Image: ross-shirejournal From SNP Media: Businesses in Scotland are set to save thousands compared to their English counterparts this year due to the 100% business rates relief that firms in Scotland will benefit from. Independent research from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has shown that businesses in Scotland saved £31,840 on average in financial year 2020/21 and are set for similar savings this year as the Scottish Government has extended 100% rates relief for the entire year. Businesses in England are set to pay on average £7,075 as the UK Government has only extended 100% rates relief for 3 … Continue reading Businesses in Scotland set to save thousands compared to English counterparts

Not exactly capturing the good news with their headline and keeping the story off the headline for a few jags, BBC Scotland does inform us: Scotland’s appeal to foreign investors bucked the sharp downward trend during the Covid crisis last year, according to an annual survey by accountancy and consultancy firm EY. The number of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects that came to Scotland last year was up from 101 to 107. That 6% rise compared with a 12% drop for the UK as a whole, to 975 projects. Much of that was from the reduction in digital technology going … Continue reading Indyref2 not a discouragement to foreign investors as Scotland surges 18% ahead of UK

Headlining all over BBC Scotland but not in BBC UK, Wales or Northern Ireland, today: In Scotland, 63 personnel will be split across NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire with vaccinators, health professionals and command-and-control managers providing support. 63 and not all actually jagging? There were 5 500 vaccinators in Scotland in January 2021 so those 60 or less army vaccinators make up? 1.09%, that’ll make all the difference! Let me know if you spot one of these rare birds. Continue reading Army to add only 1% to vaccination rollout and only on BBC Scotland

stewartb In early April 2020 I did some online research into which institutions in the UK referred to Scotland as a ‘nation’ or as a ‘country’: I kept notes on what I found, with links to sources. I was prompted to do this after seeing many social media contributions from Unionists denying that the UK was other than one, unified state. One of the sources I used at the time was the website of The Commonwealth. I used this:  https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/united-kingdom At that time, in April 2020 it stated explicitly that the UK is a union of four countries: England, Scotland, … Continue reading Stop referring to Scotland and Wales as “countries”

The above story is just one of many twisting reality into a distorted shriek aimed at attracting attention, sales and advertising revenue, through clicks. News media owned by corporations only serve their own interests and can never serve the interests of readers. State media, to state the obvious, serve the interests of the state, manifest in the ruling party and groups which dominate the establishment ie the civil service heads, the top military officers, university principals, chief executives and others like them. State media will never serve the interests of the masses or of minorities seeking outcomes not conducive to … Continue reading An alternative to Scotland’s corporate and state media

Excited at the prospect of taking Shona Robison’s scalp a second time, our MSM and their feeders have conveniently forgotten the fourth party, the Greens, and restored the titchy Lib Dems to importance in the campaign. From the Herald: Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison has called for Holyrood’s opposition parties to back full devolution of powers over employment policies to Scotland. But the bid to secure more powers to the Scottish Parliament has been branded a “predictable political fight” and the minister has been urged to focus on using the powers Scotland has already. Douglas Ross gets the chance to try … Continue reading Scotland’s media ignore Greens surpassing Lib Dems to maintain employment powers story

The Herald reports breathlessly: More than half a billion pounds has been paid out by Scottish public bodies during the coronavirus crisis without any scrutiny. Analysis by the Herald on Sunday of public contracts show more than 160 were awarded by the NHS, Scottish Government, local authorities, and others directly to suppliers without any competitive process. And, shockingly, ‘some’ firms have SNP links! Wait, around 50% of the population is pro-independence so by rights 50% of companies getting contracts might be expected to be owned by or led by someone pro-indy? Now if any of the contracts went to Nicola’s chums at … Continue reading Ayrshire town residents furious that Nicola gave them no contracts

As the UK establishment forces ponder what they can do about Scottish support for independence and decide to send a super-rich prince, to flaunt his wealth and sense of entitlement, in a country also moving to the republican left, I’m reminded of Frankie Boyle’s comments on Afghanistan and Prince Harry. He said, as I remember it: How can we teach the Afghans about democracy? I know, let’s send a prince to shoot at them from a helicopter! A more subtle approach is proposed in our hilly wee land and this prince, though also helicopter-capable, will be helicoptered in for a … Continue reading What about that Charlie?

Alasdair Galloway Some may remember a piece I wrote on March 24th,  which was published here (https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2021/03/24/something-not-about-alex-nicola-or-even-james-hamilton/), which concluded “Call it what you want – collapse of a dysfunctional UK state, divorce, or whatever. It does though seem to me that a referendum is not necessarily going to be the only way forward.” An event took place – or at least we had notice – in the last few days which may, in due course take this forward. That event – as the title suggests – is accession to, at least the power of DUP leader, if not FM of … Continue reading Gladstone and Lloyd George were brought down by Ireland, so what chance does Boris have?

As the infection rates of the UK and India converge, after India failed to match the UK peak by some way, will the authorities in India soon be requiring Brits to quarantine on arrival? If the current trends continue, will India put the UK on their Red List? Remembering when the film Slumdog Millionaire was labelled ‘poverty porn’ will BBC coverage of the pandemic in India come to be known as ‘pandemic porn?’ Sources: https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=ind&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usnj&areasRegional=usia&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usnd&areasRegional=ussd&cumulative=0&logScale=0&per100K=1&startDate=2020-09-01&values=cases Continue reading Will India put UK on Amber List?