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Times
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Times
What was the worst moment in Scottish history?
Scotland's stormy past, with its roll call of battles and assassinations, revolutions and revolts, can sometimes read like a masterclass in shooting ourselves in the foot. History, by definition, is a series of dramas stitched together by a running narrative in which those responsible for life-changing decisions, whether triumphant or disastrous, are held accountable: lauded, lambasted or simply airbrushed from the record. If asked to nominate the worst decision in Scottish history, most of us would have little problem coming up with a list, with several contenders jockeying for the dubious honour of first place. Some might say, of course, that even to ask this question is to indulge in a national stereotype, the bittersweet compulsion to pick at old scabs. Can you blame us? It feels as if for every brilliant innovation or intellectual breakthrough there has been an event, often avoidable, that has left the country reeling. Take the Battle of Flodden in 1513, which remains one of the frontrunners for the most reckless and needless decision ever made. When James IV marched into England and confronted Henry VIII's troops near the border, he had a larger army and a strong strategic advantage. Shortly before battle commenced, however, he switched position, rendering his cannons useless as they shot far beyond range. Even worse, when his men charged down the hillside they were trapped in mud, allowing the English to pick them off. Around 10,000 Scots died, including the king and many of the country's aristocracy. Since then, Flodden has become a byword for self-inflicted disaster, as when in 1961, one of the best Scottish football teams ever fielded lost 9-3 to England. The goalkeeper Frank Haffey was so vilified he emigrated to Australia. A rather worse calamity was the Darien Scheme of 1695. The idea of setting up a colony in Panama to trade with the Pacific and Atlantic was not, in theory, a bad one. But climate, geography and politics turned a potentially money-spinning venture into a nightmare, bringing the country close to bankruptcy. This debacle led almost directly to the Union of Parliaments, with whose consequences, good and ill, we're still grappling. 1707 remains a sour date for those who, despite the economic benefits the Union brought, say we threw away our independence for the enrichment of a handful of self-serving toffs. Dozens of dates vie for attention once, like fossil hunters, you start looking for footprints from the past. You could point to the Jacobites turning back at Derby in 1745 rather than marching on London, as planned. Who knows what might have happened had they taken the English capital. Yet I would argue that the entire Jacobite crusade was a mistake, given what followed: harsh reprisals and ill-feeling against the Highlands and Islands, an entrenching of anti-Catholic sentiment, and the start of an era of mass-emigration from the region, whose reverberations endure. The same, of course, could be said for the Clearances. Although the emptying of glens and straths to make way for sheep in counties such as Sutherland and Caithness was the work of more than one individual, the nation was brutalised by this barbaric process. Not only was it immeasurably cruel to those who were displaced but its environmentally baleful legacy lives on. There are countless other low points, among them the near collapse of the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2008 under Fred Goodwin's pugnaciously acquisitive regime. Overnight, the country's centuries-old pride for fiscal prudence evaporated. I'd also suggest that, for those keen to end the Union, holding the independence referendum in 2014 was, in retrospect, a mistake. Had it come a few years later, after the Brexit referendum — and when 56 of 59 Scottish MPs at Westminster were SNP — a majority might well have voted yes. For me, however, the most momentous date of all is 16 May, 1568. On that day, Mary, Queen of Scots stepped into a boat and sailed across the Solway Firth to England. Despite the protestations of her closest advisers, she was determined to seek help from Elizabeth I, confident that with her cousin's support she could regain the throne that had been forcibly taken from her. It was a stupendous miscalculation, one so ill-advised that before departing she was obliged to sign a statement, produced by her inner circle, saying she was acting against their advice. How Mary could have thought she would be safe in England is inexplicable, given the threat she posed. Within days she recognised she was a prisoner. Increasingly isolated and unwell, during the next 19 or so years she was drawn into conspiracies against her cousin. Nevertheless, it was a forged postscript to one of Mary's coded letters, by an agent acting for Elizabeth's spy master Sir Francis Walsingham, that led to her execution. Had Mary not fled to England, things might have gone very differently. Although at the time of her abdication she was reviled for allegedly colluding in her husband Darnley's murder, support for her had since grown. It was entirely possible that she could have raised an army, overthrown her enemies, and lived to reign for many more years. How different Scotland might then have looked. And how much more vulnerable England would have been, with a potential ally of European Catholic powers as a neighbour. Indeed, a Catholic invasion could have reshaped the entire British isles. You can also wonder what sort of man her son, the future James VI and I, would have been if raised by his mother rather than by fanatical Protestants. Might the shameful witchhunts he set in motion have been averted? But there's another lingering legacy of Mary's fatal error. Since her beheading at Fotheringhay Castle she has been cast as a tragic figure, either a heroine or a weak and foolish woman, depending on your view. In an era of profound misogyny, promoted by the likes of John Knox, her story became a cautionary tale about the fallibility of women and their inability to be leaders. An echo of that narrative remains to this day. One bad decision; so many consequences. Exile: The Captive Years of Mary, Queen of Scots by Rosemary Goring is published on 3 July by Birlinn.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Monarchs edge thriller to pick up precious points on their travels
Jonatan Grahn was impressive for the Monarchs. Picture: Jack Cupido The Edinburgh Monarchs pulled off a sensational victory on the road as they edged out the Oxford Cheetahs 45-44. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In stifling conditions at Sandy Lane, Monarchs finally picked up their first league triumph away from Armadale since a 46-44 success over the Plymouth Gladiators in August 2023. The Capital club move up to third in the Championship standings ahead of Friday's visit to Teesside to take on the Redcar Bears. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Teenager Jordy Loftus made his Monarchs debut - he scored 10 for the Academy in Sunday's win over the Middlesbrough Tigers - and despite not scoring this time round, he looked on the pace. Victor Palovaara made his first start in the No.1 berth after moving up from reserve, bagging 11 points that included a heat one win over Oxford counterpart and Monarchs legend, Sam Masters. There was solid scoring throughout the visitors' line-up, Swede Jonatan Grahn with an impressive nine, paid ten, and a special mention to Kye Thomson, whose last corner swoop to snatch third from Mitch McDiarmid in the final race of the evening, secured Monarchs a precious three points.
Scotsman
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Teen prospect Jordy Loftus jets in to sign for the Edinburgh Monarchs
Jordy Loftus has signed for the Monarchs. Picture: Edinburgh Monarchs New Edinburgh Monarch Jordy Loftus revealed he has been studying videos online of his new Armadale home as he prepares to make his British speedway debut next week. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Capital side has announced the signing of the 16-year-old Australian, who replaces Max James in the reserve berth. Academy rider Mark Parker had been filling the void left by James, who quit the Monarchs in April citing a lack of confidence on the track. Loftus, who hails from the Gold Coast, will make the move to the northern hemisphere and ride in both the Championship and National Development League for the Scottish outfit, replacing the injured Kyran Lyden in the Academy setup. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Loftus is no stranger to some of his new team-mates, none other than compatriots Kye Thomson and Justin Sedgmen as he explained. "I know of Justin Sedgmen and Kye Thomson and I've got to know Kye more personally over the past year or so - we practise at the same track in Ipswich [Australia]," he said. "I've been watching his technique going around the track and getting some tips off him. I've watched every single video put up from Armadale, it looks amazing. I'm excited to join the club and meet all the people and race." Loftus will adorn the Monarchs race suit for the first time next Wednesday at Oxford Cheetahs' Sandy Lane followed by a trip to the Redcar Bears on Friday, June 20. He will make his home debut when the Bears visit West Lothian on Friday, June 27. The teenager has only recently moved onto the 500cc bikes after turning 16 in March following a successful career on the less powerful 250cc engines. "I'm number two in Australia on the 250s," Loftus said. "I rode those until I turned 16 in March when I jumped onto a 500 and since then I've been getting better and better on it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "I rode in SGP3 in 2024, and that went well in the semis when I got fifth. In the final I had a little bit of bad luck the way things went but my final placing was 13th." Revised 2025 Monarchs: Victor Palovaara, Kye Thomson, Michael Palm Toft, Paco Castagna, Justin Sedgmen, Jonatan Grahn, Jordy Loftus.
Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Palace insiders reveal King Frederik and Queen Mary's shrewd political move to avoid a Prince Harry-esque disaster: 'A stroke of genius'
King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark have passed the one-year mark as a reigning royal couple and continue to make bold and deliberate steps towards shaping the future direction of their monarchy. And one such recent move, impacting the extended Danish royal family, may be their most astute yet.
Scotsman
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Monarchs outsprint Cheetahs to pick up precious points
Sam Masters (white) gets the drop on Michael Palm Toft (red) in heat one. Lasse Fredriksen (yellow) and Victor Palovaara (blue) battle in the inside. Picture: Jack Cupido The Edinburgh Monarchs picked up their first Championship victory of 2025 with a 50-40 triumph over a depleted Oxford Cheetahs. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Having lost their opening two league fixtures to reigning champions Poole and Plymouth last month, the Capital outfit were under pressure to deliver on home shale against a Cheetahs side - hit by injury and rider unavailability - spearheaded by former Monarch, and legend, Sam Masters. Co-promoter Alex Harkess had spoken prior to the meeting about getting the job done in the early part of the match. However, Monarchs' advantage was a slender two points with just four heats remaining and that was largely down to some exemplary riding by Masters. The 34-year-old Australian, who made 233 appearances in Blue and Gold and a double league winner in 2014 and 2015, went through the card unbeaten scoring an 18-point maximum. Former Monarchs and guests Lasse Fredriksen and Jacob Hook also contributed well, but that was about it for the visitors. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As for the hosts, who were without skipper Paco Castagna, Victor Palovaara scored 20 for the third consecutive home meeting in what was his final outing at reserve - only Masters getting the better of the Swede in the first race of the evening. Palovaara will move into the main body of the team and take the No.1 berth for Monarchs' next fixture which is away at Oxford on Wednesday, June 18. "I'm going to have to step it up if I'm going to score these high points later in the season," Palovaara said afterwards. "It's good. It just shows how much I love this track and how much fun I'm having coming here. I really enjoy it and it's looking good so far. I'm hoping I can keep it going. I want to be higher up in the the team and now I've scored enough points to be there, so I just need to keep winning heats and stay there." New signing Michael Palm Toft made his debut and scored five including a heat six win when he teamed up with Kye Thomson to deliver a 5-1. This was Palm Toft's first fixture of 2025 so the former Scunthorpe star can be satisfied with his night's work. Thomson, meanwhile, scored handsomely, 12 paid 14 from his six outings and looked on the pace. The victory takes Monarchs off the foot of the Championship and up four places to fifth. Their next home fixture isn't until Friday, June 27 when the Redcar Bears make the trip north from Teesside.
