Taking a leaf out of this think tank's book, I'm excited to announce that my exclusive findings that religion and the policies of James VII & II were, at best, minor factors in causing the 'Glorious' Revolution.

🚨 New Act of Classes incoming! 🚨

Sturgeon's period as FM feels, with hindsight, like an SNP version of the Covenanting movement c.1641-6: hegemonic and seemingly unstoppable. We're now deep into the fragmentation of the Engagement/Whiggamore Raid/Act of Classes...and, if I recall, that didn't end prettily.

Apropos of nothing (honest 😉), it's worth nothing that the revolutions of 1688-9 did not happen because James VII & II was Catholic, but because his religion led him to develop and implement policies that were unacceptable to the majority of his subjects.

Think we can now set the ending of the Bute House Agreement alongside Mary marrying Bothwell, Charles I's New Prayer Book, and James VII's Toleration Edits on the league-table of 'Top Scottish Political Self-Immolations'.

Kate Forbes as First Minister would be some impressive playing of the long game on the part of the Covenanters.

Ditching the Greens, causing a political crisis, flirting with Alba, and chattering about turning to Kate Forbes? SNP really working very hard to lose my vote.

🚨 LAST CHANCE 🚨

We're looking to finalise our 2024-5 webinar programme over the next couple of weeks, so if you have any last-minute proposals for a History Scotland webinar, please get in touch ASAP!

One of the things I've noticed in researching the history of crime is that the concept of 'deterrence' is both ancient and curiously impervious to long-term evidence of its inefficacy.

🚨 SUBMITTED! 🚨

Revisions in light of peer-review completed, the final version of my book, 'Serious Crime in Late-Seventeenth Century Scotland', is now off to the publisher! Been a long road getting here, but I'm quietly pleased with the end result. Now for a lie down...

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There's nothing less polite than a 'polite request'.

I've had some really interesting proposals so far, but there's still time to get in touch if you've got some research you'd like to share in a History Scotland webinar!

As an Invernessian myself, all I can say is: WTAF?!

🚨 🚨 🚨

The peer-reviewer's report on my book, 'Serious Crime in Late-Seventeenth Century Scotland', is now in, and it's...very positive! A few astute suggestions for tightening-up, but otherwise, an 'excellent' and 'valuable' book, apparently! Relief and champagne all round!

Facebook has reminded me it's 5 years today since we found possibly the creepiest toy ever made buried in our garden. Still gives me the heebie-jeebies...

First journal article submission in a couple of years just sent off. Wish me luck! 🤞🤞