Hi ,

Celebrations are taking place across the country after the Scottish budget was finally passed!

The SNP, now reduced to a minority government, was able to get the required votes from a rainbow coalition of Lib Dems, Greens and Alba Party after some "spirited discussions", with Scottish Labour abstaining. 

We're sure this is due to a new feeling of utopian multipartisan working in parliament. 

Or maybe its down to the SNP's spectacular coalition collapse last year...

Here at The Ferret, our rock-solid coalition of journalists has been investigating all manner of issues this week, so please keep reading. 

Yours,

Ali

Story of the week

An in-depth look at a Ferret investigation

Almost 600 incidents of self-harming were reported at Addiewell – Scotland’s only private prison – in less than four years, almost double that of any other Scottish jail.

The number of incidents, revealed in a freedom of information request, were for self-harm by cutting, which is associated with emotional distress and poor mental health and wellbeing.

In total Addiewell recorded 590 incidents from January 2021 until the end of August 2024, an average of 13 every month. Critics said the figures should raise alarm bells and called for action.

The prison, run by outsourcing company Sodexo, has been subject to serious concerns about violence, and high levels of deaths in custody. Last year more prisoners died in Addiewell than at any other prison.

What did we dig up this week?

A round up of our investigations in the last seven days

Author of slogan cited by white supremacist murderers invited to UK by far right party

Renaud Camus – who coined the term “the great replacement” – has top billing at an upcoming Homeland Party conference.

Claim Anas Sarwar called Billy Connolly ‘vulgar and outdated’ is False

Anas Sarwar was criticised by social media users after it was alleged he had criticised Scottish comedy legend Billy Connolly. 

Quango criticised for ‘extravagant’ spending on coaching for bosses

A Scottish Government quango spent £175,000 on ‘coaching’ for its bosses in two years, despite a stretched budget and questions over its performance.

Question of the week

Should Sepa be spending £175,000 on coaching for its bosses?

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Best of the rest

Investigations we've enjoyed from around the world

Greenpeace risks bankruptcy at US pipeline trial

The campaign group has said that a lawsuit brought by an energy company over the Dakota Access Pipeline could wipe it out. (BBC News)

Major US trader StoneX bought illicit gold from the Amazon rainforest

The company bought millions of dollars worth of gold from a company linked to illegal mining, deforestation and mercury pollution in the Amazon rainforest. (The Bureau)

The school shootings were fake. The terror was real

The inside story of the teenager whose “swatting” calls sent armed police racing into hundreds of US schools—and the private detective who tracked him down. (Wired)

Any comments? Have you seen something we could include? Email us at contact@theferret.scot.

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