Unbelievably, #DuvetKnowItsChristmas generates such good will on social media that over the years we've raised somewhere approaching a quarter of a million quid for homeless charities. If you can spare a bob or two, sling some to Centrepoint, and here's the link: www.gofundme.com/f/duvet-know...

Ciaran Jenkins and I have recorded another Channel 4 News/BBC News long-distance musical collaboration for Christmas. This year we play The Coventry Carol. To all who are celebrating, wishing you a happy, peaceful Christmas.

By this time tonight I was meant to have made my bread sauce, cranberry sauce and begun the gingerbread stuffing, and yet I find myself, tasks still undone, on my sofa, with drink and cake to hand, happily gazing at my Christmas-Grotto-garden. Rather thrilled with my new light-up deer, I must say.

👇 A friend used to have 'f' themed parties inspired by feminism, instead of birthday parties. Her 'financial literacy' party was superb: women, wine, a qualified financial planner, all the money Q&As we weren't taught. The money lessons we wish we’d been taught at school www.ft.com/content/06eb...

Labour admits 60% of parents wrongly targeted in HMRC child benefit fraud crackdown The scale of the UK Government’s anti-fraud fiasco is four times higher than previously admitted, after using incorrect Home Office travel data www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The #Glasgow2026 Commonwealth Games will be paywalled in a few ways. Not only will plenty of Scots not be able to afford to go because of ticket prices, they won't be able to watch it on TV, either. Disappointing organisers have chosen revenue over reach and access. It may end up being a non-event.

Minister for Higher Education Ben Macpherson confirms to Holyrood's #Education Committee that Scottish Government will not impose the international student levy (UK Government policy) on Scottish universities. He goes on to welcome how "internationalism creates innovation." It is welcome good news.

🆕️ research on women's custody units in Dundee and Glasgow published by @thesccjr.bsky.social criminologists, including Margaret Malloch: Scotland’s Community Custody Units (CCUs) for women praised, but researchers warn reform needed to stop them being ‘mini prisons’ www.sccjr.ac.uk/news_item/sc...

Here's really hoping that this is true and done well. It is a joy having European students join us for their studies abroad, and likewise, our students enjoy their time studying abroad. #Erasmus #StillEuropean www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

The mass shooting terrorist attack at Bondi beach is horrific 💔 Targeting a Jewish celebration of Hanukkah is utterly reprehensible. People across Sydney and Australia will be in shock at the injuries, trauma, and loss of life. Hate and violence cannot win. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...

Public Appointments Scotland are seeking three new Board Members to join the #RMAScot Board help set the strategic direction & Make Scotland Safer Deadline to apply is 2 Jan - see below for more information and the Application Pack 👇 fa-evxn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

JOBS (×2): Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of the West of Scotland (UWS). Two full-time, permanent posts with a salary of £50k – £65k. #Criminology #CrimSky www.glassdoor.co.uk/job-listing/...

Today we are launching the Scottish Public Spending Dashboard, a collaboration between the FAI and JRF. This is a new tool allowing detailed government spending figures to be accessed and analysed by a broader set of people. Learn more below:

After years of having policy anorak tendencies, Google has figured out that I like to spot an SSI... and has started sending me a push notification when there's a new one it thinks I might be interested in? 😂 🤓 (It's already a bookmarked tab on my 💻 browser). #Niche #OhDear #Holyrood #PolicyAnalysis

HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) published a new report on remand (pre-trial detention) today. It contains substantial human rights concerns for remand prisoners in Scottish prisons, violating international rules #Criminology #Prison prisonsinspectoratescotland.gov.uk/publications...

The latest Criminal Proceedings statistics have been published by Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services. This covers lots of things, incl. what prosecutors do and what courts do (e.g., bail, prison sentences, community sentences). #CriminalJustice #Sentencing www.gov.scot/publications...

there’s a general loneliness epidemic which men are just as much a victim of, and there’s a ‘male loneliness epidemic’ which seems to be mostly this

Is there any greater proof that the EU is something worthwhile than the richest person in the world calling for its destruction. The EU, imperfect as it is, is one of the very few means in the world to hold people like Musk to account.

Millionaire and former Minister in the Scotland Office, Lord Malcolm Offord, has defected from the Scottish Tories to Reform UK, saying he intends to stand down from the Lords and stand for election as a Reform MSP in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election #ScotPol #SP2026 www.bbc.com/news/article...

Feeling proud of the intelligent multi-lingual children in our city! This tweet and the Farage video in it about "the cultural smashing of Glasgow" is getting rightly roasted by the good people of Glasgow on the other place...

Online Workshop: 'International Perspectives on Parole's Present and Possible Futures' with Prof. Harry Annison, University of Southampton. Wed 17 Dec, 4pm (UK time). Register now! bit.ly/parole-futures

Tonight's BBC #Disclosure programme 'Are refugees welcome here?' is a tough watch. It is very concerning to see the racism, Islamophobia, vigilante abuse and intimidation happening at anti-migrant protests and across public places in Aberdeen and Falkirk. #BBCDisclosure www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Scotland's largest anti-racist demonstration takes place this weekend. If you want to oppose the poison of the far-right; if you want to stand up for those in need and value unity over division, then join us: 📅29/11 ⏲️10.30am 📍Barrowlands Park

ChatGPT’s signature writing style is everywhere now, and I hate it. It reminds me of when we tried mixing all the beverages at the soda fountain in middle school. We didn’t actually create the perfect drink, we just made a cloying monstrosity that lost everything good about its constituent parts.

📢✨️ Dream postdoc job alert: Research Associate – Rehabilitation and Reintegration in Europe (RaRiE). Full-time, 5 year fixed-term job working with @fergusmcneill.bsky.social at University of Glasgow and researchers in the Netherlands and Norway. #Criminology #CrimSky www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPP716/r...

👀 England & Wales: Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases (murder, manslaughter, rape) www.bbc.com/news/article...

The European Journal of Probation (SAGE) is looking to expand our Editorial team. You can apply to be: 🟦 A Journal Co-Editor, along with Prof Ioan Durnescu, Prof Martine Herzog-Evans, and I. 🟦 A Member of the Editorial Advisory Board @europeanjprobation.bsky.social #Probation #SocialWork #CrimSky

Admiral Fallow at Queen Margaret Union, with a new album – brilliant as ever. #gig

Criminologist and friend Fergus McNeill speaking to MSPs in the Scottish Parliament debating chamber today. 🔗 to watch @fergusmcneill.bsky.social's full speech, in Prisoners Week, to @scotparl.bsky.social 👇 #Criminology #CrimSky #Prison #PrisonersWeek www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/meet...

I wonder how many Labour MPs thought that this was the sort of thing they were signing up for when they applied to be parliamentary candidates.

If the government really intends to seize jewellery and other valuables from refugees, either - it is staggeringly ignorant of the historical precedents or - it's aware of the precedents, and thinks, yeah, we'll have some of that. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

When the Starmer and Reeves U-turns turn into pirouettes. The chaotic indiscipline on briefings is 👀

The government has announced that Police and Crime Commissioners will be scrapped in 2028 - which would have been the next elections - saying it will "cut the cost of unnecessary bureaucracy" Many senior police officers have long wanted them gone, as seen here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

💥 Speculation tonight of a possible coup to try to oust Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. Downing Street has launched an extraordinary operation to protect Starmer amid fears he is vulnerable to a leadership challenge, espec. in wake of the budget and May elections www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

We are recruiting five Postdoctoral Research Fellows and one Research Partnership Manager for the University of Stirling FORTH2O project paulcairney.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/w...

I'm not sure whether Henry McLeish and James Mitchell have made a compelling point/case for change? Scottish Spads are subject to a special version of Civil Service Code, Lobbying register, declarations of interest, hospitality, FOI requests. They are not highly paid relative to how hard they work.

The Scottish Parliament pre-election campaign recess period starts on 26th March (i.e., 4 months 2 weeks' time). Do forgive me if I doubt whether Your Party Scotland have enough time to decide their structures and approach to #Holyrood2026 election campaign 'through all member conferences' by then.

UPDATE on below – via @paulhutcheon.bsky.social – 'Scottish Labour’s governing body has rejected plans to strip party members of their right to select Holyrood List candidates. I understand the SEC backed a short campaign, with members picking. Only constituency candidates can be on the Lists.'

This is a dreadful idea. The UK Government is plumbing new depths. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Scottish Labour may be picking a fight with its own? 👀 Scottish Labour is considering blocking party members from selecting Holyrood candidates. Party bosses could instead appoint candidates for Lists based on how many voters they contacted during campaigning. www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...

UK Public Appointments: Climate Change Committee Members (x3 vacancies). A remunerated (£) post for a five year term. #Climate #ClimateEmergency #Environment #vacancy apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/8964?p...

In latest Scottish Affairs journal, not one but two MSPs with the surname Kerr have published articles. This article by Liam Kerr MSP considers the Lord Advocate's dual role as head of the prosecution service and chief legal adviser to Scottish Government. #Law www.euppublishing.com/doi/10.3366/...

Pretty extraordinary story here www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....

I keep seeing/hearing versions of the claim that immigration is now in the top three issues for Scots (that specifically from The Scotsman's politics podcast). The most recent Scottish issue polling was done in the summer, by Ipsos, and immigration wasn't in the top ten. Where is this coming from?

The President of Latvia must veto Latvia’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention to protect women and girls from gender-based and domestic violence.

A perceptive and powerful piece by my University of Stirling colleague, Nuzhat Uthmani 👏 Lecturer and anti-racist educator @nuthmani.bsky.social offers insight and direction for how white privilege can be used to combat racism. www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2555...

The camera on my phone can't do justice to the magic in tonight's sky #Shetland #aurora

Sacrilege!

Below is a showcase of photos generated through comparative research for a 'Community Supervision: Seen and Supervised' exhibition. Wonderful work by Dr Fern Gillon & Prof @bethweaver.bsky.social bringing this all together for #ESRCFestival. #Probation comparingpenalsupervision.com/project-medi...

JOB: Lecturer in Criminal Justice (LTS) / Associate Director of the new Independent Legal Advice (ILA) Pilot for victim/survivors of sexual violence in Scotland. Full-time, fixed-term post at the University of Glasgow School of Law. #Law #Criminology #Victims www.jobs.gla.ac.uk/job/lecturer...