From NFU Scotland: NFU Scotland has written to the UK Government calling for immediate action as the labour crisis affecting the agricultural, food and drink sectors deepens. In its letter to Kevin Foster MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Future Borders and Immigration, NFU Scotland’s specific asks are: Introduce a 12-month covid recovery visa for the food and drink supply chain to deal with immediate pressures on the industry and allow employers to expand recruitment to EU and other overseas workers. Commission an urgent review by the Migration Advisory Committee on the needs of the agricultural, food … Continue reading NFU Scotland calls for urgent action on tackling the labour crisis

From: SNP Westminster Press Office The SNP has condemned the Tory government’s damaging Brexit deal after new statistics revealed a rise in shop prices – with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) also warning of further price increases and disruption in the coming months due to Brexit. The BRC’s chief executive Helen Dickinson said that: “Food retailers are fighting to keep their prices down as far as possible. But mounting pressures – from rising commodity and shipping costs as well as Brexit-related red tape, mean this will not be sustainable for much longer, and food price rises are likely in the coming months.” … Continue reading Will Santa’s trucks arrive this year?

This is disgusting. NHS Scotland is not in crisis. The facts, not for the first time are here, below. First, that claim that A&E departments, in Scotland, are asking ‘non life-threatening cases to stay away’ is, to my knowledge, based on statements from NHS Wales and Northern Ireland. So, evidence: First, A&E: From NHS Northern Ireland: Four hundred emergency patients waited more than 12 hours to be admitted to hospital in the last day in Northern Ireland, a senior doctor has said. Dr Paul Kerr, from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine for Northern Ireland, said some of them have … Continue reading Daily Express and Annie Wells lie using non-Scottish sources and risk lives for a headline

A few years back, I had a rare exchange with the editor of Reporting Scotland. I checked on him. He was a young man, still in his twenties I think. He seems to have disappeared. When I criticised the lack of reliable evidence in a report, his response was a tetchy ‘It’s all very well for academics’ and ‘You don’t understand journalism’. As I understand it, he meant they were working fast and couldn’t be held to the same standards as academics. See the above headline? What does it suggest? All of Scotland’s schools are at 50% absence? What else … Continue reading Accuracy? Truth? ‘We didn’t have space’

Clearly delighted with the news, Reporting Scotland gave over a bit of their teeny insert in BBC Breakfast to suggest that Scotland needed to import gas to cook our meals and heat our homes! How stupid do they think their viewers are? Very. From Scottish Government figures in 2021: Statistics announced today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician show that oil and gas production in Scotland, including Scottish adjacent waters, is estimated to have been 77.2 million tonnes of oil equivalent (mtoe). This was an increase of 0.4% compared to 2018, and accounted for 82 per cent of total UK production. In … Continue reading Scotland import gas? We produce 82% of the UK’s oil and gas for only 8% of the population!

Astonishingly from NHS Northern Ireland: Four hundred emergency patients waited more than 12 hours to be admitted to hospital in the last day in Northern Ireland, a senior doctor has said. Dr Paul Kerr, from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine for Northern Ireland, said some of them have been waiting up to two days. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58393877 In Scotland, in August, only 286 patients spent more than 12 hours in an A&E department, in a whole month, less than 10 in any one day, on average. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-performs-weekly-update-of-emergency-department-activity-and-waiting-time-statistics/nhs-performs-weekly-update-of-emergency-department-activity-and-waiting-time-statistics-week-ending-22-august-2021/ No politician in Northern Ireland is accused of anything. No politician is even mentioned … Continue reading NHS Northern Ireland 40 times slower than NHS Scotland but no accusations

From SNP Media: Scotland’s tale of two governments is starkly demonstrated today as new statistics show the Scottish Child Payment has helped more than 108,000 children across Scotland since its introduction in February. It comes as the Tory UK government prepares to cut Universal Credit by the end of September, potentially plunging 20,000 children in Scotland into poverty. The Scottish Child Payment was introduced by the Scottish Government in February this year and provides £10 a week for eligible families with children under 6. The payment is due to be expanded to children between 6-15 by the end of 2022. The Scottish Government … Continue reading Scottish Child Payment has helped more than 108,000 children

From SNP Media: A top UK climate expert has said he is ‘pleased’ with the progress Scotland is making on tackling climate change. Lord Deben, chair of the Climate Change Committee and former UK Environment Secretary told Holyrood’s Net Zero committee that Scotland’s approach has allowed him to ‘say to other parts of the United Kingdom why don’t they do it as well as the Scots?’ Scotland has passed world-leading climate change legislation as part of our aim to become a net zero country by 2045 – something hailed by the UN as “an inspiring example of the level of … Continue reading Top expert contradicts Thunberg to suggest ‘Scotland is a world leader on climate change’

There are longer waiting lists for treatment after a deadly pandemic. Imagine that. Is that really informative? Reporting Scotland have wheeled in Anas Sarwar’s in-laws, John Beattie’s neighbours, former Tory candidates, Lib Dem activists and folk with a huge Union flag in their back garden, as independent witnesses to ‘SNP failures’ of all sorts. Today, the above guy had his heart on his sleeve as they say. Well actually he had it all over: Glenn Campbell’s uncle? Union Jack pants and socks? Continue reading Reporting Scotland’s witnesses to ‘SNP failure’

From Public Health Scotland today: Since the establishment of the National Naloxone Programme in 2011/12:• 74,629 THN kits have been issued by services based in the community.• 8,793 THN kits have been issued by prisons in Scotland.• 10,388 THN kits have been dispensed by community pharmacies.• Overall, a total of 93,966 THN kits have been supplied by the National NaloxoneProgramme.• An estimated total of 32,930 people at risk of opioid overdose have been supplied with THNsince the start of the National Naloxone Programme.The National Naloxone Programme is an important harm reduction measure in Scotland’s effortsto reduce the numbers of drug-related … Continue reading Major increase in Scottish Government’s Take Home Naxolone kits programme saves 1 400 lives