Axel Piper

In a tucked-away corner of Glasgow’s East End, something unprecedented is happening in Britain’s fight against drug deaths. Here, at the Thistle safer drug consumption facility, people can inject heroin or cocaine under medical supervision — legally, safely, and without fear of arrest. No back alleys. No judgment. Just a chance to survive another day. Scotland’s Sobering Numbers Scotland’s drug crisis isn’t new — it’s notorious. The country has the highest drug-related death rate in Europe. For years, public health leaders and families have called for action that puts compassion ahead of punishment. One-liner: The Thistle represents that shift. Backed…

Tattoo artists in West Dunbartonshire say they feel “ripped off” as they’re charged licensing fees up to four times higher than anywhere else in Scotland — and they want answers. Artists Cry Foul Over “Outrageous” Costs Red and Natalie, who run River Styx studio on Main Street in Alexandria, have gone public with their frustration after discovering they’re paying £2,033.50 to renew their tattoo license — compared to just £371 in Glasgow. “I feel ripped off and annoyed,” said Red. “Anybody in West Dunbartonshire would be annoyed. Why is it £2,000 here and £400 elsewhere?” One short line: He’s not…

Lower bills for Scottish households? Sounds like a no-brainer. But the UK government just closed the door on zonal electricity pricing — and the politics behind that choice are as charged as the grid itself. What Zonal Pricing Would Have Meant For years, Scotland’s abundant wind and hydro power have been a blessing — and a bone of contention. Zonal pricing would’ve set power prices based on local supply and demand. So in theory, Scots living near wind farms would pay less. Makes sense, right? Suppliers like Octopus Energy loved the idea. For rural Scots seeing turbines on every hill,…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to meet US President Donald Trump in Scotland later this month, marking Trump’s first UK trip since his re-election. The meeting comes on the heels of their new trade deal that slashed US tariffs on British imports. A Surprise Reunion on Scottish Soil They only shook hands five months ago in the Oval Office, but a lot has shifted since then. Starmer, who has pitched himself as a steady pair of hands post-Brexit, now finds himself sharing tea and tartan with Trump — a president known for upending the rule book. Sources close…

Calls are growing for the return of subsidised civic restaurants to tackle food insecurity and give Scots access to a hot meal for just a few pounds — just like their grandparents did. Cheap, Filling Meals That Fed a Nation You’d be forgiven for thinking taxpayer-backed public diners were just wartime nostalgia. But they were once a staple across the UK. Before, during, and after both world wars, around 2,000 civic restaurants operated across Britain, nearly 100 of them in Scotland. Aberdeen’s Castle Restaurant alone served 4,000 customers in its first month back in 1941. People swapped cold sandwiches for…

A salmon farming giant is doing what landlords and councils haven’t managed — putting roofs over workers’ heads, right where they work. Bakkafrost Scotland just got the green light to build temporary accommodation units at its Scalpay site, tackling a housing squeeze that’s been choking its operations in the Western Isles. A Solution Born Out Of Necessity Try finding a flat on Harris these days. Good luck. That’s the harsh truth many workers face, and it’s been biting Bakkafrost hard. Recruiting folks is one thing — keeping them is another when there’s nowhere affordable to live. So they pitched a…

In what campaigners are calling a landmark moment for nature, the UK government has confirmed that lead-based shotgun pellets and bullets will be banned for hunting and shooting in England, Scotland, and Wales — with a phased rollout starting in 2026. A Long Battle to Protect Birds The fight to ban lead ammo has dragged on for decades. For many conservationists, this week’s announcement feels overdue — and necessary. Every year, around 100,000 waterbirds in the UK die from lead poisoning, according to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT). The reason? Birds often swallow discarded lead pellets, mistaking them for…

Shock and sorrow ripple through Dundee and Zimbabwe after the killing of Dr Fortune Gomo, a rising scientist whose life was cut short just weeks before her 40th birthday. Dr Gomo, who moved to the UK a decade ago and earned her PhD from Dundee University, died after being found with fatal injuries on South Road in the city’s Lochee area on Saturday afternoon. Court Appearance as Grief Spreads Kyler Rattray, a 20-year-old from Dundee, has appeared in private at Dundee Sheriff Court charged with murder. He made no plea and was remanded in custody. Police Scotland confirmed Dr Gomo…

Scotland’s U20 side is looking to bounce back in style as they gear up for a bruising encounter with South Africa at the World Rugby U20 Championship. The line-up for Wednesday’s penultimate pool game reveals a mix of returning talent and new starters — with big hopes riding on the young squad’s shoulders. Glasgow Warriors Academy Stars Back in the Fold Four players from the Glasgow Warriors Academy are stepping up for this crunch tie at Stadio San Michele. Jack Shearer makes his comeback at loosehead prop after sitting out the bruising defeat to Australia. One line: His return is…

Scotland’s economy is showing two very different faces this summer. On one hand, the services sector is holding strong, with tech firms, consultants, and finance outfits enjoying a modest but steady climb. On the other, Scotland’s once-mighty manufacturing industry is feeling the squeeze — struggling with fewer orders and costs that keep inching up. For folks looking to invest or make sense of what’s next, this divide might be the clearest clue in years about where the real opportunities lie. Services Keep the Wheels Turning Let’s start with the good news. According to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland Growth…