From the ever pungent Tom Gordon today: £2 million eh, to be the actual political leader of a country? Alister Jack with only a fraction of the functions and responsibilities, spent £1.5 million in just two years. In 2015, David Cameron spent £10 million. During the pandemic, the UK Government spent £300 million. In wee NZ, Labour spent $300 million on spin doctors. Tom Gordon needs an adviser? Yup! Continue reading Factcheck: Sturgeon spent far less than most on spin doctors

In the summer of 2007, the SNP formed its first government. Social and affordable house building completions in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 can be attributed to the efforts of the Labour/Lib Dem Government and those of largely Labour local councils. There were 11 891. In 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, completions can be attributed to the efforts of the SNP in national and increasingly at local levels. Despite more than a decade of Tory austerity cuts to funding, there were 16 138, 36% more. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/affordable-housing-supply-programme-completions-updates/ Continue reading SNP build far more social and affordable homes

Headlining in the Herald today: Scottish ministers have been urged to follow through on a pledge to ban the burning of waste after new statistics revealed the capacity to do so has increased sevenfold since the SNP came to power. https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/23501078.burning-waste-increased-seven-fold-since-snp-came-power/ Here’s a thought – why are councils incinerating more. Is it something to do with reducing landfill? “There are a number of reasons why incinerating waste is preferred by many nations around the world, including (but not limited to) the following: Energy. Some countries, such as those in Scandinavia, have poured significant resources into determining the value of waste materials as … Continue reading Rubbish – SNP massively reduces polluting landfill!

In the period 1 October to 31 December 2022 (latest figures), under SNP government, 71.7% or 3 056 of the 4 262 eligible patients were seen within the 62-day standard. In the same period in Wales, under Labour government, the figure was only 52.9%. Had NHS Scotland been overseen by Labour in the last decade or so, only 2255 would have been seen within the target, 801 fewer! Sources: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancer-waiting-times/cancer-waiting-times-1-october-to-31-december-2022/ https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2023-02-23/nhs-waiting-times-improve-in-wales-but-situation-remains-volatile Continue reading More than 800 patients would have missed Cancer treatment target times under Labour

Thanks to reader Scott for alerting us to this: Moray Council needs to take a decision on what to do with unused temporary classrooms as a matter of urgency. The cabins were bought for almost £235,000 and were to house children attending Aberlour Primary nursery to allow refurbishment of the building. But the two units will not be used for that purpose. It reveals as advanced payment of £117,430 was made for the cabins without the knowledge of the chief financial officer, breaking procedure. Also, at times auditors were unable to evidence a proper document trail for the nursery project. Refurbishment work has yet to … Continue reading Tory council hides £1 million secret deal from auditors but MI5 tell Police Scotland ‘leave it!’

Thanks to reader cuckooshoe for alerting us to this: In a weirdly titled ‘Promotional material: Dounreay 2023‘ published 3 April 2023’: Decommissioning The objective of decommissioning is to reduce and remove the radiological, chemical and industrial hazards and leave the site in a condition that is safe for future generations. Decommissioning generates a variety of radioactive, chemical and industrial wastes and these must be stored or disposed of in a way that protects future generations from harm, too. The first site-wide decommissioning plan published in 2000 envisaged a 60-year programme of work. Innovation, new technology and experience made it possible … Continue reading UK Government happy to ‘endure’ another 300 years of nuclear contamination in Scotland

Regulars have already guessed which union or unions. It’s the GMB, isn’t it? Indeed: Quickly, before we deal with the GMB, the STUC congress backed the GMB motion? Try taking that one to your members lads! First, nuclear power is far more expensive and unreliable. See: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2023/05/03/scotland-to-miss-out-on-new-wave-of-nuclear-power-waste-and-danger/ Second, the GMB is closely allied with the right-wing imperialist element in the Labour Party. Third, we know their SNP bad stuff well, here: Full text at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=GMB Continue reading The GMB – More like rooted in Starmer’s ‘Great White Britain’

I seem to have missed this when it was first reported by Public Health Scotland in January 2023: 95.4% of the Scottish population were registered with an NHS dentist as at 30 September 2022. As at 30 September 2022, 87.2% of children were registered, compared to 87.4% on 30 September 2021. Nearly all adults living in the most deprived areas were registered with an NHS dentist in September 2022, compared to 91.9% in the least deprived areas. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/dental-statistics-registration-and-participation/dental-statistics-nhs-registration-and-participation-24-january-2023/ Read that last bit again? Surely BBC Scotland did this story? See below. Might I compare with somewhere else? Directly comparable data … Continue reading Nearly ALL adults living in the most deprived areas are registered with an NHS dentist!

From BBC Scotland today; Humza Yousaf has said future Scottish government spending plans will be targeted at those most in need. The first minister revealed he has asked his cabinet to review all future commitments to ensure they are effectively aimed at reducing poverty. Mr Yousaf said previous universal policy commitments, such as rolling out free school meals to all primary age children, would stand. However he warned “tough choices” would be made about existing budgets. The first minister said he wanted to explore “whether targeting help is the way forward when money is so tight”. The comments came after … Continue reading Reducing poverty the Joseph Rowntree or Jimmy Reid way?

Deltapoll have carried out 3 polls since mid-April against the background of the new SNP FM subjected to a barrage of ugly and unfounded reporting, across all of the MSM in Scotland and the UK. Just sub-polls I know but repeated they tell us something. On 17 April, they had SNP on 40%, Labour on 30% and Cons on 17%. On 26 April, they had SNP on 40%, Labour on 30% and Cons on 19%. Today they are reporting SNP on 39%, Labour on 26% and Cons on 19%. Even under media carpet-bombing, Yousaf is looking solid. Scottish Labour cannot … Continue reading Three sub-polls in April and May show SNP support unchanged and Labour support stuck