🔴NEW: Former tour guides have come forward with allegations of 'intimidation' and discrimination at Stirling Castle, adding to mounting scrutiny of Historic Environment Scotland.  Read: https://www.theferret.scot/intimidation-and-discrimination-allegations-keep-coming-at-scandal-hit-heritage-agency

UK ban on Palestine Action unlawful, high court judges rule www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Books are being challenged in Scottish schools. Librarians fear a 'chilling effect' on freedom of speech. “While hopefully librarians will not remove books, they may feel pressure to remove some from open collections and limit access”. www.theferret.scot/books-scotti...

“There are a lot of questions about this money that need answered. I’m glad OSCR will now look into it.” Yesterday we reported OSRC was launching an inquiry into the CCA following concerns raised from former staff. https://www.theferret.scot/cca-to-be-investigated-over-financial-governance-concerns/

🔴 Posts on social media claimed Swinney had stayed in Mandelson’s residence last year when on a trip to the US.

Thanks to former staff who've been speaking to me in recent weeks about financial concerns at the CCA, and questioning especially what happened to ring fenced project funding. Good news for them that OSCR has now decided to launch an investigation into the CCA's "financial governance". 👍

Great investigation here on what’s going on in Scotland. And pleased to be able to share my thoughts with the Ferret team.

🔴NEW: Books are being removed or restricted in Scottish school libraries following complaints, creating a “chilling effect” that campaigners warn threatens both freedom of speech and inclusive education. Read the story: https://www.theferret.scot/books-scottish-schools-librarians/

This is a really useful read... It doesn't solve anything itself, but it helps provide understanding - and without that, we can't even start to solve the issue of GPs, appointments and best use of limited funds.

“Why can’t I get a GP appointment?” has become a national refrain. Our latest De-noiser looks at the data behind the 8am scramble – and asks whether new funding and walk-in clinics will change anything https://www.theferret.scot/why-cant-i-get-an-appointment-with-my-gp/

🔴 Farmed salmon were treated with a lot more drugs than the industry said, leading campaigners to question the credibility of the salmon farming industry. Read our latest investigation: https://bit.ly/4bt4mLq

This is not normal wapo.st/4pFh6lw

Great to see a new chair in place for the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry. The family have been waiting a long time for answers so delighted for them that the work continues from March. #ShekuBayoh www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

2025: A year of British politics in pictures www.channel4.com/news/2025-a-...

ICYMI: In late November I went to Bethlehem. The city was preparing for Christmas for the first time in two years. But for families I met in Aida camp, things were far from peaceful. www.theferret.scot/its-christma...

"No Israeli soldier or official was held accountable for his killing, as is the case with virtually every Palestinian child killed by Israeli forces" www.theferret.scot/i...

This is heartbreaking. Among so many heartbreaking stories. We can’t become numb to this.

"There is a sadness inside that will never leave." I met families impacted by the violence that goes with the occupation of the West Bank. There's a lot of pretty horrific stuff going on in the world today. But I think these stories need to be told. www.theferret.scot/its-christma...

Mohammed was 17 years old when he was shot by an Israeli sniper in Bethlehem. Two years on, his family say there is no accountability for his death. Their story is one of dozens from communities across the West Bank Read more: www.theferret.scot/i...

The day after Palestine's ambassador urged SNP delegates to "isolate companies that profit from occupation, John Swinney had breakfast with Airbnb's lobbyist. Airbnb is on the UN database of firms profiting from illegal settlements. shorturl.at/p67Yt

Still here. Still waiting for HMP Bronzefield to call an ambulance for Qesser Zuhrah, who is on day 46 of her hunger strike and needs urgent hospital care now.

“What is the point of a certification system that looks the other way in the face of blatant breaches?” www.theferret.scot/a...

In the West Bank village of Umm al-Khair, 24-year-old Hanady Hathaleen is raising three children alone after her husband Awdah was shot dead in settler violence. Now the family faces demolition orders on their home www.theferret.scot/a...

“There is no other way to put it. They were trying to rip a food bank off.” Energy giant SSE says it supports communities. Fort William's Lochaber food bank, which was faced with a £24k energy bill, finds that hard to believe. Read the story here: theferret.scot/fort-william...

🔴NEW: The Lochaber food bank in Fort William claims energy multinational SSE tried to "rip them off". After a year of fighting – and questions from The Ferret – SSE has promised to re-issue the correct bill…but it is still unresolved. www.theferret.scot/f...

@theferret.scot is ten whole years old. It has a new look, a new website, and has switched from Wordpress to Ghost. www.theferret.scot

The Ferret is 10! We've spent a decade digging where others won’t — now we’re taking a night off to celebrate. Join us for music, dancing and some very special guests. Get your tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-ferret...

I was interviewed by the freelance journalist, Jackie Kemp, about the #FOI story revealing that Loch Long had been polluted by radioactive waste from Scotland's nuclear bomb depot at Coulport. jackie125.substack.com/p/how-a-six-...

🔍 Did the UK Government give £600m to an Ineos plant in Belgium while failing to back Grangemouth? FFS took a look at this and other claims about the refinery and found the truth is a bit more complicated 👉 theferret.scot/why-g...

This is an excellent piece by @karingoodwin.bsky.social I used to spend a lot of time in Grangemouth and it saddens me that this community is having its main source of employment taken away by geopolitics and billionaires with seemingly little being put in its place.

When Grangemouth workers were told they were losing their jobs, it was already on the BBC. Many never got their promised transition into green roles. We looked at what went wrong: theferret.scot/grang...

🔴 NEW: Grangemouth should have been Scotland’s big opportunity to realise its ambition for a just transition – moving workers into cleaner, greener jobs. But embittered power struggles got in the way. Find out more: bit.ly/42k2yin

The cabinet is currently being reshuffled but more consequentially, the government is failing its promise to deliver a green industrial future at the cost of tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs. You can read my London Review of Books article on the recent closure of Grangemouth oil refinery ⬇️

Grangemouth’s closure had been seen as “a litmus test” of the “just transition”. But the consensus is that this test has been completely failed. Almost six months after closure, I went to hear from the refinery's workers. Pics by Angela Catlin. theferret.scot/grangemouth-...

More than half of 434 Grangemouth refinery workers who lost their jobs in the closure earlier this year are still looking for work. Important reporting from @karingoodwin.bsky.social in @theferret.scot featuring quotes from current and former workers and me. Read ⬇️ theferret.scot/grangemouth-...

If you're based in or near Aberdeen we'd love to see you at our Open Newsroom. It's the first one we've held outside Glasgow so really looking forward to it.

🔴 NEW: Nigel Farage claimed Glasgow houses 50% more “illegal” migrants than anywhere else in the UK. Ferret Fact Service checked the facts — and found the claim is mostly false. Here's why: bit.ly/4fZygHj

📢 We're launching a new training project to help young people spot and challenge disinformation online. In partnership with @cilipscotland.bsky.social, @youngscot.bsky.social, thanks to support from @tnlcommunityfund.org.uk. Find out more more: theferret.scot/the-ferret-h...

🔴 NEW: Anti-migrant protests are becoming more common in Scotland. We investigated the groups attending, the messages being shared, and what’s at stake. Here's what we found: theferret.scot/far-r...

🔴 NEW: Families have been left paying thousands of pounds a year for childcare because Edinburgh City Council has reneged on a flagship Scottish Government policy that promises all children more than 1,000 hours of free care at a nursery of their choice, it has been claimed 🧵

We also see The Herald has now picked up Rob's investigation from May about the rise in nuclear incidents that could leak radioactivity. You can read the full story here: theferret.scot/nuclear-inci...

This week we've been pleased to see @robedwards5.bsky.social's investigation into radioactive pollution in Loch Long being widely picked up by other media. Thanks to those who credited us and to members for supporting our work. 💪https://theferret.scot/radioactive-waste-pollution-nuclear-plant/

🔴 NEW: Loch Long on the Clyde has been contaminated by radioactive waste from the UK’s nuclear bomb store where old water pipes have repeatedly burst and caused floods, files released after a six-year secrecy battle reveal. Our investigation: theferret.scot/radio...

🔴 NEW: Scotland must “do more to tackle racism and bias” in child protection, according to the organisation overseeing Scottish Government reforms of the care system for children and young people at risk. Read the full story: theferret.scot/promi...

Grassroots groups say racial bias in Scotland’s child protection system is an ongoing problem. The Promise Scotland says it needs to do more theferret.scot/promi...

A teen took his own life in foster care. His migrant mother says cultural bias led to her family being ripped apart. Read our latest investigation: theferret.scot/migra...

“In our experience, when Black people get into this system they don’t get the same support as white people and they are considered high risk” theferret.scot/migra...

A power of work has gone into telling this knotty, extremely difficult story @theferret.scot Superb stuff from @karingoodwin.bsky.social and Juliana da Penha. theferret.scot/migrant-moth...

But Victoria Nyanga-Ndiaye – founder of Edinburgh-based charity, Project Esperanza (‪‪@ukesperanza.bsky.social‬) – is starting to see an acknowledgement of the issue. Change, she says, is possible. Read the full story: theferret.scot/migra...

🔴 NEW: A young teen took his own life in foster care. His mother, a migrant woman, says cultural bias led to her family being ripped apart. Our latest investigation: theferret.scot/migra...