Prof Mary Beard agrees with me (us) on listening to Tucker Carlson regarding Trump and Iran
My main critical friend, who when I became addicted to opioid painkillers, constructively said ‘Some f*****g professor!’ , agrees with me on Tucker Carlson, a Christian and a Trump fan, despite him holding those two positions which we both reject. I think she agrees that he has the clearest, most direct, most convincing, most penetrating and most entertaining take on Trump and the war on Iran, that we’ve seen – ‘he’s a slave to Israel.‘ Today, I see in the Herald, that the wonderful Mary Beard, again who we both love, agrees. In ‘Awful people can be correct’: Mary Beard … Continue reading Prof Mary Beard agrees with me (us) on listening to Tucker Carlson regarding Trump and Iran
The causes of healthy life expectancy falling – Scotland already has far more, per head of population, GPs, nurses, midwives and other professionals than other parts of the UK so maybe look at this?
The Herald today has: Scotland already has far more, per head of population, GPs, nurses, midwives and other professionals than other parts of the UK (table above, sources below) so Prof Cameron’s theory seems a little thin, simplistic. Here’s another explanation but one of course which cannot be laid at the door of the SNP Government’s limited devolved powers. The major rise in processed/UPF availability and reliance began decades earlier (1980s–2000s), becoming entrenched by the 2010s. This long-term poor diet quality (cumulative effects on obesity, inflammation, mental health, and chronic conditions) helps explain why health gains from medical advances stalled … Continue reading The causes of healthy life expectancy falling – Scotland already has far more, per head of population, GPs, nurses, midwives and other professionals than other parts of the UK so maybe look at this?
UK Government ‘austerity’ measures the key driver of Scotland’s falling life expectancy in good health and Labour will do nothing to reverse it
The Herald today has: The graph above from the BMJ in 2022 puts the trend in an historical perspective, revealing that expected life expectancy in ‘good health’ remains significantly higher than it was 30 years ago. The Herald report surprisingly, or not, dies not seem to have looked at the work of Glasgow University researchers led by David Walsh in 2022, which found Concerning changes in mortality and life expectancy trends have been observed across the UK since the early 2010: a ‘stalling’ of previous improvements alongside worsening trends among more deprived populations. Although the causes are still debated in … Continue reading UK Government ‘austerity’ measures the key driver of Scotland’s falling life expectancy in good health and Labour will do nothing to reverse it
Hell hath no fury like an MP scorned
By Liz S Here’s something that the UK MSM will make a big thing about, indeed they have already started. It is a book , soon to be released , that will not be given such a negative and critical reception as Ms Sturgeon’s book was given, that’s for sure. Indeed, I anticipate a media and political feeding frenzy…..with Sarwar and others rubbing their hands in glee, so job done then Ms Cherry. Joanna Cherry’s new book is to be released next week. Already some anti independence newspapers have done some #SNPBAD articles based upon her book, that includes this … Continue reading Hell hath no fury like an MP scorned
NHS England is ‘being rewired by the policy of foreign governments’
stewartb ‘The NHS being rewired by the policy of foreign governments is an unusual step, and needs well-informed debate. We urge the UK government to publish these details.’ This is the observation of the health think tank, the Nuffield Trust on April 3: ‘We need transparency about diverted NHS funds under US trade agreement – Nuffield Trust response to US-UK medicines partnership’. The Trust’s press release also has this: ‘Last night’s statement commits the NHS to paying 25% more for new branded medicines, and confirms the weakening of its cost control and efficiency measures.’ ‘.. the economic evidence is crystal clear: the … Continue reading NHS England is ‘being rewired by the policy of foreign governments’
Measles crisis – why Scotland needs border control
In the Guardian today, the above and: In 2024, a measles epidemic tore through this community and left one unvaccinated toddler dead. “As long as vaccination rates remain low, it’s a powder keg,” says Csabai. “Once an epidemic starts, it is already too late to vaccinate. We need to act now.” Romania is facing the worst measles crisis in the EU. The country has had four epidemics of the illness since 2005, each separated by only a few years of fragile calm. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/18/romania-eu-measles-cases-vaccination-rates-collapse Around 40 000 people per day fly out of Romania to other parts of Europe, 5 000 … Continue reading Measles crisis – why Scotland needs border control
The UK government must publish a detailed impact assessment of the costs and benefits of the US-UK medicines partnership
stewartb Seems like another example of a potentially damaging policy in a critically important area impacting Scotland implemented not only as a result of a Westminster government’s decision but one made through secondary legislation and therefore without recourse to Westminster parliamentary scrutiny. Another example of the quality of Scotland in Union’s democracy! From the British Medical Journal (April 17, 2026) ‘Opinion: The UK government must publish a detailed impact assessment of the costs and benefits of the US-UK medicines partnership‘. ‘On the eve of the Easter bank holiday weekend, the UK government finally published the full text of its deal with … Continue reading The UK government must publish a detailed impact assessment of the costs and benefits of the US-UK medicines partnership
Survey reveals shocking standards of research by trade union affiliated with Labour in Scotland
By reader George S Gordon On Wednesday the Scotsman had an article based on Unison Scotland surveys of its members in the NHS, headlined – “Exclusive: Survey reveals ‘shocking’ concerns over health and care staffing”. The article refers to two surveys, one in December 2025 and the other in February 2026. Odd that they’re reporting those now! Very unusually, the article provides survey response numbers – 2,000 for the December survey and 3,000 for the one in February. The NHS Scotland headcount is around 188,000, and the headcount of Unison employees in the NHS is around 60,000. The full article … Continue reading Survey reveals shocking standards of research by trade union affiliated with Labour in Scotland
Will Anas Sarwar be asked about Starmer’s ‘disastrous’ pharma deal with the US that could cots Scotland £6bn and 30 000 deaths
Thanks to Dottie for alerting us to this: From the Canary fact checker yesterday: Keir Starmer’s disastrous trade deal with Trump for US pharmaceuticals may end up costing the UK £64bn. That’s massively over the £1bn estimate that the government itself gave to the public. Worse still, the money diverted from other NHS services may cost hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decade. That’s according to explosive reporting from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. The Bureau, in turn, used economic modelling from a team at the University of York, lead by professor Karl Claxton. This professor previously sat on the appraisal committee for the the National Institute for … Continue reading Will Anas Sarwar be asked about Starmer’s ‘disastrous’ pharma deal with the US that could cots Scotland £6bn and 30 000 deaths
BBC Good Mourning Scotland – 12 years of uninterrupted interrrupting of SNP guests
Fiona Stalker in 2026 and James Naughtie in 2014 MSM Monitor’s post today reminded me of something 12 years ago. Research I did then reveals that nothing has changed at BBC Good Mourning Scotland. In May 2014, Newsnet Scotland published a report on an extensive study I did for them on possible bias in the reporting in their flagship news radio show. With particular regard to interrupting guests, I found the following: Where interviewers are not consistent in their approaches regarding tone, difficulty or tendency to interrupt, this is unfair. Where witnesses of clear bias or incompetence or where evidence … Continue reading BBC Good Mourning Scotland – 12 years of uninterrupted interrrupting of SNP guests
Talking-up Scotland 