/qresearch/ -  Q Research★

Dough

https://pastebin.us/?5a94e9e236b1a491#J87SprPDxrTFyjna6KJPqNSgT7inWkcjLvKbx2KoMspw

>>22228102

Thanks baker anon……..please accept these 10 sausages in gratitude for all the bakering. In this time of hardship they were the cheapest as nobody wants to buy fartless cow products any more… and know that they are Bovaer fed cows and so at least there shouldn't be much from you in the way of, or in the war against cow flatulence. May providence be on your side as you will need to find a bear to exchange them. I've sent my best Caucasian Ovcharka to make sure there is a proper understanding twixt you and the bear.

If the bear is looking for pork sausages I'd suggest beating a hasty retreat, The dark forces have not yet found a partner rearing pigs and bovaer has not yet saturated our hogs. Save our hogs, save our hogs … and on, and on….into the night

May the tumbleweed go with you and light the way brother baker anon. As always God bless.

>>22228102

>>>22228054 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

SNP Government spent £17k sending Minister to New York while Shona Robison brutally cut services

The Scottish Government pleaded poverty in September and announced a crackdown on ministerial travel and recruitment freeze to save £500m, but found £17k to send Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin to New York for Climate Week.

David Walker

20 DEC 2024

The Scottish Government have been accused of "wasting public money" after splurging £17k on sending a SNP Minister to New York for Climate Week - at the same time Shona Robison brutally cut services. Gillian Martin jetted out on the "overseas jolly" between September 21 and 24.

At the time the Scottish Daily Express asked whether this offered value for money considering the Finance Secretary had announced emergency spending curbs as she ran out of money. A crackdown on ministerial travel was announced, alongside a recruitment freeze and public health adverts being scrapped.

But Acting Net Zero Secretary Ms Martin still jetted out to the Big Apple with four officials, with another civil servant attending from the government's Washington International Office. She was not joined this time by the First Minister, with Humza Yousaf racking up a huge £70k bill when he went there with Mairi McAllan in 2023.

John Swinney didn't go because it was decided there was nothing in the programme which would have warranted him attending. The SNP have presided over an embarrassing year when it comes to the journey to Net Zero as it scrapped its "world-leading" climate targets after admitting it couldn't hit them.

Ms Martin's trip to New York cost the public purse £17,106.63, with the Minister herself forking out £1,666 for accommodation and £3,522 for flights. Her Private Secretary racked up a bill of £2,869.92, two government officials about £7,500 and her American colleague £2,438.

According to the report published on Friday on the government's website, Ms Martin used her time in America to "emphasise Scotland’s progress on climate action, emphasising in particular increased use of renewable energy and just transition." She also "met with Ministers from other states, regions and devolved governments."

Her junket to New York came just two weeks after Ms Robison announced £500m of spending cuts, with this including up to £60m of savings through the emergency spend controls which has targeted recruitment, overtime, ministerial travel and public advertisement. Peak rail fares also returned due to this.

Opposition parties blasted this spend while the SNP were insisting there was a financial crisis. Scottish Conservative shadow energy and net zero secretary Douglas Lumsden MSP told the Scottish Daily Express: “Hard-pressed Scots will be astonished that Gillian Martin splashed out thousands on a trip to New York while Shona Robison was playing the Grinch by cutting essential services.

“This is a classic example of the SNP wasting public money. Instead of indulging in an overseas jolly for climate week, Gillian Martin should have been focusing on rectifying her climate failures closer to home. It’s just common sense that SNP ministers should restrict the number and cost of their trips abroad when they are hiking taxes on hard working Scots and cutting public services.”

Scottish Lib Dem Climate emergency spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: "I am not opposed to the Scottish Government being represented abroad but at a time when families are having to cut back on food and heating, ministers need to explain what taxpayers are getting out of such trips.

"SNP minister Mairi McAllan once claimed that world leaders approached the Scottish Government to ask for advice on climate change but when pressed she couldn't give a single example. Did Humza Yousaf's visit last year bring in foreign investment to help the development of Scottish renewables? Did it help Scottish firms to sell their products and expertise abroad? Did he learn how to stop his government repeatedly missing its emissions targets? These are the questions ministers must answer."

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.

>>22228102

>>>22228054 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scottish-governments-chief-civil-servant-34350586

Scottish Government's chief civil servant insists public cash wasn't wasted in SNP's attempt to protect Nicola Sturgeon in court

JP Marks, who is the SNP Executive's Permanent Secretary, insisted that it was right for the government to waste £148k on a court case it lost in seconds in a bid to protect Nicola Sturgeon's conduct during the Alex Salmond Inquiry.

David Walker

20 DEC 2024

Scotland's "impartial" top civil servant has backed the Scottish Government by insisting it didn't waste public money fighting an unwinnable court case. The SNP Executive was rebuked by Scotland's Information Commissioner for going ahead with a court case to block the release of a freedom of information request despite legal advice saying they were unlikely to win.

The battle between the government and the commissioner has cost taxpayer about £148,000 and ended up in an embarrassing defeat for SNP Ministers as judges took just seconds to decide against them. The row surrounds a refusal to publish evidence gathered about Nicola Sturgeon's conduct in the Alex Salmond inquiry.

Former Independent Adviser to the Ministerial Code James Hamilton probed her behaviour and found that it was up to MSPs to decide whether she misled them after she "forgot" to tell them about a meeting she had with Alex Salmond's Chief of Staff Geoff Aberdein where he told her about sexual misconduct allegations against him.

A freedom of information request was made for this evidence but was rejected as the government insisted it did not "hold" this. But this was ruled to be false by the Information Commissioner who took them to court and won in seconds. The documents have still not been released.

Legal advice was then published around this decision to appeal which found that lawyers warned SNP Ministers not too proceed, with one counsel saying the court was "more likely than not to refuse the appeal". But this was ignored and the embarrassing defeat happened in public.

Information Commissioner David Hamilton wrote to JP Marks, the Scottish Government's Permanent Secretary, and blasted them for wasting public money by appealing against the legal advice, misleading the public and publishing "factual inaccuracies." But in response, Mr Marks has claimed that there was nothing wrong with the approach.

The Herald reports that Mr Marks claimed that he had no problems with the actions of the secretive SNP. He said: "I am satisfied that the Scottish Government responded within the proper timeframe, that the decisions taken at each stage were informed by comprehensive and impartial advice, including from the King's Counsel and the Lord Advocate, and the case was handled consistent with ministers' obligations under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act

"As we discussed, and consistent with the legal advice published, I am satisfied that throughout ministers had a stateable case, seeking to test an important point of statutory interpretation. To support transparency and accountability, the response to the final decision was the subject of a parliamentary statement on 29 October."

The legal advice showed damning evidence that the government had ignored its own counsel, with the Director of Legal Services Ruaraidh Macniven personally urging ministers not to proceed with an appeal.

An email to the Lord Advocate sent on March 10, 2023, by an official whose name has been redacted states: "Sorry - just further to the emails below - Ruaraidh had been in touch to say that in his view this perhaps isn't a case where ministers should appeal, on the back of the further information provided and counsel's revised advice.

"He thinks we should wait for another case where there are better circumstances. He thinks our position appears counterintuitive given we did hold information on our servers and given there was apparently not strict separation between the roles. He would be minded not to encourage ministers to appeal in this case."

Responding to Mr Marks's letter, Mr Hamilton said: "I'm pleased that the Scottish Government has acknowledged my concerns. I look forward to working with the Scottish Government as it continues its FOI improvement journey."

>>22228102

>>>22228052 Final Ferry Failures Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/bombshell-report-claims-calmac-ferry-34347384

Bombshell report claims CalMac ferry routes may not be value for money for Scots taxpayers

A report from UK Government watchdog Competition and Markets Authority warned that the Scottish Government could save money by selling off some CalMac ferry routes.

David Walker

19 DEC 2024

CalMac keeping hold of the majority of Scotland's island routes may not be value for money for Scots taxpayers, a business watchdog has warned. Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced earlier this year her intention to allow the government-operated quango to continue serving islanders on the west coast.

However, she commissioned a report into the viability of the deal while delaying a final decision for another year to sort out "a number of complex issues." A number of ferry groups want the routes to be unbundled and sent out to public procurement due to unreliability issues which have plagued CalMac.

Public subsidies of £3.7bn would be utilised to run the services for another 10 years. Advice from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was sought wirh the body recommending that a route-by-route assessment should be made about "whether any level of service could be commercially provided".

It also raised questions about whether taxpayers were getting value for money through the huge amount being given to CalMac and whether private operators could do the job cheaper. It advised SNP ministers to further explain and evidence whether keeping one bundle of routes ensures the taxpayer subsidy is "proportionate" and "limited to the minimum necessary".

The report urged Transport Scotland to explain and prove why an open competitive tender would not allow lifeline services to be operated at a cheaper cost to the taxpayer. This could include market testing with potential operators who might bid for the contract.

It read: "In our view, given the size of the subsidy, the assessment should better demonstrate that Transport Scotland considered a range of alternatives and explain, with appropriate evidence, why it concluded that they were not suitable to achieve the policy objective. This should include consideration of the potential for different models of delivery across some/all routes."

CalMac has argued that having the wide-ranging network, the biggest in the UK, enables ferries to be swapped between routes during disruption such as breakdowns. Its ageing fleet of vessels have been struggling to stay fit in recent years due to being over the age of retirement.

The CMA asked whether CalMac’s ferry leasing and maintenance costs, and the cost of buying new vessels by CMAL, were the “minimum necessary”. The report annoyed the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union who called on the Scottish Government to ignore the advice.

But the Scottish Conservatives said value for money was crucial. Transport spokesperson Sue Webber said: “Scotland’s ferry network has been run into the ground under the SNP. Islanders would assume that due diligence was carried out by Transport Scotland, and this report suggests otherwise.

“Taxpayers deserve good value for money and islanders need a reliable ferry service. If this award is just handed to CalMac, without proper due diligence, it will lead to perpetual disappointment for islanders, who will potentially be subjected to yet more cancellations and delays.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We welcome the the CMA’s conclusion that our subsidy assessment clearly describes and evidences our policy objective of ensuring the continued provision of lifeline ferry services to island and peninsula communities and our equity objectives of tackling the inequalities faced by these communities.

“We will consider carefully the improvements to the assessment suggested by the CMA. Minsters have been clear the network will continue to be operated as a whole network, and this remains the intent.”

>>22237868

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-ferry-fiasco-ship-glen-34351770

SNP ferry fiasco ship Glen Sannox could be removed from service just weeks after starting in latest embarrassment

SNP Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said it was 'very welcome news' that the Ferguson Marine ferry Glen Sannox would finally serve customers on Arran next month, but it will need to go back to the shipyard for repairs very soon afterwards.

David Walker

20 DEC 2024

The Scottish Government's Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop rejoiced on Friday when it was announced that the much-delayed Glen Sannox would finally come into service on January 13. She said this is "very welcome news, as this new vessel will support the people of Arran and wider ferry network."

But what she failed to mention is that the boat will need to removed from service quite soon afterwards in order to get a long-standing issue with its anchor fixed. During its sea trials, one anchor went down but failed to come up again, with a temporary fix installed to help with this.

Permanent work will need to be undertaken to fix this, with Ferguson Marine Interim Chief Executive John Petticrew confirming in a letter to MSPs that this needs to be done by February 2025. Glen Sannox will need to be taken out of service before this so that it can be repaired.

He said: 'We expect delivery of the items required to fix the anchor by February 2025. Following delivery of these materials, we will liaise with CalMac to agree a suitable time to complete the required fix to the anchor. Once a suitable date is agreed, the fix should take a matter of days to implement.

"We aren’t in a position to confirm any expected impact on Glen Sannox entering service, this will need to be reviewed with CalMac once we have the materials and have agreed with them a timescale for repair. We will provide the Committee with an interim update with further information and timescales after the materials have arrived and we have discussed with CalMac."

The original anchor breakdown is what delayed the ferry from being handed over as it was originally scheduled to be in service by the end of the year. It is one of two vessels being built at Ferguson Marine which are more than five years late and at least £300m over-budget.

Mr Petticrew blamed the anchor issue on wrong designs: "We checked the drawings and all the technical data that we had received, and those suggested that it should have worked. When we went down and did some measurements on vital parts, the measurements did not match the drawings that were provided.”

He later confirmed that, although it was the parts which did not match the drawing and having to replace the parts, it was a “design issue." His update to MSPs also did not have a completion date for the other ferry fiasco ship, the Glen Rosa. A "lessons learned" discussion will be held to help with the construction of the boat, and a full review of the delivery plan will be undertaken.

>>22238053

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

The latest completion date was September 2025 but it is unknown whether this will be met, and whether costs can be kept under the £150m already predicted. The total bill for both ferries is estimated to be around £380m, plus a £45m loan to keep the shipyard afloat, high above the £97m price tag agreed to start with.

Mr Petticrew wrote: "We are not yet able to provide a final date and cost to the Committee as various scenarios are currently being worked on with a view to presenting a revised plan to the Board for discussion and approval at the FMPG Board meeting taking place on 30th January 2025. If approved, we will update the Committee on both handover date and Forecasted Cost to Complete on 31st January 2025."

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP said: “I hope that passengers will be able to see out the windows this time. After a fake launch, years of delays, a stream of excuses and a ship that’s millions of pounds overbudget, its good that Glen Sannox will finally take passengers but I imagine islanders will have their fingers crossed until they're actually onboard.

“Not a single minister has ever resigned over this saga. It’s a massive display of arrogance that has shown island communities where they sit on the SNP's list of priorities."

Holyrood Committee complain about letter

Mr Petticrew's letter to the Net Zero Committee wasn't fully welcomed by MSPs who had asked for further information about why former Ferguson Marine Chief Executive David Tydeman was fired. But this was not included as they were told they would get updated on January 31.

Committee Chairman Ed Mountain had asked shipyard chairman Jim Millar to clarify which inaccuracies he believes were given to the Committee Mr Tydeman. He wrote to Mr Petticrew about this: "On 26 November the Chair gave the Committee to understand that there had been inaccuracies in evidence given to this Committee by your predecessor, and that this has been a factor in the Board losing confidence in him and therefore (it is to be inferred) to his dismissal very shortly after his final evidence session with the Committee in February.

"You will understand why the Committee would consider it important to understand more about this, including what inaccurate matters the Committee was told, as well as why the Board had not written to the Committee to correct any inaccuracies.

"I do not consider it acceptable that the Committee should have to wait until 31 January to have the clarification it requested and I ask you and your FMPG colleagues to use what means you have at your disposal to contact the Chair, so that he may provide these answers before then."

>>22228102

>>>22228054 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-allowing-scotlands-nhs-crumble-34353223

The SNP are allowing Scotland's NHS to crumble as maintenance backlog hits 'staggering' £1.3bn

The Scottish Government have been accused of 'mismanaging' the NHS after allowing the maintenance backlog to grow to a huge £1.3bn, with all building projects already paused.

David Walker

21 DEC 2024

The SNP have been accused of letting Scotland's NHS crumble away as the maintenance backlog facing the health service now tops a "staggering" £1.3bn. Years of Nat mismanagement has been blamed for the poor standards at healthcare premises across the country.

A freedom of information response from the Scottish Tories found that there has been a rise of £200m since Audit Scotland's report from February about this issue. Despite the shoddy state of some hospitals, including Monklands, all new building projects were paused for two years due to budget pressures.

Numerous building safety incidents have been reported in the majority of health boards across the country. Water damage affecting an operating theatre in Fife caused a power outage in the middle of a patient's procedure in January, with external water damage meaning the theatre at Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline needed to shut.

Other incidents included a visitor at Wishaw General Hospital catching a television after it fell off the wall in September last year, and a near miss at University Hospital Hairmyres in July 2023 when a "heavy, sharp and metal" air vent came loose from its safety chain and plunged from the ceiling in "close proximity" of a patient.

Audit Scotland warned earlier this year that that NHS Scotland's maintenance backlog included issues with fire safety testing, leaking pipes, and "inadequate precautions to manage built environment infection risks to patients". The Scottish Government is investing a record £16.2m in the NHS next year.

Scottish Tory Shadow Health Secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane said that the new scale of the repairs, £1.3bn, are a "damning indictment” as to how the SNP have “shamefully neglected” Scotland's health service for over 17 years. He says that successive SNP health secretaries have allowed “crucial” healthcare services to fall into a state of disrepair and that they have no plan to tackle the backlog.

Dr Gulhane added that the money which will be needed to deal with these “eye-watering” maintenance costs would be better spent on tackling record NHS backlogs and worsening A&E waiting times. He said: "The maintenance backlog costs facing Scotland’s NHS have hit staggering levels.

“In the space of a few months, this bill has escalated by over £200 million on the SNP’s watch. These figures are a damning indictment of how the (?nationalists have shamefully neglected our health service over the past 17 years. Successive SNP health secretaries have had their eye off the ball and allowed crucial health care services to fall into a total state of disrepair which ultimately impacts patients and staff, as well as health boards' budgets.

“In light of these figures, it is little wonder independent auditors think the SNP have no vision for our NHS when they can’t even support its basic upkeep.

“The eye-watering sum of money that is going to be needed to tackle these maintenance costs only takes more money away from the frontline where the SNP are overseeing record waiting lists and worsening A&E waiting times. Neil Gray needs to accept his current approach is not working and change it before these costs spiral completely out of control.”

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.

>>22228102

>>>22228054 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

>>22238090

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-blood-hands-thousands-die-34367848

SNP has blood on its hands as thousands die waiting for treatment at crisis-hit A&E departments

The figure was described as 'shocking' by Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane who called on Neil Gray to make battling the crisis his top priority

Douglas Dickie

24 DEC 2024

Thousands of Scots have died waiting for treatment at Scotland's crisis-hit A&E departments, according to new figures. Over 2,000 people perished using the Royal College of Medicine’s standard mortality ratio which calculates that one in every 72 patients who experience a wait of 8-12 hours in A&E after being admitted will die.

The Scottish Tories say this means 2,181 deaths can be attributed to waiting too long in A&E. The calculation is based on the 226,328 patients who waited more than eight hours in the emergency room for treatment in 2024.

Meanwhile, Labour claimed that 147,223 Scots had waited more than eight hours to be seen in A&E and then be admitted, transferred or discharged over the period January to October this year -- with the party calculating this would equate to as many as 2,045 excess deaths. It comes after official statistics from Public Health Scotland showed just under three out of five patients (59.7%) in A&E were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within the target time of four hours in the week ending December 8.

Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the SNP had created a “permanent crisis” in accident and emergency departments. The Tory MSP, who is also a GP, called it a “damning indictment of the SNP’s mismanagement of Scotland’s NHS over the last 17 years”.

Dr Gulhane added: “It is shocking that these excessive delays at A&E are estimated to have resulted in over 2,100 deaths since last Christmas and my thoughts are with those who have lost a loved one. The SNP are presiding over a permanent crisis in A&E departments and successive SNP health secretaries have failed to get a grip of increasingly appalling waiting times.”

Demanding action from Health Secretary Neil Gray, Dr Gulhane said: “This disgracefully high number of excess deaths must show Neil Gray that he must change his current approach. He needs to urgently ensure that money invested in the health service is getting to the front line rather than being wasted on bureaucracy and middle managers.”

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “For all the stories of exhausting and anxious waits in Scotland’s emergency departments, there are those who never lived to tell the tale.” She added: “The SNP’s negligence is doing more than causing frustration --- they are gambling with Scots’ lives.

“The UK Labour Government has delivered a record Budget settlement for Scotland but it’s up to the SNP to ensure it goes on frontline services so that every patient has an equal chance of getting the treatment they need.” Mr Gray said: “Scotland’s core A&E departments have been the best performing in the UK for the last eight years, however, health services everywhere face huge pressure following the pandemic -- and ours is no exception. The number of deaths from all causes in all locations, however, is lower than we would expect to see based on historic trends, according to National Records of Scotland.”

He also said: “Our draft 2025/26 Scottish Budget provides record funding of £21 billion for health and social care, if approved by the Scottish Parliament, with NHS boards receiving an additional £2 billion to deliver key frontline services like A&E.

“We will ensure that all A&E departments have a frailty service linked to home care services for older people and will expand the Hospital at Home programme by 600 beds, relieving pressures on urgent care.”

>>22228102

>>>22228054 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

>>22238151

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snps-chronic-mismanagement-blamed-patients-34376155

SNP's 'chronic mismanagement' blamed as patients wait four HOURS for NHS 24 call to be answered

The average wait for a call to NHS 24 to be answered has nearly doubled in 2024 as John Swinney was forced to ask people to seek help online

Douglas Dickie

26 DEC 2024

The SNP's "chronic mismanagement" of Scotland's health service has been blamed after it emerged some patients waited four HOURS for calls to NHS 24 to be answered. Freedom of information data obtained by the Scottish Conservatives showed one patient waited for four hours, four minutes and 24 seconds in September this year -- including time spent in the virtual queue.

Another caller in July faced a wait of four hours and 30 seconds. In 2023, the average wait to speak to an operator was around 12 minutes but this had risen to 21 minutes by the end of October this year.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: "The SNP’s neglect of our health service over the last 17 years means waiting times to be connected to NHS 24 are skyrocketing. Chronic mismanagement from successive SNP health secretaries means average waiting times for those desperate for help have now hit over 20 minutes.

"One shocking case saw a Scot having to hang on for over four hours, while over 100,000 patients abandoned their calls altogether. The increase in waiting times for NHS 24 is mirrored across our health service under the SNP.

"A&E waiting times are worsening by the day, delayed discharge figures have reached an all-time high, and cancer waiting time targets have not been met for over a decade. Neil Gray must focus on fixing the systemic issues in our health service so more funding can be spent on the front line where it will make the most difference to patients."

The figures are an embarrassment for First Minister John Swinney who visited an NHS 24 call centre in Dundee on Monday, seeing its preparations for the busy festive period. He encouraged Scots to seek help online of they could rather than call NHS 24.

In a statement, NHS 24 said: "From August 2023 onwards patients on some pathways have the option of joining a virtual queue, where the patient can hang up and will receive a call from NHS 24 when their place in the respective queue has reached a call taker. For discontinued calls NHS 24 would point out that a proportion of callers are encouraged to seek assistance elsewhere given that 111 is not the most appropriate service for them at that time."

The Scottish Government said NHS 24 has an online service as well as the phone line. Health Secretary Mr Gray said: "There are several NHS 24 digital options that offer clinically assured health advice, and callers have the option to use the NHS 24 callback service during busier periods.

"NHS 24 is committed to improving call waiting times, especially during peak periods when demand is high. We continue to support and invest in the service, which now has a record number of call handlers to support with inevitable increases in demand over the winter period."

>>22228102

>>>22228054 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

>>22238151

>>22238196

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/2024-record-year-bed-blocking-34380012

2024 to be a record year for bed blocking as 4.6 MILLION days lost in last decade thanks to SNP incompetence

The equivalent of 1,800 YEARS were lost last year to people taking up hospital beds despite being physically able to leave

Douglas Dickie

27 DEC 2024

2024 looks set to be a record year for bed blocking in Scotland as the sheer scale of SNP failure is laid bare. New research suggests more than 4.6 million 'bed days' have been lost to delayed discharge over the past decade.

The year 2023/24 had the highest number of days where hospital beds were occupied by someone who was physically fit to leave with 666,190 - the equivalent of over 1,800 YEARS. Up until October this year, 422,229 days had already been lost, according to analysis by campaign group Scotland in Union.

In total, 4,606,266 bed days have been attributed to delayed discharge patients in the past nine years, according to the Public Health Scotland data. Alastair Cameron, chair of Scotland in Union, said: "The Scottish Government has made repeated pledges to tackle delayed discharge, but things are only getting worse.

"Everyone knows it has long been a problem for Scotland’s NHS, and people will be shocked to see the sheer scale of it. It’s appalling that millions of bed days have been taken up while patients wait on hospital trolleys and others struggle to get an appointment at all.

"This is the consequence of a nationalist government being more worried about its narrow constitutional agenda than about fixing the things which matter to Scots today." Instances of bed-blocking have been growing steadily since 2016/17, when the figure was 399,315, with the exception of 2020/21 when the Covid pandemic forced hospitals into a quick turnover.

It plunged to 358,426 that year but by 2022/23 ,the figure was already well above pre-Covid levels. A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "Most people are able to leave hospital with no delays -- currently over 96% of all hospital discharges happen without delay – but reducing delayed discharges further is a priority for the Scottish Government.

"Our Budget for 2025-26 will invest £200 million to reduce waiting list backlogs, improve capacity and remove barriers which keep some patients in hospital longer than necessary. We also want to expand Hospital at Home to treat 150,000 more patients, deliver additional support for GPs and invest in new hospitals at Belford and Monklands."

>>22228102

>>22237719

>crackdown on ministerial travel

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/great-snp-christmas-getaway-ministers-34297312

The great SNP Christmas getaway! Ministers fled Holyrood in fleet of chauffeur-driven limos

As Scots faced traffic jams and train meltdown ahead of the Christmas break in 2023, Scottish Government Ministers were ferried home in style by the taxpayer-funded car service

Ben Borland

26 DEC 2024

The Christmas getaway saw more than 30 million cars take to the roads last year as the AA issued an "amber traffic warning" for "lengthy jams". Motorists were even advised to take chocolate bars to keep their energy levels up.

Rail services were disrupted across the UK by Network Rail engineering works, while buses and taxi ranks were jam-packed with people heading home from work for a well-earned festive break.

For SNP Ministers, however, 'driving home for Christmas' was no trouble at all thanks to their fleet of taxpayer-funded chauffeur-driven cars. The Holyrood exodus came within hours of MSPs breaking up for two weeks after First Minister's Questions.

At least 15 Nat ministers and Cabinet Secretaries took a government car directly from the Scottish Parliament to a "personal address" on Thursday, December 21 last year. No details have been published for Humza Yousaf, who was then First Minister.

Finance Secretary and Deputy First Minister Shona Robison

Public finance minister Tom Arthur

Local government minister Joe Fitzpatrick

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon

External Affairs and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson

Culture and Europe minister Christina McKelvie

Health Secretary Michael Matheson

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville

Housing minister Paul McLennan

Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan

Transport minister Fiona Hyslop

Wellbeing Economy and Fair Work Secretary Neil Gray

Energy minister Gillian Martin

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth

Victims minister Siobhian Brown

None of them made any stops on the way home. Only Elena Whitham, who was then minister for drugs and alcohol policy, used the car for ministerial business on her way home for Christmas.

She went to Abbeycare Scotland, an addiction treatment centre in Erskine, Renfrewshire, to attend a Christmas carol service. All other engagements on December 21 were meetings or video conferences, mostly conducted at Holyrood.

Only Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie, who was then zero carbon buildings minister, used public transport to get home. He used his ScotRail Flexi Pass to travel from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street.

A similar exodus will have taken place from the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, December 19 after the final First Minister's Questions of 2024. However, the ministerial car journeys for December will only be published well into next year.

According to the most recent update, the Government Car Service has 31 vehicles including 17 plug-in hybrids and 14 fully electric cars. There are 13 Kias, nine Teslas and four Volvos, all purchased within the past five years.

>>22240055

If only the people hadn't destroyed their immune systems

>>22228102

>>>22228051 Final Covid and Other Pestilence Bun

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/14031407/snp-bans-whatsapp-mass-deletion-covid-wrong/

WHAT'S UP? SNP bans WhatsApp in ‘admission mass deletion of messages’ during Covid was wrong

Ministers were first asked for the messages in December 2021 but repeatedly claimed they did not have a single WhatsApp

Conor Matchett

17 Dec 2024

NATS chiefs today banned WhatsApp on government phones after Nicola Sturgeon, John Swinney, and other senior SNP figures sparked fury after deleting messages from during the pandemic.

Deputy first minister Kate Forbes told MSPs ministers and civil servants would not be allowed to use the app by “Spring 2025”.

She said: “Scottish Government Ministers and staff will not be permitted to use WhatsApp, or any other non-corporate communications channel, to conduct government business.”

But the announcement sparked concern this would move conversations onto personal phones, outside the scope of freedom of information and public inquiries.

The review, led by Emma Martins, said policies around the use of WhatsApp brought in by SNP chiefs in 2022 which told ministers and staff to regularly delete messages was “not fit for purpose”.

The review said: “The current policy on MMAs is not considered to be fit for purpose and it is recommended that it be withdrawn and replaced with a new policy.”

Humza Yousaf launched the review earlier this year after the UK Covid inquiry heard that former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had deleted all her WhatsApps --- despite telling Scots on TV she would hand all of them over.

And mountains of messages between key ministers --- including Ms Sturgeon, her successor Humza Yousaf, and Mr Swinney — and civil servants showed they joked about deleting the messages to avoid publishing them through transparency rules.

Jason Leitch, the National Clinical Director, also angered Covid bereaved groups for saying deleting his WhatsApps was a “pre-night” ritual.

We also revealed in October how the UK’s chief medical officers rallied round disgraced adviser Catherine Calderwood after her lockdown-busting trip to Fife, also revealed by The Scottish Sun.

She told figures like Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van Tam that she would try to “ride it out”, before resigning later the same day.

Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the policy was an admission the “pre-determined deletion of messages” was wrong.

He said: “This statement is a clear admission by the Scottish Government that what they have been doing and what they did over the Covid pandemic was wrong.”

Responding to the Scottish Government’s decision to remove WhatsApp on government devices, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“Nothing in today’s statement will retrieve those WhatsApp messages that we know were being deleted on a wholesale basis throughout the Scottish Government’s handling of the pandemic.

“Nothing in today’s statement will offer closure or answers to the families of the Covid bereaved."

>>22228102

>>>22228064 Final John Swinney Bun

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/14037884/john-swinney-no-talk-police-operation-branchform/

NO TALKS John Swinney has not been asked to speak to cops about ongoing SNP finance probe

Nicola Sturgeon is still under investigation by the police

Conor Matchett

18 Dec 2024

JOHN Swinney said he has not been asked to speak to cops probing the SNP’s finances - after we revealed Alex Salmond was brought in by detectives to help with the investigation.

We told how the former first minister met officers and spoke to them at length about the long-running fraud probe into the finances of the party he once led.

Detectives believed the ex-SNP leader could offer “expertise” given his former role at the top of the Nats.

It was revealed Branchform cops were desperate to speak with the former FM about party spending during his leadership.

A source said: “The idea was that as a former SNP leader, he could provide expertise.

“After all, it is the party leader who has overall responsibility for party matters.”

It is understood Mr Salmond met with detectives over a year ago following a request.

But the Alba Party chief ultimately did not give a formal statement to officers before his death in October.

But asked whether he had been spoken to by officers, the First Minister said: “No.”

Mr Swinney said he would “of course” do so if asked and also refused to say whether his predecessor, Humza Yousaf, had spoken to cops.

On a visit to the Dunfermline Learning Campus in Fife, he said: “I’m not going to discuss Operation Branchform.”

Mr Swinney also refused to engage with whether the probe was hanging over his head as SNP leader.

He added: “It’s an investigation that’s underway and I’m not going to comment on it.”

Nicola Sturgeon is still under investigation by the police in connection with the probe.

And in April her husband and the SNP’s former chief executive, Peter Murrell, was charged with alleged embezzlement from the party.

Ex-party treasurer, Colin Beattie, also remains under investigation.

>>22228102

>>>22228064 Final John Swinney Bun

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/14007860/mixed-gender-toilets-school-fears-john-swinney/

LOO FEARS John Swinney admits girls are scared of using mixed-sex toilets over ‘fear of being photographed’

It comes after Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay claimed the drop in teacher numbers has led to a "collapse in discipline"

Conor Matchett

12 Dec 2024

JOHN Swinney today admitted girls are scared of using mixed-sex toilets in schools --- because they fear being photographed.

The First Minister told MSPs he knew the “intolerable” practice of boys taking snaps under stall doors was taking place.

And he insisted the SNP Government would take action to tackle a spike in misbehaviour by pupils.

His vow came after Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay claimed a drop in teacher numbers had led to a “collapse of discipline” in schools --- including some where unisex loos have been introduced.

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Mr Findlay said: “Girls are too scared to use mixed-sex toilets because they risk being photographed under cubicle doors.

“As a parent, I’d be worried. It would make my blood boil. Frankly, I would be on the warpath.

“These shocking incidents are happening because disruptive pupils know there are no consequences for their actions.”

Mr Findlay added: “Isn’t it time for the SNP to crack down on the behaviour of the minority, who are ruining it for the majority?”

The Nats supremo replied: “Let me make it absolutely crystal clear that any of the behaviour Mr Findlay has recounted --- which I know does take place in our schools — is completely and utterly intolerable.”

He insisted education chiefs should feel “empowered” to tackle misbehaving kids.

Earlier this year it was revealed more than 200 Scots school staff are assaulted every day, with 44,600 incidents reported last year.

In August, experts slammed Nats ministers for vowing to stick with a “relationships-based approach” to dealing with troublesome pupils.

Guidance was released alongside new plans allowing headteachers to ban mobile phones.

It followed a report that “challenging behaviour” is “widespread in secondary school”.

Mr Findlay accused the SNP of allowing “toxic behaviour to spiral out of control” --- amid a recent drop of 621 in teacher numbers.

He said: “Instead of letting violence continue, the SNP must empower teachers to take a tougher approach where necessary.

"Isn’t it plain common sense that what our schools need is more discipline and more teachers?"

Russell Findlay Scottish Tory Leader

“But all John Swinney has done is cut teacher numbers, he has broken promises, let standards slip and allowed toxic behaviour to spiral out of control. After 17 years of SNP rule, our schools need change.”

The Tory chief added: “John Swinney’s way is not working for pupils, for teachers, or for parents.

“Isn’t it plain common sense that what our schools need is more discipline and more teachers?”

>>22252501

>>22252511

>>22252524

>>22252672

>>22253110

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/comment/prince-william-planning-coronation-2025-34381241

Prince William 'planning coronation' in 2025 as aides face 'de facto' regency dilemma

With King Charles still undergoing cancer treatment, the Prince of Wales may be required to step up his own duties in 2025

Douglas Dickie

27 DEC 2024

2024 proved to be one of the toughest imaginable for King Charles. Having ascended to the throne in September 2022, he has found himself battling cancer through this year with treatment set to go into 2025.

He is not the only senior royal to face health worries. Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has also been treated for the disease, forcing her and Prince William to take a step back from royal duties.

Charles has seemingly set his sights on a more 'normal' royal year in 2025 - including a full diary of foreign trips - but the news his cancer treatment was being extended may put the brakes on that. His tour of Australia and Samoa was a PR success but left Queen Camilla, 77, with pneumonia and the King in need of a rest.

Charles turned 76 in November and thoughts have already turned to William's ascension to the throne. We previously reported that he and Kate, both 42, had started planning on becoming King and Queen earlier than expected.

Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told People magazine: "Although the King is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment. As a result William has been taking on more responsibilities, and he and Kate have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected."

William has actually been planning his coronation for some time. In September the Mail on Sunday reported that he was "toying with the idea of abolishing the religious oaths of the Coronation" a move that could lead to the disestablishment of the Church of England."

He is also said to be determined to ditch the 'Homage of the People' where members of the public are supposed to swear allegiance to the monarch and their heirs. William hopes to present a more modern version of monarchy although the ceremony will still take place at Westminster Abbey.

As things stand, Prince Harry, 40, will not be on the guestlist. Some form of planning will continue throughout 2025 so William and Kate are fully prepared when the time comes for them to step into their future roles

Courtiers and aides insist the King is fighting fit and can fulfill his duties, but a back up plan will be in place should he become too sick to rule. Charles himself took on a 'de facto' regency role in the latter years of his mother Queen Elizabeth's reign and William will also be prepared for such and eventuality.

Sources quoted towards the end of the Queen's reign said the country effectively had a co-monarchy. Other reports said there was a 'soft regency' around Charles in the early days of his cancer treatment.

A regency would allow Charles to transfer his royal powers to William who would perform royal functions while Charles remains head of state. With plans for a full royal diary in 2025, that seems some way off but aides will have plans in place to deal with any such eventuality should Charles become unable to perform is duties for any reason.

William himself decided to focus on Kate's cancer recovery this year leaving the likes of Princess Anne, 74, to pick up extra duties. With Kate seemingly getting back to full health, the future King will be expected to up his workload in the coming months.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/edinburghs-hogmanay-celebrations-wash-out-34386179

Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations to be a wash out as Met Office issue weather warnings

Many parts of the country will face totals of 50 to 70mm of rainfall, however, areas in western Scotland could see 100 to 140mm of rain.

Mark Connor

28 DEC 2024

Scotland is to be battered with heavy rain and snow with the Met Office. A yellow weather warning has been put in place by the national weather and climate service from 12am Monday until 11.59pm on Hogmanay.

Many parts of the country will face totals of 50 to 70mm of rainfall, however, areas in western Scotland could see 100 to 140mm of rain. Areas around Perthshire are predicted to be hit with 10 to 20cm snowfall, especially over high ground.

The Met Office has warned that some communities may be cut off due to the adverse weather conditions. It is also possible that train and bus services may be impacted by the rain and snow.

Fast flowing or deep floodwater is possible, causing a “danger to life”.

A Met Office spokesperson said: “Heavy rain will become persistent and widespread during Monday and Tuesday. Widespread totals of 50 to 70mm are possible over the two days with some places perhaps seeing 100 to 140mm of rain, these higher totals most likely over western Scotland.

“North and east of (and including) Perthshire, precipitation is likely to fall as snow, especially over high ground, with 10-20cm accumulating above 150 to 200 meters, with several cm accumulating at lower elevations away from windward coasts.

“As milder air pushes in, snow will turn back to rain, and any rapid snow melt will contribute to flooding in places.

“Strong winds may exacerbate impacts, particularly across the areas of Scotland affected by snow. Blizzard conditions are possible, especially over high ground and across much of Sutherland and Caithness. Powerline icing is possible where blizzard conditions occur.”

>>22238053

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/green-glen-sannox-ferry-produce-34392630

'Green' Glen Sannox ferry will produce more carbon emissions than diesel ship it's replacing

The SNP and Nicola Sturgeon boasted about the environmental capabilities of the ships being built at Ferguson Marine, but a damning report says that they could release MORE deadly emissions than the ferries being replaced.

David Walker

30 DEC 2024

The SNP have been left humiliated as Nicola Sturgeon's flagship "green" ferry will emit more carbon emissions than the ship it is replacing. The Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa were described as "world-leading" when plans were submitted to make them run off liquefied natural gas (LNG) instead of diesel.

But the building process was complicated due to a lack of expertise and parts, leading to Ferguson Marine going bust and needing to be brought into public ownership. The costs also sky-rocketed from £97m to over £400m, and the boats were delayed by more than five years, with the Glen Sannox expected to finally take on passengers in January.

We previously exclusively told how a damning report predicted that more deadly C02 will be produced by the LNG-powered ferries than claimed due to methane slips and the fact that the fuel needs to come from Qatar and will be transported in huge diesel lorries from Kent, adding to the environmental impact.

And now the BBC has reported that an emissions analysis by CalMac calculated that the Glen Sannox will emit 10,391 equivalent tonnes of CO2 a year compared with 7,732 for MV Caledonian Isles, the 31-year-old boat that currently serves Arran and Ardrossan. The new vessel has more car capacity but requires larger engines which also emit methane, which is more dangerous than CO2.

Ferry bosses previously insisted that the LNG engines will lead to a 25% decrease in CO2 emissions in comparison to an equivalent sized ship running on just conventional marine gas oil but the latest report sheds doubt on this. One expert, Professor Tristan Smith, from University College London's Energy Institute, said that adding in the environmental impact of importing LNG from Qatar means that it may be better to run the ship on diesel.

He said: "In a best case scenario there's a negligible benefit of using LNG, and at worst there would be a deterioration." The Glen Sannox is dual engined, meaning it can also run on normal diesel.

Air pollutants known as NOx and SOx should be reduced but in terms of greenhouse emissions there is barely any difference between the two boats. Once methane emissions are factored in, the benefit of running the ship on LNG rather than MGO-only is less than 9%.

And the increased fuel consumption of the heavier ship means its overall carbon footprint is about 35% larger than Caledonian Isles. When running on LNG, CO2 emissions are up to 25% lower - but this is almost entirely offset by the larger engine size and higher fuel consumption.

Scottish Tory Shadow Energy and Net Zero Secretary Douglas Lumsden blasted the SNP for "eco-friendly spin." He said: “Betrayed islanders have been waiting years for this lifeline ferry, only to discover that it will pump out more carbon than its 31-year-old predecessor. Meanwhile the SNP have squandered hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money.

“This is why Scots are sick of SNP politicians in the Holyrood bubble. In the real world, this kind of failure would cost people their jobs, yet not a single SNP minister has been held accountable for this national scandal.

“It’s no wonder that the SNP are failing to meet their own net zero targets when they are responsible for a ferry that will emit over 10,000 tonnes of CO2 a year. They must urgently set out how they intend to mitigate the harmful emissions produced by this delayed and overbudget vessel.”

>>22266597

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

Ferries procurement agency CMAL insisted that it was "inaccurate" to compare the Glen Sannox and Caledonian Isles. A spokesperson SAID: "Due to the difference in vessel size, propulsion power and expected sailing time, it is inaccurate to draw direct comparisons between the emissions of older vessels and MV Glen Sannox. The latter is a much newer vessel which is bigger and more powerful than the former, reflecting increased demand on ferry services."

A CalMac spokesperson added: "More power is needed for the size of the vessel that can meet that demand, particularly carrying cars, and it should offer greater resilience against adverse weather. As a first in class vessel, we will learn more and more about MV Glen Sannox and her fuel consumption as we sail her."

>>22228102

>>>22228048 Final Abuse Bun

https://web.archive.org/web/20150804201051/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/sir-edward-heath-child-abuse-6188769

Sir Edward Heath child abuse claims: String of politicians accused of child sex abuse

3 August 2015

Tom Pettifor

The names include late former Cabinet Minister Leon Brittan and Lib Dem Sir Cyril Smith as well as one of Tony Blair's ministers

A series of politicians have been accused of abusing children, including late former Cabinet Minister Leon Brittan and Lib Dem Sir Cyril Smith.

The Mirror uncovered claims of a cover-up when one of Tony Blair’s ministers was suspected of being part of a child sex ring in Lambeth, South London, in the 1980s.

Scotland Yard is investigating.

Retired detective Clive Driscoll says he was stopped from investigating the Labour star in 1998 after he named the politician as a suspect.

In 2012 Operation Fairbank was launched to look into claims that there was a paedophile ring with links to government in response to information passed on by Labour MP Tom Watson.

Mr Watson used parliamentary privilege to allege that a file of evidence used to convict Peter Righton of importing child pornography in 1992 contained “clear intelligence” of a sex abuse gang linked to Number 10.

Last month documents emerged showing spy chiefs warned the Thatcher government in the 1980s that claims an MP had a “penchant for small boys” risked causing embarrassment.

Newly uncovered files show former MI5 director general Sir Antony Duff wrote to the then Cabinet Secretary Sir Robert Armstrong in 1986 over claims made by two sources about the MP.

Others named in secret files included Brittan, Thatcher aide Peter Morrison, former diplomat Peter Hayman and ex-minister William van Straubenzee.

In 2012, Operation Fairbank was set up in response to information passed on by Labour MP Tom Watson over an alleged child sex ring linked to government.

Fairbank spawned more inquiries.

Operation Midland is probing claims of a VIP paedophile ring in the 1970s and 80s.

Fernbridge is looking at allegations linked to the Elm Guest House in Barnes, South West London, during the 1980s.

Cayacos is probing cases linked to the Paedophile Information Exchange.

Lord Janner is to face a prosecution for child sex offences after Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders was forced into a U-turn.

An independent review overturned Ms Saunders’ controversial decision that the former Labour peer should face no action over child abuse allegations because he is suffering from Alzheimer’s.

It's an old article, but my, how these things persist.

>>22228102

>>>22228051 Final Covid and Other Pestilence Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/flu-outbreak-batters-scotland-extraordinary-34414356

Flu outbreak batters Scotland as 'extraordinary' level of cases reported

Scottish Government Health Secretary Neil Gray warned that Scottish hospitals were under huge pressure due to rising level of flu amid calls for those with symptoms to stay at home.

David Walker

3 JAN 2025

Scotland is being battered by a flu epidemic with soaring levels of cases and hospitals being flooded with patients. It has led to calls for those with symptoms like a cough or a runny nose to stay at home, and anyone who is valid for a vaccine should be taking advantage of this.

Experts even called the surge "extraordinary" as hospital emissions caused by influenza increased by 12% in just a week. Public Health Scotland confirmed that prevalence was at 52.6 per 100,000 of the population in the week leading up to December 29.

In the same week, 1,537 patients were taken to hospital as a result of the flu outbreak, compared to 1,375 the previous week. And the number of positive tests also rose slightly from 2,823 to 2,886, slowing from earlier in the summer.

According to a report from PHS on Friday, a “substantial number of well-vaccinated” care homes have faced outbreaks, but thus far “only a small number of deaths have been reported”. SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray warned that the NHS continues to face "significant" pressures due partly to the rise in flu cases.

Hospitals across the country were already struggling due to lack of forward planning by the Scottish Government but have now been stretched to breaking point. In December, ambulances were spotted piled up outside both Glasgow and Aberdeen's main hospital due to an influx of patients.

Mr Gray said: "The NHS continues to face significant winter pressures, including cases of Influenza A, which remain very high. I am enormously grateful to all those working in health and social care settings for their extraordinary efforts over the busy festive period. I was encouraged to hear about the collaborative working right across the system, with strong leadership and staff supporting each other.

“I want to thank the public, too, for taking heed of messages about accessing the right care in the right place, and taking steps to help slow the spread of infection. It is important for everyone to be familiar with the different resources available, including NHS Inform’s online tools that can help you to get appropriate health advice as quickly as possible.”

The Health Secretary added that all those eligible for vaccinations should take up the offer. His calls were echoed by Dr Nick Phin, the Director of Clinical Protecting Health at PHS, who also warned that those exhibiting symptoms should stay at home.

He said: “Although we always expect to see increases in flu in winter, we are seeing particularly high levels this year. This is worrying as flu can lead to severe illness, hospitalisation, and even death, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, young children, and those with underlying health conditions.

“Vaccination offers the best protection against serious illness from flu. If you’re eligible for a flu, or COVID-19 vaccine, it’s not too late to take up the offer and get protected. In many areas, drop-in clinics are running. Check your local health board website or social channels for local arrangements or you can call the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013.

“We urge everyone to do what they can to reduce flu, and other respiratory infections, being spread to others. If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection and feel unwell, or have a fever, stay at home and avoid contact with other people. Visit NHS.inform to get advice on your symptoms and what to do next.

“We can all help to prevent infections, like flu, from spreading by maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene. This includes covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, disposing of tissues responsibly, and promptly washing your hands afterwards."

>>22228102

>>>22228054 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-government-rack-up-17m-34408623

SNP Government rack up £1.7m bill on flights as ministers jet abroad to 'promote independence'

The Scottish Government has been accused of 'free spending' public cash by sending officials and ministers abroad repeatedly and racking up huge bills.

David Walker

3 JAN 2025

The Scottish Government has been accused of wasting £1.7m of taxpayer cash on flights in just five years. This is despite SNP Ministers attempting to cut down carbon emissions and pushing for net zero, as well as not having any powers to make deals with foreign countries.

It comes during a testing time for the Nationalist Executive where Ministers have been accused of enjoying freebies on the public purse, including alleged misuse of the ministerial limo service. There have also been financial issues suffered by the government in recent years, resulting in a spate of cuts.

Freedom of information requests by the Scottish Tories found that last year alone over £500,000 was spent by government staff on domestic and international travel on a whopping 1,766 flights. It is believed that this is a record number of plane journeys although records are not available for all years.

It has led to accusations that the SNP are "free spending" with taxpayers' money and questions over whether it was "value for money." 'Air Miles' Angus Robertson is the Minister who most regularly flies abroad due to his External Affairs brief, enjoying trips to the Euros in Germany and New York last year.

From 2020 until October 2024, Scottish Government staff had 5,363 flights, costing £1,486,937. But this figure doesn't include ministerial travel because that information is published in a separate document.

In less than five years, SNP Ministers spent over £250,000 on domestic and international flights, with the exact number of flights being unknown as the travel logs do not make clear if they are direct or not.

The Scottish Tories blasted the waste of cash built up over the years by the Scottish Government, with Shadow Transport Secretary Sue Webber pointing out that "hard-pressed Scots will question why SNP ministers have spent so much on flights in recent years."

She added: "It is a classic example of the SNP being free spending with taxpayers’ money and comes soon after the scandal surrounding Neil Gray’s use of the ministerial limo to watch his favourite football team. Taking so many trips abroad shows the SNP are spending money on an issue which is clearly reserved to Westminster.

“We know that many of these journeys are used to promote the SNP’s obsession with Scottish independence, which clearly does not deliver value for money for taxpayers. SNP ministers should show some common sense and restrict the number of flights they are taking at a time when Scots are continuing to pay more and get less under them.”

The Scottish Government is also mulling the introduction of an air departure tax, which was proposed by the Scottish Greens. However, officials have failed to agree an exemption for the Islands and Highlands from the Treasury, which has held up the plans.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Travel is an essential part of official Government business. All travel bookings are made with sustainability and cost effectiveness in mind. International travel allows Ministers to promote Scotland, build relationships and boost investment - including emphasising the Scottish Government’s role in working with partners to support Scottish companies. This activity builds and maintains vital links in relation to trade and investment which is key to growing the economy.”

>>22228102

>>>22077036 Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part One

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/anger-papers-show-snp-ministers-34399943

Anger as papers show SNP ministers didn't discuss Lockerbie bomber release in Cabinet

The decision announced by Kenny MacAskill in August 2009 caused fury in the USA, which was amplified when Megrahi arrived back in Libya to a hero's welcome… but it was never officially discussed

Craig Paton & Ben Borland

1 JAN 2025

The release of the Lockerbie bomber was not discussed by the SNP Cabinet ahead of a final decision being made, it has been revealed.

The National Records of Scotland has released confidential documents from 2009, which includes the time when the decision was taken to release Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds.

The former Libyan intelligence officer was the only man convicted over the atrocity, which killed 270 people when PanAm flight 103 exploded over Dumfries and Galloway on December 21, 1988.

All 259 passengers and crew travelling to the US and 11 people on the ground were killed in what remains Britain’s deadliest terrorist attack. Megrahi was later diagnosed with prostate cancer while serving his sentence in Scotland.

According to newly released documents, no formal discussion was held among the Cabinet, which included then Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and then First Minister Alex Salmond as well as the current First Minister John Swinney.

Only sparse mentions of Megrahi are made, according to minutes, including an acknowledgement by then Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill of an application received by the Libyan government of Muammar Gaddafi for Megrahi’s release.

“Mr MacAskill said that on behalf of Scottish ministers, he was considering the formal application made by the Libyan government on May 5 2009 for the transfer of Abdelbaset Ali Al-Megrahi under the terms of the prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Libya,” the papers said in June that year.

In a Cabinet meeting on August 18 - two days before the public announcement of the decision release the prisoner - the papers read: “Mr MacAskill said that he is expected to be in a position to make a statement in relation to the prisoner transfer application and the application for compassionate release in the near future.”

Megrahi was released on August 20, hours after the announcement, and flown back to Tripoli, where he received a hero’s welcome which enraged people in the UK and the US.

Holyrood was recalled from its summer recess to discuss the case, with Mr MacAskill defending his decision, despite criticism from the families of victims. It took three years for Megrahi to die of the cancer which it was claimed in 2009 could kill him within months.

Mr MacAskill, speaking to BBC Radio Scotland on the anniversary of the bombing a few weeks ago, said: “We do have rules for compassionate release which exist in Scotland. It is dealt with by medical experts, the report came in that he had a prognosis of three months. It was on that basis I released him.

“He was no threat to Scotland, he was a sick man, he lived considerably longer than the prognosis but I think there is reasons for that.”

He added: “I followed the values and laws we uphold in Scotland and sent him home to see out the rest of his life.”

The new information comes as another man is due to stand trial in the US in relation to the attack. Abu Agila Masud will face a jury and Mr MacAskill said he believes he too will be found guilty.

“I have always believed [Masud] is the bomber,” he said. “He was always viewed as the man who was the bomber because of his, what you might call, military skills, so he has been taken by the United States, Libya handed him over.

“He has returned and will face trial in America, I believe he will be convicted, and he is the bomber.”

Megrahi did not have the skills for the bombing, but that does not mean he was not involved in some capacity, Mr MacAskill said. Masud faces three charges, all of which he denies.

>>22288367

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-andrew-could-bring-royal-34414789

Prince Andrew could 'bring Royal Family down with him' as King Charles faces crisis

The Duke of York was forced back into hiding after one of his 'close confidants' was banned from entering the UK after being accused of being a Chinese spy, with this scandal bringing the Royal Family's finances scrutiny once again.

David Walker

3 JAN 2025

The latest scandal to engulf Prince Andrew could be big enough to "bring down the Royal Family" an expert has claimed. The Duke of York was forced back into hiding at the end of 2024 after his close relationship with an alleged Chinese spy came to light as he was described as a "close confidant" of Yang Tengbo.

He was banned from the UK after being accused of spying for China and of developing relationships with politicians to be "leveraged" by the hostile state. He also formed an "unusual degree of trust" with Andrew, with this coming to light in December when a Special Immigration Appeals Tribunal upheld a Home Office order banning him from the UK on national security grounds following a long-running legal battle.

It was another setback for Andrew who stepped back from the public eye and royal duties after a humiliating interview with Emily Maitlis about his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2019. He was absent from King Charles' Christmas gathering at Sandringham.

Now fears have been raised that the Chinese spy scandal could be fatal for trust in the Royal Family as it deals with his murky finances. He is reportedly having his life bankrolled by a mysterious benefactor and mystery surrounds how much money he has made as a businessman and diplomat.

Mr Tengbo was even invited to the Duke's birthday party in 2020 and supported him through the Epstein scandal, meaning he had access to royals and royal property. Andrew Lownie, royal biographer, told The Sun's Royal Exclusive show: "It's probably the most damaging of Andrew's scandals. It's more damaging than Epstein. I think the story is going to run right through next year.

"He's always been much more vulnerable to the financial scandals in his life than the sexual ones. It's going to have to lead to greater transparency about royal finances.This has unlocked a whole series of events that I think are going to be very damaging to the monarchy. It's the tip of the iceberg."

"When those stories come out, I think he's going to be complete toast. The danger is that he's going to bring the royal family down with him." It adds to claims from another royal insider that Andrew's ongoing scandals had been a source of distress for King Charles.

They said: "The Duke of York is becoming a lump in the throat for the King Charles, who's already facing health and other crisis within the family. It's has been difficult for the monarch to get rid of the disgraced royal."

Royal expert Phil Dampier also shared a similar opinion about how damning the scandal could be for Andrew and his family. He told the Sun: "By allowing a Chinese spy inside royal residences like Windsor and Buckingham Palace he endangered the security of the whole Royal Family and the institution of the monarchy."

Mr Lownie also called for a state investigation, by parliamentary committee, into the relationship between the Duke and Mr Tengbo. He said: "We need to have a register of royal interests, which was explored several years ago, like the parliamentary register… they would have to declare, in effect, their business activities. There was meant to be a list of royal gifts, but that hasn’t followed."

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/14113510/donald-trump-attack-government-north-sea-oil/

'BIG MISTAKE' Donald Trump launches blistering attack on UK Government over North Sea

It comes amid a warning from North Sea industry chiefs

Chris Musson

3 Jan 2025

DONALD Trump today tore into the UK Government’s anti-oil stance and urged Labour ministers to “open up the North Sea”.

The US President-elect used his social media platform Truth Social to launch a fresh attack on offshore windfarms - following his feud with SNP chiefs over turbines near his Aberdeenshire golf resort.

The blast came after the controversial extension of the windfall tax on oil and gas profits and a ban on new drilling licences brought in by Labour after it won power.

Mr Trump’s attack will be seen as his first major criticism of Sir Keir Starmer’s government, which is seeking to build relations with the new president amid fears of crippling trade tariffs when he returns to power.

The post came as he posted a link to details on the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce website about a major oil firm announcing plans to exit the North Sea due to the windfall tax, officially known as the Energy Profits Levy.

Mr Trump said: “The U.K. is making a very big mistake. Open up the North Sea. Get rid of Windmills!”

We told in November how US-based Apache - which employs nearly 500 workers in Scotland - said it would end its operations in 2029 as production beyond that point would be “uneconomic”.

The firm blamed the impact of the Energy Profits Levy, which was hiked from 35 per cent to 38 per cent and extended for a year until March 2030 in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s October Budget.

North Sea industry chiefs had warned of job losses if they were squeezed further.

The Truth Social post also saw Mr Trump reignite his feud over offshore windfarms.

Before his first term as president, Mr Trump famously fought - and lost - a long-running court battle with the Scottish Government over plans for a windfarm which he said would spoil the view from his Menie resort in Aberdeenshire.

The case went all the way to the UK Supreme Court in 2015 after ministers granted permission for 11 turbines in the sea.

At the time, Alex Salmond - a former pal of Mr Trump - branded him “three times a loser”, due to Mr Trump having been defeated twice in Scottish courts before the final appeal.

But the Trump Organisation hit back and said: “Does anyone care what this man thinks? He’s a has-been and totally irrelevant”

In 2019, judges ruled Mr Trump's Aberdeenshire golf resort must pay the Scottish Government's legal costs.

>>22293702

With all this grooming gang scandal and Elon Musk commenting on them it is a timely reminder to you all why they are allowed to get away with it.remember this?

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/11479124/lockerbie-bomber-alastair-duff-edinburgh-court-guilty/

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

Duff once represented Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in court

Thomas Brown

6 Nov 2023

A TOP sheriff was caught making vile sexual and racist remarks about ‘school uniform' porn while in an online meeting with colleagues.

Alastair Duff - who once represented the Lockerbie bomber - was running a training event via video link when he made the disgusting comments.

It’s claimed Duff - a former advocate who was previously the director of the Judicial Institute of Scotland - didn’t know his microphone was on at the time.

The 69-year-old made the remarks in a separate phone conversation to an unknown man during a lunch break in a WebEx training course for justices of the peace.

His comments were reported to police, who established he had been speaking to a man who was watching pornography.

Duff - who retired weeks after the incident - was fined £1,275 after pleading guilty during a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today.

The court heard that he had been at home in Edinburgh while delivering training on the course in October 2021.

After returning early from a lunch break, three of the participants overheard Duff making remarks, while apparently on a phone call.

The shamed lawman was heard saying: “Do you like to see a wee one bend over and struggle in school shoes wearing white socks and cotton pants.

“With pale skin and dark skin.

“Wee p*. Lucky c*.”

When he realised his microphone was on, Duff said “oh, sh**”.

Three of the justices of the peace were so concerned by the comments that they contacted the police.

A police investigation revealed that Duff had been speaking to a man in Leven, Fife, who has since died.

A search of the unnamed man’s computer showed he had been watching adult pornography of a male and female dressed in school uniforms having sex.

Officers also raided Duff’s home in the capital and a second home in Elie, Fife, that he owns with his wife Susan - who is also a sheriff.

Thirteen devices were seized by officers but nothing illegal was found.

Today, his defence counsel, John Scullion KC, told Sheriff Douglas Keir that Duff is “ashamed” of his actions.

He said: “The man on the phone was viewing legal adult pornography and the comments were crass and offensive to the small group of individuals.

“But it’s my submission that there was not a significant sexual element.

“A 69-year-old man making a comment about legal porn doesn’t create a risk to the wider population.

“He is embarrassed and ashamed.”

He added that his client’s lengthy career had “ended in ignominy”, stating: “A reputation built over decades was destroyed in seconds. He had only himself to blame and the personal cost should not be underestimated.”

Passing sentence, Sheriff Keir said: “I have listened to the submissions carefully. By pleading guilty you accept your disgusting comments caused fear and alarm.

“I accept that there was not a significant sexual element.

“I will fine you £1,200 reduced from £1,800 due to your early plea.”

Duff became a solicitor in 1977 and was a prosecutor before switching in 1981 to work as a criminal defence brief.

He acted for Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was convicted in 2001 of blowing up PanAm flight 103 over the Dumfriesshire town in 1988 and murdering 270 people.

Duff was appointed sheriff at Dundee in 2004, then named Director of the Judicial Institute for Scotland in 2014.

>>22302122

>>22304856

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/blood-hands-elon-musk-shares-34428632

Blood on their hands! Elon Musk shares Scottish Daily Express exclusive on SNP's rape gang shame

The tech billionaire has doubled down on his social media battle with the UK Government over its decision to block a public inquiry into grooming gangs, asking X users if America should 'liberate Britain' from Labour

John Glover

6 JAN 2025

Elon Musk has retweeted the Scottish Daily Express's exclusive about the ongoing failure to take tough criminal action against grooming gangs in Glasgow.

The billionaire, who is waging war against Sir Keir Starmer's UK Government on the issue, used his social media platform X to share the investigation examining how criminals and their victims were treated in Scotland.

An X user called 'Basil the Great' posted a screenshot of our story and said: "It's the same in Scotland as the rest of the UK They sold their souls to fund a multi-cultural nirvana that only existed in their heads. They all have blood on their hands."

Musk replied: "They do." He has joined Tory leader Kemi Badenoch to lead the charge for a full public inquiry into how the mainly ethnic minority criminal gangs were allowed to flourish in mainly English towns and cities.

Our story told how SNP ministers appeared to have failed to act on multiple warnings and recommendations over the past few years. At least three investigations into mainly ethnic minority grooming gangs in Glasgow have been carried out by Police Scotland, but no major trial of multiple suspects at once has ever taken place.

In October 2020, Barnardo's and the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA) published the first-ever national report into the scope of child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Scotland.

The two-year study focused exclusively on children in care and Barnardo's said "we have no way of knowing the true scale and nature of CSE" in the wider population. There were 15 recommendations in total for the Scottish Government, the police, councils, and the SCRA, with SNP ministers told they must take "overall responsibility."

The special investigation was published days after Labour blocked calls for a UK-wide inquiry into grooming gangs leading to outrage from across the political spectrum as survivors slammed Jess Philips for the "sickening" betrayal.

Musk, who has been appointed to a cost-cutting role by President-elect Donald Trump, doubled down on his criticism of Sir Keir's Labour government and accused him of failing to prosecute child grooming gangs during his time as director of public prosecutions.

In another intervention in Scottish politics, the Tesla owner called out the Scottish Government's £22m spend over the Sheku Bayou inquiry labelling it a "shame, shame, shame" over the investigation into an "obviously violent lunatic", comparing it to the UK Government's refusal to set up an inquiry into "gang rape of innocent little girls".

And now, the tech entrepreneur has claimed today on his social media platform that "Starmer was deeply complicit in the mass rapes in exchange for votes. That's what the inquiry would show."

Remarkably, the billionaire even appears to be pushing for regime change in the UK by launching a poll asking the users of X if "America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government." The poll has already received more than one million votes with the majority of users, so far, in favour.

Meanwhile, First Minister John Swinney has warned that the "populism" represented by Musk and Trump will be allowed to take root in Scotland if opposition parties fail to back the SNP's budget.

>>22302122

>>22304856

>>22305185

>>22305353

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/snps-rape-gang-shame-ministers-34411626

SNP's rape gang shame as ministers ignored calls for urgent action on child groomers

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: As Elon Musk and Kemi Badenoch lead the charge for an inquiry into how grooming gangs were allowed to flourish, we examine how the criminals and their victims were treated in ScotlandSPECIAL INVESTIGATION: As Elon Musk and Kemi Badenoch lead the charge for an inquiry into how grooming gangs were allowed to flourish, we examine how the criminals and their victims were treated in Scotland

The SNP Government is facing questions on what action it has taken to tackle child grooming gangs.

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to launch a public inquiry into the failures that allowed ethnic minority rape gangs to flourish in English towns and cities.

An investigation by the Daily Express shows such harrowing abuse does not stop at the border. Shockingly, it appears Scottish ministers have failed to act on multiple warnings and recommendations.

In October 2020, Barnardo's and the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA) published the first ever national report into the scope of child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Scotland.

The two-year study focused exclusively on children in care and Barnardo's said "we have no way of knowing the true scale and nature of CSE" in the wider population.

The first recommendation of the report was that the Scottish Government must invest in a nationwide, multi-agency prevalence study "as a matter of urgency".

Barnardo's and the SCRA found CSE cases in 27 of Scotland's 32 council areas involving children from "island, rural and urban areas". In towns and cities, the 'party flat' model was the most common method employed by rapists and in the countryside abusers exploited the lack of public transportation by offering lifts to young people.

Researchers examined the cases of 213 children in the care system and found that 74 were victims or "likely victims" of CSE, including 53 girls and 21 boys. The youngest was 11 years old.

Alarmingly, the study found that victim-blaming was widespread in the Children's Hearing system with multiple references to "risky sexual behaviour" and other euphemisms for children who were being raped by adults.

In total, there were 15 recommendations for the Scottish Government, the police, councils and the SCRA, with SNP ministers told they must take "overall responsibility".

Being raped by an adult is a 'red flag'

Despite the call for an urgent end to victim blaming, the Scottish Government continues to tell police and social workers to look out for "harmful sexual behaviour" by children. While in many cases, this involves actions by one child towards another, the definition also includes abuse "in the context of gangs" and "child sexual exploitation".

Guidance published in April 2024 states that a young person "having sex with strangers (adults)" should be regarded as a "red flag" for "unsafe" behaviour that "might" involve abuse or exploitation.

Alarmingly, the Scottish Government's National Child Sexual Exploitation Group was disbanded after its final report was published in July 2020. It was set up in 2016 with the aim of making Scotland "a place where sexual exploitation of children and young people is eliminated".

However, the final report acknowledges "that it is reasonable to expect that the extent and circumstances of child abuse will be similar in Scotland to the rest of the UK". It included 44 actions for the Scottish Government and others to take.

The group was set up after two major police investigations into grooming gangs operating in and around Glasgow, codenamed Operation Dash and Operation Cotswold.

Cotswold, launched in 2011, identified at least 26 victims in the city, before it was expanded into Dash which involved 12 councils and four health boards across the west of Scotland.

At least 27 men were reported to the Crown Office, with senior officers admitting that a "significant proportion" were from ethnic minority communities. However, there has never been a large-scale grooming gang trial where multiple offenders were brought before the courts at the same time.

>>22311569

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

The only named culprit was Afghan asylum seeker Javaid Akhond, jailed for six years in October 2014 when he was 20 years old for preying on young girls at a flat in the city.

Also in 2014, the Express revealed that child protection officials repeatedly vetoed a Significant Case Review into the widespread abuse uncovered by detectives. The following year, a document called 'The Rotherham Report - Implications for Glasgow' warned that abuse by grooming gangs was "day to day practice" in the city.

It was prepared by Moira McKinnon, who was later appointed head of the National Child Exploitation Group that was disbanded in 2020.

Also in 2020, the Express revealed the existence of a THIRD police investigation into ethnic minority grooming gangs in Glasgow, called Operation Cerrar. All of the 55 suspects were from the Kurdish, Afghani, Egyptian, Moroccan, Turkish, Pakistani or Iraqi communities.

The gang had at least 44 victims, including a core group of six youngsters. Police believed one girl was targeted by as many as 28 different men. Cerrar took place in 2016 and was kept under wraps for years.

Some 19 men were reported to the Crown Office, although again no large-scale trial of multiple suspects has ever taken place, with 14 being deported. It is not clear what action was ever taken about the rest of the gang.

At the time, our report -- published at the end of January 2020 – was overshadowed by global events including the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the UK's departure from the EU and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to quit the Royal Family.

In the same way, the damning Barnardo's/SCRA report -- published in October 2020 – also received minimal coverage due to the pandemic which was then approaching the start of the deadly second wave.

The Scottish Government is now being urged to explain how many of the recommendations and actions had been completed over the past four years. In particular, the "urgent" call for research into the scale of the problem outwith the care system (where CSE appears to be endemic).

According to figures seen by the Express, child sexual exploitation has been identified as a "concern" at 635 separate hearings for children placed on the Child Protection Register since 2016. This peaked in 2019 when 149 cases were raised and again in 2021 with 139 cases.

'Ministers must be proactive'

In response to our findings, Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr is planning to lodge a series of parliamentary questions at Holyrood.

He said: “It is vital that the SNP Government has acted upon these recommendations from Barnardos to ensure children are protected. The responsibility for protecting vulnerable young victims lies with SNP ministers and this Government must be proactive.”

The Scottish Government said: “We recognise the devastating impact that child sexual abuse and exploitation has on children and families, which is why we are taking forward work to ensure that children are protected from harm.”

A spokesman added that a new ‘Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation National Strategic Group’ had been set up in recent weeks. It met for the first time on November 18 and again on December 11.

He said: “The Group brings together key stakeholders including social work, police, health and education, local authority representatives, expert practitioners, charities, and research and academics.”

>>22228102

>>>22228048 Final Abuse Bun

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62dp092nzo

Men on secret 1970s pro-paedophile list could still work with children today

In Dark Corners podcast team

BBC Radio 4 and BBC News

Published

8 hours ago

A secret list of more than 300 people who belonged to a network that called publicly for the legalisation of sex with children has been handed to the BBC.

A small number of those named on the list may still have contact with children through paid work or volunteering, the BBC has discovered.

They were all members of a group called the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE).

The Metropolitan Police had the list for about 20 years from the late 1970s, a BBC Radio 4 podcast team has been told.

Spread across several dozen pages, with a pink cover page added by police in the early 1980s, the typed list contains 316 names - all but a handful men, most with addresses alongside.

Most PIE members were based in the UK - but there are also details of people in other parts of western Europe, Australia and the US.

The BBC has established that a small number of the men are still alive and may currently be in contact with, or have care of, children through paid work or volunteering. The BBC has found no evidence any of them has carried out abuse.

The Met told us it was unable to provide specific information about its historical investigations into the Paedophile Information Exchange - but will still investigate crimes if sufficient evidence exists and alleged perpetrators are still alive.

PIE was formed in 1974 - when the country was going through rapid transformative social change. Its leaders sought to further their cause by attempting to align themselves with feminist, anti-racist and gay rights movements. It was not an illegal organisation and cost £4 a year to join, and to receive its members' magazine.

Over a decade, PIE spokesmen gave interviews to the media arguing that adults and children had a human right to have sex with each other. Four years old, they argued, was an age at which most children could give consent.

However, while PIE's leaders may have been happy to speak publicly, the names of rank-and-file members were very much kept secret.

The list - and dozens of other documents relating to PIE members - were given to the BBC team and journalist Alex Renton, who has written extensively about historical institutional child sexual abuse and presents the BBC podcast, In Dark Corners.

We then searched for the names in media archives, crime reports and death register listings from the past 50 years.

They found records or further information for 45% of the people on the list - with a reasonable degree of certainty - and discovered that half of them had been convicted or cautioned (or had been charged and died before trial) for sexual offences against children. Charges included distributing abuse images, kidnap and rape.

In Dark Corners

A mysterious membership list for a defunct pro-paedophile group arrives in journalist Alex Renton's inbox.

Listen now on BBC Sounds - or on BBC Radio 4 at 09:30 on Wednesday 8 January

Listen on Sounds

Of the small number of men who may still be in contact with children professionally, none has any criminal conviction that the BBC has been able to find - meaning they could have passed in-depth background checks when applying for jobs.

Those men are part of a wider group of nearly 70 on the list, who the BBC team has identified as having been in work likely to bring them into contact with minors.

Teachers make up half that group - work addresses are typed alongside some of the names on the list. The rest include social workers, sports coaches, youth workers, doctors, clergy, lay preachers and military officers involved in youth activities.

The podcast team tried to contact all those people still alive and working - most of whom are believed to be living in the UK.

One claimed his name was on the list because of PIE's links in the 1970s with a gay youth support group.

A second admitted he had been a member, but only because he had agreed with PIE that the disparity in the age of consent laws was unjust. Men in England and Wales had to be 21 to have sex with other men prior to 1994 - when the legal age was lowered to 18. Six years later it was reduced to 16, in line with straight sex. The man told the BBC he was not and never had been a paedophile.

A third man, currently teaching children in a private school outside of the UK, refused to speak any further after PIE was mentioned to him.

No-one else has so far responded to approaches by the BBC.

>>22316148

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

The BBC team obtained the PIE list from a former senior social worker - Peter McKelvie - who handed over a shopping bag full of historical documents, letters, internal memos and old newspaper cuttings spanning three decades.

Through his work, Mr McKelvie had started seeing connections between child abusers in the information he collected through his work - but gradually became frustrated about the abilities of police or social services to stop paedophile networks.

The PIE list came into his possession in 1998. Until then, for about 20 years, it had been in the hands of the Metropolitan Police's Obscene Publications Unit, known internally as "The Dirty Squad".

The former officer who handed it over, Dave Flanagan, told the BBC he believed the list may originally have been seized in a police raid in the late 1970s.

The document given to the BBC has scribbled notes in the margins - and Mr Flanagan, a detective constable at the time, says he wrote some of them.

He also attached and dated the pink cover page - as he and colleagues added more up-to-date PIE intelligence during the 1980s.

Police raided plenty of people on the list, he says - but, on its own, it was unusable as information for a search warrant.

"You couldn't go in front of a magistrate and say: 'Look, we believe he's a paedophile. We believe there'll be indecent photographs of children because he's on the PIE list.'"

Legally, being a member of a pro-paedophile group didn't make someone a sex offender.

Police did manage to close in on PIE in the early 1980s - focusing on three senior members who all had links to contact adverts in the members' magazine, Magpie.

The men were prosecuted under a 17th Century law of "conspiracy to corrupt public morals". Two received conditional discharges, while the third was jailed for two years.

Publicly, PIE ceased to exist in 1984.

Dave Flanagan says his team's detective work on the membership list also ground to a halt.

"Information was passed to other police forces and they did what they did with it - we had no control over any of that."

The BBC understands the PIE list was digitised in 1994 by a police team that no longer exists. The National Crime Agency, which was formed in 2013 and whose officers deal with child abuse cases, told us it has "no knowledge of receiving the [digitised] list".

Dave Flanagan kept the original in his briefcase until he retired in 1998, when he handed it to Peter McKelvie.

Mr McKelvie told the BBC that over the past 30 years he had pushed police, a Labour MP and a Conservative government minister to look at PIE members linked to social services and special schools, but without success.

He wrote to the Department of Health in 1993 outlining his concerns. His letter began: "The infiltration of the social work profession by paedophiles appears to be an extensive and serious problem…"

He suggested the formation of a specialist team of social workers and police to track down every member of PIE working in social care. The letter got no response, he says.

The Department for Health and Social Care told the BBC it could not comment on "individual historic cases".

On Monday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said those who cover up or fail to report child sexual abuse could face professional or criminal sanctions under a new offence to be introduced this year.

The proposal was one of 20 recommendations made by Prof Alexis Jay following her seven-year inquiry into child sex abuse, which concluded in 2022. The Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), external was set up in response to concerns that some organisations had failed to protect children.

In a statement, Det Supt Nicola Franklin, from the Met's Central Specialist Command, said the force was "committed to tackling" paedophilia, "an abhorrent crime".

"If anyone has information that should be shared with police we would urge them to do so. Despite the passage of time, we will still investigate provided sufficient evidence exists to do so and the perpetrator is still alive."

Reporting team: Alex Renton, Caitlin Smith, Gillian Wheelan, Gail Champion

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scottish-tory-msp-oliver-mundell-34451967#source=breaking-news

Scottish Tory MSP Oliver Mundell to step down from Holyrood next year

The Dumfriesshire representative confirmed that he would not be seeking re-election to the Scottish Parliament when voters go to the polls in 2026.

David Walker

9 JAN 2025

A Scottish Tory MSP has announced that he is standing down as an MSP at next year's Scottish Parliament Election. Dumfriesshire MSP Oliver Mundell confirmed that he would not be seeking re-election to Holyrood in 2026, becoming the first Conservative to do so.

The 35-year-old has held the constituency since 2016, becoming one of the youngest politicians elected when he took the seat away from Scottish Labour. He has been appointed to numerous front-bench positions during his time in parliament, including in the education and tourism portfolios.

But Mr Mundell is quitting frontline politics, insisting that it has been a "great privilege" to represent his home area for the best part of a decade. His replacement will need to fend off a surging SNP, Labour and Reform who are looking to make an impact when Scots go to the polls in 2026.

He said he wanted to be "fully upfront" about his plans so the Tories could complete the selection process to appoint a new candidate. He is the son of the MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale David Mundell, the former Scottish Secretary - and took the seat from Labour's Elaine Murray in 2016.

Five years later in 2021 he retained it with an increased majority over the senior SNP politician Joan McAlpine. He has quit the Tory front-bench twice, once for disagreeing with the UK Government shutting the border for travel during Covid and then for personal reasons.

Mr Mundell is married with two children and said that he wanted to spend more time with his family and seek "fresh challenges" in his working life. He said: “It is a great privilege to represent my home area in the Scottish Parliament and I will continue to focus fully on that until the end of my term of office but I feel that it is only right to be fully upfront about my plans and to give my party time to complete a selection process to appoint a new candidate.”

One of his main highlights of his time in office was the creation of South of Scotland Enterprise and its positive effect on the region. He also shot to fame after being ejected from the Holyrood Chamber after insisting Nicola Sturgeon "lied to parliament" over the Alex Salmond inquiry.

>>22322622

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2ld7je8x2lo

Humza Yousaf to step down as MSP at next election

Angus Cochrane

BBC Scotland News

Published

17 December 2024

Former First Minister Humza Yousaf is to stand down as an MSP at the 2026 Holyrood election.

The ex-SNP leader has been a backbencher since resigning as first minister in May.

In a letter to his successor, John Swinney, Yousaf said the next election would be the "right time" to move on from parliament.

The Glasgow Pollok MSP, who replaced Nicola Sturgeon in March 2023, was the UK's first ethnic minority leader of a devolved government and the first Muslim to lead a major UK party.

He quit as first minister and SNP leader following the collapse of the SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens.

'A clear message'

In his letter, Yousaf, 39, noted that he will have been an MSP for 15 years by 2026.

He said standing down would "provide an opportunity for the next generation of MSPs to step forward, and to explore where I can best make a contribution in the future, in helping to tackle some of the most pressing challenges our world faces".

The former first minister added: "I hope by becoming the first first minister of colour, and first Muslim leader of a western democratic nation, I have sent a clear message to every young person, of any background, who aspires to get involved in public service that you do belong and are just as deserving of opportunity as anyone else."

After leaving office, Yousaf said terminating the power-sharing agreement with the Greens was his mistake, and that he "underestimated" the level of hurt caused by his decision.

He also said he should have offered leadership rival Kate Forbes a more senior role in his government.

During his time in Bute House, the former SNP leader took a significant early stand on the conflict in Gaza by calling for an immediate ceasefire.

His in-laws were trapped in Gaza for four weeks following Israel's invasion -- a period he described as being the most difficult of his life.

In his letter to the first minister, Yousaf said he hoped he "was able to demonstrate leadership during what I view as the moral question of our time".

Yousaf, the son of Pakistani immigrants, has previously questioned whether he and his family have a future in Scotland or the UK due to Islamophobia.

He has also been in a long-running feud with tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk, with each accusing the other of racism.

Yousaf vowed to continue working hard for his constituents until 2026, and to be a committed campaigner for Scottish independence and the SNP after leaving parliament.

The former first minister said he looked forward to more time with his family, and thanked his wife Nadia for the "sacrifices she has made for our family over the years".

'Pioneer in Scottish politics'

Before becoming first minister, Yousaf spent more than a decade in various ministerial roles, including spells as transport, justice and health secretary.

John Swinney said he was "sorry" Yousaf was stepping down, describing him as a "pioneer in Scottish politics".

The first minister added: "I wish Humza, Nadia and their family much peace together."

Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie described the former first minister's decision to end the power-sharing agreement with his party as a "mistake".

He added: "But even those events never stopped me liking and respecting Humza, and nobody could doubt his commitment to his job or to building a fairer and better Scotland."

The next Scottish Parliament election is scheduled for 2026. However, there is a possibility of a snap election being called before then if the minority SNP administration is unable to pass its budget.

Yousaf had applied for initial vetting to stand as an SNP candidate in 2026, though the formal selection process will not start until next year.

>>22228102

>>>22228054 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

>>22228102

>>>22228061 Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two

https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/patrick-grady-lands-top-job-bankrolled-by-scots-government/

Shamed ex-MP who sexually harassed teen lands top job bankrolled by Scots Government

Stephen Stewart & Marion Scott

January 6, 2025

A former SNP MP who ­sexually harassed a teenage staff member has landed a top job with an international development charity bankrolled by the Scottish Government.

Patrick Grady, who was ­previously suspended from the SNP for six months, has been appointed head of policy and communications for Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA).

Grady was suspended from the Commons for two days in June 2022 after a Westminster standards watchdog ruled he had breached its sexual misconduct policy by “touching and stroking” the ­teenager’s neck, hair and back.

The SNP was accused of dragging its feet over dealing with Grady, and he remains close friends with some senior figures in the party.

Last night Grady’s young victim hit out at his appointment -- as did one opposition politician, who said he had “waltzed back into a top job”.

SIDA is a registered charity that helps organisations and individuals involved in international development, with most of its core costs covered by the Scottish Government.

It also receives funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and from members who pay an annual subscription.

Grady’s victim, a young ­political researcher who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I’m surprised to hear that an organisation such as Scotland’s International Development Alliance, which claims to fight injustice and strive for a fairer world, appears to have overlooked the significance of Grady’s sexual harassment towards me as a teenager in their vetting process.

“Employing someone with a documented history of inappropriate behaviour towards teenage colleagues sends a troubling message about how seriously they take ­safeguarding and accountability.

“Their decision to employ Patrick Grady calls into question the integrity of their leadership and their commitment to upholding the ­values they claim to represent.”

Grady has apologised in ­Parliament for his behaviour, saying he was “profoundly sorry”. He was readmitted to the party in December 2022.

Despite being ruled out as a ­candidate for the 2024 election, Grady remains on good terms with former senior SNP figures, including former Westminster group leader Ian Blackford.

In September Blackford posted a photograph on social media of himself, Grady and former MP Owen Thompson meeting up in Glasgow, with the comment: “Most enjoyable to meet with good friends and colleagues”.

Last month Grady appeared on the Hansard Society “Parliament Matters” podcast, where he spoke of his regret, saying: “I think most people in their professional lives, you know, have ups and downs, and they have things that they regret and things that they would do differently.”

Grady’s victim added: “Patrick Grady’s actions caused real harm to real people, me included.

“I have worked tirelessly to rebuild my life after his actions destroyed my mental health and ended my career while he was able to continue his.”

In March 2021, Grady stepped aside from his role as Chief Whip after the SNP confirmed it had received a complaint of sexual misconduct against him by a party staff member.

An investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards concluded that Grady had breached Parliament’s Sexual Misconduct Policy by making an unwanted sexual advance towards a junior staff member at a social event in 2016.

In June 2022, the Independent Expert Panel, which determines appeals and sanctions in cases where complaints have been brought against MPs of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct, recommended that Grady be suspended from the House of Commons for two days.

Following the suspension, Grady temporarily suspended his SNP membership and sat as an ­independent MP.

He resumed his membership of the SNP Westminster Group in December 2022 after completing a period of suspension.

>>22325561

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In 2023, it was reported that Grady was not included on the SNP’s approved candidates list for the next general election, rendering him ineligible to stand. He stepped down as an MP ahead of the 2024 UK General Election.

Grady’s profile on the Scottish International Development Alliance website documents how, between 2011 and 2024, he served as the Member of Parliament for Glasgow North, and was active on a range of global justice issues, including chairing the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Malawi.

It adds: “As Head of Policy and Communications, Patrick works with members and external stakeholders, acting on opportunities for influence, and leading influencing and communications with key audiences.

“He is also responsible for SIDA’s communications strategy, with a focus on encouraging greater interaction with members and raising awareness of global citizenship with the wider public.”

However, the news of Grady’s appointment was not welcomed by the Scottish Tories.

MSP Annie Wells said: “The brave victim who came forward to report Patrick Grady’s behaviour will be shocked and alarmed that he has waltzed back into a top job, so soon afterwards.

“The SNP handled the whole affair appallingly and even restored the whip to Patrick Grady, despite him being found guilty of sexually harassing a teenage member of staff.

“Given that this organisation is funded by taxpayers’ money and is public facing in what it does, many will wonder if this disgraced former MP is the most appropriate person for such a role.”

Previously, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote to the victim apologising for Grady’s behaviour and said that she was “very sorry that a member of the SNP Westminster group staff was subjected to an unwanted sexual advance”.

The Scottish Government said: “Scotland’s International Development Alliance is an independent organisation and we have no role in their staffing appointments.”

SIDA was approached for a comment but did not respond.

The victim

The political researcher who suffered at the hands of Patrick Grady insisted the system had utterly failed to adequately hold his tormentor accountable while he has had to rebuild his whole life, including dropping his dream of a career in politics.

He said: “I’m surprised to hear that an organisation such as Scotland’s International Development Alliance, which claims to fight injustice and strive for a fairer world, appears to have overlooked the significance of Grady’s sexual harassment towards me as a teenager, in their vetting process.

“Employing someone with a documented history of inappropriate behaviour towards teenage colleagues, sends a troubling message about how seriously they take safeguarding and accountability.

“Their decision to employ Patrick Grady calls into question the integrity of their leadership and their commitment to upholding the values they claim to represent.”

Recent photographs posted on social media weeks ago by the SNP’s former Westminster leader Ian Blackford show him meeting up socially with Grady and former Midlothian MP Owen Thompson, praising his friends.

Grady’s victim said the post called into question Grady’s close friendships with those who were supposed to be investigating his complaint against the former MP.

He said: “I was disappointed to see the SNP Westminster Leader and Chief Whip, at the time of my complaints, meeting with Grady and posting about it online, causing me further distress.

“Their close relationship calls into question the legitimacy of the SNP’s investigation into my complaint, given Ian and Owen’s prominent roles in party and in handling my complaint.”

And in a political podcast last week, Grady appears laughing and joking about his time as SNP Whip at Westminster.

>>22325561

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When Grady was asked about his suspension over his predatory behaviour he said: “All of that is a matter of record. All of those procedures were put in place for a reason, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme and the Independent Expert Panel, I co-operated fully with all of those procedures

“Everything that happened there is a matter of public record. And as I think I said at the time, I very much hope that I’ve learned lessons from all of that.

“I think most people in their professional lives, you know, have ups and downs, and they have things that they regret and things that they would do differently.

“That’s as true for my time as a member of parliament as it’s true for other aspects of my political career.

“Of course, there are things I would have done very differently if I had my time over, but I’m still very proud to have represented the people of Glasgow North.”

But his victim said: “Patrick Grady’s actions caused real harm to real people, myself included.

“Grady reflecting on his time in office without confronting the human cost of his misconduct feels incomplete and dismissive.

“Despite no support from ICGS, IEP or SNP, I have worked tirelessly to rebuild my life after his actions destroyed my mental health and ended my career, while he was able to continue his.

“It is important to remember that Patrick Grady is the perpetrator, not the victim.

“This whole outcome is a direct consequence of the SNP’s failure to hold Grady meaningfully accountable, creating a pathway for him to re-enter positions of influence without fully addressing the distress and harm he has caused.”

>>22228102

>>>22228052 Final Ferry Failures Bun

https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/glen-sannox-calmac-ferry-4929827

Glen Sannox ferry hits toilets problem just 10 days from entering service

Alastair Dalton

4th Jan 2025

The hugely-late ferry Glen Sannox has hit new problems just ten days before it is due to enter service with CalMac.

The operator said “minor remedial work” was required on the ship’s sewage system, which is expected to mean planned trial runs with passengers next week are likely to be scrapped, The Scotsman has learned.

It is among several “technical issues” still to be resolved, which are understood to also include adjustments to an electronic system on the ferry’s bridge.

A planned media preview trip on the ferry on Tuesday has been postponed.

The sewage problem means that while the system has been able to handle use of the toilets by the 25-30 CalMac crew involved in ongoing familiarisation tests of the vessel, it would not be able to cope with hundreds of passengers too.

It is not clear whether the system was checked by builders Ferguson Marine and fully working when the shipyard delivered the ferry in November - six-and-a-half years late.

CalMac announced last month that Glen Sannox would officially enter service on its busiest route, to Brodick on Arran, on Monday January 13.

Chief executive Duncan Mackison told The Scotsman at the time he hoped the ship would make its first passenger runs during the previous week to “stress test” the vessel by replacing stand-in ferry Alfred on some sailings from Troon.

He said: “It’s really helpful for us to do it in a live situation with vehicles and passengers.

“We’re really keen that we can just drop her into the timetable - that would happen before January 13.”

However, it is understood this is now unlikely, or would not be until the days immediately before that date.

CalMac has been forced to wait until after the festive holidays to draft in the contractors needed for the remedial work.

A source said: “We can’t guarantee to get everything done by Tuesday, but we don’t see any risk to the vessel entering service on January 13 - there are no concerns about that date slipping.”

Glen Sannox has completed berthing trials in Troon and is now heading to undergo similar tests in Stornoway, Ullapool. Tarbert and Lochmaddy until Monday.

These are in case it needs to be temporarily redeployed if ferries on those routes are out of action or are undergoing annual maintenance.

A CalMac spokesperson told The Scotsman: “As is normal during the early stages of a new build vessel’s operational life, we have a number of technical issues that we are working to resolve before the vessel enters full service.

“In general terms, the issues relate to ancillary systems that are not critical to general vessel operation, hence the ability to conduct network trials this weekend as planned, but are needed for full entry into service.

“The majority of the issues were identified between handover of the vessel and the start of the festive holidays, with the holiday period itself having a negative impact on the availability of external contractors for technical support.

"The sewage system utilises a vacuum system to recover waste when toilets are flushed.

“The system design capacity is specified to fully meet the vessel requirements and requires minor remedial work to ensure the system is operating at full capacity."

>>22228102

>>>22228048 Final Abuse Bun

>>22326525

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/dundee-grooming-gang-trawled-pubs-34452566

Dundee grooming gang trawled pubs and clubs looking for vulnerable young women to exploit

Four men and one woman have been convicted of targeting trafficked women from eastern Europe and vulnerable local women in Dundee and forcing them into prostitution

Ben Borland

9 JAN 2025

Five members of a Romanian grooming gang have been convicted following an extensive investigation into sexual exploitation, human trafficking and the supply of drugs in Dundee.

Marian Cumpanasoiu, 37, Remus Stan, 34, Catalan Dobre, 44, Cristian Urlateanu, 41, and Alexandra Bugonea, 34, were convicted of a number of offences at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday. They are due to be sentenced next month.

The five were arrested and charged as part of Operation Recloir, which was launched in late 2021 to target a gang of suspected human traffickers forcing women from eastern Europe to work as prostitutes in Dundee.

BBC Scotland reported that vulnerable local women were also being groomed, with many given gifts and drugs including crack cocaine. The women were forced to have sex with the gang, and encouraged to recruit friends with the promise of drugs.

Judge Lord Scott told the group: “This was an appalling catalogue of rape, serial sexual abuse and exploitation of extremely vulnerable, mostly, young women.”

According to the Dundee Courier, officers discovered the gang members were crusing bars and nightclubs in the city looking for vulnerable teenagers and young women to exploit. The youngest of their victims was just 16.

Footage of some of the victims engaging in sexual activity -- described as “horrific” by Police Scotland detectives – was also discovered on one of the gang member’s mobile phones.

After arrest warrants were issued, three of the gang fled the UK and were later picked up on international arrest warrants in Belgium and the Czech Republic.

'Victims may not realise they are victims'

After the verdicts in the Detective Inspector Scott Carswell said: “I’d like to thank our numerous partners for their assistance with our enquiries and their valuable support for all the victims identified throughout the investigation. Trafficking and exploitation is a blight on our communities and has no place in Scotland.

“We will continue target criminals who abuse, control and exploit people, working with partners nationally and internationally to bring offenders to justice, and to raise public awareness to help identify victims and ensure they get the support they need.

“Victims are often vulnerable, they may be trapped with limited freedom or options, and sometimes they may not realise that they are in fact victims. They seldom contact police directly and quite often come to our attention either through a support agency or when someone from a local community makes a phone call and raises a concern. That call can be the first step in freeing someone from slavery and exploitation.

“If you have concerns that someone is a potential victim, or any information, please report this to police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, so we can investigate and take action.”

>>22228102

>>>22228061 Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scots-dont-want-snp-charge-34452810

Scots don't want SNP in charge of migration as they 'never support' deportations of ANY illegal migrant even criminals

The Scottish Government once again called for powers over the migration system but were told it is their own fault that Scotland cannot attract migrants through high taxes and poor public services.

David Walker

9 JAN 2025

The SNP Government once again called for some migration powers to be devolved to Holyrood and for Westminster to accept a pilot which allows more migrants to be granted the right to stay and work in certain industries. But it was pointed out that most Scots want migration to remain reserved because they don't trust the Nats.

MSPs once again debated a reserved issue on Thursday, with the SNP accused of "grandstanding" and attempting to "deflect attention elsewhere" from the poor job they are doing running the country. It was highlighted that Scotland is home to 8.4% of the UK population but only receives 6% of the migrants.

Scottish Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw spoke about the need for immigration to fill vital jobs but also discussed the concerns which average Scots have with it. Research was published in 2018 by Sir John Curtice which found that 63% of people in Scotland wanted the same system as the rest of the UK.

Mr Carlaw said that this was because "some parties have never, ever supported the deportation of any illegal migrant in any circumstances whatsoever." He added: "And the concern of many people and many of the public is that isn't a system which is just an open door policy, and what they want is a migration system that will work, that is humane, that is compassionate, and is one which can unite people behind that principle.

"We have to have infrastructure investments which actually mean that Scotland is able to attract people with good public services which they can come and support."

He went on to ask why Scotland "has been less successful than other parts of the United Kingdom at attracting a proportionate share of those who come to the United Kingdom to come and work here." He added: "We can point to free university tuition, free personal care, other mitigations, free prescriptions.

"But if you're a young person of working age, actually none of these things are terribly relevant to you. You don't have children going to university. You think you're invincible, you're not going to need personal care for decades, nor do you think you're going to need free prescriptions. You're looking to other things, and the other things at the moment are that we aren't attracting the sort of economic opportunities into Scotland that makes it desirable for younger people to come and settle here."

Scottish Tory Finance Secretary Craig Hoy highlighted that potential migrants to Scotland "notice the SNP's recklessness and their financial incompetence." He added that they also "notice that our educational system, our housing, our public spaces, our policing, our infrastructure, have all got worse under the SNP Government.

"And they notice that the economy lacks dynamism and the country doesn't feel like it's on the up because one of the few things on the up in this country presently is tax."

Scottish Government Employment and Investment Minister Tom Arthur confirmed that they were in discussions with Westminster about a bespoke migration system and insisted that the freebies offered by the SNP was helping to boost migration north of the border.