There is some optimism in the latest Scottish birth rate figures with a slight increase over 2020's which was the lowest birth figure since 1855. 2021 saw 47,785 babies born in Scotland.

However, there is still a decline forecast in Scotland's population by 2045. The Scottish government has launched a consultation into why our birth rate is so low. Though their main plan to deal with population decline seems to be yet again to import people from abroad.

We should be looking at ways to boost our indigenous population, rather than grow our population by immigration. Tax breaks to make it possible for a family to live off one wage, cash to help with housing, cash awards and tax breaks for large families would be some ideas.

There are lots of innovative ways we can increase our birth rate rather than short-sighted immigration which is likely to bring social problems and a loss of Scottish identity with it.

On this day in 1314 Sir James Douglas, known as the Black Douglas, captured Roxburgh Castle from a English occupation force. He attacked at night and his men were disguised under black cloaks, which it appears the defenders mistook for cattle. They then used ropes and board ladders to climb the walls.

Roxburgh Castle is a ruined royal castle that overlooks the junction of the rivers Tweed and Teviot, in the Borders region of Scotland. The town and castle developed into the royal burgh of Roxburgh, which the Scots destroyed along with the castle after capturing it in 1460. Today the ruins stand in the grounds of Floors Castle.

Tradition states that King David I founded the castle; it is first recorded in c.1128 during his reign. In 1174, it was surrendered to England after the capture of William I at Alnwick, and was often in English hands thereafter. The Scots made many attempts to regain the fortress.King Edward I of England imprisoned Mary Bruce in a cage hung outside the castle from 1306 to 1310.

Staff in pharmacies have been facing increasingly aggressive behavior and abuse from customers.

According to staff, most of this aggression is brought on by 'unrealistic expectations' and a lack of face-to-face meetings with GPs.

No staff should have to face abuse from customers. However, this is the natural consequences of the stress that the general public are under due to the failing system and scamdemic fear mongering.

In a rare victory for common sense and for female campaigners the Court of Session has blocked the SNP government's attempts to have transgender "women" defined as women when it comes to appointing people to public boards.

The Court has ruled that the SNP has the power to put through a law to increase the number of women and transgender people on public boards under equality laws, but that they do not have the power to expand the definition of women to include transgenders.

Transgender "women" are simply not women and should not be defined as such. They are biologically male and have never been through the experiences of growing up as a young female, something that shapes a women's identity. We need to stop pandering to these minority groups.

Council cleansing workers, who not that long ago were being applauded for their hard work on the front lines during COVID, are facing the prospect of going on universal credit or taking on second jobs to make ends meet during the current cost of living crisis.

Though they did receive a recent pay rise it is far below the recent rise in inflation. The workers do a difficult job in Glasgow dealing with rats and the terrible mess that has been allowed to accumulate in the streets and backcourts of Glasgow due to the council's mismanagement of refuse services.

These workers are not alone in facing hard choices, with many other public and private sector workers facing the same financial difficulties.

We need to see a proper wage being paid to people across Scotland. A wage rate will give people dignity in work and not leave them in working poverty. None of Scotland's political parties seems to have any idea how to achieve this. Scotland needs a new approach to politics and to work.

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On this day in 1472 Orkney and Shetland became formally part of Scotland when an Act of Parliament was passed.

Orkney and Shetland had from the 10th century been annexed by the Kingdom of Norway, which later entered a personal union with the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1468, Orkney was pledged by the Norwegian king Christian I as security against the payment of the dowry of his daughter Margaret, betrothed to James III of Scotland. The following year he pawned Shetland to the Scottish Crown which has since refused to accept repayment and return it. After the Acts of Union of 1707 Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, along with the rest of Scotland, became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

More Scots are now homeless due to the restrictions and lockdowns imposed on us by the Scottish government.

Homeless people are 'struggling to live with life' says a homeless charity. Universal Credit cuts and the increase in heating bills has forced many Scots onto the streets.

How can this government claim to speak for Scotland when they put migrants from Africa and the Middle East over their own, native people?

We need a Patriotic Alternative.

New article on the PA website from Gordon Freeman about the recent Winter Olympics in Beijing with a large white demographic present in the medals