Eric Clive

Yes. MF is always worth engaging with. I've submitted a comment on his blog post on the UKCLA blog, suggesting essentially that a blanket exclusion rule which inevitably infringes one set of rights in some case would be beyond a State's margin of appreciation when a case by case rule is available.

SNP 1 Greens 2 for me in the Scottish election. Both progressive, pro-EU parties. Both pro Scottish independence because that's the fastest way back in for Scotland.

“Are you firmly in favour of rejoining the European Union?" - Robert Peston

“Firmly very much in favour. Brexit has been a disaster under any criteria, under any measure" - Zack Polanski

On a last in, first out approach that would be what would happen.

Fair point historically. The union of 1707 was between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England (then seen as including Wales). But now Wales is regarded as a country and, I think, as a unit of the UK. It voted narrowly for Leave, some say because of English incomers.

On the EU referendum. Technically it was advisory. The UK gov could have said that as 2 of the 4 constituent parts of the UK voted Remain it would be wise not to accept the advice of the overall majority but to maintain the status quo.

I see the UK as a construct. It could be deconstructed. Worth thinking about starting off with NI leaving via reunification and then with Scotland becoming independent and a member of the EU in its own right? Deconstruct in reverse order - last in, first out. Reassemble within the EU.

Keir Starmer looked and sounded liberated yesterday - almost as if free to be his own man and a better Prime Minister now that Morgan McSweeney has gone. We'll see, but a big shift leftwards would help.

Also: we really need to push back on this constant mantra that settlement (permanent residence) in the UK is a “privilege”.

The very least people are entitled to after spending years here and/or developing family ties is that they shouldn’t have to worry about re-applying to stay every few years.

For voters in Scotland the quickest way back into the EU is via independence. That also has been obvious for almost a decade. It could provide the necessary jolt south of the border.

Streeting still ready to challenge Starmer despite show of unity, allies say Health secretary poised to make leadership bid after May local elections to pre-empt a potential challenge from rival Rayner, MPs close to him say

Bad idea for Labour. A successful Streeting challenge would exacerbate the leftward leak. A failed one would mean chaos and division.

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

It is so embarrassing that it has taken nearly a decade for a British minister to say this, a statement of the absolute bloody obvious

It sounded as if Douglas Alexander said that Keir Starmer "remains determined Anas Sarwar is the first minister of Scotland after me". My wife and I both thought we heard that. Probably just his slightly unusual accent though. The press report says "after May". It's a bit funny either way.

Anas Sarwar was trying to get rid of Starmer the millstone. He has just made himself an even bigger millstone.

Scottish Secretary gives verdict on Anas Sarwar's future as Scottish leader KEIR Starmer is still “determined” that Anas Sarwar should be Scotland’s next first minster – despite the Scottish Labour leader yesterday…

Keir Starmer being nice to the disloyal Anas Sarwar. In other words it's a bit too close to the May elections to do anything about him.
www.thenational.scot/news/2584084...

It's the whole Scottish Labour campaign buggered, if you ask me. Must be absolutely infuriating for hard-working Labour activists in Scotland.

A wildflower meadow containing hundreds of ox-eye daisies. The text, "Take Nature Seriously" is stamped over the image.

This week, the #ScottishGovernment published a new report on the importance of natural capital to our economy. In our latest blog we discuss why Scotland MUST invest more in sustainable agriculture if we are to meaningfully support our farmers, communities and economy.

Read more:🔗
buff.ly/7XwKYBd

Yes. I see the Equality Act and its consolidated predecessors as being fundamentally against various acted out intolerances, including this one. It is so ironic that trans-intolerants are trying to use it as a weapon.

Never has the reference to "the broken Westminster system" been more apt - and he doesn't even mention foreign policy (incl Gaza and the EU) and various regressive and intolerant domestic policies.

Desperate, disloyal, deluded and daft - but for supporters of Scottish independence also delightful. Anas Sarwar has shown that politically, and probably for both countries, Scotland and England would be better apart.

Your Party Scotland votes to officially become pro-independence party Your Party Scotland have voted to officially become a pro-independence party

Your Party could pick up list votes in Scotland from disillusioned voters who are looking for a new party but find the policies and personnel of Reform UK abhorrent. They could also pick up tactical second votes from some pro-independence voters.
www.thenational.scot/news/2583628...

I found a mouse in the kitchen bin. I thought it would be irresponsible to release it. So I took the closed bin liner outside and struck it with a garden spade. The bag burst and, like grey lightning, the mouse escaped. I was not unhappy. I did my best but I'm really with Robert Burns.

Post-Brexit sales of British farm products to EU fall by 37% NFU warn it could take years to restore Brexit losses despite efforts to smooth negotiations on farming and other elements of UK-EU reset

Post-Brexit sales of British farm products to EU fall by 37%
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Some women and some men clearly do, but that's OK. The Supreme Court did not pronounce on all the questions which are now arising.

Happy to agree that it wasn’t a total win and that there are worrying elements. But it was a rejection of a requirement of blanket exclusion.

For the bits in brackets - not always. My position is - gender neutral where possible. If not possible (e.g space, cost) then a flexible interpretation of single sex (allowing limited exceptions while preserving the rule) is permissible and more sensible than an ultra pure interpretation.

I’d like to find an area of agreement. So could we agree that sex discrimination is generally bad? That means that sex neutral services are prima facie to be preferred. The EHRC has tried to steer people away from that. It didn’t need to. It might (I hope) be about to modify that.

The EHRC must give correct and appropriate guidance on the law as now interpreted (i.e. the law as, in theory, it always has been). They should be steering people away from unlawful discrimination, not slyly steering them towards it.

I don't buy this Michael Foran argument. The exclusion is of that "portion of the male population" who have not transitioned. Being non-trans is not a protected characteristic - just as being non-disabled is not a protected characteristic.

That's a brilliant quote from Robert Reed - highly applicable to the current Scottish prisons case.