As 2025 draws to a close, it will be remembered less for progress and more for chaos – a year marked by political folly, institutional failure, and a dangerous erosion of trust in leadership, says Calum Steele.

Now that Christmas is behind us and we are in that twilight zone where no one really knows what day it is – and the fridge light is on as often as it is off – it is easy to allow long boozy days to lead to nostalgic reflection of the year past, as well as excitement for what the new one ahead might bring.

But you really would need to look back at the past 12 months with beer goggles to find much to celebrate as 2025 has proved to be a year where more has been squandered than gained, and long-established norms that helped maintain a semblance of competence and order have been shredded as a new age of chaos and confusion has taken hold.

The expectation that incompetence, stupidity, vindictiveness, spite, and brutality should simply be accepted as part of the new normal has been so relentless that seeking solace in the bottom of a bottle is verging on the obligatory.

We weren’t long into the year when the American-born grandson of Scotland was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. Like a child let loose with felt-tip pens, he quickly set to work scrawling dozens of executive orders with the pride of someone who has managed to colour inside the lines for the first time.

Pardoning some 1,500 convicted MAGA supporters, dismissing perceived political opponents, and pouring petrol on the brightly glowing embers of political and racial disharmony was an early signal that this presidency would break all the moulds. His open contempt........

© Herald Scotland