Mark Irvine - Blogger, Campaigner, Organiser

I first met Yvonne Crawford back in 2005 when Glasgow's fight for equal pay began and Yvonne is absolutely right. It's damnable this has taken so long and that so many low paid workers have died waiting for their claims to be settled.

Alex Bell's opinion piece about the gang culture inside the Scottish Government is spot on because it epitomises the way in which Scotland is now governed. SNP ministers seem to think nothing of rewarding their friends and political allies instead of governing in the interests of the wider community - including people who don't support the SNP.  The thing is this 'are you one-of-us?', chum-club culture is a threat to democratic values and the good conduct of government, as well as being highly embarrassing and unprofessional. Here's a link to a blog post on Scottish Ministers awarding a lucrative contract to the well known, SNP supporting comedian, JaneyGodley:   https://action4equalityscotland.blogspot.com/2022/02/scottish-ministers-government-by-gang.html   Government by Gang - Scotland the Victim ( November 16, 2021 ) Here's an interesting article by Alex Bell, former head of policy to First Minister Alex Salmond, who argues that a rotten 'gang culture

The Scottish Parliament bill on assisted dying contains an important safeguard which requires two doctors to agree that anyone wishing to take life-ending medication is making an informed and competent choice - I presume a person's family would normally be involved as well. Contrast this approach with the suggestion that people should be allowed to self-diagnose, self-identify and change their sex under the law without any medical oversight whatsoever.    Safeguarding Children and Professional Medical Oversight ( November 27, 2021 )   I have written to one of my local MSPs, Kaukab Stewart, regarding potential changes to the Gender Recognition Act. Retaining the current requirement for professional medical oversight of the process and safeguarding children are the two big issues at stake here.   Dear Kaukab Stewart Consultation on Potential Changes to the Gender Recognition Act Thank you for the response to my letter   which arrived via your office caseworker, Ailish McCafferty. I a

The proposition that men, young or old, should be able to self-diagnose themselves as being 'trapped in the wrong' body is completely absurd - an affront to science, reason and common sense. As is the suggestion that such men should then be able to self-identify as women and begin to occupy public spaces previously reserved for women and girls. Sport is a powerful, but by no means the only example. Fair Play In Women's Sports ( February 21, 2022 ) Great tongue-in-cheek comment about the future of women's boxing, but truth is already stranger than fiction when it comes to swimming. It's cheating! #SaveWomensSports 

Isn't it odd Scottish Ministers put such store in 'following the science' during the battle with Covid - yet SNP/Green politicians are arguing that we should reject science when it comes to trans issues. Professor Robert Winston explains that people cannot change their sex - because your male or female sex is embedded in every cell in your body.     Follow the Science - Stand Up, Speak Out! ( October 18, 2021 ) Professor Robert Winston calls a spade a spade by explaining that people cannot change their sex - and that for speaking this simple, scientific truth he is likely to be smeared as a bigot and transphobe. Well said, sir - and well done for speaking out!