To what extent have former colonies of the British Empire achieved independence less because of their own direct efforts and more because of historical events that have happened to both the Empire and to them?
Would you trust any human, academic or otherwise, to answer that honestly? Not me so this is AI based on my thesis and post-checking: To a substantial extent. Former British colonies achieved independence primarily because of historical events that weakened the Empire and reshaped the international order, with colonial nationalism and direct efforts acting as important accelerators, localizers, and shapers of outcomes rather than the sole or dominant drivers of the rapid collapse. The British Empire reached its peak territorial extent after World War I but unravelled with remarkable speed after 1945—most major dependencies independent by the mid-1960s (India/Pakistan 1947, … Continue reading To what extent have former colonies of the British Empire achieved independence less because of their own direct efforts and more because of historical events that have happened to both the Empire and to them?
If Canada and Oz don’t need a Douglas Alexander, why do we?
From Nation Cymru, yesterday: Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams has called for the Wales Office to be scrapped, saying it often does “more harm than good” and reinforces Westminster’s position rather than challenging it. Speaking to The National Podcast at the SNP conference in Aberdeen, Ms Williams said devolution had removed the need for the role. “Over 27 years of devolution we have come to a maturity, I would say obviously in Scotland but equally in Wales, where we don’t need that position anymore,” she said. “What we get is resistance, and that has been true of Welsh Secretaries of … Continue reading If Canada and Oz don’t need a Douglas Alexander, why do we?
Yvette Cooper, Health Secretary for England offers tiny 0.06% NHS winter funding boost but NHS Scotland and Scottish Government are far more ready
Today in the Guardian: The NHS faces a more challenging winter than normal, the health secretary has warned, as she announced a £140m increase for urgent care in England. Yvette Cooper said the money would help increase capacity, and that the NHS has been preparing since July to deal with the impact of seasonal illnesses. Total NHS England budget for 2025/2026 was: £215 billion.1 Yvette Cooper, Health Secretary, today pledges another £140 million boost for ‘tough winter.’2 Percentage increase- 0.06%! Sources: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2026-to-2027-financial-directions-to-nhs-england/2026-to-2027-financial-directions-to-nhs-england https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/18/yvette-cooper-140m-boost-urgent-care-nhs-tough-winter More important: Continue reading Yvette Cooper, Health Secretary for England offers tiny 0.06% NHS winter funding boost but NHS Scotland and Scottish Government are far more ready
Glasgow University is a safer place to study than ALL English universities – Has the official student newspaper ever told you that ‘staggering’ fact?
Having just see their lame, mainstream account of drug deaths in Scotland, I wondered if they had ever shared important findings on safety from crime in Glasgow. I could only find, recently, the above, and: In June, the BBC reported that the number of sexual crimes that occur in Scotland has increased by 3% in the last year – the highest it has been since 1971. This is a staggering and terrifying statistic, leaving many in Glasgow worrying about their own safety in the city. Learning how to stay safe, especially if you are new in Glasgow, is extremely important. … Continue reading Glasgow University is a safer place to study than ALL English universities – Has the official student newspaper ever told you that ‘staggering’ fact?
Glasgow University ‘official’ student newspaper misinforming on ‘The Drug Death Accurate Reporting Capital of Europe’ with lame repetition of MSM ‘shallownews’
Self-described as: The Glasgow Guardian is the multi-award-winning independent newspaper of Glasgow University, and one of the oldest student publications to exist. We publish print editions monthly, and we’ve broken stories that have caught the attention of national press, politicians, and activists, and are made up of a thriving base of talented writers, editors and reporters. https://glasgowguardian.co.uk/about/ the above story merely repeats the line of the media operating in Scotland: https://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2026/10/17/scotland-remains-drug-death-capital-of-europe/ I’d have hoped for better. Here’s what they’ve missed and it’s of special interest to their young (captive) audience: Age-specific mortality rates of drug use deaths by broad age … Continue reading Glasgow University ‘official’ student newspaper misinforming on ‘The Drug Death Accurate Reporting Capital of Europe’ with lame repetition of MSM ‘shallownews’
More than 100 refugee doctors trained to add to nearly 20% more than 5 years ago and nearly 40% more than England
In the Herald yesterday, the above and: Funding to help refugee doctors return to the medical profession in the UK is almost doubling after the Scottish Government announced an additional £190,023 for the Bridges Programmes’ Refugee Doctors Programme. The investment will help medically trained refugees gain General Medical Council (GMC) registration so they can practise in the UK, while bringing the total number of doctors supported by the Scottish Government through the scheme to more than 100. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26645250.scottish-funding-nearly-doubles-refugee-doctors-scheme/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1792172357-1 These are small numbers but remember: From Scottish medical training statistics: FOI release published today, the above, revealing year-on-year increases in the … Continue reading More than 100 refugee doctors trained to add to nearly 20% more than 5 years ago and nearly 40% more than England
Scottish Government spends £107 million, £107 000 per householder, of your taxes on flood defences, BBC Scotland report one guest house sale and the locals vote Tory
BBC Scotland ‘News’ yesterday, the above from 2020, 4 years ago, and: A Hawick guest house and cafe that was partially washed away in floods has gone on the market. Video footage captured the moment river-facing walls of the Bridge Guest House building dramatically collapsed into the Teviot at the height of Storm Ciara in February 2020. Only seven paragraphs later, perhaps on the 17:30 broadcast, perhaps not: Since the collapse of the Bridge Guest House, a £106m flood defence scheme has been completed in Hawick, protecting about 970 buildings. Work began on the project – one of the largest … Continue reading Scottish Government spends £107 million, £107 000 per householder, of your taxes on flood defences, BBC Scotland report one guest house sale and the locals vote Tory
As another private care home is exposed how we disclosed Anas Sarwar backing a ‘care home cash cow’ milking the tax-payer
From BBC Scotland yesterday, the above and: A care home in North Ayrshire could be forced to close unless it drastically improves by the end of November. Shalom Nursing Home in Irvine has been issued with an improvement notice by the Care Inspectorate watchdog, which said there were significant concerns over the quality of care at the home. A report in August rated the care home, which looks after up to 46 people, as being weak in wellbeing support, leadership and care planning. The Care Inspectorate stated in a letter to owner ZAAM CARE (Irvine) Limited that unless “there is … Continue reading As another private care home is exposed how we disclosed Anas Sarwar backing a ‘care home cash cow’ milking the tax-payer
An NHS Scotland ‘draft plan’ with no overall ‘public start date’ and only a change to a waiting time target, to help staff, expected in 2031, more than FOUR years away, is not a ‘secret blueprint’ Stupid
In the Herald today, the above and: Surgeons, nurses and NHS staff have reacted with anger to a secret blueprint for a massive overhaul of orthopaedic surgery in Scotland. Most only learned of the bombshell report’s existence when The Herald revealed it on Friday. Ooooh, when is management going to impose this ‘secret blueprint’ on staff? The plan is still a confidential draft (“Transforming Elective Orthopaedic Care in Scotland 2026–2031”). There is no fixed public start date for the full package of changes, final details have not been published, and the Scottish Government has stated that engagement with staff and … Continue reading An NHS Scotland ‘draft plan’ with no overall ‘public start date’ and only a change to a waiting time target, to help staff, expected in 2031, more than FOUR years away, is not a ‘secret blueprint’ Stupid
Have the Scottish Labour MPs joined the campaign against the ‘shameful’ Palantir NHS contracts, rejected now as inferior by many in NHS England, and which the SNP already rejected two years ago?
In the Guardian today: NHS organisations that care for millions of people in England are rejecting Palantir’s patient data technology, according to freedom of information responses that reveal health bosses believe they can find better or equal alternatives in many cases. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/17/palantir-patient-data-tech-rejected-by-many-nhs-trusts-in-england In the Guardian in April 2026: MPs have queued up to demand the government scraps its £330m NHS contract with the spy-tech company Palantir, calling it “dreadful” and “shameful” in a debate on Thursday, after which the government said it was “no fan” of the US company’s politics. Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs led the calls for Palantir, … Continue reading Have the Scottish Labour MPs joined the campaign against the ‘shameful’ Palantir NHS contracts, rejected now as inferior by many in NHS England, and which the SNP already rejected two years ago?
