Ian Harper

Service Quality Director for Aspire, @SOGreatBritain Athlete Leadership Team Alumni & @SpecialOlympics SSGM Alumni for @soeuropeeurasia. All views are my own.

[The National @ScotNational]

Andy Burnham has angered Scots by refusing to speak to the media on his first trip north of the Border. Editor Laura Webster has a suggestion for how he can make it up to folk ...

[Rik Ferguson @rik_big]

Thereby breaching the Edinburgh Agreement...

Just another breach in a very long line of breaches..

[First Minister @ScotGovFM]

First Minister @JohnSwinney congratulated Team Scotland on winning two gold and two silver medals at the opening evening of swimming at #Glasgow2026, calling it a 'remarkable achievement on home soil.'

[Scottish Government @scotgov]

We have opened 10 pilot GP walk-in services so far.

Thousands of people now have easier access to urgent same day care as a result.

We will continue to expand access, opening 30 walk-in services across the country.

[The National @ScotNational]

John Swinney has issued a stark warning to the incoming new prime minister, urging Andy Burnham not to 'repeat the mistakes of his predecessors' and accept that the people of Scotland’s want for self-determination 'cannot simply be wished away' https://t.co/lC8qewx1Ty

[Believe in Scotland @believeinscot]

🟥 Does it really matter who the Prime Minister is?

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland needs independence so that decisions about Scotland are made in Scotland.

[ScotNews @indyscotnews]

"Ireland's position was exactly analogous to that of Scotland"

"There are roots through the United Nations, particularly once you accept that Scotland's position is as a colony.

"That part is the part which is psychologically difficult for some people in the independence movement. It's very strange because nobody has any difficulty whatsoever in accepting that Ireland was a colony.

"Nobody will argue with you if you tell them Ireland was a colony. Ireland's position was exactly analogous to that of Scotland. It had a Treaty of Union. It had Irish people owning slaves in colonies abroad.

"It had the Irish elite fully co-opted into the colonial project. It had massive amounts of Irish people serving in the British Army. All the things people say make Scotland not a colony, they don't somehow see Ireland as not being a colony, because of exactly the same reasons.

"And that's because of course, Ireland has escaped. And once you've escaped, your former position becomes clearer.

"And we still of course, suffer the effects of colonial deprivation. Not only in our lack of control over our own fiscal policy, monetary policy, defence policy, foreign policy, but also in our massive exploitation and expropriation of our trade. The fact that nearly all our trade has to come in at great cost through England, and that nearly all our exports go out at great cost through England.

"We are controlled and we are milked. We suffer brain drain. Once you have that perception, it becomes fairly clear that the UN Decolonization Committee is a place to take your case." Craig Murray @LiberationScot @PAlanMcMahon @Broonpot @thomsonchris @CraigMurrayOrg @SSRG2021 @ScotSalvo @SalvoHighlands @IndyScotParty @LiberateScot @JNHanvey @citizentommy

[Dave Doogan MP @DaveDooganSNP]

🗣️ "Andy Burnham must deliver an emergency cost of living budget, and a meaningful package of financial support for families, to reverse the damage done under the Labour Party government and put money back into people's pockets."

🔗 https://t.co/3kETv97V9E

[Lara Bird SNP @larabirdsnp]

🤨 Westminster’s latest obsession seems to be talking about devolution and ‘returning power to the people’.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 I’ve got a simple solution: independence.

[Lara Bird SNP @larabirdsnp]

🤷‍♀️ The faces change. But for Scotland, the answer is always the same.

🔁 Seven Prime Ministers. The same Westminster denial.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Independence is the fresh start Scotland needs.

[Micheál Martin @MichealMartinTD]

I congratulate Andy Burnham on becoming UK Prime Minister today.

I look forward to working with him to further strengthen the partnership and friendship between our two countries.

[NXT EU @NXT4EU]

Montenegro is getting close to EU membership.

With 486 votes in favour, MEPs have welcomed Montenegro’s steady progress on EU-related reforms, underpinned by its ambition to complete negotiations by the end of 2026 and become the EU’s 28th member state by 2028.

[Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen]

With Mario Draghi, we discussed Europe's competitiveness agenda.

The One Europe, One Market roadmap, agreed with @Europarl_EN and @EUCouncil, sets out concrete actions and a clear timeline to deliver.

We’re bringing down barriers across all sectors of our economy.

Backing breakthrough innovation, from AI to clean tech.

And locking in partnerships that secure Europe's future.

Because Europe means business.

[Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen]

Very good phone call with @KoretskyiUA.

We will continue cooperating closely on reforms that move Ukraine’s EU accession process forward.

Our Drone Deal will harness the EU’s industrial strength to produce Ukraine’s most innovative defence equipment at speed and scale.

We also discussed preparations ahead of winter and critical energy infrastructure.

You can count on our full support, including in your work to improve energy sector’s governance.

[Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen]

¡Campeones!

¡Muchas felicidades, España!

Hoy Europa celebra con vosotros 🇪🇸🇪🇺

[Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen]

Honoured to receive the Order of Europe.

Ukraine's spirit is unique.

And best described by the word 'Nezlamnist'.

Unbreakable & indestructible.

Stoic & unshakeable.

It's the founding spirit of Europe.

Because Ukraine is Europe. https://t.co/6XKzkPFqiH

[Emmanuel Macron @EmmanuelMacron]

The Coalition of the Willing.

[🇲🇩 MFA Moldova @MoldovaMFA]

Moldova marks another important milestone on its European path! 🇲🇩🇪🇺

[EU Council @EUCouncil]

Montenegro takes one step closer to EU membership.

One month after their last meeting, the EU and Montenegro have provisionally closed accession negotiations on:

🔸competition policy
🔸customs union

More info ➡️ https://t.co/iEU7xIdNeF

[Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen]

Heartwarming to see the success of our 2nd Palestine Donor Group meeting today, with 65 participating countries and institutions.

We have raised almost €900 million for early recovery in Gaza.

The Team Gaza initiative is supported by 🇪🇺🇪🇸 🇩🇰 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 🇳🇴 🇫🇮 🇮🇹 🇳🇱 🇫🇷 🇯🇵 🇨🇭 🇸🇪 🇧🇪 @WorldBankGroup.