THE DEMOCRAT

CANON GERRY CONROY The Bible has a tendency when talking about God to place side by side two statements that are almost contradictory but that

By Lucy Ashton New research from Labour has revealed the Tory government’s economic mismanagement has left Scots £1,633 a year worse off. That’s about £30

Investigation by Paul Dobson in The Ferret Coffee giant Costa – they have a branch at the old Claude Alexander’s tailor shop in Dumbarton High

HM NAVAL BASE CLYDE By Kim Hardie PERSONNEL at HM Naval Base Clyde bid a fond farewell to Captain Gibbons on Thursday, June 1, as

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic beat Inverness Caley in the Scottish Cup final Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has agreed to become Tottenham Hotspur’s ‘s new manager on

A debris flow shelter estimated to cost up to half a billion pounds is being planned for Rest route By Christina O’Neill on STV News A long-term

Thousands of people across Scotland have started their journey to become Carbon Literate. By Lucy Ashton Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has expanded its range

By Bill Heaney Jackie Baillie has called for a clear and robust increase in enforcement after it emerged that only three people have been prosecuted

By Bill Heaney Going “roon the shore” for a dook or a paddle was the thing to do in Dumbarton in the past when the

Women already taking an active part in public life in Argyll and Bute. Picture by Bill Heaney By Aileen MacLennan Argyll and Bute Council is

New research has revealed the “most desirable places to live” in Scotland ahead of the summer, including scenic spots such as Craigellachie, the Isle of

The new SNP cabinet secretaries pictured on the steps of Bute House – not shy about making use of government limos. By Lucy Ashton The

Vale of Leven and Clydebank Health Centres. By Bill Heaney Primary care in Scotland is at ‘breaking point’ due to rising demand and SNP cuts,

Tourism is a hugely important business in West Dunbartonshire and Argyll. By Lucy Adams with pictures by Bill Heaney The SNP-Green government will be forced

Joseph “Joe”  Keeley, age 81, of Westmont, and formerly of Brucehill, Dumbarton,  passed away peacefully on May 23, 2023, in Naples, Florida. He is survived

STV’s Sean Batty predicts that high and rare levels of UV radiation can be expected this week. By Lucy Ashton Scots are being warned that

Friday, 2nd June (World Peatlands Day) Harvesting peat in West of Scotland and Connemara in Ireland. Then and now. Pictures by Heather Greer and Bill

By Lucy Ashton  The SNP-Green government cut nearly £20 million from the budget given to organisations supporting those with drug and alcohol problems last year,

By Lucy Ashton Scottish Labour has raised the alarm at findings that the number of prisoners placed on suicide or self-harm watch in Scotland has

Lee Bisset – ‘Heroine of the night is Loch Lomondside woman Lee Bisset’s Brünnhilde, her sumptuous soprano radiating passion whether driven by love, anguish or

Celtic won the Scottish Cup for the 41st time with a 3-1 win over Inverness. Andy Coyle reporting for STV News Celtic have completed a

Fr Sean FitzGerald, who served for 15 years as parish priest at St Kessog’s Church in Balloch. One of Glasgow’s retired and much-loved priests has

MSPs Marie McNair SNP and Labour’s  Jackie Baillie have expressed concerns about the proposed changes. By Bill Heaney There are going to be a lot

Nicola Sturgeon with ex-Ferguson Marine boss Jim McColl. By Lucy Ashton Ministers failed to tell the truth about a £30 million loan to struggling Ferguson

‘Financial viability’ of Kilgraston School had been thrown into doubt due to the Covid pandemic Kilgraston: The boarding school will close its doors for the

A Type 45 frigate fires a missile. UK Defence Journal By George Allison Type 45 Destroyer HMS Defender deployed to Scotland’s Outer Hebrides for ‘Exercise

COSLA’s refusal to approach the Scottish government to help fund fair pay for council workers is outrageous, says UNISON By Danny Phillips UNISON, the largest

Investigation by Karin Goodwin in The Ferret   Municipal Buildings in College Park Street. Councillors claimed them for their offices. Common Good assets are unique

By Lucy Ashton A new Scottish Liberal Democrat analysis shows that more than 2,400 nurses were absent from work due to Long Covid. Party leader

02 Jun 2023 The United Nations has today warned the UK and Scottish governments that they need to do much more to uphold children’s human

Moon was found at an address in Buckinghamshire two weeks after going missing. By Emily Ford A baby donkey stolen from a farm has been

Marna Ferguson was called a ‘Fenian’ by Robert and Alastair Kirkwood at Ibrox Stadium on February 6, 2022, when Catholic school teacher referee Willie Collum

Dr Charles Massie (centre) pictured with friends and colleagues. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Charles Massie on May 5th

The project to build the two CalMac ferries is £200m over budget. BBC Scotland is reporting that bosses at the troubled Clyde shipyard building two

By Bill Heaney New forecasts from the Scottish Fiscal Commission show a concerning gap between eligibility for, and uptake of, the Scottish child payment, according

By Bill Heaney The Community Pharmacy Scotland board has described the financial settlement that it has been offered as “derisory”, an MSP told the Holyrood

JUNE 1, 2023 By Lucy Ashton Jackie Baillie MSP, pictured above, has demanded a cap on bus fares and action to prevent cuts to bus

By Lucy Ashton  Children and young people in West Dunbartonshire, Helensburgh and Lomond have been “abandoned” by the SNP, Jackie Baillie has warned. Latest figures

Some pictures to set the scene for those who have never been to Tiree. Tiree Music Festival (TMF), known for its beautiful scenery, iconic beachfront

By Lucy Ashton The Scottish Conservatives have said the Low Emission Zone which came into force in Glasgow today puts jobs at risk and could

Officers say they feel there is a ‘target on their back’ if they report issues amidst a ‘boys club culture’ within the force By Tara Fitzpatrick

Obesity specialists say council’s advice is inaccurate and discriminates against their patients According to guidance issued by the main medical authorities in Ireland, Ozempic is

01 June 2023 By Aileen MacLennan Argyll and Bute Council has declared a housing emergency. There has been a consistent reduction in available housing throughout

By Bill Heaney More than 18,000 patients died while they were on waiting list for treatment by NHS Scotland last year. The shock news was

By Canon Gerry Conroy There has been a lot of interest recently in the press about Artificial Intelligence and the threat that it may or

By Lucy Ashton  Jackie Baillie has branded Humza Yousaf’s time as Health Secretary “catastrophic” as new figures reveal NHS waiting lists in Greater Glasgow and

By Aileen MacLennan Argyll and Bute Council has repeated its request for a formal meeting with the Scottish Government to discuss a possible extension on

This new sign at Milarrochy on the east shore of Loch Lomond appeared a few weeks ago Investigation by Nick Kempe of Parkswatch Scotland Six

Scotland’s beaches triumph in prestigious award celebration More than 50 beaches have scooped Scotland’s Beach Award from environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful and will be

  Labour’s spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy and Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth. By Bill Heaney Re-building education in Scotland must take account of 16 years of SNP

WELFARE RIGHTS & MONEY ADVICE TEAM – W4U After making inquiries UNISON has discovered that Welfare Rights and Money Advice Team since 2016 has brought

By Glen Douglas Dumbarton FC confirmed today that, subject to SLFL approval, that they have reached an agreement with Broomhill to groundshare their stadium for

By Bill Heaney NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has issued a public reassurance ahead of Glasgow City Council implementing the City Centre Low Emission Zone

By Bill Heaney The foul smell which once filled the air on Clydeside used to be called Shieldhall No 5 in deference to the world

  We are delighted to extend an invitation to the whole of Scotland to help us celebrate Carers Week 2023. This year we have partnered

By Lucy Ashton Scottish Labour has accused the SNP of failing to prevent a “ticking time bomb” of cancer deaths following the pandemic, as cancer

Archdiocese of Glasgow  By Bill Heaney Archbishop Bill Nolan has accepted the resignation from the Office of Parish Priest of Saint Brendan’s, Yoker, of Father

East Dunbartonshire Council  The Campsie Show returns to Bogton Farm, Torrance, this Saturday (3 June 2023). For more info visit http://www.campsieshow.co.uk and http://www.facebook.com/CampsieAgriculturalShow The event

Investigation by Billy Briggs in The Ferret A French drinks company with a major presence in Dumbarton  – it owns a total 14 distilleries in

By Cameron Brooks The head of a Christian charity which fights global poverty has been elected the next Moderator of the General Assembly of the

By Cameron Brooks The Assembly Trustees of the Church of Scotland are encouraging people to be bold, take risks and “imagine” an exciting future for

By Bill Heaney It was taps aff, swimming gear and wet suits on – maybe – as summer finally arrived in West Dunbartonshire and Argyll

Concerns increase after videos on social media show violent outbursts from pupils The Scottish Tories will use a Holyrood debate this week to call on

By Lucy Ashton Douglas Ross called for a skills revolution that prioritises vocational courses and training – as well as higher education – in an

By Lucy Ashton Jackie Baillie visited St Augustine’s Church Hall recently to find out more about the support they are offering to members of the

By Kim Hardie The 56th Keswick to Barrow 40 Mile Sponsored Walk took place on Saturday, May 13, with Team HM Naval Base Clyde all

Donald Findlay KC on his way to court. By Democrat reporter One of Scotland’s top defence lawyers has attacked the Scottish Government’s plans to introduce juryless

By Lucy Ashton Jackie Baillie has stressed that a full and proper appraisal must be carried out on the plans to improve the A82 from

By Lauren Crooks Improvements to a six-mile cycle route between Dalreoch and Balloch have been completed. The Council’s Greenspace team worked in partnership with West

By Bill Heaney Over 100,000 children are on social housing waiting lists, shocking new figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives can reveal today. A series

Author: Ferret Journalists A Scottish Government plan to put new protections in place for areas of Scotland’s seas has led to controversy in fishing communities.

29 May 2023 By Aileen Maclennan People in Argyll and Bute will have the opportunity to comment on the Scottish Government’s plans to establish at

Louise Slorance pictured with husband Andrew and three of their children. Orwellian intelligence-gathering operation has been ordered by Health Board bosses to monitor criticism in

By Kim Hardie ROYAL NAVY Submariners at HM Naval Base Clyde will have the opportunity to get ship-shape with the opening of a new fitness

By Bill Heaney Alarming new figures reveal that more than 8,000 nursery and childminding staff have been absent due to mental health issues over the

By Lucy Ashton A West Dunbartonshire food bank is to receive more than £55,000 in funding over the next three years to support families struggling

By Lucy Ashton  Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar must clarify his party’s position on new investment in the North Sea oil and gas sector, the

By Lucy Ashton NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – the local health board – are helping to challenge the stigma surrounding dementia as part of

Holidays Even an editor has to have holidays. That is why I have just returned from a week off in Edinburgh and St Andrews. There

By Lucy Ashton Families are stuck in “permanent crisis” due to rising cost of living, Scottish Labour has warned. New analysis of Scottish Welfare Fund

By Bill Heaney SNP colleagues will be looking forward to one of their most experienced MSPs retiring says the Greens co-leader in a brutal dismissal

Find out how your local secondary school fared in the latest league table. By Bill Heaney The SNP Government is under fire over the performance

Health Board pays out to patient whose testicle was removed without his consent By Bill Heaney Alarming new figures reveal that the Scotland’s NHS has shelled

Liam was one of the young people who contributed their views to the report By Lucy Ashton BBC Scotland is reporting that a radical shake-up

Grand opening sees QEUH Gro-Garden blend greenspace, art and well-being multi-partner approach brings garden concept to life By Lucy Ashton A wonderful new garden has

By Cameron Brooks The Church of Scotland has been instructed to prepare a statement of acknowledgment and apology for its involvement with and connection to

By Bill Heaney Representatives of Police Scotland’s rank-and-file say they have been “kicked into the gutter” by their chief constable’s claim the force is “institutionally

Sir Iain Livingstone roasted for ‘hand-wringing’ over racist and sexist police admission Calum Steele said the Chief Constable’s bombshell statement will make life a nightmare

By Cameron Brooks The Church of Scotland has decided it would be “unwise” to take a corporate position on Scottish independence and on whether a

SNP’s tourist tax could drive visitors away from Bonnie Banks and holiday destinations By Bill Heaney reporting from Edinburgh The Scottish Government’s financial outlook for

Martin Rooney, Michelle McGinty and Douglas McAllister. BILL HEANEY’s notebook column Secret Scotland. Tell me about it. The Dumbarton Democrat, the only independent media platform

25th of May, 2023. By Cameron Brooks The son of a Church of Scotland minister who first attended the General Assembly 45 years ago has

Thursday 25 May 2023 Conservative leader Douglas Ross, FM Humza Yousaf. Labour Justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill and LibDem MP Wendy Chamberlain. Top of page Police

By Bill Heaney Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie has accused the Scottish Government of allowing communities to be become seriously rundown. He revealed new

Toxic dust from demolition site contaminated water supply and led to killer infections at £1 billion hospital Newly released documents suggest the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital