The idea behind devolution was that nothing ailed Scotland that couldn’t be solved by creating a whole new layer of politicians and bureaucrats. An expensive layer at that. The problem, as the past quarter-century has amply illustrated, is that, once handed an empire, politicians and bureaucrats will dedicate themselves to expanding their imperial reach. Lord
LABOUR and Green MSPs have united to urge the SNP Scottish government to go “much further” on land reform. The calls came as MSPs prepared to debate the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, which would enable ministers to intervene to break up large estates as they come up for sale. Warning the Bill could be a missed opportunity, Scottish
Prosecutors have secured a court order that prevents Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband Peter Murrell from selling his property. The ban was put in place after the former SNP chief executive was charged in connection with embezzlement in April last year after a police investigation into the party’s finances. In May, detectives handed a file to