William Duguid
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williamduguid1.bsky.social
William Duguid
@williamduguid1.bsky.social
3.6K followers 3.5K following 1.2K posts
Also on the X hellsite, but maybe not for long.
Used to write To September & Beyond, a political blog on Scottish independence that was hilarious, sometimes intentionally.
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williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Reeves’s couldn’t-care-less Budget timing has invited months of unnecessary speculation, and saddled the devolved governments with a frantic festive catch-up as guesswork finally turns into actual numbers.'
@lesleyriddoch.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/K40i6
Rachel Reeves surrounded by a sort of haze, reflecting the uncertainty she's inflicted on the devolved governments for so long.
November 27, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'This story undermines the whole "black hole" fiscal space “learned helplessness” that will be central to the coming UK budget. It is a smokescreen to reduce public spending and usher in another round of austerity.'
Malcolm Reavell of Modern Money Scotland, via The National
archive.is/7Hu4m
To the left, some empty space, and to the right Rachel Reeves in profile. Which is more interesting, I wonder?
November 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Rachel Reeves has no interest in Scottish democracy. In fact, it is the very last thing she wants to hear about.'
@richardjmurphy.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/LEeLH
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves posing for press photos outside 11 Downing Street, holding up her red case. Sadly, it does not contain her resignation letter.
November 25, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Dr Ball identifies three supposed obstacles to Scotland introducing its own currency – deposit flight, transaction costs, and uncertainty. When examined closely, all of them stem from misunderstandings or outdated assumptions.'
Dr Thibault Laurentjoye, via The National
archive.is/Qdk3r
Bank of England notes in close-up, in various amounts - £50, £20 and £10.
November 25, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Who needs a Reform government when we have Shabana Mahmood?'
@ruthwishart.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/NRy1J
Shabana Mahmood showing her humanity by posing beside a barbed wire fence.
November 24, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Scotland is suffering a renewed wave of deindustrialisation, and Mossmorran is only the latest major employer to close its doors.'
Coll McCail, via The National
archive.is/2LIGJ
The ExxonMobile ethylene plant at Mossmorran, with the Fife hills in the background.
November 24, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'The campaign for Scottish independence is now as much about keeping out racism and intolerance, and providing an alternative to bigotry, as taking the best decisions about Scotland’s economy and governance.
@richardwalker5.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/I88LG
A Scottish street with Saltires flying in the gardens
November 23, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'We fear migrants will “take our jobs” precisely at the moment when non-human labour threatens to take most jobs from all of us.'
Pat Kane, via The National
archive.is/MzW9q
A Stand Up To Racism counter protest in Falkirk, with a counter-protestor carrying a placard saying 'A Saltire is a welcome'. Picture date: Sunday September 21
November 23, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'The far right will intensify its scaremongering and race-baiting and the media feeding frenzy will only get worse. All because the Labour Party has surgically removed its moral fibre and replaced it with a Daily Mail editorial. '
@weegingerdug.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/WHvCg
An image of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood superimposed over images of the House of Parliament in Westminster and a group of asylum seekers on a small boat in the English Channel, all tinged with red.
November 22, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'The BBC’s commissioning and production practices aren’t a fair deal for Scotland’s screen talent.'
Peter Strachan, via The National
archive.is/Dyfh1
Claudia Winkleman posing at the drive leading up to the Traitors set, with banners and some sort of big Trojan Horse on wheels behind her.
November 22, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'The majority of people in the islands of Britain who can go to the supermarket and not want to deport every brown face they see? Who represents them now?
Not Labour.'
Robin McAlpine
robinmcalpine.org/la...
Robin McAlpine
November 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'What the future now holds for ­Venezuela remains unclear, as does how much force America is prepared to use. But the coming days will tell whether “regime change” is ­indeed Trump’s ultimate endgame.'
@foreigncorr1.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/SLlQe
Donald Trump, in his thone,... sorry, chair... in the Oval Office.
November 20, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'A credible Budget begins with a credible understanding of what the state is for, and of the diverse needs and aspirations of the different nations within it. Until Reeves abandons the neoliberal script, she cannot deliver that.'
@richardjmurphy.bsky.social, via the national
archive.is/5Q3bE
Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, at the despatch box
November 19, 2025 at 12:30 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'The reality is that new nuclear power in Scotland would mean massive costs, a poisoned legacy to future generation and yet more radioactive pollution of our air and seas.'
Dr Ian Fairlie of Scottish CND, via The National
archive.is/Ctktx
Hinkley Point C, one of the largest and most complex construction projects in Europe.
November 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'The BBC has many problems, but kowtowing to pressure from the left certainly isn’t one of them.'
Mhairi Black, via The National
archive.is/qYepa
A Washington sign on the pavement outside BBC Broadcasting House in London. Photo: Lucy North/PA Wire
November 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Scotland’s leadership matters. By acting boldly at home, we can influence far beyond our borders. We can show what’s possible when a nation commits to climate justice, not just in words, but in deeds.'
Shirley Matheson, via The National
archive.is/5xOqD
Brazil's President Lula da Silva speaks during the opening ceremony of the "Belem Climate Summit" as part of the COP30 Brazil Amazonia 2025
November 17, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Here’s the nub of a very real problem at the BBC - its default position is often to “defend its journalism”, rather than to explore if its decisions have been the right ones and if its approach needs to be changed.'
@richardwalker5.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/RboRe
Yes campaigners demonstrating outside the BBC building in Glasgow ahead of the 2014 independence referendum
November 16, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'In Scotland we have a badly misfiring political culture which makes a new generation of leaders worth having appear impossible.
You can’t build good strategy on bad foundations, and our foundations are rotten.'
Robin McAlpine
robinmcalpine.org/sc...
Robin McAlpine
November 16, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Should the BBC provide equal platform and legitimacy between a flat-earther and a geoscientist? If you look out the window and can see that it’s raining, you don’t need to platform someone saying it’s sunny for balance.'
Ellie Gomersall, via The National
archive.is/T0RXP
The entrance to BBC Studios in London
November 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'The New York Times and Wall Street journal are currently fighting Trump’s attempts at censorship.Wouldn’t the BBC gain respect and visibility by joining them?'
@lesleyriddoch.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/RY3wF
Staff arriving at BBC Broadcasting House in London
November 15, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
In the year to 2023, BBC Scotland issued more error corrections than all of the broadcaster’s other UK regional and national offices combined,overwhelmingly as a result of inaccurate criticism of the Scottish Government.'
@weegingerdug.bsky.social, via The National
archive.is/rbSc6
Independence supporters marching on BBC Scotland HQ in the wake of the 2014 referendum over its perceived bias against Yes
November 14, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
Yikes.
'Salvo and Liberation Scotland split with lawyers Justice Pour Tous Internationale'.
What is going on?
The National's story at archive.is/syOUv
Photograph of the entrance to the United Nations building in Geneva, Switzerland (Image: Getty Images)
November 12, 2025 at 2:34 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'No self-respecting worker, trade unionist, or fully-fledged socialist should have anything to do with 21st-century Labour - a brazenly unapologetic capitalist party, obeying the instructions of bankers, landlords and big business.'
Richie Venton of the SSP, via The National
archive.is/nYIo0
Labour founder Keir Hardie addressing a crowd in times gone by, rather than spinning in his grave as he must be doing nowadays.
November 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'As other public service broadcasters like STV centralise their operations in the teeth of regional opposition, the BBC needs to begin a process of giving real editorial and production powers to the nations, regions and cities.'
Christopher Silver, via The National
archive.is/vi6WX
BBC Scotland's den of inquity... sorry, I mean studios... at Pacific Quay in Glasgow
November 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
williamduguid1.bsky.social
'Disinformation is not just a technological or political problem, it's also a human one. It spreads when we lose context and empathy. To fight it, we need to listen to young people, who know the digital world better than any generation.'
Stewart Clelland, via The National
archive.is/UNg8X
Sarajevo from Alifakovac cemetery. Picture credit: Lauren Taylor/PA
November 11, 2025 at 1:01 PM