/qresearch/ -  Q Research

>>22077023

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13931137/john-swinney-neil-gray-film-premiere-addiction/

'RELEVANT' FM defends Neil Gray’s glitzy film premiere trip – saying movie depicted drug & alcohol addiction

Mr Swinney's comments follow recent criticism levelled at Mr Gray over his use of government cars to visit football matches

Conor Matchett

27 Nov 2024

NEIL Gray was right to take a government limo to a star-studded film premiere because the movie featured drug and alcohol addiction and was therefore government business, John Swinney has insisted.

The Health Secretary took a ministerial car to Cameo Picturehouse in Edinburgh on August 15 this year to attend the opening reception of the city's Film Festival - which included a screening of the new Saoirse Ronan film, Outrun.

But the First Minister claimed that this was still “government business” due to the film’s themes of addiction.

He said: “He was attending a film which is addressing the issues of drug addiction, alcohol addiction and mental health and wellbeing and therefore relevant to his portfolio interests as cabinet secretary of health.”

Mr Gray attended the glitzy premiere alongside his wife - despite holding the health secretary role and the fact culture secretary Angus Robertson was also there.

He was appointed as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in February this year, having previously been the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy from March 2023 to February 2024.

He held the post as Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development between January 2022 and March 2023.

Despite leaving his ministerial culture post, Mr Gray’s film attendance was listed as a “culture” engagement.

And the SNP leader’s defence of his minister was labelled “desperate” due to social media posts from Mr Gray which showed he wanted to see the film due to its links to Orkney, where he grew up.

On X/Twitter, the minister said in December last year: “Cannot wait to see this!

“Brilliant that @amy_may’s stunning writing, Orkney’s scenery and a Screen Scotland supported production will be featured at Sundance, a premier international film festival.”

Deputy Scottish Tory leader Rachael Hamilton blasted the Nats.

She said: “This is a desperate defence from John Swinney of his Cabinet colleague.

“He knows fine well that there was no justification for Neil Gray to be at this event and is clutching at straws.

“Taxpayers are sick and tired of the SNP taking them for a ride. Honest John should have had the decency to be upfront with the public over Neil Gray’s behaviour, instead of giving this absurd response.”

It comes after Aberdeen fan Mr Gray came under flak for taking government cars to four Dons games as a guest of the SFA and SPL.

>>22077033

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/one-10-criminals-serving-time-34253848

One in 10 criminals serving time in Scotland's overcrowded prisons is from abroad

A record 1303 foreign offenders spent time behind bars in Scotland last year, including more than ever before from the Middle East and countries in eastern Europe such as Albania

Ben Borland

5 DEC 2024

Nearly one in 10 criminals serving time in Scottish prison last year was a foreigner, after the number of overseas cons soared to a record high.

The latest figures show that 15,348 offenders served time behind bars in 2023/24, including 14,035 British nationals and 1313 from somewhere else in the world. This was the highest figure of at least the past 15 years and also the highest percentage (8.6%).

Of these foreign criminals, 607 were from the European Economic Area – which includes all EU member states as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. This was the highest figure in eight years.

Much of the record increase is driven by non-EEA Europeans, with 219 behind bars up from 129 in 2022/23 and 85 the year before – a rise of 158%. Non-EEA European countries include Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Some 175 criminals from Asia spent time in prison, the highest figure in 12 years, along with 140 Africans and 88 from the Middle East, which was another record high.

And the rising proportion of offenders from abroad has fuelled concern over the failure to deport non-British criminals. The number of deportations stood at 226 last year, which was the most since 2009/10. However, it is not known how many of these were simply deported after serving their sentence. A further 36 remand prisoners were deported.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: "Deporting these convicted criminals is a common-sense approach, and it seems the SNP are the only ones who can't see this."

The Scottish Government figures show the proportion of individuals who are not British remained steady at between 5-6% of the prison population for more than a decade until the Covid pandemic. It then began to climb rapidly to its current record high.

It comes as the Scottish Prison Service prepares to grant early release to around 400 prisoners at the start of next year, after emergency legislation to cut the automatic release point for most serving four years or less from 50% to 40% of their sentence.

In September, it was revealed that more than 630 offenders who had been served deportation orders were still here. The UK Government is considering plans to deport foreign criminals rather than hold them at taxpayers' expense.

Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: "Across the UK and elsewhere, there has been an increase in prison populations and governments have had to implement a range of actions to address this."

>>22077023

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/car-hating-snp-government-earmark-34257297

Car-hating SNP Government earmark £28m to increase 20mph zones in Scotland despite congestion claims

The Scottish Government will be splashing the cash on infuriating motorists as the pot for creating 20mph zones has been almost doubled, with a huge roll-out by the end of 2025.

David Walker

5 DEC 2024

The Scottish Government has ratcheted up its war on motorists even further by earmarking a cool £28m to increase the number of 20mph zones across the country. Councils across the country will receive a share of this pot to reduce speed limits in town and city centres from 30mph to 20mph.

Concerns have been raised about how much of an impact this will make to road deaths and crashes, with Wales already being forced to rollback a similar scheme after angry feedback and a lack of solid evidence it worked. Critics have claimed that it will just make Scotland's roads more congested and increase travel times.

Local authorities were asked to come up with their own proposals for how many roads will be changed, with money being dished out to do this. It has already caused an almighty row in Edinburgh where Lothian Buses have said that it would increase journey times for those using public transport.

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop was asked about this by 20mph advocate Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell where she confirmed that councils now had enough funding to roll it out across towns, cities and villages. He said that it was "remarkable" that by "the end of next year, potentially every child in every community could be living on a safer street in Scotland."

He added: "Local level implementation alongside a national programme is really going to help drive forward national road safety messages that have been so successful in Wales and driving down casualty rates." He spoke about the "financial uncertainty" facing councils over this.

In response, Ms Hyslop pointed to budget lines which means that £28m has been earmarked for "the Road Safety Improvement Fund, National Speed Management Review and the National Strategy for 20mph to support the Road Safety Framework 2030." This is an 81.9% increase on the £15.4m from 2024/25.

Scottish Tory MSP Sue Webber referenced the row in Edinburgh as she urged the SNP Minister to admit that the policy will increase congestion and extend travel times. Changes in the capital are expected to cost £850,000 and would affect 66 roads on the rural western edge of the city.

It would increase the proportion of roads in the region with a 20mph limit for 86% to 88%, with Lothian Buses insisting it would affect journey times for passengers, and councillors admitted that "there would definitely be an increase". A report for the council said that the new speed limit would add more than one minute to 9.5-minute journeys between Piershill, east of Meadowbank, and Leith Walk.

The increase in journey times has caused the local authority to scale back its ambitions for more 20mph limits in built-up areas and cut 27 streets from its original plans. Ms Webber told MSPs: "Lothian buses have raised concerns that the slower traffic will affect journey times for passengers, adding to the misery commuters face across the capital.

"Only 18 fines have been issues for breaching the 20 mile an hour speed limit in Edinburgh since 2021. Without enforcement this is nothing more than an expensive box ticking exercise. Does the Cabinet Secretary agree that introducing more 20 mile an hour limits will increase congestion and journey times and do nothing to encourage people to use public transport?"

Ms Hyslop pointed out that the policy is geared towards reducing the number of deaths on the roads and not increasing public transport use.

>>22077036

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-financial-woes-laid-bare-34256362

SNP still haven't paid back Peter Murrell's loan as £1m Westminster loss emerges

The Electoral Commission published donations for the SNP between July and September, with three major donators giving out over £650,000, but two of them were bequests.

David Walker

5 DEC 2024

The SNP's financial woes were laid bare by new figures published by the Electoral Commission which confirmed the party will lose almost £1m in public money due to its General Election thrashing. And former party Chief Executive Peter Murrell has yet to be paid back half of his loan.

There was a small bit of joy for the nationalists as John Swinney raked in £682,220 of donations between July and September 2024, but the majority of this came from bequests. The SNP have struggled to attract big donors who are still alive since Alex Salmond was in charge and this barely changed.

Out of that £682,220, only a quarter of a million came from someone who is not dead, with property tycoon Alexander Adam donating the sum. The Springfield tycoon also donated cash during the independence referendum and beforehand but has only resumed his financial support now. He was caught up in cronyism storm with the Scottish Government back in 2015 when his company received a £1m loan from them.

South African-born Estelle Brownrig, who died in March 2018, is recorded as donating £203,921.21 on August 10. And another deceased supporter in Thomas McCann is listed as gifting the party £228,298.86 on August 19.

Overall in 2024, the SNP have only received £342,000 worth of donations from those still living, with the majority of this coming from Mr Adam. And all of it has come under Mr Swinney who took over from Humza Yousaf after his ill-fated reign.

The SNP's financial worries were well documented before the General Election and afterwards, with plans put in place to make 10 members of staff at its HQ redundant in the weeks running up to Christmas. It was claimed that cutting the headcount from 26 to 16 would make it more "efficient."

An ongoing police investigation into the party's finances, called Operation Branchform, has seen cops raid the SNP's HQ in Edinburgh as well as the marital home of Mr Murrell and his wife Nicola Sturgeon. Detectives are investigating what happened to £600k of ring-fenced Indyref2 cash.

Mr Murrell has been charged by police in relation to the allegdd embezzlement funds from the party he used to run, although the Crown Office have yet to decide whether to take further action. He loaned the SNP £107,620 back in June 2021 but has only received back about half, with £60k still outstanding.

The Nats also used to net about £1.2m in public cash from Westminster authorities in Short Money due to having such a large number of MPs and being the fourth biggest party at the House of Commons. It received about £110,000 a month for its 48 representatives, which helped with research and running costs.

Mr Swinney suffered a horrific General Election, losing almost 40 MPs and ending up with just nine, falling to the fourth biggest party at Westminster. According to the Electoral Commission, the party will only net about £27,000 a month, meaning a full-year total of just £324,000.

Accounts submitted by the SNP to the Electoral Commission in August this year, showed the party ended 2023 with a financial surplus of over £600,000, compared to a deficit of more than £800,000 in 2022. But this was due to a raid on branches, with £661,568 earned from that to fight elections.

Falling membership numbers have triggered a drop in income. The current membership is roughly half what it was after a surge following 2014's independence referendum. This year, 81% of the party's funding came from membership fees, compared to just 35% in 2015.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton MSP called on the SNP to hand the money back to Mr Murrell. She told the Scottish Daily Express: “Its frankly astonishing that the SNP are still in debt to the tune of £60k to their disgraced former chief executive. It is deeply concerning that this loan still hasn’t be repaid especially given the murky circumstances surrounding his resignation. The SNP should do the right thing and pay this money back.”

An SNP source said that "it would be inappropriate to comment while a live police investigation continues."

>>22077033

>>22119539

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scotlands-prison-population-soars-6-34247680

Scotland's prison population soars by 6% despite SNP claims crime is at 'lowest' in 40 years

John Swinney boasted to MSPs that crime was at a 40-year low but despite this, jails have become overcrowded with inmates with this increasing from last year.

David Walker

4 DEC 2024

The SNP have been told it has "nothing to be proud of" when it comes to Scotland's creaking prisons as new statistics revealed a 6% rise in the jail population. The Scottish Government brought in emergency legislation last week to let them release hundreds of cons early despite concerns from victims.

And in October John Swinney boasted to MSPs that “levels of crime in Scotland are currently at 40-year lows”. This claim has been disputed by fact-checkers, with the rising number of people behind bars showing that crime is still a prevalent issue across the county.

Figures published by the Scottish Government on Wednesday showed that the average prison population in Scotland was 7,860 in 2023-24 which is an increase of almost 6% from 2022-23, and is primarily driven by a rise in the sentenced population (+8%). The capacity of Scotland's jails is 8,007.

Last week, the SNP and Scottish Greens voted through a bill which allows the early release of lags without the safety net of a governor's veto or telling victims it has happened. This was done because as of 8 November, external, there were 8,273 inmates in jail, with estimations that this number could rise even further.

Scottish Labour's Justice Spokeswoman Pauline McNeill blasted the Scottish Government for years of inaction which had led to overcrowded prisons. She said: "The SNP has nothing to be proud of when it comes to the continued pressure on prisons and their lack of a contingency plan.

“On John Swinney’s watch we have Scotland’s prisons at breaking point, our prison estate crumbling, soaring levels of remand, deep cuts to legal aid, a staffing crisis in our courts and huge court backlogs.

"Emergency release may take the pressure off in the short-term, but with victims unsupported, communities unprepared and prisoners without the network in place to stop them reoffending, this is not a long-term solution. The need for reform and a new direction has never been clearer – but all the SNP offer is more excuses, incompetence, waste and managed decline.”

From February 2025 offenders serving less than four years will be freed after serving 40% of their sentence rather than the current 50%. As part of this new arrangement, the Scottish Prison Service is expected to free up to 390 inmates in a staggered series of releases early next year. However, the changes will not apply to anyone convicted of a serious sex crime or domestic abuse.

Mr Swinney's boast about almost record low levels of crime was torn up by the Ferret fact-checking service who labelled it "Mostly False." In 2023-24, 299,780 crimes were recorded in Scotland. This is higher than the previous year, 2022-23, when police recorded 289,362 crimes, and in 2021-22, when there were 286,464 crimes recorded.

In response to the growing numbers in prisons, Ms Constance previously said: "We need the prison system to focus on those who pose the greatest risk to the public and provide a range of support to help reduce reoffending and integration back into the community."

>>22110066

>>22106506

>>21930059

>>21898870

>>21894708

>>21894639

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-andrew-no-longer-welcome-34245508

Prince Andrew is no longer 'welcome anywhere' as friends ditch him amid Royal Lodge isolation

He is occasionally seen horse riding, but apart from that the non-working royal’s public appearances have become rare since his controversial 2019 Newsnight interview

Mark Connor

4 DEC 2024

Prince Andrew is no longer ‘welcome anywhere’ among his former social circle as he becomes increasingly isolated. The Duke of York has been keeping a low profile at Royal Lodge, with his social circle reportedly dwindling.

He is occasionally seen horse riding, but apart from that the non-working royal’s public appearances have become rare since his controversial 2019 Newsnight interview.

A source close to the situation painted a picture of a lonely existence, highlighting how “he just doesn’t have that many friends any more.”

Despite an ongoing royal feud with his brother, Prince Andrew will continue residing at his large Royal Lodge home in Windsor. King Charles wanted his younger brother to relocate to Frogmore Cottage.

The King cut Andrew’s £1million annual allowance in an effort to evict the duke from the 30-room property. Prince Andrew has since found alternative funding from a legitimate source, according to the keeper of the privy purse, Michael Stevens.

The 64-year-old has been stripped of his HRH titles and honorary military roles, a decision made by Queen Elizabeth. He has been denied the right to wear his military uniform at several occasions, including during his mother’s funeral procession.

The fall has been particularly stark for Andrew, who served 22 years in the Royal Navy and once commanded widespread national respect. Andrew’s fall from grace began with his infamous 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis.

The duke faced intense public criticism over his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. His connection to Epstein had already cost him his trade envoy role after being photographed with the convicted paedophile in New York’s Central Park in 2010.

>>22077023

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/brits-hit-263m-bill-switch-34257372

Brits hit with £26.3m bill to switch off Scottish wind turbines during Storms Ashley and Bert

Exclusive: The annual total in so-called 'constraint payments' has now topped a staggering £342m for 2024… with one month still to and Storm Darragh tipped to cause further havoc during an 18-hour amber storm warning

Ben Borland

6 DEC 2024

With the fourth named storm of the winter about to blast in from the Atlantic, new figures have revealed how much two previous gales will cost energy bill payers across the UK.

Wind farm operators are given 'constraint payments' to switch off their turbines when the wind is blowing too powerfully, to stop the grid from becoming overloaded. Ultimately, the cost is passed on to consumers through their bills.

For Storms Ashley and Bert, a staggering £26.3million was received by energy firms – and the vast majority of that sum relates to wind farms in Scotland. This is due to the long-running problem of getting renewable energy from remote hillsides north of the Border to the conurbations of England and Wales.

Meteorologists described Ashley as a 'weather bomb' and it caused widespread damage and transport chaos across Scotland and much of the rest of the UK back in October.

Storm Bert barrelled in from the Atlantic around four weeks later and left at least five dead across Britain, including a man while walking his dog in North Wales. Grandfather Brian Perry, 75, was described as "much-loved".

A man in his 60s died after a tree fell on a car in Hampshire, while a man in his 80s has died after his car entered flood waters in Lancashire. At least two more people died in car accidents.

Conall was named by the Dutch Met Office and the main impacts were felt in the Netherlands, although the weather system did bring further flooding to southern England already reeling from Bert.

Costly constraints

Storm Ashley (October 20-21): Total constraints £11,727,794 (Scottish wind farms £11,687,592)

Storm Bert (November 22-25): Total constraints £14,569,466 (Scottish wind farms £14,567,057)

Storm Conall (November 26): Total constraints - £489,639 (Scottish wind farms £484,762)

The Scottish Express calculated the totals using figures supplied by the UK charity, Renewable Energy Foundation (REF). They also show that 2024 is ALREADY a record year for constraint payments, with £342.1m paid out so far. Of that record total, £328.9m relates to Scottish wind farms.

It remains to be seen how much Storm Darragh will cost, with two rare amber warnings for high winds put in place by the Met Office over an 18-hour period this weekend for much of western British Isles including Glasgow.

Dr John Constable, director of the REF, said: “Electricity systems with large shares of uncontrollable generation like wind are unavoidably expensive to run, but they don’t have to be this expensive. Action from the regulator Ofgem is long overdue.

“The prices demanded to reduce generation are clearly excessive, and as Bloomberg demonstrated in February there is clear evidence that wind output forecasts are so inaccurate, particularly during storms, that wind farms are sometimes paid to reduce output that would not have been generated in any case.”

Industry body Scottish Renewables has said demand for energy continued to soar with chief executive Claire Mack adding: "A modern electricity network capable of delivering renewable energy to consumers, as well as investment in large scale, long duration energy storage solutions, such as pumped storage hydro, will be the best way to balance supply and demand within the UK’s energy system and minimise the cost of constraint payments.

"These costs have increased in recent years so the quicker we build more electricity transmission infrastructure, like the Eastern Green Link, the quicker we will reduce constraint payments while connecting more renewable energy to UK consumers, creating jobs and bringing investment to Scotland."

>>22077023

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/shona-robison-boosts-out-control-34247916

Shona Robison boosts 'out of control' benefits spending by £800m in budget funded by highest taxes in the UK

John Swinney's first ever SNP budget as First Minister brought little joy to those who pay higher taxes than England as income tax was frozen, with £800m more being ploughed into benefits.

David Walker

4 DEC 2024

Shona Robison has ignored experts who have warned about high taxes damaging the economy by refusing to introduce tax cuts for hard-working Scots. But the Finance Secretary confirmed that an extra £800m of public cash will go towards an "out of control" benefits bill.

Scotland has six of the 10 regions with the most people on out-of-work benefits but instead of combating this, more money will be ploughed into the Social Security System. Ms Robison also boasted that Scots will no longer wait more than a year for out-patient appointments by 2026.

Councils have also been given free reign to increase council tax for families across Scotland as a freeze was lifted. Some are considering rises of up to 17% from next April, although Ms Robison pleaded with local authorities not to do this and pointed to a increase in funding by more than £1 billion.

She said: “It will take their total funding to over £15 billion, including £289 million to give real terms protection to the general revenue grant.” The bloated public sector will also net huge above inflation pay increases of up to 9%, with this money being found through income tax receipts and money from Westminster.

In a bid to plead with the Scottish Greens for support, free buses for Asylum Seekers was included in the budget, with a huge £4.9bn being earmarked for tackling climate change and nature. Hospitality businesses were given some cheer as 92% of them will received 40% of Non-Domestic Rates Relief.

The tax threshold for the Scottish basic and intermediate rates will be lifted with inflation, meaning people who net pay rises on under £70,000 will be safe from being dragged into a new tax bracket. Ms Robison also piled on huge pressure on Scottish Labour by scrapping the two-child limit on how much benefits are handed to parents by 2026.

Sir Keir Starmer has refused to lift the controversial cap in England and Wales, with the Scottish Government pledging to do this by 2026. But this was criticised by the Scottish Tories, who pointed out that there was no cash to do this.

Scottish Conservative shadow social security secretary Liz Smith MSP said: “Social security payments must be fair to people who are struggling and to taxpayers who pick up the bill. We believe the two-child cap is necessary and the right approach at this time. The rapidly rising benefits bill is currently unsustainable as a direct consequence of the SNP’s high tax rates and mismanagement of our economy and public finances.”

The SNP Executive also unveiled a record funding settlement of £21bn next financial year for the NHS after a damning report warned it was on the brink of collapse in Scotland.

Ms Robison revealed the budget would contain an additional £800 million in social security benefits in 2025/26 and pledged a substantial sum for housing, including £768 million for 8,000 affordable homes. She also said that she will spend £30m to "drive out efficiencies" in the public sector.

The Scottish Tories blasted the budget for not giving tax relief to hard-pressed Scots who remain the highest taxed group in the entire UK. Finance Secretary Craig Hoy said: "Today's budget was a chance for the SNP to set a new direction on tax and spending, an opportunity for John Swinney to undo some of the damage he has done to Scotland over the 17 years.

"But this budget is just more of the same, inputs not outputs, half-hearted attempts to fix the problems they themselves have created. The era of high tax, free spending is far from over and once again people in Scotland will pay more and get less. Thanks to the SNP workers and businesses will pay more in tax only for that money to be wasted by SNP Ministers who let public services decline.

"What a boast it was today, a new policy to say a 12 months wait for an inpatient appointment in our NHS, that is a scandal and John Swinney's fingerprints are all over this. The SNP's economic mismanagement has held Scotland back and isn't it the reality that the only real growth that we are seeing in the economy is the size of the SNP Government and the scale of the black that is in the heart of their finances.

>>22144089

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

"And the reality is we are paying a heavy price for years of SNP waste, on ferries, gender reforms, failed independence bids, and a national care service that has already cost the nation £30m. The benefits bill is rising by a further £800m and is out of control because the government cannot get people back into work.

"NHS waiting lists are so long that sick people are staying sick. The budget confirms that the SNP has wrecked public services, John Swinney is out of ideas, and his government is running out of time."

Tracy Black, CBI Chief Strategy Officer and Devolved Nations Ambassador, said: “Following a tough UK Budget for business, firms looking to the Scottish Government to provide some festive cheer will be left feeling a little cold.

“With fiscal headroom in famously short supply, this was always likely to be a Scottish Budget focused on shoring up the public sector and helping households most in need. Any small hope for an injection of capital to catalyse enterprise was dashed, even as firms battle a range of costly challenges.

“The income tax divergence between Scotland and the rest of the UK remains a significant disadvantage for local firms and their ability to compete for highly skilled staff. While firms will be relieved to see commitments to no additional bandings, the reality is that the policy remains a handbrake on growth and comes against a background of escalating costs for employers.

Darwin Friend, head of research of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Taxpayers across Scotland will warmly welcome the lifting of tax thresholds, even if this won’t benefit all Scots. But with this budget also including a dazzling array of spending pledges, there will rightly be concern about the impact of the fiscal measures on the already fragile public finances. Scottish ministers need to ensure that this spending binge is accompanied with meaningful reform of public services.”

Scottish Labour Finance Spokesman Michael Marra also claimed that Scotland "is going in the wrong direction under the SNP." He added: “Almost 1 in 6 Scots are on an NHS waiting list, schools falling further behind, a national housing emergency, growth lagging behind the rest of the UK. Every Scottish institution is weaker.

“It is not enough just to try and correct the mistakes made last year by putting back the money that was slashed in the budget itself or in the cuts chaos of the now annual SNP emergency budget. This budget amounts to more of the same, sending Scotland ever faster in the wrong direction.”

Reaction

The Scottish Lib Dems welcomed some of their policies being included but claimed it did not mean the party will support the budget. One rival party will need to back it if the SNP want it to be passed.

Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “After 17 years, this country is badly off course and we are honest we know that the only thing that will truly bring about the change that Scotland needs is a change of government. In the meantime, Liberal Democrats will work hard to unpick some of the damage that has been done.

“So, it is right that the government have listened to the Liberal Democrats and included spending on social care, affordable homes, insulation, winter fuel payments, additional support needs, ferries, GPs, dentists, long covid, mental health, Edinburgh’s Eye Pavilion, the Belford Hospital and business rate relief for hospitality.

“All of these are Liberal Democrat priorities and they are in the budget. But let me be clear, this does not guarantee our support. As in all budgets, the devil will be in the detail.”

>>22144089

>>22144106

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..continued3……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “This budget undoubtedly delivers some much-needed progress, like ending the two-child limit, but ultimately the First Minister’s promises to eradicate child poverty and tackle climate change will remain built on sand without further new public spending funded by bold, long-term fair tax reform. The real test of the new Tax Strategy is whether it delivers a tax system that delivers fairness, not one that props up a financial house of cards.”

Joseph Rowntree Foundation Associate Director for Scotland Chris Birt said: “While this budget won't eradicate child poverty, the First Minister’s stated driving purpose, it does show positive signs of investing in the right things. Committing to the eliminating of the two child limit by investing in social security is a positive recognition that political choices can reduce poverty.

“Reversing the huge cuts to affordable house building is also welcome while we're in the jaws of a housing emergency. The Parliament as a whole, however, face the challenge of how the child poverty reduction targets will be met. The budget as drafted should nudge things in the right direction but there remains much work to do.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit , said: “Local government may welcome commitments to the New Deal with Local Government continuing work on a fiscal framework and plans to deliver new revenue raising powers. However, they will be dismayed to see how much funding continues to be ring fenced.

"There is an increase in core funding in today’s Budget but it doesn’t cover the ever growing costs of core statutory services. The Scottish Government has responded to the concerns of councils and has removed the freeze on council tax rises, but the Cabinet Secretary’s expectation that record funding levels should mean councils do not need to put up council tax is too complacent.

"The truth is that even with the additional funding announced today, local authorities will still need to raise council tax and make cuts to services and will still edge closer to being unable to balance their books.”

>>22077033

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14175289/Monks-living-holy-island-dodged-justice-sex-abuse.html

More than 50 children were raped or subjected to vile sex abuse by paedophile monks on UK holy island, damning report reveals

TOM BEDFORD and LIZ HULL

9 December 2024

More than 50 children who visited a remote holy island off the coast of Wales were raped or subjected to vile sex abuse by paedophile monks, a leaked report reveals.

Children as young as three were allegedly groomed and attacked in 'plain sight' on Caldey Island, a picturesque tourist spot off the Pembrokeshire coast.

For more than 100 years, the island has been home to Caldey Abbey and a small community of Trappist monks. It receives up to 60,000 visitors a year.

In April, an independent review was launched after several people came forward to report allegations of historic sex abuse, dating back more than 60 years.

The review found that monks, and men with criminal records who claimed to be monks, were able to join the monastery without checks.

They hid behind their 'chosen' religious names to carry out the horrific attacks, which took place while children were on summer holidays with their parents, often paid for by the Catholic church, or during visits with Catholic schools or youth groups, between 1960 and 1992.

Some victims claim they told the then Abbot immediately, or later reported the sex attacks to teachers, police and the Catholic Church, but all were 'largely ignored', the investigation found.

As part of the review, Jan Pickles, the former assistant police and crime commissioner for south Wales, interviewed 17 survivors who either lived on or visited the island.

The monks were 'reckless', did nothing to stop the abuse and were openly 'hostile and cruel' to those who complained about it, Ms Pickles said.

One victim told the Mail: 'Caldey Island is the perfect place for paedophiles and sex offenders to hide away or go undercover. They should change its name to Paedophile Island – no tourists would visit then.'

Sex offender Paul Ashton lived on the island under a false name between 2004 and 2011, while wanted by police in England for possessing illegal images of children.

Another paedophile, Father John Shannon, who was a priest on the island for nine months in 2008, was jailed for possessing extreme sexual images of children as young as nine.

However, the review focuses on Father Thaddeus Kotik, a prolific abuser of children in the 1970s and 80s.

The Polish-born monk was described by one victim as a 'Michael Jackson-like' character, who used a pet tortoise, kittens and gifts of sweets, biscuits and yoghurt from the island's dairy, where he worked, to groom, rape and molest children.

He died in 1992 without being interviewed by police.

In 2018, six women were paid compensation in out-of-court settlements for the abuse they suffered at his hands. They should receive official apologies and their cases should be reviewed, Ms Pickles said.

apologies, should be here>>22077019

>>22150149

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

The Caldey Island Survivors Campaign insists other monks, as well as Father Thaddeus, were responsible for the abuse of 54 victims who have come forward.

The 540-acre island is a 20-minute ferry ride from Tenby.

Father Jan Rossey, the new Abbot of Caldey Abbey who commissioned the review, has insisted he is committed to fostering openness and transparency.

He was contacted for comment.

>>22077033

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14176589/Judges-coroners-magistrates-reprimanded-bad-behaviour.html

Judges, coroners and magistrates have been rapped for sleeping in court, sending a love letter and deleting messages from a 'drug dealer' in dozens of disciplinaries since 2022

FRANKIE ELLIOTT

10 December 2024

Dozens of judges, coroners and magistrates have been rapped for bad behaviour since 2022 - including courtroom rants, dozing off and committing crime.

One hundred and forty-nine JPs and judges have been reprimanded for breaking strict judicial conduct rules in the last two years.

An audit of figures revealed 60 landed in the Judicial Complaints Investigation Office disciplinary dock in 2024 - with 56 cases in 2023 and 33 in 2022.

They include judicial figures drinking on the job, being caught speeding and bullying barristers.

In one case, a high court judge who sent a love letter to a 'vulnerable' junior staff member was reprimanded for 'serious misconduct'.

Mr Justice Marcus Smith wrote a handwritten note that 'he loved the young woman and wanted to know her feelings in return', the JCIO said.

The senior judge claimed he had not intended to take advantage of the young woman but had sought support.

And last year, a crown court judge was accused of deleting messages from an alleged drug dealer to 'judge Andy'.

Andrew Easteal, 58, was sacked after judicial investigators said he 'deliberately deleted data in the knowledge that it was of interest to police officers carrying out a criminal investigation'.

Another judge was sanctioned after liking a barrister's pro-Palestine social media post on LinkedIn.

Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram claimed he liked the 'repulsive' post 'inadvertently'.

It read: 'Free Free Palestine … Israel, you can run, you can bomb but you cannot hide — justice will be coming for you.'

A coroner was sanctioned after being overheard describing a lawyer's arguments as 'b*ks'.

Shropshire assistant coroner Heath Westerman was formally warned over the slur.

Mr Westerman said he used the term 'b*ks' due to frustration caused by a 'poor submission' by the complainant's lawyer.

Circuit judge Michael Slater was handed 'formal advice for misconduct' after nodding off during a case.

Deputy district judge Sarah Ellis was sanctioned after being caught speeding on an A-road.

She was convicted and handed six penalty points and told to pay nearly £1,000 in fines and costs .

The JCIO said Ellis was 'substantially above the speed limit' but took into account her apology.

Since 2020, the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO), part of the Ministry of Justice, received more than 4,200 complaints from the public against members of the judiciary.

The public made 1,620 complaints about members of the judiciary in 2022-23 and 1.817 in 2021-22.

Over the past decade, more than 19,000 complaints about judges' behaviour have been recorded.

Investigations by the JCIO have led to court officials being sacked, reprimanded, and forced to resign for charges including drink-driving, being drunk in court and taking too long to produce a judgment.

The JCIO ruled the Lincoln judge's conduct was so serious that he 'should be removed from office'.

Employment judge Pauline Hughes was given a formal warning after being caught drinking on the job.

She sank alcohol in her chambers during a break in a case in August 2023.

>>22172391

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

The hearing was halted when colleagues in Birmingham noticed she appeared intoxicated.

And a senior Court of Appeal judge was warned after behaving in a 'rude and hostile' manner to barristers that amounted to 'judicial bullying'.

Lord Justice Clive Lewis was one of two judges who ruled in 2022 that the Conservative government's plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was lawful.

Most investigations stemmed from magistrates not meeting minimum sitting requirements.

A spokesman for the JCIO said: 'With around 22,000 judicial office-holders in post, misconduct remains rare.'

>>22077019

>>21776404

>>22062694

>>21827987

https://www.scotsman.com/education/child-abuse-inquiry-chair-failed-to-disclose-links-to-edinburgh-private-schools-4909821

Child abuse inquiry chair failed to disclose links to Edinburgh private schools

Calum Ross

15th Dec 2024

Abuse survivors claim the family connections represent a ‘conflict of interest’

The chairwoman of the long-running Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry failed to declare family links to two Edinburgh private schools she was investigating, it has emerged.

Lady Smith, who was appointed inquiry chairwoman in 2016, did not disclose to Scottish ministers that her husband went to Fettes College and one of her children had been a day pupil at Edinburgh Academy.

The retired judge has heard evidence of abuse at both schools during the inquiry’s hearings.

A spokesman for the inquiry told The Sunday Times that Lady Smith had not been obliged to declare her family connections.

However, the newspaper reported that more than 70 survivors who attended Fettes, Edinburgh Academy, other independent schools and state and charity-run residential homes, had now urged First Minister John Swinney to intervene.

Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservative leader, said the loss of confidence among victims made it "increasingly difficult to see how she can continue in the role".

Giles Moffat, the founder of the Edinburgh Academy Survivors group, told The Sunday Times that Lady Smith's position was "completely untenable".

He said: "Lady Smith's connections to these schools constitute a clear and compromising conflict of interest.

"The correct course of action would have been to immediately declare them and recuse herself, but that did not happen."

However, opinion is divided, with In Care Abuse Survivors (Incas), which campaigned for 12 years for an inquiry to be established, supporting Lady Smith and urging her to remain in post.

Helen Holland, its spokeswoman, said: "It would be devastating for the hundreds of survivors who have participated in this inquiry and have spoken of their positive experiences of being believed and treated with empathy, dignity and respect by the full inquiry team for Lady Smith to be asked to step down as chair.”

In a letter to survivors, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes confirmed that Lady Smith had not alerted ministers to any potential conflict of interest.

A spokesman for the inquiry said: "The legislation governing the appointment of an inquiry chair does not require a candidate to declare personal information unless directly relevant.

“Ministers, who are responsible for the selection process, must be satisfied that a candidate does not have a direct interest in the matters to which the inquiry relates or a close association with a person who has a particularly significant interest in the inquiry such as is liable to affect the impartiality the role requires.

"However, in the interests of transparency, and in light of incorrect information that has been put into the public domain, we can confirm the following: Lady Smith attended a state school in England. Her husband attended a boarding school in Scotland (Fettes College) and has had no continuing relationship with the school or connections with it since he left the school over 50 years ago.

"One of her children was a day pupil at Edinburgh Academy and also has had no continuing relation with the school or connections with the school since leaving it over 20 years ago."

The spokesman added: "Lady Smith has chaired the inquiry for over eight years. It is incorrect to suggest that the work of the inquiry or its findings are biased. All of Lady Smith's case study findings are based on the wide range of evidence heard from witnesses and from documentary sources.

>>22175073

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

"When she became a Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, a judge of both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary, Lady Smith swore a judicial oath of impartiality.

"She has always taken this responsibility very seriously throughout her judicial career and in all her work as chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry."

The Scottish Government said it believed there was "no material conflict of interest".

Fettes College and Edinburgh Academy have each issued unreserved apologies to individuals who experienced abuse at their schools in previous decades.

The Scotsman visited Edinburgh Academy earlier this year to hear how the school had been working with survivors, in response to their testimony.

>>22077019

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cje9xjywjdwo

Ex-BBC journalist jailed for child sex offences

Callum May

9 December 2024

A former BBC journalist has been jailed for eight years for a string of child sexual abuse offences.

Duncan Bartlett, 52, was jailed at Wood Green Crown Court in north London after admitting paying money to watch live streams of children being sexually exploited.

He had pleaded guilty to 35 offences at an earlier hearing on 30 August.

The Metropolitan Police said detectives seized electronic devices from Bartlett and recovered nearly 6,000 indecent images of children.

They also found evidence he made payments to people in the Philippines who would arrange live films of children being sexually exploited for Bartlett to watch.

Bartlett - who worked as a BBC journalist for 14 years until 2015 – was arrested in September 2021.

He spent time as a correspondent in Tokyo and presented "World Business Report" on the BBC World Service.

Bartlett, from central London, continued working as a researcher and expert in China at London's SOAS university until after his guilty plea.

He appears not to have told his employer about his offending and the university did not discover the details of the case until today.

A spokeswoman for SOAS confirmed Bartlett was a research associate and contractor at the London university's China Institute between 1 January 2021 and 30 September 2024.

She said: "Although not a permanent member of staff or in a student-facing role, he was paid as a contractor to produce a series of podcasts about China, producing his last edition in September 2024.

"Neither SOAS nor the SOAS China Institute were aware of any legal proceedings before we were contacted by the media about this case today."

>>22077023

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/msps-vote-spend-2m-free-34296798

MSPs vote to spend £2m on free buses for asylum seekers despite Tory calls to stop 'woke' spending

The Scottish Tories' attempts to axe plans to spend £2m of taxpayer cash on free buses for asylum seekers instead of on winter fuel payments for hard-pressed pensioners were defeated by 'left-wing' parties at Holyrood.

David Walker

11 DEC 2024

MSPs at the Scottish Parliament rejected calls by the Scottish Tories to axe plans to spend £2m on free bus travel for asylum seekers. The SNP reacted angrily towards attempts by Russell Findlay's party to instead utilise that money for winter fuel payments for struggling pensioners.

An ill-tempered debate at Holyrood took place on Wednesday where a list of John Swinney's "woke" waste in the budget was listed as MSPs were urged to back calls to cut tax for hard-working Scots instead. But the Nats were backed by the other parties who supported the budget in principle, including a huge rise in benefits spending, with the "left-wing" consensus winning out.

Scottish Tory Finance Secretary Craig Hoy listed ways to save money which could go towards making sure Scots pay the same income tax as those south of the border. He said: "Let's look at what SNP waste looks like in this Budget alone. £60 million to the woke equalities and human rights portfolio.

“£50m to Ferguson Marine this year, even though the ferries were meant to be completed two years ago. Up to £58m on a national care service that even its own councils now do not support. £8m on baby boxes that many new parents don't want, don't need, and don't use.

“£5.5m on fake foreign embassies. £12.8m on a foreign aid budget although foreign aid is reserved. £5.5m on external affairs policy and advice, and £2m for a Scottish Land Commission crammed full of SNP cronies.”

It led to criticism from Ms Robison who accused the Tories of attempting to reach out to Reform voters by parroting Nigel Farage talking points. She said that the scale of the cuts they were calling for “would have made Scrooge blush” and added “There is a call for tax cuts, which the Tories own estimate says will slash public investment by £1 billion.

She went on to accuse the Conservatives of having tried to open "a new front in Russell Findlay’s bargain basement attempt at starting a culture war” by targeting babies. She said: "Russell Findlay clearly thinks that babies are a left-wing cabal living on handouts who have had it too good for too long. And now he wants to scrap the baby box. It appears that all the work to try and stop being the ‘nasty party’ might have been in vain.”

Scottish Labour MSP Daniel Johnson called for more support for asylum seekers and insisted that there was no need for "populism" in Scottish politics and that politicians must "reject this." It was pointed out that his UK party ruled out introducing similar legislation.

Scottish Labour Finance Spokesman Michael Marra said that the Tories were “seeking to pit one vulnerable group against another in our society" and that this "is simply unacceptable." Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the motion was “thoroughly depressing”.

Speaking after the debate Mr Hoy highlighted that the SNP budget will mean "Scots will still be paying more but getting less in return and even shamelessly tried to sell a tax cut, when it is only worth £1 a month to most taxpayers." He added: "Our common sense tax proposals would have delivered a much-needed tax cut to workers, businesses and would-be homeowners the SNP rejected them straight away.

“Along with the other left-wing parties in Holyrood, they prefer not to give families and businesses more freedom over what they earn or even try and deliver best value for taxpayers. At a time when they have shamelessly cut winter fuel payments for pensioners, they are instead squandering £2 million on free bus passes for asylum seekers.

“John Swinney and the SNP are wedded to the same failed out-of-touch policies that have let Scotland down over the last 17 years and taxpayers across Scotland are continuing to pay a heavy price.”

>>22077023

>>22181947

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/warped-snp-spend-more-asylum-34288470

'Warped' SNP to spend more on asylum seekers than pensioners amid free bus row

Exclusive: The Scottish Tories are calling on the Scottish Government to ditch £2m plans to offer asylum seekers free bus travel, pointing out more will be spent on this per head than pensioners next year.

David Walker

11 DEC 2024

The SNP have been accused of having "warped priorities" as it plans to spend £2m of taxpayer cash on free buses for asylum seekers. New research by the Scottish Tories revealed that the Scottish Government plans to spend more per head on asylum seekers than struggling pensioners.

At Holyrood on Wednesday the party will attempt to persuade MSPs to stop the Nat Executive from implementing the new policy which was announced at the Budget. It was originally a Scottish Greens idea which was scrapped by John Swinney when he took office.

The £2m scheme will benefit about 3,900 asylum seekers, meaning a cost of £500 per person. According to a freedom of information request, the Scottish Government said: "The £2 million pilot scheme was intended to provide evidence on nationwide delivery, costs and demand and to inform future progression of policy. The pilot scheme was based on an estimate of 3,900 eligible individuals.

It was also pointed out that a third of asylum seekers are already eligible for free bus travel due to being under 22, older than 60 or having a disability. Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop confirmed this earlier this year when she set out reasons why it was being scrapped.

She said: "We remain fully committed to ensuring that as many of the estimated one in three people seeking asylum who are already eligible for free bus travel via our existing national concessionary travel scheme are able to access that. People seeking asylum in Scotland who are under 22, are 60 or over or have an eligible disability are already entitled to concessionary travel."

While this money is splashed on the scheme, over 900,000 pensioners will freeze this year due to the winter fuel payment only going to those on pension benefits. It is being partially brought back next year, with payments of £100 to £300 being handed out depending on their household income.

The Scottish Tories highlighted the £200 discrepancy between pensioners and asylum seekers and urged the SNP to u-turn once again. Shadow Transport Secretary Sue Webber told the Scottish Daily Express: "This sums up the SNP’s warped priorities. There is simply no justification for them to spend this amount dishing out free bus passes to asylum seekers when pensioners are choosing between heating and eating this winter.

“The public will be appalled that £200 more on average is being spent on this free bus scheme rather than doing the right thing and reinstating winter fuel payments for pensioners. That is why we’re forcing a vote on this issue today in Parliament. I urge the left-wing parties at Holyrood to show some common sense for once and tell the SNP to scrap this scheme.”

She will lead a debate at the parliament on Wednesday about the issue during the Scottish Tory party business time. The Scottish Greens attacked the Conservatives for their stance, with Maggie Chapman accusing them of "using the rights of people seeking asylum as a political football”.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Extending free bus travel to people seeking asylum would support those who receive very limited support for living costs from the UK Government while waiting for an asylum decision, enabling them to access essential services and to contribute to their local community.

“This is set out as part of the 25/26 Scottish Budget which delivers record investment to improve our NHS, provides universal winter heating support for pensioners, puts in place the mechanism to end the impact of the two-child cap and increases investment in housing to deliver at least 8,000 new homes.”

>>22077019

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8ngdzxd8eo

Abuse survivor missing after failed anonymity bid

20 December 2024

An abuse survivor, who previously waived his right to anonymity, has been reported missing after an inquiry chair ruled his decision could not be reversed.

Kevin Sutherland, 33, gave evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) in 2022.

But last week Mr Sutherland was told that he had failed in a bid to retrospectively remove his name from his harrowing testimony, which was published online.

An inquiry spokesman said it was aware of a "possible tragic incident".

The alarm was raised at 01:50 on Thursday after Mr Sutherland posted a lengthy "final announcement" on social media.

He wrote: "The amount of red flags that have been ignored by absolutely everyone to allow me to get to this final point is unforgivable."

Police Scotland confirmed officers were continuing to conduct a search of the River Forth, near the Queensferry Crossing.

The RNLI said lifeboats from Kinghorn and Queensferry joined the search but were stood down at 05:00 on Thursday.

As a child and teenager Mr Sutherland spent time in care facilities in Edinburgh, Musselburgh in East Lothian and Paisley in Renfrewshire.

In the impact section of his 60-page inquiry statement, he said: "There has been no aftercare whatsoever and I'm surprised I'm still even alive after the hell that whole system has put me through."

Giles Moffatt, co-founder of an abuse survivors' group, said he was first contacted by Mr Sutherland via WhatsApp on 27 November.

The message stated that he was having trouble trying to get his name anonymised.

Mr Moffatt said: "The nub of the problem was that he had signed a waiver of anonymity originally and the waiver that he signed did not point out that his name would appear very quickly in a search online."

He added that Mr Sutherland was "horrified" to find his statement after a Google search.

Mr Moffatt also told BBC Scotland News that the inquiry waiver had since been changed to warn that an evidence transcript "may appear prominently in online searches".

He said Mr Sutherland had been "in distress" about the situation for a number of months and confirmed the latest refusal from the inquiry came on Monday.

Mr Moffatt then received a final WhatsApp message from Mr Sutherland at 01:34 on Thursday.

He said: "His message was very much: 'Don't let my life be in vain. Please ensure that people get to hear my story because I am not being listened to by this inquiry."

A spokesperson for the inquiry said: "We have been made aware of a possible tragic incident involving an individual who has been engaging with the inquiry.

"Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected.

"In the interests of transparency, SCAI will commission an independent review as soon as possible to consider all aspects of its interactions with the individual."

>>22077019

>>22207624

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14215163/Fears-grow-missing-abuse-survivor-failed-anonymity-fight.html

Fears grow for missing abuse survivor after failed anonymity fight

GAVIN MADELEY AND GRAHAM GRANT

20 December 2024

An abuse survivor who gave evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has been reported missing after losing a bid to have his name removed from his harrowing testimony.

Kevin Sutherland, 33, waived his right to anonymity when he gave evidence to the SCAI in 2022.

But despite initially agreeing to allow his details to be made public, Mr Sutherland was reportedly deeply upset after last week being told he had failed in a bid to have his name retrospectively removed from his statement, which was published online.

It has now emerged that concerns were raised for Mr Sutherland’s safety at 1.50am yesterday(THU) after he posted a lengthy ‘final announcement’ on social media.

In it, he wrote: ‘The amount of red flags that have been ignored by absolutely everyone to allow me to get to this final point is unforgivable.’

Police Scotland yesterday confirmed that officers were continuing to conduct a search of the River Forth, near the Queensferry Crossing.

The RNLI said lifeboats from Kinghorn and Queensferry joined the search but were stood down at 5am yesterday.

The inquiry confirmed it had been ‘made aware of a possible tragic incident’.

As a child and teenager, Mr Sutherland spent time in care facilities in Edinburgh, Musselburgh, East Lothian and Paisley, Renfrewshire.

In the impact section of his 60-page inquiry statement, he said: ‘There has been no aftercare whatsoever and I’m surprised I’m still even alive after the hell that whole system has put me through.’

Giles Moffatt, co-founder of an abuse survivors’ group, said he was first contacted by Mr Sutherland via WhatsApp on November 27. The message stated that he was having trouble trying to get his name anonymised.

Mr Moffatt said: ‘The nub of the problem was that he had signed a waiver of anonymity originally and the waiver that he signed did not point out that his name would appear very quickly in a search online.’

He added that Mr Sutherland was ‘horrified’ to find his statement after a Google search.

Mr Moffatt also told BBC Scotland News that the inquiry waiver had since been changed to warn that an evidence transcript ‘may appear prominently in online searches’.

He said Mr Sutherland had been ‘in distress’ about the situation for a number of months and confirmed the latest refusal from the inquiry came on Monday.

Mr Moffatt then received a final WhatsApp message from Mr Sutherland at 1.34am on Thursday.

He said: ‘His message was very much, “Don’t let my life be in vain. Please ensure that people get to hear my story because I am not being listened to by this inquiry”.’

A spokesman for the inquiry said: ‘We have been made aware of a possible tragic incident involving an individual who has been engaging with the Inquiry.

‘Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected.

‘In the interests of transparency, SCAI will commission an independent review as soon as possible to consider all aspects of its interactions with the individual.’