The Scottish Languages Act: opportunities and challenges The Scottish Languages Act passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament this week is the most important language legislation for Gaelic in twenty years and the first ever for the Scots language. T…

The Scottish Languages Act, which MSPs voted through in June, empowers parents to ask for a Gaelic school to be established in their area and aims to ensure that more qualifications are available in Gaelic. We explored what it means #StAndrewsDay bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/06/20/t...

The Hidden Crisis in Plea Bargaining — and Why Scotland Should Be Worried - Erasmus Research The new UCL/University of Exeter report on the Post Office scandal should alarm anyone who cares about justice in the UK. While much has been written about the Post Office’s aggressive prosecution str...

Today, the Scottish 'justice' system' is facing a number of challenges. One that a lot of people aren't aware of is our informal plea-bargaining system. Our new blog draws on the post office scandal to highlight the dangers of this murky world of grubby deals. erasmusresearch.com/the-hidden-c...

Changing Minds Through Lived Experience: Evaluating the Choose Life Project - Erasmus Research Dr Karen Corteen (Senior Lecturer in Criminal Justice, Liverpool John Moores University), Steve Duffy (Project Manager, Choose Life Project), and Dr Cassie Ogden (Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Liverpo...

Watch this inspiring podcast featuring Dr Karen Corteen, exploring how the Choose Life Project uses lived experience, storytelling, and research-based education to change how young people understand addiction. erasmusresearch.com/changing-min...

MP's will debate Hillsborough Law for the first time on Monday.

The Bill is a critical opportunity to right past wrongs and end cover-up culture. It must be implemented in full.

We've teamed up with JUSTICE and Hillsborough Law Now to brief MP's ahead of the debate.

Read the briefing:

www.met.police.uk/police-force... We have noted that training doesn't improve officers' conduct. We have known for many years that this has always been the case. What tools do the #Met use for "precision" stop and searches? #WeCopWatch

Historical Wrongs and Contemporary Rights: Memorialising Injustice - Erasmus Research A Blog by Professor Margaret Malloch When injustice occurs at the hands of powerful institutions, it is rarely straightforward to have it acknowledged, let alone obtain redress. Institutional cover-up...

erasmusresearch.com/historical-w... Official apologies come easy. Accountability doesn’t.
Read Professor Margaret Malloch on the long road to justice after Hillsborough and Allan Marshall.

Remembering Injustice - Erasmus Research Podcast - Remembering Injustice: The Movement to Memorialize Scotland's Witch Trials with Dr Margaret Malloch Dr Margaret Malloch, Professor of Criminology at the University of Stirling (and integral ...

PODCAST - Professor Margaret Malloch discusses her research looking at the contemporary movements memorialising the Scottish Witch Hunts. So many parallels between historical and contemporary forms of scapegoating... watch the podcast below 👇👇👇

erasmusresearch.com/remembering-...

Edinburgh Film Festival ‘created in London’ A Scottish film critic has claimed that the Edinburgh Film Festival is ‘created in London and shipped up to Edinburgh for ten days’ amongst claims that ‘ 90% of the people who sel…

How can it be possible to invest over £2m in public funding for an organisation and then have no expectations of cultural or economic return? How can it be possible that CS funds an organisation to this scale that employs virtually no one from Scotland? bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/07/24/e...

Remembering Injustice - Erasmus Research Podcast - Remembering Injustice: The Movement to Memorialize Scotland's Witch Trials with Dr Margaret Malloch Dr Margaret Malloch, Professor of Criminology at the University of Stirling (and integral ...

PODCAST - Professor Margaret Malloch discusses her research looking at the contemporary movements memorialising the Scottish Witch Hunts. So many parallels between historical and contemporary forms of scapegoating... watch the podcast below 👇👇👇

erasmusresearch.com/remembering-...

Reeves says rules and red tape are ‘boot on the neck’ of business At the Mansion House dinner she calls for regulators to allow more risk to clear the way for economic growth

Cutting "red tape" (aka public protections), as Reeves is doing, does not save money. Instead, it transfers costs from the rich to the poor. Other people pay for financial recklessness, filthy rivers, air pollution, lax building standards and consumer rip-offs.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Five more arrested over alleged ram raid at Elbit's Bristol site Police say the latest five to be arrested over the incident were detained in raids across England.

Five more people were arrested yesterday for allegedly breaking into the Elbit Systems site near Bristol in August 2024, on suspicion of "the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000". www.bbc.com/news/article...

The Political Function of Fear: Why the Government Wants You Afraid - Erasmus Research “There are two ways in which people are controlled: first of all frighten them, and secondly demoralise them... An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern.” — Tony Benn https://www....

Fear isn’t a by-product of authoritarianism. It is the strategy.
From war-footing propaganda to hostile welfare cuts, the UK is waging psychological warfare on its own people.
Read why fear is the system — and how we resist it:
erasmusresearch.com/the-politica... #politics

We live in a police state...

Headline: Bob Dylan performance in Greater Manchester. Followed by a press release dated 30 June 2025, which reads: A GMP spokesperson said: “We are aware that Bob Vylan will be performing in Manchester at the weekend. "Greater Manchester is famous for promoting music of all genres and we welcome all artists to our region. However, we will act immediately on any reports of commentary or actions that could be breaking the law.”

Greater Manchester Police genuinely put out this creepy press release yesterday

Holloway + Q&A | Showtimes and Tickets Six women return to the now abandoned Holloway Prison to take part in a women’s circle. Sharing some of the most intimate experiences of their lives, they each unravel what led them to prison, b...

Screening of Holloway this Sunday at the Cameo in Edinburgh, followed with a Q&A with co-director Sophie Compton. Looks like an important film! 'Women are powerful, when they find their voice.' Hope to see you there! withwww.picturehouses.com/movie-details/000/HO0001...

The popo pepper sprayed a sin bather in a a Georges Seurat painting

LAPD out there like

📚 Here, With You — a gentle, powerful story written by our CEO to help parents talk about tough pasts with their children.
Profits support families & our work at Next Chapter Scotland.

More: herewithyoubook.co.uk

#HereWithYou #SupportNotStigma #NextChapterScotland

Being on the Right Side of History - Erasmus Research This week, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (AKA Mo Chara) of the Irish rap group Kneecap was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a gig in London. The potential sentence? U...

Why we stand with Kneecap - a short blog on being on the right side of history... erasmusresearch.com/being-on-the...

Blog: Building Hope: Art, Architecture, and the Possibility of Abolition - Paisley Book Festival Dr Kirstin Anderson, lecturer in criminology at Edinburgh Napier University, and Professor Yvonne Jewkes, one of the

Many thanks to @joesmithcreative.bsky.social for an excellent write up of our session at the Paisley Book Festival last month paisleybookfestival.com/blog-buildin...

"Kirstin Anderson opened by pulling no punches". I have zero trouble believing that! As always, here's @kir-anderson.bsky.social taking hard questions head on and leading exactly the kind of conversation we should be having about prisons: about social harms, academic pavidity, and lessons unlearned.

Surveillance is not safe guarding Think Family Education (TFE)  is an app that has been in use in schools for several years, in fact The Bristol Cable first reported on TFE in 2021.  The app is connected to a council and police database.

chuffed.org/project/128548-surveillance-i...

Our campaign for the film on Think Family Education is live on Chuffed! Excited to collaborate with RootCause films and Bashart Malik! #IAmJudah #WeCopWatch 🎥✨ @StopWatch @NPMP @Netpol

Inquest 40 INQUEST ARCHIVE: Documenting state violence, death and resistance in the UK since 1981. Explore over 40 years of fighting for justice through sound, image and print.

OK, I'm a bit biased but the new @inquest-org.bsky.social digital archive is an absolutely amazing resource
history.inquest.org.uk
@bschcnetwork.bsky.social @statecrime.bsky.social @statewatch.bsky.social

Kate Wilson's book launch - Tuesday June 3rd 2025 Don't miss the opportunity to hear our very own Kate Wilson in conversation with comedian and writer Rob Newman talking about her fantastic memoir DISCLOSURE: UNRAVELLING THE SPYCOPS FILES. On Tues...

Tickets are being snapped up quickly for Kate Wilson's book launch on Tuesday June 3rd in central London. Make sure you've reserved your place to hear from Kate about her fight for justice against the #spycops.

More info here: policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/kate-wilsons...

The Barlinnie Special Unit - Waterside Press A definitive retrospective and the first detailed history/analysis of the Barlinnie Special Unit. A supreme record of an ‘iconic’ social experiment.

Very excited to announce a book that’s been a long time in the making, ‘The Barlinnie Special Unit: Art, Innovation and Punishment’ @watersidepress.bsky.social
www.watersidepress.co.uk/books/barlin...

Scotland as Beggar Nation As we publish responses to the Scottish Government’s Programme of Government this from Alex Massie’s column in today’s Times Scotland needs decoding: Alongside the trademark oozing condescens…

Scotland as Beggar Nation bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/05/07/s...

📞 Helpline Update – New Hours from Monday

From Monday, our phone helpline will be open 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday.

💬 WhatsApp: 07591 339 618
📧 Email: support@nextchapterscotland.org.uk

Phone hours may be changing, but we’re still here for you. 💙

#NextChapterScotland #SupportNotStigma

💥📣 NEW #spycops leaflets.

Starved in Jail Why are incarcerated people dying from lack of food or water, even as private companies are paid millions for their care?

Sarah Stillman investigates a widespread crisis of deaths by starvation in America’s county jails. Most of the victims she identified had been arrested in the midst of a mental-health crisis, often on petty charges tied to their psychiatric distress.