SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT TAKING THE PEOPLE AND INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT FOR FOOL In a statement Kenny MacAskill MP said: “The SNP/Green coalition kicks the Independence can down the road once again. The Programme for Government pays lip service to Independence while the First Minister confirmed today that no work has been done on preparing for Independence within Government since the 2014 White… Read more »
Why I suspect Nicola Surgeon had a role in Stephen House’s resignation as Chief Constable. Suggestions that Steve House’s resignation as Police Scotland’s Chief Constable was sought by Nicola Sturgeon, despite protestation to the contrary, doesn’t surprise me in the least, as it bears all the hallmark of her centralised regime and blatant disregard for the separation of powers. Steve… Read more »
What’ll the SNP/Green deal hold for vital road infrastructure projects the length and breadth of Scotland? Who knows but I fear it’ll not be as benign as the SNP is currently spinning. The Greens are historically hostile to road investment and that won’t be tempered by office. They were hostile to the commitment to dual the A9, despite the arguments… Read more »
East Lothian MP Kenny MacAskill is seeking assurance that work he says is needed to upgrade the busy A1 road will not be blocked by the SNP’s Holyrood deal with the Greens. The former Justice Secretary has written to his ex-colleague, Transport Secretary Michael Matheson, asking him to confirm that vital road infrastructure projects will not be impacted by the… Read more »
MACASKILL CALLS FOR POLICE SCOTLAND TO CEASE TRAINING IN SRI LANKA OVER HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES Former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill MP has called on Police Scotland to cease engagement with its counterparts in Sri Lanka until such times as its government adheres to international human rights. Mr MacAskill has written to Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans calling for… Read more »
Westminster was focused on Afghanistan last week, as the world has been with the tragedy unfolding there. Sadly, despite the Prime Ministers statement there remains little clarity on the three issues that have arisen from the debacle. They are why we went in 20 years ago, how it collapsed so suddenly and most importantly of all, what’s to be done… Read more »
You’d expect a government that fought long and hard for a ground-breaking policy to want to make it work effectively. You’d also expect them to want to maintain progress in an area of social harm, especially one that’s long devilled Scotland and where another social ill of drugs’ are wreaking carnage. But not this Holyrood administration, as recent alcohol death… Read more »
The New American Century was a concept promoted by right wing American hawks. Pursued with venality yet vigour by the likes of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld and having both its summit and its very nadir in Iraq. Now it’s enduring its death throes in Afghanistan, yet who could have imagined it would come so suddenly and in this manner. Global… Read more »
Former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill MP has written to the Health Secretary Humza Yousaf calling for the Scottish Government to raise Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol from 50p per unit to 65p per unit following the publication last week of statistics which show that alcohol specific deaths are now at their highest level since 2008. The figures which show alcohol specific… Read more »
The Council’s preparing a poverty plan and they’re right to do so, as many are facing hard times. It’s not coming about because of coronavirus but due to political choices. Matters have been exacerbated by coronavirus, but the trajectory had ongoing for years. The rich have been getting richer and the poor have been suffering. As a 60s child I… Read more »