BBC Wales and Scotland today – two very different worlds to wake to

Professor John Robertson OBA

From the BBC Wales and BBC Scotland inserts in BBC Breakfast today, two very different editorial judgements of what folk need to know as they rise to face the new day.

In Scotland, they hear of:

  1. A ‘Housing crisis’ report where the Scottish Government is twice associated with that crisis and one mum is interviewed to tell her own tragic tale.
  2. Scottish water customers are told to use water ‘sparingly’ and have ‘shorter showers.’
  3. There are shortages of midwives in one Scottish hospital with delays in the triage system there.

Three negative reports on public services which can be linked to Scottish Government responsibility, selected by the editor, and of course missing context (see below).

In Wales, they hear of:

  1. A missing teenager whose body has been found.
  2. Worries over the future of grass roots rugby.
  3. The stigma of child poverty.

Three negative reports but not on core public services and not a trace of responsibility for the Welsh Government.

On this basis, Scots have a lot to be concerned about and, inevitably, critical of their government. The Welsh are not pushed into that thinking.

Context needed for the BBC Scotland reports:

Housing Crisis?

As families face up to one hundred year waits for social housing in England, Miles Briggs (Con) reveals it’s ‘longer than a year’ in Scotland

Water supply?

‘UK’ water shortages? – ‘Scotland’s overwhelming share of the UK’s fresh water supply, estimated to be around 90%. This abundance translates into a landscape sculpted by water, with more rivers, lochs, and consistently higher rainfall compared to England. https://ncesc.com/geographic-pedia/does-scotland-have-more-water-than-england/

Maternity care?

Shocking inequalities in NHS England’s maternity care not apparent in Scotland where standards are being further ensured thanks to Scottish Government plans

Just one day?

Let’s see what emerges tomorrow.

8 thoughts on “BBC Wales and Scotland today – two very different worlds to wake to”

  3. Some context to the Water https://archive.ph/XzJJN ‘Don’t panic’ article, doubtless cover for Thames Water causing a rumpus over a hosepipe ban and warning of a 1,000 quid fine for breach, that “extra 150 million litres of water a day is in reality 60 litres per household per day, or one quick shower…..

    As to Kevin Keane’s ” The average Scot is using 178 litres a day compared with 137 litres in England and Wales ” – The average for Scotland in the 1970s used to be 230L/hd/day when the south of England had the highest water consumption in all of Europe, and surprise surprise, they still have that dubious accolade along with hosepipe bans and 1,000 pound fines…

    For sure there’s been a month long dry spell, but we’re a long way away from the trouble the south of England is in……..

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  4. BBC Scotland has appointed a new Head of News.

    His name is Howard Simpson , not related to Homer , but he does have the same initials, so anything is possible going forward (or being the BBC going ….Backwards).

    This job , which is surely a poison Chalice, where they themselves, the BBC , are those who supply the Poison.

    This is not a cause for celebration, in that we in Scotland will now see either a “Change”, a “Reform” or indeed a “New Direction” being taken because of this new appointment. (quotes in inverted commas are thanks to the Labour party & also Reform UK party Ha Ha)

    Indeed I am 100% sceptical of there being any distinction in news output from that which we have suffered via the previous , and still existing job holder, as in Gary Smith’s contribution , (he , Smith, leaves the job this summer) as I anticipate it will be both for him, Howard Simpson , and also for BBC Scotland a case of ‘Business as Usual’ , that is, even more #SNPBAD as before.

    Apparently he, HS, had also worked at STV where he was the editor of news and sport.

    He also previously “ran the BBC news desk in Glasgow, before becoming newsgathering editor there with responsibility for reporters, correspondents, and producers across Scotland”.

    “newsgathering editor” ?

    Is that actually a real thing at BBC Scotland ?

    As I thought their BBC Scotland speciality was not so much “gathering news” but making ‘news’ up to suit a specific pro UK and anti independence agenda that then benefits pro UK political parties more and also benefits more the UK as a State.

    The ultimate goal being to also endeavour to try to damage the SNP politically while also trying to diminish support for Scottish independence.

    I suspect we in Scotland will not notice any change with this new ‘Head of News’ at BBC Scotland , as like most other UK institutions and indeed also UK political parties, we tend to find it is their respective HQ”s, all based in England, who dictate the news, the policy etc etc where we supposedly are in Scotland and never their respective branch offices.

    #WeNeverHaveNewsOnlyFromAPurelyScottishPerspective

    I cannot see that changing any time soon , especially with the likes of them, the BBC, as a British broadcasting corporation , whose obvious hostility towards Scotland is reflected in them resisting anything that is seemingly more pro Scottish than pro British .

    Their , the BBC’s, overpowering British Nationalist presence and British political propaganda exists in Scotland only to try to brainwash us to fully accept, fully embrace and indeed then to also fully believe that only British is Best.

    Vote SNP in 2026 via a majority to prove to the BBC that , going forward, their constant fake news on behalf of their fake UK State is not working in changing who we , as people in Scotland, vote for as a majority and also who we prefer to believe in and so place our trust in, both politically and also for reliable sources of news .

    That is when some voters here within Scotland finally wake up and seek to confront and so address the British Elephant in the room within Scotland , where in reality, British is now very much that identity which has become indistinguishable from English identity (as per , yet again, via both pro UK political parties and pro UK media).

    Liz S

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      1. OMG Ha Ha

        Take away all reference to ‘Outer Limits’ and it almost seems like an advert for BBC Reporting Scotland and other BBC political ‘news’ programmes too, as in those that are broadcast in Scotland as per HQ’s directions , in what is their daily transmitted brainwashing exercises but with, for once, actual full ‘Disclosure’ and honesty , regarding what they are up to.

        Liz S

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  5. BBC Newsnight

    “Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe has accused Nigel Farage’s party of being “the cult of Nigel” and says he was the victim of a “political assassination attempt”.

    Five minutes an MP and already we witness an inhouse party drama, I mean “political assassination attempt” is somewhat diva-ish is it not, and also an example of a tad way way way too high sense of self importance.

    “Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Newsnight, Lowe suggested his relationship with Reform UK changed when “Elon Musk came out and was complimentary about me and less complimentary about Nigel”.

    So the Q that needs to be asked to Rupert Lowe is…..

    ‘You were initially a Brexit party MEP , a party that was also led by Nigel Farage, then you joined Reform UK who yet again had Farage as it’s leader and so eventually you were elected as a Reform UK MP, so at what point did you decide that Reform UK aka shareholding company was a “cult” ?

    As surely then he, Lowe, was also once a member of that “cult”.

    Rats in a sack.

    “Lowe declined to say if he would launch a new political party, suggesting instead that “the most powerful instrument for change probably would be reformed Tory party”.

    “I could join the Tories tomorrow if I wanted to. I don’t have an issue with the Tories,” he said to the BBC”.

    Yep well originally , like Farage and other Reform UK (pretend) politicians, Lowe was also once a Tory supporter , so it is not really ‘news’ is it, especially now that we are seeing political musical chairs being played between both parties , dependent on what the polls are stating in relation to both of them. Wink Wink Nudge Nudge.

    Sarah Pochin, who earlier this month won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election for Reform UK was also previously a Tory, a seat that she won in a By-election that previously was , as a constituency, one that was held by a Labour MP who was also a part time boxer but who apparently preferred to fight outside the ring , with favoured opponents being his constituents, and so he lost his job as an MP.

    Scotland does not vote Tory via a majority so if anybody who normally would never vote Tory decides to vote Reform UK in an election, then in effect, they are really voting Tory as chances are they will either be a political candidate who:

    a) Previously were elected as a Tory politician who then defected to Reform UK.

    b) Started out as a Reform UK candidate, who if elected for Reform UK, could then in the future defect to the Tory party, dependent on which party is most popular with certain voters at times of any elections within the UK. (if neither party popular then they could become an independent).

    c) Originally was elected as a Tory politician who then defected to Reform UK then decides at some point to defect back to the Tory party.

    d) Originally be elected as a Tory politician who then becomes an Independent who then defects to Reform UK and who then may make further defections dependent on what way the political wind blows. They may also have only joined another party as their original party suspended them or deselected them as a candidate for that party.

    I think my point is they, as pseudo politicians, seem to be (way too) open to persuasion to defect to another party and it seems to now be based upon a perceived rise in popularity of the party that they defected to via polling, while simultanously they are noting a rapid decline in their own party’s popularity with voters.

    Careerists first and foremost so not to be trusted or indeed voted for in any election by anyone.

    I’m waiting for an exodus from Labour politicians to Reform UK, as just like the Tories and too Reform UK , it seems that their vetting process for candidates is somewhat lacking and a lot of them also seem like Careerists as opposed to being loyal and principled politicians.

    Mind you was it not telling that when Labour HQ were in opposition to the Tories we saw three Tory MP’s defect to Labour (Christian Wakeford, Natalie Elphicke and Dan Poulter) as they obviously, as Tories, saw the writing on the wall with Starmer’s new Labour party as it (Labour party) being a new version of their existing Tory party, win win , for them , for us same old same old.

    As to ex Reform UK MP , Rupert Lowe, well he is yet another disgruntled former member of a rogue party who, like Farage, has an enlarged ego that does not take kindly to playing second fiddle to anyone, he will not stay an independent for long as his ambition and ego will not allow him to be a mere ‘independent’ aka nobody for the duration of parliament all the way up to 2029.

    If you really want further evidence of how rubbish Reform UK are as a party well….

    Darren Grimes ex GB News host is now a Reform UK Councillor as is his mother and his brother too, all since the recent English local elections (now we know why he left GB News)…..I am sure his other relatives will now fancy their chances as well in subsequent elections, mind you I am not sure Darren & co will last that long due to a mixture of constituents unhappiness at their respective, checks notes, (lack of) efforts, and also their own realisation as new Councillors, that they may have to actually work as opposed to pretend to work (see GB News for Darren’s past history).

    SNP majority 2026 as potentially we could have the ex Tory Councillor now defected to Reform UK , one Thomas Kerr, (and others similar in political history to him) as candidates for our Scottish parliament in 2026 and then God forbid they could then become List MSP’s for Reform UK aka The Carp from the sidelines party aka Pseudo Political party aka Pretend Protest party come 2026 .

    Duck that for a game of soldiers says Quacky………

    Liz S

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