In all the analysis of the relationship between Swinney and Trump, it is seldom remarked that Trump owes his golf course to Swinney who agreed to call it in AFTER Council had agreed to refuse it. Trump understands that and is forever grateful. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Finishing my preparation for this event next week. Do join us. bsky.app/profile/fore...

Big Read news feature is an in-depth interview with me by @neilmackay.bsky.social on asylum, genocidal processes at work and need for leadership against hate. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2544663... And www.heraldscotland.com/news/2544581... Read via your library PressReader app

Saturday evening legal geography quiz. What does this boundary represent or signify?

The quotes cited in this article suggest that if Nigel Farage's spouse bought the house it was not liable for the additional rate of stamp duty. That is not true. Sch 4ZA(9) Finance Act 2003. So has it been paid? www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/how-da...

Stuart McMillan MSP campaigns against weeds. Leave the weeds alone.

Sunday's mountain forecast www.mwis.org.uk/forecasts/sc...

Stuart McMillan MSP campaigns against weeds. Leave the weeds alone.

The Scottish Parliament is committed to ensuring that all those who work at or visit the Holyrood building feel safe. Following the news of the ongoing police investigation, Parliament has taken action to reassure all those who may have concerns. You can read more at ow.ly/G7xG50WR06V

49 hours to go before @islaratcliff.bsky.social kickstarter closes. It's all or nothing to reach the target of £11,000. www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

It's a great resource and well worth the subscription.

Who Owns Scotland Aug 2025. I have now documented a total of 4700 landholdings covering 76.2% of rural Scotland. To find out who owns Scotland, please subscribe. Subscriptions start at £12 for personal use. The project is financed solely by subscription income. whoownsscotland.org.uk

At this year's conference, we had a jam-packed programme. Starting with an audience of 320 people engaged in a thought-provoking and insightful keynote from @andywightman.scot on land reform and democracy that sparked great questions and discussion throughout the 2 days. Thanks Andy!

Just 7 days to go - this project will only be funded if it reaches its goal on 4 Sep. Rewards include the album and other musical offers including a personal recital! Please share. www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

An encouraging example of how assets are being added to a common good fund. It is often assumed that they are historic relics. They are not - they are living, dynamic investment funds that should be expanded for the benefit of folk in Scotland's burghs. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Great opportunity for the right person or organisation. search.savills.com/property-det...

With the acquisition on 7 Aug of the French forestry portfolio, Woodland Invest, Gresham House partnerships now become the second largest owner of privately-owned rural land in Scotland with more land than Buccleuch Estates. andywightman.scot/2025/08/gres...

This is just latest in series of events (run by professional bodies) which I have been invited to speak at but have declined as they cannot or will not pay me fee for my time and expertise. I am sure that attendees are not taking a day of unpaid leave... www.terrafirmachambers.com/news.html?ne...

The Hebridean Wind Rush - Published this week as part of our work with @ScottishBeacon for the #powershift project. @shetnews.co.uk @luuksengers.com @bylines.scot @severincarrell.bsky.social @tcij.org @lochsidepress.bsky.social

With 12 days to go, Isla needs £500 per day in kickstarter donations to ensure she raises the needed funds. Have a look at the rewards. This is not charity but advance support for an artistic project in return for meaningful rewards including the album itself www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

The Times is very bad at this stuff. The story here is about the Scottish Govt and St Andrews House/Victoria Quay etc It has nothing to do with Holyrood or the Parliament

Vivaldi's Four Seasons is 300 yrs old & this Scottish trad interpretation is a creative & joyful reflection on its key themes. Kickstarter has 14 days 2go with a series of rewards incl the album itself. Please help project get over the line by 4 Sep. Thank you! www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

Vivaldi's Four Seasons is 300 yrs old & this Scottish trad interpretation is a creative & joyful reflection on its key themes. Kickstarter has 14 days 2go with a series of rewards incl the album itself. Please help project get over the line by 4 Sep. Thank you! www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

I look forward to presenting results of my latest research into forest ownership at this webinar on 17 February. Should be interesting @forestpolicygroup.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/fore...

Profs Jill Robbie and John Lovett have written a commentary on the Forthtay Limited Employee Trust v Scottish Ministers case, aka the Poets' Neuk right to buy case from St Andrews, for Scottish Planning and Environmental Law. Open access version on SSRN: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Tomorrow! Join @ariane-burgess.bsky.social , Esther Roberton, @andywightman.scot , Cllr Gail Macgregor & Dr Greg Stride in conversation on the future of local government in Scotland. 📅 20 Aug | 🕥 10:30am 🎟️ tikt.link/localgovernm... #FestivalOfPolitics #ScotlandFuture #FoP2025

I will be at Edinburgh International Book Festival Wednesday 20 August at 1500. Tickets still available. Do come along! www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...

Thanks to @andywightman.scot and Cathy for accompanying me on my final Corbett, the magnificent Sgurr Domhnuill in Ardgour. Cathy and Andy were also on my last Munro in 2019 and me on theirs in 2022. So there is symmetry to keep up. Shall I mention the Donalds?

Is the structure of local government fit for the next 30 years? Join the discussion in partnership with @cosla.gov.uk at #FoP2025 with @ariane-burgess.bsky.social , Esther Roberton, @andywightman.scot , Cllr Gail Macgregor & Dr Greg Stride 📆 20 Aug, 10:30-12:00 🎫 tikt.link/localgovernm...

Slowly but surely, huge swaths of the internet are vanishing. But the artefacts of the early web are still out there, and they have lessons for the future … BBC Future #AIslop www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...

Well I wasn't. bsky.app/profile/hera...

BLOG - In light of Nicola Sturgeon's claims that Alex Salmond leaked the Scottish Government's internal report into harassment complaints, I assess the actual evidence which she appears to ignore. andywightman.scot/2025/08/who-...

⭐️ My crowdfunder is live!!! ⭐️ I have just launched my crowdfunding campaign for my 2nd album, “The Scottish Four Seasons” - a Scottish trad reinterpretation of Vivaldi’s famous work to mark its 300th birthday! I have 30 days to raise £11,000. Thank you so much for your support! Isla x

How many people does it take to clean a bothy toilet in the middle of the #Cairngorms? More than you'd think! cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/a...

This should be good. I’ll be supporting what sounds like a fascinating album in the making bsky.app/profile/isla...

Who Owns Scotland July 2025. I now have documented a total of 4600 landholdings covering 75.9% of rural Scotland. This project is financed solely by subscription income. Please subscribe at whoownsscotland.org.uk

The 5,600 hectare Griffin Forestry Estate in Perthshire has been sold to Gresham House FF VI LLP for £145 million. With mature forestry and 68 wind turbines, it is probably the most expensive rural estate to have been sold in modern times. andywightman.scot/2025/08/grif...

Who Owns Scotland July 2025. I now have documented a total of 4600 landholdings covering 75.9% of rural Scotland. This project is financed solely by subscription income. Please subscribe at whoownsscotland.org.uk

TENANTS of a few acres of bog & rock face criminal sanctions for not submitting return & confirming residence. But OWNERS of thousands of acres face no obligations to submit such returns or to be resident. Just one of many bizarre aspects of Scottish land law www.scottishlegal.com/articles/tho...

It was not surprising to see that the only person invited by Trump to stand up at today’s golf course opening at Menie was John Swinney. It was he who resurrected Trump’s dreams of building a golf course that would destroy a Site of Special Scientific Interest. 1/5

£36 million net profit on £78 million turnover - almost 50% profit margin. Is this normal for law firms? Sounds like clients are getting ripped off.

BLOG - North Glenbuchat Police Interview and False Declarations andywightman.scot/2025/07/nort...

Who Owns Scotland June 2025. Now total of 4554 landholdings covering 75.75% of rural Scotland. This project is financed solely by subscription income & I will shortly reach the limit of the expansion & updating that is possible within existing resources. Please subscribe at whoownsscotland.org.uk

In light of Trump's forthcoming visit to Scotland, as a reminder (or refresher) on golf controversy, here's report setting out various aspects of the debacle. I wrote it to have a record of the story in detail with sources. More material (incl link to report) here andywightman.scot/hot-topics/t...

Great evening yesterday in Muckhart, Perthshire talking to the community about its commonty and how it might be protected from further encroachment. I love the photo which was cheekily taken by Paul Ede. Will blog next month about this case.

Great to see that the English Devolution Bill, published today, restores the Supplementary Vote system for electing mayors and PCCs. In a blogpost last year, I set out why the switch to FPTP in 2022 was bad for democracy, and why reversing that move is good. constitution-unit.com/2024/05/24/t...

Leave the nuts alone- they are for the birds! Although it’s lovely to see you 😎

BLOG - North Glenbuchat Police Interview and False Declarations andywightman.scot/2025/07/nort...

I am looking forward to appearing once again at the Edinburgh Inrernational Book Festival on 20 August. Come along... www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...

What legal authority does HMRC have to force me to buy software I don't want in order to comply with their Making Tax Digital proposals? I thought my legal obligation was to submit a return & its up to me how I organise my accounts.