Andrew Sharpe 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿|🇪🇺

Why not UK?

I suspect most motorbike accidents are caused by other drivers.

University finances are a little opaque. For example, Scotland and England both use the same finance organisation for student loans (in Scotland that's mostly smaller cost of living loans) but the interest rate students get charged is higher in... England. Why?

Yep. The English establishment has always tended to see a university education as something that should be restricted to those they feel deserve it.

34 reactions | How are the SNP performing, and what are the focus areas when it comes to the rural economy and agriculture? A longer conversation with our Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, J... How are the SNP performing, and what are the focus areas when it comes to the rural economy and agriculture? A longer conversation with our Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie..

Interesting hearing about the challenges our SNP Agriculture Minister, Jim Fairlie, sees. Interviewed by @calumkerr.bsky.social here at the Border Union Show...

www.facebook.com/CalumKerrSNP...

YouTube video by NPR Music Anna Meredith: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Yes! Where I first discovered Anna Meredith, even though she's a fellow Scot. What a creative inspiration at any scale...
youtu.be/36FNJiP8GWk?...

Contact Us Contact Us

In Scotland - and it may well be the same in England - we have local adult mental health teams available out of hours if you're suffering a crisis. They're there to help and support you. Here, GPs can refer you. Samaritans may be able to advise.

www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-h...

TBF at least Ali has principles and resigned. Most British politicians in Westminster would have just claimed "it's within the rules" immunity.

The Lib Dems are a busted flush. They pretend progressive, but really they're just sandwiched between Labour and the Tories, forever getting squeezed into irrelevance. Does England even have a centre left party anymore?

Tell me I'm wrong, but Trump is just highlighting to me what every right wing politician is really like, given the opportunity. He's not a uniquely US phenomenon

I've just come across artist @marionbe.bsky.social based in NE Scotland. Their work reminds me that Scotland's natural beauty and wide open spaces must be such a creative influence. Another Scottish natural resource we perhaps don't (or aren't allowed to) appreciate enough sometimes.

Indeed. There are a (pretty small minority but >0) number of folk in Scotland who don't like the idea of joining the EU, but have convinced themselves that the EFTA is an acceptable compromise.

It's not a union of equals - but you knew that 😉

You won't be surprised to know that vice chancellors in England get paid as much as £1m or more. Average payment in Scotland is less than half the figure for England.

The Guardian owners are getting worried. That's a good sign.

England is welcome to independence - but please, please take Westminster with you.

Tuition fees are rising again and nobody is happy – it’s time to actually fix our broken university sector | Zoe Williams The figures simply don’t add up for higher education in England and Wales. Yet delusional politicians from all parties seem intent on avoiding the issue, says Guardian columnist Zoe Williams

Worth reminding ourselves how lucky we are to have an SNP Scottish Government, and not one run by a British party intent on introducing policies from England.

£9,535 a year in fees to go to university in England. £0 in Scotland.

You know what to vote in 2026.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Scottish Government, SNP working for Scots.

You're right. The data on "UK" revenues (collected by Westminster from Scotland) isn't generally available as national level datasets. I'm sure the data are available - just not publicly. Bet they don't share it with our government either.

"didn't evict" as in "didn't renew their tenancy". I'm afraid you're as bad as the party you support in trying to twist the words. Bye.

Great organisation - entirely funded from charity. Please consider making a donation, even a small one would help...

www.scaa.org.uk/donation/

Where is child poverty increasing in the UK? The End Child Poverty Coalition has published local child poverty data, showing the scale of child poverty across the UK.

The SNP Scottish government is working to decrease child poverty. It is 23% in Scotland but 31% in England and Wales due to measures like the unique Scottish Child payment. www.actionforchildren.org.uk/blog/where-i...

Democractic as in dominated by folk in England, presumably. That sort of democratic?

Should Scotland join the EFTA first? It’s not a magic bullet When Scotland regains independence we will need to make a choice about how we get back to the centre of Europe: joining the EU, or joining the EFTA first. How do the routes compare?

In case you missed it... I haven't reviewed it against England, but the same arguments probably apply.

yesinpictures.substack.com/p/should-sco...

And why not freedom of movement as well? Too afraid of the "I" word in English politics?

Who likes grass and roses, anyway? Concrete is much more... erm...

Population Density A Flourish data visualization by Yes in Pictures

Also worth noting the relative population density of Ireland and Scotland vs England... we both welcome immigration, and have lots of space to accomodate them.

public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

Good thread. You could also include the bit about taxes collected in Scotland but not called "Scottish" being excluded from GERS - as well as the whole "how priorities are set" bit...

To see Brexit Britain included in this list says everything you need to know about the economic credibility of those who still support Brexit.
#SingleMarketNow 🇬🇧🇪🇺

I looked at the new YouGov attitude survey on Starmer, Farage, and Corbyn. The big differences between England and Scotland is all about Farage... but whatever we feel, its voters in England that will decide if he ever gets any power at Westminster.