Mike Russell, currently at the centre of controversy over his appointment as chair of the Scottish Land Commission, hit the political big stage during Scotland’s first ever SNP administration under Alex Salmond, whom, in turn, Mike had previously seen into office as Salmond’s campaign manager.
In 2007 he was appointed as Minister for Environment, then in 2009 he became the Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, and his conventional ministerial career concluded when he went on to replace Fiona Hyslop as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning until the end of 2014.
Following the 2014 independence vote, the pre-referendum era ended with Salmond’s dignified (albeit temporary) stage exit; Nicola Sturgeon took the helm and began to reform what had been left to her by her predecessor.
A core pillar of Sturgeon’s centrist reform was the construction of an almost entirely opaque ivory tower of power from which both SNP and the state would run their covert affairs with subversive, centralizing, strong-arm granularity, cleverly camouflaging its sinister implications from the public through cult-of-personality media management.
Instrumental in this, among a very few select others, was Mike Russell.
It’s rather apt that this happened on the last day of the calendar. Because it truly is the rock-bottom moment in the grotesquely sullied history of the Scottish National Party.
We’ve heard that line somewhere before, haven’t we?
So, just a quick one, because we’ve got Christmas shopping to do:
Since continuing to fight for the GRR was famously a “red line” for the Scottish Greens in terms of the Bute House Agreeement, do we think that the Greens will now withdraw from the governing coalition, sacrifice their ministerial cars and salaries and influence, and return to the back benches for the next two and a half years until they can try to form an alliance with Labour?
twathater on In Ruins: “I can’t believe that indy supporters are falling for snp version2 Alba, and Ash Regan”s faux outrage at the despicable…” Jan 11, 15:48
Andy Ellis on In Ruins: “The condition precedent for the Secretary of State to hold a border poll in NI is if it: “..appears likely…” Jan 11, 15:47
aLurker on In Ruins: “Thanks for the pointer sarah. https://grousebeater.wordpress.com/2025/01/11/the-aberdein-enigma” Jan 11, 15:38
sam on In Ruins: “I think there is room for doubt. There are scientists, quite a few, who do not accept the narrative pushed…” Jan 11, 15:37
twathater on Safeguarding Is Not Right-Wing: ““But the idea that the traditional Left (who died along with John Smith) are actually responsible for this is a…” Jan 11, 15:30
gregor on In Ruins: “Are you prepared for ‘The Great Scotland Revival’ #Prepare” Jan 11, 15:17
Young Lochinvar on In Ruins: “I see anglofication continues apace under the SNPs watch; this time with proposals removing Burns from the “English”(sic) curriculum. That’s…” Jan 11, 15:16
gregor on In Ruins: “The Jouker (2025) Andy Murray calls out Elon Musk for Twitter meddling: “”Murray said: “The top 17 posts on my…” Jan 11, 15:13
Dan on In Ruins: “Just release a few more beavers, everything will be fine… lolz And seeing as so many humans can’t even be…” Jan 11, 15:06
Vivian O’Blivion on In Ruins: “You are indeed correct. It’s the Carbon monoxide in Town gas that drove the jaikies pure mad mental. ?Stuff up…” Jan 11, 15:05
Muscleguy on In Ruins: “If the human race do nothing about climate change at the very least we will have to move the line…” Jan 11, 14:48
Muscleguy on In Ruins: “Net Zero is a scientific, environmental and societal necessity. Unless you want to abandon all the homes, businesses and infrastructure…” Jan 11, 14:44
sarah on In Ruins: “Grouse Beater has an interesting post about Geoff Aberdein today. It fits with my thinking at the time that GA…” Jan 11, 14:37
CapnAndy on In Ruins: “Being Pedantic, but electric soup was made by bubbling ‘coal gas’ through milk, not natural gas.” Jan 11, 14:22
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Eyes Full Of Beams: ““Hope that is not me as the only filter I was evading is not even a banned word it seems,…” Jan 11, 14:20
Mark Beggan on In Ruins: “Electric Soup was later bottled and rebranded as ‘Who you looking at.’” Jan 11, 14:11
Ian on In Ruins: ““In a democracy, Westminster cannot stand in the way of the people of Scotland determining their own future”. Am I…” Jan 11, 14:09
Chris Downie on In Ruins: “I read an article yesterday that they were (belatedly) floating a Northern Ireland style argument for a referendum, which immediately…” Jan 11, 14:08
Young Lochinvar on Eyes Full Of Beams: “Sarah They say time is the fire in which we burn, the school in which we learn. Things can’t stay…” Jan 11, 14:06
Peter S on In Ruins: “John Swinney is reported in the press today as “calling for NI-style trigger for an indyref”. Everyone, including John Swinney,…” Jan 11, 14:05
Richard De St Croix on In Ruins: “It’s like the SNP has got tired of being a political party and decided to turn itself into a *Revival!*…” Jan 11, 13:57
J M on In Ruins: “Clowns,utter clowns.” Jan 11, 13:47
Shetto Al on In Ruins: “The SNP route to independence is like having a ballot box in one hand and the other hand in their…” Jan 11, 13:37
Vivian O’Blivion on In Ruins: “Just spent the morning feeding wood into a brazier located next to the condensate pipe for my 12 month old,…” Jan 11, 13:36
Ian McCubbin on In Ruins: “Why can’t they realise emulating unionist parties is not working on majority of independistas. We see through their lies. Keep…” Jan 11, 13:35
duncanio on In Ruins: “Two apallingticians interviewed by three meedjits.” Jan 11, 13:32
ScottieDog on In Ruins: “Pretty much run by the British-American project these days..” Jan 11, 13:29
Alex Wallace on In Ruins: “I wasted 12mins of my time this am and agree with every word of this article, including using the punch…” Jan 11, 13:23
Ronnie on In Ruins: “Aye, ah fear yir right.” Jan 11, 13:22
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