Latest news with #MalcolmSmith
The National
08-08-2025
- Politics
- The National
SNP's conference agenda must let us debate routes to independence
Malcolm Smith's Sunday National letter (Scottish Government has a moral obligation to break the law) makes the related point that the SNP have missed major opportunities to make a break with Westminster with the backing of the Scottish people. He goes on: 'There is no guarantee that a constitutional crisis and rift with London would be successful. It doesn't have to be. It has only to be the spark that will set a fire under the people of Scotland and shed the SNP of their establishment image.' READ MORE: John Swinney dismisses SNP members' rival independence plan The policy proposal in my recent letters to The National is all about lighting just such a spark – one legitimate in our own legal and constitutional traditions – that can gain support from a majority of Scots. The main options that have been put forward as 2026 SNP manifesto offers of routes to independence are essentially only three: 1) As before, if a majority of our MSPs are elected then Holyrood will ask Westminster for a Section 30 'permission' for a referendum on independence; 2) Say that Holyrood 2026 is some sort of plebiscite election on independence; 3) Say we will assert competency over Scottish constitutional matters if elected. The last option is that of the resolution put forward by Newington and Southside branch SNP as A Manifesto for Scotland's Right to Decide, and reads: 'Conference recognises that the policy of seeking a Section 30 order from the UK Government to hold a referendum on Scotland's constitutional future has proven ineffective. More fundamentally, it undermines Scotland's sovereign right to decide and contributes to the gap between public support for independence and support for the SNP. 'Conference reaffirms that referendums on how Scotland is governed, when held under mandate by the Scottish Parliament, must not be subject to an external veto. Sovereignty lies with the Scottish people, not Westminster. 'Therefore, Conference agrees that the SNP shall put in their manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, that if a majority of SNP and other pro-independence MSPs are returned to Holyrood in 2026, they will bring forward a bill to assume responsibility for constitutional affairs as directed by the people of Scotland. This will include the right to hold referendums on increased powers and independence – driven by the will of the people.' READ MORE: Richard Walker: Indy plans are like buses – you wait ages for one and then ... There is also a short supporting statement attached to this that expands on what is implied here. I have been in touch with some of the spokespersons for the SNP branches involved in submitting a motion on the second, 'independence election', option and have been invited to attend their meeting in Perth tomorrow. I am happy to do so and look forward to lively and respectful debate on the respective merits of the resolutions. At a meeting in Portobello last Thursday, I handed over a copy of the Newington Resolution and its supporting statement to John Swinney. John said he would get back to me with his response to this specific motion. Disappointingly, he has not yet done so. The provisional agenda for SNP conference is due to appear today. It is vital for full and open debate on our manifesto offer for next year that all three of the main differing options are in that provisional agenda for consideration of support from branches and possible amendments. Mike Wallace Edinburgh
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Thousands of cyclists from around the world head to Dumfries and Galloway for The Gralloch
The Gatehouse-based event is being held for the third time and has become one of the UK's leading gravel events. Nearly 3,000 riders from around the world are descending on Dumfries and Galloway. The Gralloch is being held for the third time in Gatehouse and the Galloway Forest Park and it has become one of the UK's leading gravel events. Riders from more than 35 nations, as well as spectators, teams and industry exhibitors, are coming to the event, which is part of the UCI Gravel World Series. That means elite athletes have the chance to qualify for this year's UCI Gravel World Championships. Saturday's race will be followed by a non-competitive Gravel Sportive on Sunday, giving hundreds more riders the chance to tackle the course. Event director and co-founder, Maximilian Wussler, said: 'This weekend is a milestone for the south of Scotland. 'We're showcasing Galloway not just as a world-class gravel cycling destination, but as a region full of community spirit, natural beauty, and potential for adventure tourism. It's incredible to see the global cycling community discovering what we've known all along — this place is special.' The special event village will be open from 9am on Friday with a shakeout ride starting from the clubhouse at 10am. This is a chance to join event co-founder Malcolm Smith for a group ride along the first 30km of the Gralloch route. Another ride follows at 2pm, with the 32km route including the final 10km of the race route. In the evening there will be rider talks and interviews from 4pm on the main stage in Garries Park, with the elite riders being presented at 6.30pm. Live music follow from 7pm. The big day on Saturday sees the main Gralloch UCI race, with waves from 9.15am until around 11.15am. The leading men are expected back around 1pm with the elite women around 3.20pm. Ahead of the finish line celebrations, the kids race will take place at 12noon, with more entertainment in the evening. The focus switches to the sportive the following day, with riders setting off from 8.30am. The event is supported by Event Scotland, part of VisitScotland, and Dumfries and Galloway Council. Head of EventScotland, Rebecca Edser, said: 'We are pleased to be supporting The Gralloch through our national events programme. Events like it play a vital role in growing the value of Scotland's visitor economy. 'They bring people together, support local businesses, and create unforgettable experiences for all involved. We are delighted to welcome riders and spectators from across Scotland, the UK, and around the world to Britain's first UCI Gravel World Series event.' Chair of the council's education, skills and community wellbeing committee, Councillor Maureen Johnstone, added: 'Gatehouse of Fleet and the UCI Gralloch Gravel World Cup are a perfect match. The Council is delighted to support this world class event and showcase our region's wonderful cycling trails. 'Cycling is such a healthy way to keep fit, take exercise and get out and explore. I welcome the many competitors and visitors to Dumfries and Galloway who have been inspired to come to south west Scotland due to this exciting event.'
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Energy Domain Launches Second Online Platform: Energy Domain Data
Intelligence Platform Joins Marketplace in Tech Company Support Suite, Offers Flexible Services, Transparent Pricing FORT WORTH, Texas, January 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Energy Domain, the Fort Worth tech company behind Energy Domain Marketplace, announced the launch of their second online platform: Energy Domain Data. This user-friendly, cost-effective tool offers stakeholders across the upstream energy sector comprehensive oil and gas data for investment and operational decision-making. With streamlined access and transparent pricing, Energy Domain Data enables users to make informed, data-driven decisions efficiently and affordably. "Clients on Energy Domain Data can access comprehensive aggregated data across all producing areas in the lower 48," said Energy Domain CEO Ben Heinzelmann. "But our core tenet is that they should only have to pay for the data they need. We'll never force users into contracts with excessive bundled features or nationwide plans if they're only interested in data from a single basin, or even a single county. Our users can also subscribe annually or monthly — and unsubscribe just as easily. There is nothing else like this currently available on the market." Key differentiating features of the Energy Domain Data platform include: Flexible Geographic Subscription Model: Subscribe by basin or county with both monthly and annual options, offering flexibility without long-term commitments. Self-Serve Account Management: Avoid back-and-forth with sales teams by managing subscriptions and seat allocations directly through the platform. Proprietary Data Insights: Receive rig location, well status, and date information via proprietary algorithms, ensuring timely and accurate updates not found in other platforms. Geospatial Activity Alerts: Define your own custom areas of interest and receive notifications on new rig placements and well activity, delivered in-app or via email. Energy Domain COO Malcolm Smith explained the map-based system, describing how to set areas of interest for alerts, search well data for specific criteria, and subscribe to new areas and features through easy-to-access prompts and menus. He also described the company's forward-looking plan to provide access to those functions directly through Energy Domain's signature marketplace platform. "We're excited to be developing a system that will seamlessly integrate our platforms," Smith said. "Our goal is to provide users with the ability to easily transition between exploring deals on the Energy Domain Marketplace and accessing detailed data through Energy Domain Data. The integration will allow users to dive deeper into specific areas, with flexible options to subscribe to regions of interest, while also receiving notifications about relevant marketplace listings. It's all about creating a more intuitive and connected experience for our users." Energy Domain recently brought Chase Krupa on board as Director of Business Development to manage sales for the new platform. "We've already seen so much enthusiasm for our à la carte approach to data platform subscriptions," said Krupa. "We're looking at an enormous variety of users — mineral buyers and owners, independent operators, family offices, landmen, engineers, geologists, finance professionals — basically anyone who's been priced out of the data market by the current providers or is frustrated by the lack of transparency and flexibility on the legacy platforms." Heinzelmann concluded, explaining the long-term steps the company has taken to build toward this launch: "We knew we had to make a choice a decade ago when we developed MineralWare — either license third-party data and stay dependent on others forever or gather that data ourselves. We chose the latter, starting county by county in Texas, then expanding across the lower 48. With our recent Energent purchase, we acquired a rig data set with AI functionality that we can continue to improve on by adding notifications when pad sites are cleared, frac crews are on location, and more. And here's the best part: now that we own all that IP and all that data, we can pass the savings on to our customers." If you are interested in Energy Domain Data, Heinzelmann encourages you to visit the site at to sign up for a free 7-day trial in your choice of basin. Monthly or annual subscriptions can then be purchased or expanded at any time by hovering over the map, seeing the price for the desired area or feature, clicking to add it to your cart, and checking out easily with a credit card or ACH payment. ABOUT ENERGY DOMAIN Energy Domain has transformed into an upstream technology platform with two products — Energy Domain Marketplace and Energy Domain Data — to affordably, efficiently and synergistically serve their clients' needs. Born from a desire to revolutionize the oil and gas asset transaction process, Energy Domain began as a pioneering online marketplace fueled by data and driven by results. With over 210 successful transactions facilitated since 2021 totaling more than $100MM in aggregate, Energy Domain Marketplace continues to empower both sellers and buyers with a streamlined platform, nationwide reach, and powerful analytics. Energy Domain Marketplace has now been joined by Energy Domain Data, an upstream intelligence platform designed to help oil and gas industry buyers and sellers underwrite assets and make informed decisions, with simplified data access, cost-effective flexibility and transparent pricing. Visit for more information. View source version on Contacts D'Arla Tyler DArla@ 817-405-9878 Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
29-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Energy Domain Launches Second Online Platform: Energy Domain Data
FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 29, 2025-- Energy Domain, the Fort Worth tech company behind Energy Domain Marketplace, announced the launch of their second online platform: Energy Domain Data. This user-friendly, cost-effective tool offers stakeholders across the upstream energy sector comprehensive oil and gas data for investment and operational decision-making. With streamlined access and transparent pricing, Energy Domain Data enables users to make informed, data-driven decisions efficiently and affordably. 'Clients on Energy Domain Data can access comprehensive aggregated data across all producing areas in the lower 48,' said Energy Domain CEO Ben Heinzelmann. 'But our core tenet is that they should only have to pay for the data they need. We'll never force users into contracts with excessive bundled features or nationwide plans if they're only interested in data from a single basin, or even a single county. Our users can also subscribe annually or monthly — and unsubscribe just as easily. There is nothing else like this currently available on the market.' Key differentiating features of the Energy Domain Data platform include: Flexible Geographic Subscription Model: Subscribe by basin or county with both monthly and annual options, offering flexibility without long-term commitments. Self-Serve Account Management: Avoid back-and-forth with sales teams by managing subscriptions and seat allocations directly through the platform. Proprietary Data Insights: Receive rig location, well status, and date information via proprietary algorithms, ensuring timely and accurate updates not found in other platforms. Geospatial Activity Alerts: Define your own custom areas of interest and receive notifications on new rig placements and well activity, delivered in-app or via email. Energy Domain COO Malcolm Smith explained the map-based system, describing how to set areas of interest for alerts, search well data for specific criteria, and subscribe to new areas and features through easy-to-access prompts and menus. He also described the company's forward-looking plan to provide access to those functions directly through Energy Domain's signature marketplace platform. 'We're excited to be developing a system that will seamlessly integrate our platforms,' Smith said. 'Our goal is to provide users with the ability to easily transition between exploring deals on the Energy Domain Marketplace and accessing detailed data through Energy Domain Data. The integration will allow users to dive deeper into specific areas, with flexible options to subscribe to regions of interest, while also receiving notifications about relevant marketplace listings. It's all about creating a more intuitive and connected experience for our users.' Energy Domain recently brought Chase Krupa on board as Director of Business Development to manage sales for the new platform. 'We've already seen so much enthusiasm for our à la carte approach to data platform subscriptions,' said Krupa. 'We're looking at an enormous variety of users — mineral buyers and owners, independent operators, family offices, landmen, engineers, geologists, finance professionals — basically anyone who's been priced out of the data market by the current providers or is frustrated by the lack of transparency and flexibility on the legacy platforms.' Heinzelmann concluded, explaining the long-term steps the company has taken to build toward this launch: 'We knew we had to make a choice a decade ago when we developed MineralWare — either license third-party data and stay dependent on others forever or gather that data ourselves. We chose the latter, starting county by county in Texas, then expanding across the lower 48. With our recent Energent purchase, we acquired a rig data set with AI functionality that we can continue to improve on by adding notifications when pad sites are cleared, frac crews are on location, and more. And here's the best part: now that we own all that IP and all that data, we can pass the savings on to our customers.' If you are interested in Energy Domain Data, Heinzelmann encourages you to visit the site at to sign up for a free 7-day trial in your choice of basin. Monthly or annual subscriptions can then be purchased or expanded at any time by hovering over the map, seeing the price for the desired area or feature, clicking to add it to your cart, and checking out easily with a credit card or ACH payment. ABOUT ENERGY DOMAIN Energy Domain has transformed into an upstream technology platform with two products — Energy Domain Marketplace and Energy Domain Data — to affordably, efficiently and synergistically serve their clients' needs. Born from a desire to revolutionize the oil and gas asset transaction process, Energy Domain began as a pioneering online marketplace fueled by data and driven by results. With over 210 successful transactions facilitated since 2021 totaling more than $100MM in aggregate, Energy Domain Marketplace continues to empower both sellers and buyers with a streamlined platform, nationwide reach, and powerful analytics. Energy Domain Marketplace has now been joined by Energy Domain Data, an upstream intelligence platform designed to help oil and gas industry buyers and sellers underwrite assets and make informed decisions, with simplified data access, cost-effective flexibility and transparent pricing. SOURCE: Energy Domain PUB: 01/29/2025 02:28 PM/DISC: 01/29/2025 02:28 PM
