The Scottish Politics Thread

[Tichtheid]

I'd be surprised if digital forensics can't be used to retrieve deleted WhatsApp messages.

Anyway, as much as I'd like to lambast those in government for deleting messages, or those in opposition for that matter, I can actually see the point about security on phones and laptops - of course I don't believe that is why they were deleted, but I think they should be scrubbed because a phone can be hacked or stolen or lost.

When I retired it couldn't be done and there was no expectation that that was going to ever change. It's got incredibly sophisticated encryption.

There is a digital extraction tool called Cellebrite which, along with others, the FBI have used to recover deleted WhatsApp messages in drugs investigations.
Someone who worked in this field told me a while back that the only way to get rid of of data on a hard drive was to physically destroy the drive, even if it’s overwritten several times they can still retrieve information from it several layers down

From a quick read, the whatsapp retrieval tools aren’t perfect but they are improving, when a message is deleted it is scattered rather than vanished, a bit like putting paper documents through a shredder- the tool finds a way to piece the paper back together

I’d agree with inactionman that whatsapp shouldn’t be used for official business

[Wylie Coyote]

I can't believe I am typing this but Alec Salmond makes some pretty good points in this interview with Andrew Marr:

https://x.com/LBCNews/status/1752587191572729950?s=20

[Blackmac]

I'd be surprised if digital forensics can't be used to retrieve deleted WhatsApp messages.

Anyway, as much as I'd like to lambast those in government for deleting messages, or those in opposition for that matter, I can actually see the point about security on phones and laptops - of course I don't believe that is why they were deleted, but I think they should be scrubbed because a phone can be hacked or stolen or lost.

When I retired it couldn't be done and there was no expectation that that was going to ever change. It's got incredibly sophisticated encryption.

There is a digital extraction tool called Cellebrite which, along with others, the FBI have used to recover deleted WhatsApp messages in drugs investigations.
Someone who worked in this field told me a while back that the only way to get rid of of data on a hard drive was to physically destroy the drive, even if it’s overwritten several times they can still retrieve information from it several layers down

From a quick read, the whatsapp retrieval tools aren’t perfect but they are improving, when a message is deleted it is scattered rather than vanished, a bit like putting paper documents through a shredder- the tool finds a way to piece the paper back together

I’d agree with inactionman that whatsapp shouldn’t be used for official business

Apologies, I'm getting retrieval mixed up with remote accessing. Yes, if you have physical access most deleted info from hard drives can be accessed in some way or another.

Twenty years ago I had the misfortune of deleting and reformatting the card of my digital camera after our visit to Disneyland. No civilian data recovery company could retrieve anything, however the computer techs at the old Scottish Crime Squad had just received a new programme which saved my bacon. Best bottle of malt I ever spent.

[Blackmac]

I can't believe I am typing this but Alec Salmond makes some pretty good points in this interview with Andrew Marr:

https://x.com/LBCNews/status/1752587191572729950?s=20

Yeah. As any employed adult knows, it's rarely the act or omission that gets you in trouble. It's the cover up that gets you.

[SaintK]

Jumping before he's pushed?

With the Scottish parliament corporate body conducting an investigation, Matheson said he was “conscious that this process will conclude in the coming weeks”.
In a letter to the first minister, Humza Yousaf, he said: “It is in the best interests of myself and the government for me now to step down to ensure that this does not become a distraction to taking forward the government’s agenda.”

[Blackmac]

Jumping before he's pushed?

With the Scottish parliament corporate body conducting an investigation, Matheson said he was “conscious that this process will conclude in the coming weeks”.
In a letter to the first minister, Humza Yousaf, he said: “It is in the best interests of myself and the government for me now to step down to ensure that this does not become a distraction to taking forward the government’s agenda.”

Odd that some papers were reporting that he received the report yesterday and it is incredibly scathing. I notice his resignation doesn't include any acknowledgement of wrongdoing but a few references to his achievements. I think that's one of the most difficult things I find to accept with this lot. Never any acknowledgement of wrong doing or apology.

[Slick]

Awful leadership from the FM to let it get here. A pair of idiots

[Big D]

Apparently the Redcoat Cafe at Edinburgh castle has had a renovation. It looks quite nice but seems to have angered some online despite it having been named that for years.

[Slick]

Apparently the Redcoat Cafe at Edinburgh castle has had a renovation. It looks quite nice but seems to have angered some online despite it having been named that for years.

I'm constantly amazed at the coordination of these kind of attacks. Within minutes social media is full of the same outraged posts.

[Big D]

Apparently the Redcoat Cafe at Edinburgh castle has had a renovation. It looks quite nice but seems to have angered some online despite it having been named that for years.

I'm constantly amazed at the coordination of these kind of attacks. Within minutes social media is full of the same outraged posts.

"I wont be back", the cry of folk who probably have never been.

[Slick]

Apparently the Redcoat Cafe at Edinburgh castle has had a renovation. It looks quite nice but seems to have angered some online despite it having been named that for years.

I'm constantly amazed at the coordination of these kind of attacks. Within minutes social media is full of the same outraged posts.

"I wont be back", the cry of folk who probably have never been.

Quite. Also, some of the comments from MSP's and councillors sound very close to "we don't like this history so can we scrub it and have our kind of history."

[weegie01]

"I wont be back", the cry of folk who probably have never been.

'Have never been' rather than 'Probably....' otherwise they would know it has always been so named.

In addition to which, Edinburgh Castle has been a red coat garrison since the Union.

[tc27]

"I wont be back", the cry of folk who probably have never been.

'Have never been' rather than 'Probably....' otherwise they would know it has always been so named.

In addition to which, Edinburgh Castle has been a red coat garrison since the Union.

I honestly thought this was a parody.

There are loons in every movement but its getting boosted by MSPs.

[Blackmac]

I'm constantly amazed at the coordination of these kind of attacks. Within minutes social media is full of the same outraged posts.

"I wont be back", the cry of folk who probably have never been.

Quite. Also, some of the comments from MSP's and councillors sound very close to "we don't like this history so can we scrub it and have our kind of history."

They are the same small minded morons that think Culloden was Scotland verses England.

[Paddington Bear]

I think I’m right in saying that Scottish units adopted redcoats at much the same time as English ones (Civil Wars), and for much the same reason (cheap). Contrary to much of the comments on this, any red coats at Glencoe were not being worn by Englishmen

[tc27]

The Scottish army at time of the Civil wars wore grey uniforms.

Was at the start of the conflict the only professional standing army in the three Kingdoms (but under the control of the Scottish aristocracy not the King). It was probably the most powerful force in the first civil war but was later eclipsed by the New Model (who did wear red) which became a highly seasoned and fanatical fighting force.

I guess you could argue the Scottish troops that effectively became the first unit of the British army upon the restoration wore red.

[Blackmac]

"I wont be back", the cry of folk who probably have never been.

'Have never been' rather than 'Probably....' otherwise they would know it has always been so named.

In addition to which, Edinburgh Castle has been a red coat garrison since the Union.

I honestly thought this was a parody.

There are loons in every movement but its getting boosted by MSPs.

It's just highlighted how many of these nationalist loons have never stepped inside the place. A total insult to the hundreds of thousands of Scots who died wearing red coats.

[Tichtheid]

I've not really been following this story as I think there are bigger things to worry about than the name of a cafe, on the other hand I think those who pointed to the famous place names and statues and the connection with slavery were correct to do so - don't expunge history, just be honest and accurate about it.

To the victor go the spoils, etc, and one of the spoils is dressing soldiers in the tunic of those who defeated them. This was the case for the Highlanders and the way of life, post - '45, the Napoleonic wars saw thousands of Scottish troops in red coats, the Clearances and the Highland Famine saw need for thousands to find employment and the army were happy to take young men - in exchange for land for the few there was a harvesting of sons of many in the Highlands (not my phrase, one I remember from somewhere).

Maybe, and I emphasise the maybe, one side of this starts its "loyalty" at the point where Scots were recruited into a formative British army, maybe another side starts at a different point. What I've written is necessarily simplistic, but it's an interesting topic, in my view an extreme example is, should Uluru be called that or Ayre's Rock?

edit I think I saw that Edinburgh Castle are "reviewing" the name, and that of a Jacobite room of some sorts too.

[Jock42]

The Scottish army at time of the Civil wars wore grey uniforms.

Was at the start of the conflict the only professional standing army in the three Kingdoms (but under the control of the Scottish aristocracy not the King). It was probably the most powerful force in the first civil war but was later eclipsed by the New Model (who did wear red) which became a highly seasoned and fanatical fighting force.

I guess you could argue the Scottish troops that effectively became the first unit of the British army upon the restoration wore red.

I'm pretty sure that what became the Royal Scots wore red and that was pre War of the Three Kingdoms.

My regiment traces it's history back to 1725 when 6 independent companies were raised to police the highlands. They wore red coats then and at the first muster in 1739.

[Biffer]

I've not really been following this story as I think there are bigger things to worry about than the name of a cafe, on the other hand I think those who pointed to the famous place names and statues and the connection with slavery were correct to do so - don't expunge history, just be honest and accurate about it.

To the victor go the spoils, etc, and one of the spoils is dressing soldiers in the tunic of those who defeated them. This was the case for the Highlanders and the way of life, post - '45, the Napoleonic wars saw thousands of Scottish troops in red coats, the Clearances and the Highland Famine saw need for thousands to find employment and the army were happy to take young men - in exchange for land for the few there was a harvesting of sons of many in the Highlands (not my phrase, one I remember from somewhere).

Maybe, and I emphasise the maybe, one side of this starts its "loyalty" at the point where Scots were recruited into a formative British army, maybe another side starts at a different point. What I've written is necessarily simplistic, but it's an interesting topic, in my view an extreme example is, should Uluru be called that or Ayre's Rock?

edit I think I saw that Edinburgh Castle are "reviewing" the name, and that of a Jacobite room of some sorts too.

I saw someone mention that the redcoats have a fair amount of history with the Americans as well, which given they're part of the target audience for the castle might be considered.

[tc27]

Scottish military history around this time is fascinating..the Bishops Wars, the Covenantors, Montrose's rebellion and the second and third civil wars ETC

Its also a minefield of secretarian and religious contention...if you erase 'redcoats' because of the 45 (plenty of Scots wearing red in those battles) you probaly run into other problematic references. When I visited Edinburgh castle I thought it did a reasonable job of representing the whole of Scottish military history for the general public.

[petej]

Apparently the Redcoat Cafe at Edinburgh castle has had a renovation. It looks quite nice but seems to have angered some online despite it having been named that for years.

I'm constantly amazed at the coordination of these kind of attacks. Within minutes social media is full of the same outraged posts.

Bots and lunatics. Loads of people have left social media or rarely go on it. I think twitter et al are all lying about the number of active users.

[robmatic]

Apparently the Redcoat Cafe at Edinburgh castle has had a renovation. It looks quite nice but seems to have angered some online despite it having been named that for years.

I'm constantly amazed at the coordination of these kind of attacks. Within minutes social media is full of the same outraged posts.

Bots and lunatics. Loads of people have left social media or rarely go on it. I think twitter et al are all lying about the number of active users.

I still read Twitter but actually posting and interacting with people on there is a fool's errand now.

[Slick]

I'm constantly amazed at the coordination of these kind of attacks. Within minutes social media is full of the same outraged posts.

Bots and lunatics. Loads of people have left social media or rarely go on it. I think twitter et al are all lying about the number of active users.

I still read Twitter but actually posting and interacting with people on there is a fool's errand now.

I deleted my account a few years back but went back as I started taking up new hobbies etc. I have “curated” it pretty well - hillwalking, AF beer, rugby, bit of history and art - and anyone that strays into politics I unfollow straight away. It’s works pretty well.

But…. I can’t help straying into that “For You” madness and end up going down an idiot rabbit hole. My own fault.

[Slick]

I'm fairly sure this new hate crimes business will cause lots of online angst then disappear up its own arse like so many of these ill thought out laws we are so keen on. However, there does seem something quite sinister about setting up 400 locations where citizens can go and report someone, anonymously, for saying something they don't like.

[Blackmac]

I'm fairly sure this new hate crimes business will cause lots of online angst then disappear up its own arse like so many of these ill thought out laws we are so keen on. However, there does seem something quite sinister about setting up 400 locations where citizens can go and report someone, anonymously, for saying something they don't like.

Yeah. Some off the stuff being said about the bill is just ridiculous. It's barely much more of an extension of the existing legislation and not nearly as draconian as folk are suggesting. The reporting aspect of it is absolutely farcical, as is the suggestion that the police will "relentlessly pursue" every complaint a few days after they publicly declared that they can't cope with investigating what they have at the moment. As to the "hate monster" campaign, that is just embarrassing, accompanied by its own pretty prejudicial accusations against white, 18 to 30 year olds.

As to Michael Matheson, surely he has to resign after this report has found significant breaches of the code of conduct. And he was backed to the hilt by Yousless.

[robmatic]

I see the Scottish Government is pressing ahead with plans for more rent controls, after the interim rent controls they put in over the last couple of years worked so well (Scotland ended up with bigger increases than anywhere else in the UK).

I have some skin in the game here as I let out a property in central Edinburgh so I am curious how this will pan out. I'm not overly concerned about the actual limits to the rent increases, as my mortgage is small and it is voids more than anything else that affect the sums for me, but I am thinking that redecorating the place or doing more than the minimum refurbishment will be a waste of money next time it goes on the market. I will also probably be able to be quite picky about prospective tenants. I suspect these measures won't do much to increase supply or housing quality for tenants.

[Biffer]

I see the Scottish Government is pressing ahead with plans for more rent controls, after the interim rent controls they put in over the last couple of years worked so well (Scotland ended up with bigger increases than anywhere else in the UK).

I have some skin in the game here as I let out a property in central Edinburgh so I am curious how this will pan out. I'm not overly concerned about the actual limits to the rent increases, as my mortgage is small and it is voids more than anything else that affect the sums for me, but I am thinking that redecorating the place or doing more than the minimum refurbishment will be a waste of money next time it goes on the market. I will also probably be able to be quite picky about prospective tenants. I suspect these measures won't do much to increase supply or housing quality for tenants.

The only thing that will affect housing is building more houses. That's not left or right wing it's just fucking true.

[robmatic]

I see the Scottish Government is pressing ahead with plans for more rent controls, after the interim rent controls they put in over the last couple of years worked so well (Scotland ended up with bigger increases than anywhere else in the UK).

I have some skin in the game here as I let out a property in central Edinburgh so I am curious how this will pan out. I'm not overly concerned about the actual limits to the rent increases, as my mortgage is small and it is voids more than anything else that affect the sums for me, but I am thinking that redecorating the place or doing more than the minimum refurbishment will be a waste of money next time it goes on the market. I will also probably be able to be quite picky about prospective tenants. I suspect these measures won't do much to increase supply or housing quality for tenants.

The only thing that will affect housing is building more houses. That's not left or right wing it's just fucking true.

Also coincidentally the only potential solution that nobody in the UK will try.

It probably doesn't help that Edinburgh is NIMBY-central and I'm not sure the rest of Scotland is any better.

[inactionman]

They're already building houses in Edinburgh at an eyewatering rate of knots.

I'd hate to live on the estates they're building, mind. Miles out of town, a sea of Barrett homes and only a co-op local by way of any facility.

[Slick]

They're already building houses in Edinburgh at an eyewatering rate of knots.

I'd hate to live on the estates they're building, mind. Miles out of town, a sea of Barrett homes and only a co-op local by way of any facility.

And of course no other infrastructure to support them

[Paddington Bear]

They're already building houses in Edinburgh at an eyewatering rate of knots.

I'd hate to live on the estates they're building, mind. Miles out of town, a sea of Barrett homes and only a co-op local by way of any facility.

Yeah they never look particularly appealing even by Barrett standards. We need (UK wide) to build denser housing that takes up less green space and is easier to build supporting infrastructure for

[Blackmac]

They're already building houses in Edinburgh at an eyewatering rate of knots.

I'd hate to live on the estates they're building, mind. Miles out of town, a sea of Barrett homes and only a co-op local by way of any facility.

And of course no other infrastructure to support them

The population of Midlothian has nearly doubled in the last 15 years and there has not been one improvement to the roads infrastructure, in fact they have constantly made it worse with more junctions and traffic lights. I saw a report that the A701 is now one of the busiest stretches of commuter roadway outside of London. Apparently Midlothian council have been rejecting planning applications for years but constantly get over ruled on appeal.

[Tichtheid]

They're already building houses in Edinburgh at an eyewatering rate of knots.

I'd hate to live on the estates they're building, mind. Miles out of town, a sea of Barrett homes and only a co-op local by way of any facility.

And of course no other infrastructure to support them

The population of Midlothian has nearly doubled in the last 15 years and there has not been one improvement to the roads infrastructure, in fact they have constantly made it worse with more junctions and traffic lights. I saw a report that the A701 is now one of the busiest stretches of commuter roadway outside of London. Apparently Midlothian council have been rejecting planning applications for years but constantly get over ruled on appeal.

East Lothian is the same. The schools have been expanded but that's about it in terms of the infrastructure keeping pace with the house building.

[inactionman]

They're already building houses in Edinburgh at an eyewatering rate of knots.

I'd hate to live on the estates they're building, mind. Miles out of town, a sea of Barrett homes and only a co-op local by way of any facility.

And of course no other infrastructure to support them

They (Holyrood) are apparently considering extending the tram out my way. Not just for me, of course, but to connect in the Royal Infirmary. Wondering if they could loop it round and link in the suburbia they're building, but of course that won't happen.

It's not committed to - although it was part of the original phase 2 plans, at least until phase 2 became just completing phase 1 properly, and if it even happens it'll be decades away. Probably just in time for my retirement.

[inactionman]

And of course no other infrastructure to support them

The population of Midlothian has nearly doubled in the last 15 years and there has not been one improvement to the roads infrastructure, in fact they have constantly made it worse with more junctions and traffic lights. I saw a report that the A701 is now one of the busiest stretches of commuter roadway outside of London. Apparently Midlothian council have been rejecting planning applications for years but constantly get over ruled on appeal.

East Lothian is the same. The schools have been expanded but that's about it in terms of the infrastructure keeping pace with the house building.

They have built the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh but to be honest that looks more like just re-siting from Marchmont so they can rake in a load of cash in land sales. I'm not sure it's raised capacity all that much.

[Tichtheid]

The population of Midlothian has nearly doubled in the last 15 years and there has not been one improvement to the roads infrastructure, in fact they have constantly made it worse with more junctions and traffic lights. I saw a report that the A701 is now one of the busiest stretches of commuter roadway outside of London. Apparently Midlothian council have been rejecting planning applications for years but constantly get over ruled on appeal.

East Lothian is the same. The schools have been expanded but that's about it in terms of the infrastructure keeping pace with the house building.

They have built the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh but to be honest that looks more like just re-siting from Marchmont so they can rake in a load of cash in land sales. I'm not sure it's raised capacity all that much.

Yeah the hospitals are a thing in themselves. The A&E in Haddington has been closed down, the closest to East Lothian is now either Melrose or the Royal.

Outpatients appointments at the new Royal are very difficult for people in East Lothian using public transport. Patient Transport takes a whole day for a half hour appointment.

[robmatic]

I suppose I have the naive idea that it is the government's responsibility to provide the infrastructure for the population. Complaining about the housing being built is the wrong side of the equation.

There's been a fairly hefty population increase in Edinburgh and the Lothians over the last 20 years but not the investment to match it. That is surely a failing.

[Blackmac]

East Lothian is the same. The schools have been expanded but that's about it in terms of the infrastructure keeping pace with the house building.

They have built the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh but to be honest that looks more like just re-siting from Marchmont so they can rake in a load of cash in land sales. I'm not sure it's raised capacity all that much.

Yeah the hospitals are a thing in themselves. The A&E in Haddington has been closed down, the closest to East Lothian is now either Melrose or the Royal.

Outpatients appointments at the new Royal are very difficult for people in East Lothian using public transport. Patient Transport takes a whole day for a half hour appointment.

They are building a new school for Penicuik to replace Beeslack High School which is only about 45 years old but was never fit for purpose. Bizarrely the site they have chosen in on the failed Bush Estate development site outside the town. It will mean that every pupil has to be transported to the site causing further congestion, but it is conveniently within the 3 mile limit that means the council will not have to bear the transportation costs. It's hard to understand the madness.

[Tichtheid]

I suppose I have the naive idea that it is the government's responsibility to provide the infrastructure for the population. Complaining about the housing being built is the wrong side of the equation.

There's been a fairly hefty population increase in Edinburgh and the Lothians over the last 20 years but not the investment to match it. That is surely a failing.

From builders, through to planning and local authorities up to the Scottish government, it looks like a series of fuck ups.