The Tories have selected a convicted former Neo-Nazi as a councillor. Here's why that reflects very poorly on Jeremy Corbyn.

Some press coverage (BBC) of the most recent Scottish Land Fund awards. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Bays of Harris estate buyout secures land fund award

The scheme is one of six community projects to be given Scottish government support.

bbc.co.uk

Yes I acknowledge it makes sense in context but “I need my car to meet criminals” is now my favourite basis for an attempted exceptional hardship plea. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Taps sign: [Never, ever, litigate a boundary dispute]

Steve Peers@stevepeers.bsky.social · 3d ago

this is nuts

Re the Guga Hunt, whilst it's easy to criticise public sector entities at times, I think this NatureScot statement is pretty thorough, and also makes clear that a future decision will be taken on its own merits. www.nature.scot/latest-guga-...

Latest guga hunt statement

NatureScot's latest guga hunt statement, updated on 3 August 2026.

nature.scot

So I woke up this morning to find out that Ozzy Osbourne’s son made a video falsely accusing me of using AI to write a Rolling Stone article about the Tate brothers.

Anyone for Guga? bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/07/31/a...

Anyone for Guga?

I’ve never eaten Guga, and wouldn’t thank you for a bite of it, but I did use to live beside Craig Dunain. Craig Dunain is as apt a place as any for the conclusion of this round of controversy over…

bellacaledonia.org.uk

number one, i am glad that if anyone on earth is rich enough to turn down some blood money, it's Weird Al, and number two, I'm glad the guy who is rich enough to be loud as fuck about turning down some blood money is Weird Al

‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Turned Down Million-Dollar Offer to Perform in Saudi Arabia: ‘I Don’t Need to Take Any Money if It Makes Me Feel Icky’

'Weird Al' Yankovic revealed he turned down a seven-figure offer to perform at the state-sponsored Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia.

variety.com

Does anyone know who the last team to beat Spain over 90 minutes in a competitive match was? And while we are at it, can anyone remind me of the last team to beat Real Madrid in a European final? 😉 #fitba

People who keep pointing out that golf courses use as much water as data centres as some sort of defence of data centres drastically underestimate the amount we also hate golf.

In a new guest blog, Dr Bobby Macaulay explores the barriers communities face and what could help unlock future opportunities. Next week we'll publish new advice on the practical steps that could help more communities benefit from community ownership. Read more: buff.ly/TbYCYeH

When we have a clearer picture of how land is owned, used and valued, we can make better decisions that benefit communities, public services and the economy. Our latest research explores what Scotland can learn from countries with more connected land information systems. buff.ly/skb81PR

Ha ha! Discuss. Legislation www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Edw2/7/0...

ab34@ab34.bsky.social · 4w ago

@davidallengreen.bsky.social in the event Count Binface is elected, would the 1313 statute forbidding armour in parliament cause problems for him taking his seat? Would be very grateful for your opinion.

Latest Reform star is this councillor who thought, “forget data protection I’ll use private information held by the council to promote my mates business” www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Reform councillor used data from policy survey to promote partner’s steak restaurant

Councillor George Madgwick’s constituents also received 'breaking news' messages and links to his social media posts

independent.co.uk

Common good land belongs 2 the community. They should have the legal right to take back title which they lost in May 1975. Councillors in Lochgilphead shouldn’t be making decisions about land in Helensburgh. Credit to @GabyMcKay for covering this important story. heraldscotland.com/news/26230779.…

Council which spent £75k to avoid public consultation will hold public consultation

A Scottish council spent close to £75,000 fighting a court battle to avoid holding a public consultation over the sale of a piece of land - only to…

heraldscotland.com

Community Land Scotland has secured £4.25m from @tnlcommunityfund.org.uk - thanks to National Lottery players - for the Inclusive Ownership project. A UK‑wide partnership working to make community ownership of land and buildings more accessible. 👉 buff.ly/YW9C1Ny

So it turns out the massive scandal here is that Bridget Phillipson's mum bought a council house for £9k in 1990 and then sold it *33 years* later for £99k. That's the entire story

Europcar apologises for blocking Shetland family without passport ID - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd7w2j0p5pwo #scothinews

Absolutely top notch legal publishing and indexing here!

IrishBeerHistory@beerfoodtravel.bsky.social · last mo.

I found a quite interesting book today. It's well indexed too, for example in case you were wondering if you were obliged to let a tiger stay in your establishment? I can see how that would be a gray area, but seemingly no...

Happy expiry of delegated powers under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act Day to all those who celebrate. May your revocations, restatements and replacements henceforth be delivered through other enabling Acts.

As Scotland's World Cup journey continues, our Roddy Cairns reflects on the fact that the Tartan Army gets to enjoy watching international football when Greenland fans cannot. www.strath.ac.uk/whystrathcly...

FWS win on prisons guidance in Scotland. Prison accommodation to be required for men and women based on biological sex. ECHR arguments considered and confer no right to be housed in prisons of the opposite biological sex. Not a surprising decision.

The Conservatives were visible, had numbers on the ground, and folk from across the country came to help. SNP hit by bad headlines, Reform invisible, Labour heavily reliant on local Cllrs, Lib Dem’s invisible, and a majority of Greens didn’t want the candidate imposed on them.

Ballot Box Scotland@ballotbox.scot · 2mo ago

Aberdeen South (Westminster) by-election result: Conservative: 14308 (49.5%, +25.1) SNP: 8258 (28.6%, -4.2) Reform UK: 2478 (8.6%, +1.7) Labour: 1550 (5.4%, -19.4) Lib Dem: 1270 (4.4%, -1.9) Green: 974 (3.4%, -0.1) ADF: 59 (0.2%, new) Conservative GAIN from SNP

Academic writing should be addressed neither to the public nor to other academics. It should be addressed to a single interlocutor with whom you have a petty rivalry and whose work you are trying to discredit

Scotland’s rural land market is becoming more cautious and selective, according to our new Rural Land Market Report 2026, produced with SRUC. After years of rapid growth, activity slowed across most sectors with buyers taking more time and looking more closely at long-term returns. buff.ly/ipqieB4

this week marks 10 years since "milkshake duck" was coined

This will go down as a major stain on FIFA and its World Cup before a ball has even been kicked. Infantino has been banging on about the most inclusive World Cup and Africa’s top referee can’t even get into the country. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/08/w...

U.S. Denies Entry to World Cup Referee From Somalia

nytimes.com

The CLEO Conference 2026 will take place on 10 September, hosted by the University of Birmingham. If you would like to present at the event, or propose a roundtable to chair, please complete our call for papers form: forms.office.com/pages/respon...