From the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2024/25: Main findings published yesterday, see the above striking figures. From the first year of SNP-rule until their 18th in 2023/2024, violent crime, based on what people say themselves and not the often under-reported police figures – a 37% fall and 118 000 fewer victims per year! Imagine the media coverage if these trends went the opposite way. The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) is a large scale social survey which asks people about their experiences and perceptions of crime and the justice system. The survey is conducted in person, within respondents’ … Continue reading Violent crime as experienced by people, beyond police reporting, reveals huge 37% fall and more than 100 000 fewer affected per year, in SNP era, revealed by ‘gold standard’ research

Suspected (left) and official drug deaths (right) in Scotland From Suspected drug deaths in Scotland: October to December 2025, published today, the above, and: There were 248 suspected drug deaths recorded during the period October to December 2025. This was 15% (43) fewer than the previous quarter (July to September 2025, 291 deaths), and 7% (16) more than the same calendar quarter in the previous year (October to December 2024, 232 deaths). This is the lowest quarterly total of suspected drug deaths recorded in 2025. https://www.gov.scot/publications/suspected-drug-deaths-scotland-october-december-2025/pages/3/ The data in this report is operational information from Police Scotland who compile figures … Continue reading Suspected drug deaths static but official figures point to greater optimism

From SCOOP on 14th March 2026: The Green Party is warning that New Zealand is facing a “perfect storm” of transport disruption after the latest ferry breakdowns and cancellations left travellers stranded and freight operators scrambling to move goods between the North and South Islands. The Interislander’s Kaiārahi has been out of service since Tuesday night because of a technical fault. An Interislander staff member has gone overseas to collect crucial components to fix the stricken ferry. Meanwhile, a technical fault meant that Bluebridge’s Connemara ferry was also cancelled on Thursday and Friday. Its Picton-Wellington service was scheduled to return to service … Continue reading New Zealand Green Party Warns Of ‘Perfect Storm’ As Ferry Breakdowns Disrupt Travel And Freight

From the US health research journal Healio, yesterday: U.S. counties located closer to nuclear power plants have higher cancer mortality rates than those located farther away, results of a national analysis showed. The study — which accounted for environmental, socioeconomic and other factors — yielded results that remained consistent through multiple sensitivity analyses. In light of increased attention on nuclear power as a low-carbon energy alternative, more research into its potential effects on public health is warranted, according to Yazan Alwadi, PhD, postdoctoral research fellow in the department of environmental health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Source: https://www.healio.com/news/hematology-oncology/20260313/robust-and-consistent-signal-cancer-mortality-rates-higher-near-nuclear-power-plants This … Continue reading ‘Robust and consistent signal: Cancer mortality rates higher near nuclear power plants’ but Scottish Labour is unmoved

From the UK Government‘s defence minister Luke Pollard, above, yesterday: Long-term defence commitment in Scotland helps secure jobs and billions in export deals – Increased defence investment and dedication to Scottish defence industry directly supported £1.1bn in inward investment with defence firm Thales, securing and sustaining over 500 jobs. Hundreds of Scottish jobs are being created as the UK Government’s long-term commitment to defence investment in Scotland is helping secure deals with international partners.  The certainty of the government’s dedication to Scotland has paved the way for £1.1 billion in inward investment with defence firm Thales, securing significant export deals … Continue reading In Labour’s second year, MOD spending in Scotland is still lower than the UK average, 18% higher, despite hosting the nuclear subs

The Herald today with another context-free report to help us know if that’s a big amount and if we should be concerned about it. All things being equal, you might expect the total in England, for the same year, to have been, ten times higher, £32 million. Only for Local authorities and the UK Government civil service, not including the NHS so lower than the actual total amount, the figure in England last year, was £680 million, more than 20 times greater, per head of population. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/01/04/golden-goodbyes-council-staff-surge-highest-pandemic https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/08/surge-civil-servants-handed-100k-golden-goodbyes Other public bodies (e.g., NHS trusts, arm’s-length bodies) report exit payments in … Continue reading England’s public bodies paying out for shocking ‘golden goodbyes’ to public servants, per head of population, at least 20 times more than in Scotland