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Poll position: Can the SNP really win again in 2026?

Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · 1d

The SNP enters its annual conference as the frontrunner for the Holyrood election, but the picture is not straightforward, writes @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social www.holyrood.com/inside-polit...

Women's Aid: How secure is Scotland's domestic abuse safety net?

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Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · 15d

Women's Aid: How secure is Scotland's domestic abuse safety net? www.holyrood.com/inside-polit... @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social

A town of 26,000 people has lost its women’s aid service after 40 years. In a country taking steps to combat violence ag...

Women's Aid: How secure is Scotland's domestic abuse safety net?

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Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · 18d

When Dawn Brennan was 15, she met “angels” - her local Women's Aid workers. Now that service has collapsed amidst rising national domestic abuse cases.

So how secure is the safety net for Scotland's women? www.holyrood.com/inside-polit...

A town of 26,000 people has lost its women’s aid service after 40 years. In a country taking steps to combat violence ag...

2020 Vision: Political fortune-tellers might be talking crystal balls

Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · 24d

"Farage’s party is the most Eurosceptic presence in Holyrood. If those ranks grow, how will it affect our engagement with the EU?" asks @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social www.holyrood.com/comment/view...

2020 Vision: Political fortune-tellers might be talking crystal balls

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Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Stephen Collins @stephencollins.bsky.social · 24d

Not many words in this cartoon - it's a mostly silent story of two crusading knights on horseback who travel through a series of wild fantasy landscapes, basically like a Lord of the Rings type quest, and then they eventually get to a modern british town, and they walk up a bleak British overpass, and then one of them climbs up a lamp post and sellotapes a sad little St George's flag to it, and the other one takes a photo on his phone, and then he climbs back down, and all the panels so far are reversed - back through all the different landscapes, their quest over. On the last panel knight 1 finally speaks asking "how many likes?" and the other one says "22".

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Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · 24d

Imagine the risks you could mitigate if you knew what was ahead. Politicians are fond of making predictions. But they don't always come true. Take Brexit, for example...

www.holyrood.com/comment/view...

2020 Vision: Political fortune-tellers might be talking crystal balls

Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · 24d

In politics, when someone claims they can predict the future, make sure you have a sachet of salt handy, writes @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social www.holyrood.com/comment/view...

Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · 26d

Aye, getting by - you too

Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · 26d

Ooft, stoater

Alexander Dennis to continue bus building in Scotland

Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Chris McCall @dennynews.bsky.social · 26d

Alexander Dennis has announced it now intends to continue building buses at its two factories in Falkirk.

The firm can access a £4m Government furlough deal if it can secure sufficient new orders.

The £4m furlough funding will protect 400 jobs in Camelon and Larbert in the short term while ADL continues to look for more orders.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

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Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · Sep 10

Council ‘to save millions’ as Scotland’s first PPP schools contract ends www.holyrood.com/news/view,co...

Council ‘to save millions’ as Scotland’s first PPP schools contract ends

Two seventh-century people found with west African ancestry – a story of diversity and integration in early Anglo-Saxon society

Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

The Conversation UK @uk.theconversation.com · Sep 10

We should not be surprised that there are west Africans in early medieval Britain, the clues were there.

We should not be surprised that there are west Africans in early medieval Britain, the clues were there.

tcnv.link

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Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · Sep 10

Port Glasgow has been named Scotland's 'most dismal' town in the return of the Carbuncle awards. But what happened to some of the towns previously given that title? www.holyrood.com/inside-polit...

Building a difference: What happened to former 'Carbuncle' towns?

Ian Rankin: Divestment in the arts? You can never be pure enough for some people

Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · Sep 9

"I live in the real world; the real world is full of compromises" - Literary heavyweight Ian Rankin is days away from the Bloody Scotland festival. He says it's time to get real about corporate sponsorship, the arts & divestment www.holyrood.com/inside-polit...

Ian Murray sacked as Scottish Secretary in Keir Starmer reshuffle

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Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Jim Waterson @jim.londoncentric.media · Sep 8

This doubly telling because
1) being totally batshit on the internet as a British MP can now give you a 50% uplift on an MP's salary! bit of a worrying incentive!
2) being one of the most shared politicians on X only earns you £40k, meaning most of the blue ticks are debasing themselves for pennies

Adam Payne @adampayne26.bsky.social · Sep 8

@zoecrowther.bsky.social's latest graph shows how Rupert Lowe is comfortably out-earning other MPs, including his former Reform colleagues, when it comes to posting on X

“This is the most expensive job I've ever had. Trust me - if I wanted financial gain, I wouldn't be doing this," he told PolHome

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Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · Sep 5

All I'm saying is can we please confirm the new Scottish Sec asap on this Friday afternoon
www.holyrood.com/news/view,ia...

Ian Rankin: Divestment in the arts? You can never be pure enough for some people

Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · Sep 2

Divestment in the arts? You can never be pure enough for some people, says @ianrankin1.bsky.social www.holyrood.com/inside-polit...

Scottish Greens: Mackay and Greer elected as new leaders

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Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · Aug 29

Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay have been elected new co-leaders of the Scottish Greens in a vote that saw just 950 members of the party cast ballots www.holyrood.com/news/view,sc...

Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer have been elected the new co-leaders of the Scottish Green Party.

Reform UK would pay countries for migrant return deals

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Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Louise Wilson @louisewilso.bsky.social · Aug 27

Graham Simpson has defected from the Scottish Conservatives to Reform.

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Kirsteen Paterson @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social · Aug 26

457 British service personnel died fighting the Taliban in a conflict which cost the UK Government £32.8bn in today's money, and now Nigel Farage wants to do a deal with the regime which has seized power illegitimately? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The party outlines its plans to detain and deport all migrants who arrive in the UK on small boats.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · Aug 22

Jeremy Balfour has quit the Scottish Conservatives, accusing the party of becoming "reactionary" and "chasing cheap headlines". He will now sit as an independent. www.holyrood.com/news/view,je...

Jeremy Balfour MSP quits 'reactionary' Scottish Conservatives

Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour has said he is quitting the party and will sit as an independent at Holyrood.

Colin Smyth suspended by the Labour Party

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Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · Aug 20

Colin Smyth MSP suspended by Labour after being arrested and charged over possession of indecent images www.holyrood.com/news/view,co...

The South Scotland MSP is now listed on the Scottish Parliament website as an Independent, having sat as a Scottish Labo...

Scottish heatwave sparks tenth wildfire warning

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Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Ramblers Scotland @ramblersscotland.bsky.social · Aug 13

❗ High risk of wildfire for nearly all of Scotland during much of the coming week.

It should barely need saying but still, please shout it from the rooftops...

📣 It is simply not responsible to have a campfire when the wildfire risk is high.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is urging the public to avoid using naked flames outdoors from August 13 to August 19.

news.stv.tv

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Reposted by Kirsteen Paterson

Holyrood @holyroodmag.bsky.social · Aug 12

Frankly, Nicola Sturgeon’s memoir is bad news for the SNP, says @kirsteenpaterson.bsky.social www.holyrood.com/comment/view...

Frankly, Nicola Sturgeon’s memoir is bad news for the SNP