Alyn Smith 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺

Scottish city named 'happiest place to live' - and it's not Edinburgh or Glasgow Its property prices are cheaper than other locations on the list.

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...

Scottish health information you can trust NHS inform is Scotland's national health information service helping the people in Scotland to make informed decisions about their own health and the health of the people they care for

Details of the recommendations change each year on the basis of best up to date science on what’s needed to keep the population safe, but JCVI and www.nhsinform.scot are the best folks to explain their logic and give medical advice.

Aye it looks like this Season’s going to be a bit hairy I’m afraid!

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

Canada clinches deal to join Europe’s €150B defense scheme The deal concludes months of tough talks and will allow Ottawa to take part in procurements financed by the EU’s SAFE program.

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...

A very fair point.

An excellent thread.

Agreed, and I think we could have been gentler on that in 2014 but I don’t see we should limit our own interests because of decisions made elsewhere that have never shown us much regard. The UK was always a political construct and its time has passed.

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.

I know those numbers are being crunched now but I’m not close to it to say, I’d always take my lead from Shona Robison and her team on what today will mean for Scotland’s budget.

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.

Starmer demands investigation into Reform-Russia links after party's ex-Wales leader jailed The former leader of Reform in Wales, Nathan Gill, has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years after being paid £40,000 to make pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament.

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 👍🏻

EU demands UK pay into budget as part of relationship ‘reset’ Growing tension between London and Brussels just six months after summit set out to build stronger ties

“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! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇪🇺

‘Scotland’s place is in Europe’: Guy Verhofstadt on Brexit and the way back to the EU

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!

Plaid Cymru defeats Reform UK and Labour to win Caerphilly by-election Martin Shipton Reform UK was sent packing by the voters of Caerphilly as Plaid Cymru won the seat’s Senedd by-election. Despite huge resources poured into the constituency by Reform and several visits...

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.

UK Russian interference case heads to 'Europe's Supreme Court' THREE former MPs have lodged a case with “Europe’s Supreme Court”, accusing the UK Government of failing in its duty to protect elections from…

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???

'No aspect of Scottish life has been helped by Brexit,' says top legal figure A high-profile lawyer has said "no aspect" of Scottish life has been helped by Brexit, as a new pro-EU office is opened in Brussels

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