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‘It was great to catch up with my old friend‘ Epstein was jailed July 6th 2019, nearly SIX years before Sarwar tweeted the above!
I know few think that Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, is genuine friend of Scotland but the extent of this elite inner circle member’s loyalty to people like Blair, Brown, Mandelson and other London-based figures is being hidden from voters in Scotland.
Sarwar has not even bothered to delete the above cosy image – ‘old friend (!)’ confident that the Scottish media will not use it. Indeed BBC Scotland last night and this morning did a special piece on Mandelson:
Despite the chummy tweet by Sarwar, above, the BBC Scotland report did not seek to ask Sarwar about the latest revelations. Imagine a leading SNP figure had been photographed in the company of Mandelson.
Sarwar has been quoted as saying ‘Mandelson-Epstein emails made me very uncomfortable‘ and ‘Peter Mandelson revelations on Epstein friendship are ‘very uncomfortable.’ I’m sure they did but the reporters did not follow-up with him. He has not expressed regret. What made him an old friend and not just colleague? We’d be entitled to ask.
BBC Scotland try to hide fact that only 40% of teachers could be bothered to vote for a strike
BBC Scotland this morning being careful not to tell us that the above 85% is 85% of only 46.57% who bothered to vote, so actually only 40% actually could be bothered to vote. Here are the details:
Members voting YES to Action Short of Strike: 93.10%
Members voting NO to Action Short of Strike: 6.9%Members voting YES to Strike Action: 85.94%
Members voting NO so Strike Action: 14.06%Ballot Turnout: 46.57%
https://www.eis.org.uk/latest-news/ballotresult160126
Why might the EIS members be less militant than their leaders and pals in Labour wish for? These reasons?
Some statistics that really matter – a 36% greater workload in England
From Teacher census supplementary statistics1, published 25 March 2025, the ratio of pupils to teachers in Scottish schools, in 2024, was:
- Average – 13.3 pupils for every teacher
- Primary – 15.8
- Secondary – 12.6
- Special – 3.7
How does this compare with other parts of the UK?
In Northern Ireland (17.4), England (18.1), and Wales (18.6).2
In England? There is a teacher for every 18 pupils, 5 more – a 36% greater workload in schools.
In this respect the Scottish system is 36% better.
Sources:
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/
- https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-and-training-statistics-for-the-uk/2024
This stunning research finding: Scottish teachers among best-paid in the world –
Welsh Labour’s inferior quality baby bundle post code lottery
Image – https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/
BBC Wales, this morning:
Struggling families will miss out on free baby bundle in a postcode lottery!
The Welsh Labour baby bundle is only available in certain postcodes unlike the SNP baby box which is universal but that’s not all, it’s markedly inferior. Here are the contents:
Both provide clothing (mainly newborn to 6 months), blankets, and parenting information/support resources. The Scottish one is generally more comprehensive, with additional safety/health items and play/developmental aids.
Scottish Baby Box:
- Clothing: Selection from newborn to 6 months (e.g., vests, sleepsuits, all-in-one suits, trousers, hat, socks, fleece jacket).
- Bedding/sleep: Mattress, mattress protector, fitted sheets (2), cellular blanket, baby wrap.
- Bath/hygiene: Hooded bath towel, bath sponge, changing mat/travel changing mat, muslin cloths, bibs.
- Health/safety: Digital underarm thermometer, bath and room thermometer.
- Play/developmental: Play mat, books (usually 2, including for parent-child interaction), toys/teething ring.
- Other: Nursing/breast pads, sometimes a carrier sling, reusable nappy voucher, breastfeeding support info.
The box itself promotes equality and saves families around £400-£429 in equivalent costs.
Welsh Baby Bundle:
- Clothing: 0-3 months (cotton hat, 2 jersey trousers, 2 pairs socks, 2 long-sleeved bodysuits, 2 short-sleeved bodysuits, long-sleeved sleepsuit); 3-6 months (all-in-one day suit, 2 jersey trousers, 2 pairs socks, 2 short-sleeved bodysuits, long-sleeved sleepsuit).
- Other essentials: 2 cellular blankets, maternity pads, reusable nursing pads.
- Additional: Bibs, muslin cloths, thermometer, bilingual book, playmat.
- Includes parenting information, guidance, and signposting to support programs.
The Scottish baby box is provided universally so no struggling families living in more affluent post code areas miss out and is more comprehensive, larger, with more items and, crucially, is a safe sleep-box.
Daily Record’s Labour campaign trans prisoner ban
The Record’s Paul Hutcheon must on the payroll at Scottish Labour. His daily naked campaigning could not be be more….naked.
How many sex crimes have been committed by trans women (former men) while in prisons, not before, in Scotland?
In Scotland, publicly available reports, official statements, media coverage, and prison policy documents (including from the Scottish Prison Service and parliamentary records) do not indicate any confirmed cases of trans women (biological males identifying as women) committing sexual assaults or other sex crimes against inmates while incarcerated in women’s prisons.
So not one case? What about violence against trans women in male prisons
From Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data via parliamentary questions and FOI requests between 2017–2020 periods, sexual assaults on trans women in the male estate were reported at around 9–12%. This compares to much lower rates in the general male prison population, around 0.4% for recorded sexual assaults in men’s prisons in 2021/2022.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-01-19/107674
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2020-05-11/45149
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