This latest media ferry feeding only serves to highlight the opposition parties’ hypocritical ‘ferry flipping’ – from “Don’t rig contracts to favour Ferguson” to “Why aren’t you favouring Ferguson?”
Key ferry-flippers Neil Bibby (Lab) and Russell Findlay (Con There is no comment in the above top BBC Scotland story today from opposition parties, as they sail, rudderless, toward their extinction event in May. The reason is clear. They don’t want their historical hypocrisy in ferry flipping exposed. Early criticism: “Don’t rig contracts to favour Ferguson.” Later flipped criticism: “Why aren’t you favouring Ferguson?” Here is a quick AI-assisted (Chatgpt) account of that flipping. You’re right to focus on that—it’s one of the more striking features of the whole ferries saga. The positions of opposition parties (especially the Scottish Conservatives … Continue reading This latest media ferry feeding only serves to highlight the opposition parties’ hypocritical ‘ferry flipping’ – from “Don’t rig contracts to favour Ferguson” to “Why aren’t you favouring Ferguson?”
More than 3 000 fewer operations NOT being cancelled ‘at last minute’ in NHS Scotland
BBC Breakfast this morning has peer-reviewed research on NHS England operations cancelled in the last 24hrs, often because patients could not be prepared for them in time. In February 2026, 10% of these operations were cancelled, around a third of those avoidably. This is, of course, wasteful of resources and potentially life-threatening for those patients. The media operating in Scotland are not, of course, covering this because there’s nothing in it for them here. What’s BBC Scotland’s headline story today? You know. Another desperate ferry story to try to stop Anas Sarwar having to ‘walk the plank’ in May. Why? … Continue reading More than 3 000 fewer operations NOT being cancelled ‘at last minute’ in NHS Scotland
Half a century after it started trying to find answers to to the problem of containment, the nuclear industry still has none
By Frances McKie It is now, in April 2026, exactly 40 years since the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor exploded. The explosion sent radioactive pollution vast distances across Europe; it devastated a large area near Kiev in the Ukraine-still too dangerous for human habitation; it has left a long-term legacy of thyroid and other cancers linked to radiation exposure and ingestion of isotopes like Iodine 131. In 2026, the “sarcophagus” eventually built over the reactor in the hope of containing the radiation has deteriorated and the second covering has now been damaged by a drone attack. Next year, 2027, will be the … Continue reading Half a century after it started trying to find answers to to the problem of containment, the nuclear industry still has none
Scotland says resounding No to Nuclear in new poll making grim reading for Scottish Labour
Thanks to France McKie for alerting meto this. From Radiation Free Lakeland today: A fresh opinion poll conducted in the middle of the Scottish election campaign has found widespread support for renewable energy sources to reduce energy bills and tackle climate change. When asked about Scotland’s energy security needs, support for a uranium-fuelled nuclear future polled a ‘miserable’ 14%, compared to 55% support for harvesting home grown wind, water and solar sources. The findings will likely make grim reading for Scottish Labour and Libdem campaign bosses who are promoting new nuclear power stations, due to resounding support for renewables compared … Continue reading Scotland says resounding No to Nuclear in new poll making grim reading for Scottish Labour
‘British government has wasted more money on failed projects than some countries spend building entire infrastructure’ So next time any unionist has the temerity to mention the word ‘ferry’ you know what to do…
I’ve lifted this excellent piece from Eve Robertson Armstrong on Facebook who lifted it from Josh Hunt on twitter (X). I’m guessing a Josh Hunt wrote it but can’t trace him. The British Government has wasted more money on failed projects than some countries spend building their entire infrastructure. After hearing about the cancellation of the Stonehenge Tunnel project, yet it still racking up £179 million in cost, I wanted to look at other projects and costs to see what the picture looks like this century. Every number here comes from official reports, the National Audit Office, parliamentary committees, and … Continue reading ‘British government has wasted more money on failed projects than some countries spend building entire infrastructure’ So next time any unionist has the temerity to mention the word ‘ferry’ you know what to do…
NHS Scotland’s A&E waits of over 24 hours are still fewer than a fifth per capita of those in NHS England contrary to Anas Sarwar’s claims in 2024
Here’s what Anas Sarwar said in June 2024: Anas Sarwar has accused the SNP of “breaking” the NHS as he set out Labour’s plans for the health service, should the party win the general election. The Scottish Labour leader said a government led by Sir Keir Starmer would cut waiting times and increase access to GPs. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce99nlp03rqo We see today, above, from the BMJ, Sir Keir’s failure. https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj.s756 Comparisons with NHS Scotland can be very tricky, not least because NHS England restarts the clock after triage when the patient is allocated to a department whereas NHS Scotland counts from when … Continue reading NHS Scotland’s A&E waits of over 24 hours are still fewer than a fifth per capita of those in NHS England contrary to Anas Sarwar’s claims in 2024
England’s A&E ‘crisis’ as patients say “they’d rather die at home” but BBC UK don’t mention it
in England’s accident and emergency departments last year, according to the British Medical Journal. The figures also show almost half-a-million people spent more than 24 hours in A&E before being admitted to a hospital bed, transferred or discharged. Here’s what the BMJ actually said: A&E crisis: Data show 13 386 patients waited over three days in England’s emergency departments as patients say “they’d rather die at home” Might BBC Reporting Scotland have made more of that? You bed they would. ‘Crisis?’ ‘Rather die at home?’ Right up there and all day long. And this graph? The full report is at: https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj.s756 … Continue reading England’s A&E ‘crisis’ as patients say “they’d rather die at home” but BBC UK don’t mention it
74 year-old coal-fired 4 000 tons ferry, still sailing Lake Michigan is three times the age of an average CalMac ferry and twice the age of its oldest
From AOL today, above and: The historic Lake Michigan auto and passenger ferry SS Badger, the last coal-fired steamship operating on the Great Lakes, is set to open its season Friday, May 15. https://www.aol.com/news/ss-badger-season-opens-may-162253664.html The SS Badger, built in 1952, is still operating on the Great Lakes (USA). SS Badger came under fire from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and environmental groups in late 2008 because of her daily practice of dumping untreated coal ash from its boilers directly into the waters of Lake Michigan. Burning 55 short tons (49 long tons; 50 t) of coal a day produces 4 short tons (3.57 long tons; 3.63 t) of ash.[30] Coal ash is a … Continue reading 74 year-old coal-fired 4 000 tons ferry, still sailing Lake Michigan is three times the age of an average CalMac ferry and twice the age of its oldest
Cornwall ferry users ‘losing their minds cut off from civilisation’
The Torpoint Ferry is a car and pedestrian chain ferry connecting the A374 which crosses the Hamoaze, a stretch of water at the mouth of the River Tamar, between Devonport in Plymouth and Torpoint in Cornwall. The service was established in 1791 and chain ferry operations were introduced by James Meadows Rendel in 1832. The route is currently served by three ferries, built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd at Port Glasgow and named after three rivers in the area: Tamar II, Lynher II and Plym II. Each ferry carries 73 cars and operates using its own set of slipways and parallel chains, with a vehicle weight limit of 18 tonnes (20 tons). The ferries, along with the nearby Tamar Bridge, are operated by the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee, … Continue reading Cornwall ferry users ‘losing their minds cut off from civilisation’
Lib Dems confirm that they share Scottish Labour’s values – protecting the wealthy, punishing the disabled, bombing the innocent and increasing child cancers
By Liz S “Lib Dem leader signals party could back Sarwar as first minister”. ( “could” in that sentence is quite interesting, as one wonders if currently that is only a possibility as a scenario, then what would it take to definitely make the Lib Dems to then confirm that they “would back Sarwar as First Minister”) ? The BBC wrote that “Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has signalled that his party could back Labour’s Anas Sarwar in a vote to nominate a new first minister” He also “confirmed he would not support Conservative leader Russell Findlay or Reform chief Malcolm Offord in a … Continue reading Lib Dems confirm that they share Scottish Labour’s values – protecting the wealthy, punishing the disabled, bombing the innocent and increasing child cancers
Talking-up Scotland 