Sign in

The Ferret

@theferret.scot
13K followers 19 following 2K posts

Scotland's award-winning investigative news and fact-checking co-op. Contact us here: theferret.scot/contact Find out more: t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/t…

PostsRepliesMedia
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 18h
🔴 NEW: Scotland may be set to host one of the world’s most powerful data centres. The Conservative Party’s money man stands to benefit. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/4a1b1815-87fe-…
Darkened image of rows of servers in a data centre, with The Ferret logo. Text reads: “Revealed: The Tory treasurer, an offshore company and Scotland’s biggest data centre plan.” Subtext says Scotland may host one of the world’s most powerful data centres and that the Conservative Party’s money man stands to benefit.
42624
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 09/10/2026
🔴 Last week, we revealed that Dundee university’s £80m cash balance was being examined to decide if it qualified for further taxpayer support Now its next £7m bailout has been refused. But the uni says there will be no pause to job cuts. Full story 👉 bit.ly/473PkbL
087
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 08/10/2026
A £6.5m redevelopment of a Gypsy Traveller site near Perth has left some residents fearing for their cultural rights. They say new fixed homes and restrictions on sleeping in caravans threaten their way of life. Read the full story: www.theferret.scot/scotland-has...
057
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 06/10/2026
🔴 NEW: Local people filmed a large balloon meant to provide last-ditch communications in a nuclear war deflating and crashing. But the Ministry of Defence won’t say anything about it. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/41255087-05fe-…
Partially deflated white military balloon against a blue sky. Text reads: “Ministry of Defence under pressure on Trident balloon accident.” Image credit: North Yorkshire Weather Updates.
086
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 04/10/2026
🔴 NEW: Derelict buildings across Scotland are creating a plethora of problems. Local communities are bearing the brunt. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/be1a0988-cb69-…
Photo of the decaying stone exterior of Hartwood Hospital, with broken and boarded windows and vegetation growing from the building. Headline reads: “Scotland’s abandoned buildings leave communities to bear the burden.”
095
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 01/10/2026
A total of 36 boats have been fined £140,000 in the last 10 months for entering Scotland's marine protected areas. But campaigners claim the fines are too small and may not be a sufficient deterrent. Read the story in full: bit.ly/46SD5Pe
21715
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 29/09/2026
🔴 800 jobs have gone at the University of Dundee since 2024, with redundancies continuing. Management says the cuts are needed to make ends meet  So why is PwC investigating if they have too much cash to get £27m in taxpayer bailouts?  Full story 👉 bit.ly/4iSUO0a
1119
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 29/09/2026
NEW: Audit firm PwC is examining whether the University of Dundee has too much cash to be eligible for £27m in taxpayer bailout funding.  The university had £85m in cash at the end of June, we understand. Read the full story 👉 bit.ly/4iSUO0a
188
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 27/09/2026
Gypsy Travellers have been persecuted for centuries. But despite a Scottish Government apology last June for the Tinker Experiment – which tried to assimilate them into settled culture – some claim their cultural rights are still being denied. shorturl.at/FUXpV
22816
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 26/09/2026
The Scottish Government has continued to back Ming Yang’s proposed investment at Ardersier despite national security concerns. It’s now being accused of a “staggering” failure of due diligence on the firm. www.theferret.scot/boss-of-snp-back…
453
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 24/09/2026
After anti-immigration riots left dozens of Belfast households homeless this summer, we travelled to the city to investigate links between Northern Ireland’s anti-immigration movement and groups operating in Scotland. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/750961d9-452e-…
12719
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 21/09/2026
Applications close TODAY! We’re looking for an Income Generation Lead & Business Manager to help grow and diversify The Ferret’s income and support our long-term strategy. Find out more and apply: goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP1000001ug…
Three smiling people outside The Community Newsroom; overlay text reads "We are hiring! Could you be our next Business Manager?"
265
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 20/09/2026
🔴 NEW: Rules were tightened after Scottish Limited Partnerships were exploited for financial crime. But Moscow firms and a man accused of facilitating child sex abuse are still selling them for your “financial privacy”. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/a36c9a0d-fcd4-…
Photo of a modern Glasgow building with large reflective windows. Headline reads: “The unremarkable Glasgow building where a fake news-peddler sells business schemes beloved by money launderers.”
01814
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 18/09/2026
There are just three days left to apply to join The Ferret as our Income Generation Lead & Business Manager. It’s a part-time role focused on income generation, funding and long-term sustainability. Apply here: goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP1000001ug…
Three smiling people outside The Community Newsroom; overlay text reads "We are hiring! Could you be our next Business Manager?"
042
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 16/09/2026
There’s less than a week left to apply to join our team! Help us grow and diversify our income, develop new funding opportunities and support the future of independent journalism. The deadline is 21 September: goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP1000001ug…
Three smiling people outside The Community Newsroom; overlay text reads "We are hiring! Could you be our next Business Manager?"
197
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 15/09/2026
🔴 NEW: The Scottish Government’s green watchdog sent seven letters over three years alleging multiple breaches at a fish farm – and then issued a final warning letter. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/45345e93-2a89-…
A scenic Scottish loch surrounded by mountains under a bright blue sky. Headline reads: “Sepa branded ‘toothless’ after salmon farm accused of 15 environmental breaches.”
11711
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 13/09/2026
🔴 NEW: This US-style right-wing political pressure group keeps its funders a secret. Its members have helped man Scotland’s anti-migrant and asylum demonstrations. Find out more: www.theferret.scot/p/a133bcc2-0540-…
Protesters stand behind barriers facing police, with Union Jack, Saltire and Royal Banner of Scotland flags overhead. Headline reads: “‘Dark’ money pressure group helped man Scots anti-asylum protests.”
02820
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 09/09/2026
Independent journalism needs a sustainable future. We’re looking for an Income Generation Lead & Business Manager to help us build one. 3 days a week, £37,700 pro rata. Applications close 21 September: goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP1000001ug…
Three smiling people outside The Community Newsroom; overlay text reads "We are hiring! Could you be our next Business Manager?"
033
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 06/09/2026
What do you tell your GP when they ask about your family medical history and you simply don't know? Adult adoptees say missing information about inherited conditions is creating a gap in their healthcare. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/0906913a-0c9f-…
A doctor writes on a clipboard while speaking with a patient. Headline reads: “Adult adoptees are taking desperate measures to obtain their family ‘health histories’.”
1123
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 04/09/2026
Flea treatments help protect pets, but chemicals used in them are being found in Scottish rivers at levels that could harm wildlife. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/more-than-50-riv…
0148
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 04/09/2026
The environment regulator has found concentrations of two flea treatment chemicals up to 25 times higher than those considered safe. Rivers that have been polluted include the Clyde, the Forth, the Almond, the Tweed, the Ayr and the Annan. Full story 👉 bit.ly/4iKUuQM
2107
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 04/09/2026
🔴NEW: Toxic chemicals used to kill fleas on hundreds of thousands of pets have contaminated more than 50 rivers across Scotland at levels that could harm wildlife, according to Scotland's environment watchdog. Read the full story👉 bit.ly/4iKUuQM
0810
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 02/09/2026
We’re hiring an Income Generation Lead & Business Manager to help shape our future, grow and diversify our income, and support our long-term strategy. Three days a week. £37,700 pro rata. Apply by 21 September: goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP1000001ug…
Three smiling people outside The Community Newsroom; overlay text reads "We are hiring! Could you be our next Business Manager?"
048
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 30/08/2026
More than three quarters of Scottish salmon farms certified as “sustainable” broke the rules of the certifying body last year, but none lost their accreditation. www.theferret.scot/three-quarters-of-sustainable-salmon-farms-broke-environmental-rules-none-lost-their-accreditation
31812
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 28/08/2026
Only a tiny percentage of Scotland’s most fragile natural environments are being monitored by the national agency tasked with protecting them. www.theferret.scot/just-three-per-c…
1118
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 23/08/2026
The Scottish Government has been supportive of green data centres and is liaising with the industry. Critics argue that companies must not be allowed to “write the rules” www.theferret.scot/what-makes-a-dat…
2115
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 18/08/2026
Three Highland salmon farms have been accused of breaching animal welfare law by causing “unnecessary suffering” and allowing fish to suffocate to death. www.theferret.scot/salmon-farms-broke-law-fish-suffer/
0711
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 16/08/2026
Only one in eleven major summer festivals analysed by The Ferret has a 50/50 gender split, with representation across all festivals declining at headline level. theferret.scot/scotlands-music-festivals-headliners-male
074
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 13/08/2026
A Highland trout abattoir has been accused of animal welfare abuses for the second time in less than a year following covert filming. www.theferret.scot/highland-trout-f…
095
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 09/08/2026
🔴NEW: Those bereaved by suicide have a 65 per cent increased risk of taking their own lives. So why is there not more funding for support after tragedy strikes? Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/ad39760b-211c-…
1135
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 04/08/2026
🔴 NEW: The Scottish Government says the move was needed to tackle the "administrative burden" caused by the growth in AI-assisted objections to energy projects. Critics say it is a way to mute public opposition. Our latest: theferret.scot/ai-ban-emailed-objec…
Graphic showing the ChatGPT logo on a phone alongside a wind turbine, with the headline: “AI flooded the Scottish Government with wind farm objections. So they stopped accepting emails.”
33426
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 02/08/2026
🔴 NEW: An investment vehicle managed by JP Morgan and state-backed firms from France, Norway and China own Scottish wind farms which have paid tens of millions in dividends this decade. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/scotland-wind-ch…
Wind turbines stand across green farmland where sheep are grazing beneath a cloudy blue sky. Headline reads: “Scotland’s wind industry is booming. China and Wall Street are cashing in.”
02925
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 30/07/2026
🔴NEW: An anti-immigration protest in Glasgow that turned violent last weekend attracted thousands of people. Those attending included loyalists from Northern Ireland with criminal convictions. Find out more: www.theferret.scot/p/0ca5aca1-ad92-…
Two close-up men with overlay text revealing a loyalist killer and ex-UVF member attended a Glasgow anti-immigration protest.
42025
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 29/07/2026
🔴NEW: Far right group Knights Templar International, whose frontman Jim Dowson has a long history of involvement with far right groups, is now supporting Scotland’s new wave of night patrols. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/jim-dawson-funding-vigilante-scotland/
A man in a suit speaks in front of overlapping Union Jack and red-and-white flags. Text reads: “The ex-BNP ‘Christian patriot’ raising international funding for Scottish ‘vigilante’ night patrols.”
41219
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 28/07/2026
Glasgow properties are ultimately owned by the head of an investment firm behind a Russian shipping hub. Researchers say the port sustains Moscow’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. www.theferret.scot/this-russian-dep…
01517
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 26/07/2026
🔴NEW: Less than a quarter of Scotland’s public forests and woodlands are made up of native trees that scientists say are crucial to protect wildlife and the environment, The Ferret can reveal. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/p/41d293c4-7005-…
Non-native trees dominate Scotland's national woodlands, raising expert concern for indigenous species.
32713
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 23/07/2026
🔴NEW: The company that runs Scotland’s ageing nuclear power station wants to weaken safety standards to keep it running for at least four more years. But the nuclear safety watchdog has its doubts. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/torness-bid-crac…
Torness nuclear power station in East Lothian, seen across a grassy field under a blue sky. A red panel across the bottom reads: “Alarm over bid to keep cracked reactors running by cutting nuclear safety margins.” The Ferret logo appears in the top right.
33636
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 20/07/2026
Posters appeared on social media purporting to be from the local authority, but they are fake. www.theferret.scot/glasgow-city-cou…
0106
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 19/07/2026
🔴NEW: Academics are raising concerns that an increasing percentage of young people, unable to cope with school, are withdrawing into their bedrooms, while families claim support is “woefully inadequate”. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/school-absence-s…
Young person sitting on a bed with head in hands, illustrating distress; headline: School absence rates are reaching crisis point. How can we get kids back to class?
293
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 12/07/2026
Everyone’s medical history and records should be confidential and secure in the hands of the NHS. But there have been serious privacy breaches resulting in dozens of staff being disciplined and police investigations. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/nhs-scotland-dat…
NHS building sign and headline stating thousands of NHS Scotland patients' data were exposed in data breaches.
0157
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 11/07/2026
Anti-immigration activists from England are due to travel to Glasgow for a protest later this month, according to Unite the Clans Scotland. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/glasgow-immigrat…
Two police in hi‑vis vests before a crowd; headline: anti‑immigration activists from England set to travel to Glasgow.
52216
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 08/07/2026
🔴NEW: Academics investigated the representation of women of colour in media coverage of the Scottish Parliament election. They said their findings were "incredibly disappointing" given the current hostility towards migrants. www.theferret.scot/women-colour-sco…
Illustration of two silhouetted politicians standing behind podiums before an audience. Text says women of colour were marginalised by "male dominated" election coverage.
085
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 06/07/2026
🟡NEW: Northern gannets are protected wild birds. But on Sula Sgeir, a legal exemption allows young birds to be taken for food each year. We looked at how the guga hunt still happens, and why it is facing renewed criticism: www.theferret.scot/guga-hunt-contro…
Fluffy gannet chick with adult behind; headline about the Guga Hunt and renewed scrutiny of a Hebridean tradition.
086
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 05/07/2026
The Scottish Government gave local authorities £20m to tackle a "nature emergency". But we found that around £4m of that sum was spent on fixing cars and office equipment, among other non-environmental spending. Our latest: www.theferret.scot/environmental-fu…
02011
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 03/07/2026
🔴NEW: A Scottish wind farm has been bought by a company owned by a right-wing US media mogul who has donated to Donald Trump. Find out more: www.theferret.scot/trump-donor-scot…
21212
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 29/06/2026
“Fishermen cannot be expected to work around hazards they are not allowed to see,” said Sheila Keith of the Shetland Fishermen’s Association. She called for transparency on activity affecting safety and fishing grounds. Find out more: theferret.scot/spaceport-shetland-r…
A rocket engine test firing at SaxaVord Spaceport on Shetland during dusk. Bright flames and exhaust emerge from the base of a tall vertical test stand, with the sea and coastline visible behind. Overlaid text reads: “A spaceport plans to dump tonnes of rocket junk into the sea north of Shetland, posing a risk to tourism and fishing.”
3256
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 28/06/2026
“I was horrified to see that there could be a risk to tourists”  theferret.scot/spaceport-shetland-r…
A rocket engine test firing at SaxaVord Spaceport on Shetland during dusk. Bright flames and exhaust emerge from the base of a tall vertical test stand, with the sea and coastline visible behind. Overlaid text reads: “A spaceport plans to dump tonnes of rocket junk into the sea north of Shetland, posing a risk to tourism and fishing.”
32521
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 28/06/2026
Tourism and fishing associations in Shetland have voiced alarm and concern about the plans, while campaigners condemn space companies as “litter louts" theferret.scot/spaceport-shetland-r…
A rocket engine test firing at SaxaVord Spaceport on Shetland during dusk. Bright flames and exhaust emerge from the base of a tall vertical test stand, with the sea and coastline visible behind. Overlaid text reads: “A spaceport plans to dump tonnes of rocket junk into the sea north of Shetland, posing a risk to tourism and fishing.”
11311
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 28/06/2026
🔴NEW: Scotland’s first spaceport on Shetland plans to use the sea as a “dustbin” to dump tonnes of debris from rockets, The Ferret can reveal, prompting claims it could endanger tourism and fishing. Our latest: theferret.scot/spaceport-shetland-r…
A rocket engine test firing at SaxaVord Spaceport on Shetland during dusk. Bright flames and exhaust emerge from the base of a tall vertical test stand, with the sea and coastline visible behind. Overlaid text reads: “A spaceport plans to dump tonnes of rocket junk into the sea north of Shetland, posing a risk to tourism and fishing.”
52014
The Ferret @theferret.scot · 25/06/2026
The full minutes, released after a two-year FOI battle, show Angus Robertson and Daniela Grudsky discussed Israeli technology for NHS Scotland and Israeli tourism. Read the full minutes here: www.theferret.scot/scottish-ministe…
Photo of Scottish Government minister Angus Robertson speaking to a television camera during an interview. He is wearing a dark suit and red striped tie, with blurred people visible in the background. Overlaid headline text reads: “Did Scottish ministers ‘rewrite history’ over Israel meeting?” The Ferret logo appears in the top-left corner.
2119