Darren

'The guys who run Reform are absolute chancers.

The people who make our lives more difficult arrive in private jets, not dinghies.'

@ross-greer.bsky.social on #bbcdn

Trump and Netanyahu conditioning adequate aid on acceptance of this 'offer' is admitting to the war crime of forced starvation.

That's before getting to the absurdity of demanding that all of Gaza be put under the direct personal control of Trump and Tony Blair for 'redevelopment'.

After years of making the running on immigration, Farage may this week have handed the initiative back to his opponents'. @robfordmancs.bsky.social for @ukandeu.bsky.social on the unpopularity of Reform's proposals on ILR ukandeu.ac.uk/reforms-radi...

Greens to force vote on tax for second homes in Gaelic-speaking communities THE Scottish Greens are set to force a vote on increasing taxes on holiday homes and short-term lets in Gaelic-speaking communities.

Gaelic is on the verge of extinction. The rural housing crisis caused by an explosion of second homes & buy-to-lets is one of the major driving forces.

Next week MSPs will vote on my proposal to increase the tax rate on those buying second homes in communities where Gaelic is still widely spoken.

That's heartening to hear! Is there likely any data on proportion of electorate doors canvassed to increased vote share? Just thinking for targeting and capacity in national elections/2026 with more voters.

Just finished reading through these and agree with a lot of it. It's been a wee bit bewildering since joining just after the end of BHA last year. One I'd be keen to hear your thoughts on more is canvassing. I've found it difficult to find decent data on its efficacy in electoral success.

The real enemies of Scotland don't arrive by small boat; they arrive by private jet.

People seeking asylum didn't sell off community centres, privatise buses, or bail out the banks, it was the super-rich and their friends in Westminster.

Greens believe in a welcoming Scotland.

Delighted 💚

The National Article: MoD slammed after ministers not told about US troops on Scottish soil.

"The last thing we should be doing is forging even closer military relations with Donald Trump" - Ariane Burgess MSP, Scottish Greens.

🇺🇸US Troops have been deployed on Scottish soil with no notice given to local MSPs or the Scottish Government.

➡️"The last thing we should be doing is forging even closer military relations with Donald Trump" - @ariane-burgess.bsky.social

I will lead with courage, listen with purpose, and put our members at the heart of our movement.

Together, we can achieve great things for our communities and for Scotland. 💚

why does the West start wars in the Global South?

because capitalism depends on a constant flow of cheap labor & resources from the global periphery to the core.

Western states start wars to keep prices low & protect capital accumulation.

@jasonhickel.bsky.social on the Better Future podcast:

INTERVIEW with Jason Hickel: "Degrowth is a gateway into socialist thought for the 21st century" Jason Hickel on the last five years of debating degrowth.

I joined @andrewonearth.bsky.social for this interview reflecting on degrowth, socialism, & political power.

"Our governments are not dealing with the ecological crisis because they are capitalist. So, it is capitalism that must be overcome."

breakdownjournal.substack.com/p/interview-...

Close up photo of Ariane in blue coat and scarf

🚐🏕️ .After hearing from constituents across the region, I’ve written to Highland Council’s Chief Executive to highlight serious issues — from safety risks and overflowing bins to the impact on local campsites and the environment.

#Highlands #Campervans #Tourism #SustainableTravel #ScottishGreens

Scottish Green Co-Leadership hustings aftermath: it's an easy Ross 1 for me, and equally easy Gillian 2. Ross is clearly the person to pick for the leadership necessary to deliver a strong political strategy the party desperately needs, and to put the party on a much more campaigning footing.

Imagine the OBR existed in 1948 when the plan was to create the NHS

They would calculate the NHS’s precise cost, but ignore its long-term societal benefits. They would forecast that there isn’t enough “headroom” against some daft fiscal rule

It would be thrown out straight away

How popular and how well-proven does rewilding need to be before Scotland's government embraces it?

We're told it's a flat 'no' to lynx reintroduction - but a poll released today shows that 61% of people in Scotland want a well-managed, legal reintroduction of lynx.

So what's the bar?

🤷‍♀️

-Mobilise capacity and funding for rapid research in this area to significantly scale up sampling intensity, replication, and investigation of mechanistic drivers of soil carbon loss.
-Develop a delivery plan for alternative pathways to Net Zero that don’t rely on these modes of reforestation.

What should we do now?
- Commit to and accelerate reforestation in Scotland for its own sake focussing on natural regeneration/colonisation to maximise ecological integrity and minimise soil carbon loss.
-Pause Woodland Carbon Code projects on carbon rich soils.

"Natural tree colonisation of organo-mineral soils does not provide a net carbon capture benefit at decadal timescales"

Housego et al., 2025 suggests that trees establishing on carbon rich soils via natural colonisation does not result in net carbon sequestration, even after several decades.

Trees might not be contributing to Net Zero after all Natural tree colonisation of organo-mineral soils does not provide a net carbon capture benefit at decadal timescales What should we do now? Commit to and accelerate reforestation in Scotland for its ...

Trees might not be contributing to Net Zero after all
www.linkedin.com/pulse/trees-...