I see Farage has just re-emerged on X to post about banning cousin marriage, which he says is 'inherently un-British'. He'll surely be horrified to find out that Queen Victoria married her first cousin Albert before ruling over the Right's beloved British Empire at its peak.

He Who Pays the Piper: The BBC, Tony Blair, Rishi Sunak and a Failure of Journalism @adambienkov.bsky.social pointing out how the BBC consistently fails to enlighten the license payer over the financial interests of its interviewees bylinetimes.com/2026/05/27/h...

Privileged to take on the role of Chair of the Norwegian Scottish Association in its 60th anniversary year. No better time to promote the values of community and international understanding. #Norge #Skottland.

Now that Nicola Sturgeon has been completely vindicated in the Branchform enquiry, the police should now be free to turn their attention onto Labour MP Joanni Reid, and Her Toryness Baron Michelle Mone of Cornton Vale 🇬🇧

Full results of the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election for the South Scotland region now available here. This includes full regional vote breakdown per constituency.

there is literally no danger of 'Europe resembling China' since China uses heavy financial repression and credit policy as infrastructure for its industrial policy

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“It is understood the National Cyber Security Centre is not aware of a report from Farage related to the alleged hack.” That’ll be because it’s all utter bollox. “Just how stupid would you like us to be, Mr Farage?” “Oh *that* stupid. Let’s see what we can do…” www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Well...This looks ominous. Peter Thiel launches "Objection," an online "tribunal" to refute the work of investigative journalists. italiantimes.substack.com/p/peter-thie...

We don’t yet know how capable Holyrood’s new far right bloc will be, but Scotland’s consensus on supporting hybrid languages and cultures will need robust defence from a new breed of divisive culture warriors bsky.app/profile/pros...

Delighted to report that @bylinetimes.bsky.social has been receiving emails and messages from readers asking them why they have given the likes of Isabel Oakeshott, Goodwin and Dan Hannan space to write for them. As such my "On the Record" column now prominently says AS TOLD TO OTTO ENGLISH

Apparently Google is self-aware #enshittification “explains the decay of sites like Amazon, Google Search, X and TikTok”

BREAKING: Kent County Council has voted to introduce recitals of the 'Lord's Prayer' at its meetings. This is a regressive and divisive move. Council meetings should be equally welcoming to all attendees, whatever their personal beliefs. www.secularism.org.uk/news/2026/05...

"Growing the social economy with a new rainbow parliament" - my latest blog on The Scottish Parliament election, please read and share: www.tfn.scot/opinion/growing-the-social-economy-with-a-new-rainbow-parliament

Neither Environemnt nor Land Reform feature in the titles of any of the new Scottish Government Ministers and Junior Ministers. One or more will be responsible for them of course but neither are important enough to merit inclusion in any of the titles. www.gov.scot/about/who-ru...

Jeremy Vine made his 10 year old daughter a shareholder in his company. A scheme which could be used to lower his tax bill. Pot, kettle?

Well that's not working out so well (maybe 'cos Badenoch is so inept at politics & leadership)?

Timely on price restraints for today's UK PM Questions. #PMQ #pmqs

AI can also be a weapon of epoch-changing creativity & invention for the common good. It's a Pandora's Box that cannot be closed; governance & transparent & accountable control & governance are the critical issues. We have none of these.

Ahhh, another day, another religious Facebook spam bot. In the comment section of our #UnholyHistories podcast, no less. We get prayer-bots, personal trainers (jog on), witchdoctors, crypto bros... all sorts! We block spam on sight. Help keep our comment sections human. Report spam. 🥓

Are you still active on here? Trying to reconnect. On the mayhem with my X account account, turns out it was hacked. X 'help' still worse than useless! I've been unable to reactivate or even access it.

Ooh, beware? Liverpool shares with Glasgow the experience of widespread destruction of their priceless city centre heritage during that vainglorious municipal era of the 1960s?

Welcome back following the election. As the new government takes shape, we’re using our first Insight of this parliamentary session as a reminder of the fiscal and economic challenges facing the Scottish Government. Read it here: bit.ly/4frxMeU

❗️Yvette Cooper was warned that proscribing Palestine Action could prejudice the trial of six activists but went ahead anyway. The revelation suggests Cooper prioritised securing the proscription of Palestine Action over respecting due process www.declassifieduk.org/palestine-ac...

$10,000 invested in these IPO’s are now worth: Sears: $0 Enron: $0 Nikola: $0 23&Me: $0 WeWork: $0 JC Penny: $0 Pets .com: $0 WorldCom: $0 Blockbuster: $0 Radio Shack: $0 Lehman Brothers: $0 Bed Bath & Beyond: $0

"I will fix this house by relentless focus on dusting the shelves, and not getting distracted by the fire engulfing the basement." www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Good grief ! it like Monty Python. The next sketch is the Knights of the Green Chartreuse Sketch

This gave me chills. Watch.

The New American Gothic by Criselda Vasquez The man in the painting is the artist’s father. He was arrested by ICE a few weeks ago

Aha! That's for me thanks.

Has it any thorns? Soon as I go near roses they inflict damage on me - I reckon they're the predecessors of triffids.

I love and respect this scientist. Carl Sagan answers a question about creation vs evolution.

I think most know what Burnham thinks of Scotland and always has.. Described by Nicola Sturgeon as ‘incoherent and absurd’ Andy Burnham, is no friend to Scotland talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/05/17/d...

BBC News - Two suspended Durham Reform councillors quit party - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

BBC News - New St Helens Reform councillor who made adult films quits - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Greater Manchester still says no to NHS data platform with Palantir at its heart

'Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are still unlikely to drive the energy transition because renewables, batteries, and grid flexibility attract far more investment, scale faster, and generate quicker returns.' oilprice.com/Alternative-...

CalMac confirms its ferry network has returned to full normality Something BBC, the newspapers and the unionists will carefully not mention. www.thenational.scot/news/2611106...

A company called Liberty Rock claims you can pay your tax with a magic cheque. They'll make all your tax go away, for the small, small fee of 30% of the amount. The only problem: it's a fraud. We’ve obtained the documents and are naming the names. Thread:

Mind you, Douglas Alexander's earning sources circumstances have changed? In Westminster, then voted out of Westminster, now back in via the pretendy 'Scottish' Labour role, soon to be out again (all on behalf of Westminster of course)

On AI, fair & good, but isn't the existential challenge *who* is going to ensure that artificial intelligence delivers shared prosperity. Our political classes do not inspire confidence, albeit the EU is trying?

Intelligent take on Artificial Intelligence. Control or be controlled.

ICMI: What happened when we invited 90 school kids onto campus to interview our academics? Learning, fun…and just a touch of chaos 🤪 Delighted to have led the ‘Kid Reporter’ project with @uofgeducation.bsky.social and Hillhead Primary! bit.ly/4358Su8

Nigel Farage is a GRIFTER - pass it on.

Agreed.It's an odd & self-demeaning aspect of BBC (#R4today etc) that it periodically gives a regular & predictable platform to favoured individuals - almost seamlessly those of right-wing & Euro sceptic views.

Master of the Corrupto Coin Little Minger!

But would *any* Labour candidate win in *any* by-election in current circumstances? I don’t say Andy Burnham would not, but it’s a perfectly valid question given the feverish mood amongst Labour Party politicians, members & voters… & the UK electorate?

#Brexit is back in the news, which reminded to repost this TOP cartoon by @mackinnonart.bsky.social

It’s been an extraordinary, bewildering, sometimes dismaying, journey that Richard Dawkins has embarked. A sometime Humanist & agnostic… now gone all-in for the AI delusion?

About the UK Labour branch office in Scotland… which is not, of course, a ‘Scottish’ Labour.