The Milburn report on the ‘UK’s ‘lost generation’ does look north, does spot some of Scotland’s strengths but should have tried much harder
By stewartb The interim report from the Milburn review examining the issues around NEETs gained a lot of MSM attention. See Milburn, A. (May 28, 2026) Independent report: Young people and work: interim report. Report for the Department for Work & Pensions. Its stated geographic scope is clear from the outset: it’s the whole of the UK. The report does acknowledge that certain germane policy areas are devolved: ‘Where policy areas discussed are devolved to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, this is noted.’ However, whilst some of the statistics provided are for the UK, most are for England only. No disaggregated stats for … Continue reading The Milburn report on the ‘UK’s ‘lost generation’ does look north, does spot some of Scotland’s strengths but should have tried much harder
Alleged witness in Nicola Sturgeon’s alleged camper van denial was 14 at the time and is now Chair of Young Labour (Scotland) – another plant
Above, the young man in the Daily Mail‘s: Local resident doubts Sturgeon’s claim she knew nothing about campervan bought with embezzled funds because he met her, he did, he said so, four years ago, when he was presumably 14. According to his own blog My name is Ryan-Thomas Quinn, I am 18, a journalism student, activist and avid enjoyer of wine (preferably rosé). My views are mine and mine alone however, I work regularly with and have friends across the political spectrum. Collaboration is key! https://ryanthomas.blog/about/ Across the political spectrum? In Scottish media reports of SNP or Scottish Government failures … Continue reading Alleged witness in Nicola Sturgeon’s alleged camper van denial was 14 at the time and is now Chair of Young Labour (Scotland) – another plant
Tory donor who will fund lawsuit to help SNP victims get money embezzled by Peter Murrell back should have spent that money years ago on improving his failing care homes
Four Seasons Health Care was a British provider of health and social care services. It also owned The Huntercombe Group, a provider of inpatient mental healthcare and brain injury rehabilitation as well as care home operator brighterkind. Four Seasons, as it is today, was created both organically and by the buying out of smaller chains of care homes and rebranding them, as evidenced by the takeovers of Tamaris (formerly Quality Care Homes) and Bettercare. At its largest it was the second-biggest care home operator in the UK. Set up in 1988 by Robert Kilgour, it opened its first care home, Station Court in Kirkcaldy in Fife, … Continue reading Tory donor who will fund lawsuit to help SNP victims get money embezzled by Peter Murrell back should have spent that money years ago on improving his failing care homes
Never mind the Dutch what can the Scots teach the ‘UK’ about how to tackle the youth jobs crisis?
Over the years, I’ve noticed that no matter the issue, experts and journalists will never dream of looking north for a solution. Yesterday, in the Guardian: A shock government-backed report this week warned of the danger of a “lost generation” of young people in Britain, as the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (Neets) rose to more than 1 million. According to official UK statistics, roughly 13.5% of young people are not in work or college. Among 18- to 24-year-olds the share rises to 15.8% – nearly one in six. In the Netherlands, the equivalent figure has been … Continue reading Never mind the Dutch what can the Scots teach the ‘UK’ about how to tackle the youth jobs crisis?
Sky TV’s maternity survey is not just massive it’s massively useless and staggeringly wrong in suggesting NHS Scotland has problems – here’s why
From Ipsos today, funded by Sky TV News, its massive 378 000 ‘survey’ of social media comment on maternity services ‘across the UK‘, appears to suggest (above) that discontent is greatest in Scotland: The prevalence of predominantly negative sentiment signifies an existing tension in society about the experience of maternity care in the UK, with little difference in the pattern by nations (Scotland had a slightly higher share of negative than Northern Ireland, which had a slightly higher share of positive) It’s nonsense and, regardless of it’s serious scale, no doubt cost and the Ipsos banner, I could teach 11 … Continue reading Sky TV’s maternity survey is not just massive it’s massively useless and staggeringly wrong in suggesting NHS Scotland has problems – here’s why
Soaring Covid infections – the real campervan from England worry in Scotland in 2021
In late 2020, Peter Murrell bought a campervan from a dealer in Staffordshire before apparently leaving it sitting two years on his mother’s drive in Dunfermline. If only that had been a typical use of campervans from England into Scotland in the following year. On the 20th June, the Sunday Post, reported: Scotland faces an influx of 6.4 million visitors this summer as UK staycationers head here in record numbers, according to industry data. Tracking research commissioned by GB national tourist boards, including VisitScotland, is used to measure UK residents’ holiday intentions, with the latest Scotland report, up to the … Continue reading Soaring Covid infections – the real campervan from England worry in Scotland in 2021
Unregistered/illegal/rip-off children’s homes and carers are not found in Scotland due to mandatory registration and active enforcement.
Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this. From Socialist Worker yesterday, the above and: Macie was 14 when she was sent to a children’s home. She was allowed outside for only 15 minutes a day—or more if she did jobs such as cleaning. Macie, now 18, explained, “People can just go buy a house, make a company, copy and paste off Google some safeguarding procedures and stuff.” And “then social services just pay them to put children in there”, she told the Financial Times newspaper. Macie is right. Vulnerable children are now treated as nothing more than investment opportunities. Each … Continue reading Unregistered/illegal/rip-off children’s homes and carers are not found in Scotland due to mandatory registration and active enforcement.
‘It’s Scotland’s Energy’: Energy Minister’s Speech completely ignored by most media
Extract from Speech by Energy Minister Stephen Gethins in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 28 May 2026: Scotland is one of the most energy rich countries in Europe having won the natural lottery twice, once with hydrocarbons and again with abundant renewable resources. People in Scotland face increasing energy bills (with another increase just yesterday) and a cost of living crisis – in a country that produces far more energy than it consumes. Just for context hydrocarbons that have sent £400 billion to the Treasury in London with little in return and no long-term planning – a finite resource with … Continue reading ‘It’s Scotland’s Energy’: Energy Minister’s Speech completely ignored by most media
How Glasgow’s child haemophiliacs were betrayed by the Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Government’s Infected Blood Inquiry Report Oversight and Assurance Group published its minutes today. This reminded me, as it will others, of a tragic story of Glasgow’s child haemophiliacs. According to the Guardian in April 2024, cheap infected blood products based on blood from Arkansas prisoners began to be used across the UK after the Labour Government, in 1976, signed the deal, despite warnings from experts. BBC Scotland pointed out: One area where Scotland differed from the rest of the UK is that the vast majority of infections came from its own blood donations. In the 1970s and 80s, … Continue reading How Glasgow’s child haemophiliacs were betrayed by the Scottish Labour Party
Sturgeon has repeatedly championed women’s rights and women in both Scotland and the rest of the UK have a lot to thank her for
By stewartb To the question: ‘Whatever happened to the heroes?‘ I’m strongly inclined to take the Stranglers’ advice when musing about the state of the world and those in leadership positions: ‘No more heroes anymore’! So why write the following? When evidence-free opinions are given in derogatory terms – ‘Wee Nippy’, ‘worst FM’, ‘disgrace to Scotland’ and Prof Robertson singled out as ‘coming across as a dafty’ – on a topic that is (surely) more nuanced, it’s hard not to be motivated to offer some balance, some perspective: seems to me that’s something TuS always strives to do! My humble opinion of … Continue reading Sturgeon has repeatedly championed women’s rights and women in both Scotland and the rest of the UK have a lot to thank her for
Talking-up Scotland 