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Scotsman
a day ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Why thousands of Scots support Reform (and it's not because they're racist)
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There have been many moments of parliamentary pantomime in Holyrood since 1999. Only two days ago, a growling Douglas Ross MSP was thrown out of the chamber for talking over John Swinney at the weekly session of First Minister's Questions. And who can forget the sight of women's rights campaigner Elaine Miller who, from her vantage point in the public gallery, lifted her skirt to expose her merkin to show her disgust at the MSPs' decision to pass the Gender Recognition Reform Bill? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad By Elaine's admittedly high standards – she is a part-time stand-up comic after all – Wednesday's urgent question by Patrick Harvie was pretty tame. There were no gasps of horror as the co-leader of the Scottish Greens got to his feet, at least none that were audible. Scottish Green MSPs Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater had urgent concerns about the Scottish Parliament's 'facilities' this week (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Getty Images 'Extremist fringe' During the 15-minute debate that ensued, no MSP or disgruntled observer exposed bare flesh. No voices were raised in anger. No one was banished from the chamber. But it was a farce all the same, because Harvie's coy yet 'urgent' question was about the use of the parliament's 'facilities' by MSPs and staff. For facilities, read toilets. His concern centred round a recent edict by the parliament's Corporate Body which declared that, for the foreseeable future, 'facilities' designated as male or female will be based on 'biological sex'. There will also be additional gender-neutral 'facilities' for those MSPs, staff and public who identify as transgender or non-binary. A sensible move one might think, following the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman. But Harvie was having none of it, getting up on his high horse to compare the Corporate Body – made up of the Presiding Officer and four MSPs, including his Scottish Green colleague Maggie Chapman – to the 'extremist fringe of the United States Republican Party'. A tad hyperbolic, even for him. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A handful of equally outraged MSPs chipped in, with Alex-Cole Hamilton, leader of the Lib Dems no less, demanding that no one should be asked to show their birth certificate before spending a penny. Much to my surprise, Lorna Slater, a former government minister, revealed there is a lively internet conspiracy that she is a trans woman and asked if she will require a medical examination prior to using a toilet. Education, health, cost of living Veteran MSP Christine Grahame, who was responding on behalf of the Corporate Body, kept her cool in the face of such daft questions, but an exasperated Russell Findlay took to his feet to express his impatience about this 'farcical waste of time'. The Tory leader said: 'The people of Scotland expect politicians to focus on what matters – rising household bills, their children's education, getting a general practitioner appointment, fixing the roads and keeping communities safe, yet the priority for out-of-touch SNP, Labour, Lib Dem and Green MSPs is an urgent debate about the Holyrood toilets.' If the people of Scotland had been watching Scottish Parliament TV instead of getting on with their lives, you might have heard a resounding cheer across the country at Findlay's intervention. Harvie's urgent question may have only taken up 15 minutes of parliamentary time, but it was a telling snapshot of Scotland's political class which exposed the gulf between them and the rest of us. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The cultural divide between MSPs with their lanyards and pet causes and voters struggling to cope with the economic and social upheaval of the last decade could not be more stark than it was on Wednesday. While MSPs are fretting about where they should pee, we are worrying about whether our granny will get the social care she needs or if our children will get the education they deserve. Little wonder that Nigel Farage and his Reform party have spooked every political leader from John Swinney to Keir Starmer. Farage's popular rhetoric, cynical though it is, appeals to an electorate that is disillusioned with smug politicians so immersed in their private, elitist world that they are blind to what is happening in the real one. 'Litany of failures' The majority of people who will vote Reform at Thursday's Hamilton by-election are not racists, as some would have us believe. Most will not even have noticed Reform's despicable campaign ad, which crudely argued that the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will 'prioritise' Pakistani people. As former Labour MP Tom Harris argued in a newspaper column earlier this week, most voters are 'simply sick of the litany of failures and disappointments which have been served up by successive governments…' He went on: 'Voters don't support Reform because of their policies; they support Reform because it is not one of the old parties.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland's leading election guru, Sir John Curtice, doesn't think that Reform will win. He was reported this week as saying that while it's not impossible, it would be a 'spectacular' result if they managed to pull it off. 'I think even coming second would be quite an achievement,' he said. But he pointed out that Scotland is a different world to the one 12 months ago that saw Scottish Labour pick up 37 seats at the general election. And recent polls suggest that Reform will be the second biggest party at Holyrood after the 2026 election, with 20 per cent of the popular vote. Nearly 60 years ago, another Hamilton by-election heralded a new era in Scottish politics, when Winnie Ewing became only the second SNP MP to win a seat at Westminster. You can trace a clear path from her legendary 1967 victory to the 2014 referendum.
The Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Tánaiste says Israel is committing genocide during bad-tempered Dáil spat with Catherine Connolly
The Journal / YouTube TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS has told the Dáil that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza during a heated exchange with independent TD Catherine Connolly this afternoon. Last week, Harris had said that recent comments from the Israeli government mean 'we are now very much in the space of genocidal activity' – but today's comments are the first time that he has explicitly described Israel's actions as genocide. The comment comes just one day after Taoiseach Micheál Martin also told the Dáil that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza . Speaking during Leaders' Questions, Galway TD Catherine Connolly took aim at what she described as 'cognitive dissonance' by the government in regards to Israel. She said that it was time to 'make our words mean something'. Catherine Connolly speaking during Leaders' Questions. Oireachtas TV Oireachtas TV 'We need to call out the narrative for what it is – and the narrative is that Israel is a rogue state, it is not a democratic state.' Harris reiterated his call for a two-state solution, and noted a distinction between 'the Israeli government and the Israeli people'. 'I believe there's many people in Israel who would be utterly horrified at the decisions being taken by the Netanyahu government, which are genocidal, which are war crimes, which are starving children, which is in breach of international law,' Harris told TDs in attendance. Yesterday, four Palestinians died when a UN warehouse storing food was stormed, as the food crisis in Gaza worsens. Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed at least 55 people so far today, including 23 killed in an intense wave of strikes on central Gaza's Bureij refugee camps. 'Load of palaver' Connolly slammed what she described as government inaction on the issue, adding: 'You're waiting for morally corrupt EU take action'. 'They're the second-biggest supplier of arms to the genocide. Let's call a spade a spade.' She told Harris that while he 'had no issue' criticising Russia, the same criticism was not thrown at Israel. Connolly also criticised the visit of US Congressman Brian Mast to Kerry last week. The Florida Republican is known for his controversial views on Palestinians – he previously called for Israel to enter Gaza and 'kick the shit out of them', referring to Palestinians. Connolly slammed the visit, as she said the US politician was 'fêted' by Harris' Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil colleagues. 'Stand up and account for what we're going to do when you say that there are war crimes and genocide,' Connolly said, while Harris shook his head. Advertisement Harris slammed the criticism from Connolly as a load of palaver. Oireachtas TV Oireachtas TV Snapping back at Connolly's criticism as 'a load of palaver', Harris said that she 'has such vitriol' against the government parties that 'you cannot ever rise above and rise to the moment'. 'We are the first government in the European Union to say that what Israel is doing is genocide,' Harris said. 'Then what are you going to do about it?' Connolly shouted back. Visibly irritated, Harris replied: 'We're going to pass the Occupied Territories Bill', reiterating several times that 'We're going to pass that!' 'While you're standing there just throwing brickmats at me, we're working to support the people of Palestine. Get beyond yourself with this narrative of 'you have all the moral authority, and we're terrible people'. 'The only chamber that I ever go into in the entire world that people acknowledge that the government of Ireland are standing with the people of Palestine, standing up for human rights, standing up for international law, is here, when you get up and distort with your ideology, the actions of this government,' Harris added. 'Slander' Separately, President Michael D Higgins also described a 'slander' and 'propaganda' campaign against Ireland by Israel, which he said has labelled individuals 'antisemitic' for criticising the Netanyahu cabinet. Higgins, who has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza as its military continues its offensive in the country, he has condemned the country's aid blockade on the territory and its bombardments of the population. Israel has issued pointed criticism against Ireland and other European governments who have been vocally opposed to its actions – oftentimes labelling them as antisemitic. Speaking today, the president claimed he and other individuals who have criticised Israel have been subjected to a 'propaganda campaign in Ireland'. He said the campaign is 'active' in the US, leading to questions among politicians and businesses on whether to continue relations with Ireland. He said it 'breaks my heart' that countries are still holding back on calls for a ceasefire. He denounced suggestions that criticism of the Israeli government is antisemitic. He also condemned the practices of the Israeli-backed aid programme in Gaza, which has led to deadly stampedes in recent days . One person died and dozens more were injured after the Israeli military opened fire at one of the centres in Rafah on Tuesday. An aid worker told The Journal yesterday that the programme was 'humiliating and insulting' to people in Gaza . 'The boxes that they're distributing [...] they're branded products, being credited for the future private sector of retail. You can just look at the wrappings,' President Higgins said. 'Imagine getting a starving person something wrapped in your own brand so that you will have opportunities in the future?' He continued with his condemnation of Israel's claims that Ireland is antisemitic. The President said the Irish public are some of the 'best-informed people' on the actions of Israel. He said this was as a result of the soldiers from the Defence Forces who have attended peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, where Israel clashes with Hezbollah militants. 'We are among the best-informed people, thanks to all those families who sent their soldiers – daughters and sons – on peacekeeping to the Lebanon,' he said. 'And I salute them because when they come back, they tell the truth of what was their experience.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Former Tory leader Douglas Ross kicked out of First Minister's Questions at Scottish Parliament
Mr Ross has been excluded from the parliament's chamber for the entirety of Thursday Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has been kicked out of First Minister's Questions after heckling John Swinney. Holyrood's presiding officer, Alison Johnstone, said Mr Ross had 'persistently' flouted the parliament's standing orders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The former Tory leader has been excluded from the chamber for the entirety of Thursday. Former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross | PA It followed an exchange at FMQs over the cost of reaching net zero by 2045, which Russell Findlay, the current Tory leader, insisted would be 'crippling' for groups such as farmers. In his response, the First Minister said there was 'parliamentary consensus' about the importance of reaching net zero by this date, and highlighted the 'damage' caused by Brexit, which led to Mr Ross heckling. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Mr Ross, you have persistently refused to abide by our standing orders, and I would ask you to leave this chamber and you are excluded for the rest of the day,' Ms Johnstone said. After the former Tory leader remained seated, she said: 'Mr Ross, I have asked you to leave the chamber. Please do so.'
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Douglas Ross kicked out of FMQs after fiery clash
The Scottish Tories have released a statement accusing the Presiding Officer of 'blatant bias' DRAMATIC EXIT Douglas Ross kicked out of First Minister's Questions after heckling John Swinney as Presiding Officer accused of 'bias' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMER Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has been booted out of First Minister's Questions after heckling John Swinney. Mr Ross shouted out after the First Minister had attacked Scottish Tory boss Russell Findlay over Brexit during a fiery clash about support for farmers. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Sign up 3 Douglas Ross glares at Alison Johnstone as he exits the Holyrood chamber. 3 First Minister John Swinney was being heckled by Scottish Tory MSPs. Credit: Alamy 3 Former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross was removed from parliament during FMQs Credit: Alamy It came after Mr Findlay claimed farmers had been given 'no reassurance' by his SNP rival amid concerns over the Government's net zero target. And Mr Swinney responded: 'What was not reassuring to farmers was the Brexit that Mr Findlay supported.' But, as Scottish Tory MSPs loudly heckled the First Minister, Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone turned her fire on the Moray MSP. She told the chamber: 'Let's hear one another. Mr Ross, you have persistently refused to abide by our standing orders and I would ask you to leave this chamber, and you are excluded for the rest of the day.' However, with Mr Ross appearing to refuse to leave, Ms Johnstone said: 'Mr Ross, I have asked you to leave the chamber, please do so.' After gathering his belongings and heading to the exit, Mr Ross glared at Ms Johnstone, who ignored him and then allowed the First Minister to continue. She then reprimanded another Scottish Tory MSP, Douglas Lumsden, telling him: 'Please refrain from shouting from your seat.' Following the exchange, a Scottish Tory spokesman said: "The Presiding Officer has shown a consistent pattern to favour certain parties at the expense of others. "We will be seeking discussions to reiterate that the Presiding Officer should not show blatant bias." More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Scottish Sun. is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheScottishSun.
The Journal
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
'Let's call a spade a spade': Israeli government 'committing genocide in Gaza', Taoiseach says
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has told the Dáil that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza, in his strongest condemnation of Israel's actions to date. He made the comments during Leaders' Questions today in response to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who asked if the Government will take action to stop the Irish Central Bank facilitating the sale of Israeli bonds in the EU. The Government is not supporting a bill put forward by Sinn Féin on the matter. Defending that decision, the Taoiseach said: 'The focus must be relentlessly on the policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli Government, which is made up of extreme far-right elements, who are committing genocide in Gaza right now. Let us call a spade a spade.' Later during the session, Social Democrats acting leader Cian O'Callaghan pointed to the fact that the Taoiseach has 'recognised that what is happening in Gaza is genocide' and said Ireland has a legal obligation under the genocide convention to do 'everything we can' to stop genocide. The Taoiseach's comments today come as Israeli strikes on Gaza continue. Advertisement Yesterday, the health ministry in Gaza said that at least 3,822 people had been killed in the territory since Israel broke a ceasefire on 18 March. Asked again by reporters this afternoon about the Government's opposition to Sinn Féin's bill on the Israeli bonds, the Taoiseach said the war in Gaza is a 'genocide at this stage'. 'Particularly in terms of the attack on entire families. And we witnessed that recently with a family of nine children being massacred. It's a slaughter that must stop,' he said. The Taoiseach has previously said, in November last year, that Israel's actions in Gaza are 'genocidal' and more recently said that Israel is committing war crimes. He made the war crimes comment earlier this month in relation to Israel's siege of the Gaza strip. 'Israel's continuing humanitarian blockade is pushing Gaza closer to a hunger crisis,' Martin said at the time. 'This must be lifted immediately. It is simply wrong in principle and in law to inflict hunger and suffering on a civilian population, whatever the circumstances. This behaviour clearly constitutes a war crime.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
