Robert Pyper

With Oscar the Springer, rewarded with fine views as the mist cleared on this morning's climb up Arran's Goat Fell. Keeps things in proper perspective ... #Arran #SpringerSpaniels

@PSOSGreaterGlas This makes the utterances of the SPFL, the feebleness of the Scottish Government and the silence of the SFA even more disgraceful (if not surprising, given their linkages and compromised positions).

Fourteen people were arrested in Glasgow during and after Celtic’s Premiership title win on Saturday, 16 May, 2026. Two officers were seriously injured in the Trongate disorder and three members of the public required hospital treatment. Read more: orlo.uk/ZF4W8

@spfl Distorted sense of priorities in this statement, given the violence directed towards police officers and others. SPFL and SFA not fit for purpose.

SPFL Statement "Firstly, we send our congratulations to Celtic on winning the William Hill Premiership in the most exciting of circumstances and send our commiserations to everyone at Heart of Midlothian following an incredible campaign. “We would also like to thank the referee and his excellent team of match officials for their cool heads on such a dramatic day. Given the speculation about the conclusion of the game, we would like to make clear that, prior to awarding the trophy, we were informed by the match referee that the match had ended and had not been abandoned. "Yesterday’s match showed off the very best of the Scottish game and the drama and excitement that it is rightly famed for. The eyes of the world were on Glasgow and the climax of the William Hill Premiership, with millions of viewers watching the match on Sky Sports and across the globe. "However, we utterly condemn the scenes which saw a number of Celtic supporters encroach onto the field of play. We await the report of our match delegate regarding any specific incidents that took place but, regardless, supporters entering the field of play in any circumstances is wholly unacceptable and puts those participating and working at a match at risk. We note that entering the pitch in England and Wales has been a criminal offence since 1991. We urge anyone with information about any alleged criminal activity to contact Police Scotland."

Given the scenes in Glasgow over the past few hours, the silence tonight from a Scottish political and sporting establishment (with all of its personnel overlaps), which is normally eager to rush into comment, is very, very telling ...

@LucyHunterB The logical end-point, given the trends of recent years. Now well beyond redemption.

Current signs are that the best way to understand the Scottish Parliament in the 2026-2031 Session will be as a performance space, not as a place concerned with the detail of urgent political problem-solving. Expecting much of the latter is likely to leave you disappointed.

Addressing the scandal in Scottish football: 1. Demote Walsh, Clancy, Beaton, Robertson and the others to the lower leagues; 2. Bring in professional officials from countries with referees at World Cup Finals level; 3. Replace Collum with an outside appointee; 4. Bin VAR.

@grahamruthven The current 'system' delivers a pattern of advantage to the establishment club, so nothing of significance will change.

Last night felt like a watershed moment that will ultimately lead to some sort of change around VAR in Scotland. This can’t continue. Our referees aren’t good enough to use it and the quality of VAR isn’t good enough to be used.

@overlandertheb1 I believe that devolution has seriously exacerbated existing tendencies.

Is this the inevitable result of devolution? (I voted for it in 1997, not thinking it could do any harm.)

Incompetence and corruption run through every aspect of Scottish public life, including the major sport.

@DPJHodges The Scottish refereeing system has been characterised by equal measures of incompetence and corruption for years.

Away from the Westminster drama for a second, there’s a proper scandal developing in Scottish football. Some staggering VAR decisions being awarded to Celtic as the try to stop Herts breaking the Old Firm monopoly. Actually quite shocking to see

@LucyHunterB The procedures, practices, behaviours, and personnel of a mediocre students' union.

The Scottish Parliament allows unlimited remote voting (& speaking), on a system requiring no sort of biometric validation at the point of voting, and which can be operated from anywhere in the world with a wifi connection, and does not provide any record of when it's been used./

In devolved Scotland, we have perpetual 'activism' and 'campaigning' in lieu of proper government. In which light, an election period is simply a continuation of the tedious norm.

Before the sanctification of Olly Robbins goes too far: his over-eagerness to 'deliver' without qualification for two weak PMs only added to the self-inflected problems of Theresa May and Keir Starmer.

The adverse consequences of having incompetent mediocrities populating the ranks of both political and civil service 'leadership'. Chickens now coming home to roost in Whitehall and Westminster (they are already comfortably berthed in Edinburgh ...)

If the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary knew about Mandelson's vetting failure they are culpable of lying. If they didn't know, they are incompetent. Either way, using the Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Office as a human shield should not be an option.

@LucyHunterB @hardlyperennial Especially in the closed, incestuous world of the Scottish public and 'third' sectors. Our much vaunted 'civil society' in all its glory. The Caledonian nomenklatura.

Anti-gravity, where people fall upwards.

@DSanderson_85 Further evidence of the closed, corrupt, nature of the centralised Edinburgh statelet. Let's not pretend that this will change following the May election. #faileddevolution

The murky world of the SNP and the charity activists it backs with millions: 📢 Sexual harassment campaign dropped so it did not embarrass SNP amid Salmond case 👋 Academic forced out as gender views risked funding cuts 💰Funded orgs pressured to back policies Link ⬇️

@LucyHunterB Incompetent, activist minister, plus incompetent, compromised civil servants ...

This is one of the people who will have had the most intense briefing from publicly-funded officials in the civil service about the operation on the Equality Act.

The Minister for Equalities. Agonisingly and yet confidently out of her depth.

@LucyHunterB @MrTCHarris Again.

@snapperup @BBCScotland Blut und boden ...

@BPyper @BBCScotland Meant to be 'light-hearted', I assume. That'll be right.

Martin Geissler on Scotcast @BBCScotland asks A Cole-Hamilton a series of questions he says he's going to be asking all the party leaders in interviews pre-election. One of them is: 'what's the most Scottish thing about you?'. FFS.