Mark Irvine - Blogger, Campaigner, Organiser

Column - Patrick Harvie: sanctimonious revolutionary who shaped our politics https://t.co/195FB087ya — alexmassie (@alexmassie) April 2, 2025 Alex Massie with a hilarious assessment of Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie and his 'wine bar revolutionaries'. " Nicola Sturgeon  may not have needed much encouragement in the matter of redefining sex and gender in modern Scotland but she received it from the Scottish Greens anyway. Indeed, their enthusiasm for abolishing the concept of biological sex exceeded even hers. There is a canon of beliefs here and anyone who questions any one of them will be cast into the wilderness and branded a bigot." "It says something about the modern Greens that the party could not tolerate the presence of someone such as  Andy Wightman  within it."   

  Great video from Dr Dame Katy Denise - they're not called the 'Terrible Twos' for nothing, you know! These toddlers have been arrested for multiple crimes against the Trans community; undercover officers are escorting them to court. They’ve been shackled together to stop reoffending or absconding. Let’s hope justice is served. 🏳️‍⚧️ pic.twitter.com/3FVWd2kQb3 — Dr. Dame Katy Denise CH GBE 🏳️‍⚧️🇳🇬🪑 (@damekatydenise_) April 1, 2025  

The pay of local councillors has taken a big jump of up to 41% at the same time as everyone's council tax is going up - in Glasgow by 7.5%. Inflation is currently running at 3.7% so councillors are doing very well for themselves compared to everyone else.  Backbench councillors (ie those with no extra council wide responsibilities) are to receive a 22% increase for doing exactly the same jobs they've been doing for years.  The cost across Scotland will add an extra £8million a year to the councillor paybill. Meanwhile council tax payers are stumping up even more for fewer and poorer local services.

While Humza Yousaf boasts about a council tax freeze the reality is that people are paying much more for fewer and poorer local services. "£144 million will not fully fund a council tax freeze, say COSLA However, Local Government’s core revenue budget was cut by £63m from the outset,  essentially leaving just £81m compensation for a council tax freeze. As a result, Local Government is faced with the reality that the funding offered for a council tax freeze only equates to a  2.8%  rise. https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/144-million-will-not-fully-fund-a-council-tax-freeze,-say-cosla

So Scotland's council tax charges went up yesterday - in Glasgow the increase is 7.5% while inflation is running at just 3.7%. Last year during his brief spell as First Minister Humza Yousaf insisted a council tax freeze was necessary to protect hard working Scots. But Full On Swinney has taken the brakes off in 2025 which is why we are witnessing inflation busting tax rises along with eye watering pay increases for local councillors! Humza's Council Tax Freeze - Fully Funded My Arse! ( March 24, 2024 ) While Humza Yousaf boasts about a council tax freeze the reality is that people are paying much more for fewer and poorer local services. "£144 million will not fully fund a council tax freeze, say COSLA However, Local Government’s core revenue budget was cut by £63m from the outset,  essentially leaving just £81m compensation for a council tax freeze. As a result, Local Government is faced with the reality that the funding offered for a council tax freeze only equates to a...

Man converted to Islam and now says he is a Muslim woman 🏳️‍⚧️ pic.twitter.com/E16KIzRADP — Anti Woke Memes (@AntiWokeMemes) March 30, 2025 I wonder how this is going down at his local mosque?