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The complaint against Alex Cole-Hamilton The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton, could be subject to a probe by the Scottish Parliament over his election expenses. The National reported that a complaint was lodged against Cole-Hamilton by a member of the public, alleging that he had breached the rules on spending limits and reporting during the 2021 Scottish Parliament election campaign. The complaint claims that Cole-Hamilton failed to declare some of his campaign costs, such as leaflets, posters, and social media advertising, and that he exceeded the spending limit of £16,087 for his constituency of Edinburgh Western. The complaint also…

The Scottish Government has lost a legal battle to keep secret the documents that led to the resignation of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in 2023. A judge at the Court of Session ruled that the government must release the documents to the public under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. The background of the case Nicola Sturgeon stepped down as First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in March 2023, after she was arrested and questioned by police over allegations of financial misconduct by the party. She was accused of misusing more than £600,000 in donations…

Jenrick cites “strong disagreements” with the government’s plan to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda Robert Jenrick, the minister of state for immigration, has announced his resignation from the cabinet, citing “strong disagreements” with the government’s plan to deport illegal migrants who cross the English Channel to Rwanda. Jenrick, who was seen as an ally of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said he could not support the emergency legislation that the government is preparing to introduce to bypass human rights laws and enable the Rwanda scheme to go ahead. Jenrick said in his resignation letter that he had “serious concerns” about the…

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been accused of being insensitive, irresponsible and incompetent after shocking details emerged from the Covid inquiry. The inquiry, which is investigating the government’s handling of the pandemic, has revealed that Johnson made controversial remarks about the elderly, changed his mind frequently about lockdown measures, and ignored scientific advice. Johnson’s attitude towards the elderly questioned One of the most disturbing revelations from the inquiry was that Johnson allegedly asked why the economy was being destroyed “for people who will die anyway soon” in the days before the country went into lockdown in March 2020. This…

Heavy rain and strong winds cause chaos across Scotland Scotland has been hit by severe weather conditions in the past few days, with heavy rain and strong winds causing travel disruption, flooding and damage to buildings. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice and heavy rain for parts of Scotland, advising people to be aware of the potential impacts and take extra care. On Sunday, parts of Scotland experienced persistent and heavy rain, with some areas receiving up to 120mm of rainfall. The rain caused flooding in some places, blocking roads and affecting rail and ferry services. ScotRail said…

The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) has announced that beavers will be reintroduced to the park after more than four centuries of being extinct in the area. The decision follows a five-year trial and a public consultation that showed positive impacts of the beaver population on the local environment and wildlife. Beavers as nature’s engineers Beavers are semi-aquatic rodents that build dams and lodges in rivers and streams. They are considered as nature’s engineers because they can create and modify habitats for themselves and other species. Beavers can help restore wetlands, improve water quality, reduce flooding, increase biodiversity and store carbon.…

A Historic Collaboration On Sunday, December 3, 2023, the Usher Hall in Edinburgh hosted a historic musical event: the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) performed with the legendary tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and his trio of Niladri Kumar on sitar and Rakesh Chaurasia on flute. The concert was part of the SOI’s first UK tour, supported by the Scottish Indian Arts Forum (SIAF). The SOI, founded in 2006, is India’s first and only professional symphony orchestra, based at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai. The orchestra has collaborated with renowned international artists such as Marat Bisengaliev, Maria…

Police Scotland has announced a voluntary redundancy scheme for its staff as part of its efforts to reduce costs and meet the financial challenges ahead. The scheme, which was approved by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) Board last week, will be open for applications from 8 January until 9 February 2023. Why is Police Scotland launching the scheme? Police Scotland is facing a budget deficit of £25.3 million for the current financial year, and expects further pressures in the coming years due to inflation, pay increases, and pension contributions. The force has already implemented various measures to save money, such…