I have this morning ended my lifelong support of
@RaithRovers
over their signing of the rapist David Goodwillie. I have cancelled next season’s shirt sponsorship over this disgusting and despicable move. This shatters any claim to be a community or family club. 1/2
Nobody wants to go into lockdown; but
@NicolaSturgeon
lays out the case for so necessary a step with clarity and courage. A leader is someone whose first priority is what's best for their people, rather than running scared of the bad news because people might not like it.
Some things never change... tweet one positive thing about
@NicolaSturgeon
and my Twitter feed fills to the brim with the bile and misogyny of the bots and the bigots. Every single time.
2/2 Goodwillie has never expressed a shred of remorse for the rape he committed. His presence at Starks Park is a stain on the club. I’ll be tearing up my season ticket too. This is a heartbreaker for me and many other fans, I know.
Though I’m republican by instinct, I felt great respect for the Queen. Duty, dignity and devotion her watchwords. But what I took away from meeting her was a genuine lively interest in the world around her. That, and a healthy sense of humour. RIP, now.
Just when you thought people couldn’t stoop lower… rich tourists doing the North West 500 route have been helping themselves to the Lochinver Community Larder (a sort of food bank) Don’t you just love the benefits tourism brings to the Highlands?
The thought of the rapist David Goodwillie running out on the pitch at Starks Park in a
@RaithRovers
shirt with my name on it makes me feel physically sick.
I get it, I really do, and you deserve to live without harassment or insult, but I’m so sad to see you leave Parliament. Thanks for your courage and commitment; hope we see you in front line politics again before too long.
Given how the Labour Party has rewarded Diane Abbott's 37+ years of loyalty, I don't hold out much hope for how they're going to treat Scotland after the General Election...
That's me vaccinated then, thanks to the friendly and efficient NHS and Army medics. Pfizer in my arm -- seems appropriate; when I was UK Trainee Journalist of the Year, Pfizer awarded me a travel bursary of £600. (Back then, you could go to the moon and back for £600...)
Think hard before Thursday. If you don’t want a serial liar as your PM, it’s not enough just to not vote Tory. You have to make a positive alternative choice. It might not be a party you entirely support. But this time, for all our sakes, bite the bullet.
I'll be on
@BBCWomansHour
around 9.45 talking about the shameful events
@RaithRovers
and how we circle the wagons round the women and girls who play their football in Kirkaldy.
Brexit makes me sad, anxious, regretful and angry. But it can’t stop me being European to my core. Like my fellow Scots, I refuse to succumb to isolationism.
#LeaveALightOnForScotland
And now for the good news -- 1979 is now officially my best-selling hardback to date. Thanks to all you lovely readers who made it happen. The paperback is out on Thursday, the perfect Valentine's Day gift... (well, there's a wee bit of romance there.)
Every single time an individual contracts COVID it creates the conditions for a new variant. Every single time. Some of those variants will work in our favour.
Some will not.
That’s all, folks.
CLUB STATEMENT | Raith Rovers have released the following statement regarding David Goodwillie, to confirm that the player will not represent the club.
Discussions are underway with the player regarding his contractual position:
Hello, hello, hello! I’ve been quiet on here lately because I’ve had my nose to the grindstone finishing Karen Pirie 7.
Happy to say I’ve completed my first draft and I will be spending the rest of this week glueing my brain back together.
Anything happened while I’ve been away?
On this strangest of Christmas mornings, I hope you all find nuggets of hope and happiness to lift your spirits. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Esther McVey's sacking means we'll be on to our 10th Housing Minister since 2010. No wonder we're in the depths of a housing crisis in the UK. Nobody stays in the job long enough to understand the details of the problems and come up with fresh approaches to solving them.
So, I needed to replace a credit card and opted to apply for
@marksandspencer
's card. Filled in the forms, then got an email asking me to call them. One question - 'We can see your income and your age; are you thinking of retiring soon?'Am I the only one who finds that insulting?
The last thing we want or need in modern Scotland is the rise of blood nationalism. The people who should have a say in this country’s future are those who live here. End of.
as i've said elsewhere, i've lived, worked and paid taxes here for more than 20 years, yet it's suggested that someone born here but, hypothetically, moved to london aged one and currently lives in france but retains a uk vote could choose scotland's future. f*** that.
Waking up in
@univofstandrews
to the exciting prospect of receiving an honorary degree from the oldest of Scotland’s 4 ancient universities. Never imagined such a thing!
Tried to show
@BorisJohnson
the picture of Jack Williment-Barr. The 4-year-old with suspected pneumonia forced to lie on a pile of coats on the floor of a Leeds hospital.
The PM grabbed my phone and put it in his pocket:
@itvcalendar
|
#GE19
Magic Moments: walking down Union Street, Aberdeen, with
@funlovinwriters
post-gig - a guy pissing in a doorway pauses mid-stream and starts singing, ‘one Val McDermid, there’s only one Val McDermid...’ probably my most unusual moment of recognition.
Independent Scotland would base citizenship on current Irish model (And just a wee reminder that there's no such thing as Scottish Labour; just a branch office)
Just had a leaflet through my door from a local MSP. Four pages of telling me how wonderful he is. Nowhere does it mention that he's a Tory. Now even their elected officials are afraid to be associated with Boris.
Last night I was awarded the Glass Dagger, made at the Glass School in Rheinbach. Their glass industry was founded post-WWII by Bohemian refugees whose craft created a lasting boost to the town’s economy. I’ve asked for post-Brexit refugee status...
I'm baffled by the stooshie over
#QueensferryCrossing
closure due to adverse weather. Because I remember the UKIP councillor who blamed the extreme weather & flooding down south on gay marriage. Obvs this problem is not because of the SNP but because there are too many gays here.
I wish you all the very best for this festive season. And for 2020, good health, good companionship, laughter and love, food on the table and a secure roof over your head. Plus good books to read and music to make your heart sing.
Thank you so much to everyone who has sent their birthday wishes. It's hard to feel socially distanced when I'm surrounded by so much love! Stay safe, and stay well till we can all be together again.
Today's insult at the despatch box from our civilised and sophisticated PM does raise a question I've often pondered. Is it 'big girl's blouse,' or 'big girls' blouse"? Ie, is it the girl or the blouse that's big? Academic, I suppose, but that's the joy of pedantry.
So, the manuscript is delivered, the thumbs are up; notes next week. I have my life back and the inside of my head has grown quieter.
Normal service resumed.
Sort of...
Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Sue Grafton. She was amazingly generous to me when I was starting out and remained a good and supportive pal. And Kinsey Millhone was one of the pioneering female PIs who showed the rest of us the way.
To her skills as a Professor of Geography and videographer.
@ProfJoSharp
can now add hair stylist (trainee). Feel like myself again!
@HIMGrooming
Thanks for all the warm wishes and crossed fingers. I miss you all so much, but hope you have a criminally great time.
#theakstonscrime
@HarrogateFest
“It’s almost as if my opponents have concluded they can’t beat me or remove me from office themselves.
“So they’re crossing their fingers and hoping I’ll remove myself from office, but they’re going to be really disappointed.”
We now have wild garlic pesto with pumpkin seeds, wild garlic pesto with walnuts, wild garlic pesto with toasted pine nuts and a large jar of brewing wild garlic oil. We may have got carried away. But boy, are we making sure of social distancing...
Staggering statistic I heard today: there are now more food banks in the UK than there are branches of McDonalds. And I think we all know how common a sight those golden arches are.
NEW: UK Supreme Court rules unanimously that the Scottish Parliament “does *not* have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence.” Or at least it cannot do so lawfully without Westminster’s approval.
She's paid to report, not to deride. If she were even-handed in her 'commentary' I would have no complaint. Don't you dare accuse me of blind worship,
@ArtyBagger
. You should know better than that.
@valmcdermid
@bbclaurak
Mocking politicians of all and every party instead of beatifying them used to be the norm in Scotland. We were rather good at it. The bedrock of Scots humour. Not sure I even recognise this ‘worship the great leader or else’ thing. It’s so not ...Scottish.
It would have transformed my life. I'd have discovered there were such creatures as lesbians in my bewildered teens. It's so exhilarating to know it will change other lives -- not just for LGBTQ people but also for those whose hate comes from ignorance.
"I once had to go through that same system"
In a TV exclusive with
#BBCBreakfast
@MarcusRashford
explains why he's calling for a u-turn over the decision to end free school meal vouchers in England over summer.
More here: