Ian Johnston
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ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Ian Johnston
@ianjohnston0.bsky.social
500 followers 250 following 36 posts
Comment editor and leader writer @thescotsmanpaper.bsky.social. My interests include politics, science, the environment, history and chess. Ex-NBC and Independent.
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ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Many previous Nobel Prizes have been given for reasons that are entirely at odds with Trump’s ‘values’, statements and actions www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
9 reasons why Donald Trump won't win the Nobel Peace Prize (unless committee abandons its values)
Donald Trump thinks he should win the Nobel Peace Prize, but he also knows that he won’t
www.scotsman.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Reposted by Ian Johnston
johnconstablera.bsky.social
Good Day!
The Cornfield with Stooks by John Nash c. 1918
Oil on Canvas
(Private Collection)
August 13, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Reposted by Ian Johnston
pennyend.bsky.social
I do worry about what increased wildfires are doing to carbon sinks
drsimevans.carbonbrief.org Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · Aug 8
NEW ANALYSIS: Wildfires have already scorched a UK-record land area in 2025, double the previous high – and 4x above average

By Orla Dwyer, Ho Woo Nam + Tom Prater

www.carbonbrief.org/...
August 8, 2025 at 2:06 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Why Jeremy Clarkson's discovery of 'genuinely alarming' effects of climate change is so important www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why Jeremy Clarkson's discovery of 'genuinely alarming' effects of climate change is so important
TV star and farmer Jeremy Clarkson warns this year’s harvest is expected to be ‘catastrophic’ because of bad weather, adding ‘that should be a worry for anyone who eats food’
www.scotsman.com
August 13, 2025 at 8:35 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Demise of hybrid cars in Norway shows how UK is falling behind in technological race www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Demise of Norway's hybrid cars shows how UK is falling behind in technological race
While Norway is buying a tiny number of new hybrid cars, in the UK they make up about a quarter of the market
www.scotsman.com
August 6, 2025 at 8:45 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Why a bland BBC report about migrants should make us fear for our future www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why a bland BBC report about migrants should make us fear for our future
On the question of immigration, the UK’s ‘Overton Window’ of acceptable views has been shifting in an alarming direction
www.scotsman.com
July 31, 2025 at 8:21 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
A message from Scotland to Donald Trump: It's time to call Benjamin Netanyahu and end Gaza's nightmare www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
A message from Scotland to Donald Trump: It's time to call Netanyahu and end Gaza's nightmare
If Donald Trump can stop the carnage in Gaza, he would surely have a good chance of winning the Nobel Peace Prize that he covets
www.scotsman.com
July 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
I found this very moving. Please share:
Why Palestinians in Gaza are protesting with photos of Israeli children killed by Hamas www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why Palestinians in Gaza are protesting with photos of Israeli children killed by Hamas
Gaza Youth Committee founder Rami Aman says many people in Gaza do not support Hamas, only want peace and mourn for the Israeli children who have been killed, as well as their own
www.scotsman.com
July 14, 2025 at 10:22 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
In its stances on climate change, vaccines and immigration, Reform UK demonstrates it should be taken about as seriously as the modern-day druids chanting prayers of protection against Covid www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why Nigel Farage is the High Druid of our burgeoning Age of Unreason
In its stances on climate change, vaccines and immigration, Reform UK demonstrates it should be taken about as seriously as the modern-day druids chanting prayers of protection against Covid
www.scotsman.com
June 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
The Scotsman's fascinating editorial comment published on VE Day 1945 www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
The Scotsman's editorial from VE Day 1945: 'We have earned the right to celebrate'
On May 8, 1945, The Scotsman wrote that, while the Second World War had been ‘decisively won’, this did not necessarily mean that ‘an era of universal peace will automatically be ushered in’
www.scotsman.com
May 8, 2025 at 8:14 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Israeli Haaretz newspaper's editorial is a must-read: "For seven weeks now, the government has employed a policy of starvation by banning the entry into the Strip of all food or other humanitarian aid." www.haaretz.com/opinion/edit...
Gaza's malnourished children cannot wait. They need food now | Editorial
***
www.haaretz.com
April 24, 2025 at 1:13 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why jolly face of Putin's killing machine in UK has even more to laugh about
With Vladimir Putin’s lies about Ukraine being repeated by US President Donald Trump, the UK needs to stand up for the truth or risk becoming as morally compromised as the jocular Russian ambassador
www.scotsman.com
April 16, 2025 at 1:38 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Special offer: subscribe to The Scotsman for just £1 a month for three months
www.scotsman.com/subscription...
Subscribe | The Scotsman
Scottish perspective on news, sport, business, lifestyle, food and drink and more, from Scotland's national newspaper, The Scotsman.
www.scotsman.com
April 16, 2025 at 1:38 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
I'm imposing my own tariffs on Tesco, M&S and all the rest, taking inspiration from my new-found economic guru Donald Trump
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Here's how I'm bringing Donald Trump's 'proven economic formula' into my life
From today, I will be imposing my own tariffs on everyone I trade with, just like my newfound hero Donald J Trump
www.scotsman.com
April 9, 2025 at 5:02 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
www.dailymotion.com/video/x9fbdq6
Scottish Opera’s award-winning animated short film Josefine
Dailymotion video by The Scotsman
www.dailymotion.com
February 28, 2025 at 11:25 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
This is brilliant by Telegraph's Matt (riffing on story about George Washington's famous honesty) www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/matt-...
Matt cartoons – February 2025
www.telegraph.co.uk
February 20, 2025 at 11:56 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
UK should heed Danish PM's words about the need to rearm as Russia threat grows. She has told her defence minister to “buy, buy, buy!", adding: “If we can't get the best equipment, buy the next best. There's only one thing that counts now, and that's speed.”
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
As Donald Trump's 'dictator' slur signals whose side he's on in Ukraine War, UK must urgently rearm
Donald Trump’s outrageous attack on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky must be condemned by all UK politicians, especially those who have aligned themselves with the US President
www.scotsman.com
February 20, 2025 at 8:52 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why Kemi Badenoch's decision to align Tories with Trump will destroy them
Echoing Donald Trump may seem like a good idea now, but does anyone really think his presidency will end well?
www.scotsman.com
February 18, 2025 at 6:14 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Democratic government needs to be as efficient as possible, so it can deliver good frontline services and stave off Trumpish populism
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why Scotland's quango culture is undemocratic and has got to go
Scotland’s plethora of quangos is expensive, at a time when public services need all the money they can get, and poses a threat to democracy
www.scotsman.com
February 14, 2025 at 10:22 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
One of the comments on this article is: "'liberal fightback', (oxymoron) not gonna happen, you lost, we won, you are done." She might be right...
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Seven ways to launch a liberal fightback as Donald Trump reveals perils of populism
Liberals on the political right and left need to find a new way of doing politics to defeat populism
www.scotsman.com
February 6, 2025 at 11:35 AM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why Trump's Age of Unreason, Anti-science and Denial is coming soon to Scotland
Donald Trump appears to believe bizarre conspiracy theorists rather than scientists about climate change and vaccines
www.scotsman.com
January 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why the temptation to abandon social media is growing by the day
As clubs and friends turn their back on Facebook, the appeal of ‘unplugging’ is clear
www.scotsman.com
January 15, 2025 at 6:08 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
How 1930s-style decline of liberalism puts world on course for war
As former Conservative Cabinet minister Rory Stewart has rightly said, history shows that when politicians abandon liberalism, the collapse of democracy and wars are likely to follow
www.scotsman.com
January 15, 2025 at 4:44 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
Why return of Donald Trump to White House means UK must rejoin European Union
As Donald Trump rattles his sabre about trade, tariffs and territorial expansion, it’s clear the UK urgently needs to improve access to Europe’s single market
www.scotsman.com
January 15, 2025 at 4:44 PM
ianjohnston0.bsky.social
Last year, Liz Truss said: "We can’t be truly free without free speech.” Now her lawyers claim it's illegal to say she "crashed the economy". Lol.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Liz Truss legal threat to Starmer over claim she crashed economy
No 10 insists millions of people share Sir Keir's view of the Truss government's economic record.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 9, 2025 at 5:59 PM