The former rail chief appears not to have read the UK Government’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report on the above accident in August 2020: A former rail company director has raised concerns over the continued use of the model of train involved in the Stonehaven crash, calling for speed limits to be introduced for the trains until they are removed from service. Former Network Rail maintenance director John Carson, who was also connected to the Paddington inquiry, has raised safety issues over the continued use of the High Speed Train locomotives and carriages like those in the Scottish derailment. … Continue reading Former rail chief attempts to shift blame for Stonehaven crash onto SNP Government

The Herald Health Correspondent wonders: Why are we locking up people with learning disabilities and autism? https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/20152543.locking-people-learning-disabilities-autism/ My immediate reaction would be ‘to be protected ‘ or ‘to protect the public? Out of sample of 2458 prisoners across the UK, only 106 (4% as opposed to 1.9% across Scotland) were in Scotland. Only those assessed as being a risk to themselves or to others have been placed in residential units. A unknown number have placed in psychiatric wards. England with 10 times the population, appears to be incarcerating far more than the 1 060 you expect if all things were … Continue reading Scots with autism less likely to be ‘locked’ up’ than those in England

By stewartb The BBC makes starkly different editorial choices in its news coverage for different parts of the UK. This is a phenomenon well known in Scotland to readers of TuS. As we know, one exemplar of this is the BBC’s coverage of A&E waiting times in the NHS. It’s become almost boringly repetitive to present evidence of this in relation to Scotland. So let’s look at evidence today of BBC double standards to the disadvantage of Wales. Just published on the BBC News website’s ‘Wales’ and ‘Wales Politics’ pages is an article under this headline: ‘NHS Wales: Emergency waiting … Continue reading BBC is ‘protecting’ the A&E performance of NHS England

In the above BBC Wales report, 1 646 words and not one criticism (0%) from the opposition parties is reported. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-60913799 In the BBC Scotland report, only 598 words and 137 (23%) of them from the three opposition parties: Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “These worst ever A&E waiting time figures are simply atrocious. They are a damning indictment of Humza Yousaf’s time as health secretary and ought to shame the SNP government.” He said that excess waits inevitably lead to needless deaths. “It’s now more than six months since Humza Yousaf’s patently inadequate Covid recovery plan … Continue reading BBC Scotland politicising the NHS

Today, we can read: Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS has described the latest NHS Wales performance statistics as “devastating” and likened the First Minister to “Nero fiddling as Rome burned”. The data released today confirmed that in April the NHS experienced its third worst-ever month for A&E waiting times and ambulance waiting times, while NHS treatment lists increased for the 23rd month in a row. https://nation.cymru/news/first-minister-likened-to-nero-fiddling-as-rome-burned-as-new-nhs-performance-stats-are-published/ BBC Wales, above, have ignored a damning statement about NHS Wales, from a Conservative leader. Imagine BBC Scotland with that material. For years now BBC Wales have protected the Welsh Labour … Continue reading First Minister (of Wales) likened to ‘Nero fiddling as Rome burned’ as new NHS performance stats are published

The Herald continues to demonise the First Minister with the above connection. Two days ago, it was this: I said my bit about the demonisation of SNP leaders there: Yesterday, they had this: The transport minister was clear on Reporting Scotland – “I’m not in the room”. Those in the room, the RMT and Scotrail, were not interviewed. Continue reading Off the rails and not in the room

HE predicts a riot. Britain’s foremost money-saving expert Martin Lewis has been sending politicians increasingly desperate missives from the front line for months and now warns that energy bill rises in October could lead to “civil unrest”. The chief inspector of constabulary for England and Wales, perhaps thinking along similar lines, has urged police to use their discretion when dealing with people stealing food to eat. https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/20152358.rebecca-mcquillan-will-sturgeon-johnson-carry-can-cost-living-crisis/ Rebecca McQuillan wonders the above headline. She must know the answer. She must know the answer. Going by the polls and the recent popular vote, Sturgeon is enormously popular in Scotland and Johnson … Continue reading Herald writer unfamiliar with devolution settlement?

By stewartb Standards of political journalism across the BBC could hardly be more different. The ‘big’ BBC’s coverage of Westminster falls short of the detailed, forensic and relentless analyses that are the notable ‘achievements’ of BBC Scotland when holding to account the Scottish Government! We know well how the public service process operates in Scotland. When a report is published or a statement made by a third party regarding Scottish Government policy or action, BBC Scotland is sufficiently well resourced to examine the contents in detail. It’s highly skilled staff are expert at locating a negative phrase or performance figure … Continue reading Only BBC Scotland seeks to undermine party of government

Before the pandemic in 2019, seat occupancy on Scotrail journeys was only 23%! Seats were empty for 77% of the time. I can’t find Scotrail data for 2021/2022 but UK rail traffic is at best at 70% of the 2019 level, meaning occupancy levels if we kept the same level of services would be only 18%. Sources: https://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/fit-future/detailed-assessment https://www.businesstravelnewseurope.com/Ground-Transport/UK-rail-traffic-back-to-70-but-business-travel-slow-to-recover Continue reading SNP railways sensibly cut to save wasting taxpayer’s money!

By stewartb There will be many decisions for the democratically elected government of Scotland to make after independence. These will certainly involve big and controversial decisions on international relations and defence policies. And positions do change as we’ve seen over Sweden/ Finland and NATO. I spotted this ‘straw in the wind’ recently: ‘Could Spain be the first NATO State to sign the Nuclear Ban Treaty? ‘ (https://www.icanw.org/could_spain_be_the_first_nato_state_to_sign_the_nuclear_ban_treaty) ‘.. in exchange for their support on the 2019 budget, political party Podemos obtained a commitment from the Spanish government to sign the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The … Continue reading Scotland, NATO and nuclear weapons