Frank Bowles

It's unacceptable that Gazans are having to choose between starving or risking their lives going to aid posts where they could be fired upon.

Netanyahu must fully reopen the supply routes for food and aid, and our Government must be far tougher in demanding it.

One day I’d like to visit Skye. So I can’t bring my campervan and tomorrow night the cheapest hotel room in Portree is over £500, self catering similar, thanks to the hype generated by American tourists. If you want ordinary Scots to spend money in your shops and businesses don’t rip them off!

There’s a lot of empty space in the Highlands, we need credible infrastructure if want a tourist industry and we need to let people camp, motorhome, self cater or stay in hotels.

Most people on self catering holidays buy their food in local supermarkets, doesn’t mean they don’t eat out as well. I certainly do in my camper. But then Airbnbs are pricing locals out of homes. Well heeled southerners do the same selling up to run an island B&B…

Maybe read the article?

In North East Fife, pretty much the most Lib Dem area of mainland Scotland. Not a single Fife MP or MSP either 😡😡

Some superficially valid points but looks like a bit of SNP propaganda TBH… wealth taxes for example are notoriously difficult to design and make work, and Scotland can create new taxes if it wishes to do so. More analysis and less partisanship please

The worst element of what happened this week isn't even about immigration specifically. It's that Starmer surrendered against populism.

Reform have 5 MPs. In the past three days I have seen their representatives on TV or heard them on the radio 7 times. Ed Davey (72 MPs) or other Lib Dems - zero times. Confused.

The countries don’t vote in blocs, we have a party based system. Constituencies are roughly equal in size and each constituency has an MP with an equal vote. But yes England is bigger than the other countries so indeed they have more MPs.

I think you also have to factor in that proportion of the Scottish population that migrates in from other parts of the UK and are less likely to be pro-Indy. Probably why the figures have stayed more static than demographics predict

The US just voted alongside Russia, Belarus and North Korea against a UN resolution to support Ukraine.

This is a wake-up call for all those cheerleading Trump in our country.

He says it because it will resonate in the media and make mainstream politicians react drawing attention to him. You can’t out-Farage Reform, we should just ignore them

Be brave on Europe, Keir Starmer On the 5th anniversary of the UK's departure from the EU here's a plea for a re-think

"optimism has drained as Starmer appears either committed to this hardest of Brexits or too worried about the next election to risk losing the votes of red wall Brexiters.

But really he has nothing to lose."

The Liberal Democrats are a federal political party with autonomous state parties - the Scottish, Welsh and English parties wholly responsible for their respective countries.

Group of Labour MPs urge No 10 to be tougher on migration to fend off Reform Exclusive: Pressure group set up by MPs from seats where Reform came second amid concern about party’s rise

When will Govt learn you can’t out-Reform Reform - you end up simply legitimising their toxic narrative. To see off populists, Labour needs to invest in public services & local communities, making a real difference to people’s lives - levy a wealth tax & use it to improve people’s lives *now*

It would be illegal to put a party name on an ad funded out an MSPs parliamentary comms budget. I’m not a fan of Pam but she’s in the right here I’m afraid

Communications paid for by parliament can’t be used to plug political parties. This applies to all MSPs - unlike their Westminster counterparts they have a public comms budget and can’t use it for partisan stuff

Trump has clearly not spoken to a single Palestinian about this plan. Gaza is our land. Palestine is our home. Peace cannot come at the cost of our country.

I urge the UK and the whole international community to resist him.

Recognise Palestine now, before it's too late.

Group of Labour MPs urge No 10 to be tougher on migration to fend off threat from Reform Exclusive: Pressure group of MPs from constituencies where Reform came second at last election call for Labour to ‘shout louder’ about action on immigration

This is officially one of the most idiotic things Labour could do. Playing to Reform emboldens Reform. You can't out anti-immigration them. Labour has both the majority and time to implement policies which actually benefit people, and put the case for immigration.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

If Labour go down this road it only reinforces Reform and its ilk. Instead it needs to call out that our problems do not stem from immigration and that parts of our country and economy need more migration not less. Standing up for your principles will get more votes than compromising them

Just take a moment to imagine the reaction to Barack Obama pardoning 1,500 black people, involved in a riot, which led to five police officers dying, calling them "heroes" & "hostages".

Very applicable to the UK as well, such a pity we never get this sort of long form deep thinking in the British media ☹️

Superb essay on where the liberal left has gone wrong in America…
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/opinion/piketty-sandel-liberals-open-borders.html?unlocked_article_code=1.qU4.UhKx.0eiqGexbpXk1&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

The TikTok thing reinforces my unhealthy instinct that if I ignore something for long enough it will go away.

There’s certainly gossip that an SNP-Lib Dem coalition could work in Scotland but I’m not sure either could deliver their voters… but the arithmetic could be interesting

Badenoch’s pensions triple lock remarks prompt alarm among Tory colleagues Leader urged to clarify suggestion lock could be means-tested amid fears party will lose support among older voters

Badenoch’s pensions triple lock remarks..

Daisy Cooper:“bungling Badenoch” had come up with a policy of slashing the state pension.
The Lib Dems are proud we introduced the triple lock and will fight tooth and nail against attempts to weaken it.”
#LibDems

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

This company likes to portray itself as akin to numerous small local brewers. It is, in fact, a giant corporation backed by a US private equity firm.

A Real Pain is superb in every possible way. Not a moment wasted. That is all

You’re right of course, car travel is still seen as the default and anything else an eccentricity… thing is e-bikes need to be part of the solution to reducing congestion, but seem generally regarded as a menace