The election fun isn't over in Scotland: there will be *two* Westminster by-elections following the election of the SNP Stephens as MSPs yesterday: it is now no longer legally permissible to be an MP and MSP at the same time, and they will have to resign as MPs shortly.

I am deeply disturbed and disappointed with the level of misogyny coming from some Lib Dems in the wake of the results yesterday. It's not often stuff makes my skin crawl - but a couple of the things I've read in recent days has been some of the most unpleasant I've seen in a long time.

And in the process I have learned about the Guga Hunt which is a 600 year old tradition where ten men - the Men of Ness - go to an uninhabited island for a week, live in stone huts and BLUDGEON 500 - 2000 BABY GANNETS TO DEATH.

🚨 LIB DEM GAIN - Highlands and Islands Congratulations to Morven-May MacCallum on being elected as the Liberal Democrat MSP for the Highlands and Islands! Our 10th MSP elected!

Who is this nutty woman on the BBC talking about MSPs running down at 7am to reserve their seats in the parliament with towels? She was chatting about showing children her pencil case about an hour and a half ago.

Liberal Democrats GAIN Strathkelvin and Bearsden, as Adam Harley is elected. 🔶 Congratulations Adam!

I'm driving back from a conference in Telford and Matt is calling periodically with updates on the Scottish elections. I've said WHAT many times now.

That's utterly embarrassing, isn't it?

Do we realise that Dundee is basically SNP central? That's a heck of a reduction - almost entirely to Reform.

Orkney Islands (Highlands and Islands) Constituency Vote (vs 2021): LD: 7221 (70.2%, +7.8) SNP: 1661 (16.2%, -12.9) RUK: 844 (8.2%, New) CON: 358 (3.5%, -2.5) LAB: 199 (1.9%, -0.6) Valid Turnout: 57.6% Lib Dem HOLD; First result declared!

I pissed off a bunch of over-60s on Threads saying Starmer may have received a huge mandate 18 months ago but hasn't really done much to earn it since then. Apparently KS is the hardest working prime minister since the war, and he handles Trump.

You know when you're like "did that actually just happen?" and you can't process it? I'm feeling that way after being linked to the committee report on the greyhound racing ban. Like I, someone who manages a dog rescue centre, might not have read it. My job is animal welfare. I read it.

Will I stop talking about this? No probably not. You cannot be liberal and support bloodsports. "But Becca it isn't a bloodsport as the prey isn't real" They're the prey. #YouBetTheyDie #CutTheChase

Oh what's that sound? My Lib Dem membership not being renewed? Maybe 2 of our MSPs shouldn't have voted against banning greyhound racing, cancelling out the votes of the two that did. Have you seen a retired greyhound straight off the track? If it survives that long. It doesn't know it's a dog.

They have released photos of Maduro blindfolded and with noise cancelling headphones on. They are putting their hostage into sensory deprivation. Maduro is a dictator. But this is not justice. This is the only remaining superpower torturing to torture.

The scary thing is we talk about the US being 1930s Germany but... We've got 1930s Chamberlain as our Prime Minister. Only more naive. He thought Hitler would stick to his word. Starmer wants "the facts" before committing to "invading another country and kidnapping their leader is bad".

Is anyone else unable to access the employment tribunal part of the gov.uk website? I've tried on my phone with WiFi and mobile data, nothing. Cleared the cache, nothing. Logged into the laptop, nothing. DownDetector says the gov.uk website may have problems but I can't see anyone talking about it

You know it's a bit ridiculous to still be going "but tuition fees" when someone talks about the Lib Dems right? The Labour Party under Tony Blair committed war crimes and now they're in government again.

LGBT+ Liberal Democrats condemn our party's decision to base internal gender quotas on sex assigmed at birth. This trans-exclusionary decision is an attack on one of the most vulnerable groups in our society. 1/4

It is not lost on me that the cis women crying out at how wrong the Party's changes to quotas are and they should be abolished are the same cis women who told those of us who campaigned against quotas ten years ago that quotas were a good thing and we were naive.

Fuck Elon Musk. Also the irony is phenomenal. You cannot march against immigration and for "British values" and whatever the hell the Tommy Robinson gang tried to claim their bigoted BS is about and then get a hard-on for an immigrant praising you.

This account is unapologetically pro trans rights. I have no interest in your TERFy nonsense.

I believe dog training should be accessible to everyone - regardless of their budget. That's why I've launched this personalised training plan on Fiverr. Dogs are individuals and their training deserves to be too. www.fiverr.com/s/vvkmLwD

The Supreme Court have determined legally what a woman is. Problem is... you can't prove it. A karyotype test to determine chromosomes will cost £400 and results take 2 weeks. And that may show that someone who has developed anatomically as a female that they have Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome.

If you drink the koolaid that people are worried about women's safety when it comes to discussing trans rights then just know you're firmly under the patriarchy's thumb. You've fell victim to their propaganda. You've decided women are women based on how much they look like a woman.

This. Protect trans kids. Protect trans rights. Gender is a spectrum. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Non-binary people exist. Inter-sex & DSD people exist. Gender-non-conforming people exist. Transphobia is anti-feminist. Laws are often wrong and unjust. We must fight for a fairer future.

Me: I don't think the illustrator of this colouring book put much thought into how much brown was needed in this image. My husband: I mean you can use any colour for anything? Me: No that's wrong. Him: It's wrong is it? Me: How many neurotypical adults do you think are using adults colouring books?

I haven't made it into work due to the storm so I'm doing my online compliance training. They're using the term "smishing" and I haven't taken my adhd meds today. So the word smishing is killing me. It's not that funny but also it is.

Wild. Top is the NBC upload, bottom is the one aired as the live feed

fuck’s sake you’re gonna make me say it again IF YOU DEADNAME AND MISGENDER A TRANS PERSON YOU DON’T LIKE (even a gas station hot dog like Caitlyn Jenner) YOU ARE SHOWING EVERY TRANS PERSON YOUR SUPPORT OF US IS CONDITIONAL ON YOUR APPROVAL OF US fuckin’ knock it off ya dinguses

The energy company charged us £283 for a month's electricity. We were £100 in credit and they took a further £183 out - despite being on a fixed £90 direct debit. I submitted today's meter reading (after submitting the reading when they asked earlier in the month) and we've jumped back onto credit.

"It's just for terminally ill people with less than 6 months to live." When MAiD in Canada was introduced in 2016 it was for those "suffering intolerably during the dying process the choice to have a medically assisted death." It's now for those deemed to be "incurable". Including mental illness.

I have back pain following a very minor bump in a car. Someone hit me. I don't need xrays. But I am in pain and don't know the best way to manage it. GP won't see me and insists I need A&E. My A&E has upwards of 12 hour waiting times for non-urgent issues. My presence will just piss off A&E.

I don't love the amount of twitter content making its way over here. We left it for a reason, we don't need it trickling in through screenshots of "Can you believe what this dude is saying?". Actually yes I can. And that's why I'm here. To stop seeing that inane bs.

🔴 The number of homeless people in Scotland's biggest cities has rocketed by almost 10% since pre-pandemic. @thescotsmanpaper.bsky.social has joined forces with Cyrenians to help raise essential funds for people experiencing homelessness this winter & beyond. www.scotsman.com/news/scottis...

The only dentist accepting NHS patients in the village next to the one I live in doesn't have a toilet on the ground floor, yet claims their clinic to be disability accessible. So you can get your regular check up, but you better not need the loo.

I need the dog training community to not come up with their own abbreviations for things. Please stop talking about your SA dogs when discussing separation anxiety.

The "safety" concerns around women in women's only spaces are so blatantly transphobic. A man isn't going out of his way to dress like a woman to endanger women going to the bathroom. He'd be more successful purchasing a mop since nobody would question a janitor.

... does the star wars universe have the concept of pets? Bc if not my job translated into that world is incredibly dark.

Video still from Moose's hesitant snow zoomies this morning. Lurchers cut some odd shapes.

About to head off to Edinburgh. I wrapped my car up last night to hopefully speed up the de-icing process. Let's see how that went.