stewartb
‘The Labour Gov has already damaged the University of Edinburgh by cancelling the £800 million the University was expecting for the AI research project.‘
Candidly, it’s worth clarifying I think that the significance of this strictly goes beyond an ‘AI research project’. Labour has cancelled investment in a major piece of computing infrastructure of significance for the UK’s science and technology research and innovation capability and capacity. It was destined for Edinburgh University in large part because the university has been the host of past generations of supercomputers as well as long having one of the world’s best AI research centres.
The now cancelled investment in a new exascale supercomputer would have been used to support perhaps hundreds of research projects for academia and industry.
For context, from Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_High-Performance_Computing_Joint_Undertaking )
I’n 2022, the EuroHPC (High Performance Computing) Joint Undertaking announced a further five supercomputers coming soon to five European countries:
DAEDALUS hosted by the National Infrastructures for Research and Technology (GRNET) in Greece,
LEVENTE hosted by the Governmental Agency for IT Development (KIFU) in Hungary,
CASPIr hosted by the National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) in Ireland,
EHPCPL hosted by the Academic Computer Centre CYFRONET AGH (CYFRONET) in Poland,
and JUPITER, the first European exascale supercomputer, will be hosted by the Jülich Supercomputing Centre in Germany.
In 2023, the EuroHPC JU announced a further two supercomputers:
The second European exascale supercomputer,[33] hosted by GENCI in France; and
Arrhenius,[34] a mid-range supercomputer hosted by Linköping University in Sweden.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Is this genocide ?
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Makes me wonder if this research will eventually be transferred to some university across the border
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Almost certainly.
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Wonder?
Winder not, it will inevitably reappear somewhere south of the border with some logical reasoning behind the move.
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To quote my mother “it wid gar ye boak’
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My first thought too.
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Absolutely, give them a few weeks, maybe months, to announce there will be a similar if not same project funding at an English university. Oxford or Newcastle, depends which part of England Labour wants to woo or keep onside.
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Sue Daley, the director of technology and innovation at techUK , said that with this decision by Labour to drop funding to Edinburgh University’s AI project, as initially reported on the 2 August this year, that government ministers need to plot a new way forward as she said:
““Investment in large scale computers is vital for the scientific breakthroughs that will grow our economy and improve our lives”.
“The UK had sent clear signals about its ambitions to host a new generation of computers to enable cutting edge research, including in AI”.
“In an extremely competitive global environment, the government needs to come forward with new proposals quickly. Otherwise, we will lose out against our peers.”
However the same UK Labour government have committed money to other AI projects.
It was reported that they announced £32 million in funding for 98 AI projects aimed at improving the UK’s productivity and public services (so who, as a government, is responsible for public services in England, well that would be the UK government)
So they obviously, as a UK government, recognise and acknowledge the importance of AI research being significant as a technology worth investing in for the future but just not, as a priority, those sourced as and already agreed to proceed with by the previous Tory government, like the one in Scotland (as in Edinburgh University AI project), however public services AI projects that Labour as the UK government are responsible for do get funding.
On the UK governments own site they state:
“A total of 98 projects from Southampton to Birmingham and Northern Ireland will receive funding, involving more than 200 businesses and research organisations spanning a range of sectors including public services, driving efficiencies and reducing administrative tasks” under the header “AI to reduce train delays, speed up NHS prescriptions and train construction workers gets £32 million boost” which, as news, was released by Labour as a Press release.
Also announced and under BBC website for Wales is this news on 13 August:
“First-time funding boost for broadband in Wales“
“Wales will benefit from funding to boost rural homes and businesses with poor internet connection for the first time, according to the UK government.
An investment of £800m will see about 312,000 premises in rural areas across Britain get access to gigabit-capable broadband.
The funding is part of a UK government project to modernise internet infrastructure”.
The fact that Labour are the Welsh devolved government is, I am sure, of no consequence or significance to this investment of new funding and too the loss of funding for Edinburgh University’s AI project, where the SNP are in charge as the Scottish devolved government, is I am sure, also of no consequence or significance to the Labour UK government.
And so it begins where perhaps the new Labour UK government will continually bypass Scotland for funding etc to instead focus on England and Wales for funding etc .
That is until 2026 when some (false) announcements via pledges and promises will be made by Labour to try and oust the SNP and so implant Labour as the new Scottish government.
Then, if they succeed, Labour in Scotland will use the exact same tactic and excuses that their HQ are currently using as the reason for not implementing pledges and promises they made in the GE . That is where Labour HQ state the Tories are to blame and Labour In Scotland will , if they win in 2026, just blame the SNP as the previous government in charge in Scotland.
As for GB Energy HQ in Scotland well that is a poorly disguised smokescreen to pretend that we are, as a country, important to Labour .
Reality being that it is our renewable energy capacity and potential that is important to them, Labour, but only to benefit their whole UK. Already they intend to continue with the project that involves siphoning off our electricity to English regions.
Keep an eye on further funding announcements by Labour and also as to where that funding will go and also who gets it. Also worth keeping an eye on the disaster that is PFI and see if Labour will once again seek to deploy this initiative to fund government projects and thus accumulate even more debt upon us (as part of the fake GERS figures that they , and others, attribute to being Scotland’s supposed accumulated debt ).
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I wonder who will be employed at the EngGBUK Labour party ‘GB’ ruse at Aberdeen.
Years ago around about the time of the indy ref when Scotland was told nope, the oil is all but gone so you better ‘stay’ in the ‘family of nations’ or be impoverished, (as if Scotland hadn’t been deliberately impoverished by the EngGovs over decades and longer) I saw a huge advert in a Newcastle newspaper, advertising for jobs for young people, in the ever growing oil industry in Aberdeen.
The same will happen with their ‘GB’ con.
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The UK head office blames WM while their Scottish branch office busily blames the SG for everthing that it possibly can. I’d swear that they make stuff up just to discredit the SG. Jackie Baillie most definitely lies about the SNHS every chance she can get under the guise of supposedly trying to protect it from Scottish Government cuts. She knows this isn’t the truth but keeps repeating it.
I just hope those who voted Labour in the GE, mostly out of spite, will already be seeing what fools they have been.
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Indeed.
Michael Marra Labour MSP was interviewed by STV News on his party, Labour, cutting the winter fuel allowance for pensioners (except those pensioners on other benefits) in England & Wales.
Marra blamed the former Tory UK government for this.
Anas Sarwar was interviewed by BBC Reporting Scotland about the statement from the Scottish government on their winter fuel allowance to pensioners also now having to be cut.
The Scottish government’s said that their budget , that covered this payment to be made to Pensioners in Scotland , has now, as a budget, been axed because of Labour’s decision as UK government to axe their winter fuel payment for other pensioners in the UK.
So Sarwar, with no hint of irony, said on this statement via the Scottish government:
“Typical of the SNP always blaming someone else”
Ironic him, Sarwar, saying this response amidst a succession of Labour politicians throughout England, Wales & Scotland (including him as well) all constantly , in the media, currently blaming the former Tory UK government for the cuts now being made and also the axing of formerly agreed government projects by his party Labour (some projects that were formerly agreed to by the Tories as the former UK government).
This is a lesson, via Anas Sarwar, for us to witness in what he as a Labour politician considers to be Labour political exceptionalism. In that they , Labour, can blame others for their, Labour’s, bad and cruel decisions but they, Labour, will not allow the SNP to point out where the real blame lies in a situation beyond the SNP’s control.
God forbid any ‘Reporter’ from BBC Reporting Scotland would highlight his, Sarwar’s, and also his party’s double standards on this. Or that the justification of the Scottish government’s statement on this is based on fact and not just them passing the buck onto an innocent party.
Which as an behaviour is a common action we witness via the Labour party in all of their negative comments relating to the SNP as the Scottish government .
While simultanously we see them, Labour, ignoring the data that exists for Wales as the devolved government .
Which as data exposes their, Welsh Labour’s, poor performance in public services.
(Though with their party now in charge of the UK we may see Labour HQ prop up Wales with additional funding for projects etc in order that their stats as a devolved government will, they hope, overtake those of Scotland’s – as another version of ‘levelling up’ where the Tories gave only to Tory constituencies. However now potentially we may also see Labour do the same thing as the Tories in them mostly prioritise those Labour run areas/regions more than others).
After all Labour are, come 2026, hoping to monopolise as the governments in all of Britain which for Scotland would be a disaster in so many ways.
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People voted Labour to get rid of the Tories. Labour are the Tories two. Voter remorse. Attacking the Scottish budget in every way possible. The ignorant, arrogant Labour know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Destructive budget. Naive and ignorant as can be. Attacking the vulnerable, the old, the sick and the young. Unequal and unjust. Lie, after lie, after lie.
People had a choice in Scotland. People who support Independence either voted unionist or did not vote. They have only themselves to blame.
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Amazing how they found money for Doctors and Rail workers but not For Children or pensioners. Then again children and pensioners are not in a union.
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Trade unions fund and support Labour Party. They fund illegal wars, migration crisis, nuclear, starving their own mothers, who gave them birth. Lowest pension in a Europe, 1/4 of average income. Brexit losing £Billions. Trade unions support all this funding the Labour Party. Financial fraud, tax evasion, redundant weaponry.
Trade unions fund it all. They support the employers against their own members. Members support Independence. Trade unions support the Labour Party and are totally against Independence.
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SNP are too quiet , in particular their leader , they are hiding , they think they can continue to collect their wages by doing nothing of significance because they have two years til their next election , a last minute dash of leaflets wont do it , it didnt work for them in the recent uk election and certainly wont work for 2026 , all eyes are on them but do they realise ?
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People who support Independence need to get out and vote. Not vote unionist.In a higher turnout. Or they have only themselves to blame. If Independence takes longer. They need to vote out all the unionists. Their choice. The power is in the people’s hands. It is not up to a political Party of 70,000 people. It takes more support. If people who support Independence vote unionist or do not vote. Blame them.
Pensioners voting unionist to get a lower income. People voted Labour to get the Tories out. Labour the Tories Mark 11. They have not got a clue. They cannot count or read a balance sheet. Wasting public monies like there is no tomorrow and illegally cutting the Scottish budget. The Scottish Gov has to try to mitigate the cuts. Westminster is deciding how to spend 40% of the Scottish revenues raised. They spend it on absolute nonsense. No taxation without representation.
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