From Gimmicks to Everyday Fixes
By Mark E. Saunders of “The Scottish Minuteman” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 Hold on just a wee minute here. When John Swinney announced a proposal to make food more affordable for Scottish families — by capping the prices of essential food items in large supermarket chains — what was the reaction from opposition parties at Holyrood? A “political stunt”. A “snoozefest”. “Implausible freebies”. And what was the media headline? “Retailers criticise SNP’s ‘gimmick’ food price cap promise.” Then along comes the UK Government, proposing to remove import tariffs on essential food items to help ease the cost of living. What’s the headline now? Labour to introduce “everyday … Continue reading From Gimmicks to Everyday Fixes
BBC Scotland could be misleading you on likely police officer numbers with journalism at lowest level since SNP surge 20 years ago
From BBC Scotland, the above and: Police Scotland will have to cut officer numbers to their lowest level in 23 years if it gets a “devastating” flat cash funding settlement, an oversight body has warned. The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) says recruitment would have to stop, taking officer numbers down to 15,600 – the lowest figure since 2003-04. Police Scotland is currently in line to receive a standstill budget allocation for next year from the Scottish government, but is asking for a £110m increase to maintain current staffing levels and respond to an increasing workload. The government said it delivered … Continue reading BBC Scotland could be misleading you on likely police officer numbers with journalism at lowest level since SNP surge 20 years ago
As Reporting Scotland return to the Labour RAAC controversy a reminder of the facts they won’t tell you
From BBC Scotland, today, the above and: Councillors have approved a £21m repair scheme for RAAC-affected homes in Dundee. Work will be carried out on council-owned properties and in buildings where the local authority retains an interest. The council has agreed to write to both the UK and Scottish governments seeking financial support and a dedicated funding mechanism for homeowners. Almost 1,000 homes in the city contain the defective concrete – the highest number in Scotland. The material was used in flat roofing, floors and walls between the 1950s and 1990s. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm78pxj4jn8yo Here are the facts they will not report: … Continue reading As Reporting Scotland return to the Labour RAAC controversy a reminder of the facts they won’t tell you
Scotland is well ahead on land reform and legislative foundation is too strong to scupper progress now
In the Guardian today, the above, and: Plans by the government to give the public free access for the first time to information on who owns England’s land are at risk of being scuppered by landowners, campaigners have said. The Guardian has previously revealed that there are internal rifts between the government and the Land Registry – an “arm’s length body” that comes under the oversight of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government but acts largely independently – over how far to open it to scrutiny. and: Gavin Lane, president of the Country Land and Business Association, which … Continue reading Scotland is well ahead on land reform and legislative foundation is too strong to scupper progress now
STV accuse Stephen Flynn of paving over storm drains in Largs five years earlier when he should have been in Westminster. Experts say such storms cannot be fully defended against
Did the young STV reporter with the Ulster accent think she was speaking to a local councillor tonight in Largs when prompted by a chocolate shop owner, she accused Stephen Flynn, Transport Minister, personally and directly of having paved over storm drains. The shop owner, left, with her party leader: The resurfacing of the road outside the shop was resurfaced by Amey in 2021 with further work after more flooding in 2025. Might the flooding this time be due to the intensity of this storm? Yes — the intensity of Storm Boelo was almost certainly a major factor in the … Continue reading STV accuse Stephen Flynn of paving over storm drains in Largs five years earlier when he should have been in Westminster. Experts say such storms cannot be fully defended against
Kevin McKenna, Colonist of the Year makes the Herald a hostile place for Scotland’s decent democrats with up to 150 cheap hatchet jobs since 2019
The Herald’s Colonist of the Year, Kevin McKenna has been in hyperdrive recently with explicit but moronic attacks on the SNP. The one above and six below are only recent examples from a set of more than a hundred going back to before 2014. A man once admired at the Guardian is now a figure of disgust among those decent democrats, now more than 50% of the electorate, and presumably at least that of those who used to take the Herald. Their business model, allowing McKenna and others such as Williams a regular slot and with occasional appearances by the … Continue reading Kevin McKenna, Colonist of the Year makes the Herald a hostile place for Scotland’s decent democrats with up to 150 cheap hatchet jobs since 2019
Scotsman under fire for misleading reporting on alcohol deaths as treatment within only 3 weeks beats 90% target for years on end and Swinney adds another £37 million new this year
The Scotsman, confused on alcohol deaths – against this week or for last week? From the Scotsman’s David Bol today: Exclusive: SNP under fire for lack of action to tackle alcohol deaths as focus on tackling drug fatalities. John Swinney has been warned grieving families “deserve the same urgency” in tackling Scotland’s alcohol death crisis as the nation’s drug-related fatalities amid criticism over a lack of action. Two leading charities have told The Scotsman it was “deeply disappointing” the First Minister’s programme for government “contained nothing new” to tackle alcohol harm. https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/snp-under-fire-for-lack-of-action-to-tackle-alcohol-deaths-as-focus-heaped-on-tackling-drug-fatalities-9308257 First on action ie treatment, from National drug … Continue reading Scotsman under fire for misleading reporting on alcohol deaths as treatment within only 3 weeks beats 90% target for years on end and Swinney adds another £37 million new this year
As anti-social offenders face town centre bans and curfews under Labour’s new “Asbos”, will Scotland’s plummeting anti-social behaviour figures cause a problem for media operating in ‘SNP soft touch on crime’ Scotland?
The above story is trending across media in England today. On April 1 2026: In the Telegraph and other media today, the above story and: Another day, another mini-riot, as gangs of marauding youths run amok – this time in Clapham, south London. A few days ago social media was full of footage of what seemed to be teenagers (they were all in hoodies so one can’t be sure how old they were) causing chaos in Wolverhampton, throwing eggs at anyone they could find. Video then emerged of hundreds of young men and women rushing a streetwear pop-up shop in … Continue reading As anti-social offenders face town centre bans and curfews under Labour’s new “Asbos”, will Scotland’s plummeting anti-social behaviour figures cause a problem for media operating in ‘SNP soft touch on crime’ Scotland?
Not mentioned by BBC Scotland, of course, there is real news on BBC England about real action by doctors of a kind Lisa Summers can only dream
next month in a dispute over pay and pensions. The walk-out will begin on 25th November just before 7am, with consultants providing emergency cover only, similar to how hospitals are staffed on Christmas Day. On BBC UK at 1pm today, the above ‘news’. NHS England consultants last went on strike in 2023. The UK Health Secretary has warned against ‘irresponsible action.’ Regulars will be aware that BBC Scotland have got in early to worry viewers that consultants in NHS Scotland might decide to go on strike and will decide by 7 November but were careful to avoid referring to the … Continue reading Not mentioned by BBC Scotland, of course, there is real news on BBC England about real action by doctors of a kind Lisa Summers can only dream
This weekend’s storms seem to confirm that few Scottish homes will have to be abandoned as climate crisis reshapes UK’s flood risk
In the Guardian 31 January 2026: ‘Homes may have to be abandoned’: how climate crisis has reshaped Britain’s flood risk https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/31/climate-crisis-flood-risk-britain There’s only one mention of Scotland: But it is not just the south-west facing ever more floods as the climate crisis bites. Environment Agency data estimates 6.3m properties in England are at risk of flooding, rising to 8m by 2050, with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland also hit hard. Wow, impressive ‘hard-hitting’ research there…not. In the Guardian 14 October 2025, the above maps showing only two wee bits of Scotland with a 25% risk and the Highland and Borders … Continue reading This weekend’s storms seem to confirm that few Scottish homes will have to be abandoned as climate crisis reshapes UK’s flood risk
