Eric Clive

In Scotland we only have the choice of a British media. When it comes to politics its opinion is entirely gauged through the lense of England where its based. Scotland is quite different - as this latest YouGov poll neatly illustrates.

Only independence will address this.

#OnafhankelijkheidNu

Scots warned they'll 'see a lot more' of Keir Starmer ahead of Holyrood election ARE Labour trying to throw the Holyrood election next year?

Maybe the Tories will send up Brit Ian to counter the appeal of Brit Keir.
www.thenational.scot/news/2552519...

So, Starmer is going to be visiting Scotland more often in the months leading up to GE2026. Maybe the media could get off their arses and ask him these questions.

It seems quite possible that the whole America-harming Trumpist agenda will collapse in revulsion before the next UK general election. With it will go the political prospects of its authoritarian imitators in the UK. I cling to this hope.

It's a pretty big deal that the NYC Bar Association--one of the most prominent and respected bar associations in the country--is accusing the President of ordering the "unlawful summary execution," i.e. murder--of civilians in violation of US and international law. www.nycbar.org/press-releas...

I don't subscribe to a stitch-up theory but I think there is a huge reluctance to admit openly that the FWS case has made some legislation more rather than less necessary. Understandable political caution, with elections coming up, is one thing. A devious lack of openness is another.

So we don't know how the judge might have interpreted the weird drafting of reg 15 of the School Premises (Scotland) Regs 1967. That reg must pose a problem for schools. It's astonishing that the Scottish government said virtually nothing about it in its recent guidance on supporting trans pupils.

I asked the Scottish Council of Law Reporting whether there were plans to report the case of Hurley v Scottish Borders Council (on gender neutral school toilets). There are not, because "there was no opinion published ... to accompany the decision" and "it doesn't seem to exist elsewhere".

It breaks my mind that two British political parties have seen scenes like this and decided to try and replicate it in Britain. Thuggary, lawlessness, state brutality. Farage and Badenoch decided they liked the look of it.

Predictable stuff from Home Sec on Laura Kuensberg show just now - clamp down further on pro-Palestine protests. Very little, if any, recognition that Israel's atrocities in Gaza ara at the root of the deplorable and horrible rise in anti-semitism.

But then they go on to say . "Depending on the particular circumstances of individual pupils, schools may require to take legal advice on any approach or proposed approach, including where this means changing an existing arrangement."
No mention of the need to update the 1967 Regs!

This is the road to perdition.

Enjoyed the piece, headed "Scots once sought better lives. Now we burn hotels for housing others".

The suggestion that it should be "the some people's party" is a nice one but is maybe really saying that her party has the wrong nickname. I'd go along with that.

Some fine oyster mushrooms on a poplar log.

True - esp as the new guidance mentions gender neutral facilities with approval. "Education authorities and schools should consider the toilet provision necessary for transgender pupils. This may include the use of gender neutral provision."

Written answer 26/6/24.

"The Scottish Government intends to update the
[Regs].

Given the time elapsed between the previous consultation exercise that took place in 2017-18, we must now consider the updated context that the regulations will exist in. We are now taking this work forward."

I've been (belatedly) looking at reg 15 of the School Premises (Scotland) Regs 1967. Strange. Half of the toilets are to be for boys. Nothing about the other half. So could gender neutral toilets be taken out of that half? Surely not - too discriminatory against girls. What a mess! Updating needed.

Kemi Badenoch mistakenly says NI voted in favour of Brexit In a BBC NI interview, the Tory leader said the

Kemi Badenoch saying “the last time I checked, Northern Ireland did vote to leave” is so on-brand it hurts. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Rachel Reeves says she will 'always be a friend of Israel' Rachel Reeves has said she will "always be a friend of Israel".

Has she any idea of how this otp declaration of undying friendship for a country ruled by a genocidal regime goes down in the country at large?

"https://www.thenational.scot/news/25510910.rachel-reeves-says-will-always-friend-israel/

Pheasant In north Edinburgh garden . First time I’ve seen this in over 50 years,

Para 32 of the 2017 Consultation suggested "except
where they are provided for use by one pupil at a time. Urinals in these circumstances may no longer be necessary ..." Of course this might now be reconsidered but I hope not.
I cannot see any good objection to single user gender neutral toilets.

Updating the School Premises Regulations 1967: consultation Scottish Government consultation seeking views on the updating of the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) Regulations 1967.

Thanks, Scott. Reg 15 does indeed require half the toilets to be for boys and half for girls (with urinals for the boys). The Scottish Gov has for years been considering updating these regs. The sooner the better. www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-...

They are demanding more of lawful immigrants in the way of volunteering than they demand from the rest of us or indeed from themselves.

A new chair of the EHRC takes up office in 9 weeks. Other new appointments are expected. If the guidance submitted to the Minister is as harsh, unworkable and legally dubious as many fear, it would be reasonable for her to remit it to the newly constituted EHRC for reconsideration.

Well done for mentioning the exception for single user facilities. It took the EHRC a while to do that. The exact words of reg 20 of the 1992 Workplace Regs are "except where and so far as each convenience is in a separate room the door of which is capable of being secured from inside."

What has Yvette Cooper’s proscription of Palestine Action done to this country?

Beyond absurd. It’s extreme authoritarianism. These police should be arresting rapists & crooks, not neglecting those duties to spend time arresting citizens standing against genocide.

It undermines police and the law.

What an excellent in memoriam piece for such a wonderful man. And what an amazing contribution he made to Scottish criminal law over so many years.

Great points. This whole EHRC argument that you must make use of an exception to the fullest extent possible or not at all is just bonkers.

Maybe there's also an alliterative appeal in NickName which is absent when eke is used on its own.

Interesting. I was intrigued by this because I used to keep bees. "An eke" is still used in beekeeping to describe an extra or additional box section in a hive. It has been used for centuries without becoming "a nick".