A sharp slice of what matters in Scottish law
Scottish Edition
13th July 2026
 
THE HOT STORY
Glasgow protests driven by disinformation
Police Scotland have confirmed that a number of people have been arrested in recent days after a series of protests in Glasgow that appear to have been driven by disinformation. A violent protest in Castlemilk last week targeted a home in a case of mistaken identity, police said, while a man was arrested on Saturday in Possilpark at one of a number of protests driven by claims, described as "entirely factually incorrect" claims that a care home was to be expanded to provide asylum accommodation. Reform UK MSP Thomas Kerr has warned protestors against "turning up at someone's door", saying people "have to be very careful what they listen to and why is it they're going to protest"

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THE LAW
MSP urges tougher laws on tragedy chanting
Stephen Kerr MSP, a member of the Criminal Justice Committee, has urged the Scottish Government to align its criminal law on tragedy chanting with the rest of the UK. He welcomed the strengthening of Football Banning Orders (FBOs) but noted that tragedy chanting is currently treated as a breach of the peace in Scotland, lacking the same legal consequences as in England. Kerr stated: "Ministers should now act on that evidence," emphasising that those who commit football-related offences should face significant penalties. He advocates for a justice system that protects genuine fans while targeting criminal behaviour.
Hillsborough Law set to clear Commons
The Hillsborough Law is expected to complete its remaining House of Commons stages tomorrow after earlier concerns it would be delayed until after the summer recess. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill would introduce a legal duty of candour, requiring public officials to act openly during inquiries and investigations. Named after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, the legislation has cross-party backing but has faced delays over concerns from security services about its potential impact on intelligence operations.
Consultation launched on efforts to cut child vaping
The Scottish Government is taking part in a UK-wide consultation on proposals to introduce new restrictions on the sale of vapes and other tobacco products - including requiring vapes to be sold in plain packaging, requiring devices to come in plain white, black or grey, and restricting flavour descriptions to simple terms. The proposed restrictions are intended to make vapes less attractive to children and young people, and public health minister Maree Todd said: "We know that colourful packaging and displays are used as an enticement to children and young people, which is why we are taking action and consulting on options to address this issue."

 
CASES
Bus firm takes legal action over EV fund
Transport operator McGill's Buses has announced legal action against the Scottish Government to challenge the rejection of its bid for £4.3m of funding through the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund. The firm has claimed in a submission to the Competition Appeal Tribunal that the refusal was in breach of the UK Subsidy Control Act 2022. Co-owner Sandy Easdale said awarding the firm funding "would have boosted Scottish jobs and enabled it to remove more diesel vehicles from its fleet across Scotland", while a £13m award to rival Ember to expand its fleet with new electric vehicles "would not result in any diesel vehicles being replaced".
Labour calls for Glasgow legal action to be dropped
Glasgow Labour has urged the city council to halt legal action seeking more than £40,000 in costs from members of the Glasgow City Parents Group following their unsuccessful judicial review over proposed teacher cuts. The campaign helped prompt the SNP administration to abandon plans to cut 450 teaching posts. Labour said parents who campaigned to protect schools should not face financial penalties, while the council said recovering legal costs from unsuccessful parties is standard practice because public funds were used to defend the case.
Full council to reconsider taxi licence decision
A special full meeting of Highland Council has been scheduled for August 4 to reconsider the licensing committee's decision to grant a taxi operator's licence in the name of convicted rapist David Brown - a decision which has sparked widespread controversy and led to the resignation from the committee of a number of councillors. A spokesperson for the council said a "a Standing Order 16 Notice of Referral has been initiated by the chief officer - legal and corporate governance", referring the decision to full council.
Lawyer says SNP donation claim has strong legal basis
The SNP faces a potential civil claim over more than £600,000 of donations originally raised for an independence referendum campaign. Roddy Dunlop KC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, said there was a strong legal basis for alleging fraudulent breach of trust if the funds were used for other purposes, suggesting donors could be entitled to refunds and interest. The opinion was obtained by Stuart Campbell, publisher of the Wings Over Scotland blog. An SNP spokesperson said the issue had already been examined during the investigation into the party's finances.
CRIME
Drug-rape network inquiry widens
Five of Britain’s biggest police forces are now investigating an international ring of men allegedly involved in the drugging and raping of women by their partners. Ten men have so far been arrested in the UK. The National Crime Agency said officers were working with dozens of countries, including France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands and the US, to identify as many as 300 people they linked to a Telegram chatroom.
TECHNOLOGY
Social media ban could hit teaching apps
The UK Government's proposed ban on social media access for under-16s poses significant risks for tech companies providing other services, but which could fall within the scope of the ban. Emma Drake from Bird & Bird pointed to the damaging lack of clarity regarding exemptions, which complicates planning for affected platforms. Video game developers are also awaiting more clarity while small businesses remain concerned about the cost of age verification.
CORPORATE
Scotland's entrepreneurs miss vital growth networks
Scotland has the resources to support scaling businesses, but many founders remain unaware of these opportunities. This issue was highlighted during the OMB roundtable hosted by BGF. Robert Burns, a partner at Burness Paull, noted that some founders face funding or talent constraints, while others hesitate to scale due to past experiences. He stated: "If we want more businesses to scale in Scotland, we need to foster that mindset sooner."
AND FINALLY...
Disciplinary investigations cost UK £28.5bn
Poorly executed disciplinary investigations in the UK are costing the economy £28.5bn annually, according to the Faculty of Public Health (FPH). Such investigations not only harm the individuals involved but also affect their colleagues and the organisation. Prof Tracy Daszkiewicz, FPH president, said: "The consequences ripple outward: damage to individual wellbeing, loss of trust in systems."

 

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