The above, presented as applying to the UK as a whole, formed part of a BBC Breakfast report this morning including these comments: Being out of work or education between the ages of 16 and 24 can have serious long-term consequences for people’s health, employment and finances later in life. A new study suggests that nearly one million young people are currently not in education, employment or training across the UK (sic) The latest, January 2026, figure for Scotland is 10.2%. 15.8% is 54.9% higher. https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/l2qpgqbx/economy-people-and-skills-january-2026.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com In a wider European context, Scotland has one of the lowest rates in Western … Continue reading 19 years of the SNP in charge and UK youth unemployment is shocking 55% higher than in Scotland which has one of the lowest rates in Western Europe

The Herald a week ago and today, milking the story of one single appointment at the same GP walk-in clinic with a healthy dose of demonising John Swinney. He’s a busy man if he’s managing the appointment system in a clinic as well as being FM! It’s the inverted commas or speech marks the Herald hasn’t used on the first story but has on the second that get’s ‘me.’ In the second, the NHS has said/written that the six-hour wait was an admin error. The use of ‘blames’ and putting the markers around, suggests that it can’t be trusted. If … Continue reading I bet they didn’t say ‘administrative error’ when it was an administrative error

The Herald today rehashing a story they got from the Scottish Cons in March. If you can’t be bothered reading all this below, here’s a short video covering the key points: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/13/short-video-on-are-hard-pressed-scots-sick-of-homeworking-hybrids/ Here’s the March 2026, response which still stands today The Herald today has: The Scottish Government faces a new transparency row over civil servants working from home as statistics are set to be withheld until after the Holyrood election. Pressure is mounting on SNP ministers to crack down on officials who refuse to work from the office as part of the Scottish Government’s hybrid working policy. Where is this ‘mounting pressure’ coming from? Anyone else? Nope, that’s it. Pathetic. Is … Continue reading ‘Hard-pressed Scots’ will be ‘sick of it’ if we distort the truth before they hear of it

My latest column in Scots Independent: Lesley Riddoch in her early April 2026 podcast said on the ferries crisis (literally) I’ve got to say personally, I’m sick of hearing people on the mainland ‘attack islanders’ for simply expecting that they can be connected. Just to remind you we all live on an island, and it would be a bit like saying Scotland’s a bit too expensive to include in UK national systems so let’s just charge them more. We wouldnae, would we?’ Who are those ‘people’ attacking islanders then? Turns out it’s me! ‘I’m probably gonna lose some friends on … Continue reading The Great Scottish Ferry Inconvenience Media War

From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: March 2026 published today: Total income from farming is the official measure of the profit (output minus costs) of the agricultural industry in Scotland. Initial estimates for 2025 predict record high total income from farming around £1.5 billion. Higher output and stable costs compared to 2024 drove a higher profit margin in 2025. Continued high commodity prices, including increases cattle, milk and potato prices drove a rise in the value of agricultural output by 8% to £5.1 billion. Total costs are estimated at around £4.1 billion. While many costs continued to fall from … Continue reading Rise in the value of agricultural output in Scotland by 8% to record high of £5.1 billion is not apprently news

From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: March 2026 published today: There were 63,867 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in 2023-24, an increase of 3% on 2022-23. In 2023-24, 38% of all incidents recorded by the police included the recording of at least one crime or offence. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/safer-communities-and-justice-statistics-monthly-data-report-march-2026/pages/statistics-on-crime-in-general/ Note: Multiple factors lie behind the long term increase in recorded domestic abuse-related crime including for example – historical reporting, more online offending and the impact of new legislation. The latest available data from the SCJS, for 2018-20 (2018-19 & 2019-20 combined) estimated that 3.6% of … Continue reading Level of domestic abuse incidents in Scotland unchanged since 2008 but now 114 0000, 16% more common in England & Wales

From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: March 2026 published today: The clear up rate for all recorded crimes was 56.0% in 2024-25, up from 54.1% in 2023-24. Crimes against society (93.8%), non-sexual crimes of violence (68.4%) and sexual crimes (56.9%) continued to have higher clear up rates in 2024-25 than crimes of dishonesty (35.1%) and damage and reckless behaviour (31.0%). Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/safer-communities-and-justice-statistics-monthly-data-report-march-2026/pages/statistics-on-crime-in-general/ In England & Wales? According to the Home Office’s Crime outcomes in England and Wales 2024 to 2025 bulletin the Charge/summons rate was only 6.3% for victim-based offences and 12.45 for non-victim-based offenses, overall, 7% … Continue reading Increase in crime clear up rate to 56% in Scotland far higher than in England & Wales