Andy Philip

Weirdly, I see this after an ace day at Glenshee!

Exclusive: Home Office in cash talks for Inverness Cameron Barracks asylum plan The UK Government is under pressure to ease the strain locally when 300 men are housed in the city.

Highland Council will discuss the Home Office plan to house asylum seekers in an Inverness barracks today.
One of the odd parts of this is the lack of transparency on paying for it.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Stirling is going to be a fascinating place to cover in the run-up to the Holyrood election.
If you want to come and talk about the big talking points and help shape our campaigns, we're at the Albert Halls on 10th November.
All the details below...

Do people in Dundee still support the city's twinning with Nablus in Palestine? As the UK recognises a Palestinian state, what does the 45th anniversary of the historic Dundee-Nablus twinning mean to people in the city today?

Interesting views here from the streets of Dundee, 45 years since the city was twinned with the Palestinian city of Nablus.
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/dund...

If it all looks too expensive and never gets off the ground, it is a very big lesson in the very big list of woeful infrastructure decisions.

Fraserburgh and Peterhead now 'strongest candidates in Scotland' for new rail links Campaigners say it’s more important than ever to reverse historic railway cuts in north Aberdeenshire - ahead of a major energy conference.

I grew up near the route of the old Aberdeen-Ellon-Fraserburgh railway - it would have made my life a lot easier.
Freight was still using the line after oil was struck, and towns mushroomed.
Maybe a pipe dream, but this would be great for the region.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Party crasher: accidental oilman Guy Ingerson's mission to clean up his old industry Guy Ingerson wants to see an end to the economic reliance on North Sea oil and gas, but he knows just how complex the issue is in the north-east. Because

5 years on, the P&J and Courier's 'generation next' crystal ball continues to prove its worth.
Here's our profile from 2020 on Guy Ingerson, the Green who has just beaten Maggie Chapman off the top of the North East Scotland list for Holyrood next May.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/education...

Shunned Tall Ship spotted floating near Buckie Harbour after ban from Aberdeen festival The boat was denied entry to the Granite City due to her captain's nationality.

Shunned Tall Ship spotted floating near Buckie Harbour after ban from Aberdeen festival

What does the future hold for towns like Portlethen as oil and gas declines? The sector has long been a huge employer locally - but how do residents and businesses feel as the industry declines?

Meanwhile, @justinbowie1997.bsky.social has been taking a close look at what the shift from oil and gas actually means for communities built on the industry.
Here's his report from Portlethen, just outside Aberdeen.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

EXCLUSIVE: NHS Fife chief faces internal revolt over 'disastrous' handling of Sandie Peggie case Carol Potter has faced external calls to quit but confidence in her leadership has also been dented internally.

Back from some mighty fine holidaying, and looking over some great reporting of the big stories across @pressandjournal.co.uk and @thecourier.co.uk .
Straight back into the Sandie Peggie/NHS Fife story with a primer here from @alasdairclark.bsky.social
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Interim Dundee University finance chief quits after eight days in job Chris Reilly left his post by mutual consent as a staff merry-go round at the troubled institution continues.

How it ended today:
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

New Dundee University boss says he wouldn't have paused retirement for any other job In an exclusive sit down with The Courier, interim Dundee University principal Nigel Seaton sets out how he plans to win back trust and stabilise the troubled institution.

How it started today:
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Trigger warning: hipsterism, old man, dad posts.
Listening to Pulp at Glastonbury on radio telling my kids about being there in 1994 whether they like it or not. I've obviously chucked in stuff about seeing Oasis before they were famous.

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Dundee University principal Iain Gillespie resigned by text The circumstances around Professor Iain Gillespie's abrupt exit can be revealed for the first time.

And here's a bonus story from last night as @thecourier.co.uk reveals how the last principal announced his abrupt departure.
Dumped by text, no less.
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

5 key moments from Dundee University former bosses grilling in parliament Former leaders at the crisis-hit Dundee University faced four hours of questioning from MSPs on parliament's education committee.

Yesterday was a full-on four-hour ordeal for three former senior staff.
You can catch up on the highlights here too.
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Dundee University live updates as ex-principal faces Holyrood grilling Former Dundee University principal Iain Gillespie is set to face MSPs in front of Holyrood's education committee. Follow our live coverage.

Morning! We're here for day two of full coverage in the Dundee University saga at the Scottish Parliament.
You can follow all the updates here as ex-principal Iain Gillespie faces the education committee on what went wrong.
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

SNP feels 'betrayal' as Fergus Ewing plans election bid against his former office worker Highlands MSP Emma Roddick, who used to work for Mr Ewing, told the P&J she’s saddened at the move – but her Holyrood election campaign rolls on.

"The party's National Secretary has written to Fergus Ewing to indicate that his decision to stand as an independent candidate against the SNP has invalidated his party membership"
My take on a twisting, then sudden, end to a long life in the SNP.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Fergus Ewing will stand against SNP candidate in Inverness and Nairn at Holyrood election The Highland veteran previously told The Press and Journal he would not be running for the nationalists at the next Holyrood election.

An interest dynamic brewing in the Inverness and Nairn constituency at next year's Scottish election.
Fergus Ewing tells us he'll stand as an independent, in a seat the SNP hope to hold.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

BREAKING: Dundee University principals blamed for catalogue of failures that led to financial crisis A major independent probe has revealed ex-principal Iain Gillespie and other senior leaders – including current chief Shane O'Neill – breached ethics rules and operated in 'isolation of facts'

Here's the big one: Full report on Dundee University now published, and looks devastating for the leadership group.

www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Dundee University live updates as institution braces for findings of major probe into crisis The findings of Professor Pamela Gillies's independent probe will be revealed on Thursday.

We're expecting a big day in the future of Dundee University today, and @thecourier.co.uk will have it all covered right here.
Follow each development and get a handle on all the background with our in-depth analysis, updated through the day.
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Post Office campaign hero Alan Bates has now joined in with some words of encouragement for Aberdeen Raac residents too.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/business/...

Raac live debate with council chiefs and homeowners: All the explosive highlights Aberdeen homeowners came face-to-face with city leaders and politicians in an emotionally charged Q&A.

This is well worth a moment of your time.
We put politicians in front of Aberdeen residents caught up in the Raac housing crisis for what turned out to be a brutal Q&A.
The P&J has been doing tremendous work on this.
Read Lindsay Bruce's report here.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/6780...

Exclusive: Huntly councillor becomes SIXTH Aberdeenshire Tory to join Reform Lauren Knight made the switch to Nigel Farage’s party as a Conservative crisis in the north-east continues

Yet another Tory councillor has switched to Reform in Aberdeenshire.
That's 6.
Plus another in Aberdeen.
An ex SNP cllr also joined in Aberdeenshire.
Latest here:
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

We also look at the human cost of tough political choices, in this case the upheaval facing one 85-year-old in sheltered housing in Aberdeenshire.
thestooshie.podbean.com/e/st-andrews...

We talk through the lows and lows of the upcoming Holyrood by-election in the latest Stooshie politics podcast.
But the focus is on our in-depth coverage of what’s happening at St Andrews Uni as the fallout from the rector’s Israel/Gaza comments continues.
thestooshie.podbean.com/e/st-andrews...

Inspirational stuff.

Gamrie grandmother has stayed in village her whole life - sheltered housing closures could force her to leave Margaret Murray, 85, sold her family home to move into Gamrie Court Bay just three months before it was earmarked for closure.

At the @pressandjournal.co.uk, we've been digging into the human impact of policy choices while budgets are evaporating.
This is how it feels to be on the sharp end of potential cost cutting in sheltered housing.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Could Rosyth-Europe ferry set sail thanks to Brexit reset? Hopes have been raised for a simple solution to a cross-border problem.

We've been on each twist and turn of the campaign to reinstate Scotland's last ferry link to the rest of Europe.
Much of it has been on the efforts of the project backers.
But this time there might be some unexpected help through Starmer's EU reset.
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

The Stooshie politics podcast is out now
- Colleges need more love... We look at UHI Perth and Nescol in north-east.
- If they can't train the workers of the future, what's the point of a 'just transition'?
- Reform/Tory tension in Aberdeenshire
thestooshie.podbean.com/e/reform-def...

EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University principal who quit during crisis given six-months' salary pay-off Interim finance director Helen Simpson is also set to stand down at the end of June.

Nice work if you can get it!
www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...