National Focus 294: Stories from Scotland

Land Reform Bill to Address Scottish Land Ownership

On Wednesday 5 November the Scottish Parliament passed the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. According to the Scottish Parliament’s website, the Bill “aims to reform the law around large landholdings and certain types of leases of land.” Primarily, the bill addresses the high concentration of land owners in Scotland, where comparatively few proprietors own many large properties. Research from Scottish politician Andy Wightman shows that in 2024, only “421 landowners own[ed] 50% of the privately-owned rural land.” The Bill has been controversial, with landowners and opposition politicians from the Scottish Conservatives arguing that its potential to break up large estates could harm rural business owners. Members of both the Scottish Labour and Greens parties have previously supported the Bill, but have since expressed disappointment in its restraints. 

Eleven Hospitalised after Train Mass Stabbing

A mass stabbing aboard an LNER train travelling from Doncaster to London on the evening of Saturday 1 November left eleven people hospitalised — including a train guard who confronted the attacker and whose condition remains serious. 32-year-old Anthony Williams of Peterborough was charged on Monday 3 November with ten counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm, and one count of possession of a bladed article. A second male suspect was also arrested and has since been released with no further action. The police say Williams boarded the train at 7:30pm at the Peterborough stop and began his attack towards the front of the train, which quickly triggered a train-wide announcement and chaos as passengers ran towards the back. Police received 999 calls at 7:39pm, and minutes later, the train made an emergency stop at the nearby Huntingdon station. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood called the perpetrator “the very worst of humanity” in the House of Commons on Monday 3 November.

Former Prince Andrew Loses Royal Title due to Epstein Connections

The younger brother of King Charles III, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has lost his official titles following the discovery of his connections with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. On 17 October, Andrew released a statement announcing his joint decision with the British Royal Family to “no longer use” his conferred title or honours. Though he denies all allegations against him, he states that these accusations “distract from the work” of the Royal Family. A press release from the Palace on 30 October confirmed that the King initiated “a formal process” to remove Andrew’s “Style, Title, and Honours.” It additionally confirmed the termination of his lease on Crown property and that he would now be referred to only as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The UK Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed on 2 November that Andrew will also lose his honorary Royal Navy rank of Vice-Admiral.

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