The Scotsman is off today with a front page and an editorial suggesting the Scottish Government is putting the lives of those living in tower blocks at risk of a Grenfell-type tragedy by not even having identified those with inflammable cladding. It isn’t. It doesn’t need to. Most high rise buildings in Scotland with new cladding adding in the last few decades, are covered in inflammable material but it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because the fire will be contained on one floor and residents will thus escape easily. Why? This: Reader Gordon Darge wrote for us in January 2020: As a … Continue reading The Scotsman and the Towering Inferno that will not light

BBC Health is warning, today: London could see tens of thousands of measles cases due to low levels of vaccination, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned. Mathematical calculations suggest an outbreak could affect between 40,000 and 160,000 people. Higher levels of immunisation in the rest of the UK means there is a “low risk” of a large epidemic elsewhere. Measles usually starts as a cold and then is followed by a rash – but there can be serious complications for some. “For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it,” said Prof Beate … Continue reading 95.4% in Scotland immunised against deadly measles

Headlining today, an SNP rebel, gives BBC Scotland and Unionists what they desire so much, division: He accused the party of being “clueless” on independence and claimed that its leadership had been playing “tricks” on members over the past six years and continually “kicking the can down the road”. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-66201136 In the attached ‘Analysis’ by David Wallace Lockhart, there’s no mention of this, from 11 years ago: A SHAMED Scottish Nationalist MP made a humiliating public apology yesterday for romping on a hotel bed with two girls aged 17 and 18. Married father of three Angus MacNeil admitted he was … Continue reading How the BBC loves an SNP rebel!

BBC Wales has, today, a report on a woman travelling 200 miles for a dentist appointment. BBC Health linked to BBC UK and Northern Ireland has a similar account. BBC Scotland has a different dentistry story and is ignoring the ‘crisis’. The BBC Health report even has this: Compared with other nations, Scotland was found to have better access to NHS dentistry for adults, with 18% of practices accepting new patients. However Wales, England and Northern Ireland were at 7%, 9% and 10% respectively. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-66167563 Now, why would the BBC in Labour-run Wales want to ignore that? Why would the … Continue reading Only in the country with the best access to dentists is the Government accused of anything

Yesterday, the Herald and the Express mutually publish completes lies about CalMac executive staff bonuses. Within hours, CalMac had protested, offering an accurate account: I can find no sign of corrections nor of apologies from either tabloid. Continue reading Disgrace as Herald and Express fake ferry exec bonuses!

In 2020 (latest figures) Canadian ferry service, BC Ferries cancelled 1 163 sailings due to staff shortages. The corporation can’t attract workers because it’s not providing fair pay and security. https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2023/07/13/BC-Ferries-Cancelling-Sailings-Jobs/ There are no recorded incidents of a CalMac sailing cancelled due to staff shortages. As early as 2015: Caledonian MacBrayne named as the Living Wage Foundation’s Scottish Champion 2016 https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/5037/Caledonian-MacBrayne-named-as-the-Living-Wage-Foundations-Scottish-Champion-2016 They were the first transport operator to do so and, in November 2022: Nautilus International has achieved a 7.2% pay uplift for members working at Scottish ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) during the latest round of negotiations with the … Continue reading Cancellations: British Columbia Ferries lose 1 163 NIL to CalMac

Reports of people in England pulling their own teeth out with pliers have prompted critics to say it’s no better in Scotland. What do you think? Are the SNP lying when they say access to dentistry in the poorer parts is 100%? If your self-dentistry has made it difficult for you to whistle-blow try this technique: Continue reading BBC Radio Scotland issues advice for mutilated self-dentists who still want to whistle-blow on SNP dentistry failures

The Guardian is headlining this claim today: NHS dental services are not fit for purpose and need urgent reform, according to MPs who have warned that people are resorting to DIY treatment using pliers. Rachel Power, the chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “Our helpline takes many calls from patients who can’t find an NHS dentist, live in so-called dental deserts where there simply aren’t any NHS dentists, or are bewildered by the charging system. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/14/mps-demand-urgent-reform-nhs-dental-services-report BBC UK is headlining this story too but BBC Scotland seems less interested. Could this be why? 95.4% of the Scottish population were … Continue reading BBC Scotland calls for self-dentists who can still whistle-blow to come forward

The case for the BBC TV licence in Scotland is diminishing fast. BBC Scotland’s own audit has found further signs of decay. Two days ago the National reported: Fewer than one in seven have watched the regional channel this year, and the average time spent watching is just one hour and 24 minutes per week. In 2020, BBC Scotland reached more than one in five Scots, and so, between 2020 and 2022, the audience has fallen by 38%. The numbers are according to the broadcaster’s annual report for the year ending March 31, 2023. The channel’s news programme The Nine … Continue reading How can we find out the viewing figures for Reporting Scotland, Good Morning Scotland and Drivetime?

By stewartb NHS England has just published (13 July) the latest waiting time performance figures for its A&E departments.  You may not get to know much about this – even if you live in England and keep a close eye on news of your public services. But perhaps there is nothing about the latest figures that is newsworthy? BBC coverage The BBC News website – tucked away in its Health section but nowhere to be seen (yet?) in its main UK, its main England and not (of course!) its Politics sections – has an article entitled ‘NHS waiting lists hit … Continue reading Reporting NHS Scotland – is ‘whataboutery’ the only (inadequate) defence against BBC bias?