Alan

Trying to make the homeless a policing problem rather than government policy problem. This solves absolutely nothing. Sad.

How fraudsters and scammers are getting more sophisticated in NZ Economic cost of fraud is believed to be around $10 billion.

The economic cost of fraud in NZ is about $10 billion a year; $7-$8b of that is tax avoidance.

Wealthy individuals and multinational corporations are the primary drivers of large-scale tax avoidance.

If we want to “claw back welfare payments” let’s start with the ones we’re giving to the wealthy.

Floaters: the coming-of-age novel inspired by the UK’s sewage crisis C M Taylor’s book, which will raise funds for charity, follows teenagers whose favourite swim spot is contaminated

Note to @theguardian.com Scotland does not have a "sewage crisis" and England≠UK.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Higher KiwiSaver contributions may mean lower pay rises Westpac's chief economist says all else being equal, pay rises this year will be lower.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines... RNZ misleading headline again. Should read "higher corporate profits will mean lower pay rises". If only they had journalists willing to talk about this

If someone was alleged to have pinched £500,000+ from Labour funding, how likely is it the UK media would try to blame the Labour Party? The answer is, of course, that they wouldn't. Such coverage is specially reserved for one specific Scottish party.

I don't really follow the teals in Australia. I thought they were a bit more like independents. I like the TOP land value tax proposals it is a fairer way to tax. Also TOP, like the Greens seem to understand MMT is the way the world actually operates. For LVT: andywightman.scot/docs/LVTREPO...

Banner ad asking voters if they favor an LNG terminal versus equivalent investment in additional renewable energy sources for Aotearoa NZ. Authorized by H. Cargo 2D Amera Place Auckland #KiwisDeserveBetter #nzpol

Once again this government is making a bad decision without proper due diligence. They have not so far done a cost/benefit comparison of LNG versus additional renewable capacity. Why, do you suppose?

The Taranaki region knows a thing or two about economic benefits of mineral extraction so no surprise they smelled a rat. The claimed economic benefit numbers were ridiculous

Peter Mandelson issues secret notice demanding press leave him alone – read in full LATE on Friday evening, this notice was circulated from representatives of Peter Mandelson, via press regulator IPSO and the Press Association news…

NEW: Mandelson just sent a memo to UK newspapers via the press watchdog demanding they stop publishing his links to Epstein.

He cited clauses in the Editors code, designed to protect grieving families.

The memo was NOT to be published.

The National just said ‘fuck that’ & published it in full 👏

WHO membership doesn’t threaten NZ’s sovereignty – walking away from it would The World Health Organization is a global body, but decisions affecting New Zealand are made in Wellington, not in Geneva.

💉 Many readers will know I tried to correct this weird call by Peters’ during the election campaign. NZFirst are back spreading it…

Here’s a polite take by @helenp-h.bsky.social ⬇️

What struck me was the WHO documents had a clause clarifying that sovereign decision making is unaffected.

1/n 🧵

This is why. Peters knows that WHO are toothless and never had any of the powers that these fringe groups fear but he has to pander to a voting group he probably considers to be idiots.

Picture 1: Two plain clothes police officers during a search of Peter Mandelson's home

Picture 2: Police search Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell's home

Will the BBC in Scotland be doing a one hour special on the progress The SNP has made and how best to protect it from Farage?

The red & blue lot both buy-in to this economic management approach. It's been 'TINA' since the 1980s... Use a bufferstock of unemployed people to suppress wages/worker power, let whole towns die, and keep benefits mean af to force people to take jobs that aren't fit for human consumption. [Ends]

Everybody to Kenmure Street has won an international award at Sundance Film Festival. Well timed, cos it will remind doubters, haters & sceptics that neighbours will protect one another against an authoritarian state - in Glasgow 2021 or Minneapolis today. www.thenational.scot/news/2581367...

BBC Wales webpage newspaper reviews has all Welsh publications.

BBC Scotland webpage is full of English newspapers.

Why?

Propaganda.

Watching BBC politics frame nuclear power as “pragmatic” while SNP opposition is labelled “ideological” is so telling. Pro-nuclear is ideology too. Framing one as common sense and the other as dogma isn’t neutrality — it’s anti SNP/pro unionist narrative shaping.

for a party who do practically everything under urgency (like grant tax cuts to landlords) isn't it strange they have suddenly decided we should take time to think about things. Maybe Nicola could also take an economics course while she is having some me time.

The National is the most complained about newspaper in the UK outside London.

But new IPSO figures show of 135 complaints last year, ZERO were upheld. Our Editor reacts.

yes. didn't read the article by the way

The Making of Finland - Scottish Indy Podcasts The Making of Finland, the happiest country that almost didn’t exist. With Lesley Riddoch. Award-winning journalist and filmmaker Lesley Riddoch joins us to discuss her new film exploring Finland — a ...

Audio version - listen here or wherever you get your podcasts
scottishindypod.scot/scottish-soc...

Glad to hear Mayor Zohran Mamdani is considering a baby box scheme in New York.

The Scottish Government has sent over a Baby Box to share our experience and hopefully offer some inspiration.

Since we launched it in 2017, I’m proud it’s giving every child the best start in life. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Where does King Charles get his money? - ABC listen King Charles is worth more than $3 billion — although it's hard to put an exact figure on his fortune, because royal records aren't published and paying tax is optional. Gifts to the royal family are ...

www.abc.net.au/listen/progr... I was already a Scottish Republic fan, but no one who listens to this could still support this monarchy. Great podcast

World's longest metro networks at the beginning of 2026, by region.

World's longest metro networks at the end of 1990, by region

In 1990, of the 20 largest metro networks globally, 4 were in US & 8 in Europe.

Today, 13 are in China, 1 in US & 1 in Europe.

New York City's metro network (Subway/PATH) fell in the ranking from #3 to #15. Delhi's system will be longer than NYC's soon!

www.thetransportpolitic.com/2026/01/20/t...

Yet is treated poorly with our authorities undermining it at every opportunity (unlike loss making rugby).

So much pivotal football history to market to generate jobs & tourism, yet they seem to just ignore it!
#CelticFC

alternatively just let him go but report him to ICE as an illegal immigrant who has no career prospects and lives of state handouts

Aim of 'Scottish' media seems not to be to report the news but to publish anything they can which shows Scotland, its government, or its desire for self determination as negatively as possible. Just count the 'blow to SNP/Indy' articles in the weeks ahead. #Scotland #IndependenceIsNormal #GE2026

Great to have a short break on the South Island of NZ - & get to know a little more about their political system in an election year. Opportunity is a progressive party which is doing some very good things with their new leader Qiulae Wong

Will be keeping a close eye with great interest 🙌🙌 #nzpol

Oh worth pointing out this is because the SNP led Glasgow city council wants to take ownership of the buses and they hope Labour will stop it

BREAKING: A waste management firm’s £51.4 million legal claim against the Scottish Government over its aborted deposit return scheme (DRS) has been thrown out.

The DRS has been a runaway success in Ireland.

Diageo lobbyists are among those responsible for it not happening in Scotland. Shameful.