Two Spaces
Everyone even remotely connected to Scottish politics has known for months that the below is the case. It’s an open secret.
But what’s playing out right now is something much bigger than the fate of one or two or three individuals. It’s the entire future of the credibility of Scotland’s justice system.
Like Robin McAlpine (who wrote the piece this week that’s from), Wings is acutely aware of the pitfalls of commenting on a live investigation, so let us be crystal clear from the beginning: nothing in this article makes any assertions or implications as to the possible guilt or innocence of any of the persons named in it.
Peter Murrell has already been charged and awaits his day in court. Nicola Sturgeon and Colin Beattie have been arrested but not charged and remain under investigation. What we’re about to say largely applies to both of the latter two, but Sturgeon is the more pertinent example of what we’re going to say, so we’ll use her as our illustration.
Because one of two things must be the case: either Nicola Sturgeon is guilty of some criminal wrongdoing or she isn’t. And in EITHER case, after so much time has passed, it’s arguable that the only place the matter could be properly and finally determined is in a courtroom.
Commentators have noted that if she’s guilty, obviously she must be held accountable, but if she’s innocent then she also deserves the right to have that fact established beyond reasonable doubt by a judge and jury, and not to be plagued by innuendo and suspicion for the rest of her life.
Police Scotland arrested Sturgeon and questioned her for nine hours. The house she shares/shared with Murrell was cordoned off, surrounded by a blue incident tent and searched for days in front of a media circus. Their personal possessions were taken away in clear plastic boxes as the world watched.
The SNP’s head office was also extensively searched, with large amounts of evidence removed by vanloads of burly officers.
And again, we must emphasise that that proves nothing. But it would seem patently absurd if after all that hoo-ha, after actually arresting someone who’d been the leader of the nation just weeks before, and after years of ongoing investigation and feverish speculation, the Crown Office And Procurator Fiscal Service turned round and went “Y’know, we don’t think this even needs to be resolved in public view. Let’s just forget it all happened and get on with our lives”.
Murrell and Sturgeon were husband and wife, they shared a home, and one of them was leader of the SNP while the other was the party’s CEO. Those facts tell us nothing about the guilt or innocence of either – both could be guilty, neither could be guilty, or either one could be guilty alone – but it has been reasonably posited that the public would be bewildered if one was to be put on trial while the other wasn’t, given that the alleged offence is embezzlement from the party they led and ran together.
The fact that one of them was also the First Minister (coupled with the well-rehearsed arguments about the dual role of Scotland’s chief prosecutor, the Lord Advocate) would be likely, as been noted by those far more learned than this site, to risk an unhealthy degree of public cynicism – whether well-founded or not – about whether the law was being applied equally to the rich and powerful in the same way as the rest of us.
And without public confidence in the judicial system, you don’t have much of a country. So why not just get on with it?
Well, we know that even if we assume its integrity to be above question, competence is another matter altogether. COPFS is a dysfunctional shambles in general, which operates at glacial pace and has been haemorrhaging tens of millions of pounds of public money (over and above the costs of its normal function) for years while bringing the justice system into regular disrepute.
But however long COPFS’s litany of catastrophic failures gets, nothing changes, because – as Wings readers have been long aware – the body is accountable and answerable to no-one, and doubly so in this particular case.
Social media is alive with all manner of conspiracy theories from all sides regarding the inordinate amount of time Branchform is taking and the likelihood of the various parties ever seeing the inside of a courtroom, but if you talk to sober, sensible people in the worlds of politics, law or law enforcement there isn’t actually much difference in what they’re saying on the subject.
And all of them agree with Robin McAlpine’s assessment of events with regard to the numerous strategic leaks of information about the case.
The matter is beyond a joke. Uncertainty and opacity is poisoning Scottish public life, and the people’s confidence in their country. Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon and Colin Beattie must not be condemned to live the remainder of their days as Schrodinger’s Suspects, in a dual limbo where they’re neither convicted nor properly cleared.
It is not enough for justice to be done. It must be SEEN to be done.
A nicely balanced article, Sir!
Excellent points , well made.
Hang it out for another 2 years and then leave it for Anas and Jacqui to file away under “Let Sleeping dogs lie”
…..as Peter Cook said about the neighbouring jurisdiction’s ‘Justice’, “…..it must be seen to be believed.”
How’s Eddie doing?
It’s a tad surprising that Robin McAlpine (of all people) seems to think the Crown Prosecution Service has anything to do with Branchform. The jurisdiction of the CPS stops at the English border.
He means COPFS.
I enjoy Robin McAlpine’s blog but my god he needs someone to proofread his stuff before publication. Even people, like journalists, who write for a living had sub-editors to check their copy for facts/accuracy, grammar, style and typos. But that was in the olden days and no-one has money for such luxuries now.
He could even try proof-reading them himself. I don’t know why any writer who wants to be taken seriously would leave themselves open to ridicule by neglecting to correct glaring spelling and grammatical errors. I too find them irritating and distracting.
Kris Kristofferson (RIP) never expected to be a singer. “But I have a voice like a frog” was his claim when signed as a singer\songwriter. “But you sing like a frog that tells the truth.” said record boss Fred Foster.
The message is more important than the delivery.
Praps those (or that) to whom COPFS is accountable are akin to the invisible hand of Adams, the interests are clear, but the accountability isn’t. Worth saying that if this shambles were to have taken place down South, there would have been pelters.
Apologies if it’s a bit tinfoil hatty, but I believe this speaks to your point that no INDEPENDENT country can run without a trustworthy, transparent and credible legal system.
I’m not a believer in conspiracy theories, but can I draw people to Wings date 30/7/2021 (Lady Dorrian)
I’ve always found Wngs on the money as far as factual reporting is concerned. In that piece Stu reported Lady Dorrian wanted to suceed Lord Carloway when he retired and thus become the most senior judge in Scotland and the first woman to hold the postion.
She has just recently announced her retirement and will not succeed Lord Carloway.
She’s had a stellar career- it seems odd that having completed 38 k of a 40 k marathon she’s giving up on the last two k when Carloway has himself I understand announced his retirement.
She was asked this in a recent times interview and replied with typical modesty that she could have the job if she wanted, but wished to do other things.
I wonder what the other things might be.
In my old fashioned way, I believe that the role of the Police and the COPFS is to uphold the law.
It seems clear, in this instance, that the COPFS is not upholding the law. Quite the opposite in fact.
The CEO of the COPFS, appointed in December 2023, is John Logue. He seems an honourable individual.
I wonder why he is suddenly functionally paralysed?
What I am interested in – not really in this case, but in general – is the “constitutional” aspect.
What I have never been able to get my head around is this: how can a country (Scotland) have a separate (“national”) legal system… yet not have a *sovereign* (= independent) parliament in tandem with this? The Holyrood parliament is not sovereign, meaning 100% independent of Westminster. It is not the same as the Scottish parliament which existed before 1707.
Can you have a legal system without a parliament?
The legal system is separate but the politicians cow tow to the English constitution. I feel our senior judges may do also. And yet it was our laws and Court of Session that stopped Boris perogeing the English parliament.
The law is part of the Crown. This includes all departments of State. The monarch is not the crown in Scotland but is an equal with the people regarding sovereignty. We do not have a monarch in Scotland since 1714 but we have the Scottish Crown. This means the law here is separate as it is within the Crown (the establishment). You do not need a 100% sovereign parliament here to have Scots law but it would be ideal if we did. For over 200 years before the treaty of Union in 1707 the people in what was known as the Convention of the Estates told the parliament its priorities. Laterly this CofS ran Scotland without a parliament from 1678 to 1703.
Scots law’s independence was guaranteed in the Treaty of Union and Acts, as indeed was the Church of Scotland. They have broken the Treaty/Acts of Union many times but they have steered clear of messing with the lawyers or the kirk – thus far!
“how can a country (Scotland) have a separate (“national”) legal system… yet not have a *sovereign* (= independent) parliament in tandem with this?”
Excellent question.
The way I see it, Scotland can have a separate legal system but this legal system is condemned to disappear because it cannot grow. Without a parliament that creates Scottish laws, this body of law cannot grow unless it adopts the laws created by the parliament of a different country, under a different crown.
For as long as those sitting in Holyrood insist in swear allegiance to a foreign crown and insist in continue to abide by the Scotland Act, Holyrood is not and will never become Scotland’s parliament. It is just a branch office from Westminster.
Westminster and its mini-me do not create “Scottish” law. What they create is “UK” law, which is other name for English law. Holyrood is therefore another back door through which a foreign crown is infest the body of Scottish law with English law.
The best demonstration we have had so far that Holyrood is not Scotland’s parliament was the way it was undermined by that unelected representative of the foreign crown parachuted into the Scottish “government” cabinet: the lord Advocate.
This unelected figure, by stalling the entry of that bill into Holyrood, effectively stole from the people of Scotland the power to control the legislative body.
Then, instead of bringing the matter to a crown in Scotland that would resource to Scottish constitutional law, she actually send it to a court in England ruled by English law.
So not only this unelected and undemocratic figure temporarily stole from the people of Scotland the control of the legislative body, she actually handed it to a foreign crown within a foreign court.
Why did she do that? That is easy. Because that figure of “Lord Advocate” is a gatekeeper for the foreign crown. When there is a unionist majority in Holyrood, there is no need for this unelected figure to be activated. But in the presence of a pro-independence majority, which could have comfortably passed that law, the only way to stop that bill becoming law without exposing the political bias of the monarch was by preventing its entry to be debated to parliament.
We saw the exact same when the previous Lord Advocate used every tool at his disposal to trash the Keatings case.
I question until what point the Scottish courts can lawfully refer to those “new” laws created by Westminster mini-me in Scotland and the English court called “Supreme Court” when dealing with constitutional matters affecting only Scotland as a nation, as that independence bill was.
I have also wondered if the real reason for that embarrassment to her profession Lord Advocate, chose to bring the matter of the referendum bill to an English court with English judges may have been because that would be the only way the foreign crown representatives in the form of judges could apply their favourite English law tool-for-all “parliamentary sovereignty”, which does not apply to Scotland.
For as long as those sitting in Holyrood insist in swear allegiance to a foreign crown and insist in continue to abide by the Scotland Act, Holyrood is not and will never become Scotland’s parliament.
Fair enough I guess, but then the solution is bleedin obvious.
We need a cadre of Scots who don’t intend to swear allegiance blah blah and won’t continue to abide blah blah.
Then they stand for election, telling the voters that’s what they will be doing, and then they get voted into HR to run Scotland’s parliament.
It’s not exactly rocket science.
Of course, a solid majority of Scottish voters need to agree with your interpretation, Mia, so maybe I’ve put my finger on the sand in the rocket propellant right there.
Let’s have a referendum on the monarchy. We’ve never been asked if we still agree to give our consent.
Remove the monarchy & his trinkets & surely these carpetbaggers will have to actually do their jobs for Scotland.
I suppose there is nothing stopping Scotland at present having a consultative referendum on the monarchy.
But the result, if against the monarchy, cannot be implemented within the context of the ToU because the fundamental reason why the ToU came about was to ensure Scotland and England were under the same crown.
In fact, the ToU was a product of the English crown.It was that crown and its apparatchiks what pushed for, bribed the aristocracy and coerced people of Scotland into it.
Implementation of a republic in Scotland would, effectively, terminate the concept of “Kingdom of Great Britain” and, therefore, the ToU itself.
I guess this could be an avenue that should be considered if the British state and its useful idiots in Scotland continue to fabricate blocks to prevent us from use any other path to end the treaty.
Part of what Holyrood was set up to do as Westminster had to legislate Scotland separately and there was never enough time.
Well it’s been a while since Murrells were changed and Lord Advocate saying nothing.
The people of Scotland deserve some clarity either take the pair to court for a trial or decide there is no case to answer.
The latter seems highly unlikely so the only reason for no movement forwards has to be Westminster intervention.
But I might be wrong, ( pensive thought).
Most people in Scotland don’t really care about it.
I think it speaks volumes that those mentioned below are not bellowing out demands for this to go to court and bring the speculation to an end.
I also see that the Police and COPFS are meddling in politics where they have no right to be.
Truth and Justice seem to be of no consequence to these people.
“she also deserves the right to have that fact established beyond reasonable doubt by a judge and jury, and not to be plagued by innuendo and suspicion for the rest of her life.”
Too bad this wasn’t given to Alex Salmond by Sturgeon, eh?
Let’s be honest, her language could be seen as incitement to Salmond supporters. She knew exactly what she was doing.
Another criminal touch to add to her list.
It’s rather embarrassing that we have to embarrass the authorities but hey ho.
I suppose every item taken away by the Police won’t returned until the case is closed, one way or another. Storage for all those pairs of shoes must be costing the country a small fortune.
A fair amount of FOI activity on Branchform. Costs over 1.3 million. 20 staff assigned to investigation. (15 police officers of varying rank and 5 support staff) . Needs a conclusion for those concerned.
Aye George,
It’s basically yet another protracted grift the taxpayer pays for.
If it were possible it would save a lot of time and costs if we jist locked them all in a room and got Begbie on the case… “Some monies appear to have gone awol and nae cunt leaves here till we find oot what cunt did it”
Out of interest George, did you see my response to you somewhere on last thread re. Energy and BESS? I have a feeling some posts may be getting missed due to new comment system.
@ Rev Stu I guess you think I’m a right pain in the ass, but can you see posts that get kicked to spam and reinstate them?
I multi-edited a post which initiated it getting classed as spam in Things Happen Slowly comments. The post took a bit of time to compose with technical details and also linked back to another post which questioned the way so much in Scotland seems to be being deliberately compromised, it even mentioned the machinations with the legal side of things and the Rangers prosecution.
If it’s gone then so be it and I’ll find time to put something else together at some point.
@Dan O/T I did reply to you but… Think of BESS as embedded generation. Similar to pumping Stations with thyristor control and milli seconds grid connection. The technology is been driven by commercial reasons such as Arbitrage. Anyway Stu could be risking his liberty with the above post the way things are in Scotland. Discuss some other time.
Amazing indeed how the Pol/COPS teams in the Salmond fit up, sorry prosecution, could get the whole thing done vert efficiently but in this case there are definitely delays.
I have my own thoughts on why there are delays but as far as the accused and the public are concerned this is unfair and possibly unlawful delay .
Peter Murrell was a paid employee of the SNP, as such, the only power he had was the power delegated to him by the elected office bearers.
Ultimately, it is the said office bearers who bare responsibility for this mess.
The Party Leader and Treasurer are responsible for ensuring that the Parties accounts submitted to the Electoral Commission are a true and honest reflection of the Parties finances.
Quite obviously this wasn’t the case and therefore they bear ultimate responsibility.
There was enough red flags to warn them that things weren’t right.
Why shouldnt a case be dropped if the arrested individual doesn’t have evidence against them? Why would it need to go to court in that case?
You’re much less blemished by the protection not taking you to court than winning in court.
After three years?
The amount of time taken isn’t evidence.
If there’s evidence of wrong doing which has a chance of conviction take to court. If they’re isn’t,.don’t. Nothing new there.
I see no reason why this has gone on so long. It needs a decision. That is bringing justice into disrepute but the ide someone must go to court even if they’re likely innocent is bunkum and is not how things work.
Do we think Alex Salmons was happy enough to go to court just to prove himself innocent? Of course not, he would have preferred it never to have got that for and quite rightly.
People don’t go to court unless there is a case to answer. That’s standard practice. It shouldn’t matter if you’re well known or not. In fact, doubly so.
They even contrived to get the wrong man for the Lockerbie bombing.
With hindsight, the rot started there, so nothing since should come as too much of a surprise.
The South African’s did it – to kill Brent Carlsson – Carlsson was Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and UN Commissioner for Namibia from July 1987 until he died on Pan Am Flight 103 which exploded on 21 December 1988 over Lockerbie
No mince for me, thanks. I’ve already had ma tea.
Seriously though, have you really been peddling this pish since 1988?
That’s 36 years!
Little better can be expected from a man that insists against all the available evidence that the Malaysian Airlines flight wasn’t downed by Uncle Vlad and his friends.
It’s not as though RoS doesn’t have form on multiple fronts for this kind of BS. Perhaps he could change his moniker to “ConspiracyTheoriesRUs”?
The South African’s didn’t want to lose control of Namibia via Namibian independence – which was part of the remit of Brent Carlsson at the time of his murder by South African authorities.
“Bernt Carlsson, who was a passenger on the Pan Am flight that crashed over Scotland, had been chief administrative officer of the United Nations Council for Namibia since July 1987. He was on his way here for a ceremony on Thursday, at which accords providing for Namibia’s independence are to be signed by Angola, Cuba and South Africa. The officer is, in theory, the United Nations’ appointed governor for Namibia, the South African-ruled territory also known as South-West Africa. But because United Nations authority over Namibia is not recognised by South Africa, he is in practice the chief United Nations officer in charge of development programs intended to prepare Namibia for independence.
“Mr Carlsson, a 51-year-old Swedish diplomat, had been in London for a meeting with non-governmental groups, United Nations officials said. He telephoned his office from the boarding gate at Heathrow Airport before the flight to New York.”
Is it known which figure within the crown office is stalling this prosecution?
Is it that dodgy figure of “crown agent”, which does not appear to have a like per like counterpart in England, who is sticking its finger in the pie again?
England must surely be to blame for this somehow, eh?
None of this would have happened in an independent Scotland.
Etc.
What are you trying so desperately to deflect attention from?
The fact the figure of “crown agent” is dodgy?
The fact that not such figure exists in England, which points to Scotland being governed as a colony?
The fact that a foreign crown appears to be manipulating the Scotland’s PS?
Or that there might be a possibility that this crown controlling the prosecution service in Scotland might have a vested interest in prosecuting some people but not others?
“What are you trying so desperately to deflect attention from?”
?Hey, you started it.
The Crown Agent is simply the most senior solicitor in COPFS. I am sure there is an equivalent in the CPS. Your silly conspiracies do your cause no good.
But it didn’t happen in an independent Scotland : it happened in a Scotland subject to continuous * interference * in it’s affairs from our overbearing , self-assumed ” superior ” . You may be indifferent to Scotland becoming an independent nation ( again ) – I reckon the majority of English people are the same .Be assured – the Brit State/Establishment are not similarly indifferent. The task of the lavishly-funded U.K Security Services is ” to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom ” ; ” integrity ” in this instance meaning ” keeping together ” . Where do you think they would draw the line in order to preserve this ” integrity ” , banning Scotland from cricket competitions ?
These legal cases can be considered ” homegrown ” and no-one here is trying to exonerate the actions of those involved in them ; it’s how it’s now being ” processed ” that adds layers of complexity .
Just why is it taking so long ; what conflicting interests could be chafing ?
How can maximum advantage be gained by the Brit State and maximum damage inflicted on the cause of Scottish Independence ?
Isn’t it obvious that it’s taking so long only because the Scottish Establishment is protecting its own? Failure to prosecute the accused doesn’t fit with your idea that “the Brit State” wants to harm the prospect of independence. Seizing on the apparent presence of a fried banana republic north of the border would be an honest and helpful opportunity in that case, but “the Brit State” knows that any criticism of a failing devolved government will be reported as an attack. They really can’t win and so can’t help Scots out of the situation they find themselves in.
No , it isn’t at all obvious . The idea that the Scottish Establishment is not on the same wavelength as the English Establishment is truly laughable . They come from the same backgrounds , went to the same schools/universities , hold the same * values * and ultimately serve the same masters , ie the * Crown * aka the vested interest of the Brit State ; that’s right , the entity you’re trying to downplay ; the entity that has 100s of years of experience of interfering , undermining , sowing internal conflict in other nations , when not outright invading , colonising , brutalising those nations .
You’re patronising bullshit …..” …..can’t help the Scots out of the situation ….” reeks of that assumed superiority I referred to , above .
Who the fuck do you think you are ? Look at the fckn state of England , locked , it seems permanently , into a non-choice between two varieties of Right Wing Neoliberal elitist warmonger cabals , desperately kissing the arse of it’s U.S masters , clinging to long-gone imperial delusions and heading for fiscal/social meltdown
Talk about corruption ; where are the prosecutions of the rapacious bastards who were * awarded * £billions for selling , effectively , wumpum , during * Covid * by their chums in the Tory Party ?
How about lying through their teeth about ” weapons of mass destruction ” to provide a pretext to invade another country and murder – yes , murder 1000s of innocent people ?
Where was the judicial reckoning for that piece of imperial aggression ?
Put your own country in order before judging ours – or any other
“Isn’t it obvious that it’s taking so long only because the Scottish Establishment is protecting its own?”
No, it isn’t.
When it is controlled by the British state establishment, can you actually call it “Scottish establishment”? Can a foreign crown and its worshipers be considered part of the “Scottish” establishment?
The Crown Office, the crown agent figure, the Lord Advocate figure and the UK Civil Service are not part of the “Scottish establishment”. They are tools of the British state to control Scotland.
Who is dragging their heels in this prosecution to go forward? The crown office and, seemingly, the Lord Advocate who has decided to recuse herself.
Who has systematically threatened with prosecution for contempt of court and abused their position of power to suppress information from the public? The crown office.
Who started all the nonsense of the unlawful complaints procedure? That would be the UK civil service stationed in Scotland.
Who instigated the police to engage in a criminal investigation on Mr Salmond? That will be the collusion between a crown agent and the UK civil service stationed in Scotland.
Who suppressed information from their own counsel in order to ensure a civil case would continue well beyond it was logical and reasonable? That will be the corrupt UK civil service stationed in Scotland and whoever advised them to do so.
Wasn’t the previous crown agent a “former” MI5 agent?
Do you see a pattern?
I see the paws of the deep British state all over this.
The Sturgeon appointed LA keeping stum – apparently she’s recused herself.
“Scotland’s top law officer has blanked questions on why the investigation into SNP finances has taken so long.
Dorothy Bain, the Lord Advocate, remained tight-lipped when quizzed by reporters in the Scottish Parliament today.”
” Chief Constable Jo Farrell said earlier this month the force hadn’t heard back and “was still awaiting direction from the COPFS.”
“apparently she’s recused herself”
I wonder if she also “recused herself” from her big fat salary, or she only recused herself from doing her job.
I also wonder what conflict of interest she can possibly have in the matter to justify having to recuse herself.
What was it someone said about…. It’s a good time to be…..?
Simple fact is the COPFS appears more than POLITICAL in who they prosecute and who they don’t.
Police Scotland also appear to fall into that modus operandi too albeit they may no be trying to play the honest impartial Joe.
Ordinary folks have lost faith in the Police and COPFS. They know what they see from Covid offences for some but not for others, to a focus on crimes deemed politically required, to other stuff disregarded.
Would you trust the police. I wohdn’t.
This is Grand Corruption. Whatever scraps they throw us now will not be enough and won’t make any difference.
That’s news to me!
So the sleekit Breathy One has recused herself..
Suppose she can now add “coward” to her CV next to “incompetent”..
She needs to go.
“She needs to go”
The former Lord Advocate was not any better
The former to the former and responsible for the malicious prosecutions that are costing us tens of millions of pounds, was not any better either. Yet, all of them appear to have in common that the law does not apply to them.
It seems to me that the whole figure of “Lord Advocate”, foisted on us by the Scotland Act, needs to go.
Looking back, it is this unelected figure what has been responsible for stealing from the people of Scotland control over Scotland’s legislative power and ruthlessly and undemocratically handed it to the foreign crown. We have seen this with the way Bain handled the referendum bill and the way the previous lord advocate handled the Keatings case. None of them two were working for the people of Scotland nor preserving democracy. They were attacking it.
The direct interference of this figure in the legislative process in Scotland and their arrest of bills before they even enter our parliamentary chamber is the antithesis of democracy. It is in fact active suppression of democracy and imposition of absolute rule in Scotland by the back door. This is a direct breach of the Claim of Right and therefore the ToU.
You really have no idea about the law at all, do you. Tell us which article of the Claim of Right is being breached and why.
Dozens of hurricanes around the globe every year – and the UK media is obsessed with reporting on the American one named Milton – if I see another news report on it, I think I’ll switch my telly off – seriously does anyone in Scotland really care about a hurricane in Yankee land.
Number of hurricanes worldwide 1990-2023 | Statista
This is the Scotland we are living in.
It used to be that the law had a year and a day to bring a case to court. We probably need to go back to that and I think Holyrood has the power to do it
From what has been seen in public so far since 2014, the level of redactions, refusal to provide documents and lack of consequences for updating statements! (no perjury law acting as a balance), means that any investigation so far has been for show.
They say that it wasn’t what was done at Watergate that brought Nixon down, but the attempted coverup. But that’s only if those in power are forced to face the facts and suffer the consequences.
link to millercenter.org
It’s will all just fizzle out
This year is the 750th anniversary of the birth of Robert the Bruce, 600th anniversary of the death of Hussite Jan Zizka: both their countries indomitable heroes who stood against all the odds, won and saved their countries liberties.
Next year will be the 720th anniversary of the state sponsored murder of William Wallace; the ultimate patriot.
Oh for the likes of them again, because look at the complete shower of nobodies we have now..
You make some good points, YL, but let’s look at the facts.
King Robert was one of Scotland’s finest, well, kings.
And Zizka was a radical Christian zealot and reformer.
It’s a tad hypocritical, in a country, and most certainly in a movement, that are anti-monarchist and atheist to claim these historical heroes would be on our side.
Unless you’re a pious, practicing non-Catholic, fully signed up to belief in The Divine Right Of Kings, you really would not want to find yourself in their company. Because you would likely be regarded as a blaspheming heretic. And have to pay the appropriate penalty.
Wallace, now, you would probably be safe around him if you minded your tongue.
Crime doesn’t pay, except in Scotland, where Crime Obviously Pays For Some.
Time for a raid on Dorothy Brain’s office in Bute House.
I suspect her shredder is on overdrive.
Unfortunately. David Davis has a copy of the unredacted James Hamilton report.
The conspiracy. We know if was a conspiracy.
The games up Dorothy.
Time for a raid on her office.
That’s a good point re DD.
He could release all the information under parliamentary privilege
Perhaps he’s been warned off from doing that
Tbh I’m surprised Joanna Cherry didn’t use parliamentary privilege when she was at WM
JC was well respected by all there except her back stabbing sleekit SNP so called colleagues
Bain’s office is in the COPFS building in Chambers Street, not Bute House
Release the James Hamilton report.
Salmond’s revenge will be all of our revenge. It will mean so much to me. To see big Eck collect the £3 million
I will never forgive Nicola Sturgeon. She deserves what’s coming to her.
They nust be guilty as sin at COPFS. the BBC is not mentioning it.
They will of course when the security services tell them to. Which of the vietnam group will claim the one and only get out of jail free ticket.
She who commited perjury must be top of the list with most to lose.
I have always wondered if the real reason behind the crown office and Dorrian’s active suppression of the Whatsapp messages from public view was that they would reveal a high ranking direct link between the whole thing and the British state that they rather kept hidden.
In other words, the suppression was not so much to protect the culprits but rather the handler of the culprits.
This article sums up something I’ve said for years. The Scottish judicial system was allowed to operate without any real governmental oversight for 178 years (between the Act of Union and the creation of the Scottish Office in 1885) and then without significant (or democratic) oversight for a further 114 (until the reconvention of the Scottish Parliament).
It is entirely unsurprising therefore, that it is so dysfunctional in comparison to most other judicial systems: it has almost literally been a law unto itself for 3 centuries, and it is only in the past 25 years that this has been laid bare.
Indeed so, but what has made this even worse, is that the “reconvened Scottish Parliament” is no such thing; it is devolved administration of Westminster and has no effective means of holding to account the lawyers, who have indeed been running Scotland for 3 centuries.
And even worse, the Administration which in an independent country would have provisions to hold COPFS to account, has instead connived with it to undermine further the integrity of the justice system (even beyond its previous parlous state).
The list of its misdemeanours cited above would disgrace a banana republic – the implied levels of corruption and incompetence involved are truly monumental.
The first task of an independent county will be to dismantle the whole sorry cesspit that is COPFS – and introduce measures to reform the judiciary – beginning with ensuring that it no longer remains the domain of Edinburgh’s privately-educated haute bourgeoisie.
(Jesus sorry sorry sorry I fecked up my email address yet again, twice!)
Just my opinion but all this good cop / bad cop(fs) explanation where the bad cop is ‘COPFS’ and the good cop is ‘Police Scotland valiantly trying to do its job’ is laughable shite.
Police Scotland is every bit as corrupt and ridden as COPFS. Maybe some lower rank investigating officers are a bit annoyed but clearly nowhere near enough annoyed to jeopardize their fat pensions and whistleblow. EVER.
This is all for show. Police Scotland would put the ‘Police’ into Police State in Scotland at the drop of a hat if ordered to do so.
It is dragging on because we all know why. Tiers… Scotland is a corrupt colony with a corrupt police force and corrupt judiciary.
Rules for thee but nor for me.
As we saw when they all set up a task force to frame Alex Salmond. And had him on trial in about 30 minutes.
But when it comes to Nicky. Ohhh but it is so
complicated, please mum, let’s write a letter to COPFS asking what to do, but they never replied, oh no what now, help, lets wait six months and hope it goes away, it didn’t, let’s wait some more…
Police Scotland are not being thwarted. They are just
part of the same rotten system as COPFS.
As far as I know English lawyers have to do something like a one-year ‘conversion course’ initiating them into Scots Law before they can operate as lawyers in Scotland. Scottish lawyers have to do the same in regard to English law if they move to England or anywhere else in the UK. Yet there seems to be no such requirement for police officers. Apparently, their moving from an English force to Police Scotland can happen from one day to the next without any initiation into Scots Law (and presumably vice-versa)?
How is that compatible with the guarantees in the Act(s) of Union that the independence and particularity of Scots Law would always be maintained and respected. How can someone become a ranking officer in Police Scotland, or even its Chief Constable, responsible for the whole implementation Scots Law in Scotland, who has had no prior experience of police work in Scotland and, as far as we know, has never had any formal initiation into the distinctiveness of Scots Law?
Why is a ‘conversion course’ (or whatever they presently call it, since ‘conversion’ may no longer be a politically correct word!) so necessary for lawyers, and so unnecessary for police officers, even very high-ranking ones?
The present Chief Constable is not at fault for this: the mistake lies not in her but in the system. That mistake was unfortunately made during the SNP’s better times, when Alex Salmond was in charge. Alex did well in most things, including his clear separation of COPFS from the political executive, but the creation of Police Scotland was a terrible idea. Combining all the previously separate police forces into one, supposedly for greater efficiency, inadvertently opened the door to a higher-than-ever-before corruption in Scotland’s policing. It also led in practice to its greater politicisation, with an inherent potential for authoritarian government. A country needs several police forces so that, if something is going seriously wrong in one of them, an investigation can be launched from outside itself, headed by officers drawn from other police forces. This is also the only viable way to reduce to a minimum the possibility of undue political interference in such an investigation.
Police Scotland, as presently constituted, seems – alas – to be wide open to such interference, and thereby to all the potential for corrupting the justice system that comes with it. There were many faults in the way the Scottish parliament was set up, some of them deliberate, others inadvertent. These faults may nevertheless serve to highlight everything that is wrong with us constitutionally not simply in Scotland, but in the UK as a whole. It cannot go on like this. Things have to change.
Certainly in the past Police officers at Constable rank moving from England to Scotland were required to undertake a local procedure course in some Forces followed by the usual 12 week basic training course at Tullialan Police College.
At what senior officer grade this ceased and what the current practise is, sorry, I don’t know. Since the late Sir David McNee moved seamlessly from CC Strathclyde to Commisioner of the Met with no conversion course it would seem likely that the process operates both ways.
Uniquely in Great Britain (not sure about Police Service of Northern Ireland) Polis Scotland do not swear an oath to the Crown.
“I, do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of constable with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, and that I will uphold fundamental rights and accord equal respect to all people, according to law. ”
Did Jo Farrell (and others who transferred to senior managerial positions before and after the advent of Polis Scotland) swear the above oath when she “converted”?
In any case, the notion that a Chief Constable would be beholden to an oath (to the common folk) whether they are a transfer from outwith Scotland or the product of internal promotion is rather quaint and naïve. At this level, a Chief Constable (even for lowly Durham Constabulary) is a functionary of the Permanent State.
Sir David McNee and the Metropolitan Police is an apt illustration. Given that the Met is an accounting unit which contains / contained both Special Branch and the Special Demonstration Unit (do we really believe the later was disbanded never to be replaced?) which operated beyond the geographical boundaries of Greater London, the Chief Constable of the Met will be de facto ranked similar to a Deputy Director of MI5 (and their appointment vetted accordingly).
We always end up with the Government we deserve (and have voted for).
Not exactly true. Plenty of feckers win power & go on to do the exact opposite of what they said they’d do.
Sometimes they’re cobbled together in a coalition & in the case of the UK are chosen by a foreign interference.
Its hard tae ser twa maisters at the same time – i.e. the British state AND the Scottish people. Fowk aye luve ane an laith the ither.
In a colonial society ‘one is sacrificed to the other’ (Cesaire).
Such is the Manichean nature of colonialism.
What say you to today’s article in the National Alf?
link to thenational.scot
Laws are crystal clear and potent to the poor who have no chance of fighting or defending themselves from them. But to the rich and powerful, they are opaque, misty, malleable, and open to interpretation like any crappy bible. If anything has exposed the real shallowness of how laws work against the poor and benefit the rich we just look at Scotland, or Trump and the US, and anywhere else in the world where rich control the laws and use them against the poor to protect their stolen wealth.
If anything has exposed the real shallowness of how laws work against the poor
it was the new Chinese Flu, AKA Covid.
The remarkable thing though, is at the time, just about everybody was in favour of their rights being denied, their savings and income being devalued, their health being compromised, and their children’s future being trashed.
Although, to be scrupulously fair, there was a tiny spark of defiance when a white Minneapolis police officer got fatally heavy-handed with a black guy.
Lots of us got on the streets to protest about that!
But then we meekly returned to our home incarceration.
Amazing interview with Lowkey by George Galloway. Starts about the 30 min mark. Talking about the infiltration of MI5 into politics. trade unions but also every kind of protest group you can imagine… it really is ridiculous.
He also talks about the tory guy who is likely to be their next leader… wow. Some things about him you need to know…
I knew it was bad but it just gets worse and worse the more you find out.
What a state the UK is in right now. It is shocking. I can’t see anything but civil unrest ahead. It is a wealthy country and it is not low tax. For it to be in the nick it is in is down to decades of cumulative corruption by one government after the other.
Who took out Corbyn, Salmond? Why is it that only the ‘knaves’ rise to power…
oops here it is…
link to rumble.com
How’s Gorgeous George getting on?
He contrived to climb on the back of the Islamic fundamentalism tiger for a few months in the spring, but then it threw him off on July 4th. Lucky for him, he didn’t get eaten.
What new grift bandwagon is he clambering on now?
You clearly don’t know how the justice system works or how inept both police and copfs are when it comes to investigating complex economic crime. The police are tasked to investigate criminal complaints. It is up to them to report or not to copfs. Copfs, if it receives a report, can assess and progress the case upon receipt or they can consider alternative outcomes including no prosecution. If they consider a prosecution is merited then they might ask police to carry out further investigations. These matters move at a snails pace because of ineptness on part of police who, likely, have not properly investigated the matter in the first place. Let’s not get started on copfs incompetence, its an organisation riddled with ineptitude due to competency based promotion…they have senior people who cannot be trusted to deal with the JP court never mind High Court. If a prosecution is to take place then copfs will want to make sure the case has a sufficiency of evidence upon which to progress. If they have a sufficency then they will prosecute if the case merits it. Why is it so many people would rather believe in a conspiracy instead of accepting the more plausible explanation of ineptitude? And if copfs decide, for whatever reason, not to prosecute and they intimate that to accused persons then those persons are innocent in law of allegations.
Col Doug MacGregor on Judge Nap made some interesting comments a while back that I keep wondering about…
He said that Zelen$ky was run by the UK / MI6 and that they were scripting what he said. He said that his bodyguards are all MI6 as well. (They have a long history in Western Ukr@ine apparently.)
He then also said that out of all the countries in the West it was the UK that was the most rabidly determined and pushing to confront / go to war with Ru$$ia, much more so than any other Western nation by far, including the hawks in the US.
I keep asking myself why would this be the case…
My only plausible conclusion is that the UK must have some serious structural / economic problems brewing that are so bad they see a major war as a way out for them. A way for them to cling to power by ‘resetting the world’ and unleashing hell on us.
What is frightening is I now think we are all as expendable / disposable to them as the Ukr@nians were.
And while we are at it, where do you really think all the woke poison originated from. The woke mind virus as Elon Musk calls it…whose interests does that serve.
The woke is population control. Removing undesirables from breeding & the fckwits silly enough to do it voluntary from the gene pool.
The UK has been in U since before 2014. Their generals openly brag about that in the media.
They’re there because, as that other gift that keeps on giving, Blowhard Bojo, their Empire/hegemony is over unless they take Ruskie land. Ruskies are an ally to China. Take out a nuclear superpower & have a free run at going after China. Ruskies are also the ones at the forefront of BRICS & also helping African Nations get on their feet & kicking the colonisers out. That’s why Macron had an episode too. Then there’s the collapse of the $. Its no longer a weapon. Mining corporations have been tanking as, for example, burkino faso – taking the licences back & forbidding Gold leaving the country.
They’re all finished. Countries are taking back control of their own resources. Colonialism is over & so will their wee stint in the ME. Another attempt at colonising cause they’re already stealing Gas that belongs to the ppl of Palestine.
& the UK is the most rabid because without hiding behind the US coat-tails they have absolutely fck all.
When America crashes the UK will be the first to go. The US will probably do some deal with the new world arrangements cause they’re a nuclear power & that absolutely will not include the UK or France. Two agitators to R & two with the biggest mouths to use nukes. That won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Especially the German tanks & cavorting with Nazis in U.
cavorting with Nazis
Less than 24 hours to get from the actual topic to here. Well done, Geri!
Actually, they do a rather fine old fashioned waltz, and the music, whilst perhaps a bit schmaltzy, is tuneful and has the sort of melodies you will find yourself humming afterwords.
I’m minded of your “endless orgasms” post. Sometimes I think you subconsciously project. Is there a wee part of you that wants to be swept across the dance floor and swept off your feet by some black-uniformed, Aryan sadist?
You can tell us – we’re all pals on Wings BTL!
Replying to the original post.
What are you doing, Grandad? Besides being the usual wasp at a picnic.
I’d have thought you’d be over the moon. You being an avid Brexshiteer. Countries taking back control, showing their population the money & no longer being exploited by foreigners. They didn’t need the side of a bus either. Remove licences – job done. No one gives a fuck either that huge corporations spent money on a Tonka truck. Go cry them a river. They’re already going bust.
As for orgasms. I bet yer cross eyed eery time nukes are mentioned. Especially so if they’re towards the wrong colour ppl.
That’s the trouble with racist hypocrites. They can’t apply the same rules to those ppl. Only they’re allowed to control everything & everyone. Its an illness.
The US is the only one to use nukes – twice. Threaten to use them, also umpteen bio labs around the globe (47 in U alone) & chemical weapons, including illegal ones. I think we can dispense with the myth that it’s everyone else that’s a threat to world peace.
Mac
…My only plausible conclusion is that the UK must have some serious structural / economic problems brewing that are so bad they see a major war as a way out for them.
Don’t forget the R Oligarchs who embezzled billions from the collapsing Sov Empire, and bought up high end London properties. (Ru$$kia hasn’t forgotten them…)
Similar pattern / story with Tel AV. Just ask Air Miles Angus… though he won’t give you an answer. He uses the same Sharpie Redactors as Honest John… Permanent stink… I mean ink.
The UK, including Scotland, in fact, particularly Scotland, has some of the most mediocre politicians money can buy.
Sadly, we have a virtual monopoly of them Breeks….
But apart from ruined legal and school systems, what other benefits has SNP rule brought to Scotland?
Sturgeon said the above about Salmond.
I think it is important to note that people have complained about the SNP finances – if it is found that Sturgeon is not guilty of any criminality it doesn’t mean that the behaviour complained of didn’t happen.
In other words under the rules set by Sturgeon – she can never be innocent.
Nice point.
If it’s not Branchform then as Robin McAlpine points out there’s still the impending conclusion and revelations from the ICO’s request for documentation AND of course, Alex Salmond’s various actions. It’s hard to see any way how Sturgeon avoids a serious reckoning and an entirely bleak future.
I have been reading up on the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act 2021. This Act was prompted by various scandals surrounding revelations regarding illegal activities of the Metropolitan Police run Special Demonstration Unit. The solution enacted by the Permanent State, was to legalise illegality. Kinda takes you back to 1930’s Germany don’t it.
The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act 2021, allows for, criminal conduct to be ‘authorised’:
Reference section 5.
5) A criminal conduct authorisation is necessary on grounds falling within this subsection if it is necessary—
(a) in the interests of national security;
(b) for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime or of preventing disorder; or
(c) in the interests of the economic well-being of the United Kingdom.
The second reading of the Bill passed in October 2020 by 182 votes to 20. The SNP sat oan their hauns. Ian Blackford and Kirsten Oswald must have had a pressing engagement at the buffet that day. The House of Lords added amendments at review to prohibit the use of children and the mentally incapacitated as sources and assets, and to exclude murder, torture and r@pe from the list of activities that could be authorised. These amendments were thrown out back in the HoC by 363 to 267. Boris’ “Get Brexit Done”, super majority at work. Just wow!
So, who gets to authorise illegal activities by agents of the State? Well, that would fall back on the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, and this is worded so vaguely that just about any “public authority” can take it upon themselves to do so. I have a vague recollection (Private Eye I think) of a Local Authority in the south of England using intrusive investigative methods to see if applicants for school places really lived in the appropriate catchment area.
Polis Scotland are obviously an authorising authority, but even if the illegal activity is solely restricted to the jurisdiction of Scots Law, an authority from outwith Scotland can do the authorising (presumably without telling Polis Scotland). The rank or position required of the authorising individual is similarly vague. Does this require a Judge? Apparently not.
Starmer already has deep ties with the English Security Services – so this appointment will be seen as normal for him.
Thursday – Labour government, appointed Poppy Gustafsson, the former CEO of cybersecurity firm Darktrace, as its new investment minister ahead of a global investment summit in London next week.
Gustafsson founded a company – Darktrace, a cyber-security firm that brought together ex-Mi5 and GCHQ spooks, all funded by the billionaire Mike Lynch – who just happened die on his super-yacht a few weeks back.
4 contributions for a regular contributor that doesn’t address the original Author article. So we don’t know what he/ she thinks of the original article. I happen to think Stus original article was very courageous. In the the current environment I wouldn’t have done that. I was hoping the new format would allow development of sub threads of other equally important subjects of concern. Particularly in the energy market. Lot’s happening there without a shining light.
Indeed George. Looks like my post that went to spam isn’t going to make it onto the page, and even if it did it was days back now where nobody will see it anyway.
You mentioned the cost of Branchform the other day.
1.3 million quid is pretty much small change in the scheme of things.
Check out the Curtailment charge paid to energy companies not to produce power for the 10th of September. One day = 18.5 million quid. If we class Scotland as being allocated 10% of that UK figure then that is 1.8 million in a single day.
Natch some civil servant is probably trying to weave the predominance of windfarms are in Scotland so GERS will factor proportionally more curtailment costs to us for having the wrong type of wind or some such pish. But I digress…
18.5 million is the highest I’ve seen it but there were also a couple of days in past couple of months up at 16 million, and numerous others days of many millions.
link to wind-curtailment-app-ahq7fucdyq-lz.a.run.app
And that’s why my spidey senses are twitching trying to establish the return of investment companies can expect for investing up to 40 / 30 / 20 million (cost of BESS seems to be dropping so are the deals also being suitably adjusted) for a 100MW BESS facility that will have its stored energy drawn on when there isn’t wind or one has to presume given slots to sell and supply power to the grid to generate ROI like what energy from waste plant get. But there must be significant guaranteed incentives for folk to invest up to 40 million.
A 100MW BESS facility is often stated to be able to keep around 140,000 houses powered.
Sounds impressive that headline figure, but the real question is what is the actual capacity of how much power and for how long can it supply those 140K homes. Well the answer if you dig deep into the small print of the planning applications is that size of BESS is around 200MWh and can basically keep those houses on standby by mode of drawing just 0.75KW for 2 hours. So 1.5KWh to each property. Nowhere near enough to run any significant form of heating in most Scottish properties, not even those equipped with the hallowed ASHPs…
So now extrapolate and find the number of BESS storage facilities we’d need to cope with trying to harness and store what is being generated (of which curtailment is being paid out not to produce), to then be able to supply the actual leccy demand over a significant no wind duration time-frame…
I bet the lithium supplying companies are loving all this.
Agreed a triple whammy. The highest electricity prices in Europe. A subsidised form of electricity generation in Wind Turbines and now greed (Aka Grid feeding) BESS where any storage energy is deployed at peak lopping strike prices. No focus on customer prices or their ability to pay.. Politicians have abandoned the field. Apart from deciding WFA wasn’t worth saving.. Of course nobody is concerned about system stability. Its equivalent to having hunners of Foyers Pumping Staions on hand to make a pound or two from Arbitrage. Where’s the base load, capacity?
A failure of the UK Government the Scottish Government and Ofgem. I can’t believe what i learned from NoSHEB as young engineer of a shilling in the meter has led to this scenario.
British energy is indeed expensive but in fact Denmark and Germany have higher electricity prices than GB in Europe in 2024. In 2023 GB was also third, behind Ireland and Germany. These stats are easily findable online.
link to cityam.com
Depends on your source
In my region I pay 62.02 standing charge versus 38.05 in London. Explain? An Ofgem ruling. Connection charges for renewable energy in my area involve a negative contribution to Grid Connection.
In London you get paid to connect. Explain? An Ofgem ruling. We are subsiding good old England and commentators like yourself don’t understand why the anomalies fuel Scottish Independence.
Aye, and here’s an older article on those higher grid connection charges in Scotland.
link to thecommongreen.scot
I know I remember that article. But have faith the downticks won’t stop me commenting on the obvious anomalies of discrimination against Power Scotland and they wonder why there is still a lively Scottish Independence movement. QED.
Aye George, the down ticks for posts that inform people of how flawed the leccy grid system is and how much they are being shafted, or posts disliked for merely containing non partisan information on technical subjects clearly show the factionalism on here, that they will just dislike a post because of who posted it, rather than the content.
Jist another lame ass expression of playing the man and no the baw. But hey ho, subservient folk gotta do what they gotta do for their masters I guess.
Comment nesting is still pish as isn’t chronological within individual trails once a couple of posts are picked up and run with.
As a practically minded engineer it boils my piss having to arse about so inefficiently to try to keep an eye on stuff.
I liked the reaction to the Viking project from the Shetland Isles. Unlike the Oil and Gas boom where they got a Sovereign dividend. They got nothing this time. The coldest place in the British Isles paying for a reduction in standing charge in London. What was that Alex Salmond said. ” Follow the Money “.
When you get the dismissal of a universal standing charge and get the difference charges of renewable grid connection, you will be closer to understanding why the Scottish Independence movement still exists.
Was doing a bit of reading on maintaining Grid Inertia / Frequency, and the issues with increasing amounts of asynchronous generation from the likes of wind and solar being fed into the grid.
This article gives a bit of technical information on the subject should anybody be interested.
link to new.abb.com
link to metro.co.uk‘.
2024 Energy Secretary wanting to build new gas fired power stations to prevent blackouts
@ Dan NESO who took over from the National Grid on October 1st issues a capacity warning today at 16:30pm. 4 nuclear power stations are due to be decommissioned 2 in 2026 and 2 in 2028 including Torness. No wind today close run thing with a margin of 286 MW. Only a matter of time.
You say no wind but that’s not entirely true as there is still some wind. The issue is for the Kingdom of England’s side of the B6 boundary of the UK grid.
With what little wind there is Scotland is still able to power itself and still sending over 2GW down south.
Scroll down page to view transfers.
link to terravolt.co.uk
And England is still importing about 10% of grid demand through mainland euro interconnects from France, Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark.
scroll to righ top of page to see euro interconnectors.
link to gridwatch.templar.co.uk
Cosy warm here though with the woodburning stove on, and gently boiling a pan of homegrown beetroot on the top of stove to pickle and preserve. Still got 7 big jars in stock from last summer’s crop…
Aye we can always open the circuit 400kV breaker on the interconnector to England but that’s not quite how load shedding would work under the scenario of National UK Grid under capacity. Something else I noted is the financial footsteps of Iberdrola ( Scottish Power Spanish owners) with a possible hostile acquisition of SSE (Formerly Scottish Hydro Electric). So nearly all our energy assets owned by Iberdrola.in Spain. Anyway enjoy your beetroot. It’s a super food for your health.
Article explaining how Zenobe’s 3 new BESS facilities in Scotland at £750 million quid will incorporate grid sustainability tech.
“The projects represent the world’s first commercial contracts that use transmission connected batteries to provide short-circuit level and inertia.”
link to renewablesnow.com
Thanks Dan. From a Grid system stability viewpoint studies are in being done to assess the BESS industry claims. Depends on their C rate and their primary function. Most people don’t realise the discharge rate is measured in hours. I guess we could find out the hard way. Decades of base load capacity from diverse fuel sources being replaced by a net zero gamble. I live in a new build with a Smsrt meter. My supplier has already offered financial incentives for us to use electricity off peak times. Voluntary load shedding you could say. How long before Smart meters go for automatic load shedding? After the first under capacity outage perhaps.
I expect this to keep circulating sub-surface until shortly before the ’26 elections. My feeling is Murrel’s prosecution is small fry compared with the intended destruction of the SNP and/or Holyrood.
I understand Murrell’s court date is around March next year. A full year before the election is due.
It hinges on whether Murrell is guilty. If he is so proven then attention falls on the other two who were also signatories to the SNP’s accounts. Under electoral law if you are in that position and shenanigans go on in the account you are responsible whether you knew or not, it was your job to know as a signatory.
I have been a party branch treasurer so I made damn sure I knew what legal jeopardy I was getting myself into which is how I know the above.
I think in that case normally the Electoral Commission would insist on a prosecution but in this case I suspect they are dispensable & COPFS should be able to handle those.
For justice to be seen to be done Mr Murrell needs his day in court sooner rather than later.
Could it just be that the police have found that there is no case to answer and it has just been a muck raking exercise from the start?
“Could it just be that the police have found that there is no case to answer and it has just been a muck raking exercise from the start?”
No.
1 done for Embezzlement n the See no Evil Hear no Evil Signed off Fraudlent accounts So commited Fraud
Bit harsh describing that wee policewoman as ‘burly’!