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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

A pre-2014 #IndyRef piece from the late, lamented A.A.Gill: www.thetimes.com/travel/desti...

Someone said that Scotland doesn’t have history, it just has a longer memory for current events. Before talking about whether this uneven union should be split, it’s instructive to understand what forged it in the first place.

The English, while offering gold with one hand, waved the cudgel with the other and passed the Alien Act, making any Scot not in the army or on business an illegal immigrant. London threatened tariffs on Scottish exports. So the vote was passed. As Daniel Defoe, an English spy, said, for every one Scot in favour of union, 99 were against. There had been hundreds of petitions agin it from every corner of the country, and not a single one in favour. There were riots in Edinburgh and Glasgow, martial law was imposed.

As the ancient Caledonian parliament voted itself out of existence, the Earl of Seaford, with a heavy heart, noted that it was the end of an auld sang. And at St Giles Cathedral, the national church of Scotland, where Knox had preached, the bells rang out. The tune was Why Should I Be So Sad on My Wedding Day?

Not many Scots, and even fewer English, know this story, the inglorious nuptials of the Union. But you don’t have to remember history to be affected by it. This act and all the bullying and perfidy, venality, weakness and snobbery that went before it has made the relationship between the two countries what it is. The informed view of Big Ben seen from Ben Nevis was never a love match, nor the uniting of mutually benefiting equals. It’s the English who roll their eyes at the raking up of the past and say, “Oh, get over it, move on. Stop being a victim,” which is what wife-beaters always say to their victims.

Still, despite 400 years of patronage and propaganda, Scotland isn’t the heathery extension of England. It remains stubbornly and grimly, often amusingly, a different place. Its humour, its character, its stories, its expectations, how it gets married and celebrates, how it gets buried and sees in the New Year, what it s…

Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Portugal decriminalised drugs in 2001 and subsequently treated drug abuse as a public health issue. Between 1999 and 2016 deaths from overdose fell by 92%. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

After the gates were installed at the end of Downing Street in the Thatcher era, one of the cops on duty outside was interviewed. Classic line: "Yeah, they've put up these gates, but she still gets out."

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

My own small contribution to the Ed Sheeran controversy. This, from 2022:

BBC: Ed Sheeran Cardiff concert causes major delays on M4
Me: In which direction?

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

An oil-producing nation with no refinery. An exporting nation with no shipping routes. An electricity producer forced to pay to upload to the “national” grid. Welcome to our blessed "union of equals".

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

My original post did specify "trade routes".

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

There are *44* trade routes between the Republic of Ireland and the EU, bypassing the UK. Of course, Ireland can count on the cooperation and support of its EU partners. Scotland had only Westminster to call on for support which, naturally, was limited. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Plans for Scottish ferry to mainland Europe scrapped

Forth Ports said it had doubts over the 'long-term viability' of the route between Rosyth and Dunkirk.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

But for the broad shoulders of the Union, Scotland would be as poor as Norway.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Top news stories on the BBC Wales and BBC Scotland websites at the moment:

Westminster's time is coming to an end, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish leaders say

Father and son jailed for dragging 'terrified' police officer along road

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

As an antidote to the poison being thrown at the RNLI, I give you Bill Bryson:

“I had never really stopped to consider what an extraordinary
thing the Royal National Lifeboat Institution is. Think about
it. A troubled ship calls for help, and eight people — teachers,
plumbers, the guy who runs the pub — drop everything and put
to sea, whatever the weather, asking no questions, imperilling
their own lives, to try to help strangers. Is there anything more
brave and noble than that?”

—Bill Bryson

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

The silence of British trade unions in the face of a Labour Prime Minister proudly supplying a billion pound corporation with free labour is damning.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I had a mate who visited Moscow before the wall came down. He met a guy in a bar and managed to buy his military cap for the price of a few beers. He was cutting around Glasgow for months wearing it until someone told him the Cyrillic writing on the front meant "Bus Conductor".

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

I'd like to remind their royal highnesses King Charles and Queen Camilla that while travelling in Scotland they're each eligible for a free bus pass.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

The most expensive individual Scottish travel outlay was £35,910 on a charter from RAF Marham to Wick as King Charles flew to Caithness to spend time at the Castle of Mey. Total royal travel expenditure reached £3,316,024 in the year ending March 2026.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Members of the Royal Family spent at least £445,000 on visits to Scotland last year. The King's brief meeting with Prince Harry for tea at Clarence House cost taxpayers £44,209 as Charles flew from Aberdeen to RAF Northolt and then back again.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Just a thought, BBC Scotland - but perhaps continually and relentlessly telling Scottish folk that they and the country in which they live are shite isn't a particularly effective marketing strategy. Hope this helps. dailybusinessgroup.co.uk/2023/07/bbc-...

dailybusinessgroup.co.uk

BBC Scotland suffers plunge in viewing figures – Daily Business

BBC Scotland is facing new questions over the quality of its content as new data shows viewing figures have fallen sharply.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

The near-Dickensian "barred" list from the Half Moon pub in Herne Hill, south London.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

A thought-provoking article from Robin McAlpine: www.thenational.scot/politics/264... However, where are the "credible, agreed, detailed plans," and the "communication with the public about benefits," that won us 74% support for our restored parliament? 2014 was 12 years ago and I see few signs.

thenational.scot

Robin McAlpine: Scotland will be independent but not through electoral tricks

IN the last article I wrote for the Sunday National, I rejected a de facto referendum as a route to independence.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I can barely contain my indifference. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Tattie scone tacos? Genius! Scottish fusion cuisine to rival the Macaroni Pie @ The Islay Inn, Glasgow.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Literally horrified at the prospect of Scotland being perceived positively on the world stage.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

For the avoidance of doubt, Andrew Neil is a fudbucket.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Last month, Andrew "Lord Brillo" Neil feared a "return to the bad old days of Tartan Army football hooliganism" and had a "nagging feeling in the back of my head... something could trigger it all going badly wrong". Let's see what Boston's Channel 10 has to say about that:

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Well, over a century ago the Norwegian Parliament declared the union between Norway and its larger neighbour Sweden dissolved. Norway then went on to become one of the wealthiest nations in the world and a country that absolutely prioritises the well-being of its citizens. So I'd say - hell, yes.

BBC: "Can Scotland learn from history-making Norway?"

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

The geographic centre point of the whole UK (including Northern Ireland) is in the middle of the Irish Sea. So - gets my vote.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

I think it's fair to say that it's unlikely aliens will travel 100 billion light years to Earth and decide that the first thing they want to do is watch Scotland play football. bsky.app/profile/glub...

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Ten years ago today, England voted to remove Scotland from the EU. 96% of Scotland's MPs had requested that all UK nations should agree before #Brexit was carried. The Tories, with 1 Scottish MP, overruled this request. Brexit was a UK vote because England decided it would be.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

So that'll be seven UK Prime Ministers in ten years. What happened to the "strong and stable government" we were all promised? I suppose promising us a decade of continual bin fires wouldn't have had the same ring to it. Time to go, Scotland.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

I'm old enough to remember visiting Boston when you couldn't buy a beer without putting a dollar in a jar for "the cause".

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

It's a desire to be governed, at all levels, by the folk Scotland votes for. Not just sometimes or even most of the time. *Always*. That's what being a country means

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Anyone who's even just visited London for a weekend must know that this is the most unutterable bollocks.

@alexmassie
Scotland is the most privileged part of the United Kingdom. This is disagreeable because it removes all grounds for reasonable grievance and whining. Nevertheless, the truth is that the Union is organised to serve Scotland first. And best.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Andrew Neil has a 'nagging feeling in the back of my head... something could trigger it all going badly wrong' What an utter tit that man is. Just can't bear to think of Scotland and Scottish folk doing well.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Joan Baez crashes the Rolling Stones’ Glasgow party. Odeon Theatre, Renfield Street, 6th October 1965.

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Alan Ferrier @alanferrier.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Clean energy projects in Scotland are set to pay £1 billion to use the UK’s electricity network while projects south of the border will be paid to connect. First they fuck us over then they charge us a billion quid for the privilege. www.thenational.scot/news/2617285...

Data obtained under Freedom of Information by The Scotsman from industry body the National Energy System Operator (Neso) shows that forecast generation charges in 2030/31 for projects in the north of Scotland will hit £669 million while developments in central and southern Scotland will also be hit by a £291m bill.

Meanwhile, projects in England and Wales are forecast to receive a net payment of £436m that same year.

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