Mark Irvine - Blogger, Campaigner, Organiser

Madness and My Girl from their debut 1979 album 'One Step Beyond....' 

I am off to see Madness at the Glasgow Ovo Hydro in a couple of hours - they are such great and fun band with some memorable songs including 'It Must Be Love'.

I asked this pro-Pal chap on X to back up his claim that these Palestine Action wankers are the modern day equivalent of Mahatma Ghandi. Does anyone know the answer?  

Celtic FC are no longer indulging the self-styled 'ultras' from the Green Brigade who have been banned again from Parkhead after two members of the group threatened the club's Head of Safety & Security. Now this behaviour is unacceptable to the vast majority of Celtic fans and comes on top of a previous incident when the Green Brigade were suspended following a violent assault on a club steward. Well done Celtic - statement below! The Club wishes to advise Celtic supporters that the suspension of the Green Brigade has been extended. This is due to safety incidents involving the Green Brigade, including direct threats against the Club’s Head of Safety and Security Operations, impacting safety within the Rail Seating Section. This suspension will remain in place until the Club is satisfied that the Green Brigade will engage in the safe operation of the stadium, which is critical for the continued operation of the entire Rail Seating Section. Unfortunately, due to recent s...

What a demeaning, arrogant thing for Zack Polanski to say - as if 'wiping bums' is all that carers and nurses do!  Personal care and personal hygiene is of course essential for many people - young and old - but the Green leader clearly sees himself as far too important for such work.  I assume he's never been a dad? 🚨NEW: Zack Polanksi on why we need migration: "I don’t know about you but I don't want to wipe someone's bum" pic.twitter.com/pXjodkHydm — GB Politics (@GBPolitcs) December 5, 2025    

Now here's something I hadn't had in ages - a Scottish kipper which is a whole herring that's been split, gutted, salted in brine and finally smoked. Tasty, healthy and inexpensive.

The number of flu cases in Scotland is rising dramatically - I was offered an appointment by the NHS but not until 18 December and the vaccine takes another 10 days to 'kick in'. So I arranged to pay for one at a local Boots (the Chemist) which was also much more convenient instead of having to travel miles to an NHS flu 'vaccine hub'. Why is this service not available at local GP practices - and why hasn't it been available long before now?  

  The real story of NHS waiting times in Scotland is being told by local newspapers like Aberdeen's Evening Express. Not by John Swinney and his SNP ministers who are manipulating the figures and making false, flattering comparisons for political reasons. 

The Scottish government is shamelessly promoting a baloney 'good news' story about Scotland's NHS waiting lists - when in reality the figures are being manipulated by SNP ministers. The Daily Record reports that one third of kids are routinely kicked off waiting lists for mental health treatment, for example. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8dym2qzg9z

  Julie Burchill made me laugh like a drain as I read this extract from her article in The Times about life, poison pens and epidural abscesses. "The staff at the rehab hospital were lovely, but a couple could be condescending to us halflings. 'Shall we pop a cardie on you and sit you in the fresh air?'  one youngster suggested one day."  "I don’t think I’ve ever been so insulted, not even when I was a fatso and some magazine published a photo of Jabba the Hutt and said it was me." Now that is funny - life is indeed sweet and all the more so for writers like the indomitable @BoozeAndFagz Read the Julie Burchill's no holds barred piece in the ink below to the Times. https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/julie-burchill-invalid-is-a-ghastly-word-but-thats-what-i-am-now-7nc03t3nq