How Scottish Government caution on rental schemes has limited e-bike/scooter chaos, injury and death in Scotland to only one sixth of the UK level
involving e-bikes and e-scooters. BBC Scotland this morning with their latest wee, life in Scotland is unpleasant, even dangerous, stories selected by the news editor but not being covered elsewhere There are ‘a million stories in the City tonight’, they say in some film and the ones you get to see are a small selection chosen by an editor who has and agenda. BBC Reporting Scotland lives to do us down, keep us anxious and hopefully think the SNP in government, has failed. The opposition parties today will do their worst to blame the Scottish Government for some imagined crisis … Continue reading How Scottish Government caution on rental schemes has limited e-bike/scooter chaos, injury and death in Scotland to only one sixth of the UK level
Near-Shore Underwater AI Data Centres with Waste Heat Recovery – A Uniquely Scottish approach with 3 thousand billion litres of water in our 31 thousand lochs
In September this year, we had: Near-Shore Underwater Data Centres with Waste Heat Recovery – A Distinctly Scottish Opportunity with 3 thousand billion litres of water in our 31 thousand lochs Today, the SNP announces in the Herald a ‘Uniquely Scottish approach.’ There’s no detail at all in the Herald report. I wonder if they’re read this? I’m torn. If, IF, an independent Scotland can properly tax the corporations that need these facilities, get the revenue for the surplus energy Scotland generates and from the vast quantities of water we have, then there is an obvious opportunity here. That opportunity … Continue reading Near-Shore Underwater AI Data Centres with Waste Heat Recovery – A Uniquely Scottish approach with 3 thousand billion litres of water in our 31 thousand lochs
Female homicide is falling steadily in the SNP era
I do not mean to be disrespectful here. 15 is 15 too many but readers need to know the truth. First, is this the worsening trend suggested? No: Female homicide in Scotland has been falling in the SNP era to just over half the rate in the last few years. How does this situation compare with England & Wales? How has progress been achieved? See: Continue reading Female homicide is falling steadily in the SNP era
CalMac has one of the youngest ferry fleets in the developed world
From the Herald (SoS) today, the above and: This is a new low for Maritime Williams, the Herald’s Captain Hogwash. ’15 of 33 vessels now at least 30 or over?’ There 37 CalMac ferries in service and there are 15 in that age range. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_MacBrayne_fleet Who to compare with? Washington State Ferries, operating out of Seattle to a comparable island archipelago in the USA and British Columbia Ferries, operating out of Vancouver to a comparable island archipelago in Canada, but both areas with a GDP far higher than in Scotland. Isle of Wight and Channel Island ferries are far too … Continue reading CalMac has one of the youngest ferry fleets in the developed world
UK Government ‘regeneration’ schemes slammed as ‘against spirit of devolution’, ‘not new money’ and ‘a drop in the ocean’
In the Express today, the above. It’s about two Westminster schemes that bypassed Holyrood and gave money directly to councils. It describes this as the Scottish Government “sulking.” The two schemes are: Local Growth Fund: £140m over three years (from 2026/27) to five areas — Glasgow City (£60.9m), Edinburgh & South East (£37.8m), Tay Cities (£19.5m), Ayrshire (£11.8m), and Forth Valley (£9.8m). Pride in Place: Up to £280m over 10 years to 14 neighbourhoods in 12 Scottish local authorities (£20m each), for targeted regeneration. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/140m-scottish-local-growth-fund-to-drive-economic-growth The Scottish Government’s position is that the programmes themselves were imposed without proper engagement and … Continue reading UK Government ‘regeneration’ schemes slammed as ‘against spirit of devolution’, ‘not new money’ and ‘a drop in the ocean’
Scotland’s schools still get 20% more per pupil than those in the rest of the UK and the P1 school bags came from a different budget
You have to say, why is this never reported in MSM? The Daily Record today, above. How many pennies do Scottish School get per pupil, then? From The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) for 2025/2026Key report: Public service spending and performance in Wales (March 2026).This gives the directly comparable figures: Wales ≈ £8,700 England ≈ £8,600 Scotland ≈ £10,400 (about 19% higher than Wales)Related IFS work on Scotland and England (including annual education spending reports and public-service comparisons) supports the same ranking and magnitudes. These aim for consistency by including early years and sixth-form elements where relevant. https://ifs.org.uk/publications/public-service-spending-and-performance-wales Nearly 20% … Continue reading Scotland’s schools still get 20% more per pupil than those in the rest of the UK and the P1 school bags came from a different budget
When the protests outside Holyrood begin the same media will report upon them conveniently ignoring the fact that energy policies are all the responsibility of the UK government
By Lis S BBC website headline 29 October after FM’s Q’s : “John Swinney bats away ‘yes or no’ answer on Rosebank oil field future” . So what about Andy Burnham the UK PM giving a “yes or no” answer to Rosebank oil field’s future, as it is he and his Labour UK government who will get to decide upon that , yes ? Surely it is the UK government who have been swithering on this and so then refusing to say what they will do ? So that being the case it is actually Burnham and his UK government … Continue reading When the protests outside Holyrood begin the same media will report upon them conveniently ignoring the fact that energy policies are all the responsibility of the UK government
Trying to light a two-year-old damp squib as police officer injuries fall annually from 62 to 1 to zero last year and assaults more generally plummet way below those in England
The Express today has the above: From BBC Scotland, today, the above and: Scotland’s biggest police operation since the visit of President Donald Trump last year is to take place on Bonfire Night, in the face of a “unique” combination of safety concerns. As many as 1,700 officers could be deployed on and around 5 November to deal with fireworks-related disorder, a European football match involving Celtic and potential protests in Glasgow. Additional public order vehicles and drivers are being brought in from 18 English and Welsh police forces under mutual aid arrangements. The force has already vowed that anyone … Continue reading Trying to light a two-year-old damp squib as police officer injuries fall annually from 62 to 1 to zero last year and assaults more generally plummet way below those in England
How Big Oil lobbied Big Ed, Wee Michael and then said ‘Gillian Martin? Who?’
Before going any further, what is that image doing there in The National? How are decisions made about oil and gas exploration, development and extraction in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland? Decisions on oil and gas exploration, development, and extraction in the North Sea off Scotland are made primarily under UK (reserved) powers, through a system of licences and activity-specific consents regulated by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), with environmental oversight by the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) and key agreements from the Secretary of State. Offshore licensing is not devolved to the … Continue reading How Big Oil lobbied Big Ed, Wee Michael and then said ‘Gillian Martin? Who?’
Nicola Sturgeon pressed the UK Government to shut down money-laundering firms in 2018 but the Ferret won’t tell you that
I’ll explain the above after this: In the Ferret today, the above, and: Hey there, Jamie here, along with financial crime investigator Diogo Augusto. It’s great when a government decides to tackle abuses made possible by its own legislation – less so when, more than a year after promising reform, it still can’t give a firm date for implementing it. In this case, the reforms are compulsory ID-checks for the owners of a type of Scottish entity that’s become notorious for abuse by money launderers and other international criminals – individuals who certainly wouldn’t be keen to reveal themselves. Implementing … Continue reading Nicola Sturgeon pressed the UK Government to shut down money-laundering firms in 2018 but the Ferret won’t tell you that
