/qresearch/ -  Q Research

Dough

https://fullchan.net/?6f26792cee828294#CbrDvipFyQ1ZCE8PC22WnAYBi5UDt85DMwrxH6PoQw9

TYB

>>23112638

Gratias tibi ago, pistor bone. Ventos mutationis, ut sentio, ad nos advenire sentio, et solum temporis quaestio est tumbleweed volubilis moveatur.

We are rooting for you Scotland. What a crazy life this is. I can't believe all the BS that's going on in the world. USA here…

>>23112640

tyb

bringing forward

-

REFORM U.K CANDIDATE ROSS LAMBIE IN BY ELECTION IN HAMILTON THIS THURSDAY 5TH JUNE

Note: There is a lot going on atm, but in the u.k politics, Scotland is holding a by election due to the death of one of its mps.

Details below, article is behind paywall, read for free using archive link.

pb below.

>>23111577, >>23111597, >>23111618 Nigel Farage and Richard Tice speak LIVE from Aberdeen. (45 minutes including Q and A). with msm and antifa protestors outside.

===

Explainer: Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25191716.hamilton-by-election-need-know-vote/

https://archive.ph/ogAbX#selection-1419.0-1419.56

---

By Kathleen Nutt

Political Correspondent

What is the Hamilton by-election and why is it happening?

A by-election will be held on 5 June in the Holyrood seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, following the untimely death of SNP minister and MSP Christina McKelvie.

Ms McKelvie, who took medical leave last August to undergo treatment for secondary breast cancer, died at the end of March at the age of 57. Her passing prompted powerful tributes from across the political divide, with fellow MSPs praising her dedication and compassion.

She had held the seat since 2011, when she defeated former Scottish Labour minister Tom McCabe. Before that, she served as a regional MSP for Central Scotland from 2007 to 2011. At the 2021 Holyrood election, she beat Labour’s Monica Lennon by 16,761 votes to 12,179.

Who is standing --- and who is expected to win?

At the outset of the by-election campaign, most observers expected a straight fight between the SNP and Labour. The SNP is standing Katy Loudon, a South Lanarkshire councillor, and she has been joined on the campaign trail by party leader and First Minister John Swinney.

Labour, meanwhile, is hoping to rebuild its base in the Central Belt. Its candidate is Davy Russell, a former senior official at Glasgow City Council who lives locally.

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has has been campaigning hard in the area, buoyed by its performance in recent English local elections and a Westminster by-election win in Runcorn and Helsby earlier this month.

Deputy leader Richard Tice has visited the constituency and claimed the contest is now between Reform's Ross Lambie and the SNP.

Mr Farage himself is expected to campaign in Hamilton before polling day --- his first visit to Scotland since 2019.

The party has previously struggled for a foothold north of the Border. But Reform hopes to attract disaffected voters across party lines --- and if successful, could win its first seat in Holyrood.

Other candidates standing in the by-election include Richard Nelson for the Conservatives, Ann McGuinness for the Greens, Aisha Mir for the Liberal Democrats, Ross Lambie for Reform UK, Collette Bradley for the Scottish Socialist Party, Andy Brady for the Scottish Family Party, Janice Mackay for UKIP, and independent candidate Mark Wilkinson.

Why does this seat matter?

Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse has been an SNP stronghold for over a decade, but the area has a more varied electoral past. The by-election is being seen as a bellwether for the SNP’s popularity under new leadership, Labour’s appeal to traditional heartlands, and the potential disruption posed by Reform UK.

A strong performance for any of the parties could shape perceptions ahead of the next general election and beyond --- and may provide an early glimpse of shifting political dynamics across Scotland.

continued

>>23121635

>>23115786

What do the polls say?

Pollster Mark Diffley said the SNP would go into the Hamilton by-election as favourites, but, speaking to the BBC, he noted the contest takes place against a backdrop of shifting voter loyalties.

“The SNP will be most confident going into the by-election,” he said, though the party’s support had dipped from 48% at the last Holyrood election to around 35% now.

Labour, he added, had seen “a significant drop” in support since becoming the UK government, while Reform UK --- polling around 15% in Scotland — had emerged as a serious factor.

“The real story, probably both next week in Hamilton and for next year, is the rise of Reform UK.”

Mr Diffley said dissatisfaction with UK Labour policies --- particularly on welfare — was fuelling a “scunner factor” among voters.

“There is a lot of discontent with what’s been happening in the last nine or ten months,” he said.

Reversals on policies such as the two-child benefit cap might help Labour, but may also appear “too late” or “too opportunistic”.

Reform, he said, had gained traction not just in traditional Brexit-supporting areas, but across the Central Belt, with growing concern over immigration beginning to echo trends seen in England.

“We are seeing a kind of diluted version of what’s happening down south,” he added, warning that Reform could perform “above expectations” in the by-election.

Why is Reform’s rise being compared to 1967?

Some commentators have already begun comparing this contest to the 1967 Hamilton by-election --- one of the most dramatic in Scottish political history.

On 2 November that year, Winnie Ewing, mother of current SNP MSPs Fergus and Annabelle Ewing, won a surprise victory for the SNP in what had been a safe Westminster seat for Labour. The SNP had not even stood a candidate in the constituency at the 1966 general election, so poor were its prospects.

But the 1967 win made Ms Ewing only the second SNP MP ever elected, following Dr Robert McIntyre in 1945. “I certainly was an expert at being in a minority, for there was only me,” she later reflected. Her victory speech famously included the line: “Stop the world --- Scotland wants to get on.”

Her win gave the SNP a voice in Westminster and helped transform it from a fringe movement into a serious political force. Reform UK is now hoping for a similarly game-changing result --- though it remains to be seen whether this by-election will enter the history books in the same way.

What do voters need to know?

Polling stations across Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse will be open from 7am to 10pm on Wednesday 5 June. Eligible voters must be aged 16 or over and registered by midnight on Monday 19 May 2025.

Voting takes place using the first-past-the-post system. Voters mark a cross (X) on the ballot paper next to their preferred candidate. The person with the most votes becomes MSP for the constituency.

Ballots will be verified and manually counted from 10pm at South Lanarkshire Council headquarters in Hamilton. A result is expected in the early hours of Thursday 6 June.

Further reading from The Herald

Hamilton by-election preview: candidates set out their stalls

Profiles and strategies from the Hamilton by-election front-runners, plus insight on the seat's political history and campaign dynamics.

Reform support in Hamilton should worry other parties

On the streets of Hamilton: voters voice frustration --- and many say they are turning to Reform UK.

SNP will be the winner as Reform outflanks Labour from the left

Neil Mackay on Labour’s identity crisis --- and how Farage is stealing its clothes while the SNP reaps the rewards.

Reform can 'win Hamilton by-election and take power' in Holyrood

Richard Tice tells The Herald why Reform UK believes it can win in Hamilton --- and reshape Scottish politics from Holyrood to Westminster.

end

>>23121635, >>23121644

>>23115786, >>23115787 scottish by election thurs 5th details and info - anon dig.

pb below.

>>23111577, >>23111597, >>23111618 Nigel Farage and Richard Tice speak LIVE from Aberdeen. (45 minutes including Q and A). with msm and Antifa protestors outside.

Anon has put this post together before this weeks habbenings news cycle becomes chaotic.

This is important to send a message to westminister and the traitors who gather there from all the uniparty's.

The scottish parliament has been over taken by feminists, leftists and pro E.U faggots getting rich of back handers, they are corrupt and have sold out its citizens to line their own pockets.

The scottish people can hate the british as much as they like but they should despise the political elite moar.

put down your weapons, get of the tenants cans (alcoholic drink, a joke in itself) and go and fucking vote for who ever you want, but do not sit at home drinking and taking drugs.

Go and vote - or you get what you are given

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/holyroods-impartial-presiding-officer-accused-35306630

Holyrood's 'impartial' Presiding Officer accused of being biased against John Swinney's opponents

Alison Johnstone, formerly of the Scottish Greens, threw former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross out of the Holyrood Chamber on Thursday without even giving him a warning beforehand.

David Walker

29 MAY 2025

The Scottish Parliament's "impartial" Presiding Officer has been accused of being biased against the Scottish Tories in a bombshell claim. Alison Johnstone chucked former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross out of the Holyrood Chamber on Thursday during First Minister's Questions.

She said he was guilty of "persistently refusing" to abide by parliamentary rules and asked him to "leave this Chamber, and you are excluded for the rest of the day." Mr Ross sat in his seat before Ms Johnstone interrupted proceedings to give him his marching orders again.

Mr Ross had shouted "deflection" when John Swinney brought up Brexit in a bid to defend the Scottish Government's poor record on climate change. He has landed himself in hot water with the Presiding Officer repeatedly over the last few weeks as he challenged the SNP on the likes of wage rises and heckled the First Minister to answer questions instead of deflecting.

But he hit back at his red card, which came without any prior warnings, highlighting that this showed that Ms Johnstone may not be as neutral as she should be. He suggested that if she doesn't provide a proper explanation for his ban then he will be "exploring all options" which includes a potential vote of no confidence in her.

He was quizzed by journalists about the incident and suggested that her Scottish Greens background may have made her biased towards the Unionist side of the Chamber, He said: "You've got to look at Alison Johnstone, formerly being a Green Party member, saying that she would leave her party allegiances at the door, but taking very different approaches to nationalist politicians who step out of line compared to Unionist politicians who step out of line.

"When John Swinney said the Conservatives were a disgusting party, she sat and looked blank, thinking that's perfectly acceptable whereas 20 minutes earlier in that session, Russell Findlay had been told off for daring to call the Green Party names. And if I truly wanted to be kicked out, I would have been kicked out back then because I was extremely frustrated by Alison Johnstone's decisions on that particular day.

"And since then, she's done nothing to prove to me that she is going to be neutral, as we would expect." He added that he has written to both her and the parliament's Chief Executive to raise his concerns and their response would lead to the next steps, which could be a vote of no confidence in Ms Johnstone.

Following the exchange, a Scottish Tory spokesman said: "The Presiding Officer has shown a consistent pattern to favour certain parties at the expense of others. We will be seeking discussions to reiterate that the Presiding Officer should not show blatant bias."

It is not the first time the Tories have been unfairly on the receiving end of a dusting down from Ms Johnstone. Earlier this month leader Russell Findlay was rebuked for name calling when he criticised the Scottish Greens, calling them "dangerous fanatics" but no action was taken when Mr Swinney called the Conservatives "disgusting."

A Scottish Parliament spokeswoman said: “The Presiding Officer has warned Mr Ross on repeated occasions recently about his behaviour in the Chamber. Due to his persistent refusal to respect the rules of Parliament, the Member was asked to leave the Chamber. This suspension is for the remainder of the day.”

>>23122629

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/nicola-sturgeon-snp-made-wear-35331587

Nicola Sturgeon and SNP made us wear face masks for two years in panic over PPE shortages

EXCLUSIVE: The man who was in charge of PPE procurement in 2020 admitted the Scottish Government wanted to prevent panic-buying of higher-grade masks and so ordered the public to wear cloth face coverings

Mark Howarth

4 JUN 2025

SNP Ministers ordered Scots to wear face masks during the pandemic because they panicked about running out of PPE for the NHS, a senior official has admitted.

For almost two years, it was the law to wear a covering in public with Nicola Sturgeon insisting it was necessary to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

However, the real reason for the initial order to mask up was because of a dire shortage of protective equipment for medics and the Scottish Government feared a run on what little supply was left.

The revelation is contained in a written statement to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry by the official who was in charge of PPE procurement as the crisis unfolded. Paul Cackette’s testimony will raise further concerns that the public was not being told the truth by ministers during the early days of the pandemic.

Questions remain about how key decisions were arrived at because many pivotal figures deleted their WhatsApp messages from the time from their phones.

Last night, Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “It shouldn’t be left to senior SNP government officials to reveal the truth about decisions at the start of the pandemic. However, that is the position we are in due to the scandalous industrial scale deletion of WhatsApp messages by senior figures including Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney.(Whatsapp messages easily recoverable with an order to Meta. Why has such a thing not been done?

“Scots deserve answers as to why there was such contradictory public health messaging from the SNP and if they have bothered to learn any lessons about clearly being ill-prepared when Covid struck.”

Senior civil servant Mr Cackette told the inquiry it became clear in early 2020, when the virus arrived, that there were few medical-grade respirators – known as FFP3 masks - available for the NHS. To prevent the public panic-buying meagre supplies online, it was agreed that all Scots should be advised - and then forced - to wear a lower-grade covering.

He wrote: “Face masks are not PPE. I had a role in inputting to policy thinking around the move to encouraging and mandating the use of face masks in public to seek to ensure that members of the public would not buy up face-related PPE and hence create a shortage for NHS workers who are assessed as needing for example FFP mask PPE.

“With that in mind, flexible advice was issued as to what face protection would be helpful and recommended (ie certain scarves might be enough). This was in part to address that concern. In due course though the standard basic form of face mask (or home-made varieties) became the norm and this reduced such concerns.”

Evidence for masks was 'relatively weak'

When the pandemic began, the Scottish Government’s national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch at first insisted that face coverings would be powerless to stop the spread of the virus. But, in accordance with Mr Cackette’s testimony, ministers changed their tune in late April 2020.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for all Scots to wear a covering, claiming it “may reduce the risk of … transmitting the virus to others" even though officials admitted the evidence remained “relatively weak”.

And she then made it a legal requirement in July 2020, though didn’t mention PPE shortages as a reason when she announced the new diktat in one of her daily press conferences.

She told the nation: ”I am asking everybody to stick to the law - not from fear of enforcement, but because it is the right thing to do. It is one of the ways in which we can show care for and solidarity with each other – and allow each other to live less restricted lives, without seeing a resurgence in the virus. So please, everybody, comply with this, because it is for the good of all of us – it will help keep us safe and protect everybody.”

>>23122771

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

Coverings remained mandatory in schools until February 2022 and in indoor public places for a further two months. In England, they were only a legal requirement between July 2020 and July 2021 and then again between November 2021 and January 2022.

There has been conflicting evidence around whether coverings are effective in preventing the spread of Covid-19. Mr Cackette was the Scottish Government’s Director of PPE and then of Outbreak Management between April 2020 and January 2021, when he retired.

NHS Scotland was ill-prepared for the arrival of Covid-19 in early 2020. In emails previously released under Freedom of Information laws, NHS bosses admitted they only had 37,800 FFP3 masks available because most of the stock had gone out of date.

Normally, that would have been enough to supply medics for nine months – but it would have lasted less than a week during the pandemic. The expired stock was later sent to the frontline following safety tests.

SNP ministers were also accused of covering up the first outbreak of Covid-19 at a Nike conference in Edinburgh in February 2020, in which around 25 people were infected. Details only emerged months later as part of a BBC documentary. Ms Sturgeon later admitted the decision to keep quiet about it was probably wrong but denied there had been a cover-up.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are committed to responding to both the Scottish Covid-19 and UK Covid-19 inquiries, as learning lessons from the pandemic is vital to prepare for the future. It would be inappropriate to comment on the detail of evidence being considered by either Inquiry while hearings are ongoing.”

>>22921030

>>22921036

>>22921019

>>23100989

>>23100973

From previous board^

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/alison-johnstone-refuses-correct-holyrood-35336513

Alison Johnstone refuses to correct Holyrood record after being caught 'not telling the truth'

Holyrood's Presiding Officer was asked twice by former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross to correct her 'untrue' statement that she didn't receive any requests from him to meet after she was accused of being biased against his party.

David Walker

4 JUN 2025

Holyrood's Presiding Officer refused to apologise or correct the record after allegedly being caught out "not telling the truth" during her clashes with former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross. Alison Johnstone was given the opportunity to come clean about why she told MSPs on Tuesday that she hadn't refused to meet with him.

She brushed off criticism and highlighted that she was planning to meet both Mr Ross and current Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay on Wednesday night. It comes after she was accused of being biased against the Tories after a number of incidents in recent weeks.

She chucked Mr Ross out of the Holyrood Chamber without prior warning last Thursday after he heckled John Swinney for not answering straightforward questions about the SNP's push for net zero. Just a few weeks ago, Mr Findlay was rebuked for calling the Scottish Greens "fanatics," while the First Minister was freely allowed to call the Tories "disgusting."

Questions have been raised about whether Ms Johnstone was showing her party affiliations during heated clashes at First Minister Questions. She was elected as a Green MSP in 2021, with Mr Ross suggesting that the Unionist/Nationalist divide was the reason behind his alleged ill treatment.

The row rumbled on this week with Mr Ross using a point of order to suggest that the Presiding Officer was not acting in a "neutral manner." He said: "Following your decision to remove me from the chamber last Thursday, I have made several requests to meet with you to discuss this. So far you have refused all requests.”

Ms Johnstone suggested on Tuesday she had not received any of these requests, but Mr Ross pointed out on Wednesday that the Parliament's Chief Executive confirmed to have that he discussed a request with her last Thursday. He demanded that she at least correct the record.

But the Presiding Officer dismissed these calls, saying: "I have indeed offered to meet you later today and I look forward to that, and I intend also to meet with Mr Findlay. Last Thursday, I told the Chief Executive that I wish to meet with Mr Findlay as a matter of priority given the nature of events subsequent to my decision to ask you to leave the Chambers.

"Requests were made to meet Mr Findlay on Thursday and they were declined. Last Thursday, the Chief Executive told me that he had declined your request to meet with him, and if possible, with me, as he was aware that I was seeking to meet Mr Findlay. I therefore considered that matter closed.

"Your subsequent request to the Chief Executive's Office to meet me on Tuesday morning was dealt with by my office as I was unavailable due to long-standing parliamentary commitments and I was not aware of that request."

Mr Ross pointed out that this still meant that she had made a false statement on Tuesday as she "specifically said you were not aware of any requests." He asked her again to "correct the record from yesterday" but once again Ms Johnstone refused to do so, stating: "I do not regard an email to the Chief Executive to another office, which was mentioned to me in passing, in which I am mentioned in passing, as a specific request to me to meet me."

>>23122629

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/comment/asked-covid-inquiry-not-publish-35348985#source=breaking-news

I asked the Covid Inquiry NOT to publish my statements.. but I still hope the truth WILL come out

Whistleblowing former nurse LESLEY ROBERTS explains why she has decided to request that her statements to the Scottish Covid Inquiry are not put into the public domain… or not yet anyway!

Lesley Roberts

6 JUN 2025

During Covid I worked two days a week as a Registered Nurse in the mental health wards within Inverclyde. I had been the Infection Link Control Nurse for years and that was part of my nursing role. The other two days were spent as a Unite the Union Rep and I was qualified, accredited and elected in General Workplace, Equality and Diversity and Health and Safety board wide.

When the Scottish Covid inquiry and the UK Covid inquiry were launched I submitted evidence to both of them and duly applied for Core Participant (CP) status. I was denied that important status on both occasions. Given the evidence that I had compiled and duly presented, I found that very concerning. I also questioned the terms of reference and why particular groups appeared to supersede others.

Earlier this year you may have read that the Scottish Covid inquiry intended to make my two statements public. However, might I take the time to reflect. Firstly, you will be aware that I was supposed to be giving oral evidence this time last year and that opportunity was removed by the inquiry itself, only days before I was due to be on the stand.

Let's look at why all of that happened. The statements takers had come to the house to take the first statement which encompassed what had happened to my late mum and the second statement regarding the evidence which encompassed my roles as Registered Nurse and Unite the Union Rep, was given online. However, both statements were held back and not sent to me for sign off until the very last minute.

That caused many issues because both of the statements were diluted and did not resemble the evidence that had been given. I spent copious time putting them right and literally had to rewrite them. I was exhausted by the time they were resubmitted in a way that was easily understood and actually resembled the truth about what happened during Covid. It was then even more concerning when only two hours after the rewritten statements were submitted I was removed from the inquiry on the back on a Facebook post that I had made.

I had absolutely no idea that the inquiry were monitoring my social media account and I found this to be very disturbing. When I raised my genuine concerns about this, the inquiry legal team advised me to appeal the decision regarding the removal. However, before my appeal was even submitted they announced their decision to remove me. At no point had I contacted anyone within the Covid inquiry in relation to any type of "resignation". They simply read a post I made out of frustration and decided that I was resigning!

Time passed and to be honest I spent my time and efforts concentrating on the criminal case as part of "Operation Koper". I dedicated my time and energy to that submission and did not reflect on the inquiry or what had happened. I felt that the inquiry had no real jurisdiction to do anything but "lessons learned" and that was never going to be good enough. I was genuinely quite surprised when the inquiry contacted me and informed me that they intended to make both my rewritten statements public.

I duly contacted Police Scotland in my quest to seek out guidance as to whether this could damage the criminal case. Police Scotland took weeks to respond and then referred this entire situation to senior Counsel at the Crown Office. Given the length of time they took to come back and the trajectory that they took, I was in a quandary. Finally they gave permission for redacted statements to go out into the public domain.

However, I felt genuinely uneasy about this. I did not want to jeopardise the criminal case in any way whatsoever. I subsequently made the decision that the criminal case should come first and I informed the Scottish Covid inquiry that I wanted nothing more to do with them and I asked them to remove both statements from their evidence and from public view.

>>23137045

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

'It's all just dust in the wind'

One day in the future I fully intend to release both the statements and police productions, in full. The public have the right to read as to what went on. However, first we need to give Police Scotland the time they need to finish their enquiries. I hope that the full evidence that I have submitted will one day be heard in court because it needs to be heard in a public arena by those who have legal jurisdiction to do far more than "lessons learned". Politicians and senior public servants should also be accountable when they break the law and should be made to answer for their crimes.

The public need to hear the truth and yet all we seem to hear about is cover ups and lies. I went into this pandemic a slightly naive person who thought that those in charge actually cared for the people of Scotland. However, five years later I came out a very different person who is far more switched on to the corrupt system and how the entire system is geared up to avoid accountability and scrutiny. When I listen to the SNP telling all that they care for the people of Scotland, I now know that it is all dust in the wind and they are they are only interested in themselves and what they can get out of it.

Let's see how the future judges those who made the decisions and one day people might actually realise the work I put into trying to save lives. This was not political at the start, but I ended up loathing those who put the most vulnerable at risk. That is not what the Equality Act 2010 stipulated and I note something called "protected characteristics". Why were particular vulnerable groups puts at risk? Why were the government keen to delete their Covid messages? Why did they grandstand every day without even knowing what they were grandstanding about.

I wonder if Nicola Sturgeon's new book "Frankly" will tell us all about these decisions and why they were made. Does "Frankly" refer to "Frankly my dear I don't give a damn" one wonders? I am surprised she can actually recall.

>>23112638

>>>23112560 Final Abuse Bun Part Two

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/paedo-lawyer-worked-charity-accused-35354567

Paedo lawyer worked at charity accused of ignoring child sex harassment claims

The Scots lawyer also ran a rugby club near Glasgow.

Hannah Rodger

08 Jun 2025

A paedophile lawyer worked for a Government-backed youth charity embroiled in accusations it failed to handle claims of child sexual harassment.

Alan Eccles, from Giffnock near Glasgow, was spared jail after pleading guilty to three charges and sentenced to 300 hours of community service at Paisley Sheriff Court last week.

He admitted to engaging in grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing conversations about the sexual abuse of children, sharing indecent photos of children and an intimate picture of a woman between October 22 and November 14, 2023.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Eccles, 44, worked for the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) as a legal adviser for several years until at least late 2023.

The SYP has come under fire for failing to handle previous allegations of sexual harassment by its young members.

After allegations about a former SYP chief were published by the Sunday Mail in 2022, the organisation vowed to carry out a policy review to ensure it had acted properly on the claims.

The review was done while Eccles was working for it but a spokesman insisted he played no part in the review.

Eccles, who was a partner at law firm Brodies until 2020, was also the director of the Glasgow Hutchesons’ Aloysians Rugby Football Club (GHA RFC) until April this year, resigning just weeks before admitting to his vile child sex abuse crimes.

During his time at the club he was involved in governance reviews for the organisation.

A spokesman for the SYP said: “Alan Eccles served as an external legal adviser to the SYP executive and board until late 2023. At no point did he interface with the broader SYP membership or any member data.

“While none of the charges relate to SYP, we have continually strengthened our safeguarding guidelines and procedures in line with evolving national child protection policies.”

Eccles will be on the sex offenders’ register for three years. He remains registered as a solicitor according to the Law Society of Scotland’s website.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/t1pGy52JPoo

Edinburgh University principal 'doesn't know exact salary'

>>23112638

>>>23112565 Final Covid and Other Pestilence Bun

>>23112573 Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Three

>>23112575 NHS Corruption Scandal Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-john-swinney-would-35334465

Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney would face criminal record over WhatsApp deletions under crackdown

The former First Minister and her successor have refused to apologise for deleting their informal correspondence during the Covid pandemic.

David Walker

4 JUN 2025

Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney would face criminal records under a new crackdown on secrecy scandals which have engulfed the SNP. Ministers who delete their WhatsApp messages about government business could face fines and a tarnished record, although the bill is being brought in to late to have an impact on secretive Nats.

Politicians could face punishments of fines up to £5000 due to a new bill being introduced by Scottish Labour MSP Katy Clark. It has been proposed following concerns about a lack of disciplinary process for leading SNP Ministers who confessed they had wiped their correspondence during the pandemic.

Both Mr Swinney and Ms Sturgeon refused to apologise for deleting their informal correspondence which included details of how they ruled Scotland as the virus took hold. They insisted they were only following Scottish Government guidance, although the likes of Kate Forbes and Humza Yousaf retained theirs.

Families of those who died during Covid were left furious after the former First Minister broke her televised promise to ensure she'd hand over all the information asked for. It led to the government changing rules to ban the use of WhatsApp on government-issued devices.

Ms Clark wants to improve transparency in public life through her new bill, with it becoming a criminal offence to deliberately or recklessly wipe WhatsApp messages about government business. The penalties would apply to Ministers and public officials subject to freedom of information laws.

She told the Daily Record: "It's completely unacceptable for politicians and officials to wipe WhatsApps, texts, and other messages about the work of government and public bodies. Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney still have very serious questions to answer about the disappearance of all of their WhatsApp messages about the SNP's handling of the Covid pandemic.

“Their explanations about the unavailability of these messages is simply not good enough given the lives lost and the catastrophic decision to admit infected patients into care homes at the height of the Covid outbreak.”

She added: “Nicola Sturgeon, in particular, has offered up remarkably similar excuses to Boris Johnson when failing to provide WhatsApp messages from her phone to the Covid public inquiry. My Freedom of Information Reform Scotland bill will tackle this head-on. This new legislation will make it a criminal offence to deliberately or recklessly erase anything in advance that could be requested under freedom of information laws.

“Nicola Sturgeon's and John Swinney's disappearing WhatsApp messages speak volumes about their party's contempt for the public's right to know about what were quite literally life and death decisions made by the government. Making leaders and ministers who attempt to defeat freedom of information legislation by wiping WhatsApps criminally responsible is long overdue.”

Ms Sturgeon told the UK Covid Inquiry that she did not undertake "substantive" government business on WhatsApp as she defended deleting her messages. She said: "There would be nothing in those communications that was not available to either the inquiry or the public, through the record of the Scottish government, or indeed in the very detailed public statements that were being made every day.”

But her senior adviser Liz Lloyd's messages revealed that they did discuss government policy in private chats. Mr Swinney also confirmed that he had "deleted material after I have made sure any relevant information was placed on the official record of the government”.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: "Scotland has the most open and far-reaching Freedom of Information legislation in the UK. As this Member’s Bill has now been introduced, it will be scrutinised by Parliament and we will consider its detail.”

>>23112638

>>>23112568 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/one-three-scots-would-abolish-35335207

One in three Scots would abolish Holyrood as support grows for movement amid SNP failures

David Walker

4 JUN 2025

A shock new poll revealed that one in three Scots would like to see the Scottish Parliament abolished as a grassroots movement to campaign for this grows in support. Eighteen years of SNP failures have led to concerns about whether having a separate parliament to Westminster works.

Surveys have pinpointed increasing support for ending devolution and returning full powers to the Scotland Office and the House of Commons, reverting back to pre-1999. There are no political parties in Scotland currently advocating for this, with Nigel Farage also ruling it out on Monday.

Eight years ago just one in five Scottish voters supported the abolition of the Scottish Parliament. Last year, a poll recorded satisfaction with devolution at just 50%, with 26% of voters and 49% of Unionist voters expressing disillusionment with how it has went.

Now, a Norstat poll for pro-independence blogger Wings Over Scotland put support for abolishing Holyrood at 37%, although this was linked to breaking up the UK. Voters were asked to choose between Scexit and Scotland remaining in the UK without a devolved parliament, with more than six in ten (63%) opting for independence.

Spectator blogger Stephen Daisley wrote about this: "The Scottish Parliament might continue to enjoy clear majority support but it ought to trouble devolutionists that one in three Scots would shutter the damn thing tomorrow. That level of democratic discontentment is not healthy and nor is the refusal of the political class even to acknowledge the problem."

"There is nothing wrong with thinking that Scotland is run better from Edinburgh than from Westminster, and that while independence would be ideal partial autonomy is preferable to no autonomy at all. In fact, it’s a thoroughly reasonable point of view – but it’s not nationalism."

A new movement was founded last month based on abolishing Holyrood, with plans in place to create a political party and campaign on this ahead of the 2026 election. It wrote: "We are currently in the process of registering as a party that will run in the 2026 Scottish elections on the regional list vote on a single line manifesto to #AbolishHolyrood and return funding and power to local Scottish communities."

It currently has 2,315 followers on X. A prominent right-wing MP also backed these calls, with former Reform and now independent MP Rupert Lowe writing: "It’s time to scrap the Scottish Parliament - a bloated, taxpayer-funded talking shop that duplicates what MPs already do. Waste of time, waste of money. With the English being unfairly treated, again. Abolish the Scottish Parliament."

The SNP insisted that Mr Farage and Reform wanted to abolish Holyrood but this suggestion was rejected by him during his whistlestop tour in Scotland. He told the Scottish Daily Express that "devolution was here to stay" but that the Barnett formula needed to be updated.

He earlier told a press conference: "The Barnett Formula, it seems to me, is really somewhat out of date. What I’d like to see is a Scottish Government that is able to raise a bit more of its own revenue and a Scottish economy that has actually got genuine growth, and I don’t think that can happen without this sector (oil and gas) booming. The Barnett Formula goes back to the 1970s. Is there an argument that it should be looked at again? Of course there is."

>>23112638

>>>23112560 Final Abuse Bun Part Two

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/sick-mum-arranged-sex-offender-35303360

Sick mum arranged for sex offender to stay at her home to abuse daughter

The woman planned for him to stay for a week while her husband was away, a court was told.

Lee Grimsditch & Isla Storie

29 May 2025

A mum arranged for a registered sex offender to come to her house with the intention of abusing her 12-year-old daughter, a court has heard.

John Davies, 45, had explicit discussions with the woman about the sexual abuse that would take place, with the pair deciding what clothes her daughter would wear and how he intended to use his collection of sex toys on her.

The plans were made for him to stay at the woman's house in Birmingham for a week while her husband was away, with him adding the young girl would be "sore by the end of the week".

Following his appearance at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Davies, from Fenton, Staffordshire, has been handed an extended 20-year prison sentence, made up of 14-and-a-half years in custody and five-and-a-half years serving an extended licence.

He had previously served time behind bars in 2016 for offences including attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and attempted sexual activity with a child under 16, Manchester Evening News reports.

He breached the Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) on five occasions between 2022 and 2023. Last April, he told his offender manager he had a second mobile phone and needed help.

Police recovered the phone from a kitchen cupboard, and analysed its contents. It held 132 indecent images of children which were category A, the most serious, with another 35 at category B and 77 at category C.

Prosecutor Josh Daley said: "The images showed young girls, aged six to nine, being raped and in pain. The defendant was asked what age he likes and he said, 'Ideally seven to 10 being f*'.

He used 15 instant messaging services, using usernames without telling the police. The court heard he engaged in a chat on the app Kik, but it was unclear whether she was a child.

However, the most serious charge involved his plans with the woman in Birmingham to sexually abuse her young daughter.

Mr Daley said: "He sent a picture of his sex toy collection and discussed how he would use gags, restraints and a collar. He said, 'It is a fantasy of mine. I want somebody to give me a chance'. He also sent a category A image of a child aged between seven and nine."

Paul Cliff, mitigating, said it was Davies' honesty in telling his offender manager about the second phone which brought about the convictions, adding no physical abuse took place on the girl.

Judge Graeme Smith said in his view Davies was 'undoubtedly dangerous'. He said: "You discussed at length in disgustingly graphic detail what you intended to do to the woman's 12-year-old daughter."

The judge added there was further degradation and humiliation intended to the victim through the use of sex toys.

Davies admitted to arranging the commission of a child sex offence (rape of a child under 13), attempted sexual communication with a child, distributing a class A indecent image of a child, three charges of making indecent images of children, and three charges of breaching a SHPO.

A jury later found him guilty of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence - rape or assault by penetration of a child under 13.

He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for life.

>>23112638

>>>23112568 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

>>23112638

>>>23112573 Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Three

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czel4nd0yxpo

Death inquiry chairman defends meeting Sheku Bayoh's family

Andrew Picken & David Cowan

11 June 2025

A former judge has said the family of a man who died in police custody would have "walked out" from the £50m public inquiry into his death if he had not held annual meetings with them.

Lord Bracadale held five private meetings with the family of Sheku Bayoh, who died after being restrained by police in Kirkcaldy in 2015.

But lawyers acting for the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), which represents rank and file officers, claim the meetings have "torpedoed the independence of the chair" and called for him to step down.

Lord Bracadale said Mr Bayoh's family's participation in the inquiry was of the greatest importance and the process would be "seriously undermined" without them.

The former judge has been leading the inquiry since 2020 and held a hearing in Edinburgh to allow core participants to make submissions on his conduct in relation to the family meetings.

After this he will make a ruling on his own position at a later date.

If he decides to stay in post, the police federation has said it will seek to challenge the decisions in Scotland's civil courts via a process known as a judicial review.

The inquiry has so far cost £24.8m, with an additional £24.3m spent by Police Scotland, including £17.3m of legal costs.

In a statement published on the inquiry website, Lord Bracadale said that retaining the confidence of the family was in the public interest, which was why he decided to meet them on an annual basis.

He added: "I consider that, if I had not had meetings with them, there is a high probability that they would have stopped participating and would have walked out of the inquiry."

He said the meetings were private but he did not consider them secret. On a number of occasions, the inquiry and the family had referred to them in public.

They did not discuss evidence during the meetings and if it came up, he would move on and change the subject.

Police concerns over inquiry independence

Roddy Dunlop KC, dean of the Faculty of Advocates, is representing the police federation and two of the officers involved in the incident which ended with Mr Bayoh's death.

He told the hearing: "These meetings were, in almost their entirety, completely inappropriate.

"They were doubtless well meaning, they were doubtless arranged with the best of intentions, but, with the greatest of respect, they were spectacularly ill-advised and have torpedoed the independence of the chair."

Dan Byrne KC, representing three of the police officers taking part in the inquiry, added: "An opportunity to develop a personal rapport and relationship was given only to the family.

"An opportunity, which was taken, to advocate and persuade was given only to the family. As the officers explained to me yesterday, the chair has no idea who we are, we are just white officers."

'Lost confidence in the chair'

The SPF made its submission along with PCs Nicole Short and Craig Walker, two of the officers involved in the incident in 2015.

They said they had the "greatest respect" for Lord Bracadale and were not seeking to cast doubt on his integrity.

They felt the meetings were "the result of a well-intentioned desire to assist the family of Mr Bayoh in navigating the inquiry."

The submission said the federation and two officers "have regrettably lost confidence in the chair".

The SPF has said that none of the other core participants were made aware that Lord Bracadale was meeting the family and the details of what was said have not been disclosed.

A submission on behalf of Scotland's solicitor general, Ruth Charteris KC, who is deputy head of the country's prosecution body and a legal adviser to the Scottish government, concludes the "procedure followed by the inquiry was unfair".

It added: "This submission has come to the view that the concerns about apparent bias, about the risk of the appearance of influence on the chair, and about unfairness require to be acknowledged as valid".

However, the submission does not support calls for Lord Bracadale's recusal.

>>23170970

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Sheku Bayoh's family arrived at the inquiry with their solicitor, Aamer Anwar.

A statement issued on behalf of the family said: "We are clear that not one party has come close to showing that the chair has broken any rules and acted with bias.

"The circumstances in which the chair met the family could not have been any less private – there were solicitors for the inquiry and family present, counsel for both and also on occasion administrative staff."

Speaking outside the hearing, Mr Bayoh's sister, Kadi Johnson, said: "My brother did not deserve to die. All we want now is justice. So now the world is watching, Scotland is listening and we, the family, are waiting for justice."

Mark Moir KC, representing the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, said "there will be no winners or losers in a public inquiry", and that it is "a relatively common feature of a public inquiry" for the chair to meet families involved, as he rejected calls for Lord Bracadale to step down.

Acting for the family, Claire Mitchell KC said chairs of other inquiries, including the Victoria Climbie Inquiry, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, and both Covid-19 Inquiries, had met with families involved.

She said: "Chairs meet with family members on a regular basis and that is something which has been endorsed."

How did Sheku Bayoh die?

The inquiry has been examining what happened before and during the death of Sheku Bayou, who died in police custody. It has been looking at how the police dealt with the aftermath, the investigation into Mr Bayoh's death and whether race was a factor.

Members of the public called the police after Mr Bayoh was spotted carrying a knife and behaving erratically in the streets of Kirkcaldy on 3 May 2015.

He was not carrying the knife when officers arrived at the scene but a violent confrontation followed, with up to six officers restraining the 31-year-old on the ground.

The father-of-two lost consciousness and later died in hospital.

>>23112638

>>>23112565 Final Covid and Other Pestilence Bun

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvk9zxy8plo

Vaccine against gonorrhoea to roll out in Scotland

A new vaccine against gonorrhoea will be rolled out in Scotland in August following a UK-wide rise in cases.

The illness, which is the second most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Scotland is potentially painful and in rare cases can be life-threatening.

Scottish cases have risen in recent years, with 5,999 infections in 2023 - a rise of 59% from before the Covid pandemic.

Those eligible for the vaccine will include gay and bisexual men at highest risk of infection, as well those involved in selling or exchanging sex, regardless of their gender.

Those most affected by gonorrhoea in the UK are those aged 16 to 25, gay and bisexual men, and those of black and Caribbean ancestry.

The vaccine, which is 30-40% effective, is also being delivered in England and Northern Ireland.

Doctors and charities called for vaccinations earlier this year after the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended a targeted roll-out in November 2023.

The Scottish government is funding the vaccination programme north of the border.

Public Health Minister Jenny Minto said the campaign was "urgent and timely since the number of diagnoses has been high and the disease is becoming increasingly difficult to treat with antibiotics".

She added: "The science tells us that this vaccine will potentially protect thousands of people and prevent the spread of infection.

"Anything which stops people from contracting gonorrhoea in the first place can have huge benefits, including ensuring our health system remains resilient by reducing the amount of treatment needed."

Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, head of the vaccination and immunisation division at Public Health Scotland, said the jab was a "welcome new intervention".

He said: "This vaccination programme is expected to help control and prevent the spread of gonorrhoea.

"Public Health Scotland is working with the Scottish government and colleagues across NHS boards to finalise plans for the rollout of this targeted vaccination, offering to those at increased risk of gonorrhoea from August 2025."

Is the vaccine effective enough?

The vaccine was not designed for gonorrhoea - it is the meningitis B vaccine currently given to babies.

The bacteria that cause the two diseases are so closely related that the MenB jab appears to cut gonorrhoea cases by around a third.

However, it will not eliminate the risk of catching gonorrhoea - it is normally caught while having sex without a condom.

Prof Andrew Pollard, the chair of the JCVI which recommended the vaccine, said despite it only being 30% effective, it was "worth having" and could have "a huge impact" overall.

Gonorrhoea is also becoming increasingly difficult to treat.

Most cases are treated with a single dose of antibiotics, but there is an 80-year history of the bacterium which causes gonorrhoea repeatedly evolving resistance to antibiotics.

This is also happening to current treatments and is why some doctors are concerned gonorrhoea could one day become untreatable.

They say the best way to deal with a drug-resistant infection is to never catch it in the first place.

>>23171019

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y5lwlxxp5o

Vaccination plea after measles cases rise in Scotland

28 May 2025

Health chiefs are warning of the risks of measles after more cases were recorded in Scotland in the first five months of the year than the whole of 2024.

As of 28 May there have been 26 laboratory-confirmed cases of the highly infectious disease, which is on the rise around the world.

Two years ago there was just one case of measles in Scotland but last year that rose to 24 laboratory-confirmed cases.

Although the numbers remain small, health experts are concerned that low vaccination rates in some areas could lead to many more cases.

Measles is a highly contagious disease which is spread by coughs and sneezes.

The virus can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling and death.

The World Health Organization said children under the age of five accounted for more than 40% of the cases reported in Europe and central Asia.

In March, it reported that the number of measles cases in Europe was at its highest level for 25 years.

WHO regional director Henri Kluge called it a "wake-up call".

"Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security," he said.

Helen Benson, consultant in public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said there had been an increase in cases across Scotland.

"We have already seen more this year than the whole of last year," she said.

"In Glasgow we have seen several cases since the start of the year and in recent weeks we have seen a small number within the Govanhill area.

"We are potentially aware that there may be some transmission in the local community so our efforts now are to minimise the number of further cases."

She said the health board was focusing its campaign on increasing levels of the MMR vaccine in the area.

The vaccine is generally given in two doses in Scotland: the first between 12 and 13 months and the second at three years four months.

Health experts say the vaccine - which immunises people against measles, mumps and rubella - is 97% effective in fighting off the dangerous virus.

Uptake in Scotland remains high, with 90% of children having two doses by the age of six.

However, WHO recommends at least 95% of children are vaccinated.

Across Scotland vaccination rates have fallen slightly in recent years with public health officials believing vaccine fatigue or misinformation plays a role.

Govanhill, one of the most diverse areas of Scotland, is one of several areas in Glasgow that has lower MMR vaccination rates.

Ms Benson said: "We've got a population that speaks many languages. For many English is not the first language.

"So sometimes that has meant they may have had difficulty engaging with the NHS."

She said the health board had launched a communication campaign across several languages and was using community peer workers to encourage people to take up the opportunity of any MMR vaccinations they may have missed.The vaccine is generally given in two doses in Scotland: the first between 12 and 13 months and the second at three years four months.

Health experts say the vaccine - which immunises people against measles, mumps and rubella - is 97% effective in fighting off the dangerous virus.

Uptake in Scotland remains high, with 90% of children having two doses by the age of six.

However, WHO recommends at least 95% of children are vaccinated.

Across Scotland vaccination rates have fallen slightly in recent years with public health officials believing vaccine fatigue or misinformation plays a role.

Govanhill, one of the most diverse areas of Scotland, is one of several areas in Glasgow that has lower MMR vaccination rates.

Ms Benson said: "We've got a population that speaks many languages. For many English is not the first language.

"So sometimes that has meant they may have had difficulty engaging with the NHS."

She said the health board had launched a communication campaign across several languages and was using community peer workers to encourage people to take up the opportunity of any MMR vaccinations they may have missed.

>>23171074

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

Ms Benson added: "Measles can be a very serious infection.

"Approximately one in five cases end up in hospital.

"Many of those may require intensive care, and it can lead to lifelong complications, for example, hearing loss, sight loss and inflammation of the brain."

She said some people were more susceptible to complications from measles than others, including small babies under the age of one, pregnant women and people with immunosuppression.

"It is important to get the vaccine not just for yourself but for the people around you," she said.

Yvonne McAuley is one of the staff nurses who run the immunisation team which has set up a pop-up vaccine clinic in Govanhill.

She said it could be difficult to get clients to come to an appointment because of barriers such as language, fear or misinformation.

"We are very passionate about our job because we know what the outcome could be if the kids don't get immunised," she added.

Ms McAuley said the team was doing everything it could to boost numbers, from providing interpreters and drop-in clinics to giving people who were apprehensive more time for their appointment.

Maryam Chaudhry and her husband Arfan Ali spoke to BBC Scotland News as they brought their one-year-old baby, Liya, for her MMR jab at the clinic.

"If it can benefit my child and her wellbeing, I will get it done," Maryam said.

"It is to protect her."

>>23112638

>>>23112573 Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Three

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz632newp2no

Four jailed over 'outrageous' £6m NHS contract fraud

Catriona Renton & James Delaney

5 June 2025

Four men have been jailed over a £6m NHS contract fraud described as "outrageous" by investigators.

Gavin Brown and Adam Sharoudi used their connections with senior health service employees Gavin Cox and Alan Hush to obtain lucrative telecoms contracts between 2010 and 2017.

An investigation into Oricom Ltd, established by Brown and Sharoudi, found Hush and Cox gave the firm "commercially sensitive information" in return for £88,000 worth of cash, gifts and holidays.

Oricom directors Brown, 48, and Sharoudi, 41, were jailed for seven and eight years respectively, while Hush, 68, and Cox, 60, were jailed for eight and six years.

Sentencing, Lord Arthurson said evidence given by each of the men was "self-serving, arrogant and mendacious", adding they had "subverted public trust in NHS management".

The group's crimes were only uncovered after the theft of two NHS-issued mobile phones, which led to thousands of text messages and emails being discovered on multiple laptops, computers and mobiles.

A 16-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow heard Oricom did "acquire, use and possess" a total of £5,719,244 of "criminal property" paid for by NHS Lothian, NHS Grampian, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as well as NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

One single contract was worth £3.1m, the trial was told.

Oricom's offices were raided by investigators from NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services in 2015 following concerns into how the deals were secured.

What do we know about the guilty men?

Gavin Brown, 48

Forty-eight-year-old from Prestwick in Ayrshire

Founded Oricom Ltd in Irvine, Ayrshire, in 2008

The company secured contracts for the supply and maintenance of telecoms and video conferencing equipment

Guilty of six charges and sentenced to seven years in prison

Also banned from being a company director for the next 10 years

Adam Sharoudi, 41

Forty-one-year-old from Motherwell, Lanarkshire

Became a director of Oricom Ltd after it was founded by Gavin Brown

Guilty of seven charges and sentenced to eight years in prison

Also banned from being a company director for the next 10 years

Gavin Cox, 60

Sixty-year-old from Cathcart, Glasgow

Head of IT and infrastructure at NHS Lanarkshire

Sentenced to six years in prison

Court heard he was given hospitality to the Scottish Grand National in Ayr; a night at the Loch Green Hotel in Troon and a meal at Elliots in Prestwick

He also received thousands of pounds worth of Barrhead Travel holiday vouchers which allowed him to go on trips to New York and Lanzarote.

>>23171284

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

Alan Hush, 68

Sixty-eight-year-old from Leith in Edinburgh

Was a senior health service employee who had been telecommunications manager at NHS Lothian and then NHS Scotland's video conferencing manager

Guilty of nine charges and sentenced to eight years in prison

Pocketed £18,231 in cash and gifts

The court heard he received Eurostar train tickets; stays at the Troy and Re Hotels in London; a laptop and iPad; meals, and concert tickets to see Paul Simon, Rufus Wainwright and Patti Smith

Oricom contracts

Brown founded Oricom in a shed in Irvine, Ayrshire in 2008 and Sharoudi later joined as a director.

Sharoudi became friends with senior health service employee Hush.

A text exchange between Sahroudi and Hush, who was described during the trial as "the big cheese" in the NHS telecoms department, showed how the NHS manager wanted to "earn some commission".

Hush claimed that had been a joke and any money he received had come from his late father.

But the court found he "ferreted about" in a "deception" to obtain false "dodgy" quotes to help the firm get the lucrative business.

In return he was handed Eurostar train tickets, stays at the Troy and Re Hotels in London, a laptop, an iPad, meals, and concert tickets to see Paul Simon, Rufus Wainwright and Patti Smith for his part in helping Oricom secure the contracts.

Cox, of Cathcart, Glasgow was head of IT and infrastructure at NHS Lanarkshire.

He denied giving Oricom the "heads up" with information to give them a "commercial advantage" to secure business.

It was suggested it was "not a level playing field" for other bidders.

Brown had been a guest at Cox's surprise 50th birthday party.

His "rewards" were said to include hospitality at the Scottish Grand National at Ayr, a night at the Loch Green Hotel in Troon and a meal at Elliots in Prestwick.

Jurors heard he also got thousands of pounds worth of Barrhead Travel holiday vouchers which allowed him to go on trips to New York and Lanzarote.

Cox said he believed they were gifts to his wife – a newspaper advertising manager – from Brown's partner who she had become friends with.

He also denied ever getting a series of cash handouts from Oricom.

He used some of the money he was given to pay for an "extension and landscaping" at a property in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, which he claimed had been paid for using an inheritance from his father.

'Taken advantage'

In total, Hush was given £18,231 of cash bungs and gifts, while Cox was handed more than £70,000.

Brown also knew another NHS Lanarkshire telecoms official who has since died.

Among the charges was one that Oricom in effect bribed him to secure work including a near £700,000 deal.

The company is still trading.

Gordon Young, head of NHS Scotland counter-fraud services, described their actions as "outrageous".

He said: "They were in a position of trust within the NHS and they have manipulated the procurement process for their own benefit.

"We hear every single day from politicians and from people that work in the service about how hard folk are working to try and keep things going.

"The vast majority of NHS workers are honest hardworking people who have only got their patients and their services best interest at heart, but these individuals have taken advantage of the system for their own benefit."

'Angry and concerned'

Unison Scotland's head of health, Matt McLaughlin, said the case was an indictment of the "lack of resources" put into countering fraud within the health service.

He said: "Politicians for years have been talking about cutting backroom services, cutting backroom staff to make efficiencies.

"I think the use of private money and private companies in the NHS and in the wider public sector present opportunities for people to behave in this way.

"And that's why we need strong procurement systems. I think it's absolutely right for the public to be angry and concerned."

A Scottish government spokesperson said steps had been taken to "strengthen oversight and accountability" across NHS Boards

They added: "We have reviewed procurement practices and moving toward a single national framework for business conduct to support fraud prevention and deliver greater accountability, as recommended in the Cumberlege Review.

"We will ensure that Scotland's NHS continues to uphold the highest standards of public service and transparency, and that the lessons of this case are learned from."

>>23112638

>>>23112560 Final Abuse Bun Part Two

Screenshots only of this one….far too much text, and a number of hyperlinks

William, George, Billy & Scotch Myths re the Cullen Report on Dunblane

Tom Minogue / October 16, 2017

>>23173066

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>>23173066

>>23173074

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

>>23173082

……………………………………………………………………………………………….continued4……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

https://www.thenational.scot/news/25236648.call-remove-racist-banners-clydebank-bandstand/

Remove 'far-right racist' banners from Clydebank landmark – councillor

A COUNCILLOR has called for banners which have been branded "racist" to be removed from a Clydebank landmark.

Jim Bollan of West Dunbartonshire Community Party will present a motion at the full council meeting next week asking the local authority to take down all banners, posters, flags, flyers, and photos at the bandstand.

"You pay, migrants stay" and "Migrants adored, pensioners ignored" feature on the banners which appear most Wednesdays at the space next to the Clyde Shopping Centre.

In a video posted on YouTube, a logo for Patriotic Alternative, a far-right group, is seen before photos of the banners at the bandstand are shown.

Bollan is asking the council to agree to remove any of these items from the authority-owned landmark that don't have prior written consent.

He has claimed the group congregating there are spreading a "far-right, neo-Nazi and white nationalist" agenda in the town.

Police Scotland has previously stated that they have visited the area on numerous occasions; however, no criminality has been established.

Bollan said: "Patriotic Alternative (PA) is a racist organisation who are not welcome in West Dunbartonshire. They were at the forefront of harassing and intimidating asylum seekers being housed in the hotel in Erskine by the government recently.

"People fleeing violence and possible death in their own country were being bullied and attacked by racist members of the PA because they were non white.

"They are now trying to spread their far right, neo-Nazi, white nationalist agenda in Clydebank and it needs to be confronted by the local council, organisations and the wider community. PA also oppose LGBT rights, which is also divisive and abhorrent.

"We have a diverse community in West Dunbartonshire and we need to ensure that no individual or ethnic group are singled out because of the colour of their skin.

"The Trade Unions have been at the forefront of exposing the racists locally, and we all need to build on their action to drive the racist PA out of West Dunbartonshire".

A statement previously supplied by West Dunbartonshire Council says that without special permission, "notices, posters or flags are not permitted to be affixed to the bandstand and therefore the council can and will remove these".

>>23174738

>>>23174592

>

>Protect all races, nations and ethnicities

>

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhRxAo3xM8s

>

>at the 49 second mark.

>>23174738

>>23112638

>>>23112560 Final Abuse Bun Part Two

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/survivors-fornethy-house-horrors-plead-35386934

Survivors of Fornethy 'House of Horrors' plead for redress as debate taken to Holyrood

"Abuse is still abuse, and what happened at that awful place has had a profound effect on myself and other victims."

Ruth Suter

13 Jun 2025

A survivor of Fornethy 'House of Horrors' has repeated pleas for victims to be given access to the redress scheme after they were snubbed due to their abuse "not being prolonged".

Lynne Sheerin, who was one of hundreds of girls who endured mental, physical, and sexual abuse at the mansion in Kilry, Angus, between 1960 and 1980, said the government's move to block victims from the compensation was "disgusting". Around 200 women earlier came forward to say they were beaten, humiliated, force-fed and sexually assaulted at the hands of staff during their short spell at the all girls' school.

But last year, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes rejected calls from MSPs to allow the women access to compensation from the Scottish Government scheme. The matter was debated at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday afternoon.

The calls of victims were echoed by MSP Maurice Golden.

Lynne, 57, from Glasgow, told the Record: "We were told we won't be getting access to the redress scheme because our abuse didn't go on long enough. Abuse is still abuse, and what happened at that awful place has had a profound effect on myself and other victims.

"We have lost six women in our group to suicide who just couldn't cope with their trauma any longer. To say we cannot access this scheme because our abuse wasn't prolonged is a kick in the teeth, disrespectful and outright insensitive.

"We were put into that school and as children, they had a duty of care for us. Instead, we were battered, force-fed, sexually assaulted and humiliated.

"It disgusts me."

Speaking during the debate in Holyrood on Thursday afternoon, MSP Maurice Golden said: "The Scottish Government should consult on expanding redress to include short-term institutions like Fornethy.

"I know the Scottish Government has previously refused to expand the scheme’s criteria – but I think the public would find it outrageous that compensation was being declined because - in effect - the victims didn’t stay in a place of abuse and cruelty long enough.

"For me, one instance is one too many and will have ramifications for the rest of that child’s life."

Fornethy House was operated by Glasgow Corporation - now Glasgow City Council - a summer school for children of disadvantaged families.

Parents were sold to the idea that their children would be attending the mansion for a "holiday", but instead they were subjected to unimaginable abuse.

The Tory representative for North East Scotland added: "My view is that all victims of abuse should have access to redress no matter the length of time they received it and regardless of how historic that abuse was.

"Let’s remember, those girls were sent to Fornethy by the state - Glasgow Corporation - as it was then - and later Strathclyde Regional Council.

"Those institutions had a duty of care - a long established legal and indeed moral obligation. It is a matter for the courts as well as, in my view, the redress scheme to determine the validity of the harrowing, horrific stories of abuse I have heard."

Lynne, now 57, from Glasgow, was beaten, force-fed, inappropriately touched and mentally abused by staff at the school during her six-week stay in 1975.

>>23177609

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

Many other victims were left too traumatised to tell anyone, even their parents, about the abuse they suffered at the facility.

Glasgow City Council apologised to victims last year.

Speaking at the time, council leader Susan Aitken, speaking on behalf of the local authority, said: “I want to say sorry for any abuse suffered by any children who attended Fornethy House.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “As the Deputy First Minister set out, redress scheme eligibility criteria, agreed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament, was designed for those who were primarily in long-term care during childhood, often isolated with limited or no contact with their families.

"Decisions on individual cases are a matter for Redress Scotland, the independent decision making body.

“While the Scottish Government is restricted in its comments while live criminal proceedings are ongoing, the Deputy First Minister will seek to meet Fornethy House Survivors again at an appropriate time in the future.”

>>23112638

>>>23112568 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/john-swinney-oversaw-11bn-budget-35380405

John Swinney oversaw £1.1bn Budget black hole as he struggles to defend SNP record at FMQs

The First Minister was laughed at when he claimed the SNP were 'business friendly' as he was condemned over the fact Scotland is lagging well behind the rest of the UK when it comes to the economy.

David Walker

12 JUN 2025

John Swinney sparked derision at FMQs on Thursday as he insisted that the SNP Government is "business friendly" despite overseeing a huge £1.1bn Budget black hole in the last year. The Nats economic record was blasted as Scotland's economy lags well behind the rest of the UK.

Despite the Scottish Government being set to receive an extra £52bn over the next five years, due to Westminster funding, the First Minister refused to commit to bringing down the tax burden facing hard-pressed Scots. Anyone earning over £30,000 must pay more in to the public purse than their English counterparts.

This money raised goes towards the country's burgeoning Social Security bill which is hitting new heights due to a number of Scotland-only benefits like the Scottish Child Payment. There are also "light touch" checks on disability benefits meaning these can be claimed without much hassle.

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay condemned the SNP's poor record as he claimed the party's "sheer incompetence" was costing Scots more than £1bn a year. Mr Swinney rejected these suggestions, insisting that the country is now in a better state under the Nats.

Mr Findlay said: "The Scottish Fiscal Commission conducts rigorous and independent analysis of tax and the economy in Scotland. Its most recent report outlines that SNP tax rises are costing Scottish workers £1.7bn each year. So we should have an extra £1.7bn to spend but we do not because the SFC identifies what it calls an economic performance gap with the rest of thee UK that actually reduces the amount available to spend."

He asked if Mr Swinney knew that this gap was, but the First Minister failed to answer the question. The Scottish Tory leader went on: "SNP tax rises on hard working Scots should result in £1.7bn more to spend. But because the SNP-run economy lags behind the rest of the UK, the Scottish Fiscal Commission says they only have £600m more to spend.

"So under the SNP, there's a £1.1bn economic performance gap, and that's just this year. Last year, it was another billion. Over the last 10 year, according to the SFC, the economic performance gap with the rest of the UK adds up to £5.4bn… John Swinney doesn't even seem to accept the economic performance gap exists, it's peak SNP denial.

"The SNP have failed to keep up with the rest of the UK. They have made it even worse by wasting billkions of pounds of taxpayers money on a national care service that doesn't treat patients, the endless CalMac ferry scandal, a £1bn prison with bird and bat boxes, and an annual benefits bill that will soon top £9bn.

"The SNP are costing Scotland £1bn a year in lost growth and countless billions through their sheer incompetence. Isn't this exactly why John Swinney can't bring down bills or improve public services, he's throwing the money way." He asked the First Minister to commit to bringing down the tax burden."

Mr Swinney claimed Scotland has a "business-friendly SNP Government" and rejected the suggestion that the country has sluggish economic growth. He said: "This government will do what it always does, focus, focus, focus on the needs of Scotland."

>>23174592

https://news.stv.tv/west-central/group-of-neo-nazis-escorted-from-west-dunbartonshire-council-meeting

Group of 'neo-Nazis' escorted from council meeting

During the meeting, councillor Jim Bollan presented a motion urging elected members to condemn the banners, flyers, and posters that the Patriotic Alliance had recently displayed at the Clydebank Bandstand.

Catherine Hunter, Local Democracy Reporter ==Local "Democracy" reporter denies a democratic voice to Scots raising concerns by calling them Nazis, ironically while displaying a banner saying "Protect all Races, Nations and Ethnics" probably should be ethnicities and ran out of space :)

18 June 2025

A group of “neo-Nazis” had to be escorted from West Dunbartonshire Council’s HQ after disrupting their last full council meeting ahead of the summer recess.

During the meeting, councillor Jim Bollan presented a motion to elected members urging them to condemn the racist banners, flyers, and posters that the Patriotic Alliance had recently displayed at the Clydebank Bandstand.

Similar banners were also attached to railings in front of the council chambers in Dumbarton on Wednesday.

The organisation has been described as a “far-right, fascist, neo-Nazi and white nationalist hate group”, and recently used the bandstand at the Clydebank Shopping Centre to demonstrate their views to the public.

Councillor Bollan’s motion had asked the council to authorise council officials to remove any such items attached to the Council-owned Bandstand in Clydebank Shopping Centre that do not have prior written consent from West Dunbartonshire Council as soon as practical.

But as councillor Bollan tried to speak, he was interrupted by chanting from the public gallery from at least three or four protesters who kept repeating “Scotland is for Scots”.

They were asked to sit down and be quiet by Provost Karen Murray Conaghan, who also told them to stop filming and taking pictures of the meeting, and if they couldn’t, they would be told to leave.

Provost Murray Conaghan said: “Excuse me, can I ask you to be quiet in the public gallery. It is a meeting in public not a meeting for you to contribute to.

“You sit there and be quiet during the meeting or I will ask you to leave. If you can’t be quiet you will have to leave and take your hand off the barrier.”

The provost was then made aware that filming was taking place.

Councillor Murray Conaghan continued: “There is no filming permitted. If you continue to film you will be asked to leave now. Please put your phone away.”

Councillor Bollan was able to continue speaking on his motion.

He said: “The overt racist posters being displayed by Patriotic Alternative in Clydebank could be a precursor to the racist, violent behaviour we are seeing in Ireland at the moment, where non-whites are having their homes fire bombed because of the colour of their skin.

“Groups like Patriotic Alternative are cheerleaders for Reform, which is a racist party, and use the fact that the two larger political parties are not delivering for the policies needed by our working-class communities.

“That void is being used by extremists to blame refugees and asylum seekers as a divide and conquer tactic, commonly used by racists. By supporting this motion West Dunbartonshire Council will be sending a clear message that we are anti racist and inclusive of all races.

“Before I came into this meeting, I noticed some of the banners outside, which are overtly racist. It is unacceptable in West Dunbartonshire.”

As councillors started to discuss the motion, the meeting was interrupted again as protesters continued to cause disruption and were asked to leave as a result.

Provost Murray Conaghan told the public gallery: “If you can’t put your phone down and stop filming, I will ask you to leave the gallery.

“The recording is available at home, so you can listen to it there. You need to put your phone away. We will pause until we restore a bit of public order in the public gallery – sorry, members.”They record their meeting, probably can be found on Wests Dunbartonshire Council website, but "paused" it to hide what was really said I'd wager?

The group was escorted out by security, and the meeting resumed.

>>23204238

>>23174592

https://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/news/25250802.neo-nazis-disrupt-west-dunbartonshire-council-meeting/

'Neo-Nazis' disrupt West Dunbartonshire Council meeting

By Catherine HunterThe lying cunt(er)

During the meeting, a motion was presented to elected members by councillor Jim Bollan urging them to condemn the "racist" banners, flyers and posters that had been displayed at the Clydebank Bandstand recently by Patriotic Alliance.

Similar banners were also attached to railings in front of the council chambers in Dumbarton on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 18.

The organisation has been described as a far-right, fascist, neo-Nazi and white nationalist hate group, and have recently used the bandstand at the Clydebank Shopping Centre to demonstrate their views to the public.

Councillor Bollan’s motion had asked the council to authorise council officials to remove any such items attached to the council-owned bandstand in Clydebank Shopping Centre, that do not have prior written consent from West Dunbartonshire Council as soon as practical.

But as councillor Bollan tried to speak, he was interrupted by chanting from the public gallery from at least three or four protesters who kept repeating “Scotland is for Scots”.

They were asked to sit down and be quiet by Provost Karen Murray Conaghan, who also told them to stop filming and taking pictures of the meeting and if they couldn’t they would be told to leave.

Provost Murray Conaghan said: “Excuse me, can I ask you to be quiet in the public gallery. It is a meeting in public, not a meeting for you to contribute to.

“You sit there and be quiet during the meeting or I will ask you to leave. If you can’t be quiet, you will have to leave and take your hand off the barrier.”

The provost was then made aware that filming was taking place.

Councillor Murray Conaghan continued: “There is no filming permitted. If you continue to film, you will be asked to leave now. Please put your phone away.”

Councillor Bollan was able to continue speaking on his motion.

He said: “The overt racist posters being displayed by Patriotic Alternative in Clydebank could be a precursor to the racist violent behaviour we are seeing in Ireland at the moment where non-whites are having their homes fire bombed because of the colour of their skin.

“Groups like Patriotic Alternative are cheerleaders for Reform, which is a racist party and use the fact that the two larger political parties are not delivering for the policies needed by our working-class communities.

“That void is being used by extremists to blame refugees and asylum seekers as a divide and conquer tactic, commonly used by racists. By supporting this motion, West Dunbartonshire Council will be sending a clear message that we are anti racist and inclusive of all races.

“Before I came into this meeting, I noticed some of the banners which are outside which are overtly racist. It is unacceptable in West Dunbartonshire.”

As councillors started to discuss the motion, the meeting was interrupted again as protesters continued to cause disruption and were asked to leave as a result.

Provost Murray Conaghan told the public gallery: “If you can’t put your phone down and stop filming, I will ask you to leave the gallery.

“The recording is available at home so you can listen to it there. You need to put your phone away. We will pause until we restore a bit of public order in the public gallery – sorry members.”

The group was escorted out by security and the meeting resumed.

>>23207029

>>>23204238

>>>23174592

>

>https://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/news/25250802.neo-nazis-disrupt-west-dunbartonshire-council-meeting/

>

>'Neo-Nazis' disrupt West Dunbartonshire Council meeting

>

>By Catherine HunterThe lying cunt(er)

>

> During the meeting, a motion was presented to elected members by councillor Jim Bollan urging them to condemn the "racist" banners, flyers and posters that had been displayed at the Clydebank Bandstand recently by Patriotic Alliance.

>

>Similar banners were also attached to railings in front of the council chambers in Dumbarton on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 18.

>

> The organisation has been described as a far-right, fascist, neo-Nazi and white nationalist hate group, and have recently used the bandstand at the Clydebank Shopping Centre to demonstrate their views to the public.

>

>Councillor Bollan’s motion had asked the council to authorise council officials to remove any such items attached to the council-owned bandstand in Clydebank Shopping Centre, that do not have prior written consent from West Dunbartonshire Council as soon as practical.

>

> But as councillor Bollan tried to speak, he was interrupted by chanting from the public gallery from at least three or four protesters who kept repeating “Scotland is for Scots”.

>

>They were asked to sit down and be quiet by Provost Karen Murray Conaghan, who also told them to stop filming and taking pictures of the meeting and if they couldn’t they would be told to leave.

>

>Provost Murray Conaghan said: “Excuse me, can I ask you to be quiet in the public gallery. It is a meeting in public, not a meeting for you to contribute to.

>

>“You sit there and be quiet during the meeting or I will ask you to leave. If you can’t be quiet, you will have to leave and take your hand off the barrier.”

>

>The provost was then made aware that filming was taking place.

>

> Councillor Murray Conaghan continued: “There is no filming permitted. If you continue to film, you will be asked to leave now. Please put your phone away.”

>

>Councillor Bollan was able to continue speaking on his motion.

>

>He said: “The overt racist posters being displayed by Patriotic Alternative in Clydebank could be a precursor to the racist violent behaviour we are seeing in Ireland at the moment where non-whites are having their homes fire bombed because of the colour of their skin.

>

>“Groups like Patriotic Alternative are cheerleaders for Reform, which is a racist party and use the fact that the two larger political parties are not delivering for the policies needed by our working-class communities.

>

>“That void is being used by extremists to blame refugees and asylum seekers as a divide and conquer tactic, commonly used by racists. By supporting this motion, West Dunbartonshire Council will be sending a clear message that we are anti racist and inclusive of all races.

>

>“Before I came into this meeting, I noticed some of the banners which are outside which are overtly racist. It is unacceptable in West Dunbartonshire.”

>

>As councillors started to discuss the motion, the meeting was interrupted again as protesters continued to cause disruption and were asked to leave as a result.

>

>Provost Murray Conaghan told the public gallery: “If you can’t put your phone down and stop filming, I will ask you to leave the gallery.

>

> “The recording is available at home so you can listen to it there. You need to put your phone away. We will pause until we restore a bit of public order in the public gallery – sorry members.”

>

>The group was escorted out by security and the meeting resumed.

>

>>>23207029

Must have been tired, missed first part with headline

>>23112638

>>>23112560 Final Abuse Bun Part Two

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14828839/Inside-Irelands-unmarried-mothers-house-horrors-historian-discovery-shocked-world-Church-run-home-didnt-value-illegitimate-children-fed-bare-minimum-survive-dumped-bodies-sewage-system.html

EXCLUSIVEInside Ireland's unmarried mothers house of horrors - by historian whose discovery shocked the world: Church-run home 'didn't value illegitimate children', fed them 'bare minimum to survive' and 'dumped bodies in sewage system'

By ELENA SALVONI

22 June 2025

Tuam has come to embody Ireland's shame. For decades, mothers who had fallen pregnant outside of marriage were sent to the home to give birth and hand their newborns over to the church.

The young women would stay for a year, working for the nuns who ran the institution, before being released once they had 'paid for their sin'.

Many of their babies however, didn't make it out alive. Thousands of children died in Ireland's notorious mother and baby homes, a 2021 enquiry found.

The deaths were hidden from the world, with residents in the quiet town north of Galway unaware for years that as many as 800 babies had been buried at their local home.

'It was always late in the evening when the burials took place. We never knew what was going on because you couldn't see over the high walls,' historian Catherine Corless, who first uncovered the scandal more than ten years ago, told MailOnline.

A baby died almost every fortnight, Corless said, with a damning 1947 report finding that as many as a quarter of the child residents died in a single year.

A recent state-backed commission found the home's residents lived in 'appalling physical conditions', lacking basic sanitary facilities such as running water.

Corless said the children lived in cold, crowded conditions, and only received very limited food. 'It was pure neglect. They would just give them the bare minimum to keep them alive,' she said.

The 1947 report also revealed a harrowing picture of life inside the home, with children suffering from malnutrition and in many cases being described as pot-bellied – a sign of starvation.

'They didn't care, the illegitimate children didn't matter,' Corless said, 'The final insult to the ones who died was that they placed them in that awful sewage system.'

The children were buried at first in 'box coffins', but were later placed 'one on top of the other' in the chambers of a former sewage tank, Corless described.

After a long battle by the local historian, survivors of the home and their families, the site is now being excavated, with many hoping it will finally bring Tuam's dark past into the open.

Despite growing up in the town and even seeing some of the 'terrified-looking' children at her school when she was very young, Corless like many others thought it was just an orphanage, and that 'the good nuns were looking after all those orphans.'

That was until she began her research in 2011, and discovered that a site many dismissed as a burial ground for famine victims was in fact the final resting place of some of the home's children.

The mother and baby home, which was run by nuns from the Bon Secours order, was demolished long ago and is now the site of a housing estate and playground.

In 2011, as Corless embarked on a study of the site, she was alerted to a small garden in the area being a possible burial site.

A man who had lived nearby for many years told how his two-storey house allowed him and others to see over the walls.

'He lived in one of the older houses on the site, they knew that there were burials because the houses had two stories.'

'He mentioned to me: "There were burials there, did you not know that?" He said he believed they were of the home babies so he brought me over to the site where he thought they were.

>>23222342

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

'The toddlers were just left in rooms with no toys, no stimulation, they had nothing. They were just crying all the time,' she said.

'They had no nappies and would spend an awful lot of time sat on potties, which the mothers trained them to do from a very early age.'

She said much of the childcare was left to the women, with only only five nuns running the home which housed as many as 300 babies at any one time.

According to the 1947 report, 34 per cent of children died in the home in 1943, and more than one in four living in the home in 1946, far higher than the average mortality rate at the time.

The home remained open for almost twenty more years after the report was published, while other mother and baby homes stayed open until as late as the 1990s.

Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday in 2014, an 85-year-old woman who survived the home in Tuam described the conditions she faced.

The woman, who gave her name only as Mary, spent four years in the home before being placed with a foster family.

She said: 'I remember going into the home when I was about four. There was a massive hall in it and it was full of young kids running round and they were dirty and cold.

'There were well over 100 children in there and there were three or four nuns who minded us.

'The building was very old and we were let out the odd time, but at night the place was absolutely freezing with big stone walls.

'When we were eating it was in this big long hall and they gave us all this soup out of a big pot, which I remember very well. It was rotten to taste, but it was better than starving.'

She recalled that the children were 'rarely washed', and often wore the same clothes for weeks at a time.

'We were filthy dirty. I remember one time when I soiled myself, the nuns ducked me down into a big cold bath and I never liked nuns after that.'

Corless has also recalled her experience as a young girl encountering the 'home babies' when they attended her school in the late 1950s and early 60s.

'I remember the children would come down to the schools hand in hand, a mother at the front and a nun at the back of the line.

'They were brought to school later and left earlier than us because they were not allowed to mix with children from the town, not allowed to talk to them, not allowed to play with them.'

She said she believes this was done so the children would not ask them about their lives in the home.

'I remember them being miserable and afraid,' she said of the children's physical appearance.

'They were very skinny, they always had sores of some sort, some of them would have diarrhoea in the classroom and they would have to bring them out.

'They were really impoverished and always pale. I still remember the terrified look on their faces. They were treated like a species apart from the rest of us.'

As well as the children, the mothers who were shamed and forced into the home also faced mistreatment.

'They were horrific places,' Labour MP Liam Conlon, who has long advocated for justice for mother and baby home survivors, told MailOnline.

'I've met survivors from right across Ireland, some of them were in the homes in the 1950s and 60s and some as late as the 90s.

He said the 'emotional and physical abuse' many experienced there 'has had a huge impact on every aspect of their lives,' even to this day.

>>23222364

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

'Women were used as unpaid labour, it was seen as part of their penance. It was often very heavy manual labour.'

While the Tuam mothers worked for 'very meagre means', Corless said, 'money was not scarce' and the nuns were paid by the state for every mother and child they took in.

'The mothers did everything, there were lots of jobs to do and each mother had to stay there for a year, work hard and then leave their baby there.

'They didn't employ anyone from the town, and that's how they got away with it, because there was no one to report what was going on,' Corless said.

'By working there, the women were paying for their sin. It was horrific. The whole thing was a money racquet.'

Conlon said the separation of mothers and their children also often left both deeply traumatised, with babies often 'taken off them very soon after birth, adopted abroad and never seen again.'

He said he had also heard testimony from survivors of nuns being 'very cruel' and unsupportive when the women gave birth, with many believed to have died in labour.

'They weren't supported throughout childbirth complications, it was often seen as a judgement from God,' Conlon said.

Annette Mckay, who now lives in Manchester, told Sky News how her mother Margaret O'Connor gave birth to a baby at the Tuam home in 1942 after being raped aged 17.

Annette described some of the treatment Maggie endured while being forced to work in the home.

'My mother worked heavily pregnant, cleaning floors and a nun passing kicked my mother in the stomach.'

The little girl died after just six months, with Annette saying her mother recalled how 'she was pegging washing out and a nun came up behind her and said 'the child of your sin is dead'.'

She has welcomed the exhumation, saying it will hopefully, at long last, expose the home's dark secrets.

'When that place is opened, their dirty, ugly secret, it isn't a secret anymore. It's out there.'

Now, with the excavation underway, Corless, the survivors and families of those lost are at last hopeful that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

'It's absolutely wonderful it's got to this stage,' Corless said, sharing her approval of the team behind the dig, which is headed by Daniel Macsweeney who has vowed to get 'every little bone out of that soil.'

'It's in good hands, the director said they are focussing on the families first, and what they want,' she said.

'I hope this sends a very strong message to Ireland and the world that this can never be allowed to happen again.'

The Bon Secours sisters who ran the home issued an apology and acknowledged that children were buried in a 'disrespectful and unacceptable way' in a 2021 statement.

The order said it did 'not live up' to its Christian values in its running of the Co Galway facility between 1925 and 1961.

The Irish government also issued an apology in 2021 over the mother and baby home scandal, calling it a 'dark and shameful chapter' in Irish history.

>>23210325

>>23222734

There's a whole new breed of racists in Europe. Anyone whose ancestry is white european or against their corrupt government is a racist. Anyone against child abuse in all its forms, sexual, medical/research, physical, psychological or emotional.

>>23210325

>>23112638

>>23112568 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

https://www.business-standard.com/immigration/uk-launches-54-mn-global-talent-taskforce-to-attract-skilled-foreigners-125062400416_1.html

UK launches £54 mn Global Talent Taskforce to attract skilled foreigners

The UK has launched a Global Talent Taskforce and fund to bring top researchers, scientists and tech experts-including from India-to strengthen its innovation push

Surbhi Gloria Singh New Delhi

Jun 24 2025

Opportunity for skilled Indians! The UK on Monday unveiled a new Global Talent Taskforce backed by a £54 million Global Talent Fund to attract top science and tech professionals from across the world to relocate and strengthen British expertise in critical sectors.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said the taskforce would support researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, senior-level engineers and creatives, working closely with the UK's global missions to build a pipeline of talent interested in moving to Britain.

What the fund will cover

The Global Talent Fund will support relocation and research costs over a five-year period, starting in 2025. Funding will be allocated via the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) body to leading universities and research institutions.

These organisations will be responsible for identifying and targeting individuals in line with the UK’s newly announced Industrial Strategy focused on economic growth.

“Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to fertilise brilliant ideas,” said Peter Kyle, UK Secretary for Science and Technology.

“My message to those who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is simple: we want to work with you, to support you, and to give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from,” he said.

The taskforce will report directly to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves. It will build on proposals in the UK’s Immigration White Paper to attract global researchers, including changes to the High Potential Individual visa route.

“Competition for elite global talent is high, and by establishing this taskforce we are solidifying our position as the first choice for the world's brightest sparks,” said Jonathan Reynolds, UK Business and Trade Secretary.

The government has said this drive will not affect net migration figures, referring to the balance between people arriving and leaving the country.

Role of universities

Universities will play a central role in delivering this effort, using their networks and expertise to bring top global talent into British labs and industries.

“UK universities are already pivotal players in attracting global talent and the creation of the Taskforce and Fund will further leverage their role in building our future technologies and driving long-term growth,” said Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive of Universities UK.

Global Talent visa and India's prospects

Lord Patrick Vallance, Britain’s minister for science, research and innovation, flagged the Global Talent visa as a key instrument in attracting scientists and innovators. Speaking at the India Global Forum’s Future Frontiers Forum in London on June 20, he said the UK must deepen academic and scientific partnerships with India.

The Global Talent visa is open to individuals in science, humanities, digital tech, arts and culture. It does not require a job offer or employer sponsorship and allows fast-track entry for those endorsed by approved bodies.

This visa was mentioned in the UK’s May Immigration White Paper, which proposed simplifying applications for top global experts.

Why this matters for Indians

India has emerged as a global research hub. It ranked in the top five for 45 out of 64 critical technologies in 2023, up from 37 in the previous year, according to the Critical Technology Tracker by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. The country overtook the US in areas like biological manufacturing and distributed ledger technologies.

With continued Indian interest in moving to the UK for research and work, this taskforce and visa expansion opens doors for scientists, engineers and digital experts from India to bring their skills to Britain.

British taxpayer money going out all over the place to continue the influx of foreign born men. Why are we not using the funds to train young Scottish/Irish/Welsh/English kids? Genuine question? Most of those coming here are coming from FORMER colonies that already rejected the corrupt Crown/Gov't from here that pillaged their lands. Ours and our people are still enslaved by them.

>>23112638

>>>23112565 Final Covid and Other Pestilence Bun

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14838943/brain-inflammation-single-Covid-jab-vaccine.html

Experts issue warning that Covid vaccine may trigger deadly brain inflammation - after man was struck down by just one jab

READ MORE: Urgent Glastonbury warning over world's most contagious disease

JOHN ELY

24 June 2025

A healthy man was struck by a life-threatening inflammation of his brain and spinal cord after just one dose of a Covid vaccine.

The unnamed 60-year-old sought help from medics in Paris, France after suddenly developing walking problems and mental confusion, four weeks after receiving a dose of AstraZeneca's Covid jab.

Brain scans revealed he was suffering from meningoencephalitis—a life threatening swelling of the brain and the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord—according to doctors who shared his tale in a medical journal.

While the condition can be caused by health problems like an infection or blood cancers, analysis of the man's brain tissue showed no signs of any viruses or other disease that could be responsible

This led medics to believe that the man's swelling was caused by his Covid vaccination, specifically his immune system over-reacting to the jab.

They then diagnosed him with postvaccinal encephalitis, dangerous brain swelling following a jab.

The man, who suffered two bouts of brain swelling while in the care of the medical team, was treated with special drugs to suppress his immune system for six months until his symptoms were under control.

France—alongside many European countries—suspended and then restricted the use of the British designed jab in early 2021.

This followed reports of a small number of patients suffering an extremely rare but potentially deadly blood clotting reaction.

Called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TSS), this is a medical condition where a person suffers blood clots along with a low platelet count. Platelets typically help the blood to clot.

The complication—missed in initial safety trials due to its rarity but now listed as a potential side effect of the jab—has also previously been called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT).

Health officials first identified cases of VITT linked to AstraZeneca's jab in Europe as early as March 2021, just over two months after the vaccine was first deployed in the UK.

However, it wasn't until April that year that evidence became clear enough that the jab started to be restricted.

Officials first stopped dishing out the jab to people under the age of 30. They then expanded this to only people over 40 in May 2021.

As the vaccine still worked against Covid, it was still deemed worth giving to older Britons who were at greater risk of death or injury from falling ill with the virus.

>>23245306

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

About 50million doses of the AstraZeneca jab were dished out in the UK in total.

Official data shows at least 81 Brits have died from blood clot complications apparently linked to the AstraZeneca jab, according to figures collected by the UK's drug watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

A further unconfirmed number have been injured and/or disabled.

Further Covid vaccine rollouts have either minimised use of the AstraZeneca jab and/or phased it out entirely in favour of alternatives like those made by rival pharma giants Pfizer and Moderna.

With health officials not ordering any more doses, this effectively means the jab has all but been withdrawn in the UK.

While rare reactions to the jab has been linked to deaths and injuries, AstraZeneca's shot is credited with saving some 6million lives globally during the Covid pandemic.

The latest NHS figures show 293 Britons—or their families— have applied to a Government scheme to support the vaccine injured and had their claim the jab caused their health issues accepted.

However—under the rules of the widely criticised scheme—not all will receive the £120,000 compensation offered.

Survivors of jab injuries must be at least 60 per cent disabled by their injuries in order to qualify for a payout—for example losing a limb, a sense like your sight, or suffering complete paralysis.

The case of the French man comes amid growing concern about what has been dubbed 'post-vaccination syndrome'.

Linked to mRNA jabs, those made by the likes of Pfizer and Moderna but not AstraZeneca, the condition appears to cause brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus and exercise intolerance, the researchers reported.

Some sufferers also show distinct biological changes, including differences in immune cells and the presence of coronavirus proteins in their blood, years after taking the shot.

The condition is also said to increase the risk of reawakening a dormant virus called Epstein-Barr, which can cause flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes and nerve issues.

The full results of the small study have not yet been published or peer reviewed, and the authors emphasised the results 'are still a work in progress.'

>>23245306

>>23245322

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

AstraZeneca's Covid jab timeline

January 2020: Oxford University scientists start working on a Covid vaccine after the World Health Organization declares the spread of the virus a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern'

March 2020: Then Prime Minister Boris announced the first national lockdown. That same month, the Government invests £88million in the development of the Oxford vaccine

April 2020: Alongside AstraZeneca, scientists start the first clinical trials of their new vaccine. This involved 1,000 volunteers in the UK

July 2020: Results from phase two trials of AstraZeneca's jab are published

4 December 2020: Covid jab rollout begins with the Pfizer vaccine. Over-80s and care home workers are given priority

8 December 2020: Phase three trial results of the AstraZeneca's jab are published. These are what health officials will use to approve the jab for use in the UK

30 December 2020: AstraZeneca's jab is approved for emergency use

4 January 2021: First AstraZeneca doses start being dished out. Brian Pinker, 82, is the first person to receive the jab outside of clinical trials

8 January 2021: Frontline NHS staff start being offered vaccines

8 February 2021: Over-70s are called forward

14 February 2021: Roll-out opens up to Brits with underlying heath conditions, as well as the over-65s

28 February 2021: All over-60s are invited for jabs

11 March 2021: European countries start suspending use of the AstraZeneca jab after death of a 60-year-old woman from a blood clot

17 March 2021: Over 50s start being offered Covid jabs in the UK

19 March 2021: Several European countries reverse decision to suspend AstraZeneca jab after initial investigations find no link to reported blood clots

31 March 2021: People living with vulnerable adults are called forward to get a Covid vaccine in the UK, even if they are younger than eligible age groups

7 April 2021: UK restricts the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to over-30s over a small but statistically significant risk of blood clots in younger people

30 April 2021: Over-40s are called forward for Covid jabs

7 May 2021: Restriction of the AstraZeneca vaccine is widened to include over-40s

August 2022: Government sources say they will not order anymore AstraZeneca Covid vaccines instead focuses on mRNA alternatives

March 2023: Dozens of patients and families launch legal action against AstraZeneca due to

April 2023: Widower of a BBC presenter Lisa Shaw who died after having the vaccine said he has 'no alternative' but to sue AstraZeneca

4 August 2023: Anish Tailor, whose wife Alpa died in March 2021 after receiving her first AstraZeneca dose, filed a product liability claim against AstraZeneca at London's High Court. His lawyer says he has nearly 50 other clients who will formally sue AstraZeneca in the coming months

17 August 2023: IT engineer Jamie Scott, who suffered a brain haemorrhage the day after his first AstraZeneca jab starts a legal case against the company. The law firm representing Mr Scott says it represents around 40 other individuals or bereaved families

Doctors, who reported the case JAMA Neurology, said the man had made an almost full recovery three years after.

However, they noted he continued to suffer from ongoing mild problems with his attention span.

The patient originally showed significant improvement after being treated when he first suffered symptoms four weeks after getting the jab.

However, he returned with the same walking and mental confusion problems three months later which when medics conducted the brain biopsy and put him on six months of medication.

Medics said the relapse showed the importance of sustained drug treatments for such patients as well as 'prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment'.

Encephalitis after Covid vaccines have been reported before.

A study published in 2023 on 65 patients found AstraZeneca was the most common vaccine brand linked to the reaction, accounting for over a third of cases.

The authors of that report highlighted that what exactly causes vaccine induced encephalitis to occur in some patients is not yet understood.

However, they added that majority of cases have made a full recovery.

While the team behind the most recent report did not specify when the man received the Covid jab it is likely to have been in 2021.

>>23112638

>>>23112568 Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun

>>23112638

>>>23112573 Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Three

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/dorothy-bain-still-sits-snp-35468910

Dorothy Bain STILL sits in on SNP Cabinet meetings despite Scottish Government being probed over Alex Salmond evidence

Exclusive: The Lord Advocate or her Solicitor General have attended more than half of John Swinney's Cabinet meetings in the last six months.

David Walker

28 JUN 2025

Calls for the Lord Advocate role to be split into two and moved away from the Scottish Government have been renewed after it was revealed that Dorothy Bain still regularly attends the SNP Cabinet. The Scottish Executive is being probed by cops over allegedly false Alex Salmond evidence.

The closeness of Scotland's top prosecutor to the SNP administration has been called into question repeatedly, and especially during Operation Branchform. Nicola Sturgeon was an active suspect in the police investigation while still being First Minister and working shoulder to shoulder with Ms Bain.

It is a very Scottish problem, as the Lord Advocate role is split in two in the rest of the UK, with the Head of Crown Office and the UK Government's top legal representative two separate jobs and people. The Scottish Government ordered an independent probe into whether it should adopt a similar policy but this has yet to be made public.

A freedom of information request by the Scottish Daily Express revealed that Ms Bain and the Solicitor General Ruth Charteris are regularly attending Cabinet alongside John Swinney. In the six months between December 12 2024 and June 12 2025, the Lord Advocate was in attendance eight times and was represented by the Solicitor General three times, with 21 meetings during this time period.

The Scottish Government is still being probed by cops in relation to potentially false information being presented under oath during the Salmond Inquiry. Senior civil servant James Hynd is being looked at as part of Operation Broadcroft, and he is still working in the civil service.

Scottish Tory Justice Spokesman Liam Kerr highlighted that the Lord Advocate role needs to be split up. He said: “The fact our most senior law officer and prosecutor still does not have full independence from the government is an ongoing cause for concern. That is especially worrying given the SNP government is still being probed over evidence in relation to the Salmond inquiry. We have repeatedly called for there to be separation between the state and the criminal justice system which is what Scots expect too.”

The Crown Office eventually decided not to charge Ms Sturgeon or current SNP MSP Colin Beattie in relation to Operation Branchform, the probe which looked into fraud allegations against the SNP. The former First Minister was arrested and interrogated by cops over whether £600k of funds was illegally removed from the party.

Her husband Peter Murrell was charged in connection with embezzlement and has appeared in court, where he didn't make a plea. The fact the Crown Office were looking into such a high profile figure, while the suspect was sitting in Cabinet with the person in charge of the prosecution service was seen as poor optics, although she was not involved in the probe.

Even Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer suggested that Mr Swinney should reform the role in the wake of Operation Branchform. He said that the Scottish Government should change the system to ensure the same person is not both head of the prosecution service and a member of Cabinet, as is the case currently, with this giving rise to the perception of a conflict of interest.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “As protected by the Scotland Act, the Law Officers operate entirely independently of any other person as they undertake their prosecutorial and investigation of deaths functions.

“The Lord Advocate, like the Attorney General in England and Wales, is not a member of the Cabinet but does attend Cabinet meetings when necessary. The Scottish Government has committed to consulting on the dual role of the Law Officers in this Parliament.”

>>23112638

>>>22722143 Law and Disorder Bun Part One

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/angela-constance-boasts-scotland-remains-35442560

Angela Constance boasts Scotland 'remains a safe place to live' despite sexual crimes rising to second highest rate ever

The Scottish Government's Justice Secretary did admit she was 'concerned' about the huge increase in rapes and attempted rapes recorded last year.

David Walker

24 JUN 2025

The Scottish Government's Justice Secretary boasted that Scotland "remains a safe place to live" despite sexual crime rising to the second highest total on record. However, Angela Constance did admit she was "concerned" about this but lauded "reported crime falling by more than half since 1991."

Police Scotland now only investigate serious crimes or ones that have any leads for inquiries. Garden thefts and vandalism are two of the most common crimes where cops take a note of it but fail to take action due to years of SNP underfunding meaning less officers are available.

According to the government's own recorded crime in the Scotland 2024/25 report, there was a 3% rise in recorded sexual crimes, with rape and attempted rape rising by a staggering 15%. A quarter of these crimes were reported at least one year after they had occurred, and eight rape incidents were reported every day.

Sexual crimes increased by 3% from 14,484 to 14,892, the second highest level seen since 1971, the first year for which comparable groups are available. There has also been a 16% rise in shoplifting, with this one of the crimes where offenders usually only get a slap on the wrist.

There was little change in crimes recorded by the police in Scotland, decreasing by less than 1%, from 299,790 to 299,111. This is higher than in 2022/23 where 289,362 were recorded and in 2021-22, when there were 286,464 crimes recorded. It also blows a hole in John Swinney's widely derided insistence last October that crime was at a 40-year low in Scotland.

Ms Constance said: "These figures show that Scotland continues to be safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991. This comes on the back of the flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey which also showed people feel safer in their communities."

But she was urged to do more to protect women, which the SNP have struggled to define in recent years. Recorded sexual crimes in Scotland have soared by 11% since 2019-20 and 45% in the last ten years. Rape and attempted rape increased by 15% in a single year, 24% since 2019/20 and 60% over the last ten years.

Domestic abuse rose by 26% in the space of a year and 53% since 2019-20. Overall violent crime remains stubbornly high, having risen by 7% in the last ten years. Scottish Labour justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill said: “Violence against women and girls is a scourge on our society but these shocking figures suggest things are getting worse instead of better.

“The SNP must urgently investigate these appalling trends and establish what is driving the rise in these heinous crimes. We need to use every lever of government to tackle the epidemic of violence against women and keep our communities safe – from building a justice system that protects women to making our communities safer to delivering programmes across our education system to tackle toxic attitudes head on.”

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr MSP said: “These shocking rises are the inevitable consequence of the SNP’s savage and sustained cuts to frontline policing. Whether it’s sexual crimes, other violent offences, shoplifting or domestic abuse, the trend is up, and Scotland’s streets are becoming less safe. Worse still, the SNP’s use of diversion of prosecution orders often means criminals are not being properly punished – and therefore not deterred.

“The increase in weapons being carried by school pupils exposes the epidemic of violence in Scotland’s schools – and the woeful inadequacy of nationalist ministers’ response to it. The buck stops with the SNP, who have undermined our police and left our justice system at breaking point. No wonder law-abiding Scots are increasingly fearful of being crime victims.”

>>23257931

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

Ms Constance added: “Violent crime is down significantly in the past 20 years, with serious assaults and homicide levels at record lows. However, we cannot afford to be complacent and I have been consistently clear that any instance of violence is one too many. That is why we are taking a wide range of actions to prevent, reduce and tackle violence, with more than £6 million funding invested over the past three years.

“I am concerned these figures also show a rise in reported sexual crimes. Multiple factors will lie behind this and our action to tackle sexual offending includes increasing confidence in the justice system so more victims come forward, improving support for victims and modernising the law on sexual offences.

“I also recognise the significant harm and disruption caused by retail crime, which is why we have made £3 million available in this year’s Budget for Police Scotland to work with the retail sector to help tackle this issue. This year we will invest £4.2 billion across the justice system including a record £1.64 billion for policing – an increase of £70 million on 2024-25.

“As part of the Scottish Government’s broader package to tackle violence, we have increased funding to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit from £1.17 million last year to over £1.2 million this year. Projects supporting young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities, under the Cashback for Communities programme, will receive up to £26 million over the next three financial years.”

>>23112638

>>>23112573 Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Three

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/shameful-snp-capitulate-criminals-cons-35455989

'Shameful' SNP 'capitulate' to criminals as cons to be let out after serving just 15% of sentence

The Scottish Government rushed through new legislation on Wednesday night that lets inmates out of jail and onto an electric tag after they have served just 15% of their sentence.

David Walker

26 JUN 2025

The SNP's soft-touch approach to justice has struck again as it passed new legislation which lets criminals out of prison after serving just 15% of their sentence. The Scottish Government already amended sentencing laws to free offenders from jail after just 40% of their time has been served.

All MSPs except from the Scottish Tories voted for a government statutory instrument which was rushed through on Wednesday night, just before they headed off on a 10-week summer recess. It enables the earliest ever release of inmates back into the community, via Home Detention curfew.

The SNP and left-wing opposition parties were accused of a "shameful capitulation to criminals" with Scottish Labour, Scottish Lib Dems and Scottish Greens all siding with the nationalists. Usually, lags would only be let out on home detention after serving 25% of their sentence but this has been reduced by 10% from October 20, 2025.

Home Detention Curfew allows prisoners to re-enter the community before their sentence is completed, subject to licence conditions. It occurs when an inmate is assessed as suitable via a risk assessment, and they are usually monitored through an ankle monitor.

Despite passing this legislation, the SNP's Justice Secretary Angela Constance admitted that no research had been done on the impact on victims, who already have to deal with their assailants getting out of jail much earlier than expected. She said: "On whether there has been any research on the specific change, the answer is no.”

The change was rushed through in a rare evening sitting at Holyrood where the Scottish Government is trying to get numerous acts passed before summer recess. It was made in response to new laws giving prisoners automatic early release after serving 40% of their sentence.

Scottish Tory shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr slammed the move as “an indefensible betrayal of victims” by “out-of-touch left-wing parties”. He said: "Prisoners across Scotland will be rubbing their hands with glee at the SNP’s shameful capitulation to criminals.

“It’s outrageous that inmates will now be eligible for release under a Home Detention Curfew having served just a tiny fraction of their sentence. It makes a mockery of the justice system and renders sentences issued by the courts meaningless.

“The Scottish Conservatives were the only party to vote against this indefensible betrayal of victims, which speaks volumes about how out of touch the left-wing Holyrood parties are with public opinion. Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens should be ashamed of themselves for backing the SNP’s latest extension of their early-release programme.

"No wonder people feel disconnected from politics when MSPs take reckless decisions like this, which endanger public safety. This decision stems from the SNP’s abject failure to increase prison capacity by building the new jails they promised, and it’s appalling that the justice secretary has pushed it through without carrying out any research on the impact on victims of crime.”

Ms Constance said at the time: “That change will help to realign the home detention curfew process with the new automatic release point for eligible short-sentence prisoners at 40%.”

>>23273082

>Baker anon, can you keep the board up for the rest of the month?

I'll do what I can my Friend, be nice if our Tumbleweed would pipe up now and then

Slovenia is the first EU country to declare two Israeli far-right ministers personae non grataea

On 17 July, Slovenia’s government declared two Israeli far-right ministers, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, as personae non gratae due to their comments, which incite violence and violate Palestinian human rights. Slovenia is the first EU member state to take such action, reflecting its strong support for the Palestinian cause.

Previously, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Norway imposed sanctions on these ministers for inciting extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon stated that the measures are intended to apply pressure on the Israeli government, particularly as “the situation in Gaza does not improve.”

As EU foreign ministers failed to reach an agreement on addressing human rights violations in Israel, Slovenia is seeking alliances with like-minded nations. The government criticised the ministers for their support of illegal Israeli settlements and incitement to violence against Palestinians, stating that their actions contradict the July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on Israel’s policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Minister Fajon also expressed concerns regarding a recent EU-Israel agreement to increase humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza, highlighting the ongoing loss of life among Palestinians. She also expressed concern about Israel’s plans to displace the population to the Rafah area in the south of the enclave.

https://www.europeaninterest.eu/slovenia-is-the-first-eu-country-to-declare-two-israeli-far-right-ministers-personae-non-grataea/

>>23112638

>>>23112579 Final Royals Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/uk-news/virginia-giuffre-proud-part-downfall-35495930

Virginia Giuffre was 'proud' in her part in the downfall of Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew was forced to step down from Royal duties following his car crash BBC Newsnight interview but has strenuously denied the claims against him

John Glover

3 JUL 2025

Prince Andrew's accuser Virginia Giuffre was "incredibly proud" of her role in "toppling" the Duke of York's reputation, her family has claimed.

Ms Giuffre brought a defamation case against convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2015 where she accused him alongside former British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell of trafficking her when she was just 16 years old in 2000.

The late campaigner also alleged that she was forced by Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew three times when she was 17 years old in New York, London and the US Virgin Islands.

The Duke of York has strenuously denied the claims but later settled a lawsuit against her for an undisclosed sum, without accepting any liability.

Andrew was forced to step down in 2019 from Royal duties following a disastrous BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis about his relationship with the paedophile financier.

Ms Giuffre, nee Roberts, is believed to have taken her own life in Australia earlier this year, aged 41. And now her brothers Sky and Daniel have told The Times that she was "incredibly proud of herself" for having "toppled the [late] Queen of England’s favourite son".

Her sister, Amanda Roberts, told the outlet: "When people told her ‘no’, or people told her they wouldn’t believe her, or that she was crazy, she would say ‘Watch me’."

The accusation was struck from the record in 2015 with the judge stating it was "immaterial and impertinent to the central claim". However, court documents from the 2015 case were unsealed in 2019 and released to the public.

Prince Andrew claimed in his interview that: I have stayed in a number of his residences. At no stage during the limited time I spent with him did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction."

He claimed that he had taken his daughter Princess Beatrice to a birthday party at Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey so he was unable to have had sex with Ms Giuffre on the night she claims.

The duke eventually agreed as part if an out of court settlement to file a statement, which read: "Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity in support of victims’ rights.

"Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks."

>>23402979

>>>23112638

>

>>>>23112579 Final Royals Bun

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/uk-news/mystery-surrounds-prince-william-kates-35641982

Mystery surrounds Prince William and Kate's Greek holiday aboard 'environmentally-friendly' £40m superyacht

It has been a rough 18 months for the Prince and Princess of Wales, who have been enjoying some downtime with their children, George, Charlotte and Louis

Douglas Dickie

30 JUL 2025

The Prince and Princess of Wales can be forgiven for putting their feet up after a brutal 18 months. William has had to help support his father King Charles after his cancer diagnosis.

Around the same time, Princess Kate was given the devastating news that she was also fighting the disease. All this came against the backdrop of an ongoing feud with Prince Harry.

While Kate has completed her cancer treatment, her recovery is still ongoing and she has had to stagger her return to full duties, all while helping to raise her three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.

And reports suggest the family has enjoyed some much-needed downtime this summer, with suggestions they enjoyed a holiday on the stunning Greek island of Kefalonia. To be more accurate, locals claim they have been anchored just offshore on a 'superyacht'.

The only problem is that no-one seems to have seen them with their own eyes. Everyone on the island knows someone who apparently seen them, but actual physical proof has been hard to come by.

That is until now, according to reports in the Daily Mail. The paper suggests a civil servant has now confirmed she spotted Kate and Charlotte on the deck of the 50-metre vessel Almax.

Penelope Likoudi, 64, claims to have seen the pair while she was out swimming in majestic Mavrouna Bay, on the neighbouring island of Ithaca. A fan of the royals who has visited Buckingham Palace, she told the paper: "'I swam out beyond the warning buoy and was about 30 metres from the yacht when I saw them.

"Kate was standing on the top level with Charlotte and Louis. She was wearing a dark wraparound dress. There was an older lady next to them, possibly Kate's mother, but I wasn't able to see her well.

'I literally shivered with excitement. I was shocked, I couldn't believe it." Ms Likoudi said she was "starstruck" and did not call out to them. While there was no sign of William or George, she reckons Kate and Charlotte "must" have seen her.

She added: "They were looking at the wonderful bays, all green with trees coming all the way down to the sea." She eventually left when the yacht remained static.

Reports suggest the boat in question is the Almax, thought to be worth £40m. Built by the Italian firm San Lorenzo, the yacht runs on environmentally-friendly fuel cells, in keeping with William's green credentials.

According to the San Lorenzo website, the Almax "embodies the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship and design" and its "green methanol Reformer Fuel Cell system…sets a new standard for sustainable yachting". Launched in 2024, it has room for 10 guests and runs with a crew of nine.

It is available for charter in places like the Côte d'Azur, Croatia, Greece, and Italy, costing over £300,000 a week during peak season. The story took another twist, however, when the vessel returned to Kefalonia's main town of Argostoli on July 25, the day after Ms Lokoudi's alleged sighting. Locals spotted a different couple disembarking from the vessel, meaning the royals must have made their getaway somewhere along the route.

https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/25351860.north-berwick-threat-migrant-hostel-slammed-msp/

North Berwick: 'Threat' of migrant hostel slammed by MSP

30th July

Erin Brown

AN ALLEGED “threat” that the former Golf Hotel in North Berwick could be turned into a hostel for migrants if its demolition is not approved has been criticised by East Lothian’s MSP.

The comment was made as the future of the former Golf Hotel in North Berwick was discussed at a public meeting hosted by the building’s owner on Sunday, after Scottish Ministers decided to 'call in' East Lothian Council's approval of controversial plans to demolish the building and replace it with 14 flats.

The hotel, on Dirleton Avenue, closed in 2006 and was then used as staff accommodation for the nearby Marine Hotel until it was bought in 2021 by property management company and leisure operators Caledonian Heritable Ltd, which is behind the plans.

Councillors controversially gave the proposals the green light earlier this year, going against the recommendations of their own planning officers and despite an objection from Historic Environment Scotland.

But last week, Scottish Ministers confirmed that they would now consider the application themselves and issue a decision in due course.

A sign was erected near the building, advertising a public meeting with the cryptic title ‘The Unintended Consequences’ and stating that a developer would be present.

About 60 people attended the meeting, held in a marquee in its grounds by Caledonian Heritable chief Kevin Doyle.

Afterwards, one attendee described it as an effort to “try to sway the local community in favour of its demolition”.

However, Mr Doyle told the Courier that its purpose was to “inform locals” that Scottish Ministers “had called in the application”.

Mr Doyle found their decision “rather strange” and said: “In my experience, I have seen many properties being demolished in conservation areas without the need of being referred to the Scottish Government.”

According to attendees, Mr Doyle suggested that, should planning permission be refused, he would sell the building – he later confirmed that “that is one of our options”.

The Courier was told there were comments made at the meeting about the prospect of the building becoming accommodation for asylum seekers if it were sold.

Olwyn Owen, chair of North Berwick Heritage, said: “[Mr Doyle] asserted that the ‘unintended consequences’ of not allowing demolition and redevelopment would be that the site would be sold again and could become a home of multiple occupation (HMO), possibly used to house migrants.”

Responding to this, Mr Doyle said: “When asked what use another buyer would put to the building, I answered that the existing use would be the obvious one as it was previously used for multiple occupation and that would be very attractive to the operators of that type of hotel.”

Paul McLennan, East Lothian MSP, said afterwards: “The apparent ‘threat’ to local residents that the Golf Hotel would become a migrant hostel is misleading and insulting to all parties, including residents.

“East Lothian has a proud tradition of welcoming refugees, and any change of use for the former hotel would be subject to a separate planning application.”

Ward councillor Jeremy Findlay said that, after attending, he was “not sure” of the purpose of the meeting, “other than to tell local residents that they intend to plough on regardless of local opinion if given permission, or to give a veiled threat of an HMO if refused with the unspoken implications of that”.

Ms Owen said the preferred option of North Berwick Heritage, that the building be converted into flats for residential use, was “supported by almost everyone at the meeting”.

Mr Doyle confirmed: “The majority of attendees did not wish to see the property demolished.”

>>23421516

>>23421526

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14958481/Abuse-inquiry-bill-rises-111million-cost-taxpayer-continues-soar.html

Abuse inquiry bill rises to £111million as cost to the taxpayer continues to soar

GRAHAM GRANT

31 July 2025

The cost to taxpayers of Scotland’s long-running historical child abuse inquiry has risen to £111million, the Mail can reveal.

The disclosure comes amid a growing row over the cost of public inquiries which has hit £230million since 2007.

Latest figures show Police Scotland has spent more than £12million in relation to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI), which is chaired by Lady Smith and began back in 2015.

The inquiry itself has cost £98.7million so far meaning the known bill to the public purse is now around £111million – but the true total is likely to be higher when as yet unpublished spending by other agencies such as the Crown Office are included.

Police Scotland’s finance department accounts shows that the force’s costs in relation to the SCAI, including legal representation, are £12.3million.

Launched in 2015 by the then Education Secretary Angela Constance, the SCAI was aimed at ‘shining a light in the dark corners of the past’. But the cost of the SCAI is now rising by more than £1million a month – with no estimate of its completion date.

First Minister John Swinney has suggested the inquiry could also examine the grooming gangs scandal – which could send costs soaring further.

The SCAI has produced a series of hard-hitting reports into a range of institutions including fee-paying Gordonstoun School in Moray, the King’s former school. Lady Smith found that children who boarded there were ‘exposed to risks of sexual, physical and emotional abuse’.

It also produced a damning report on the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, which ran the notorious Smyllum Park orphanage near Lanark.

The inquiry itself, though, has come under fire and sparked a spin-off probe into how it dealt with a survivor of abuse who later died.

Earlier this year, Melanie Watson told how her brother Kevin Sutherland gave evidence to the SCAI in 2022 but was later shocked to learn his case details were on the web.

She claimed Lady Smith’s inquiry was ‘100 per cent to blame’ for his suspected suicide last December, after it published his name online.

The incident is now under review by Jason Beer, KC, further adding to the overall cost. In April, MSPs on Holyrood’s finance committee announced they were to open an investigation into the cost of public inquires in Scotland.

Lord Hardie, who led the £13million inquiry into the Edinburgh Tram Project, has also called for a new parliamentary body to be set up to monitor the way the Scottish Government responds to the findings of inquiries it sets up.

He said there is a perception the reports ‘sit on ministers’ shelves gathering dust’, leading to concerns over ‘wasted public money’.

Since 2007, five inquiries have been completed – the ICL Stockline disaster, fingerprinting, contaminated blood, Edinburgh’s trams and the healthcare acquired infections – at a cost of £42.6million. Five more are ongoing – on child abuse, hospitals, Sheku Bayoh, Covid-19 and rogue doctor Sam Eljamel.

SCAI declined to comment on the Police Scotland figures. A government spokesman said: ‘Public inquiries operate independently of government and the chair has a legal duty to avoid unnecessary costs.’

>>23112638

>>>23112570 Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxevpw58qxo

Top lawyer loses appeal against misconduct ruling

23 July 2025

A Scottish KC who was found to have acted in a "serious and reprehensible manner" in a legal feud over a dating app business has lost his appeal against a misconduct finding.

Andrew Smith KC had appealed after the Faculty of Advocates complaints committee found him guilty of three counts of professional misconduct following a complaint by a man involved in a civil dispute with two former business partners.

The disciplinary tribunal of the Faculty allowed the appeal on one count, but upheld the remaining two, concluding they were "sufficiently serious on their own" to justify the conclusion that Mr Smith's actions amounted to professional misconduct.

Steven Elliott had complained about Mr Smith's conduct during a protracted legal feud over two dating apps, Bender and Brenda.

Mr Elliott had planned to launch the apps with two friends, Steven Worley and Kevin Farrell, in 2011. The trio fell out and Mr Elliott tried to launch the business on his own. This led to civil litigation starting in 2013 from Mr Worley and Mr Farrell, who were represented by Mr Smith.

Several court cases over the control of the business and its IP ensued, the defence of which Mr Elliot says cost him hundreds of thousands of pounds. He was declared bankrupt in one, but in another, a judge ruled that he had been entitled to set the business up on his own.

Mr Elliott first complained about Mr Smith's conduct in the cases in 2018. He claimed Mr Smith had become personally involved in the business affairs of his clients, contrary to the advocates' rule book, the Guide to the Professional Conduct of Advocates.

Last year, the Faculty complaints committee agreed and found Mr Smith guilty on three counts and said he had failed to adhere to an advocate's "fundamental obligations" and to "maintain independence".

Mr Smith said he was "astonished" by the finding and appealed.

In the new Faculty ruling, the disciplinary tribunal agreed with the complaint committee's finding that Mr Smith should not have accepted the instruction to act for Mr Worley and Mr Farrell between January 2015 and May 2018 because of a close personal involvement with their business affairs.

The tribunal agreed that this breached rules around duty of independence and obligation of trust.

The tribunal also upheld Mr Elliott's complaint that Mr Smith should not have accepted instruction to appear for Mr Worbey and Mr Farrell in May 2018.

This involved Mr Smith acting for the men despite introducing them to his brother, David Smith. David Smith later secured the trademarks for the dating apps through his company.

The tribunal dismissed the committee's findings on the third count, relating to alleged improper contact with Mr Elliott's bankruptcy trustee in May 2018.

But it said the two upheld complaints were "sufficiently serious on their own to justify the conclusion that the member's conduct in relation to these issues amounted to professional misconduct".

The tribunal acknowledged the committee did not find Mr Smith had acted dishonestly or in bad faith. Rather, the issue had been around a lack of understanding around professional boundaries.

However, it said the Guide to the Professional Conduct of Advocates attached "considerable importance to the requirement for an advocate to have absolute independence, free from all other influence, especially such as may arise from his personal interests" and said the complaints committee was entitled to conclude Mr Smith's conduct "amounted to professional misconduct".

Mr Smith had previously been handed a severe written censure. The tribunal said this sanction would stand because the committee had made no errors in finding breaches to the code on two counts.

The BBC has tried to contact Mr Smith for comment but he has not been available.

Steven Elliott, the complainer, told the BBC he felt "vindicated" but that the process should not have taken seven years.

"I should not have had to endure a complaints process so exhausting, intimidating, obstructive, and expensive - a process clearly designed to make people give up," he added.

He said the system needed reform and that he hoped his case would encourage other people to speak up "even when the odds are stacked against them".

>>23112638

>>>23112578 Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-opens-up-sexuality-35700783

Nicola Sturgeon opens up on sexuality as she addresses gay affair rumour

The former First Minister addressed her sexuality in an extract of her memoir serialised in a newspaper.

Paul Hutcheon

08 Aug 2025

Nicola Sturgeon has opened up about her sexuality as she rejected false rumours of a gay affair with a French diplomat.

In her memoirs, the former First Minister also said sexual relationships should be private matters.

Sturgeon’s book ‘Frankly’, which will be published next week, will delve into her nine years as leader of the country.

In an extract published in The Times, she addressed speculation that she is gay, despite marrying Peter Murrell in 2010.

In the book, she re-told a story of how social media claimed she was having a secret relationship with a woman, the then French ambassador to the UK, Catherine Colonna.

Sturgeon flatly denied the claim and warned of how false stories can take root on social media.

In another section of the book, she is believed to have rejected labelling her sexuality.

Nicola Sturgeon 2025. Extracted from Frankly by Nicola Sturgeon (Macmillan £28), published on Thursday.

This is a breaking news story - we'll bring you updates, pictures and video as it happens.

>>23112638

>>>23112560 Final Abuse Bun Part Two

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/father-boy-8-sexually-assaulted-35660679

Father of boy, 8, sexually assaulted in Highland campsite 'saw suspect walk away'

The youngster was attacked at the Loch Ness Bay campsite near Drumnadrochit in the early hours of Thursday morning

Nick Forbes & Douglas Dickie

1 AUG 2025

The father of a young boy who was sexually assaulted at a campsite in the Highlands saw the suspect walk away from his son’s tent, police have said. Detective Superintendent Calum Smith said the eight-year-old had been left “traumatised and upset” by the incident, which took place at the Loch Ness Bay campsite near Drumnadrochit before 1am on Thursday.

Police Scotland has launched a significant investigation and officers are working “every day” to find the suspect, who is described as a bald man aged 35-50 and about 5ft 10in. The child was in a tent when a man approached him and carried out the attack. The boy’s family were in a tent next to him.(Who would leave their 8 year old in another tent?)

Mr Smith spoke to journalists about the ongoing investigation on Friday. He told the PA news agency: “At the time, the father has overheard the incident, has come out, and has seen the man walking away from the tent.”

The detective said the suspect spoke back to the boy’s father, who had asked what he was doing, before walking off. Officers are keeping an open mind as to whether the suspect was staying at campsite, south of Inverness, he said.

Mr Smith said: “I fully understand that the public will be upset with what’s happened and distressed with this incident happening in the local area. What I would like to do is reassure the public that we have got dedicated resources working every day towards resolving it, and identifying the person involved and bringing them to justice.”

Police have appealed for information, asking anyone who was in the area at the time to get in touch. While there is CCTV at the campsite, the incident itself was not caught on camera.

Mr Smith said the public had been “excellent” in helping so far. He said the boy and his family is being supported by specialist officers.

The detective added: “This is reassuringly very, very rare. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that this is a very distressing, horrible incident that we need to resolve.”

News of the attack emerged on Thursday evening. Detective Inspector Christopher Macleod, encouraged everyone in Drumnadrochit to come forward as "as any piece of information, no matter how small or insignificant you think it is, could prove vital".

He added: "Please think back - do you recognise anyone who matches the description of the suspect? Or did you see anyone behaving in a strange manner, giving cause for concern, or loitering in the area?

"I am also keen to hear from anyone who was driving in the area around the time of the incident and may have dashcam footage, or who has seen something suspicious." Anyone with information has been asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0167 of July 31.

>>23441909

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/nicola-sturgeon-opens-up-arrest-35701120

Nicola Sturgeon opens up on arrest and says she thought about 'disappearing into sea'

She lifted the lid in her book, Frankly, which comes out on Thursday.

Lily Shanagher & Rory Cassidy

08 Aug 2025

Nicola Sturgeon has opened up about her arrest, describing in her new book how mentally testing the police investigation was - and saying she thought about disappearing into the North Sea.

In an excerpt of her new memoir, Frankly, published by The Times, the former first minister of Scotland spoke about some of the hardest moments of her life, as well as conflicted feelings over motherhood and sexuality.

She said it was one of the toughest days she had ever had when she was arrested and questioned by the police following the arrest of her ex-husband and the Scottish National Party (SNP) treasurer.

Peter Murrell, the former chief executive officer of the SNP, was arrested in 2023 and later charged with embezzlement, after his and Ms Sturgeon’s home was searched by police looking into what happened to £660,000 of donations to the party.

Police also investigated Colin Beattie and Ms Sturgeon but they were later exonerated. She said the events made her feel like she was in a work of fiction.

She said she barely slept during the period leading up to her arrest and would wake with her stomach in knots. She said the toughest day she had ever had to face was June 11, the date she was arrested and questioned.

But she added she was partly relieved that her wait was over. Following her questioning, she went to visit a friend in the north east of Scotland for a week to escape the media glare.

She said she stared out in the vastness of the ocean and wished it could end her suffering. But alongside her darker moments was one of her proudest achievements, she said – passing her driving test at the age of 53.

Ms Sturgeon told how she was anxious and dreaded what was happening for a year until April 2024, when Mr Murrell was re-arrested and charged.

But the probe into Ms Sturgeon continued and she admitted she was frightened about the investigation even though she knew she was innocent of any wrongdoing.

And she said it was mentally tough to have the potential prosecution hanging over her for two years when she knew that she had not done anything wrong.

>>23442372

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

She said she was overwhelmed by a sense of relief and release upon being told she would face no further action over the investigation on March 20 2025.

Ms Sturgeon also opens up about her miscarriage in 2010, saying she went to work in January while she was in pain including a memorial event for the 40th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster.

And she addressed rumours of an alleged affair around 2020 with Catherine Colonna, who was French ambassador to the UK at the time, and false rumours perpetuated about her issuing a super-injunction to silence the press.

She said she was annoyed that lies were being told about her and her private life, but that she was not miffed that people were calling her a lesbian, saying never thought about sexuality as being black and white.

Frankly by Nicola Sturgeon will be published on Thursday.

Nicola Sturgeon 2025. Extracted from Frankly by Nicola Sturgeon (Macmillan £28), published on Thursday.

>>23441909

>>23442372

>>23442377

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/nicola-sturgeon-i-thought-leaving-35701250

Nicola Sturgeon: 'I thought about leaving politics after first Holyrood term'

The former First Minister spoke at a book launch event this evening.

Craig Paton & Rory Cassidy

08 Aug 2025

Nicola Sturgeon considered leaving politics after just one term at Holyrood, she has said.

The former first minister was first elected as a regional MSP for Glasgow in the first term of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.The former first minister was first elected as a regional MSP for Glasgow in the first term of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

But speaking at an event in her Glasgow Southside constituency as she launched her memoir, Frankly, Ms Sturgeon said she felt she had “failed” because she was unable to win her constituency.

By that point, she said, the future first minister had lost three constituency races – in 1992 and 1997 for Westminster and the Holyrood seat she contested in 1999.

“I wasn’t particularly happy in myself in the first term of Parliament,” she said at the event as part of the Govanhill Book Festival.

“This dream I’d had about being a politician was going to be realised and yet I felt I’d failed because I hadn’t won the constituency.”

She added: “I was really conflicted for the first few years and, of course, there was lots of teething problems with the Parliament as a whole, so it wasn’t the happiest time in my political career.

“I guess I got to the end of that first session of the Scottish Parliament, not really sure whether I wanted to spend that much more time in politics.

“That obviously changed and the rest is history, but that was a moment where I could easily, I think, have taken a step out and done something different.”

Ms Sturgeon would go on to win the seat, which was originally named Glasgow Govan, in 2007 before announcing her plans to step down as an MSP at next year’s election.

>>23442532

>>23441909

>>23442372

>>23442377

>>23442532

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/nicola-sturgeon-opens-up-harrowing-35701027

Nicola Sturgeon opens up on harrowing miscarriage in new book

The former SNP leader has candidly opened up about the pain and loss of her child through miscarriage in 2011.

Gemma Ryder

08 Aug 2025

Nicola Sturgeon has opened up about her miscarriage and about how she was "deeply conflicted" about becoming a mother.

The former first minister revealed how the loss of her baby would be something she would always mourn, in her book published in The Times.

In heartbreaking detail, she described how she and her estranged husband Peter Murrell painfully lost their unborn child in 2011. The ex-SNP leader also said she would have named the child Isla Margaret, in tribute to her grandmother.

Her account of her loss has been recounted in brutal honesty in extracts from her new book, Frankly, due to be released next week.

She described the moment she found out she was pregnant with Peter being "overjoyed". However, she struggled more to be happy about it and wrote how she still feels guilty about that.

She admitted she thought the timing was terrible, as she would be six months pregnant during the 2011 election, when she was Deputy First Minister under Alex Salmond.

She said was obsessed with work and had believed the the timing couldn’t have been worse. Even 15 years later, she feels the loss was in part 'a punishment' for those thoughts.

On her miscarriage, she recalled going to Glasgow Royal Infirmary for a check-up, and suddenly she felt herself wanting the pregnancy, but she knew the child was gone.

Four several days Sturgeon says she was in pain and by January 4, 2011, the pregnancy passed.

Together the couple flushed their baby away. She recalls how they planned to try again, but she knew that their one chance was lost, adding that she will carry grief of losing their baby girl forever.

The politician admits in her book that she would choose to have a child if she could go back but doesn't believe her life is any less valuable.

Nicola Sturgeon first spoke publicly about her miscarriage in 2016, after years of media speculation about her private life and childlessness with former SNP chief executive Peter.

She was attending a memorial for the 66 victims of the Ibrox disaster but told Loose Women in 2023 that she was photographed while “still having a miscarriage.”

In 2016, she released a statement saying, “This was a painful experience for Peter and me, and while Mandy has known for some time, she respected our choice not to discuss it publicly.

“I gave her permission to mention it now, hoping to challenge assumptions and judgments faced by women — especially in politics — who don’t have children.”

Sturgeon expressed hope that sharing her story would help create a future where “these issues are treated as entirely personal.”

She explained that "sometimes, for whatever reason, having a baby just doesn’t happen — no matter how much it’s wanted.

“For me, like many women, all these things have been true at different times. The key is that no assumptions or judgments should be made about deeply personal decisions and experiences.”

Anybody buying this pish?

>>23442721

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

Nicola Sturgeon first spoke publicly about her miscarriage in 2016, after years of media speculation about her private life and childlessness with former SNP chief executive Peter.

She was attending a memorial for the 66 victims of the Ibrox disaster but told Loose Women in 2023 that she was photographed while “still having a miscarriage.”

In 2016, she released a statement saying, “This was a painful experience for Peter and me, and while Mandy has known for some time, she respected our choice not to discuss it publicly.

“I gave her permission to mention it now, hoping to challenge assumptions and judgments faced by women — especially in politics — who don’t have children.”

Sturgeon expressed hope that sharing her story would help create a future where “these issues are treated as entirely personal.”

She explained that "sometimes, for whatever reason, having a baby just doesn’t happen — no matter how much it’s wanted.

“For me, like many women, all these things have been true at different times. The key is that no assumptions or judgments should be made about deeply personal decisions and experiences.”

Anybody buying this pish?

>>23421516

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-minister-angela-constance-accused-35675844

SNP Minister Angela Constance accused of breaching Holyrood rules over website

The Scottish Government Justice Secretary is facing a Holyrood complaint after party political logos and news were posted on her Scottish Parliament website.

David Walker

5 AUG 2025

A leading SNP Minister has been accused of breaching Holyrood rules by uploading party political news and images onto her official Scottish Parliament website. Angela Constance's publicly-funded website is actually "down" now as the issue is investigated and rectified.

One of the few members of John Swinney's Cabinet not quitting next year, the Justice Secretary is the subject of a complaint to Holyrood authorities over her actions. It has been alleged that SNP content appeared on her site, which is only meant to be about parliamentary functions.

Her site was unavailable due to "maintenance" when the Scottish Daily Express tried to access it at 9.35am on Tuesday. The Daily Record originally reported that a complaint was lodged about the Almond Valley MSP on Friday with the allegations that she broke parliamentary rules.

They state that publications funded from parliamentary resources must not relate to an MSP's work as a Minister, with party political logos also banned on MSP websites funded by Holyrood. But Ms Constance's website allegedly breached these policies on multiple grounds, including over a dozen examples of the SNP logo.

The aggravating content was reportedly removed over the weekend and the website was taken down on Tuesday morning. When internet users visit the site, it states: “Our site is temporarily down for maintenance, but we'll be back online soon.”A spokesperson for Ms Constance said on Monday: "Upon being made aware of this issue, action was taken to rectify the matter."

The complaint against the Justice Secretary states: “Angela Constance is using the publicly funded site to promote her work as a Scottish Government Minister, including updates and announcements clearly related to her ministerial responsibilities, rather than her role as a constituency MSP .

“The site includes party-political content and references that go beyond the factual, non-partisan remit expected of Parliament-funded communications. Angela Constance’s website features SNP logos and party branding, which are clearly in breach of this rule. These visual elements are prominent and repeated, leaving no ambiguity as to their nature.”

Holyrood authorities were urged to probe Ms Constance's website by the original complainant. Pegged as a key member of the SNP and the Scottish Government, she was installed as Justice Secretary by Humza Yousaf, replacing veteran Keith Brown.

She landed in hot water last year amidst the ministerial car scandal as she took her son to an Old Firm match where she discussed bad behaviour at football, as well as pyro. Her colleague Neil Gray was forced to apologise to MSPs after taking a companion to various big Aberdeen games at Hampden.

A Scottish Labour source told the Daily Record: "It’s not enough that Angela Constance expects taxpayers to foot the bill for her chauffeur-driven trips to Old Firm matches, now she wants the public to pay for SNP propaganda online too. This is part of a wider culture of entitlement we’ve seen time and again from senior SNP figures.

"Neil Gray also used taxpayer-funded chauffeurs to get to football games. Michael Matheson racked up thousands on his iPad roaming bill and tried to blame his kids before finally resigning. The message is clear: the SNP think the rules don’t apply to them and they treat taxpayers with complete contempt.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Parliament said: “The Parliament’s policies reflect that parliamentary resources cannot be used for party political purposes. As a matter of standard practice we won’t comment on or confirm receipt of complaints.”

>>23403125

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-andrews-response-hiv-rumours-35689255

Prince Andrew's response to HIV rumours reveals true colours as he's labelled a 'disgusting sexual pig'

The Duke of York is braced for yet more revelations with the publication of a new book this month

Douglas Dickie

7 AUG 2025

Prince Andrew's "blithe" response to rumours had had HIV is a "perfect example of his crass sense of humour", a royal expert has claimed. The Duke of York is preparing for fresh humiliation with the publication of a new book this month.

'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York', by Andrew Lownie, has already been serialised in a national newspaper, with several bombshell revelations becoming public. They include claims Andrew slept with more than a dozen women within a year of his marriage to Sarah Ferguson.

The book also details 'Fergie's' incredible spending habits, shines light on Andrew's shady business deals, and even alleges he suffered a bloody nose in a fight with Prince Harry, although the Duke of Sussex has firmly denied that. Further details are continuing to emerge, including how Andrew dealt with rumours he had contracted HIV.

The episode has been highlighted by Tom Sykes, a royal commentator who writes for the Daily Beast. In his latest substack, he recounts how rumours started swirling after Sarah admitted to having had two HIV tests in 1993, at the height of the Aids panic, during a trip to Portugal.

In a bid to end the stigma of being tested, she revealed she underwent two tests, one before she was married and another for a life insurance policy. However, a Portuguese paper later quoted her as saying she had a third test when she and Andrew decided to start a family.

According to Sykes, this "triggered an avalanche of gossip about both Andrew's HIV status and another favourite piece of unsubstantiated Fleet Street gossip, that Andrew was bisexual." While Sarah denied the story and no evidence was ever found to back up either rumour, Sykes says Andrew was "such a disgusting sexual pig" that the gossip had "a considerably more credible, if slightly feverish, air".

The Palace eventually issued a denial, with a spokeswoman dismissing the "silly rumours". Andrew's response was: "I must be the first person in medical history to contract Aids and put weight on."

Sykes writes: "His blithe denial of having contracted a disease that was terrifying and devastating communities around the world was a perfect example of his crass and insensitive sense of humour."

Entitled by Andrew Lownie (William Collins, £22), is to be published August 14. You can sign up to Tom Sykes' substack through the website.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/arthurs-seat-fire-live-iconic-3570672

Arthur's Seat fire LIVE: Iconic Edinburgh landmark burning as four fire crews battle flames

Fire crews are at the scene of a suspected wildfire in Edinburgh.

Jackie Grant, Samantha Croal & William Morgan

11 AUG 2025

A large fire has broken out on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh on Sunday.

Huge flames and smoke can be seen for miles across the capital.

It is understood to be a wildfire although the cause of the blaze is not yet clear.

It is unclear if anyone has been injured.

This is a breaking news story.

Bogus shite all of it. As a boy me and my pals would go all over the place setting the moors on fire, there was never any real damage to anything and nobody was ever injured……….in fact we used to jump over and through the fire. Not sure why they're trying to pass this off as the world going on fire, climate change etc…….it's all bogus shite. The only thing that burned up was the dead blades of grass.

>>23454848

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

We even used to light our cigarettes from the flames.

>>23442246

>>>23112638

>

>>>>23112560 Final Abuse Bun Part Two

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/15190251/ian-bird-paedophile-scientist-rape-kids-court/

JAIL SWERVE Sicko Scots scientist who plotted to rape two kids walks free from court

The grandad and father of three believed he was chatting online with the children’s mother but it was actually an undercover police officer

Gordon Tait

8 Aug 2025

A TOP scientist who plotted to rape two kids has walked free from court - despite being labelled "a disgusting and vile deviant" by a sickened sheriff.

Physicist Ian Bird, 70 - a former chief at the prestigious Hadron Collider project - was caught trying to arrange a sordid meet with kids aged eight and 12.

The grandad and father of three believed he was chatting online with the children’s mother but it was actually an undercover police officer.

Beast Bird, from Bathgate, West Lothian, faced jail at Livingston sheriff court this week but was instead given two years supervision and 150 hours of unpaid work.

The cowardly fiend tried to hide from our reporter and attempted to snatch his mobile from his grasp as he fled the court building.

Sheriff Jane Farquharson said: “You said to the social workers that you are disgusted and sickened by your behaviour.

“You sought out the complainer in the case who went by the online name ‘LovingMum.’

“You then explored with her what you wanted to do.

“It is disgusting behaviour and serious concerns remain about your vile conduct.

“It is in the long term public interest to explore your deviant behaviour through supervision so you never do it again.

“You should consider yourself lucky you’re not going to prison.”

The retired scientist pleaded guilty to attempting to conspire to meet the woman and her family for the purposes of sexually abusing her kids between August and September 2020.

Prosecutor Chris Yule told how the undercover cop, “Cazi”, works in a covert English unit that traps paedophiles.

The fiscal depute added: “The officer contacted Police Scotland.

“Detectives then applied for a search warrant for Bird’s home and seized electronic devices which were found to contain evidence of his lewd conversations.”

Andy Aitken, defending, said his client had admitted ‘abhorrent’ crimes that had passed the custody threshold.

He said Bird had been married 45 years and his family were standing by him - despite their ‘shock, anger and upset.’

Officers had taken statements from all his kids and grandkids to rule out any offending against them as part of the investigation into him.

The brief added: “He has lived an otherwise law-abiding life with a successful career."

Bird had served as a senior staff scientist at CERN, the European Council for Nuclear Research, near Geneva, Switzerland, from 2002.

He was computing grid project leader for its Large Hadron Collider - a 27km ring that accelerates particles to almost the speed of light then bashes them together to help find out how matter is created.

It’s believed Bird stepped down in January 2020 - just months before committing his crimes.

A CERN spokesperson said: “At the time of the events, his contract had ended and he’d begun retirement.”

>>23458791

>>23112638

>>>23112560 Final Abuse Bun Part Two

https://web.archive.org/web/20250812162819/https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/15200687/romanian-girls-lured-britain-raped-lover-boys/

DARKEST TRADE How child slaves are being ‘delivered like takeaways’ & sold for ‘premium’ prices to sick new wave of Brit sex predators

Some victims are trafficked so young that they can’t remember their age and have to have their teeth assessed by dentists, experts tell The Sun

Sophie Jane Baker

12 Aug 2025

FOR loved-up teenager Mara, the promise of an exciting new life in Britain with the charming young man she’d fallen for online was a dream come true.

But following her heart nearly killed the young Romanian - who was repeatedly raped by strangers and brutally beaten with a curtain pole after her lover turned out to be a sex trafficker.

Mara’s ordeal, though horrific, is far from rare in Britain, where the number of modern slavery victims is at an all-time high.

Last year, 19,125 potential victims were referred to the authorities - a 13 per cent increase on 2023 (16,990).

Now, The Sun has learned how Romanian traffickers are luring younger and younger underage victims to our shores, before delivering them 'Uber Eats-style' through grotesque online 'orders'.

Operating behind the walls of ordinary-looking homes, girls as young as 12 are being forced to have sex with up to 20 men a day, whose sickening desires are being fuelled by a troubling wave of 'barely legal' pornography.

Night after night, Mara*, then aged 19, was transported from one UK city to another to be sexually abused - while her once-doting partner lived the high life on the money she earned.

The beast, and other traffickers, splashed out on lavish parties, cars, houses, and designer clothes - telling the terrified teen they would kill her if she dared to flee to her homeland of Romania.

Mara, whose name has been changed, bravely told The Sun: “It was a nightmare for me.

“I always prayed at every house I went to, ‘God, if I go in, who knows how I’ll get out.’

“Once, [my trafficker] beat me with a metal pipe from a curtain.

“They told me that if I go back to Romania, they will kill me.”

Experts tell The Sun that while Britain has long been a major destination for Romanian trafficking gangs, the age of victims they are encountering is an increasing cause for alarm.

Top UK criminal defence lawyer Marcus Johnstone says: “The younger the person, the higher the fee that can be charged to the client."

Sold at a premium price as “fresh meat”, some victims are trafficked so young that they can’t remember their age, so upon rescue, they have to have their teeth assessed by dentists.

Others are beaten so badly by their traffickers and clients that they can’t walk, or even crawl.

While offline, Romanian mafia gangs - who are among the trafficking rings netting more than £100,000 in annual profits per victim - brazenly roam our nation’s streets.

“Such mafia groups are not at all worried about the police,” adds Marcus, who specialises in sex crime for Cheshire-based PCD Solicitors. “Crime pays, and sex crime pays even better.”

The gangs’ victims, in contrast, are isolated from the British public.

Far from enjoying the sights of the cities they are trafficked between, the women and girls are ushered into houses and raped, over and over, to ‘repay’ supposed debts.

“The problem is huge,” says Laura*, social services and criminal justice liaison officer at International Justice Mission UK (IJM) - an anti-slavery charity that has supported Mara.

“Every police force in the UK has many cases involving [the] trafficking of Romanians for sexual exploitation.”

'Premium' prices for minors

Previous police raids in Leicestershire and Northumberland have shown that up to 86 per cent of women working in some British brothels are from Romania.

Chillingly, official figures show that around half of all human trafficking victims in Romania are children. Of those who are sexually exploited, more than 90 per cent are girls.

Earlier this year, a Sun investigation revealed how cases of ephebophilia - where adults are sexually attracted to teens aged 15 to 19 - are on the rise in Britain, following a surge in 'barely legal' pornography driven by controversial adult stars like Bonnie Blue and Sugar Daddy websites.

However, it was recently revealed that the number of paedophiles being jailed for hoarding child abuse images is falling, leading experts to warn that "as the problem escalates, the punishment diminishes".

Sickeningly, trafficking gangs deliberately target children from dysfunctional families or deprived areas, preying on their dreams of escaping for a ‘better life’.

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In some tragic cases, impoverished Romanian parents are even handing over their own children to sex traffickers, with “minors” attracting heftier payments from British customers.

Legal expert Adam Jones, of HD Claims, tells The Sun: “We are seeing an alarming rise in the number of young Romanian girls and women being trafficked into the UK to be sexually exploited - often, under the illusion of a better life.

“What’s particularly harrowing is that these grooming tactics are not always carried out by strangers. In some cases, traffickers are known to the victims.”

Marcus adds: “The airlines unknowingly operate as a taxi service to bring women to the UK, often accompanied by male ‘handlers’."

Once in Britain, the girls are trapped inside the dark world of human trafficking - which generates almost £180billion globally for its perpetrators.

'Lover boy' tricks

For many sex slaves, their exploitation begins with ‘love’ - or a fake version of it.

So-called ‘lover boys’ - often, older men - trick girls into believing they love them.

Lurking outside Romanian schools - and on social media and gaming platforms - they tell the girls they are “beautiful” and “smart” in a vile bid to recruit them as sex workers.

Showering their chosen victim with affection and gifts, the trafficker appears to be the perfect partner. But in reality, they have trapped the smitten girl in a “toxic, manipulative” dynamic.

Laura explains: “Unlike the stereotypical image of traffickers as violent kidnappers, those using the ‘lover boy’ method are often charming and calculated.

“They invest months - sometimes, even a year or more - pretending to be in a loving relationship.”

Some traffickers, like Mara’s, invite their victims to the UK to live with them. Others make false promises of legitimate work or education.

Laura adds: “It all starts with what seems like a perfect relationship - a loving, attentive partner who offers everything they’ve ever wanted, and that’s what makes it so dangerous.”

Last September, an organised crime gang was jailed for more than 16 years after trafficking a Romanian woman from France to Britain with the promise of a well-paid cleaning job.

Once here, the woman was kept at a flat in Oldham, Manchester, and told she must ‘repay’ a staggering debt of 6,000 euros (£5,200) for her accommodation through sex work.

She was forced to have sex with multiple men each night, while her twisted captors profited.

The gang split the online payments from the men - an estimated £1,000 per night - between them. They disguised the transactions with notes like ‘FAMILY’ and ‘GIFT’, police said.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fink, of Oldham CID, said at the time that the victim’s human rights had been “cruelly stripped from her from the moment she landed on UK soil”.

He added: “This case is a solemn reminder that modern slavery is happening here in Greater Manchester.”

'More than horror'

Like countless other girls, survivor Samara* was restricted from going outside alone. She couldn’t access money nor her passport, and had no way to contact her family back home.

She tells The Sun: “I remember the first evening when I was on the street, I got beaten so badly because I wouldn’t get in anyone’s car.

“It was not just horror, but more than horror.”

Jessica McDowell, policy officer at the London-based charity Christian Action, Research and Education (CARE), says: “The average age of a teenager who is trafficked is 14.

“These young girls are cut off from their families and have their passports and other documents taken off them when they are forcibly raped and exploited by paying British men.”

To add to their isolation, girls trafficked by the same gang are housed at different locations.

Laura adds: "Typically, three or four traffickers operate several locations - premises for exploitation, each with one girl. This limits the victims’ ability to bond or plan an escape.”

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To ensure the girls follow their orders, their traffickers threaten them with extreme physical violence or deportation, warning: “If the police catch you, you’ll be in trouble.”

They also prey on the girls’ fear of shaming their families.

“[They say,] ‘We’ll tell your family you’re doing prostitution’,” Laura tells us.

“In countries like Romania, where stigma around women is strong, this fear is paralysing.”

'Like ordering a takeaway'

Prostitution itself is legal in England and Wales.

But in recent years, lawyers have witnessed “an exponential growth in online sex crimes”, with traffickers now able to advertise their victims to potential clients on the internet.

“Like ordering a takeaway, it is now possible to order, over the internet, women, girls and children for sexual abuse,” Marcus tells us.

“‘Handlers’, the equivalent of the Uber Eats delivery driver, can now deliver your order at the click of a mouse.”

Earlier this year, a court heard how 14 women from Romania, aged in their 20s and 30s, had been trafficked into South Yorkshire, Norfolk, and London to work in the sex trade.

The victims were advertised online, then driven to their clients’ locations.

Among the “dangerous” gang members behind the women’s plight were Valentin Badica, 39, Cristian Damaschin, 35, and 34-year-old Ionica Badica, all of Newcastle.

Despite their shocking crimes, the trio were jailed for less than three years each. Four other gang members had their sentences suspended.

Marcus adds: “In my years as a criminal defence solicitor, I have dealt with numerous people who regard crime as a business. You have good years and bad years.

“Going to prison, occasionally, if they get caught, is just an occupational hazard. The financial reward far outweighs the risk.”

He adds: “Low sentences are not a deterrent to the criminal gangs.”

For many sex slaves, escape seems impossible - especially if they fall pregnant.

Laura says: “In one case we worked on several years ago, traffickers horrifically attempted a forced abortion by physically assaulting the victim.

“The traffickers didn't want her to be pregnant at the time because they needed her to work.

“The abortion didn't succeed. Both mother and the baby survived, but the trauma that something like this brings to a woman is unimaginable.”

In another case, a desperate woman jumped off a UK balcony to escape her trafficker.

But even those who successfully flee are left with a lifetime of scars.