The (virtual) Court of Session will be hearing arguments about whether or not Holyrood can legislate for indyref2 today and tomorrow - case brought by activists like @MartinJKeatings rather than ScotGov, but obvs the ruling could have interesting implications...
As is standard with the Court of Session I don't imagine there will *be* a ruling this week, but the judge says her "intention is to provide an opinion within days rather than weeks"
It's going really well so far anyway, with a row developing between the judge and the QC for the petitioners over the timetable for the hearings which appears to have ended with everyone being muted. So yes, the zoom courtroom has some similarities to your family zoom quiz
Seemingly ScotGov is opposing petitioners' case in court, *not* on the substance of Holyrood's competence to legislate on indyref2 but because they say case is hypothetical and irrelevant at this point. UKgov also opposing - but they are arguing indyref2 is a reserved matter.
Petitioners wanted to get ahold of ScotGov's draft indyref2 legislation for the case, but court refused to make an order to recover it. Petitioners thus say they are "arguing with one arm behind our back" - and that Lord Advocate is "keeping his counsel" on Holyrood's competence
Another layer to the onion of govt positions is that ScotGov formally withdrew from the case as its being heard in August, although the Lord Advocate (...a Scottish minister) is still represented as a defender and is still making the same arguments (on the process, not substance)
There's a lot of complex stuff here - court currently hearing arguments about Oliver Cromwell and the fundamentals of the constitution - but the big-picture thing remains that at the end of it all we could have an important ruling on Holyrood's competence to call indyref2
Whether said ruling would substantially affect the courses steered by Nicola Sturgeon or Boris Johnson is potentially more of a political question, of course, but the fact of it (whatever it turns out to be) may serve to force the issue in advance of the Holyrood election

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More from @BBCPhilipSim

19 Jan
Latest in the back and forth between Alex Salmond and the Holyrood inquiry committee - they're now asking if he can come in on February 2nd *at the very latest*. Have also offered 26 January - altho they've also invited Peter Murrell to give further evidence on one of those dates extract from letter
One minor detail I'd pick out from that letter is the note that committee members "unanimously" agreed to invite Mr Salmond to give evidence on 2 Feb. Perhaps a hint that things have not been entirely unanimous during their deliberations so far...
If they can't come to an agreement, *in theory* the inquiry committee could actually compel Alex Salmond to attend, although I imagine he would be able to produce a "reasonable excuse" what with the whole pandemic thing going on Image
Read 5 tweets
20 Dec 20
Figure a lot of people have a lot of questions right now so thought a quick thread signposting to where what info we have is might be helpful...
This is the current law on travel restrictions, in force now. It includes a legal ban on travel between Scotland and the rest of the UK, and in and out of council areas in levels three and four, without a “reasonable excuse” legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2020/344/s…
Again the cross-border travel laws are in force *now* - the plan was they would be relaxed for Christmas, the change is that they now will not. Travel *within* Scotland permitted on Christmas Day - but next day whole mainland goes into L4, which means no movement between councils
Read 10 tweets
13 Aug 20
MSPs will vote on a motion of no confidence in John Swinney as education secretary today. We already know it'll fail, because the Greens won't back it - so why are the opposition pressing ahead with it? [thread alert] bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…
While the outcome is obvs the immediately important thing for parents and pupils, politically the narrative is significant too, with an election looming - and ScotGov seem to have successfully seized control of it
Especially with focus now shifting to A-level results down south, with Scotland as a case study in a potential solution which pleases students rather than of the underlying problem, opposition parties can't afford to leave this as essentially a "John Swinney saves the day" story
Read 8 tweets
22 Jun 20
Holyrood committee investigating ScotGov's handling of complaints against Alex Salmond will start calling witnesses after summer recess - Leslie Evans likely to be the first, while Nicola Sturgeon & Mr Salmond himself will be invited, along with other advisors & civil servants
Committee has agreed timetable with ScotGov for handover of written evidence and documents etc; also calls from members to get ahold of SNP records and Nicola Sturgeon's personal phone records, as well as evidence Alex Salmond was to use in the judicial review
Members also keen to have the Salmond inquiry committee meet on a weekly basis "at the very least" and potentially sitting in the Holyrood chamber as well as in zoom-committee. Could also look to have witnesses swear an oath or affirmation to underline gravity of inquiry
Read 7 tweets
23 Mar 20
The jury have come back in the Alex Salmond trial at the High Court in Edinburgh
Charge 1 (indecent assault of Woman A) Not Guilty by majority
Charge 2 (sexual assault of Woman A) Not Guilty by majority
Read 17 tweets
20 Mar 20
In court for day ten of the Alex Salmond trial - potentially the final day? Gordon Jackson to make his closing speech for the defence this morning, before Lady Dorrian will give directions to the jury and send them out
Apologies for lack of tweets, was noting down the speech - a thread now follows...
Gordon Jackson opens by quoting Alex Prentice’s opening about how Woman H had wished Alex Salmond was “a better man”. Defence QC says: “He certainly could have been a better man, but I’m concerned with whether he was guilty of serious, sometimes very serious, criminal charges”.
Read 14 tweets

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