Hi ,

We’ve got exciting news to share! This month, our co-editor Karin Goodwin won Podcast of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards for A Place to Heal: Saving Lives in Toronto’s Toxic Drug Crisis.

The podcast explores drug policy and harm reduction efforts in Toronto. You can listen to the episode here. 

As ever, our work is only possible because of your support. And as you’ll see below, our journalism continues to reach far and wide — and make an impact.

Recognition for our far-right coverage 🧩

Our investigations into the far right continue to be noticed beyond the newsroom. In a recent newsletter, the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) noted that it would not be aware of key developments within the far right “if not for the efforts of dedicated investigative journalists and anti-fascist organisations.”

They wrote: “Honourable mentions must be given to Billy Briggs and Jamie Mann of The Ferret.”

Influencing the conversation on lobbying and power 🏛️

Our Who Runs Scotland investigations continue to shape wider conversations. In a column in The Herald, Professor Gregor Gall, a research associate at Glasgow University and editor of A New Scotland: Building an Equal, Fair and Sustainable Society,  reflected on the revolving door between politics and lobbying in Scotland, writing:

“Investigations by The Ferret on ‘Who Runs Scotland’ in 2021 and 2025 have shown that corporate lobbyists have too much influence over Scottish governments and Scottish governments have been too willing to be influenced by them.”

He added: “Of those MSPs that do not stand again or are not re-elected, many become lieutenants of the lobbyists identified by The Ferret.”

Public land, politics, and the environment 🏞️

In her Winds of Change newsletter for The Herald, journalist Vicky Allan cited our long-running work on the sale of public land, noting that:

“Even in 2021, the Ferret was reporting that between 2015 and 2019 more than half a billion pounds worth of land and property had been sold off by Scotland’s public institutions. These, it said, included community centres, town halls, libraries, public toilets, swimming pools, farms, shop units and college and university campuses.”

And our reporting continues to shape environmental stories, too. Our recent investigation into Kate Forbes intervening to halt the release of beavers in Glen Affric was followed up by the Highland Times, helping to raise awareness of political influence on rewilding and conservation efforts.

Fact-checking in action 📊

Our Ferret Fact Service was recently cited in a letter from Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP to the UK Statistics Authority, raising concerns about a government claim on closing the attainment gap.

Following our fact check, which found the First Minister’s statement to be “mostly false,” the Authority responded, noting the government should have been clearer in referencing its data and measures.

What’s next?

We’ll keep investigating where others won’t — from the far right to environmental policy, from lobbying to public land and property. And as always, we’re in it for the long haul.

Your support — whether as a member, a donor, or a reader — makes this work possible. If you want to help us keep digging, you can join The Ferret for just £5 a month, make a one-off donation, or forward this newsletter to a friend who might be interested.

Thank you.

Yours,

The Ferret team