Reposted by weebirdie
Reposted by weebirdie
Kind of extraordinary that the new Local Growth Fund is to be distributed by the Welsh Government in Wales, but directly by the UK Government in Scotland, and that the rationale for the difference seems to be no more than "we don't trust the Scottish Government".
January 9, 2026 at 11:51 AM
Kind of extraordinary that the new Local Growth Fund is to be distributed by the Welsh Government in Wales, but directly by the UK Government in Scotland, and that the rationale for the difference seems to be no more than "we don't trust the Scottish Government".
Looking at flight radar. It's mobbed out there.
January 7, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Looking at flight radar. It's mobbed out there.
Reposted by weebirdie
There we go. That there’s a headline.
Who’s who at X, the deepfake porn site formerly known as Twitter
A look inside Elon Musk’s big tent
www.ft.com
January 6, 2026 at 4:08 PM
There we go. That there’s a headline.
Reposted by weebirdie
the photographer was definitely like, "ok everybody, look tough!" but we know they're all just reading tweets with their arms crossed in a country club dining room divided up by bedsheets tacked to the beams
January 3, 2026 at 6:36 PM
the photographer was definitely like, "ok everybody, look tough!" but we know they're all just reading tweets with their arms crossed in a country club dining room divided up by bedsheets tacked to the beams
Reposted by weebirdie
Take three "nowcasts": mine, @devolvedelections.bsky.social, and @ballotbox.scot, and the seat projections right now are in these ranges:
SNP: 63-64
Lab: 18
Ref: 17-18
Grn: 10-12
Con: 9-11
LD: 8-10
So a pretty strong consensus on a large SNP minority and pro-independence majority.
SNP: 63-64
Lab: 18
Ref: 17-18
Grn: 10-12
Con: 9-11
LD: 8-10
So a pretty strong consensus on a large SNP minority and pro-independence majority.
Final Scottish Parliament poll tracker of the year, before the Christmas holidays start in earnest. SNP projected one short of a majority.
Seats (+/- 2021):
SNP: 64 (-)
Lab: 18 (-4)
Ref: 18(+18)
Grn: 12 (+4)
Con: 9 (-22)
LD: 8 (+4)
Alba: 0 (-)
20 marginals: 16 SNP, 3 Labour, 1 Conservative.
1/3
Seats (+/- 2021):
SNP: 64 (-)
Lab: 18 (-4)
Ref: 18(+18)
Grn: 12 (+4)
Con: 9 (-22)
LD: 8 (+4)
Alba: 0 (-)
20 marginals: 16 SNP, 3 Labour, 1 Conservative.
1/3
December 22, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Take three "nowcasts": mine, @devolvedelections.bsky.social, and @ballotbox.scot, and the seat projections right now are in these ranges:
SNP: 63-64
Lab: 18
Ref: 17-18
Grn: 10-12
Con: 9-11
LD: 8-10
So a pretty strong consensus on a large SNP minority and pro-independence majority.
SNP: 63-64
Lab: 18
Ref: 17-18
Grn: 10-12
Con: 9-11
LD: 8-10
So a pretty strong consensus on a large SNP minority and pro-independence majority.
A night out in the town. Involves stashing wellies at the road end before proceeding in good shoes.
December 18, 2025 at 11:46 PM
A night out in the town. Involves stashing wellies at the road end before proceeding in good shoes.
Reposted by weebirdie
Our projection for Scottish Parl '26 based on the latest @Ipsos_in_the_UK / @STVNews poll
🎗️ SNP — 63
🌹 Lab — 18
🌳 Con — 10
🌱 GP — 16
🐤 LD — 5
➡️ Ref — 17
🔵 Alba — 0
⚪ Other — 0
devolvedelections.co.uk/scotland/
🎗️ SNP — 63
🌹 Lab — 18
🌳 Con — 10
🌱 GP — 16
🐤 LD — 5
➡️ Ref — 17
🔵 Alba — 0
⚪ Other — 0
devolvedelections.co.uk/scotland/
December 10, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Our projection for Scottish Parl '26 based on the latest @Ipsos_in_the_UK / @STVNews poll
🎗️ SNP — 63
🌹 Lab — 18
🌳 Con — 10
🌱 GP — 16
🐤 LD — 5
➡️ Ref — 17
🔵 Alba — 0
⚪ Other — 0
devolvedelections.co.uk/scotland/
🎗️ SNP — 63
🌹 Lab — 18
🌳 Con — 10
🌱 GP — 16
🐤 LD — 5
➡️ Ref — 17
🔵 Alba — 0
⚪ Other — 0
devolvedelections.co.uk/scotland/
Reposted by weebirdie
Good Q. The short answer is yes, provided that's how someone concerned about anti-migrant rhetoric would themselves see the immigration code in the question.
We can't tease that apart in this data, but we might make inferences based on how voters concerned about immigration intend to vote 1/3
We can't tease that apart in this data, but we might make inferences based on how voters concerned about immigration intend to vote 1/3
Something I've noticed canvassing/in survey responses recently is a lot of people bring up immigration as one of their top issues, as they're concerned about the anti-migrant sentiment on the rise. Would be very interested to know if pollsters include that in "concerned about immigration"
New @ipsosinscotland.bsky.social poll published by STV, finding that Reform now lead Labour on the constituency vote as immigration becomes a top 3 issue for Scottish voters for the first time.
December 10, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Good Q. The short answer is yes, provided that's how someone concerned about anti-migrant rhetoric would themselves see the immigration code in the question.
We can't tease that apart in this data, but we might make inferences based on how voters concerned about immigration intend to vote 1/3
We can't tease that apart in this data, but we might make inferences based on how voters concerned about immigration intend to vote 1/3
Reposted by weebirdie
Bad flu season in England: Filed under "Health" with doctors asked for comment.
Bad flu season in Scotland: Filed under "Politics" with Labour BritNat fanatic Dame Jackie Baillie asked to comment.
Bad flu season in Scotland: Filed under "Politics" with Labour BritNat fanatic Dame Jackie Baillie asked to comment.
December 4, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Bad flu season in England: Filed under "Health" with doctors asked for comment.
Bad flu season in Scotland: Filed under "Politics" with Labour BritNat fanatic Dame Jackie Baillie asked to comment.
Bad flu season in Scotland: Filed under "Politics" with Labour BritNat fanatic Dame Jackie Baillie asked to comment.
A good result as far as I'm concerned. A high reform vote, but the anti-reform vote was enough. Probably one of the most likely seats in Scotland for reform to have won.
Stranraer and the Rhins (Dumfries and Galloway) by-election transfers, votes at final stage:
Conservative: 1565 (39.7%)
Reform UK: 1523 (38.7%)
Didn't Transfer: 851 (21.6%)
No detailed data to follow as this was a hand count.
Conservative: 1565 (39.7%)
Reform UK: 1523 (38.7%)
Didn't Transfer: 851 (21.6%)
No detailed data to follow as this was a hand count.
November 21, 2025 at 8:38 PM
A good result as far as I'm concerned. A high reform vote, but the anti-reform vote was enough. Probably one of the most likely seats in Scotland for reform to have won.
Reposted by weebirdie
BBC News: "the government believe refugees are deliberately bringing their children to avoid deportation"
As opposed to doing what with their children??
As opposed to doing what with their children??
November 17, 2025 at 10:11 PM
BBC News: "the government believe refugees are deliberately bringing their children to avoid deportation"
As opposed to doing what with their children??
As opposed to doing what with their children??
Reposted by weebirdie
This is the essay that won the Anne Brown prize. It's called Firle, it's by Tamara Fulcher and it's totally brilliant. www.wigtownbookfestival.com/blog/firle-b...
Wigtown Book Festival | Firle by Tamara Fulcher
Winner of the Anne Brown Essay Prize 2025
www.wigtownbookfestival.com
October 7, 2025 at 8:45 PM
This is the essay that won the Anne Brown prize. It's called Firle, it's by Tamara Fulcher and it's totally brilliant. www.wigtownbookfestival.com/blog/firle-b...
Reposted by weebirdie
Quite apart from anything else - This is going to go down *so* badly in the devolved nations.
The "Brit Card", in Northern Ireland? Are you out of your mind?
The "Brit Card", in Northern Ireland? Are you out of your mind?
The "Brit Card". Could they make it any more dogwhistly?
Also, fundamentally ignores that undocumented workers already, drum roll please, lack documents. Adding another one makes little difference, but does make it harder for people to escape exploitation.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Also, fundamentally ignores that undocumented workers already, drum roll please, lack documents. Adding another one makes little difference, but does make it harder for people to escape exploitation.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Every adult in Britain to require new ‘Brit Card’ ID
The prime minister will reportedly announce his backing for the scheme in a speech on Friday
www.independent.co.uk
September 25, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Quite apart from anything else - This is going to go down *so* badly in the devolved nations.
The "Brit Card", in Northern Ireland? Are you out of your mind?
The "Brit Card", in Northern Ireland? Are you out of your mind?
Reposted by weebirdie
If you're only recognising a state if it has a government you like, then you aren't recognising the state at all. Are you?
Starmer is saying he will recognise Palestine but only if the Palestinians choose a government acceptable to Donald Trump (and by default, of course, Israel), which will then please him (showing who now truly governs the UK).
September 21, 2025 at 8:24 AM
If you're only recognising a state if it has a government you like, then you aren't recognising the state at all. Are you?
Reposted by weebirdie
“Jock, when ye hae naething else to do, ye may be aye sticking in a tree; it will be growing, Jock, when ye’re sleeping.”
—The Laird of Dumbiedikes, on his death-bed, to his son (in THE HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN, by Walter Scott)
28 July is #WorldConservationDay. Here’s “Dumbiedikes”, by James Robertson
—The Laird of Dumbiedikes, on his death-bed, to his son (in THE HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN, by Walter Scott)
28 July is #WorldConservationDay. Here’s “Dumbiedikes”, by James Robertson
July 28, 2025 at 11:00 AM
“Jock, when ye hae naething else to do, ye may be aye sticking in a tree; it will be growing, Jock, when ye’re sleeping.”
—The Laird of Dumbiedikes, on his death-bed, to his son (in THE HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN, by Walter Scott)
28 July is #WorldConservationDay. Here’s “Dumbiedikes”, by James Robertson
—The Laird of Dumbiedikes, on his death-bed, to his son (in THE HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN, by Walter Scott)
28 July is #WorldConservationDay. Here’s “Dumbiedikes”, by James Robertson
Came across this nest in a rough spot of garden. I'm thinking it's a clutch of old faded duck eggs but open to suggestions.
There were ducklings around in the spring.
There were ducklings around in the spring.
July 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Came across this nest in a rough spot of garden. I'm thinking it's a clutch of old faded duck eggs but open to suggestions.
There were ducklings around in the spring.
There were ducklings around in the spring.
Reposted by weebirdie
As we're all enjoying the milkshake-ducking of Nature Writing, I thought I'd pull together some of my writing on the subject from over the last few years. Can you believe I've been on this bullshit since 2015? Anyway, if you'd like, have a read. richarddsmyth.com/tag/nature-w...
July 8, 2025 at 9:54 AM
As we're all enjoying the milkshake-ducking of Nature Writing, I thought I'd pull together some of my writing on the subject from over the last few years. Can you believe I've been on this bullshit since 2015? Anyway, if you'd like, have a read. richarddsmyth.com/tag/nature-w...
Reposted by weebirdie
Starmer’s first year reviews are negative - but many miss how much he’s been prime minister for England, not for the whole UK. And polls in Scotland show it - as Holyrood elections loom next May, 72% of younger people back independence..
my new blog
open.substack.com/pub/kirstyhu...
my new blog
open.substack.com/pub/kirstyhu...
Starmer’s First Year: What Now for Scotland and a Fractured Union?
Keir Starmer looks like a prime minister without a mission, and in many ways like a prime minister for England, not the whole UK. As Scotland heads towards Holyrood elections next May, the SNP is ahea...
open.substack.com
July 4, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Starmer’s first year reviews are negative - but many miss how much he’s been prime minister for England, not for the whole UK. And polls in Scotland show it - as Holyrood elections loom next May, 72% of younger people back independence..
my new blog
open.substack.com/pub/kirstyhu...
my new blog
open.substack.com/pub/kirstyhu...
Chickweed wintergreen or Arctic starflower
#wildflowerhour
#wildflowerhour
June 22, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Chickweed wintergreen or Arctic starflower
#wildflowerhour
#wildflowerhour
June 22, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Reposted by weebirdie
I’ve never forgotten this picture from 2016 and how it completely reshaped my understanding of how the media covers protests.
But if a few people in masks start lighting stuff on fire? Then you have news. This creates an *enormous* attentional advantage towards the most violent and chaotic kind of protest.
June 11, 2025 at 1:06 PM
I’ve never forgotten this picture from 2016 and how it completely reshaped my understanding of how the media covers protests.
Bees storing pollen on comb. Different colours come from different flowers.
#WorldBeeDay
#WorldBeeDay
May 20, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Bees storing pollen on comb. Different colours come from different flowers.
#WorldBeeDay
#WorldBeeDay
Stitchwort and the almost over bluebells
#wildflowerhour
#wildflowerhour
May 11, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Stitchwort and the almost over bluebells
#wildflowerhour
#wildflowerhour
