Mark Irvine - Blogger, Campaigner, Organiser

Security handed back leaflets left in store. Told to not harass people outside stores, or police would be called. Handing leaflets is hardly harassing! Public receptive to leaflets, lots of conversations; girl guides, kids, education, & government cowardice. #silencedrights pic.twitter.com/5ZaYHdpGG7 — ♀️Beth♀️ 💜🤍💚 (@BethWhite0) November 29, 2022 I had a good laugh at this tweet from Huntingdon where handing out leaflets in support of women's rights is apparently considered harassment. Yet trans bams get away with disrupting and threatening behaviour at women's events while the police look the other way. Trans Bams Are Their Own Worst Enemy ( November 28, 2022 ) Trans bullies disrupt the showing of a documentary on women's rights which led to the event being cancelled. adulthumanfemale.info But they don't seem to realise that this ugly, aggressive behaviour has helped turn the tide of public opinion in favour of women defending their right to single sex spaces. ...

A great hit from 1968 - Fire Brigade

  All this talk about the fire service reminded me of a previous post about Nicola Sturgeon and chopping off the bottom of school fire doors to prevent the spread of Covid.  The Move - Trigger Warning! ( February 15, 2022 )   All this talk about moving reminded me of one of my favourite 'moves' - Roy Wood and The Move. For any sensitive SNP supporters out there I used The Move's great hit 'Get The Fire Brigade' to poke fun at the First Minister's door-chopping nonsense.  Favourite Bands and First Ministers ( February 09, 2022 ) Another topical song for Scotland's door chopping First Minister - 'Get The Fire Brigade' from Roy Wood and The Move. Favourite Bands and First Ministers ( February 04, 2022 ) I'm taking a wild guess here, but I'd lay good odds that Jim Morrison & Co are not a favourite band of Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.    

If a senior union official can be subjected to such an ugly campaign of misogynistic, homophobic bullying - I wonder what life is like for other women firefighters and those from minority groups? An independent report into London's Fire Brigade has concluded the service is institutionally misogynistic and racist. Given Denise Christie's experience I suspect the same is true in Scotland as well.  https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/scots-trade-union-chief-claims-25747961 Scots trade union chief claims she faced homophobic abuse during election contest Denise Christie of the firefighters' union said she suffered from homophobia and bullying during an internal election By  Paul Hutcheon  - Daily Record Denise Christie A gay trade union chief has claimed she was branded a “rug muncher” in a bitter contest to lead Scotland’s firefighters. Denise Christie said she was the victim of bullying and homophobia during an internal election that saw her lose to a male colleagu...

An independent report into the London Fire Brigade finds that the service is institutionally misogynist and racist. The same has to be true north of the border so instead of pretending that Scotland is exceptional or different, SNP ministers ought to be following London's lead!

Sturgeon “I’m not shutting anyone down or stopping anyone’s freedom of speech” Protestor “yes you are, there was a message we weren’t allowed to discuss self ID” https://t.co/tw78TvN9Pt — Huggy Bear (@Iainmackay8) November 29, 2022 The evidence speaks for itself I'm afraid - the 'Ayes' have it, the Ayes have it! Sturgeon “I’m not shutting anyone down or stopping anyone’s freedom of speech”  Protestor “yes you are, there was a message we weren’t allowed to discuss self ID”

Nicola Sturgeon heckled over new gender laws at a women’s charity event https://t.co/XOyHSKc7ve — The Scottish Sun (@ScottishSun) November 29, 2022 The Scottish Sun reports that outraged protestor who gave Nicola Sturgeon a piece of her mind said Sturgeon:  “Shame on you. “You fermented this culture in Scotland that tells women (they) are bigoted for standing up for women’s rights. “I see you and thousands of women around Scotland see you.“And those of you who are sitting here - keeping your mouth shut - are complicit, while women have been raped by males who have self-ID’d as women." “That’s got nothing to do with trans rights, I support trans rights, and have done for three decades now.” Well said - respect!

“Shame on you, Nicola Sturgeon” #womenwontwheesht #letwomenspeak pic.twitter.com/yH8atY3NnE — Ocean Breath Cafe (@OceanbreathCafe) November 29, 2022 Attendees at a Zero Tolerance event in Edinburgh yesterday (against violence towards women and girls) were told they could not ask awkward questions about the definition of woman, single sex spaces or  gender reform proposals. How very odd and controlling! But one courageous woman got to her feet, interrupted Nicola Sturgeon and spoke the truth to power. How very inspiring!    

Nicola Sturgeon's control freakery reached new heights yesterday as attendees at a Zero Tolerance event in Edinburgh were told not to ask awkward questions about the definition of a woman, single sex spaces or the gender recognition act.  How embarrassing - especially as Edinburgh was once famous for being the home of the Scottish enlightenment.       

A fair question for trans ideologues and all politicians who support Self-ID - including Nicola Sturgeon. If the cowardly rapist and murderer Wayne Couzens were to identify as a woman - should he be entitled to serve out his sentence in a woman's prison?    

This is a man @bbc . https://t.co/1C1ajEdKTi — Emily Wilding Davison (@Wommando) November 29, 2022 Male rapists are men not women, yet the BBC uses the misleading headline in its report about David Orton: "Trans woman jailed for sex with 14-year-old girl" The defendant - named by police as "David Orton, also known as Danielle Rose Gemini" - was found guilty of penetrative sexual activity with a child following a trial. Officers said the victim had been vulnerable and initially refused to believe she was being sexually abused. Trans woman jailed for sex with 14-year-old girl Published

Sturgeon’s mantra remains no man will abuse the system & an English paediatrician’s evidence review is irrelevant to Scottish children. Why she is so wrong to ignore the warnings of the UN Rapporteur about the risks of self-ID for Scottish women & girls https://t.co/1I8tnrwt4T — Sonia Sodha (@soniasodha) November 27, 2022 Sonia Sodha's opinion piece on Nicola Sturgeon's reckless support for Self-ID is fair and measured. "It would be lovely to live in a world where everyone had good intentions. No violence, no child abuse, no robbery. Women wouldn’t have to feel nervous about walking home at night, parents wouldn’t have to worry about children playing out. But no society is crime-free, which is why we have the law, the courts and the police. "That has not stopped Nicola Sturgeon asking Scottish women to pretend they live in a utopia. To make it easier for people to legally change their sex, the first minister is pushing through reforms that many believe woul...

It's been two weeks since I submitted my complaint against Patrick Harvie under Scotland's ministerial code. No response yet from the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon. Cancel Culture vs Scotland's Ministerial Code ( November 17, 2022 ) I have raised a formal complaint against Patrick Harvie under Scotland's ministerial code - the process requires my complaint to be considered by the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon who brought Mr Harvie into the Scottish Government. Dear First Minister Ministerial Code - Patrick Harvie I wish to make a formal complaint against Patrick Harvie, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights and a list MSP for the Glasgow region.  I asked to meet with Patrick Harvie to discuss ongoing issues regarding gender recognition reform, but in a letter dated 24 October Mr Harvie abruptly announced that he was not prepared to meet or engage with me as a result of my attendance at a women's rights demonstration at the Sco...

Opinion: Dishonest rhetoric just shames Nicola Sturgeon - Euan McColm https://t.co/DEymg2yGxg — The Scotsman (@TheScotsman) November 27, 2022 Excellent column by Euan McColm - Nicola Sturgeon has taken a well deserved pasting for her ill-judged claim about Scottish democracy being a 'prisoner of Westminster'. "If Nicola Sturgeon used her next speech to promise she’d “make Scotland great again”, who’d be surprised? Surely using the language of Donald Trump would be nothing more than the logical next step in the First Minister’s journey from voice-of-reason to ranting populist?"

Cuts to community enforcement officers and mobile CCTV vans are 'putting Glaswegians at risk', a union chief has claimed. https://t.co/LTlcYRQqpL — Glasgow Times (@Glasgow_Times) November 28, 2022 The Glasgow Times reports that public safety is being put in jeopardy   with the news that the City Council currently has no CCTV vans in operation. Greats news for Glasgow criminals, anti-social elements, 'dumb-dumpers' and fly-tippers.

Nicola Sturgeon is deploying familiar rabble rousing rhetoric in response to the Supreme Court's decision, but not all SNP politicians agree with her line about being democracy being denied - 'imprisoned and shacked'.    Stewart McDonald MP  @StewartMcDonald So although the court has made clear the consent aspect of the union lies with Westminster, we must shun talk of being imprisoned or shackled. Our campaign is not a liberation struggle, but one of democratic, social and economic renewal and empowerment. Scotland's Democrats vs Dodgy Coalitions ( November 24, 2022 ) The UK Supreme Court stood up for democracy yesterday because its intervention in upholding the law has stopped Nicola Sturgeon from imposing a stitched-up referendum - regardless of wider public opinion. Sturgeon and Harvie would have used a simple majority at Holyrood and a dodgy SNP/Green coalition to get their way and decide a whole range of vital issues cynically in their favour. For example, the rul...