/qresearch/ -  Q Research

>>24011647

>>24011647

https://ethicalapproach.co.uk/public_notice_re_MPS_and_constitutional_correspondence_09012026.pdf

Public Notice - Transparency Statement

In the course of an ongoing independent investigation into UK-wide COVID-era policing arrangements, I wrote on 9 January 2026 to a member of staff within the Metropolitan Police Service Directorate of Legal Services (DLS).

The correspondence concerned whether a specific Crime Reference Number, which was the subject of judicial review proceedings, had been closed pursuant to a centrally coordinated policy framework (Operation Talla / Gold Command), rather than following a case-specific evidential assessment and whether that basis had been disclosed to the Court.

A clear request was made for clarification on that point, limited solely to issues of disclosure and the duty of candour owed in public law proceedings.

The Metropolitan Police Service has declined to provide a substantive explanation and has indicated that it will not engage further on the matter.

In the interests of constitutional transparency, I place this fact on the public record.

No further correspondence with the MPS Directorate of Legal Services is anticipated in relation to this issue.

Ian Clayton

Lead Investigator

Ethical Approach UK

9 January 2026

>>24099675

>>24011642

https://youtu.be/g5wGBDWclKA

PROOF of CORRUPTION and HYPOCRISY: The BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY

Britain Fights Back

12k subscribers

3,632 views 5 Jan 2026

J

ust a silver haired old lady trying to make sense of what's going on.

>>24011623

>>24011627, paedophilia is also a pestilence.

>>24011628

>>24011633

https://youtu.be/XukNnmoQIEQ

Met Police CAUGHT Hiring PREDATORS to Meet Diversity Quotas in SHOCKING Scandal!

Loegrine

192 subscribers

4,258 views 8 Jan 2026

Met Police CAUGHT Hiring PREDATORS to Meet Diversity Quotas in SHOCKING Scandal!

A terrifying internal review has exposed the true scale of the Metropolitan Police vetting crisis, and it goes far deeper than simple incompetence. Julia Hartley-Brewer breaks down the "Operation Jorica" report, revealing how the force didn’t just miss red flags, but actively overruled security experts to wave dangerous individuals through the door.

The scandal centres on a "Disproportionality Panel" explicitly designed to review and overturn vetting rejections to improve diversity statistics. At the same time, the Home Office penalised the force over £30 million for missing recruitment targets, creating a perverse financial incentive to prioritise quantity over safety.

This video breaks down:

How a secret internal panel overruled security decisions to hire rejected applicants.

The £31 million "clawback" that forced the Met to choose between funding and standards.

Why over 4,500 officers were hired without mandatory Special Branch intelligence checks.

The shocking case of Cliff Mitchell: Vetted, rejected for a r*** allegation, then hired anyway.

The "Two-Tier" system: Why the Met welcomes criminals but purges officers for "gender critical" beliefs.

This isn't a story about a few files getting lost. It is a story about a calculated trade-off where ideological quotas and government funding were prioritised over the safety of women and children.

Watch the full clip, see the evidence, and decide: Was this a mistake, or a policy choice?

>>24099893

https://youtu.be/S-tnny5EujY

‘UNBELIEVABLE!’ | Met Police hired a man accused of raping a child to fulfil DEI quotas

GBNews

2.06m subscribers

59,459 views 8 Jan 2026 #ad #dei #metpolice

Beat the system with TallyMoney. Gold you can spend. Discover more here:

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Patrick Christys calls for the scrapping of DEI schemes, as it is revealed that the Met Police hired a child racist because he was black and they wanted ‘to hit a diversity target’, calling it ‘unbelievable!’

https://youtu.be/vcxG772hwM0

Scottish Templars Secret in 1446: What Really Happened When Sinclairs Carved Templar Symbols?

Royal Veins

2.05k subscribers

2.5k views 1 day ago

>>24099942

https://youtu.be/XBYHJqFqado

Scottish Templars First Arrival 1128: What Really Happened When Hughes de Payens Visited Scotland?

Royal Veins

2.05k subscribers

334 views 9 Jan 2026

https://youtu.be/xa9nVfrpfgQ

Scottish Government not informed of US use of airport during seizure of Russian-flagged tanker

The National

13.4k subscribers

1,349 views 8 Jan 2026

John Swinney has said his Government was not informed of the US operation to use a Scottish airport during yesterday's seizure of a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic

Just not trustworthy that lot.

>>24100013

>Just not trustworthy that lot

What are they odds they got the hint?

>>24100899

>What are they odds they got the hint?

Pretty good I imagine. I'd not bet against it.

>>24011628

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snps-stealth-tax-dragged-450000-36534334

SNP's 'stealth' tax has dragged 450,000 Scots into a higher tax bracket

Nurses, teachers and cops are all forced to fork out more income tax than their English counterparts in order to pay for freebies and a generous benefits system, thanks to the Scottish Government.

David Walker

12 Jan 2026

The SNP has been accused of using middle-earning Scots as "cash cows" after its "stealth tax" dragged 450,000 taxpayers into a higher tax bracket. Nationalist politicians have increased income tax levels at almost every single Budget since being handed the powers over them following the Scotland Act.

All the extra cash raised has been plunged into the social security system and paying for freebies such as tuition, prescriptions and bus travel for under-22s and over-60s. Even the likes of teachers, nurse and cops are hit in the pocket by strict tax thresholds, and have "broader shoulders," as always mentioned by the SNP.

SNP's 'stealth' tax has dragged 450,000 Scots into a higher tax bracket

Nurses, teachers and cops are all forced to fork out more income tax than their English counterparts in order to pay for freebies and a generous benefits system, thanks to the Scottish Government.

New analysis showed that the number of Scots paying higher rate income tax is 2.5 times greater than when the Nationalists first took charge of setting it. The Scottish Fiscal Commission estimate that 788,000 workers will be higher-rate taxpayers in 2026-27, assuming John Swinney’s government once again freeze the threshold in tomorrow’s budget. That compares to just 318,300 in 2017-18, when the SNP began setting rates and bands.

It means that annual pay rises could prove meaningless to many workers as they are dragged into a higher tax bracket. Due to SNP freezes, the threshold for paying the higher rate has barely moved (from £43,430 in 2017-18 to £43,663 in the current tax year). Had the threshold moved in line with rising salaries, only those earning more than £58,500 would now be higher-rate taxpayers.

The Scottish Conservatives described this policy as a “brutal and deepening stealth tax” on hard-working, middle-income Scots, who they say are being clobbered to pay for the SNP’s ballooning welfare bill. Shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy is calling for the thresholds at which workers start paying income tax – and then pay the higher rate – to be increased in line with inflation in the budget, along with a cut in the basic rate to 19 per cent.

He said: "These figures highlight how the SNP are using middle-income Scots as a cash cow to fund the ballooning benefits bill. The SNP’s freeze on thresholds is a brutal and deepening stealth tax on hard-working Scots, because it drags more and more people on relatively modest incomes into higher tax brackets.

“This isn’t those with the broadest shoulders, as the SNP try to pretend. John Swinney’s government are clobbering nurses, teachers and police officers – and it has to stop. Scots households are struggling to cope with rising bills from two high-tax, left-wing governments, and are crying out for help. Scottish Conservatives are committed to giving workers and businesses a break by reining in Scotland’s unaffordable welfare bill.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government's tax decisions enable us to deliver higher investment in the NHS and policies like free tuition not available anywhere else in the UK, while ensuring the majority of taxpayers are expected to pay less income tax than elsewhere in the UK. Tax policy for 2026-27 will be announced at the Scottish Budget on 13 January 2026.”

Will it light a fire under anyone's arse? A bushfire made up of tumbleweed?

>>24011644, >>24011635, >>24011633, >>24011628

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/john-swinney-broke-ministerial-travel-36532646

John Swinney 'broke' ministerial travel rules as he rushed to USA to meet Donald Trump - with £30k trip having no impact for Scots

The First Minister enjoyed business class flights to Washington DC where he pressed the US President on whisky tariffs, despite the Scottish Government having no role or power in negotiations.

David Walker

11 Jan 2026

John Swinney enjoyed business class flights when he rushed to the USA to hold talks with Donald Trump about whisky tariffs. He racked up a near £30k bill for the junket to Washington DC which has had no impact at all on the taxes facing the Scotch whisky industry.

And the First Minister also stayed with Lord Mandelson, the UK ambassador at the time, despite the SNP calling for his lordship to be removed. He has been accused of breaching Scottish Government travel policies due to choosing the most expensive way to head stateside.

According to newly released figures, he spent nearly £7,600 on flights and subsistence during his three-day trip to Washington in September last year. He was accompanied by an entourage of nine officials, with about £5,500 being spent on flights for Mr Swinney's private secretary, with £4,500 going on travel for the communications officer. His chief of staff Colin McAllister racked up £6,473 in travel costs.

We previously exclusively revealed that about £1,800 was spent on "photography" with an image of Mr Swinney in the White House being published on his official pages. A total of £2,444 was splashed out on car hire, with another £1,142 being found for business lunches and meetings.

Mr Swinney has refused to comment on whether he was comfortable with being hosted by Mandelson during the three-day-trip, with him being sacked two days later after new details emerged about his association with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn is leading the charge for his lordship to be removed.

Questions have also been raised about whether the First Minister breached his own government's travel policies which stipulate that economy class should be used for flights of ten hours or less. Business-class seats are permitted only if the flying time on a specific flight is more than ten hours one way, or "unless otherwise agreed".

Flights from Edinburgh airport to Washington DC take seven to eight hours. Critics blasted Mr Swinney for this huge spend, as Scottish Tory MSP Douglas Lumsden said: "Scots facing rising bills will question why they have had to fork out for John Swinney and his senior adviser to fly business class on this trip. It appears the rules were shifted so they didn't have to slum it in economy class. John Swinney is happy to lead from the front when it comes to his government frequently breaking the rules."

The UK Government is in charge of negotiations with the White House for trade deals, with the SNP Executive having no role in this whatsoever. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander described the First Minister's trip as a "photo opportunity" which didn't have any impact on whisky tariffs.

Imports from the UK into the US are still subject to a 10 per cent import levy. Tariffs are costing the sector £4 million a week, the Scotch Whisky Association said. Global sales of Scotch fell by 3 per cent in the first half of 2025 when US import taxes were imposed after Trump's inauguration.

The Scottish Government said that ministers and officials are permitted to travel by business class, by prior arrangement, where this is unavoidable due to urgency or availability. In addition the first minister's travel requirements are understood to be defined by security requirements.

A spokesperson added: "This cost was for a return flight to the USA to support the first minister in meetings in Washington DC to set out the case for a reduction in tariffs on Scotch whisky. The United States is the largest and most valuable market for Scotch whisky, with exports worth nearly £1 billion in 2024, highlighting how crucial the US market is to the Scotch whisky industry."

https://youtu.be/lscs5ZgNQrE

WATCH Stone Masons Create a Millstone by Hand in 1966!

>>24108869

WATCH Stone Masons Create a Millstone by Hand in 1966!

You can watch it this time. Watching the work that goes into one of these things and you can't help but think it to be a waste to throw it into the depths of the sea?

>>24108885

https://youtu.be/k7vo9nDUzUE

>>24108893

Quarrying and crafting.

>>24011630

>>24011628

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/asylum-seekers-cameron-barracks-free-36539486

==Asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks to get free mental health support while locals must wait months

The 'bespoke' healthcare package on offer for up to 300 undocumented male migrants will include mental health support – but locals have to wait five months or fork out to go private

Ben Borland

12 Jan 2026

Asylum seekers housed at Cameron Barracks in Inverness would be given access to free mental health counselling as part of plans drawn up by the UK Government.

The revelation was described as a "massive slap in the face" to local people in the Highland capital, who must wait around five months before starting regular sessions on the NHS. Alternatively, one hour of private therapy costs between £40 to £100.

The Home Office says it has yet to make a "final decision" on whether it will use the barracks to house up to 300 men who have entered the UK illegally, mainly on small boats across the English Channel.

It has already caused huge anger in Inverness, even before details of the "bespoke" healthcare package were revealed. Reform UK spokesman Thomas Kerr said: "The Cameron Barracks is simply the wrong location for a facility like this. Local people are rightly angry. To now learn that taxpayers will also be paying for mental health support for people who have come to this country illegally is a massive slap in the face."

The use of the barracks – along with another military base in East Sussex – was announced in October last year and is a key plank of the bid to shut down controversial asylum hotels.

The Home Office has a statutory duty to provide healthcare to asylum seekers, sparking fears the city's overstretched public services would be put under even more strain. But Highland councillors have been told that by having trained therapists on site, it would mean "minimise the impact" on the NHS.

A briefing note sent to councillors before the migrants' arrival says: "Primary healthcare will be available on site, including mental health support. Funding for these services will be provided by the Home Office to minimise impact on local GP surgeries and NHS resources."

Isabelle MacKenzie, a Scottish Conservative councillor who represents the ward where the barracks is located, accused the Home Office of giving "preferential treatment" to asylum seekers. "It's almost like they're getting a bespoke service," she told the Sunday Times. "They're getting a roof over their head. They're getting fed and watered. They're getting their basic necessities and any medical needs are being catered for."

Edward Mountain, a Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands region, said it was "galling when many of those living in Inverness and the Highlands are finding it increasingly hard to access mental health services in their community".

Asylum seekers had originally been expected to arrive last month, but this was delayed due to refurbishment work required to make the facility fit for purpose. It had most recently been used as transitional accommodation for the Afghan Resettlement Programme.

The Ministry of Defence has offered the barracks – formerly the base of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders – to the Home Office for 12 months. After that, the barracks will return to the MoD as part of its training estate.

Canada #87

‘I Didn’t Know About Epstein’s Crimes Because I’m Gay’: Disgraced Former British Ambassador to the US, Lord Peter Mandelson Uses the ‘Gay Card’ To Try To Evade Responsibility

by Paul Serran Jan. 11, 2026

Mandelson thinks we are all gullible simpletons.

Disgraced former British Ambassador to the US, Lord Mandelson, has claimed to have been ‘kept in the dark’ about Jeffrey Epstein’s sex crimes ‘because he was gay’.

The Telegraph reported:

“The peer was sacked as ambassador to the United States last year after it emerged [that] he had urged the financier to fight for early release from prison.

Lord Mandelson claimed that, because of his sexuality, he was ‘kept separate from what [Epstein] was doing in the sexual side of his life’.”

He described Epstein as his ‘best pal’, but argues he was kept ‘at the edge of this man’s life’.

“In his first interview since losing his job, Lord Mandelson refused to apologize to Epstein’s victims for writing to him after his conviction for sex offences, claiming he was not culpable for any of Epstein’s criminal activity.”

Even a Labour Cabinet minister was led to say he had been guilty of ‘deep naivety’.

BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg carried water for him, and asked whether he was never offered sexual favors by Epstein ‘because he was gay’.

“He replied: “Possibly, some people will think that because I’m a gay man, I was unsensitized, or I wasn’t attuned to what was going on. […] I don’t really accept [any guilt]. I think the issue is that because I was a gay man in his circle, I was kept separate from what he was doing in the sexual side of his life. […] I mean, he in a sense had three buckets of people in his life, the business and the financial, the political and the academic, and then what he was doing with young women.”

More:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/01/i-didnt-know-about-epsteins-crimes-because-im/

>>24115680

https://youtu.be/5MGWAaabfZI

Lord Mandelson says Jeffrey Epstein friendship was 'a terrible mistake' | BBC News

BBC News

19.1m subscribers

34,799 views 11 Jan 2026 #LordMandelson #JeffreyEpstein #UKPolitics

Lord Mandelson has said he never saw girls at Jeffrey Epstein's properties, and declined to apologise to the late paedophile's victims for maintaining his friendship with the American because he was not "knowledgeable of what he was doing".

Speaking to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg in his first interview since being sacked as the UK's ambassador to the US over his links to Epstein, he told us that he thought he had been "kept separate" from the sexual side of the late financier's life because he was gay.

He was fired after emails emerged showing supportive messages he had sent to Epstein after the American was convicted for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The former ambassador said the only people he had seen at Epstein's properties were "middle-aged housekeepers".

He said he would have apologised were he "in any way complicit or culpable" but stressed that was never the case.

>>24011628

>>24011639

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/disgraceful-snp-go-court-stop-36529420

'Disgraceful' SNP go to court to stop release of secret Nicola Sturgeon files as publication would be 'difficult' for John Swinney

The Scottish Government confirmed it was challenging a decision by the Scottish Information Commissioner to demand the release of files relating to the ministerial probe into Nicola Sturgeon.

David Walker

10 Jan 2026

The SNP Government has been branded "disgraceful" after opting to take the Scottish Information Commissioner to court to block the release of secret Nicola Sturgeon files. There has been a costly four-year battle over the publication of evidence given to former ministerial code adviser James Hamilton.

He investigated whether the former First Minister broke the ministerial code through evidence she gave during the Holyrood Inquiry into the botched probe into Alex Salmond. He ruled that it was up to MSPs to decide whether she broke it, a resignation offence, but the Scottish Greens saved her.

Applicant Ben Harrop wants some of the written evidence provided to Mr Hamilton to be published but this has been blocked, even with the information commissioner repeatedly ruling against the government. And now John Swinney has green lit yet another costly court battle, appealing the watchdog's decision.

In a letter, Lorna Gibbs, Deputy Director, Improving Public Engagement at the Scottish Government, wrote: "The First Minister has taken the decision to appeal this Decision Notice, and the appeal was lodged with the Court of Session yesterday, Thursday 8 January 2026. This process will now be taken forward by the Scottish Government’s litigation team.

"The Scottish Government is lodging this appeal…because it considers the Scottish Information Commissioner erred in law in determining the government’s application of the FOISA s.26(c) exemption in relation to contempt of court. The Scottish Government cannot release information which would amount to a contempt of court."

It is understood that SNP Ministers are relying on an argument that removing redactions would lead to jigsaw identification of some of Mr Salmond's accusers. Ms Sturgeon was accused of misleading MSPs when she failed to mention a key meeting she held with Salmond adviser Geoff Aberdein about the allegations, and she knew about them earlier than she told the inquiry.

Mr Harrop has been trying since April 2021 to get this evidence published, with the government previously arguing that it didn't hold it, with this argument obliterated in a matter of seconds by the Court of Session. Now it is claiming it can't publish it due to contempt of court, arguing the information commissioner is wrong to demand its release.

>>24117353

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

Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton said in November: “This was a very complex case, and that complexity was compounded by the way in which elements of this case were handled by the Scottish Government. When a public body seeks to withhold information under FOI law, it is the responsibility of that body to appropriately make their case to me.

"It is not for my staff to identify sensitive information on behalf of an organisation, or to make the case for an exemption on its behalf. Authorities must, therefore, ensure that its case is fully and appropriately stated in its entirety. It is also particularly disappointing that, had it not been for the diligence of my staff and their forensic analysis of this case, many of the failures that arose may have gone undetected.

"While there is no evidence of impropriety, this nevertheless reflects poorly on the Scottish Government handling of this case, and I trust it will take urgent action to prevent such occurrences happening again.”

The fact the government is going to court again, spending public money, has been criticised by rivals. Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: “The SNP government is addicted to secrecy and will go to any lengths to cover up its wrongdoings. This appeal is another example of the SNP squandering taxpayers’ cash in a desperate attempt to defend Nicola Sturgeon’s shameful actions during the Alex Salmond inquiry.

“The public will rightly be asking what this sleekit government has to hide and why their money is being wasted time and time again on trying to prevent scrutiny.”

Former Nat MP Joanna Cherry added: "Of course they will because if the truth got into the public domain, it would be very difficult for Sturgeon and Swinney not to mention others. Plus, it’s not their money they’re spending on defending themselves. It’s public money. Our money taxpayers money. It’s disgraceful."

And ex-SNP Health Secretary Alex Neil wrote: "This is disgraceful behaviour by the SNP. It’s clear they’ve got a lot to hide! Donald, the founding principles of the Scottish Parliament - openness, transparency and accountability - are being undermined by the SNP government. This is very damaging to the independence cause. Unfortunately too many people put party before cause."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government has lodged an appeal with the Court of Session challenging the Scottish Information Commissioner's decision on a freedom of information request for evidence submitted to the Hamilton investigation.

"We consider that the Commissioner erred in relation to the law on whether the information can be withheld because it risks breaching contempt of court orders. The Scottish Government cannot release information which would amount to a contempt of court.It would otherwise not be appropriate to comment on what is now live litigation.”

>>24011630

>>24004276

>>24004281

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/holyrood-inquiry-scotlands-grooming-gangs-36489008

Why was Holyrood inquiry into Scotland's grooming gangs held behind closed doors?

The Express Investigates: We reveal that SNP Ministers were warned about grooming gangs in Glasgow 12 YEARS AGO and told that at least one teenage girl had died as a result of sexual exploitation in the city

Ben Borland

07 Jan 2026

With the SNP Government still refusing to call a public inquiry into grooming gangs, ministers have come up with all sorts of excuses and explanations.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance even broke the ministerial code after she misquoted an expert in saying she didn't support a Scottish inquiry, claimed to MSPs that she hadn't done so and then delayed in correcting the official record.

But no senior Nats appear to be in any rush to point out that the Scottish Parliament has ALREADY carried out a lengthy and detailed investigation into grooming gangs operating with apparent impunity in Scottish towns and cities.

The Scottish Daily Express tried to examine the work carried out by MSPs in 2013 and 2014 – and found that nine of 13 committee sessions during the long-running inquiry into 'Tackling child sexual exploitation in Scotland' were held in private, with no records ever published.

Four more meetings saw evidence given in public from high-ranking public figures, which was later discussed in private by the MSPs on the public petitions committee and their adviser, Dr Sarah Nelson.

The committee eventually published a report, in January 2014, with 28 recommendations for the SNP Government of the day. It contained some bombshell details, notably the fact that Scottish professionals feared being branded "racist" if they took action against ethnic minority grooming gangs.

This echoed the scandal south of the Border in towns such as Rochdale and Rotherham, where the police and social workers failed to intervene and allowed hundreds of young girls to be raped and abused as a result of 'woke' cowardice.

Ultimately, however, despite a 12-month inquiry, the MSPs were unable to obtain any definitive numbers on the extent of grooming gangs and their victims in Scotland.

Meetings where grooming was discussed in private

January 22, 2013 (committee ranked a list of candidates for committee adviser)

February 5, 2013 (committee considered a paper by Dr Nelson)

February 19, 2013 (committee considered a paper by Dr Nelson)

March 5, 2013

April 16, 2013

April 30, 2013 (evidence heard in public from SNP minister, before a private discussion)

June 11, 2013 (evidence heard in public from charities, before a private discussion)

June 25, 2013 (evidence heard in public from Crown Office and Police Scotland, before a private discussion)

October 1, 2013

October 29, 2013 (evidence heard in public, before a private discussion)

November 26, 2013 (issues paper considered)

December 17, 2013 (draft report considered)

January 7, 2014 (draft report considered)

Dr Nelson, a research associate at CRFR, Edinburgh University, was regarded as one of the UK's leading experts on child abuse. She was later awarded an OBE before her death in 2025. She produced at least two papers for the MSPs to consider, but these have never been published either.

The evidence that was heard in public, however, contains some extraordinary details – including a reference to the tragic death of a teenage girl more than a decade earlier and the admission that ministers already KNEW grooming was taking place in Scotland on a similar scale to other parts of the UK.

On April 30, children's minister Aileen Campbell said the government had commissioned research, published in October 2012, which found that "although there is a lack of research on child sexual exploitation in Scotland, what is known is consistent with what is known to be taking place in other parts of the United Kingdom".

>>24118328

…………………………………………………………………………..continued2………………………………………………………………………….

Later that year, on June 11, Daljeet Dagon, of Barnardo's Scotland, spoke about "a young person in Glasgow who died", adding: "We all knew that she was involved in sexual exploitation, was accommodated and was involved in drugs and alcohol. When she came out of a secure setting, she died within seven days. That is when Glasgow pulled together: we had an inquiry that established the vulnerable young person procedures that are still operating in the city 12 years on."

This is believed to be a reference to Michelle Kearney, who died after overdosing on heroin in a flat in Glasgow in October 1999. She was 16 years old and social work bosses ignored a children's hearing recommendation that she be remanded into secure social care.

There is no evidence that Michelle fell victim to an organised grooming gang, although at the Fatal Accident Inquiry it was stated that she "started working as a prostitute" when she was still below the legal age of consent – and today, the case would be considered very differently.

Staff feared being 'branded as racist'

During that same session, some attempts were made to address the key question of whether one or more particular ethnic minority group was more involved in committing organised sexual abuse of minors. Deputy committee convener Chic Brodie, from the SNP, asked: "How do we look at perpetration without either being culturally insensitive or, in case we might create racial tensions, taking no action against abusers?"

Anela Anwar, from the Glasgow charity Roshni, responded: "What you are trying to get at, deputy convener, is that we have to admit that yes, across the Asian and African minority ethnic communities there are individuals who exploit young people, as there are in the mainstream white Scottish community.

"Minority communities also need to accept that fact. However, we should not stigmatise or stereotype one specific community as being the only type that will perpetrate child sexual exploitation, because that is not helpful."

However, she admitted that front-line staff, when confronted with a case involving a "minority ethnic perpetrator or victim" would "leave that situation alone or step back, which often happens when people fear that they will get things wrong or be branded as racist".

Two weeks later, the committee heard from then Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland, Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham and Alison Di Rollo, then head of the national sexual crimes unit at the Crown Office.

However, they did not discuss Operation Dash or Operation Cotswold – the two police investigations into organised child sexual exploitation (CSE) by mainly ethnic minority men in and around Glasgow.

The committee DID state: "In February 2013 police established a research cell to scope the scale and extent of CSE in the 12 local authorities of the (then) Strathclyde Police force area." No figures from this research cell were ever revealed in public. In addition, Mr Dagon told the MSPs: "I was chatting to panel members earlier. People will be aware that in Glasgow we have had Operation Cotswold. There was significant learning from Operation Cotswold, particularly for the police."

Previous reports by the Scottish Express have shed light on these two linked operations. Cotswold was launched in 2011, and expanded and renamed Dash two years later. In total, the police identified between 100 and 140 potential victims across the west of Scotland, some of them as young as 10 years old.

Some 27 suspects were reported to the Crown Office, although there were just four convictions in total and only two abusers were given given custodial sentences. One of them was failed Afghan asylum seeker Javaid Akhond – the only man ever named in connection to either Dash or Cotswold. He was 20 when he was sentenced to six years in prison in October 2014 for the rape and sexual abuse of three girls aged 12, 13 and 15.

>>24118328

>>24118342

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

'We ignore this issue at our peril'

The publication of the committee's report made headlines and triggered a debate in Holyrood, along with promises that "lessons would be learned". But in 2014, there was only one story dominating the headlines – the looming independence referendum. And although most of the committee's recommendations were eventually taken on board, some members of the committee felt their report had been kicked into the long grass.

In October 2014, the then-SNP back bencher John Wilson said: "The Rotherham case is only one of many that we are becoming aware of. When we carried out our inquiry, we sought assurances that procedures and practices are in place in Scotland that will prevent a repeat of what happened south of the Border, but I am not entirely convinced that we have such procedures."

And his fellow Nat MSP Chic Brodie, who passed away in 2022, warned "we ignore this issue at our peril". He continued: "As an acquiescent back bencher, I am not sure whether I am angry or disappointed… We had a full and comprehensive inquiry that embraced goodness knows how many witnesses. If the report of that inquiry is lying on somebody's office shelf, I would like to understand why, and I want to know why we are reinventing the wheel.

"There should be a fairly robust question from this committee as to why the matter is not being given the attention that it deserves. I suspect that we are now reacting to what happened in Rotherham although there are issues on our own doorstep that we need to address."

More than 10 years later, as the clamour grows for a full public inquiry to look into the exact same scandal, many will ask why the Scottish Government – then and now – has failed to act.

https://youtu.be/ScJM0i-iiLI

Canada #87

Globalist World Health Organization Says Boozy Europe Is Making Alcohol Cheaper, and Putting Lives at Risk – So, Their Solution Is: TAXES!

by Paul Serran Jan. 14, 2026

The old – and drunk – continent.

Europe has a drinking habit – or is it a problem?

Those of us well informed by the independent media are not inclined to listen to the World Health Organization’s advice any longer – if we ever did.

The WHO campaigners are out in force saying Europe’s hard drinking habits ‘are putting lives at risk’.

The crux of the UN agency’ ‘warning’ is that, instead of ‘making alcohol harder to afford’, what many European governments are doing is allowing a lowering of the prices.

Politico reported:

“Beer has become more affordable in 11 EU countries since 2022, and less affordable in six, the WHO report revealed Tuesday. There was a similar but even more dramatic trend for spirits, which became more affordable in 17 EU countries and less affordable in two. And for wine, 14 EU countries do not tax it at all, including big producers Italy and Spain, the report found.”

Oh, no – beer is cheaper! It must be the end of the world.

So, the detestable Tedros Ghebreyesus has the nerve to share his ‘brilliant idea’: TAXES.

Whatever ous views on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks, taxation is never the solution, and health policy must be instituted at national level, with each country freely exercizing its sovereignty.

After discussing the health hazards of alcohol consumption, the WHO solution is a ‘masterpiece’ in Globalist thinking.

“The WHO said governments should target alcohol consumption to protect people from its ill effects. Increasing the cost of booze through taxes is one of the most effective measures governments can take, the WHO said. Yet, some EU countries have minimal or no taxes on certain types of alcohol.”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/01/globalist-world-health-organization-says-boozy-europe-is/

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>>24011628

The Scottish Government introduced Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol in 2018. The policy, implemented in May 2018, was the first of its kind globally.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg2d2kdgzeo

Minimum price of alcohol in Scotland rises by 30%

30 September 2024

2524 Comments

The minimum price at which alcohol can be sold in Scotland has risen by 30% in an attempt to keep up with inflation over the past six years.

The minimum unit price (MUP) has not changed since it was set at 50p per unit of alcohol when it was first introduced in May 2018.

It has now increased to 65p per unit, meaning a typical 12.5% bottle of wine cannot be sold for less than £6.09 and a can of lager will be at least £1.30.

MUP is not a tax to generate income for the government. Instead it aims it to reduce the availability of cheap alcohol in shops by setting a minimum price.

For example, a bottle of vodka will now cost at least £17.06 in Scotland - about £5 more than many supermarkets are selling it for in England, where there is no minimum pricing.

A graphic showing the new prices of wine (up from £4.69 to £6.09), cider (up from £2.50 to £3.25), lager 9up from £1 to £1.30), vodka (up from £13.13 to £17.06) and whisky (up from £14 to £18.20)

Scotland was the first country in the world to set a minimum price at which alcoholic drinks can be sold when the policy was introduced in May 2018.

The policy was mainly aimed at strong cheap alcohol sold in shops and supermarkets.

Before it was introduced, super strength cider (7.5%) was sold in two litres bottles for as little as £1.99.

After the legislation was introduced that same two litre bottle could not be sold for less than £7.50. Under the new 65p minimum unit price it will now be £9.75.

A Public Health Scotland study published in June last year found the MUP scheme had helped to reduce alcohol-related health inequalities.

Based on comparisons with England, it estimated there were 13.4% fewer deaths related to alcohol than would have happened without the policy, as well as 4.1% fewer hospital admissions.

However, the number of people in Scotland whose death was caused by alcohol remains at a high level, with the figures for 2023 showing the largest number of deaths in 15 years.

In September last year, a study by Sheffield University suggested the policy had become less effective due to inflation.

The report found the original 50p price had been reduced by inflation to the equivalent of just 41p.

It also said heavier drinkers increased their alcohol consumption during the Covid pandemic, cancelling out some of the beneficial impacts.

The increase in the MUP was announced in February.

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Alcohol harm

Some groups representing the off-licence trade have previously expressed opposition to any increase, but alcohol recovery charities have been supportive.

GMB Scotland, representing members across the drinks industry, warned that the policy was already risking jobs and investment and questioned its "unproven" health benefits.

The Federation of Independent Retailers warned that raising the minimum price could put retailers at an increased risk of alcohol being stolen.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said he was confident the scheme had saved hundreds of lives.

He said the price increase was due to inflation.

"Obviously by increasing it we would hope we would see a further improvement in the situation alongside the other aspects that we are looking at, including alcohol advertising and marketing," Gray said.

Willie Rennie of the Scottish Liberal Democrats backed the move.

He said: "The original impact of minimum pricing has decreased over time as inflation has eaten away at the effectiveness of the policy.

“More than 20 people a week in Scotland die due to alcohol misuse. The opponents of minimum pricing need to explain what alternatives they are proposing to tackle the pressures that this imposes on our health and justice systems.”

Carol Mochan, Scottish Labour's spokeswoman for Public Health, said frontline alcohol and drug services needed "proper resourcing" from the SNP to be effective.

She added: "Scottish Labour will consider any evidence-based plans to improve public health, but the SNP must acknowledge that there is no one silver bullet."

Not a 'miracle cure'

Scottish Greens health spokeswoman Gillian Mackay said MUP should be "an important part" of the nation's health strategy but wider work was needed as it was not a "cure-all".

However, Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said MUP was not a "miracle cure" and "simply punishes responsible drinkers".

Graeme Callander, from the WithYou alcohol support group, said it was "unbelievable" that the money raised goes to retailers and the alcohol industry.

"This revenue could make a real difference if it was instead directed towards improving and increasing the availability of alcohol support services - because these services will ultimately help to save lives,” he said.

Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (Shaap) and Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) said the minimum unit price had to be uprated annually to prevent "cheaper alcohol that causes the most harm" becoming more affordable over time.

Both groups also said the government needed to do more than just MUP if it is to tackle the "public health emergency" of alcohol harms, and criticised it for "dragging its feet" over alcohol marketing reforms.

Alison Douglas, chief executive of AFS, said her charity was calling for an alcohol harm prevention levy on alcohol retailers, which she said the Fraser of Allander Institute estimated could raise as much as £57m a year to invest in alcohol treatment services.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c050e7nmpyno

Labour MSP urged to quit over friendship with sex offender

15 January 2026

Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy has been urged to immediately quit Holyrood following a fresh report about her friendship with a convicted sex offender.

Last month, the Glasgow politician announced she would not seek re-election in May after it emerged she maintained contact with a former Labour councillor following his conviction in 2017 for having indecent images of children.

The Daily Record, external has since reported that Duncan-Glancy continued her friendship with Sean Morton after he was jailed last year for further offences.

Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he was not aware of the details of the report, but said he expected the "highest standards" from his MSPs.

Morton, a former councillor for Fochabers Lhanbryde, was ordered in 2017 to carry out unpaid work and put on the sex offenders register after he pled guilty to possessing indecent child images and extreme pornography.

Duncan-Glancy, who was elected to Holyrood in 2021, stood down from her party's frontbench in December after the Daily Record reported that the pair had maintained contact.

The MSP, who had been selected to stand for Labour in May's Holyrood election, later said she would stand down at the poll, saying she did not want "a personal friendship to become a distraction".

It has now emerged that Morton was jailed in January last year after pleading guilty to possessing indecent photographs of children and breaching his sexual offences order. He was given two 16-month sentences, backdated to May 2024.

The Daily Record said Duncan-Glancy continued the friendship following his release, reporting Morton attended her birthday celebrations late last year.

Duncan-Glancy asked a question during First Minister's Questions on Thursday via video link.

She has been asked to comment.

'Disturbing saga'

SNP MSP Rona Mackay MSP said: "These latest revelations raise serious questions about Anas Sarwar's handling of this disturbing saga.

"For Ms Duncan-Glancy's friendship to continue with Mr Morton until she was approached by the Daily Record is staggering - but the news about Mr Morton's further convictions in 2025 make Scottish Labour's decision to approve her candidacy, given her friendship with Mr Morton, utterly unbelievable.

"If Pam Duncan-Glancy is not fit to sit on Labour's front bench or be a candidate, then this latest information shows she is not fit to carry on as an MSP until the election in May."

Sarwar, speaking after First Minister's Questions, said he was did not know the details of the latest news report.

He said Duncan-Glancy had "already accepted her error of judgement in maintaining with this individual".

Sarwar told BBC Scotland News: "And as you know she is not a candidate come the election in May."

He said he expected the "highest standards" from his MSPs and said he had sought "certain reassurances" from Duncan-Glancy.

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>>24011633

https://youtu.be/eCAi3aYJU-c

THE SALMOND FILES: What is John Swinney Hiding as Anas Sarwar threatens to expose SNP

The Scottish Sun

457K subscribers

2,033 views Jan 19, 2026 #snp #politics #scotland

John Swinney will always put the SNP before the country, Anas Sarwar has claimed.

Mr Sarwar pledged to release what he called the “Salmond files”, a tranche of documents the Government is currently fighting in court not to release.

The information comes from the James Hamilton inquiry into potential breaches of the ministerial code by former first minister Nicola Sturgeon in relation to the Holyrood probe into the handling of harassment complaints against Alex Salmond.

The Government announced it would appeal the decision of the Information Commissioner to release some of the files over fears is could identify the complainers in Mr Salmond’s criminal trial – where he was cleared of more than a dozen sexual offences.

>>24011623

https://youtu.be/LjEvPhbCuSE

From force-feeding to brutal beatings - evil nuns' sickening child abuse EXPOSED

The Scottish Sun

457K subscribers

28,675 views Jan 17, 2026 #scotland #news #scottishnews

DEPRAVED nuns who carried out sadistic campaigns of abuse against vulnerable children at two care homes in Scotland have been nailed.

>>24011623

>>24154129

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/15805318/nun-force-fed-children-soap-scots-care-home-jailed/

SICK & TWISTED Depraved nun who force-fed terrified children soap and locked them in cellar at Scots care homes jailed

A survivor has told that they 'lived constantly on edge'

Alexander Lawrie

15 Jan 2026

A DEPRAVED nun who carried out a sadistic campaign of abuse against vulnerable children at two care homes has been jailed.

Carol Buirds, 75, kicked, punched and struck several youngsters at homes run by the Catholic order the Sisters of Nazareth in Ayrshire and Midlothian.

Buirds, known as Sister Carmel Rose at the time, forced food into children’s mouths and rubbed bedding soaked with urine into their heads

The sick nun locked one child in an unlit cellar without food or water.

She also assaulted children with a belt, a stick, a wooden ruler and a slipper and repeatedly forced one child to eat soap and laughed when the child was trying to vomit.

One victim was said to have been left mute for five years and a second was hospitalised for 12 months due to the trauma and abuse inflicted on them by Buirds.

The offences all took place at two Nazareth House facilities in Lasswade, Midlothian, and Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, and an unknown location in Dunbar, East Lothian, between September 1975 and May 1981.

Buirds, of Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, was found guilty of offences of assault and using cruel and unnatural treatment by a jury following a five week trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in November last year.

She appeared for sentencing today where Sheriff Iain Nicol said there was “no appropriate sentence other than a custodial one” in this case and jailed Buirds for 15 months.

Co-accused Eileen McElhinney, 78, was found guilty of two assault charges and three of cruel and unnatural treatment carried out at Nazareth House in Lasswade between November 1972 and January 1975.

McElhinney, of Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, known as Sister Mary Eileen, assaulted one young boy by punching him and attacked a second victim by repeatedly striking his buttocks with a hairbrush.

Sheriff Nicol imposed a probation order on McElhinney where she will have to complete 240 hours of unpaid work.

The former nun was also placed on a restriction of movement order where she will have stay within her home between 4pm and midnight for the next nine months.

Third accused Dorothy Kane, 68, a retired children’s home worker, was found guilty of two charges of using cruel and unnatural treatment towards children between March 1980 and August 1981.

Kane, of Lasswade, Midlothian, was found to have dragged one child along a corridor and restrained him by placing her knees on his chest and failed to step in when she witnessed a member of staff assaulting the boy.

Sheriff Nicol sentenced Kane to a community service order where she will have to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

One survivor who gave evidence against depraved Carol Buirds said: “There is only word to describe my time at Nazareth House – fear.

“I was sent to that home as a young child where I lived constantly on edge, scared I would be punished no matter what I did.

“No one wanted to listen, no one wanted to hear about the abuse I endured and I have carried that trauma throughout my life alone. Until today.

“It just felt right seeing the handcuffs on the woman who abused me as a child.

“Today I have been heard. Today and forever more I am believed.”

Digby Brown Solicitors is supporting multiple survivors of abuse at Nazareth House.

Senior Associate Catherine Hammond said: “The sentences handed down at Edinburgh Sheriff Court reflect the seriousness of the sustained and cruel treatment inflicted on young residents more than 40 years ago.

“Our client, along with others who were subject to harm in these institutions, has shown immense strength in seeking justice and truth.

“We hope today’s outcome offers some measure of validation and contributes to their wider journey of recovery.”

https://youtu.be/xdXuycwc-sA

Ex British MP Andrew Bridgen on Satanism, Child Trafficking, Corruption and Abuse (Dutch subs.)

LIGHTHOUSETV

48.2K subscribers

101,921 views Premiered Jan 19, 2026

Former British MP Andrew Bridgen describes how corruption, according to him, runs through multiple UK government departments. He speaks about suppressed child-trafficking cases, intimidation of whistleblowers, political blackmail, and the role of Ukraine in broader power networks. This interview explores how these mechanisms operate — and why Bridgen says the system protects itself at all costs.

Presenter: Flavio Pasquino

Guest: Former British MP Andrew Bridgen

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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-refuses-launch-grooming-gang-36584006

SNP refuses to launch grooming gang inquiry despite 'sinister' evidence kids are still being exploited

The Scottish Government is under growing pressure to finally launch an independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation but Jenny Gilruth once again rejected calls, despite damning evidence from a care home worker about Asian groomers targeting a teenager.

David Walker

20 Jan 2026

The Scottish Government has doubled down on its refusal to launch a grooming gang inquiry despite "sinister" evidence that vulnerable girls are still being exploited by criminal gangs. Reports at the weekend suggested that females in care homes were being showered with gifts and money and being groomed.

A whistleblower, who has worked in residential care homes for two decades, revealed that children in Scotland were still being groomed by gangs - and hit out at SNP Ministers for their inaction. John Swinney has played down the scandal north of the border, blocking calls for an independent probe.

But he was forced into a partial u-turn last year after a number of survivors came forward to prove that the issue was cross-border and not just affecting England. However, he just announced a review into cases, and it is being overseen by a number of quangos who have been accused of "checking their own homework."

"Jane" described one horror story in the Mail on Sunday of a vulnerable girl who was exploited by Asian groomers who sent her gifts, including a second phone, so that they could keep in contact. She intercepted a gift which was "a box of sweeties but with another mobile phone hidden inside. Another kid told me the girl had been sending naked pictures of herself to the guys in the shop.

"All the signs were there of grooming and CSE [child sexual exploitation]. We told police and they said: 'She's 16, there's nothing we can do'. If we think a child shouldn't have a phone because it is how they are being groomed, we have to jump through so many hoops and lawyers and red tape. It's nearly impossible."

The Scottish Tories have been campaigning for an inquiry, with justice spokesman Liam Kerr bringing the issue up at Holyrood on Tuesday. He said: "I think the sinister revelations that grooming gangs putting mobile phones into residential care homes exposes, once again, how much remains unknown and how sophisticated these vile predators actually are.

"But while a full inquiry would shine a light on all the dark corners of this nefarious, vicious practice, this government contents itself with an ill defined review. Surely in light of these latest revelations, the Cabinet Secretary now concedes that what is needed here is not a review, but the full inquiry that everyone is demanding."

SNP Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth shot down these calls, pointing out that she is not ruling out an inquiry, but "there is a need or an evidence base" and that work is ongoing, with a substantial update on this being scheduled for February.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Kerr described this rejection as "wrong" as a "mere review simply will not cut it for those children in care being targeted by these predators." He went on: "Even their own experts warned months ago that there was little evidence that professionals had the support required to help these vulnerable children, but still SNP ministers have failed to act.

“The only way justice will be delivered for grooming gang victims in Scotland is if the SNP finally back our calls for a full and fearless independent inquiry. That’s the very least victims deserve."

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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/what-john-swinney-hide-blocks-36576524

'What has John Swinney got to hide' as he blocks Nicola Sturgeon document release

The First Minister has ordered his Scottish Government to go to court to block the release of evidence gathered about whether Nicola Sturgeon breached the ministerial code when she was grilled by MSPs on the Alex Salmond Inquiry committee.

David Walker

19 Jan 2026

John Swinney is under growing pressure to finally publish secret Nicola Sturgeon evidence - after he was slammed by a former Scottish Government colleague who asked "what has he got to hide?" The Scottish Government is embroiled in court action over its refusal to publish documents gathered by former independent adviser to the ministerial code James Hamilton.

SNP Ministers have used numerous excuses to block evidence supplied to Mr Hamilton during his probe into whether the former First Minister breached the ministerial code when she appeared in front of the Alex Salmond Inquiry. A freedom of information request submitted in April 2021 remains outstanding, and has cost taxpayers thousands.

Now, independent MSP and former SNP Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing has demanded that Mr Swinney prove he is "committed to obeying the law" by publishing these documents and apologising to applicant Benjamin Harrop. The Scottish Information Commissioner has repeatedly asked for this to be published but has been blocked.

Mr Ewing told the Herald: "Mr Harrop has doggedly pursued his case and his arguments have largely been accepted by the Commissioner and the courts in preference to those of the Scottish Government and its expensive lawyers. The First Minister must release the documents, tell the truth and apologise to both Mr Harrop and to the people of Scotland. If he fails to do so the question is 'What has he got to hide?'"

He pointed out that FOI requests are supposed to be answered in 20 working days under the law, but these requests have taken "over five years spanning three parliamentary terms". He added that this wait "surely constitutes clear evidence that the SNP Government shows contempt for the law of the rights of citizens of freedom of information."

The Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton has said that the government faces potential contempt of court proceedings if it refuses to publish some of these files by January 22. He has already criticised it for withholding documents using different reasons.

Mr Ewing said: "On Friday the Commissioner said 'the government’s last minute response reflects poorly on ministers and disrespects the applicant and the wider Scottish Public on a matter of significant public interest'. Given the Commissioner has himself ordered the release of documents, it now appears that the Scottish Government’s argument that they cannot do so because of the risk of 'jigsaw ID; is simply a pretext which is being used to as an excuse to withhold all of the documents from the public.

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"It is now clear that one of the applications Mr Harrop has made, that in April 2021, which is being challenged in the courts by the Scottish Government, will not be concluded until after the Holyrood elections in May, raising questions about what exactly they have to hide from the public. It also means that it will have taken over five years and a full Session of Parliament to block an FOI request.

"Whilst the First Minister repeatedly asserts his unshakeable commitment to obeying the law and to the rule of law, he appears ready to flout the law in failing to comply with the Commissioner’s direction, and block and obstruct the application of the law by using every trick in the book, and huge sums of taxpayers money, to delay, deny and obfuscate."

Scottish Tory MSP Murdo Fraser blasted the current situation, telling the Scottish Daily Express: “This shameful episode sums up the SNP government’s addiction to secrecy and cover-up. John Swinney still has no problem squandering public money trying to defend his government’s reputation, rather than doing the right thing and releasing these files.

“Given Fergus Ewing once sat around the Cabinet table with the First Minister, this is a withering verdict on Swinney’s actions from a former colleague. It is time the SNP ditched their appeals in relation to this case and acted transparently for once.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government has lodged an appeal with the Court of Session challenging the Scottish Information Commissioner's decision on a freedom of information request for evidence submitted to the Hamilton investigation.

"We consider that the Commissioner erred in relation to the law on whether the information can be withheld because it risks breaching contempt of court orders. The Scottish Government cannot release information which would amount to a contempt of court. It would otherwise not be appropriate to comment on what is now live litigation.”

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>>24011628

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgk88n50767o

Police officers jailed for attempting to frame two men

8 hours ago

Two police officers have been jailed for violating their duty and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Connor Beggs, 32, and Kevin Montgomery, 35, deliberately botched an investigation into a domestic assault and framed two innocent men in Inverclyde.

The pair were found guilty last month following a trial at Greenock Sheriff Court and returned to the dock to be sentenced. Montgomery, who had falsified witness statements from a man and a woman, was jailed for nine months while Beggs received an eight month sentence.

The duo were convicted of failing to conduct a full and thorough investigation and failing to proactively pursue perpetrators over an incident at an Arnold Clark branch in Greenock in 2021. They entered false information into Police Scotland systems and tried to conceal the existence of CCTV footage. They then submitted a report to the procurator fiscal containing false information, implicating two men for a crime they knew they did not commit. They failed to notify the police control room that they were dealing with a domestic incident, failed to take witness statements, failed to comply with operating procedures, failed to enter a record of the alleged offences, and failed to report the offenders to the procurator fiscal "with all due speed".

Sheriff Tom Ward said the men had carried out an "abject dereliction of duty and, even worse, an attempt to pervert the course of justice."

He said their actions were "egregious behaviour" and could only be dealt with via a custodial sentence.

'High standards at all time'

Their lawyers had asked for them to be spared prison and placed on Community Payback Orders.

Beggs resigned from the force when he learned of the criminal investigation.

The court heard Montgomery, who is still a serving officer, is expecting to lose his job when internal disciplinary proceedings came to an end.

Police Scotland Ch Supt Helen Harrison said: "The actions of Montgomery and former officer Beggs go against everything Police Scotland stands for.

"All officers are bound by our standards of professional behaviour, which apply on and off duty.

"It is right that policing is held to high standards at all times, and we will always support officers and staff acting with our values and standards at heart."

She added: "The case for Montgomery will now be assessed for misconduct under the conduct regulations."

https://youtu.be/FWxsToTWz4g

Meet The Health Ambassador For Wales!

Parliament Watch and British Stand

78,450 views Jan 20, 2026

https://youtu.be/uCucIBN-pbA

January 24th No to Digital ID Official Trailer

Scotland Against Digital ID

213 subscribers

23 views 1 day ago

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>>24011644

https://youtu.be/URNOlpACBMk

SNP HOSPITAL SCANDAL: Swinney & Sturgeon accused of ignoring secret report HIGH RISK TO LIFE warning

The Scottish Sun

457K subscribers

Jan 23, 2026 #scotland #johnSwinney #politics

The First Minister and his predecessor were slammed yesterday over conditions at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar produced a report that detailed a “high risk of infection” at the £842million super hospital which is at the centre of a huge scandal over patients deaths linked to contaminated water and the environment of the new buildings on the site.

>>24011642

https://youtu.be/nPU6OWnVy-8

‘Deeply Concerning’ – Queen’s Chaplain Sounds Alarm on King Charles

Lauren The Insider

75.7K subscribers

141,518 views Premiered Jan 18, 2026 #LaurenTheInsider #RoyalFamily #RoyalFamilyNews

Lauren The Insider is joined by Gavin Ashenden, former chaplain to the Queen, for a candid discussion on King Charles and the state of the monarchy.

He shares his concerns about faith, politics, and the pressures facing Britain today.

A serious conversation about a nation — and an institution — at a crossroads.

You asked God “Take them away if they’re not The One” but He hasn’t PART 2

https://youtu.be/LOUEF6YLKUo

>>24011647

https://ethicalapproach.co.uk/imperium_now.pdf

How imperium survived by changing its form and why we are still living inside it

Introduction

The Most Comforting Falsehood in Western History

One of the most enduring beliefs in Western civilisation is that Rome fell.

That belief is reassuring.

It suggests an ending.

It implies rupture.

It allows modern societies to imagine themselves as new, liberated and fundamentally different from that which preceeded.

This paper argues that belief to be false.

Rome did not fall.

It withdrew from visibility.

What collapsed was not imperium, but its overt form.

Power did not disappear - it merely migrated.

Understanding this is essential because many of the frustrations people experience today with governance, accountability, truth and democracy do not arise from modern failure, but from ancient continuity.

1. Why Societies Prefer the Myth of Collapse

Civilisations like to believe that empires fall because collapse implies:

• moral closure

• historical distance

• freedom from inheritance

If Rome fell, then no one inherited it. If no one inherited it, then no one is responsible for what followed. This belief serves a psychological purpose.

It allows modern systems to present themselves as fresh starts rather than evolved continuations. But history does not work that way.

Power rarely vanishes. Instead, it adapts.

2. What Actually Happened to Rome

By the fourth and fifth centuries, the Western Roman Empire faced a problem it could not solve by force alone. Its challenges were structural:

• military overstretch

• fiscal exhaustion

• declining legitimacy

• internal corruption

• public disengagement

Crucially, Rome’s greatest vulnerability was not invasion - it was visibility.

Imperial power had become:

• too centralised

• too blameworthy

• too exposed

• too associated with injustice

The solution was not abolition of power. It was reconfiguration.

3. Imperium Without an Emperor

As emperors became liabilities, authority began to detach from individual rulers and embed itself in structures.

This marked a decisive transition:

• from personal rule to institutional rule

• from visible authority to abstract authority

• from command to administration

The empire did not end. It learned how not to be seen.

This is the moment imperium became structural rather than personal and therefore far harder to confront.

4. Why the Roman Catholic Church Became the Successor

When visible empire became untenable, imperium required a new host.

The institution best positioned to absorb it was the Roman Catholic Church. This was not a conspiracy, but was an institutional inevitability.

The Church possessed everything imperium required to survive:

Continuity

It already spanned former imperial territory and transcended political borders.

Hierarchy

Its diocesan structure mirrored Roman provincial administration - not symbolically, but functionally.

Legitimacy

Moral authority replaced military authority. Obedience was reframed as virtue.

Administration

Roman legal logic survived in canon law.

Taxation survived in tithes. Record-keeping, courts, and discipline all continued. Rome did not fall into the Church. The Church inherited Rome’s governing role.

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5. From Coercion to Conscience

This transition marked the most important evolution in imperium’s history.

Military empires rely on force. Ecclesiastical empires rely on internal compliance.

Under the Church:

• authority became sacred rather than political

• dissent became heresy rather than treason

• obedience became salvation rather than duty

This was imperium perfected:

• control without legions

• obedience without violence

• authority without accountability

Power no longer needed to compel. It needed only to be believed.

6. The Survival of Roman Governance Logic

Even as kingdoms rose and fell, Roman logic persisted:

• hierarchy

• legalism

• procedure

• delegated responsibility without ownership

Imperium no longer wore armour or issued decrees. It governed through norms, institutions and moral framing. By the time secular states re-emerged, they inherited:

• Roman administrative structure

• ecclesiastical moral authority

• and later, Augustan invisibility of power

This fusion defines modern governance.

7. Why Rome Had to “Fall” in the Story

The myth of Rome’s fall performs a vital function. It hides continuity.

If Rome collapsed, then modern institutions are new.

If modern institutions are new, then they can deny inheritance.

If inheritance is denied, accountability dissolves.

But Rome did not disappear. It changed its appearance in order to persist and persist it has.

8. The Modern Parallel

Today, power again avoids visibility.

We see:

• authority without authors

• decisions without ownership

• investigations without conclusions

• rights without enforcement

Citizens are encouraged to participate but not to govern. To speak but not to decide. To trust but not to verify.

This is not democratic failure. It is imperial continuity.

9. Why This Model Is Now Breaking Down

The Roman-ecclesiastical-administrative model relies on one condition above all others: belief.

• Belief in legitimacy.

• Belief in process.

• Belief that someone, somewhere, is accountable.

That belief is eroding.

• Information escapes containment.

• Contradictions accumulate.

• Institutions contradict themselves.

• Citizens notice patterns.

The system now faces the same problem late Rome faced: It can no longer tell the truth about itself and retain authority.

Conclusion: Rome Is Not Behind Us Rome did not die in 476 AD. It learned how to survive scrutiny. The imperium which governs today no longer calls itself empire.

It calls itself administration, regulation, order, stability and democracy.

But its core logic remains unchanged:

• power without ownership

• authority without accountability

• obedience framed as virtue

We are not living after Rome. We are living inside its final form.

And like all imperia which outlive their legitimacy, this one now faces a choice:

To confront truth, or to retreat further into illusion.

History suggests what happens next depends not on institutions, but on whether the people are willing to recognise what they have inherited.

Ian Clayton

8 January 2026