Ferret Underground: Fringe benefits

Hi ,

The annual month of culture, artistry and astronomical AirBnB pricing, better known as the Edinburgh Fringe, is in full swing.

This year, there has been a concerning sight among the merriment and creativity - politicians.

Current and former elected representatives are everywhere at this year's festival.

Douglas Ross, Humza Yousaf, John Swinney, Ruth Davidson and Liz Truss have taken to the stage for light-hearted and comedic interviews. Former MP Mhairi Black even has a stand-up show of her own.

Some might argue that the actions of many of our MPs and MSPs in recent years would fit comfortably into a Fringe comedy show, but of course, this newsletter remains neutral.

Although we might suggest there are better things to do at the world's biggest arts festival than listening to a politician being interviewed

People dependent on drugs are still unable to get the support and treatment they need – with some claiming there is “no point” trying – despite the Scottish Government spending tens of millions to “save and improve lives”, The Ferret has found.

Annual statistics on drug deaths in 2023, show an increase in the number of people who died.

Scotland still has a higher level of drug deaths than any other European country and there have been concerns that numbers could rise further due to the increase of super-strength synthetic opioid-based drugs being found across the UK.

Meanwhile, Scottish Government data has revealed that despite launching its flagship “medication-assisted treatment” standards for drug services more than three years ago, these have still not been fully implemented.