From SNP Media this evening: Commenting on the remarks by Baroness Neville-Rolfe in the House of Lords today – in response to George Foulkes – that the UK government is considering sanctioning the Scottish Government for work in relation to independence and reserved areas, SNP cabinet spokesperson, Kirsty Blackman MP said: “It is deeply ironic that unelected members of the House of Lords are seeking to dictate what Scotland’s democratically elected Parliament can and can’t do. “It’s also very clear that the process of trying to stymie the Scottish Parliament is being driven by Tory ministers, egged on by a … Continue reading ‘Unelected members of the House of Lords are seeking to dictate what Scotland’s democratically elected Parliament can and can’t do’

From the Nuffield Foundation based on research by the universities of York and Oxford, published today on child poverty in larger families, a damning critique of the Conservatives in Government: The two-child limit was implemented in 2017. It prevents families from receivingadditional means-tested support for their third or subsequent children, worthup to £3,235 a year per child in 2023/24. Because the policy only applies tochildren born since 6 April 2017, the number of children affected by it increaseseach year. By April 2023, 1.5 million children lived in families affected by thetwo-child limit: equivalent to one in ten of all children … Continue reading Child poverty research reveals the SNP to be the party that Scottish Labour wishes it could be

This is the kind of post that so angered some at Reddit before my ban there. I was labelled a ‘ghoul’. The Herald’s health correspondent, headlining the above, feels I suspect, justified in alerting the public to a worrying trend. These are, of course, tragic events but it’s important to put them into perspective. Here are the figures in graph form for the two sets of data: There is clearly a very small upward trend in the post neo-natal deaths but not in the childbirth data. The scale is important too. That ‘spike’ in April 2023 was at 2.8 deaths … Continue reading ‘Baby death spike’ – a bit of perspective?

Admission – It was really 99.8% but the 0.2% represents the only 1 out of 523 sailings cancelled yesterday, on a busy Saturday. It was from Ardrossan to Campbelltown, on the mainland. You can drive from Campbelltown, round to Glasgow quicker, in 3 hours as opposed to the 2 hours 36 min ferry time to Ardrossan, plus another 50m minute drive. It was also 100% on the Friday and the seasonal average is 95.4% on time. https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser How are things in Dover? Average delays longer than many CalMac crossing times. And in affluent British Columbia? After cancelling multiple sailings between … Continue reading Lib Dems typically late as CalMac hits 100% on time and in safety

The recent arrests of leading SNP figures and the images of the disturbing mob-handed behaviour of Police Scotland has enabled the opposition parties and the mainstream media they feed, especially BBC Scotland, to feel that they have at last ‘landed a direct punch.’ Opinion polls suggests this has had some effect on support for the SNP though not for independence. Until the above events, the demonstrably superior performance of the SNP in government, with the most effective NHS, the lowest Covid death rate, the lowest crime and the best staffing ratio across every public service, across the UK, had required … Continue reading BBC Scotland’s proxy war exploiting NHS Scotland

Having completely ignored the news that NO strikes by RMT or Aslef staff will take place IN Scotland, apparently unconcerned that vulnerable and disabled folk might fear problems with their travel and stay at home, BBC Scotland leap at the opportunity to connect us with a problem in England. The headline is: Trains between Scotland and England disrupted by RMT strike but it’s only after three para and after the photo, do we see: The strike does not involve ScotRail and the operator said its weekend timetable will operate as normal. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66277725 In the report, Mick Hogg, the RMT’s organiser … Continue reading Deep irony at BBC Scotland as ‘vulnerable and disabled’ travellers are alerted to RMT strike across the border only

See that: “banned from participating in r/Scotland because you broke this community’s rules?” The rules: What I posted to break those rules: I guess I broke Rule 4 unlike the several who called me one but were not even moderated out, far less warned or banned. Rule 11 – no satire? Rule 12 – nothing too difficult to understand? The muting is for telling the moderators what they were doing wrong. Continue reading Banned, banned again and now ‘muted’

From C+D Community pharmacy news but, it seems not on the MSM radar today: Scotland to see ‘largest ever’ £12.3m global sum uplift, government reveals “Full details” of the funding arrangements for 2023/24 will be published “in the coming days” They told C+D today (July 21) that the government was “pleased” that the negotiator has accepted a £12.3m uplift to the global sum, which they said is “the largest uplift to date”. “We will continue to work with CPS, ensuring patients have access to the full range of pharmaceutical care services,” they said. https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/CD137176/Scotland-to-see-largest-ever-123m-global-sum-uplift-government-reveals Why, in case you don’t know, … Continue reading Scottish Government agrees ‘largest ever’ £12.3m deal to support 1 256 ‘life-saving’ local pharmacies

In the Herald today: Fergus Ewing? Senior in one sense I suppose. Anyhow, let me get this right. Labour in Uxbridge/London were held back by Labour support for ultralow emission zones but in Glasgow/Scotland, Labour can be a threat to the SNP because of the same thing? So, is this like the two child gap issue where Labour in Scotland can be presented in the media as holding quite a different position from a UK Labour key position? I’m sure with help from the Herald and the BBC Scotland, they’ll have a go. Watch out for it. Any alternative reports … Continue reading Roads – The same Labour weakness in London can become a strength against ‘anti-motorist’ SNP in Scotland?

By stewartb The release of NHS Wales’ A&E waiting times statistics for the month of June provides yet another example of differences in the BBC’s editorial choices in Wales and Scotland. It also provides yet another opportunity – based on hard evidence – to talk up NHS Scotland, something almost inconceivable it seems to BBC Scotland. The NHS Wales’ performance – June 2023 The June A&E waiting times performance for NHS Wales has been summarised by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) here https://rcem.ac.uk/ae-delays-persist-in-wales-as-one-in-eight-patients-faced-a-12-hour-wait-in-june/ In a press release headed ‘A&E delays persist in Wales as one in eight patients … Continue reading The NHS and politics – matters of difference in Wales and Scotland.