NHS Scotland waiting lists are a huge strain on staff & patients. How much does it cost? A family member has been waiting for hernia surgery for 18 months. January’s pre-op tests are now out of date and must be repeated. Still no date for surgery. FYI @angelaconstance.bsky.social

Peter also remembers asking newly elected PM Margaret Thatcher about her industrial policy when she made Scotland her first visit in 1979 Good story...see below

Fay Young@fayyoung.bsky.social · 3d ago

Ray's memory: "– Portavadie in Argyll, built with Government money – failed to win a single contract." Peter, Guardian's Scottish Correspondent in 1970s delved into his cuttings... "The Portavadie yard built at a £14m cost to the taxpayer, never received a single order..."

@severincarrell.bsky.social A bit before your time but you might enjoy Ray's story on what Scotland's 1970s oil rush can teach today's data centre gold rush hopefuls. It sparked memories in Guardian's Peter Hetherington about the oil rush that never was. (pic in next tweet)

Data centre mania: Scotland should learn from the past

How to control the new gold rush in Scotland? Ray Perman takes the long view of disruptive technology – history can point the way to a strategy that brings real benefits. And it leads to Shetland.

sceptical.scot

#Datacentremania Communities can take control. What Scotland 2026 can learn from Shetland 1974. "A levy on every barrel of oil landed went into a fund to benefit the community long after the oil boom had passed. Today that fund is worth £475 million." sceptical.scot/2026/08/data...

How to deal with data centre mania in Scotland? For Sceptical Scot, Ray Perman takes a quizzical long view of disruptive technology. History points to a constructive way forward. And it leads to Shetland. #DataCentres

Data centre mania: Scotland should learn from the past

How to control the new gold rush in Scotland? Ray Perman takes the long view of disruptive technology – history can point the way to a strategy that brings real benefits. And it leads to Shetland.

sceptical.scot

Friday afternoon. Glasgow’s George Square I’m peering through a hole in the hoarding “Ach well, not long now,” says a smiling man over my shoulder. His friend laughs. “Finished by Friday.” Why I love Glasgow

Mayoral scrutiny is a pressing issue. FT’s @jenwilliamsft.bskysocial identifies devolution’s crucial missing link. “the power of the local press has waned, in parallel with local government. If one is to be rebuilt, the other will need to be too.”

Mayoral scrutiny is a pressing issue

As Burnham devolves power, remember much of the country lacks Manchester’s media ecosystem

giftarticle.ft.com

Bordeaux is choking in the smoke of surrounding wildfires, yet Uber and Deliveroo continue operations. These are the class divisions which climate breakdown exposes: food delivery couriers have to pick between exposing their lungs to wildfire smoke or going without pay.

The Farage drop is, I think, potentially more consequential medium term than the Burnham bounce (which will fade I'm sure). Reform are a one man band, built around Farage's brand. If he becomes toxic (a) he might quit politics (as he has before) (b) whether he does or not they have no plan B.

Luke Tryl@luketryl.bsky.social · 6d ago

Latest leader approvals 🌹Burnham bumps up to +19, 8 higher than Keir’s high of 11. 🌳Badenoch down slightly to break even 🔶Davey drops back to -11 💚Polanski is at -24 ➡️Farage drops to another low, by far his lowest since the election at -32

There are ways of improving our lives and the lives of the myriad creatures we depend on that don't cost the earth. Just a little time and care. Take a walk in @thebotanics.bsky.social and do try this at home

“The need for action could not be more urgent” This summer is the planet’s varied responses to an increase of 1.4C 2C warmer is a horrifying prospect and it will be worse if we just carry on as we are Urge our governments to act now

Climate Change Committee@thecccuk.bsky.social · 3w ago

The government has announced it will be planning for a minimum of 2°C of warming by 2050 and committed to setting stronger, measurable objectives for climate adaptation. The need for action could not be more urgent. ⚠️ Read our full response: www.theccc.org.uk/2026/07/13/r...

Growing evidence we desperately need the kind of collaborative response most governments eventually managed during the pandemic. Climate change is more insidiously harmful than Covid and here to stay

Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment@granthamicl.bsky.social · last wk.

Extreme heat is seriously impacting our mental health. However, policies can protect us IF governments act. Dr @neiljennings.bsky.social explains the key findings of a new policy briefing on key policies to manage mental health during extreme heat 🧵

The cons - and more cons - of the push for aircon in our overheating world. We need careful intelligent planning to protect the most vulnerable “Cooling every home by machine would strain the grid and warm the streets, hampering the effort to slow the warming that drives the demand.”

How the UK's extreme heat is shifting the conversation about air-con

Should we embrace air conditioning despite its costs and consequences, and how much should we spend on adapting homes versus cutting carbon?

bbc.co.uk

These are all things within our capability

BTO | British Trust for Ornithology@btobirds.bsky.social · last wk.

5/ In the UK, previous BTO research has shown how managed and protected landscapes including farmland, woodland and urban green spaces are all vital for supporting migratory species.

5/ In the UK, previous BTO research has shown how managed and protected landscapes including farmland, woodland and urban green spaces are all vital for supporting migratory species.

1/ A major new global review published in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com, featuring BTO authors CEO @julietvickery.bsky.social & Senior Research Ecologist Chris Hewson, finds that 51% of the world’s migratory bird species are declining! #Ornithology 🌍🌐 📖 www.bto.org/MigratoryBir...

Adorned might be a better word than ‘hit’

The Edinburgh Reporter@edinreporter.bsky.social · last wk.

45m tall Melville Monument hit by city’s highest altitude “coning” yet EDINBURGH'S "cones" craze has taken another twist, after someone planted a traffic cone (nearly) at the top of one of the capital's most imposing monuments....

I like this hope. A nice alternative to the many pundits who seem keen for Burnham to fail

Jack London@jacklondonbluesky.bsky.social · last wk.

3 concurrent polls have Labour leading - in just one sharing that lead with the Farage Party By the end of summer the move to Andy Burnham will be pretty convincingly shown as worth the political risk I hope he continues to prove a lucky general & steer the UK well en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion...

The new Prime Minister is writing a "10-year plan" for the UK. The arts & culture MUST be part of it. I've signed @campaignforthearts.org's petition urging @andyburnham.bsky.social to revitalise the arts – to revitalise the whole nation 🌱 Join me: www.campaignforthearts.org/petitions/10-year-plan/

Prime Minister – put the arts in your 10-year plan for the UK | Campaign for the Arts

Sign our petition urging the UK Government to build a country where the arts are available from childhood, accessible to all and thriving everywhere.

campaignforthearts.org

Human life disrupted and endangered. Tragically some lives lost. So far no estimate of what must also be devastating environmental damage, the crops and wildlife wiped out, which will also affect humans. This is human-induced climate change #Wildfires surge across Europe | UN News

Wildfires surge across Europe as Spain and France battle major blazes

The amount of land burned by wildfires across Europe has increased by 57 per cent in four years, according to new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Europe.

news.un.org

Cities dismantled their tram networks to become “motor cities of the future”. The result? You could travel further within 30 mins via public transport in 1957 than you can in 2026. Cities are seeking billions to rebuild networks. Incredible piece of work this.

The Exchange@theexchangeleeds.bsky.social · 2w ago

If you stood on Briggate at 8am on a weekday in 1957, and stood there again in 2026, in which year could you reach more of the city in half an hour? Samuel Bancroft has crunched the numbers. Since the 1950s, Leeds has got bigger - but the city has effectively shrunk.

Sunset on the pond

Farage in The Telegraph: ‘If voters think I’m a crook, they can get rid of me.’ It’s not how the law works but, even so, I’m assuming if Farage is serious he’ll allow the voters of Clacton to look at all his finances, speak to all his donors, and put himself up for rigorous questioning?

Read the report in the link We are at the turning point But can still prevent the worst “Climate change mitigation strategies are available, cost effective, and urgently needed. From forest protection and renewables to plant-rich diets, we can still limit warming if we act boldly and quickly.”

Prof William Ripple@williamripple.bsky.social · 8mo ago

SETTING: SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE: We were hurtling towards climate chaos which ended up really hurting the economy. More info here: doi.org/10.1093/bios...

Significantly this Guardian report describes France’s three back to back heatwaves as extreme weather caused by ‘climate breakdown’ That’s ‘climate breakdown’ not ‘climate change’ When are public and politicians going to take control?

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 2w ago

More than 80,000 people flee as wildfires spread in south-west France and Spain

Holiday in the climate emergency. No that’s not AI or edited, just a snapshot I just took with my phone on Lacanau beach in France. What future will this boy grow up in? It is in our hands, but time is running out.

A very good straight-talking piece. While Andy Burnham sets out to cut the cost of living, John McLaren confronts the reality: how political priorities inhibit meaningful growth and true social progress. Not least in Scotland (@stephenkb.bsky.social might agree)

Burnham and the limiting politics of growth

While Andy Burnham sets out to cut the cost of living, John McLaren confronts reality: how political priorities obstruct meaningful growth. Not least in Scotland…

sceptical.scot

On my way through the woods I find a sight reminiscent of the west end of Sauchiehall Street. Grandchildren with a sense of humour (perhaps we’ll add it to #GlasgowMusicTour @dougalperman.bsky.social)

Just filling in latest @bto-gbw.bsky.social for last week. Triggered a 'validation warning' because my list includes American mink 'unexpected in South Scotland'. Well, we're in Central Scotland and definitely trapped a mink this week thanks to expert help of SISI. Good news for our native wildlife

From Scotland and Gaza, two pieces on Sceptical Scot about the power of football and the lasting value of childhood play. Heartwarming but a reminder of what happens when childhood is lost. Or stolen. Both well worth a read Thanks Jackie Kemp @britishredcross.bsky.social sceptical.scot