📰 Saying 2025 has been a big year in Europe is something of an understatement! Me in Sunday’s @scotnational.bsky.social. www.thenational.scot/politics/257...

Where else would I do last minute Christmas shopping but Made in Stirling? Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄 🎅🏻

🔎 When we say Stop the Scottish Energy Bill Rip-Off, we are saying something bigger than “shave a few pounds off the price cap”. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Here are three key points you need to know: www.believeinscotland.org/scotland_nee...

We should never have left ERASMUS at all. Agreement to continue participation was in place and it was only pulled at the last minute in an act of spite by Boris Johnson personally. But, I'm glad to see this agreement and hope that the £570m is uncontroversial. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

New study from LSE, York & Glasgow universities shows the Scottish Child Payment is transforming lives. Without it, 70,000 more children would face deprivation and food insecurity. We will keep investing in families and lifting children out of poverty.

One interesting piece of data I mentioned on the @holyroodsources.bsky.social podcast today is that the SNP is more likely to be trusted to stand up for Scotland's interests than Labour *among 2024 Labour voters*, by 30% to 23%.

Stirling’s, and Scotland’s, empathy doesn’t stop at our borders. Very proud to support a pro Palestine rally in Stirling today. A just peace for all must be based on humanitarianism, the rule of law and accountability.

Too many folks and businesses are struggling with energy costs, all the more absurd when Scotland has so many resources. The UK has delivered a poor deal on energy, an independent Scotland won’t do it like this. #Scotland #Stirling #costofliving #independence #energy

Stirling voted the happiest place in Scotland! With good reason, we’ve a great community, quality of life, good services and amenities and a beautiful location. (Obviously it’s just a bit of fun but Stirling won so I’ll take it 😉) www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now...

Just out my Covid and Flu jabs, easy appointment, cheerful and professional team, first class, thanks @nhsforthvalley.bsky.social! Vaccines are safe and work. If you need one, go on get one. More info here: nhsinform.scot/wintervaccines

This is really very significant news, not just for the Canadians and EU but because it gives the lie to the UK-EU “reset” being little better organised than a binfire in a skip. www.politico.eu/article/cana...

An excellent thread.

This is an important article. All the guddling around misses the main problem, Brexit has made us all poorer and we need to get back into the EU. But the fact is I simply don't see any actual appetite to do that in UK politics, but Scotland can choose a different path.

This UK budget won’t change the political weather (and won’t do much for the economy neither). Abolishing the 2 child benefit cap is the right thing to do, *which is why Scotland announced doing it last year* Westminster announces it when it is politically convenient.

Pubs, restaurants and hotels aren't just businesses, they're vital for our communities. But the UK charges a whopping 20% VAT on these businesses, way more than most other European countries. I've called in today's UK Budget statement for a cut to boost their bottom lines now.

It’s Brexit that has made us all poorer, we can all see it. Any UK budget that tries to deal with the symptoms without tackling the cause will fall short, Scotland can do so much better with independence in Europe.

NEW: This is worth your time. @thenerve_news has the receipts. A comprehensive timeline of Nathan Gill & Nigel Farage’s pro-Kremlin influencing activities & 2 other MEPs, David Cobourn & Jonathan Arnott. Please read & share.

This is outrageous from Keir Starmer. ‘Russian links to Reform need investigating’, he says. So why is his government still fighting case now in Grand Chamber of Strasbourg court refusing to have such an investigation into Russian interference ?? news.sky.com/story/starme...

Oh! 😳

We finally managed to watch @realgdt.bsky.social’s Frankenstein on @netflix.com last night and it is a brilliant adaptation, loving especially that his laboratory is so obviously based on Stirling’s own Wallace Monument! Great to see @stirlingcouncil.bsky.social on screen!

Great news! @snp.org have taken control of Stirling Council, top priority the housing emergency. Lots to do, I’m delighted for our hard working Councillors and for Stirling 👍🏻

“You can’t have the benefits of membership when you are not a member.” A point apparently still needing explained to the UK. I'd heard rumblings that the talks were not going well, but this confirms the high level fluff around the summit is not quite being delivered. www.ft.com/content/8963...

Oh! 😳

A great evening, sorry I had to miss it but glad to hear it went so well! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇪🇺

EXCLUSIVE: Former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt on Scottish independence and the UK in Europe

Well spotted! Look forward to stepping up working with you guys, community ownership and enhanced community benefit are vital to boosting renewables.

Josh Fyvie has a great support in Stirling East, and we were joined today by Bruce Crawford, former MSP for Stirling. There’s a chance of real change this coming Thursday!

A genuinely seismic result over in Cymru in Caerphilly. Many congratulations to @plaidcymru.bsky.social and Lindsay Whittle 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇪🇺 nation.cymru/news/plaid-c...

I’m concerned about foreign interference in our democracy, and I don’t think the UK government is doing enough to keep us safe. Cross party with @carolinelucas.bsky.social and @benbradshaw.bsky.social we’ve appealed the Russia Report case to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.

NEW: Russian interference case heads to Europe's 'Supreme Court' Ex-MPs with @the-citizens.bsky.social take landmark case to Grand Chamber. Case claims UK govt in breach of law for refusing to investigate foreign interference. 1/ www.thenational.scot/news/2556145...

It's pretty extraordinary timing in a case that has been running since 2020 & publication of Russia Report. @carolinelucas.bsky.social @benbradshaw.bsky.social @alynsmith.bsky.social have persevered even tho they've now left parliament. Why - even now - is UK govt refusing to investigate???

Proud to be part of @euromovescotland.bsky.social who have just established a Brussels Group. Now’s the time for more EU links, not fewer 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇪🇺 www.heraldscotland.com/politics/wes...

The European Convention on Human Rights is being misrepresented in the UK, says former Supreme Court President Lady Hale👇 🔗 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home... via @the-independent.com “It seems so short-sighted. I’m sorry, I’m really, really worried about it.” #ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms

Human Rights protect all of us. Another reason why Scotland needs independence in Europe 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇪🇺

Europe must grasp this feeling and what it meant & still means with both hands. And what the freedom & subsequent successful journey of former Warsaw Pact countries & those subsumed as Soviet republics meant & still means. It is their and Europe’s greatest achievement, but it is not yet completed.

This is very welcome and very significant news. Congratulations Moldova! 🇲🇩 🇪🇺 www.politico.eu/article/poll...

An inspiring lunch with old friends at @businessforscot.bsky.social in Edinburgh, a hugely important organisation in making the wider pro-business case for independence in Europe, and a lovely bunch of folks to boot! Their energy campaign is going to be transformative 💪

Oh! 😳 www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Stirling Pride! 🥰 I’m delighted for the organisers who have worked so hard to make today happen. Stirling, and Scotland, is diverse, loving and respectful. 🌈 #Stirling #pride #equalityforall #lovewins #scotlandtiktok

While Starmer's reset negotiator says there's no prospect of the UK rejoining the EU in his lifetime, we were told that Scotland will be welcome to join, once we are independent. It's democracy! @greens-efa.eu @alynsmith.bsky.social @europeforscotland.bsky.social ideasforeurope.eu/news/insight...

Here’s the level of ambition from the UK government. Scotland can do better. We’re not going it alone, we’re rejoining a global A-Team. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

There’s some really exciting, practical and achievable aims in here. Community ownership of energy resources is transformative, we’ve seen that across Stirlingshire and we need *a lot more* of it. This is an important bit of work from @cescotland.bsky.social 💪

By the way, I asked the internet (so a caveat on the details) how many EU countries have ID cards. Seems plenty do and life goes on just fine…

From tomorrow, there’s no more peak rail fares in Scotland, thanks to the SNP. The Scottish government runs our trains for the betterment of all of us, thank what more we could do with the full powers of independence in Europe!

THIS is how you answer the politics of fear. Well done Alyn!

Scotland needs more people, not fewer. Of course independent we will have an immigration and nationality (and asylum) policy but we’ll have one that suits us, and is all about working with friends and neighbours. I honestly hate the UK debate on this and am fearful of where England might be going.

Scotland doesn’t have a problem with immigration. We need more people, not fewer, we have labour and skills shortages and getting back into the EU and freedom of movement, in and out, will open up opportunities for everyone to all our benefit 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇪🇺

A brilliant evening with @niamhmcfarlaneart first solo exhibition at @smithmuseum, great to see local organisations supporting local artists, great company, great speeches and great art, get along to the Smith and see!

Huge congratulations to Scotland’s young people on your #SQAResults! ✅ Pass rates are up. ✅ Over 200,000 Higher entries. ✅ Vocational awards are up by 22.6%. ✅ Attainment gap is narrowing. You’ve done Scotland proud. 🤝

ICYMI Sunday’s @scotnational.bsky.social column on attitudes across the EU to Scotland, and why events are making it more urgent we rejoin 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇪🇺 (And 🇬🇧 too if it comes to it, c’mon get real folks) www.thenational.scot/politics/253...