.

Makes them live up to their own Climate scam. Forces them to accept austerity or reveal their greed.

They want a 45% tax band? Well then, there will now be Physical Fitness Requirements to hold office in Parliament. Pic related

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/world-news/scottish-epstein-victim-claims-sex-31836271

Scottish Epstein victim claims sex tapes were filmed of Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton and Richard Branson

The bombshell – and strenuously denied – allegations by Sarah Ransome, who grew up near Inverness and went to school in Grantown-on-Spey, were revealed in the latest tranche of court documents to be unsealed in New York

Josh Payne, PA Chief Reporter

8 JAN 2024

A Scottish victim of Jeffrey Epstein claimed sex tapes were taken of the Duke of York, former US president Bill Clinton and billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson, court documents have disclosed.

Sarah Ransome, who gave a victim impact statement ahead of the sentencing of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell for sex-trafficking, appeared to write communications claiming the three were filmed by the paedophile financier.

On behalf of Mr Branson, a Virgin Group spokeswoman said: "In a New Yorker report published in 2019, Ransome admitted that she had 'invented' the tapes. We can confirm that Sarah Ransome's claims are baseless and unfounded." The extracts were flagged by a firm representing Epstein's lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, to demonstrate Ms Ransome "manifestly lacks credibility".

Ms Ransome's father is Lord Gordon Macpherson, the second baron of Drumochter, and she moved from South Africa when she was a teenager to live with her aunt and uncle in the Highlands. They lived just south of Inverness and she attended grammar school in Grantown-on-Spey.

Andrew stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with Epstein, and paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case with Virginia Giuffre, a woman he claimed never to have met. He was cast out of the working monarchy and no longer uses his HRH style after Ms Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein, accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. The duke strenuously denies any wrongdoing.

A US judge ordered hundreds of documents to be unsealed as part of Ms Giuffre's previously settled civil claim against Maxwell, which was filed in 2015. Images were also released as part of the latest tranche of documents, including a resurfaced photo of former Labour minister Lord Mandelson with Epstein on his private island, Little St James.

Other pictures, all taken on the island in 2006, included one of Maxwell with disgraced French model scout Jean Luc-Brunel and various girls posing for photos. Also accused in the email extracts from Ms Ransome was former US president Donald Trump who, according to the Epstein victim, "liked flicking and sucking" her friend's nipples "until they were raw".

Ms Ransome wrote: "They looked incredibly painful as they were red and swollen and I remember wincing when I looked at them. I also know she had sexual relations with Trump at Jeffery's NY mansion on regular occasions."

Addressing the claims about Andrew and Mr Branson in the document released as part of another tranche published on Monday, Ms Ransome wrote: "When my friend had sexual intercourse with Clinton, Prince Andrew and Richard Branson, sex tapes were in fact filmed on each separate occasion by Jeffrey.

"Thank God she managed to get a hold of some footage of the filmed sex tapes, which clearly identify the faces of Clinton, Prince Andrew and Branson having sexual intercourse with her. Frustratingly enough Epstein was not seen in any of the footage but he was clever like that!

"When my friend eventually had the courage to speak out and went to the police in 2008 to report what had happened, nothing was done and she was utterly humiliated by the police department where she went to report what had happened with Epstein, Clinton, Branson and Prince Andrew."

'Ms Ransome… manifestly lacks credibility'

In the letter from Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP to the court, the firm said allegations against Mr Dershowitz were categorically false. The firm said: "Her (Ms Ransome) testimony was fabricated from whole cloth. Ms Ransome's testimony also contains a slew of other incendiary claims concerning the sexual proclivities of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and other prominent individuals.

"The emails are a necessary antidote to Ms Ransome's deposition misstatements because they demonstrate she manifestly lacks credibility."

The email extracts from Ms Ransome also saw her take aim at Hilary Clinton, with one saying: "I will make sure that neither that evil bitch Hillary or that paedophile Trump gets elected. I will also make sure that everyone on the God damn planet see's [sic] that footage and photo's [sic] and will release them to Wiki leaks by Sunday."

>>20215117

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….continued………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Ms Ransome, who has written a memoir about her ordeal called Silenced No More: Surviving My Journey to Hell and Back, also appeared to say she had "reached out to the Russians for help" after claiming her emails had been hacked.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, New York, in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide.

Maxwell has been imprisoned since July 2020 despite attempts by her defence counsel to have her released on bail. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison at the federal court in the Southern District of New York in June 2022.

The socialite indicated her desire to appeal shortly after her conviction, with her lawyers claiming victims had "faded, distorted and motivated memories". Her appeal is scheduled to be heard in November next year.

>>20215117

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/world-news/scots-aristo-who-made-dubious-31839802

Scots aristo who made dubious Prince Andrew 'sex tape' claims was trapped on 'Epstein Island' by shark-infested waters

Sarah Ransome has previously said she made up the sex tapes to protect herself from 'harm' by Jeffrey Epstein… but that does not discount her harrowing story of rape and abuse at his hands in New York and the Caribbean

Ben Borland

9 JAN 2024

Sarah Ransome, the Scottish Epstein victim at the centre of the latest claims to emerge in the case, once told how she tried to escape his notorious island by swimming through shark-infested waters.

Court documents have disclosed that she previously alleged that sex tapes were taken of Prince Andrew, former US president Bill Clinton and billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson during visits to the shamed financier's private island, Little St James in the Caribbean.

On behalf of Sir Richard, a Virgin Group spokeswoman said: "In a New Yorker report published in 2019, Ransome admitted that she had 'invented' the tapes. We can confirm that Sarah Ransome's claims are baseless and unfounded." According to the interview, Ms Ransome told the New Yorker that "she had invented the tapes to draw attention to Epstein's behavior, and to make him believe that she had 'evidence that would come out if he harmed me'."

In previous testimony, however, she told how she spent was repeatedly raped and abused by Epstein – who died in prison awaiting trial in New York in 2019 – and others before trying to make her dramatic escape from Little St James by racing away from his compound on a quad bike and jumping off a cliff.

Ms Ransome's father is Lord Gordon Macpherson, the second baron of Drumochter, and she moved from South Africa when she was a teenager to live with her aunt and uncle near Grantown-on-Spey in the Highlands. She says she was introduced to Epstein aged 22 in 2006 after being approached by a woman named Natalya Malyshev in a nightclub in New York, shortly after dropping out of university in Edinburgh and moving to the US.

In a victim impact statement provided to assist with the sentencing of Epstein's 'fixer' and girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, she said: "Over the next seven to eight months, I became, against my will, nothing more than a human sex toy with a heartbeat and soul for the entertainment of Epstein, Maxwell and others. Sometimes I was subjected to sexual predation multiple times per day, both in his New York mansion and on his private island, St Little James in the US Virgin Islands.

"On one visit to the island, the sexual demands, degradation and humiliation became so horrific that I tried to escape by attempting to jump off a cliff into shark-infested waters, but was caught by Maxwell and company moments before jumping. At the time, the extremely risky escape seemed more appealing than being raped one more time."

Speaking outside court in New York in 2022 after Maxwell was jailed for 20 years for sex trafficking, Ms Ransome said she had spent the "past 17 years in her own prison". She told Sky News: "I've been to hell and back."

Her statement added: "In several instances, Ghislaine by her own hand forced me into Epstein's room to be raped. Epstein and Maxwell were masters at finding young, vulnerable girls and young women to exploit. Upon targeting a vulnerable girl/young woman, they would ingratiate themselves to her, giving her compliments and small gifts, telling her how special she was.

"They would tell her that Epstein was a very wealthy, generous man whose primary purpose was to help the less fortunate. He and Maxwell were sophisticated, worldly adults with deep ties to important people, world leaders and institutions who could give her the lifeline she needed to make her dreams reality.

"However, soon after lulling me and others into a false sense of comfort and security, they pounced, ensnaring us in their upside-down, twisted world of rape, rape and more rape. Like Hotel California, you could check into the Epstein-Maxwell dungeon of sexual hell, but you could never leave."

The latest release also includes photos of Ms Ransome on the island that were used in evidence when she sued Epstein, Maxwell, and other suspected co-conspirators in the year 2017 under the alias 'Jane Doe 43'. However, a firm representing Epstein's lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, said the sex tape claims show Ms Ransome "manifestly lacks credibility".

>>20213565

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/police-scotland-shambles-complaint-lodged-31849758

Police Scotland shambles as complaint lodged against beleaguered new top cop Jo Farrell

The Scottish Police Authority have been caught up in a new secrecy row after refusing to confirm or deny whether a probe has been launched into new chief constable Jo Farrell.

David Walker

10 JAN 2024

Police Scotland's top brass is suffering another crisis as an official complaint has been made against the new Chief Constable Jo Farrell. Her time in the hot seat has been beset with issues, and the latest has sparked concerns about infighting within the centralised force.

It is understood that deputy chief officer David Page, who is the force's top civilian staff member, has lodged a grievance against her which dates back to October. He is currently on leave while this is investigated.

Ms Farrell was forced to apologise publicly after demanding to be driven home to Northumberland from Edinburgh after trains were cancelled during Storm Babet. Her and another English-based cop were taken down south by an on-duty police officer in a patrol car.

And now her conduct is being investigated after Mr Page lodged a complaint just weeks after she officially started her job in October. He is a former army intelligence officer and earns around £200,000 a year for his top job at Police Scotland, where he oversees departments such as finance, procurement, and estates.

The Scottish Police Authority refused to confirm or deny the existence of this probe, leading to a secrecy row. Mr Page is said to have been angered by Ms Farrell's move to bring in a senior official from her former Durham Constabulary, Gary Riddell, to advice on issues such as finance. He was the cop given a lift home to England.

Sources confirmed that Mr Page had been off work for several months and that he felt undermined due to the new appointment. Two of Scotland's most senior cops have already confirmed that they will be seeking retirement in the next few months, with deputy chief constables Fiona Taylor and Malcolm Graham quitting.

Ms Farrell has already provoked bad headlines due to her "error in judgement" in getting an on-duty traffic officer give her a lift home on a 120-mile trip where they also dropped Mr Ridley off at his home in Gateshead, Tyneside.

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: “Since being created by the SNP government a decade ago, Police Scotland has often been accused of lacking transparency, which is unhealthy, unhelpful, and undermines public confidence. All public bodies have a duty to be candid about such important issues, and I would urge ministers, Police Scotland, and the SPA to come clean about exactly what is going on.”

Police Scotland said: "Any enquiries of this nature about chief officers should be directed to the Scottish Police Authority." But the Scottish Police Authority refused to comment about the incident. A spokeswoman said: "The Authority does not confirm or comment on this type of enquiry. Any complaints or concerns of that nature would be confidential."

Ms Farrell became the first woman to be appointed to lead Police Scotland last year when she won the race to replace Sir Iain Livingstone who also retired last year. Deputy chief constable Malcolm Graham is understood to have also been a candidate but lost out.

>>20222461

>>20213565

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/secretive-snp-government-sat-news-31653888

Secretive SNP Government sat on news about new Chief Constable’s police taxi home to England for three weeks

Scottish Government justice secretary Angela Constance confirmed to Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay that officials found out about Jo Farrell's police ride home to England three weeks before it was published in the press.

David Walker

12 DEC 2023

The “secretive” SNP Government has been blasted after it was revealed that ministers knew about the scandal surrounding the new Chief constable being given a lift home by a on-duty cop three weeks before it became public. Jo Farrell was forced to apologise after she was driven back to England by a patrol car in October.

This was just months into her reign as Scotland’s new top cop and was labelled a misuse of police resources by critics. The £249,000 role was vacated by Sir Iain Livingstone in August, with Ms Farrell joining from the Durham force.

She was slated after getting an on-duty traffic cop to take her and a male colleague - also from her former Durham force- 120 miles from Edinburgh to the north of Edinburgh. This was during Storm Babet when cross-border train services were cancelled due to bad weather.

Now, the Scottish Sun reports that the Scottish Government actually found out about this October 20 incident on November 1, but kept it under wraps until it was reported by various papers on November 23. It sparked an outcry of anger and forced Ms Farrell to give a public apology.

(in-)Justice Secretary Angela Constance answered a number of parliamentary questions about the scandal, but also stonewalled attempts to publish correspondence between her and the chief constable about the “taxi” home. She confirmed that they were “notified about this matter by the Scottish Police Authority on the 1st November 2023.”

She added: “This was for information only as the governance and scrutiny of Police Scotland is for the authority and not ministers. No engagement with Police Scotland was required.”

Scottish Tory Justice spokesman Russell Findlay also asked about the Durham cop who reportedly accompanied Ms Farrell on the trip. He was told: “It is good practice for police organisations to share their knowledge and experience. Police Scotland routinely collaborates and works in partnership with police forces across the UK and beyond.”

But the SNP minister refused to answer other questions from the Conservative MSP, including whether she would provide details of “any discussions that it has had with Police Scotland, including the Chief Constable” about the journey.

Mr Findlay hit out at Ms Constance for keeping the entire scandal a secret for so long. He said: “This confirms that the SNP government knew for weeks about the chief constable’s use of a police car as a private taxi but decided to keep a lid on it.

“This smacks of secrecy and suggests that they hoped that the Scottish public and police officers would never find out. Frontline officers deserve to know the full circumstances of what happened yet the SNP justice secretary continues to stonewall me with non-answers to a series of important questions.

Ms Farrell apologised for her actions and admitted to an “error of judgement” for taking the trip. It was claimed that the traffic cop that escorted her home was one of just two on shift in the east of Scotland that night.

>>20038157

>>>19873271, >>19873606 SICK OUTBURST Former top sheriff admits making sexual & racist comments after forgetting to turn mic off on video call

>>20038158

>>>20038115 Updated Operation Branchform Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/joanna-cherry-raises-salmond-affair-31858985

Joanna Cherry raises Salmond affair and Operation Branchform as MPs prepare to strip Lord Advocate of dual role

The SNP in Edinburgh has failed to act for years and years to tackle the conflict of interest in the role held by Dorothy Bain – who is both a member of the government AND the country's top prosecutor

Ben Borland

11 JAN 2024

The Scottish Government is to be finally forced to act to split the dual role of the Lord Advocate – after years of the SNP "sitting on the hands" over what many see as a clear conflict of interest.

One of the main flaws in the devolution set-up is the fact that the Lord Advocate acts as both the head of Scotland's prosecution service, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and the Scottish Government's top legal adviser, which is a ministerial role with a seat in Cabinet meetings.

Despite promising reforms, the issue was never dealt with by Alex Salmond or Nicola Sturgeon during their time in office – and Humza Yousaf equally showed no desire to tackle the problem. Now rebel SNP MP Joanna Cherry has acted to force the decision with the full backing of cross-party MPs at Westminster.

She has introduced a private member's Bill which would allow Holyrood to split the role of Lord Advocate into "two separate jobs. One as head of Scotland's prosecution service, and the other as a minister of the Scottish Government and its chief legal adviser."

Speaking at Westminster on Wednesday, Ms Cherry said: "Concern about potential conflicts in the role of the Lord Advocate has increased in recent times because of some high-profile cases, including the Scottish Government’s handling of complaints against Alex Salmond, the malicious scandal in relation to prosecutions over the takeover of Rangers football club, and the police investigation into SNP finances."

She added that it was not a new problem, with the previous Labour executive under Jack McConnell, Henry McLeish and Donald Dewar also running into issues surrounding the Lockerbie trial. "There was considerable disquiet back in 2000 that the Lord Advocate was performing the role of politician, prosecutor and judge-maker," the MP added.

That triple role was removed in 2002 and judges in Scotland are now appointed by an independent panel. But Scotland remains almost unique in Europe in having a chief prosecutor who is also a member of the government. EU rules say that members states must have "prosecution systems [that] are seen to act independently of Parliament and Government".

Ms Cherry added: "Elsewhere in the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, the two roles are held by different people, which avoids any possible conflict of interest or the perception of one. In England, there is an Attorney General, who is a member of the Government of the day, and, quite separately, a Director of Public Prosecutions, who is appointed by a public appointment process completely independent of Government.

"Of course, there is the third office of the Lord Chancellor, who performs some constitutional functions. The experts advising the Scottish Government might want to think about something akin to that third role for some of the Lord Advocate's functions under the Scotland Act."

The Edinburgh South West MP said both Scottish and UK ministers have accepted there is a case for separating the two roles, while her Bill has cross-party support. The Bill was introduced with support from members of all parties including the SNP and Alba as well as Scottish Secretary Alister Jack and his Labour shadow Ian Murray.

Ms Cherry added: "I hope that the existence of cross-party support means that this private Member's Bill has a chance of becoming law, leaving the final decision on the role of Scotland’s Law Officers where it should be: with the Scottish Parliament."

>>20228123

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/dorothy-bain-attended-40-cabinet-30111774

Dorothy Bain has attended 40 Cabinet meetings during Operation Branchform

The revelation has sparked further calls for the Lord Advocate's dual role to be split, with the head of Scotland's prosecution service also serving as a member of the government

Ben Borland

30 MAY 2023

The Lord Advocate has attended 40 Cabinet meetings during the ongoing police investigation into SNP finances.

Dorothy Bain's seat at the top political table has been branded "conflicting" and further calls have been made for her unique dual role to be broken up.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "The fact that our most senior law officer and prosecutor is not independent from the government has been an ongoing cause for concern and the need to change this has been clear.

"If we are to truly have confidence in the outcome of the investigation into the SNP, the Lord Advocate must not be seen to be compromised in any way."

And Scots Tory MSP Jamie Greene said: "This revelation underlines the need for the dual roles of the Lord Advocate to be split. It's not right - and unfair on Dorothy Bain herself - that the Lord Advocate is both a member of the cabinet and head of the Crown Office.

"The current probe into SNP finances - like the Alex Salmond case before it - highlights how compromised and conflicting the twin roles are."

Ms Bain, who took up her post as Lord Advocate after the 2021 Holyrood election, is head of the Crown Office as well as being a minister and chief legal officer in the Scottish Government.

Police Scotland launched a fraud investigation in 2021 into claims that around £600,000 in 'ringfenced' donations to the SNP to pay for an independence campaign had vanished from the accounts.

The Daily Record reports that a freedom of information request reveals that Ms Bain has attended Cabinet 40 times, mostly when Nicola Sturgeon was in charge.

Cabinet met 24 times in 2021 following her appointment and the Lord Advocate was there on 17 occasions. In 2022, she attended 18 of 41 Cabinet meetings and was at five of 14 this year.

In total, she has been at over half of Cabinet meetings since becoming Lord Advocate. Her deputy, the Solicitor General, has attended Cabinet 14 times in the same time period.

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, who is married to Ms Sturgeon, and one-time party treasurer Colin Beattie, were arrested this year as part of the investigation.

Both men were later released without charge pending further enquiries.

Although the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General have played no role in the SNP police investigation, the Crown Office has faced scrutiny of its actions during the probe.

Police asked the Crown Office for a search warrant for Nicola Sturgeon's home during the SNP leadership race in March, but only got approval after the contest ended.

The Crown Office were made aware of the request on March 20, but it wasn't until April 3 that they gave the green light to the warrant bid and sent it to a sheriff.

'The SNP have been slow to do anything about it'

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur said: "Scottish Liberal Democrats have long argued that the Lord Advocate role should be split.

"The current role increasingly feels like an anachronism. An independent director of prosecutions would go some way to ending the perception of conflicting loyalties that the current set up seems to invite."

And Ms Baillie added: "During the parliamentary inquiry into the Scottish Government's Handling of Sexual Harassment complaints, the Committee recommended that the role of Lord Advocate should be separate from the Scottish Government. Whilst appearing to accept this, the SNP have been slow to do anything about it."

A spokesperson for the Lord Advocate said: "The independence of the Lord Advocate is explicitly protected by law.

"The Lord Advocate exercises their authority independently of political pressure, and indeed of any other person.

"As is standard practice in any matter regarding politicians, Operation Branch form is being dealt with by independent prosecutors without the involvement of the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General."

>>20228372

>>20228123

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-ministers-accused-sitting-hands-27038943

SNP ministers accused of 'sitting on their hands' over pledge to reform powers of Scotland's top law officer

The role Scotland's Lord Advocate has been under the spotlight after the Alex Salmond scandal and malicious prosecutions linked to the Rangers takeover saga

Richard Percival

23 MAY 2022

SNP ministers have been accused of "sitting on their hands" over moves to curb the powers of Scotland's prosecution chief.

The Scottish Government had agreed to consult on splitting the Lord Advocate’s dual role into a separate legal adviser to the government and head of Scotland’s prosecution service.

Currently, the person in the office acts as the Government's top legal adviser and a Cabinet member.

But the current layout of the position came under fire after the Alex Salmond scandal and malicious prosecutions linked to the Rangers takeover saga raised possible conflicts of interest.

Former Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC advised Scottish ministers over the government's botched probe into harassment claims against Mr Salmond, who was cleared following a court trial.

However, almost a year on, UK Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said he hadn't had any representations on the issue as changes to the role would require altering the Scotland Act.

Dorothy Bain QC, replaced Wolffe as Lord Advocate last year.

Kenny MacAskill, former Scottish Justice Secretary said the centuries-old dual role was "unfit for modern society" and called for urgent changes.

Speaking a year on after the initial pledge was made, the Alba Party MP told the Scottish Sun: “Cases such as the Rangers administrators and Alex Salmond never mind cover-ups in government show the urgent need to separate the roles of chief prosecutor and top government lawyer.

“Just because it's aye been, doesn't mean it's right."

Mr MacAskill continued: "It's clear blame for delay rests with the Scottish, not UK, Government.

"It's perverse when they're willing to change the Scotland Act that the Scottish Government sit on their hands. This needs changing, and fast."

In response, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We intend to publish a consultation.

"The First Minister has made clear it's vital to take time to get it right."

>>20228123

These older stories posted to show this issue up for the festering sore that it is….and is the Scottish Judiciary by and large. John Halley's book A Judicial Monstering goes in to some detail on this along with the connections of individuals involved in the cover up of establishment child abuse and prostitution rings. Some chapters been posted here in pdf and are well worth looking at. I'll try to comment on the content of those chapters in the coming weeks.

>>20228372

>>20228475

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/lord-advocate-refuses-say-nicola-29995208

Lord Advocate refuses to say if Nicola Sturgeon home search was delayed in new twist to 'murky saga'

Dorothy Bain KC was questioned by reporters as she left Humza Yousaf's Cabinet meeting at Bute House… and stayed silent on reports the Police Investigation was held up until after the SNP leadership contest

Ben Borland

16 MAY 2023

The Lord Advocate today refused to comment on reports the Crown Office had delayed the police search on Nicola Sturgeon's home in Glasgow.

Police Scotland reportedly requested a warrant on March 20 when the SNP leadership contest was still in full swing. However, they were not granted until April 3.

Dorothy Bain KC was approached by Sky News after leaving Humza Yousaf's Cabinet meeting at Bute House on Tuesday. She refused to answer when asked if the delay had been "deliberate".

Scottish Conservative MSP Russell Findlay said: "There appears to be no evidence of any undue influence or interference in this process.

"However, the lack of answers to these question only serves to fuel public concerns about the decision-making taking place behind closed doors.

"There have already been seen some crass and unacceptable interventions from the SNP camp about the legitimacy and integrity of Police Scotland’s investigation.

"The whole murky saga brings into sharp focus the untenable dual role of the Lord Advocate, both as head of the prosecution service and the Scottish government’s most senior lawyer with a place at the Cabinet table."

The two-day search of Ms Sturgeon's home in Uddingston was part of Operation Branchform, the long-running investigation into allegations of fraud relating to £600,000 'missing' from the SNP's accounts.

Her husband Peter Murrell, the SNP's former chief executive, was arrested and questioned by officers before being released without charge. Officers also searched the SNP's HQ in Edinburgh and removed boxes of documents from both premises.

Two weeks later, the SNP's former treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested, questioned and released. At the weekend, it emerged that detectives are looking at 1,000 individual transactions through an Amazon account.

Also on Tuesday, former SNP justice secretary Kenny MacAskill called for a judge-led inquiry into the role of the Crown Office in the investigation.

>>20166380

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-requested-meeting-turkish-31849121

Humza Yousaf requested meeting with Turkish President Erdogan and had 'ample' time to inform Foreign Office about summit

The First Minister was forced to plead with Lord Cameron not to shut down his Scottish 'embassies' as he claimed that a Foreign Office official did not attend the meeting at Cop28 due to it being rearranged at short notice.

David Walker

10 JAN 2024

Humza Yousaf's excuse for breaking UK Government protocols during his meeting with Turkish President Erdogan was blown apart after it was revealed that there was an hour-and-a-half window where the Foreign Office could have been told about the summit. And it was the First Minister who requested the controversial meeting.

The SNP leader claimed that a UK Government official could not attend as it had been arranged with "just a few minutes' notice." The lack of Foreign Office diplomat sparked a row between Lord Cameron and the SNP executive as he accused them of breaching guidance once again.

But the Herald reports that there was plenty of time for Mr Yousaf's entourage to organise for this to happen, as a meeting was confirmed as "possible" at 1.19pm that day, with this being relayed to the Foreign Office at 2.46pm through an email which read: "Turkey is happening now."

The First Minister also went into the meeting without a proper briefing as it was “never finalised” and “was not cleared by senior officials or used to brief the First Minister ahead of his meeting with President Erdoğan." He also reached out in the first place on November 30 by getting in touch with the Turkish consulate in Edinburgh.

Lord Cameron accused the Scottish Government of breaching protocols as a Foreign Office official needs to sit in on any meetings a SNP politician holds with foreign diplomats. He threatened to shut down the Scottish embassies if breaches happen again.

A Holyrood government source claimed that a Foreign Office official had been told in person about the Erdogan meeting but were not around when it happened. The summit was criticised by many in Scotland, including Nationalist councillor Roza Salih who claimed that the Turkish President "killed Kurds" and that she was disgusted by it.

Mr Yousaf claimed that the meeting had been "rearranged at short notice by the Turkish president’s team." He told PA: "The FCDO official chose not to stay with the Scottish delegation the whole day, and because of that they ended up missing the meeting. Nothing was discussed that hadn’t been discussed at other meetings, such as the climate crisis, and in this particular meeting the issue of the Israel-Gaza conflict.”

Critics blasted his original excuse. Scottish Conservative shadow secretary for constitution, external affairs and culture Donald Cameron said: “Despite protestations to the contrary, this shows there was ample time for Humza Yousaf’s entourage to have a Foreign Office official present at his meeting with Turkey’s president.

“One-and-a-half hours is not most people’s definition of ‘a few minutes’ notice’, so it seems the First Minister was determined not to follow protocol for a reserved policy area. This FOI vindicates Lord Cameron’s response to the SNP Government and proves that Humza Yousaf was wilfully freelancing at COP on a policy area for which he’s not responsible.”

A UK Government spokesman said: “Foreign affairs is reserved under the Scotland Act and in such turbulent times, the need for the UK to speak on the world stage with one consistent voice is more important than ever. Our embassies and high commissions overseas have a strong track record of working collaboratively with the Scottish Government to promote the interests of the whole UK.

“We hope that we can resolve this without the need for further action, including the possibility that we no longer host Scottish Government offices in UK Government posts.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The First Minister met a number of world leaders at COP28 to discuss issues of shared interest, this meeting was no different. Due to late notice of this meeting, the brief was not cleared in advance by senior officials or used by the First Minister and he was instead briefed by officials and advisors in person on the day of the meeting.”

>>20231616

>>20166380

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron-threatens-close-snps-31642536

David Cameron threatens to close SNP's 'pretend embassies' after Humza Yousaf's Erdogan meeting

The furious Foreign Secretary says it is vital that 'we speak with one voice' on foreign affairs after the First Minister met the Turkish president without a minder – and discussed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza

Ben Borland

10 DEC 2023

Foreign Secretary David Cameron has threatened to close the SNP’s network of ‘pretend embassies’ after Humza Yousaf met with Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The First Minister met the Turkish president at COP28 in Dubai without a UK official present and discussed calls for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

In a letter to External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson, seen by the Scottish Daily Express, Lord Cameron said that was a clear breach of the protocol agreed by the Scottish and UK governments.

He wrote: “It is critical that the UK presents a consistent message to our international partners and that the devolution settlements are respected. We must ensures that UK foreign policy, a reserved matter, is coherent and that we speak with one voice to the international community.

“I remain open to discussing a constructive way forward. However, any further breaches of the protocol… will result in no further FCDO facilitation of meetings or logistical support. We will also need to consider the presence of Scottish Government offices in UK Government posts.”

It comes amid ongoing tensions between Westminster and Holyrood over SNP ministers meeting foreign officials. The Nats are accused of straying beyond the boundaries of devolved politics to discuss issues such as Scottish independence and foreign affairs.

In his letter, Lord Cameron said the Scottish Government had assured the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that it would give “sufficient advance notice” of the meeting with Mr Erdogan. He said this was to allow one of his officials to attend the meeting and “was not done”.

Lord Cameron’s predecessor James Cleverly also warned Mr Yousaf after he met the Icelandic prime minister in August, again without UK diplomats. The rules were introduced after Mr Robertson held a number of meetings where the UK constitution was discussed.

But Whitehall sources said the new foreign secretary was keen to take a tougher line with the SNP over their “meddling” in reserved matters.

The SNP Government has a network of eight overseas costing the taxpayer more than £9million a year to run. Most of them are based in British embassies and are understood to be largely rent-free. The executive also has a base in London described as being ‘overseas’, despite the fact it is in the UK capital.

A UK Government spokeswoman said: "Foreign affairs is reserved under the Scotland Act and in such turbulent times, the need for the UK to speak on the world stage with one consistent voice is more important than ever.

"Our embassies and high commissions overseas have a strong track record of working collaboratively with the Scottish Government to promote the interests of the whole UK. We hope that we can resolve this without the need for further action, including the possibility that we no longer host Scottish Government offices in UK Government posts."

Israel has withdrawn diplomats from Turkey over comments

After his meeting with Mr Erdogan and the Lebanese prime minister, Mr Yousaf tweeted that they had discussed “the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza”. He added: “An immediate & permanent ceasefire is needed now.”

The Turkish president has accused Israel of acting like a “war criminal”, prompting Tel Aviv to respond by withdrawing diplomats from Turkey.

The meeting between Mr Yousaf and Mr Erdogan had already proven controversial within the SNP. Glasgow councillor Roza Salih said she was “disgusted” by the meeting, as Turkey had stepped up attacks on Kurdish groups in Syria. The Kurdish-born politician was elected in 2022 and became the first councillor to have moved to Scotland as a refugee.

A spokesman for the first minister said a UK official was aware of and invited to the meeting, and that the same arrangements were in place for Mr Yousaf’s engagements with other world leaders.

>>20231777

>>20231616

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousafs-wife-nadia-el-31864864

Humza Yousaf's wife Nadia El-Nakla admits Turkish government helped her family leave Gaza

The Dundee councillor called on the UK Government to allow her to bring her family home from Turkey and Gaza as she admitted that Turkish president Erdogan played key role in helping some of them flee Israel.

David Walker

12 JAN 2024

Humza Yousaf's wife Nadia El-Nakla admitted that the Turkish government helped her family leave Gaza although they were forced to leave behind her brother. The Dundee councillor gave an emotional interview from Bute House, the residence of the First Minister.

The SNP leader met with Turkish president Erdogan in controversial circumstances at Cop28 and without the presence of a Foreign Office official, breaking UK Government guidelines. Scottish Secretary Alister Jack claimed that the politician was someone the Foreign Office "did not believe should be met."

Foreign secretary David Cameron rebuked Mr Yousaf for going ahead with this summit without a UK official being there and threatened to shut Scotland's embassies and withdraw cooperation for SNP ministers if he continued to breach the rules.

The First Minister put a picture of this meeting on social media and attracted criticism from some in his own party, with nationalist councillor Roza Salih describing herself as "disgusted." She said: “I am disappointed and disgusted by this image @HumzaYousaf.

“Erdogan kills #Kurds in Turkey & does not respect human rights. Our politicians & half of the population are imprisoned by him and you shake his hand. I did not expect this from a FM that says he respects human rights.”

Speaking to the Guardian, Ms El-Nakla revealed that Turkey had submitted the names of her remaining family members as individuals they were willing to accept as refugees after she attended a summit of leaders's spouses in Istanbul demanding a ceasefire at the invitation of the first lady of Turkey, Emine Erdogan.

She called on the UK Government to allow her to host her brother, his wife and their four children, as she spoke about the similarities they share with the Ukrainian refugees who were allowed to come to Scotland. Her sibling is still in Gaza as she accused the Israeli government of removing his name from the list Turkey submitted.

The family was also forced to make the "horrible" decision to leave her grandmother, who is 93 and requires round-the-clock care, because her sister-in-law did not have the capacity to care for her along with her children, who range in age from six months to nine years old.

What kind of cunts are these who'd leave an elderly woman needing round the clock care to fend for herself?

Ms El-Nakla said: "I’m so grateful that they’re safe. My brother keeps thanking me for saving his kids." She pontificated about her frustration that her family could not be resettled in Scotland as they have only been offered short-term refugee status in Turkey.

She added: “I feel like a second-class citizen in my own country, because I don’t have the right to bring my own brother to stay in my own home. I can see people across the street hosting Ukrainian families, and rightly so. But I can’t host my own brother, to me that feels beyond upsetting … I was born here. I pay my taxes. I contribute to society. And yet the government that’s supposed to represent me is doing such a poor job.”

Her parents, who were previously trapped in Gaza, have now flown out to Turkey to support her sister-in-law, and remained "extremely traumatised" by their own experiences. Ms El-Nakla added: “When my mum was there, she felt that if the world knew what was going on, they would make it stop. Now she’s watching what’s continuing to happen and that creates a bitterness that actually no one’s coming to help.”

>>20232482

>>20231777

>>20231616

I can't help but feel this story about a Turkish firm providing a ferry to Scotland belongs with these other stories. It has a very strong stench coming from it. Scotland is a ship-building nation for fuck sake.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/astonishing-humiliation-snp-turkish-shipyard-31869090

'Astonishing humiliation' for the SNP as Turkish shipyard set to launch new ferry after just two years of construction

CMAL announced that Cemre Marin Endustri would be launching its MV Isle of Islay ferry in March and that it would be setting sail in October while the two Ferguson Marine ships have been languishing at the Port Glasgow shipyard since 2017.

David Walker

12 JAN 2024

The SNP have been left "humiliated" after it was revealed that a CalMac ferry being built in Turkey will be launched just two years after being ordered. This was compared to the two over-budget and five-years late vessels being built at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow.

In 2022, the Scottish Government announced that Cemre Marin Endustri beat out the nationalised shipyard to construct two boats for Scotland's west coast routes. And now the first of those ferries is being launched on March 16, it has been confirmed.

The MV Isle of Islay is scheduled to arrive in Scotland in October this year and will serve Islay and Jura. It has been a quick turnaround as the contract for the vessel was only awarded in March 2022.

At Ferguson Marine, the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa should have been built and serving passengers in 2019 but remain unfinished. The budget for them has also sky-rocketed from £97m to £360m and could cost the public purse even more, with the shipyard being nationalised after plunging into administration.

The overall cost of the new Islay ferries project is £91m, with two being handed over in the next year and a half. A further two ferries are also being built in Turkey. The Isle of Islay's sister ship Loch Indall is estimated to be ready by February 2025, with both vessels having the capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars.

They will be followed by two as-yet unnamed boats in June and October next year. Jim Anderson, director of vessels at CMAL, said the announcement of the Isle of Islay's launch in March marked a "major milestone" in its commitment to providing new ferries for islanders. He said: "Work at the Cemre shipyard continues to progress well, with the project coming in on time and on budget."

Transport minister Fiona Hyslop said delivering six new vessels to serve Scotland's ferry network by 2026 was a priority for the Scottish government. She added: "People will welcome a more resilient and modern ferry service for Islay and Jura, and further vessels will soon bring similar and highly-anticipated improvements for island communities across Scotland."

But the Scottish Tories pointed out the shambolic handling of the boats being built on the Clyde as they labelled it "an astonishing humiliation for the SNP's original ferries strategy". The procurement process for Ferguson Marine has been roundly criticised due to the waste of taxpayer cash, with Nicola Sturgeon handing the contract to nationalist pal Jim McColl.

Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Graham Simpson said: “While this is great news for islanders, it is an astonishing humiliation for the SNP’s original ferries strategy, which still hasn’t delivered two vessels that are six years late and hugely over budget.

“I predicted that when the Turkish shipyard was awarded the contract to build the ferries that they may well be ready before the ill-fated ones being built at the Ferguson yard. That is, sadly, turning out to be the case. I only hope that no SNP minister is anywhere near the launch. Their very presence may hex the project.”

The Glen Sannox was launched by Ms Sturgeon back in November 2017 but became infamous for having painted on windows as it was nowhere near completion. It has still yet to set sail six years on.

>>20038157

>>>19255246 Coronation Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/chip-old-block-pete-wishart-31844151

A chip off the old block? Pete Wishart calls for 'lost' splinter to be reunited with Stone of Destiny

After it emerged that the 'very, very small' fragment of the Stone of Scone has now turned up in a cupboard at SNP HQ (although the party insists it was never lost), there are calls to put it back where it came from

Neil Pooran & Ben Borland

9 JAN 2024

A "missing" fragment of the Stone of Destiny found at the SNP's headquarters should be taken to Perth Museum when the artefact is relocated there later this year, an MP has said.

The SNP's Pete Wishart said the ancient stone should be "displayed in its entirety" when it moves from its current home in Edinburgh Castle. The fragment is said to be a "very, very small" chip from the sandstone block, which has been used in ceremonies to crown Scottish and British monarchs for centuries.

Recently released archive papers revealed that, in 2008, former first minister Alex Salmond was given a chip from the stone by the late Sir Neil MacCormick. Sir Neil's father, John MacCormick, was among a group of nationalist students who famously stole the stone from Westminster Abbey in 1950.

After Mr Salmond faced calls to return the ancient piece of sandstone, he revealed that he'd left it in the keeping of the SNP – and on Monday it emerged the fragment had been "found" in a cupboard.

Mr Wishart, who represents Perth and North Perthshire, said: "The Stone of Scone is undoubtedly one of Scotland's most iconic artefacts, and its arrival at Perth Museum will mark the first time it has returned to its home region in over 700 years. This will be a huge moment for Perthshire, not just symbolically, but economically too."

He added: "In order to maximise the opportunity that the museum presents for the city, and to honour the stone's long awaited return to the region, it is important for it to be displayed in its entirety. As such, I very much hope that the missing piece can be given to the museum ahead of its opening in March."

Back in 1950, the Stone spent several months being moved around various nationalist hideaways in Scotland before being dumped at Arbroath Abbey in two parts. The chip is said to have been created then but the SNP says its provenance has not been completely established.

The First Minister's official spokesman was also asked about the fragment. He said that in 2008 civil servants had advised there was no need to return the "very, very small fragment" to Historic Scotland, the keepers of the artefact, as they had not requested it. As a result, it has apparently stayed in a cupboard in the SNP's HQ in Edinburgh.

The stone was associated with royal inaugurations at Scone, at nearby Perth, before it was taken to Westminster Abbey in London as war loot by King Edward I. The Stone of Destiny was moved to Edinburgh Castle in 1996 and was used in the coronation of King Charles last year.

When the artefact was moved south to be installed in the Coronation Chair, it was piped out of Edinburgh Castle in a special ceremony organised by the Lord Lyon, King of Arms.

The SNP said the party's chief executive, Murray Foote, would respond to a letter from Mr Wishart in due course. A spokeswoman said: "The SNP has a small stone chip in storage. The fragment - gifted to the party by Professor Sir Neil MacCormick - has been held securely by the SNP for the past 15 years and has never been considered lost at any point."

>>20038157

>>>19468898, >>19769042 Protester who bit police officer in bizarre bid to 'seize' Edinburgh Castle under Magna Carta walks free

All hail King Richard the Lionheart. We would be better "served" by this man. King sausage fingers isn't the guy for us, neither is his sprog or grand sprog. If they're even his.

>>20228765

>>20228475

>>20228372

>>20228123

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/five-key-questions-dorothy-bain-31867176

The five key questions Dorothy Bain MUST answer in relation to Horizon Post Office scandal

The Lord Advocate will be grilled by MSPs at Holyrood and Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay has set out the key details that must be addressed - including Humza Yousaf's actions as justice secretary

Douglas Dickie

12 JAN 2024

Dorothy Bain KC has been told she has five key questions to answer in relation to the Horizon Post Office scandal. The Lord Advocate will appear in front of MSPs to explain the Crown Office's role in wrongfully prosecuting subpostmasters in what has been described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history.

Hundreds of people across Britain were prosecuted because of a dodgy computer system with the UK Government now working at exonerating those involved. While in England, the Post Office was the prosecutor, the cases were taken forward by the Crown Office in Scotland.

Ms Bain, who sits in the Scottish cabinet, confirmed she will appear at Holyrood to be grilled after Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross raised the issue at First Minister's Questions on Thursday. Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay has now written to Ms Bain, who is Scotland's top law officer, setting out the questions she needs to answer.

Among the queries is when the Crown Office first became aware of issues with the Horizon computer system. It follows claims it knew there could be a problem as early as 2013.

Mr Findlay also wants to know if the Crown Office reviewed any cases that had already been prosecuted after learning of these problems, how many people were prosecuted after the Crown Office learnt of the issues relating to Horizon, whether the Crown Office contested any of the appeals from wrongfully convicted sub-postmasters, and if the Lord Advocate will publish all correspondence between Scottish Government ministers and the Crown Office relating to the scandal?

Mr Findlay said that while the scandal predates Ms Bain's time in the role it was "imperative" that she "provides answers to Scottish victims of this appalling miscarriage of justice". He added: In Scotland it was the Crown Office, rather than the Post Office, that was entirely responsible for all Horizon prosecutions, so they must explain and be held accountable for their actions.

"We know the Crown Office dropped a case against a sub-postmaster because of ‘issues with Horizon’ which they knew about in January 2013, yet it was September of that year before guidance was issued warning against reliance on Horizon for evidence – and 2015 before prosecutions stopped. Those who were wrongly branded as thieves and had their reputations trashed and lives ruined are owed an explanation for these – and other – delays, discrepancies and failings."

He added that victims, who were wrongly accused of stealing money from the Post Office, deserve "full transparency". Mr Findlay believes that would include "all correspondence between the Crown Office and SNP justice secretaries, including Humza Yousaf, on this subject".

The Crown Office, which has been approached for comment, has queried the 2013 date put forward by the Tories. A spokesman said: "COPFS has provided a statement to the Public Inquiry which details the timeline of awareness we had of issues with the Horizon software, and the action we took to preserve the proper administration of justice.

"We are committed to public understanding of the role of Scotland’s prosecutors in these cases, and will provide information when it is appropriate to do so, respecting the ongoing legal processes. The Lord Advocate intends to make a statement to the Scottish Parliament and it would be inappropriate to comment further ahead of that."

>>20233760

>>20228123

>>20228372

>>20228475

>>20228765

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/post-office-acted-like-mob-31861050

Post Office acted 'like the mob' in Scotland as Inverness postmaster 'menaced' into handing over cash amid Horizon scandal

The Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain confirmed that she would be providing a statement about the Crown Office's role in the Horizon scandal next week, and would take questions from MSPs.

David Walker

11 JAN 2024

The Post Office was accused of acting "like the mob" in Scotland after one Inverness sub-postmaster was "menaced" by two security officers into handing over money he allegedly owed them. Peter Worsfold described how two staff members showed up at his house and told him he needed to refund the cash or face criminal charges.

In evidence he gave to the Horizon Post Office Inquiry in 2022, he said that the two people told him that they "had the same jurisdiction as the police" and that they "cautioned" him and said he was being "charged with false accounting, theft and fraud" which "worried and devastated" him.

They told him that if he signed a statement "admitting to false accounting" and if he paid the shortfalls then "the other charges would be dropped." They warned that he could be imprisoned unless he managed to come up with the money, forcing Mr Worsfold to ask his family and friends for cash, which he combined with his funds and gave to the two security officers after they gave him two hours to round it up.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar mentioned this evidence as he demanded that Humza Yousaf make sure victims like Mr Worsfold are given the chance to clear their name and get compensation. He said it was “behaviour reminiscent of the mob.”

He added: “These stories show that the Post Office behaved like a private police force and showed little regard for the law in Scotland. Sub-postmasters were pressured into accepting accusations of false accounting and forced to hand over thousands of pounds that day or face imprisonment.

“If any other organisation had behaved like this in Scotland we would expect to see criminal investigations into their conduct.”

Mr Worsfold signed the document provided to him by the Post Office staff in a panic without being given access to a lawyer. He told the Inquiry: "After 22 years we continue to struggle due to paying back the losses incurred through the failure of the Post Office and the accounting system Horizon."

We previously told how the First Minister admitted that the Crown Office have urgent questions to answer about how it dealt with Horizon prosecutions as it convicted up to 100 postmasters wrongly on evidence provided by the Post Office. He said he empathised in the "strongest way possible with the harrowing tales that we’ve heard from subpostmasters and subpostmistresses right up and down the country.”

The Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain confirmed that she would face MSPs to explain its role in the scandal after calls were made for her to do so. She released a statement on Thursday which said that she was finalising timings with parliamentary authorities to make a statement, after which she will take questions from MSPs.

It said: “The Lord Advocate is willing to make a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the Horizon IT prosecutions. She hopes to come to an agreement with parliamentary authorities about the timing of this at the earliest possible opportunity.”

>>20233760

>>20233952

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-faced-empty-snp-31857491

Humza Yousaf faced with empty SNP seats at FMQs as he admits Crown Office has questions to answer over Horizon scandal

The First Minister faced questioning by Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross over the Crown Office's role in the scandal as demands were made for Lord Advocate to face a grilling from MSPs.

David Walker

11 JAN 2024

Humza Yousaf was forced to admit that Scotland's Crown Office has pressing questions to answer over its role in the Horizon Post Office Scandal. Calls were made by Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross for Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain to be grilled by MSPs on the situation.

The First Minister was faced with swathes of empty seats at First Minister Questions as more than a dozen SNP MSPs dodged the flagship interrogation of their leader. And he faced tough queries about the Scottish Government's position on the scandal which has gripped the nation.

It was pointed out that the Crown Office prosecuted innocent postmasters due to the dodgy Fujitsu system, with about 100 being wrongly convicted of stealing money. This is different to England and Wales where the Post Office acted as the prosecutor.

Mr Ross pointed out that there were important questions that the Crown Office needed to answer publicly as he demanded that Ms Bain appear in front of MSPs. She has yet to publicly state her position on the scandal, except for a doorstep interview with Sky News.

He said: "The Horizon Post Office scandal is a horrendous miscarriage of justice that ruined hundreds of lives. Politicians of all parties will rightly reflect on what they should have done sooner. The UK Government has now acted to overturn the wrongful convictions of innocent victims. In Scotland however, prosecutions were handled by the Crown Office, not the Post Office.

"Blame starts with the Post Office but people are understandably looking at what others could have done. Scotland’s Crown Office were made aware of concerns with the Horizon system in 2013, more than 10 years ago. The actions of the Post Office were despicable and probably criminal. But the actions of the Crown Office here in Scotland should trouble us greatly.

"There was a sudden spike in cases involving people who were some of the most trusted in their communities. But the Crown Office proceeded anyway. That was until 2013. Suddenly, they decided not to proceed with a case in the Gorbals."

Mr Yousaf claimed that the Crown Office found out about the Horizon issues in September 23 2013, but Mr Ross pointed out that on January 29, the procurator fiscal refused to go ahead with a case due to “issues with Horizon.” He added: "As soon as the Fiscal became aware of concerns about the reliability of Horizon, that should have been disclosed.

"Does the First Minister agree Scotland’s Crown Office has serious questions to answer here? The Crown Office must be transparent. Prosecutors were aware of issues with the flawed Horizon system more than ten years ago. We don’t need meetings or briefings from the Lord Advocate, we need her here in Parliament to answer questions about this scandal."

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also called on Mr Yousaf to make sure that those wrongfully convicted get justice as he called on him to explain his role as justice secretary at the time. The First Minister explained that it would be "wholly inappropriate" for him to ask to see evidence about the Horizon prosecutions as a minister, and confirmed that he would be working with the UK Government over exonerating them.

He also said that the Lord Advocate is willing to answer questions from MSPs about the Crown Office's role in the scandal.

>>20233760

>>20233952

>>20252427

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/lawyer-says-snp-crown-office-31883630

Lawyer says SNP and Crown Office have been 'very slow indeed' in dealing with PO Horizon scandal

Stuart Munro, Convener of the Law Society of Scotland's Criminal Law Committee, was scathing about the pace of the justice system under the Nats when he appeared on the Today programme on Monday

Ben Borland

15 JAN 2024

One of Scotland's top lawyers – who has overturned one of only two convictions quashed in court so far – has said the Crown Office has been "very slow indeed" in tackling the Post Office Horizon miscarriage of justice scandal.

Stuart Munro, managing director at Livingstone Brown, also called for the Scottish Government to provide more resources for Scotland's courts and the rest of the justice system to deal with the scandal (and other miscarriages of justice) in a more timely fashion.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday, he said: "I think its fair to say that Scotland has been very slow indeed in correcting these wrongs. The position really began when the English courts looked at first of all the Mr Bates civil case and then criminal appeals that followed on from that, that led the SCCRC to carry out an investigation, they identified six cases that they referred back to the High Court in November 2022.

"There was a lengthy process in part because the Crown required time to consider whether or not to challenge the conviction appeals and eventually two appeals, including one of the client I represented, were granted at end of September 2023. Two more were granted administratively last week and two which remain contested by the Crown have been set down for full appeal hearings in February and March. So really, out of around 100 cases involving Horizon prosecutions, Scotland has been pretty slow in only getting to the point of having four of those convictions overturned."

At the High Court in Edinburgh in September, Susan Sinclair, now 58, who was previously a sub-postmaster in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, saw her conviction for embezzlement quashed. She was sentenced to 180 hours of community service following a trial in 2004.

At the time, a statement from Livingstone Brown said: "This is the first such successful appeal in Scotland. She should never have been accused of any wrongdoing, far less convicted. Lessons must be learnt from this national scandal to ensure that these events never happen again. But the question remains as to why it has taken so long to get to this point, four years after the High Court in England issued a damning verdict on the Horizon computer system."

On the Today programme, Mr Munro said that Ms Sinclair had always maintained her innocence – but added that people who had pled guilty or admitted guilt faced a more difficult challenge to overturn convictions in Scotland.

He said: "There are people who supposedly made admissions in interview and accepted doing something wrong, albeit given what we've heard about the way in which some of these interviews took place, one wonders how reliable that can be seen to be, or they have pled guilty… again that could be because they were guilty or it might be they were advised or led to believe that accepting responsibility they would face a lesser sentence or something of that nature."

The mass exoneration announced last week by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is yet to be replicated north of the Border, although Mr Munro added that he expected people will still need "to demonstrate they were convicted on the back of Horizon evidence".

He continued: "Part of the problem is some of these cases go back 20 years, case papers aren't necessarily available and I just wonder this will place very significant pressures on individuals to come within the criteria. Another way of doing it frankly would be to resource our current system better, to have a proper understanding of the number of cases involved, to support our CCRCs to urgently review those cases and to resource the court to deal with these cases quickly.

The Crown Office told the Today programme it had provided a statement to the public inquiry including a timeline adding: "We're committed to public understanding to role of Scotland's prosecutors in these cases." It added that Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain intends to make a statement to the Scottish Parliament this week.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/humza-yousafs-brother-law-arrested-31891957

Humza Yousaf's brother-in-law arrested after man falls from flat in Dundee

A 36-year-old and 41-year-old woman were arrested in connection with the incident on Morgan Street earlier this month

Scottish Express reporter & Douglas Dickie Content editor

16 JAN 2024

Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf’s brother-in-law has been arrested after a man fell from a block of flats in Dundee. A 36-year-old man was discovered with serious injuries on Morgan Street in the city on January 10. He was taken to hospital for treatment.

Police Scotland confirmed Mr Yousaf’s brother-in-law, 36, a 50-year-old man and 41-year-old woman were yesterday arrested in connection with the incident. They have since been released pending further enquiries.

Officers said enquiries were still ongoing. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Two men, aged 50 and 36, and a 41-year-old woman were arrested on Monday January 15 in connection with an incident on Morgan Street, Dundee, on Wednesday January 10. Around 8.20am on January 10, officers received a report that a man had fallen from a flat.

"The 36-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-raid-pockets-tourists-latest-31897072

SNP to raid pockets of tourists in latest tax wheeze as visitors to be charged for visiting Scotland

The Scottish Government passed the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill through at Holyrood which will give councils the power to charge tourists for staying overnight in cities and towns.

David Walker

16 JAN 2024

The SNP is now targeting the pockets of tourists as MSPs passed through legislation which allows councils to bring in a tourist tax. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill passed stage one at Holyrood on Tuesday, despite protests from critics that it would damage the industry which brings in millions each year for the economy.

A number of European countries already have a similar mechanism with tourists charged a sum of money when they stay overnight in hotels in some cities. Now, cash-strapped Scottish local authorities will receive the power to introduce the punitive charge which rises for every night a person stays in the region.

But if any council chooses to go ahead with this, it will be forced to wait 18 months before it can start collecting to allow businesses time to set up how to collect it on its behalf. And the cash will have to used to promote the area, with Edinburgh and Glasgow already considering bringing this in.

There will be no set fee across the country, and exemptions will vary as well due to the uniqueness of the landscape. But critics believe that this will have "damaging" consequences for tourism in Scotland, with less money spent on attractions, restaurants and bars.

Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy described it as a "bad law" which is aimed at "making up for SNP mishandling" as local authorities have been starved for cash. He added that he thinks it may be used as "backfill for SNP cuts" as the party "taxes more and delivers less."

He added that it would have an impact on "overall spend" as often tourists come to Scotland on a "fixed budget" with this tax removing even more money from them that now won't be spent at restaurants or bars, who are already struggling with high taxes and a lack of support from the Scottish Government.

His party colleague Miles Briggs said: “Scotland’s tourist sector is world class. It is estimated to be worth £4.5bn to the Scottish economy and directly supports over 250,000 jobs across the country – including rural and island communities.

“Many tourism businesses have not fully recovered from the pandemic and in recent years have had significant additional costs, thanks to this SNP-Green government. Many fear that this Bill – as with the botched the short term lets legislation – will lead to unintended harm.

“If this legislation is passed, it’s important there are exemptions, for example for people visiting family members in hospitals or prisons, business travellers, or those staying for work purposes. That’s why the Scottish Conservative will propose amendments to provide clarity and limit the costs.

“Our Scottish tourist sector already faces one if the highest tax burdens anywhere in the world. A visitor levy should not be used to cover up the SNP government’s underfunding of councils, or for services that should be provided as a matter of course.”

But public finance minister Tom Arthur defended the proposals. He said: "21 out of 27 EU countries have some kind of visitor levy and they are commonplace in other locations throughout the world. I strongly believe that a visitor levy can be a force for good, supporting the visitor economy and bringing benefits to visitors, residents, and businesses. It offers councils this opportunity to use the proceeds to invest in their local economy, bringing benefits to residents and visitors alike."

Due to the SNP/Green majority, the bill passed by 86 votes to 30.

Total joke. Having squandered all of your money (predominantly on themselves) government now wants to tax visitors, but don't worry ¯_(ツ)_/¯ it's for you the taxpayer they are doing this. They are going to spend it on your dilapidated villages, towns and cities that until now have prioritised themselves and "New Scots" for grants, housing and all manner of other services. The humble Scot pays all the tax and gets nothing in return, except the promise of more tax and fewer services.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-branded-first-minister-31885036

Humza Yousaf branded the 'First Minister of Gaza' by Leo Kearse who says Nat leader 'doesn't care' about Scotland

The SNP leader's wife Nadia El-Nakla, a Dundee councillor, has family in the war-torn Palestinian exclave with the couple wanting Israel to stop its assault on Hamas

Douglas Dickie

15 JAN 2024

Humza Yousaf has been branded the "First Minister of Gaza" by comic Lea Kearse, who accused the SNP leader of caring more about the Palestinian exclave than Scotland. Kearse accused the First Minister of "tweeting about Gaza all day long" during a segment on GB News.

Mr Yousaf has called on Israel to stop its assault on terror group Hamas since war broke out in October. His wife, Dundee councillor Nadia El-Nakla, has family in the strip and her parents had been visiting when the conflict was triggered by Hamas attacks on Israel.

Over 20,000 people have died in the fighting, according to Hamas. Kearse was discussing a story that broke on Sunday that Ms El-Nakla's brother had been charged in connection with alleged drug offences.

He said she had become a "prominent figure in recent months, regularly appearing in the media" since the war started. And turning on Mr Yousaf, he said: "Humza just tweets about Gaza all day long.

"You would think he's the First Minister of Gaza rather than the First Minister of Scotland." Kearse added: "Scotland has got escalating drug deaths, there's 1400 babies born addicted to drugs in Scotland, we've got record levels of drug deaths, they've just been soaring over the past few years under the SNP and I thought Humza had just taken the eye off the ball in Scotland because he just doesn't care, he cares about Gaza more."

Ms El-Nakla last week called for a re-settlement scheme, similar to that for Ukrainian refugees, to be set up for those fleeing Gaza for the UK. Her sister-in-law has taken refuge in Turkey with the couple’s four children, who are aged between six months and nine years.

But she said her brother’s name was removed from the list provided by the Turkish administration – meaning the emergency doctor must remain in the war-torn region alongside his 93-year-old grandmother, who requires round-the-clock care. Ms El-Nakla said: "The Ukrainian resettlement programme saved so many lives.

"Gazans should also have that opportunity, especially those with family in Britain. I feel like a second-class citizen in my own country, because I don’t have the right to bring my own brother to stay in my own home.

"I can see people across the street hosting Ukrainian families, and rightly so, But I can’t host my own brother, to me that feels beyond upsetting."

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/pay-rise-msps-humza-yousaf-31892927

Pay rise for MSPs as Humza Yousaf salary to break the £170,000 mark - more than Rishi Sunak

Members of Holyrood will see their pay packets rise by 6.7 per cent meaning they will take home a whopping £72,195 from April

Douglas Dickie

16 JAN 2024

MSPs are set for a pay increase after it was announced their salaries would be boosted by 6.7 per cent. All but two of the 129 members of Holyrood currently take home a comfortable £67,662.

But for the financial year 2024/25 that will rise to more than £72,000. It means Humza Yousaf will be entitled to a huge salary of £170,211 when his first minister's pay is factored in - more than Rishi Sunak is entitled to as prime minister.

The news was confirmed at a meeting of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on Tuesday. Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw – representing the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body – said it will see pay rise to £72,195 for representatives.

The increase will take effect on April 1 and follows an increase of 1.5 per cent last year and 3.4 per cent the year before. This year, salaries were based on increases to average weekly earnings (AWE), after previously increasing based on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) annual survey of hours and earnings (ASHE).

A spokesperson for the Scottish Parliament said: "The Scottish Parliament severed the link to MPs’ pay back in 2016 so that MSPs’ pay rises reflected public sector increases across Scotland, based on the ASHE index. In recent years, ASHE has been increasingly out of sync with other wage inflation indices to the point that MSPs received 1.5% last year when general inflation was running at 10%.

"Prior to that, MSPs received 3.4 per cent in 2022-23 and zero per cent in 2021-22. This year, AWE will be applied to MSPs’ pay, meaning a rise of 6.7 per cent and a salary rate of £72,195 from April 1, 2024."

As well as their MSP salary, government ministers are entitled to additional pay for their role. The first minister is paid £98,016. In comparison, the PM is entitled to £80,807 on top of their MP's basic pay of £86,584.

As well as their MSP salary, government ministers are entitled to additional pay for their role. The first minister is paid £98,016. In comparison, the PM is entitled to £80,807 on top of their MP's basic pay of £86,584.

>>20252739

>>20252427

>>20233952

>>20233760

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scotlands-lord-advocate-apologises-victims-31895106

Scotland's Lord Advocate apologises to victims of the Horizon Post Office scandal but Rangers prosecution parallels pointed out

Dorothy Bain was told by MSPs that the Crown Office still have pressing questions to answer about why it has taken so long to clear potential victims of 'miscarriage of justice.'

David Walker

16 JAN 2024

Scotland's Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain apologised to Scots who were victims of the Horizon Post Office scandal but failed to answer key questions about the Crown Office's role in prosecuting sub-postmasters. She confirmed that 73 cases were being reviewed but that the process could be long.

But opposition critics asked why it took so long for the public to be told about concerns with the Fujitsu system amid claims concerns were first raised in 2013. Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay compared the situation to the Rangers prosecution scandal where the Crown Office claimed not to be at fault before compensating those wrongly arrested.

Ms Bain said at Holyrood that she wanted to apologise to those who "suffered a miscarriage of justice” and "acknowledge the harm caused to the people in these cases who have suffered a miscarriage of justice”. She also revealed that she was looking at whether to remove Post Office as a reporting organisation in the country.

She said: "The wrongly accused and convicted subpostmasters and postmistresses are due an apology from those who have failed them, and I do that today as head of the system of criminal prosecution in Scotland. The Post Office is part of that system and I apologise for the failures of those in the Post Office who were responsible for investigating and reporting flawed cases.”

But the Lord Advocate claimed that not every case she was looking at would be a "miscarriage of justice" due to Scotland's "corroboration" rules. This is why they could not offer a blanket exoneration to every Scot who was convicted due to evidence from Horizon.

Mr Findlay said: "While the Crown's apology will be welcomed, many questions remain unanswered. The Post Office Horizon scandal is a disgraceful mass failure of justice, innocent people branded thieves, hounded, wrongly convicted, some going to their graves, reputations destroyed.

"Every single Scottish prosecution was undertaken by the Crown Office. We know in 2013 Crown prosecutors refused to put at least one suspect in the dock due to concerns about Horizon evidence. But it was two years later before they abandoned all prosecutions.

"When the full extent of the scandal emerged, the Crown had the legal duty to disclose this to victims, but they did not. The public should also have been alerted to the damage inflicted on innocent Scots. They were not.

"This is the same Crown Office which denied wrongdoing over the Rangers prosecutions only to then compensate victims with more than £60m of taxpayer money. During both these scandals, the Lord Advocate was Frank Mulholland. Why did the Crown not come clean as soon as they discovered the Horizon evidence was fundamentally flawed, and should Frank Mulholland also face MSPs?"

Ms Bain rejected suggestions that the Crown Office was not up front about these issues, pointing out that it stopped prosecuting cases by 2015 and that officials had been "misled" by the Post Office who provided independent evidence which confirmed there was no "systemic" issue with Horizon.

And she also refused to admit that her organisation had "completely failed those wrongfully convicted sub-postmasters" as it was unaware of issues with the Horizon system due to a lack of disclosure from the Post Office.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-standing-by-thousands-more-31896024

SNP 'standing by' as thousands more Scots predicted to become homeless in next two years

'We can't just sit back and watch as more people are forced onto the streets, to sleep in cars or garages, or spent months or years trapped in emergency accommodation'

Ben Borland

17 JAN 2024

SNP ministers are accused of being "bystanders" as Scotland's homelessness epidemic in the next two years. Research for the charity Crisis suggested the number of households experiencing "core homelessness" could rise by 33% by 2026.

In 2022, some 18,400 Scottish households were homeless and the report by Heriot-Watt University projected the total would increase by 6,100 by 2026. The core homelessness figure – sleeping rough, in hostels or in temporary accommodation – has gone up by 11% since 2020.

Scottish Conservative shadow housing secretary Miles Briggs called for the Scottish Government to declare a "national housing emergency", following similar declarations by Glasgow, Edinburgh and Argyll and Bute councils.

He said: "Scotland is in the grip of a housing emergency, yet the SNP are bystanders as homelessness soars and more and more people become trapped in temporary accommodation. The SNP have refused to prioritise housing and failed to meet their own housebuilding targets, despite the desperate shortage of homes.

"Thousands of vulnerable people have been left languishing in temporary accommodation – including thousands of children – due to the SNP starving local councils of essential funding to tackle the spiralling problem of homelessness.

"Glasgow, Edinburgh and Argyll and Bute have already declared housing emergencies. Too many lives have already been lost due to homelessness. We need urgent action from the SNP Government before this crisis deepens – starting with them declaring a national housing emergency."

Scottish Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin added: "This damning report lays bare the impending catastrophe Scotland is facing. Homelessness is already at record levels, and without action it will soar by a third – but the SNP and the Greens insist there is no housing emergency."

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said the Scottish Government could "stop that future from becoming reality" by investing in homelessness services and pushing on with adequately-resourced plans to prevent homelessness.

He said: "The risk of a significant rise in homelessness over the coming years should worry us all. We can't just sit back and watch as more people are forced onto the streets, to sleep in cars or garages, or spent months or years trapped in emergency accommodation that just isn't fit for their basic needs. It doesn't need to be that way. Scotland has proven good policy can make a difference in the past, and it can do it again."

Housing Minister Paul McLennan welcomed the report and said: “We have already committed to many of these measures in our homelessness strategy.” He added: “The UK Government should heed the calls from Crisis to increase Housing Benefit and other working age benefits. It is also concerning that another Local Housing Allowance freeze is on the horizon.”

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>>20166380

>>20165784

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-government-forks-out-4m-31885430

SNP government forks out £4m of taxpayer money on 'diversity officers' despite huge public spending cuts

The number of officers being used by the SNP administration has skyrocketed in the past year from 42 to 74 with some being paid almost £118,000 a year

Douglas Dickie

15 JAN 2024

Scotland's nationalist government is under fire amid reports it is spending more than £4 million a year on equality, diversity and inclusion officers. The spend comes against a backdrop of huge spending cuts, with public services set to be badly affected.

SNP Ministers have complained about the lack of funding from Westminster. But the new figures have raised questions on whether Scots are getting the best value for money.

According to a report in The Times, the number of employees in these roles has increased from 42 when they were collated last year, to at least 74. The figure includes directors of equality and inclusion who receive annual salaries of almost £118,000.

The true number of these officials may be even higher as the figure does not include other public bodies like the Crown Office. Based on a maximum salary, spending on the roles will have almost doubled from £2.3m in 2022 to £4.3m this year.

The scale of spending has been questioned by the Scottish Conservatives. The party's deputy leader Meghan Gallacher said: "While the principle of equality, diversity and inclusion is vital, many people will question the scale of government spending on this area at a time when eye-watering cuts are being made by SNP ministers to essential public services, due to their gross mismanagement of Scotland’s finances.

"The SNP Government must ensure they allocate money and civil service resources in line with the most pressing priorities." The Scottish Government is also said to take part in three workplace diversity schemes at a cost of £9,210 a year.

That includes over £3,000 for controversial LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall which has been criticised for its extreme stance on transgender issues. The likes of Police Scotland, the House of Commons and the BBC have left the scheme.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "The figures referred to include policy work such as addressing health inequalities. We are committed to ensuring civil servants receive every opportunity to upskill and attend training courses to better serve the people and interests of Scotland."

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-higher-taxes-free-tuition-31891187

SNP 'higher taxes for free tuition' boast in tatters as less Scots to be accepted on university courses due to budget cuts

The Scottish Government was blasted after it was revealed that ministers plan to cut funding handed to universities to allow Scottish students free places, meaning less space for them at prestigious establishments.

David Walker

16 JAN 2024

The SNP's boasts about higher taxes paying for free university tuition has been left in tatters as ministers are set to slash places reserved for Scottish students due to massive budget cuts. Humza Yousaf used his speech on Friday to claim that his "progressive" tax system pays for "tens of thousands of young people attending some of the world’s finest universities right on their doorstep without paying a penny."

But it has been revealed that hidden in Shona Robison's budget documents was a cut of £48.5m of financial support in the 2024/25 budget. This is the second year of damaging cuts to the sector.

Education chiefs are already struggling to fund places for Scottish youngsters to attend universities, so they are increasingly looking to overseas students for funding. And this issue could be set to get worse due to plans by SNP ministers to remove more cash in order to balance the budget.

Bombshell government documents revealed buried notes from officials which outlined the need for "additional" savings to be made in the [higher education] sector including from reducing first year university places." Free tuition is one of the Nats most treasured policies despite not being the architects of it.

Former First Minister Alex Salmond once proclaimed that "rocks will melt with the sun" before his party would take away the right to free tuition for Scots. This has led to widespread criticism from rivals who pointed out that Scots were already struggling to get into top universities, with current education secretary Jenny Gilruth facing criticism over this decision.

Scottish Conservative education spokesman Liam Kerr said: "The SNP need to be fully upfront about these cuts, buried deep within their disastrous Budget. Scotland's university sector is already facing huge challenges thanks to the failures of SNP ministers to support it, and this would be another hammer blow.

"It would also be deeply damaging for many young people - who are already facing barriers to university entry due to the SNP's arbitrary cap on student places - if even fewer places were available. The SNP need to urgently explain why university places are set to bear the brunt of cuts when they've wasted so much money elsewhere on their own pet projects."

Mr Yousaf and Ms Robison have claimed that widening the tax divide with England for anyone in Scotland earning about £28,500 is to pay for policies specific to the country, including free university tuition, prescriptions and the Scottish child payment.

The Scottish Government pays for funded places at universities so Scots students are not charged fees. This means that further education establishments need to make money from students from around the world who pay to attend, including from England.

Ms Robison's budget reduced funding to support "core teaching activities" at universities by six per cent, with Universities Scotland, the umbrella body for the sector, saying that proposed cuts equate to a reduction of £48.5m in funding for teaching Scottish students.

The SNP did legislate to scrap the graduate "endowment" when it came to power in 2007 but universities in Scotland are said to have only £7,610 a year available to educate each Scot. This comprises a teaching grant which works out at £5,790 per pupil plus a 'shadow' tuition fee (paid by the Scottish Government rather than the student) of £1,820 a year.

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Students from the rest of the UK pay annual fees of up to £9,250 in Scotland, with this cash going into its coffers. Opposition critics blasted the decision, with Scottish Tory MP Andrew Bowie saying: "When the SNP tell Scots they're paying higher taxes to 'protect free education…' But fail to mention there are fewer places for Scots at Scottish Universities than ever before. (Oh & if you're from a deprived background you're now more likely to get to university in England).

Scottish Tory MSP Stephen Kerr added: "One of the retorts the SNP will provide to accusations of rampant uselessness is 'Well we're providing free tuition.' Yes, but to a diminishing number of Scottish students. Now to diminish even further."

The Scottish Government said the "most challenging Budget' under devolution had 'allocated nearly £2billion to universities and colleges" in 2024-25. A spokesman added: "Our student support offering and policy on free tuition supports more than 120,000 students every year and we have seen record numbers of full-time first degree entrants to universities coming from the most deprived communities in Scotland."

>>20257141

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/shona-robison-blames-uk-government-31894034

Shona Robison blames UK Government Covid cuts for SNP's plans to axe 1,200 free tuition places for Scots students

The Scottish Government's finance secretary confirmed that more than a thousand Scots students will miss out on places at Scotland's universities.

David Walker

16 JAN 2024

Shona Robison confirmed that there would be 1,200 fewer places at universities for Scottish students as funding has been cut by the SNP Government. And she faced claims that this would mean that the country would struggle to keep high-earning graduates due to an influx of foreign students.

We previously told how the Scottish Government was blasted after slashing the budget for universities by £28.5m, meaning that the establishments will need to bring in money in other ways. Foreign students need to pay up to £9,250 to be taught north of the border, with this helping to sustain finances.

The finance secretary was giving evidence at Holyrood on Tuesday and confirmed that an estimated 1,200 places for Scottish students would be cut next year, and claimed that this is because the UK Government took away Covid funding two years ago which helped fund this.

Scottish Labour MSP Michael Marra had suggested that 3,800 less local spaces would be offered, but Ms Robison claimed that the Scottish Funding Council did not have any estimates, before then saying that there would be 1,200 that they can no longer fund. She underlined that the Scottish Government was providing a "substantial investment" to universities in £2bn.

The SNP Executive created an extra 1,200 places during the Covid pandemic in the wake of improved school leaving grades due to no exams taking place. Ms Robison said: "If you go back to the origins of this, essentially during Covid, due to the assessment processes put in place for assessing Highers.

"At the time of Covid, if you remember, they became a different process of continual assessment and therefore there was a big spike in those who were gaining university entrance. We used some of the Covid monies to fund those additional 1200 places for universities in order to address that spike.

"We've maintained those places for two years without the Covid funding available, so that Covid funding ended from the UK Government, and we've managed to keep those places going for two years, but the position is not a sustainable one. So that spike in places due to Covid is going to have to return to the pre-Covid levels of university places."

She refused to admit whether this would lead to fewer Scottish students attending university, and claimed it was up to universities to create that space. And she added that it was up to the government to persuade graduates to remain in Scotland after they leave.

But she did say that the SNP had warned Westminster about not leaving a funding cliff edge once it stopped providing extra cash to deal with the pandemic. She could not confirm whether there would be even less spaces available for Scots at universities, saying these details had to be thrashed out by the Scottish Funding Council.

She said: "The only number I am aware of is the 1,200 Covid places which is the bubble we have sustained funding for out of Scottish Government funding, we kept them going for two years. but can no longer sustain that, There is no figure agreed with the university sector, it is all about what can they deliver."

Speaking afterwards, Scottish Labour Finance Spokesperson Michael Marra said: “The Deputy First Minister’s lacklustre appearance before Finance Committee this morning was a new low from this chaotic government and its shambolic budget. Despite the Government’s own budget document outlining a plan to reduce first year university places, the Deputy First Minister could not say how many places would be cut.

“The fact is that this is an SNP government mired in incompetence and economic illiteracy that is simply making it up as they go along. The ineptitude of this SNP Government has serious consequences for people’s lives and livelihoods. Every day this SNP-Green government reaches a new low. For the sake of our country, they need to get a grip.”

>>20038158

https://news.stv.tv/west-central/glasgow-council-to-increase-air-pollution-monitoring-around-schools-and-hospitals

News / Glasgow & West

Council to increase air pollution monitoring around schools and hospitals

The measurement could help the city reach higher standards of cleaner air set out in World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

Air pollution monitoring around schools, hospitals and care homes is set to take place in Glasgow under council plans to carry out a major review of quality.

The measurement could help the city reach higher standards of cleaner air set out in World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

The idea is contained in the council’s statutory Air Quality Action Plan, which puts forward priorities for Glasgow to improve air quality up until 2029.

The plan said one of its priorities is to “undertake a comprehensive review of air quality monitoring in Glasgow with a focus around schools, hospitals, and care homes.”

Other actions include lowering emissions from council vehicles, delivering a local heat and energy efficiency strategy and supporting the expansion of new cycling and walking routes.

The draft Glasgow air quality action plan was presented to the council’s net zero and climate progress monitoring city policy committee yesterday (Tuesday).

A consultation is to take place on the draft plan.

A council official told the committee the “city centre is the only remaining area in which we are experiencing exceedances of the air quality objectives.”

He explained how local authorities with active air quality management areas must produce action plans in relation to reducing the level of pollutants.

Councillor Blair Anderson, Scottish Greens, mentioned how the majority of actions are related to transport and said the committee didn’t have control over those plans – which lie under the remit of other council meetings.

A council official said he will discuss the potential of the committee having an oversight of transport issues.

A council report presented to the committee said: “The draft Glasgow Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) update outlines the actions that Glasgow City Council will deliver between 2024 to 2029 to reduce concentrations of air pollutants and exposure to air pollution; thereby positively impacting on the health and quality of life of residents and visitors to the Glasgow area.”

It added: “Whilst the focus remains upon the city centre air quality management area (AQMA), which is currently the last AQMA not scheduled for revocation and where exceedances of the air quality objectives continue to be observed, this AQAP adopts a holistic and city-wide approach to reducing emissions and improving air quality across the Glasgow city council area.”>>>20038124 Updated Glasgow LEZ Bun

>>20257002

>>20254257

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/man-who-fell-window-dundee-31910576

Man who fell from window in Dundee dies after Humza Yousaf's brother-in-law was arrested in connection

Ramsay El-Nakla. Stephen Stewart and Victoria McGowan were all arrested in connection with an incident which saw a man fall from a window in Dundee. Police have confirmed the male has now died

Mark Connor

18 JAN 2024

A 36-year-old man who fell from a flat in Dundee has died a week after the incident. The fall led to the arrest of the first minister’s brother-in-law in connection with the incident.

His death comes a week after police were called to the block of flats on Morgan Street, Stobswell. Emergency services raced to the scene last Wednesday morning and the man was taken to Ninewells Hospital, where he died a week later.

First Minister Humza Yousaf’s brother-in-law, Ramsay El-Nakla, is one of three people who have been arrested in connection with the incident. El-Nakla, 36, Stephen Stewart, 50, and Victoria McGowan, 41, were all arrested in relation to the matter.

All three made no plea and will appear in court again at a later date.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 8.20am on Wednesday January 10, we received a report a man had fallen from a block of flats in the Morgan Street area of Dundee. A 36-year-old man was taken to Ninewells Hospital for treatment to serious injuries, where he died on Wednesday January 17.

“The death is being treated as unexplained, and officers are supporting his family as an investigation continues to establish the full circumstances. Two men, aged 50 and 36, and a 41-year-old woman were arrested on Monday in connection with the incident and later released pending further inquiries.”

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-wants-empty-prisons-angela-31924292

SNP wants to 'empty prisons' as Angela Constance admission exposes 'weak justice agenda'

The Scottish Conservatives' Russell Findlay have blasted the Justice Secretary for comments she made to a penal reform group

Douglas Dickie

21 JAN 2024

The SNP has been accused of wanting to "empty Scotland's jails" after bombshell comments from the justice minister emerged last night. Angela Constance said the country had to "stop sending more people to prison" in a conversation with a penal reform group.

And minutes from the meeting show she was "exploring a range of actions" in a bid to reduce the prison population. The comments have been slammed by the Scottish Conservatives, who obtained the documents through Freedom of Information legislation.

Justice spokesman Russell Findlay said it exposed the SNP's "weak justice agenda, which puts criminals first". Ms Constance met with Howard League Scotland on August 16 last year to discuss "key issues relating to justice within Scotland" including the prison population, which rose by over 600 last year.

The minutes record Ms Constance "highlighted that the crux of the problem is we need to stop sending more people to custody". She is also minuted as having said "there are range of actions we are doing for prison population and looking at short-, medium- and long-term solutions".

Mr Russell said: "This memo reveals the SNP’s real agenda when it comes to criminal justice. In public, they claim to be on the side of victims.

"But in private, they admit their true intention, which is to empty Scotland’s prisons and put criminals back on our streets. The justice secretary’s confession behind closed doors will come as no surprise to crime victims or the law-abiding majority of Scots who suffer the impact of the SNP’s pursuit of weak justice, which puts criminals first."

Data suggests there were 7,303 people in Scottish prisons at the end of last year. This rose steadily and peaked on December 1 when 7,981 inmates were recorded. The number has subsequently fallen to just above 7,900.

Despite the rise, the proportion of criminals being sent to prison plummeted to a seven-year low in 2020.21 with just 14 per cent handed a custodial sentence.

The Scottish Government and SNP-created Scottish Sentencing Council have faced accusations of being soft on crime. Data released earlier this month suggests a record number of criminals are avoiding any type of punishment for committing crimes.

Criminal Justice Social Work statistics showed 4,784 people were handed diversion from prosecution referrals while over 30 per cent of those sentences to community payback orders actually carried out any work.

And in four years between 2018 and 2022, 1,400 convicted criminals were handed an absolute discharge from court, including 17 thugs found guilty of serious assault and attempted murder and 12 convicted of sexual assault. Over 60,000 recorded crime warnings have also been handed out injust three years as yobs are let off with a "slap on the wrist".

Sentencing guidelines have also been implemented to ensure more lenient punishments for those under the age of 26.

Ms Constance said her opinion on the use of prisons was "crystal clear". She added: "They are necessary in society to punish, to protect, and to rehabilitate and reduce reoffending.

"It is clear that action is needed to address Scotland’s high prison population. Community interventions are more effective than short prison sentences at addressing offending behaviour and breaking the cycles of reoffending.

"The removal of an offender’s liberty must always be available for our independent courts. To reduce reoffending we will continue to invest in our prisons as well as justice in the community, ultimately shifting the balance between custody and community."

>>20038158

>>>20038122 Updated Covid Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scotlands-chief-medical-officer-sir-31938744

Scotland's chief medical officer Sir Gregor Smith told colleagues to delete WhatsApp messages daily

Sir Gregor Smith was questioned by KC Jamie Dawson at the UK Covid Inquiry and claimed that he followed Scottish Government guidance to regularly delete his 'informal' messages, joining Jason Leitch, Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney in doing so.

David Walker

22 JAN 2024

Scotland's chief medical officer Sir Gregor Smith admitted that he deleted his WhatsApp messages regularly, and advised his officials to do the same during the Covid pandemic. He becomes the latest high-profile Scottish Government figure to confess to not keeping correspondence while the deadly virus was active.

We previously told how Nicola Sturgeon, Jason Leitch and John Swinney all wiped their messages, with the UK Covid Inquiry confirming this last week. And now evidence has been presented that Mr Smith done similar as he protested that this was due to government guidance on informal messaging.

He replaced Catherine Calderwood during the early days of the pandemic after she was caught visiting her second home despite lockdown rules. UK Covid Inquiry lead counsel Jamie Dawson KC presented messages from a weekly WhatsApp group where Mr Smith is joking with a colleague about freedom of information requests.

Graham Ellis asks him "hope this isn't FOI able" to which the chief medical officer responds "delete at the end of every day…" Mr Ellis then comments with a sideways crying emoji and a thumbs up emoji.

Mr asked Mr Smith if it was his "practice to delete messages at the end of every day?" He replied: "The Scottish government advice in relation to this was not to retain information for longer than was necessary."

He added that he made sure that any information that was pertinent to decisions was kept on the corporate record, with his practice being to make sure that any information which was important was captured in e-mail form. He said: "My practice was when information was no longer useful it should not be retained."

Mr Dawson asked Mr Smith to expand on his definition of pertinent, and whether this meant a decision, to which the chief medical officer said: "Once a consensus has been achieved, what that consensus was." He says he would delete his messages frequently, if not every day.

He then explained that there was advice given to Scottish Government employees which specifically dealt with informal message and the need to delete messages on a regular basis. He said: "There was also advice we were given in discussion with the then director general, reminding us that official business shouldn't be done within these mediums and there should be regular deletion, partly for security purposes and that it shouldn't be seen as a secure medium."

>>20283715

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………continued……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

The top doctor then said that informal communications were usually used to arrange meetings and that any information thought to be pertinent would be captured in e-mail form. Questions have been raised about why government officials got to decide what information was relevant.

Mr Smith was also asked about the credibility of the expertise of Scotland's clinical advisers. He, Mr Leitch and Ms Calderwood were compared to England's Dr Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance, who both have extensive careers in public health which hey could rely on.

Mr Dawson added that there had been commentary about the fact that he was a GP, Mr Leitch and dentist and Ms Calderwood an obstetrician, meaning they were not experts in public health or infectious diseases. Mr Smith claimed that this wasn't an issues that was raised at all due to public confidence in messaging from "authentic" clinical leaders being "very, very high".

Scottish Conservative Chairman Craig Hoy MSP said: “Scots will be appalled that senior figures in the Scottish Government were effectively sneering at them during the Covid crisis. This shows the contempt those in charge felt towards ordinary people.

“We know this shocking culture of cover-up, and edicts to delete messages, came from the very top – Nicola Sturgeon and her senior SNP ministers. The nod-and-a-wink sniggering that went hand in hand with the industrial-scale deletion of messages points to the incriminating or embarrassing content contained within them.

“The SNP government were shamefully pre-occupied with covering their own tracks through the deletion of messages, rather than focusing on protecting people from a deadly virus. Those responsible for such decision-making cannot continue to remain silent and must urgently explain their shameful, secretive and scandalous behaviour."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: "While families grieved, the Scottish Government destroyed evidence of what was going on behind the scenes and behind the decisions which gripped all of our lives.

“It's disturbing to see some of Nicola Sturgeon’s closest advisers and officials joking about transparency and how to dodge it in the remnants of WhatsApp groups. From the First Minister downwards, there was a pattern of people covering their own backs and limiting what would be available to the inquiries everyone knew would follow.

“At Nicola Sturgeon’s helm, bereaved families may forever be denied the understanding, the justice and the closure they deserve. There are major questions for her to answer, and I hope that she will agree to make a personal statement in Parliament to address them.”

>>20283715

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-breaks-silence-covid-31928657

Nicola Sturgeon breaks silence on Covid WhatsApp scandal as she insists she 'acted properly'

The former first minister insisted she followed Scottish Government guidelines at all times but admitted messages had 'not been retained on my own device'

Douglas Dickie

20 JAN 2024

Nicola Sturgeon has broken her silence on the Covid WhatsApp scandal as she insisted she acted in "line with Scottish Government policy". The former first minister has faced criticism after it emerged she had not been able to submit WhatsApp messages or written notes to the UK Covid Inquiry.

She insisted the Inquiry does have access to "messages between me and those I most regularly communicated with through informal means". She claimed she was "able to obtain copies which I submitted to the Inquiry last year" even though they had "not been retained on my own device".

But Ms Sturgeon was accused of taking the Scottish public for "fools". Scottish Conservative party chairman Craig Hoy MSP said: "The former First Minister appears to have deliberately and repeatedly deleted her WhatsApp messages and she must have done so for a reason.

"Rather than apologising to the country, she is cynically seeking to deflect attention from the mass deletion of key messages by top ministers and officials. If there are no minutes of key Covid meetings, no notes and no messages, how were any decisions made? How are any inquiries supposed to understand the motives, disagreement and discussion behind them?

"Saying there's no decisions sent by WhatsApp does not inform the public at all. This statement is just another instalment in the unravelling of the SNP. The addiction to spin and secrecy must come to an end now."

In a statement on social media, the former SNP leader said: "To be clear, I conducted the Covid response through formal processes from my office in St Andrews House, not through WhatsApp or any other informal messaging platform. I was not a member of any WhatsApp groups.

"The number of people I communicated with through informal messaging at all was limited. Also, any handwritten notes made by me were passed to my private office to be dealt with and recorded as appropriate. Throughout the entire process, I acted in line with Scottish Government policy."A policy they created to cover up in advance

Ms Sturgeon claimed she "did my level best to lead Scotland through the pandemic as safely as possible". She said she "did not get every decision right" but was " motivated only, and at all times, by the determination to keep people as safe as possible".