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Given the British Labour Party’s approach to power seeking in Scotland, whataboutery is legitimate – ‘what about Wales?’

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By stewartb The logic of the British Labour Party’s messaging for the 2026 Holyrood election – that the SNP is holding Scotland back – would be open to ridicule amongst voters if it wasn’t for the support – the complicity – of pro-Union news media. The latter’s lack of critical assessment of this and other Labour negativity about Scotland is palpable. Context- and perspective-free reporting has long been a characteristic of the mainstream media that supposedly serves Scotland. Labour’s view of the UK Before and since the UK General Election we’ve been told by the British Labour Party’s leadership just … Continue reading Given the British Labour Party’s approach to power seeking in Scotland, whataboutery is legitimate – ‘what about Wales?’

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Police Chiefs celebrate 6 years of disrupting County Lines gang terror and the need for a Scottish Coordinator, ‘recognising the lines from England that impact this part of the UK’

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The National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC), part of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and funded by the Home Office marks six years of disrupting County lines drug gangs, today.  Since 2018, 5 627 lines have been closed, more than 16,500 people arrested and 8,800 individuals safeguarded. Every policing region in England and Wales has a dedicated NCLCC Co-ordinator and analytical resource to measure this threat and access to the Continuous Improvement Team to support with their force response to County Lines. In addition, there is a programme funded Co-ordinator in Scotland, recognising the lines from England that impact … Continue reading Police Chiefs celebrate 6 years of disrupting County Lines gang terror and the need for a Scottish Coordinator, ‘recognising the lines from England that impact this part of the UK’

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Utter chaos and misery for disabled as Irish Ferries have to use four different ferries on the Rosslare-Pembroke route, in just one year

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From Afloat, yesterday: Isle of Inisheer becomes the fourth ferry on the Irish Sea route this year, as aside from the Innisfree, the Wexford-Pembrokeshire’s previous ship was the aforementioned Oscar Wilde/James Joyce. Since the end of January, it was the turn of the chartered in P&O ropax Norbay which proved to be controversial given it did not convey foot passengers and having no lifts affected some passengers. https://afloat.ie/port-news/ferry-news/irish-ferries/item/64851-isle-of-inisheer-becomes-fourth-ferry-this-year-on-irish-ferries-rosslare-pembroke-route By the Ardrossan Herald’s standards, that’d be a quadruple whammy for the good folk of Pembroke and a fine opportunity to interview at least one wheelchair user. Continue reading Utter chaos and misery for disabled as Irish Ferries have to use four different ferries on the Rosslare-Pembroke route, in just one year

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Good news as CalMac has the capacity to replace one Arran ferry and maintain a service still cheap as chips

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The Ardrossan Herald is keen to dramatize the simple smooth replacement of a replacement ferry by another as a ‘double whammy‘ and to characterise the replacement as ‘ageing.’ There will still be two ferries serving the 5 000 population of Arran, massively subsidised to offer the lowest prices in the western world, by the rest of us, linked to either Ardrossan or Troon, both perfectly convenient for Glasgow. As we move off-season, the vessels will be commonly less than half full. In a year, CalMac makes around 4 000 sailings (not inc cancellations) between Ardrossan and Brodick.1 In 2022, they carried 692 … Continue reading Good news as CalMac has the capacity to replace one Arran ferry and maintain a service still cheap as chips

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UK Labour Transport Secretary does not even mention Isle of Wight’s ferry fiasco

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From Island Echo, yesterday: Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson says that Islanders should be ‘deeply concerned’ that no mention was given to ferries in a keynote speech by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh this week. At the Labour Party Conference on Monday, Louise talked about ‘ripping up the roots of Thatcherism’ across UK transport but made no reference at all to ferries. The Secretary of State for Transport spoke extensively about trains and buses and mentioned flying, cycling and walking. But the lack of any mention of ferries – including cross-Solent ferries – has raised questions as to whether … Continue reading UK Labour Transport Secretary does not even mention Isle of Wight’s ferry fiasco

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NHS Factcheck – Why Scots should not be put off seeking help as it’s not ‘broken.’

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By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC UK have this today: There is growing unease within the NHS about the government’s “broken” messaging, the BBC has learned. Senior sources in the health service have told the BBC they believe some of the claims have gone too far – and may result in patients being put off seeking help and causing lasting damage to staff morale. I agree and it’s really important that Scottish viewers and readers are not deluded into things are as bad here. Why not? It’s endless. Report after report, evidence after evidence, that while there are pressures and delays, … Continue reading NHS Factcheck – Why Scots should not be put off seeking help as it’s not ‘broken.’

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Welsh Labour’s total incompetence as one school has to teach maths in classes of 60!

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From Wales Online, yesterday: A Welsh secondary school has seen class sizes for maths lessons swell to 60 pupils due to a teacher shortage. Governors have been left “begging” for help according to a former top councillor. Pupils in years seven, eight, and nine [11 to 14 year-olds]at Caldicot Comprehensive are being taught maths in classes of 60 students at a time owing to a national shortage of specialist teachers, according to the head teacher. The situation was highlighted by councillor Rachel Garrick who was a member of the ruling Labour cabinet at Monmouthshire County Council until the beginning of … Continue reading Welsh Labour’s total incompetence as one school has to teach maths in classes of 60!

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Scotland’s homeless surge is due to UK Home Office failures and not ‘failed and distracted SNP government’ as it falls among all but very recent immigrants

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Thanks to AR for alerting me to this. BBC Scotland’s report, Homeless people living in temporary accommodation hits record high, yesterday, on homelessness increases in Scotland, focusses on one case of a mother and child, the statistics indicating ‘the highest since Scottish government records began in 2002‘ and platforming Miles Briggs, Conservative Housing Spokesperson and Scottish Labour’s Mark Griffin, to say: Scottish Conservative housing spokesman Miles Briggs said the “scandalous figures should be a source of shame for SNP ministers”. He added: “After 17 years of this failed and distracted SNP government, it is clear that they are part of … Continue reading Scotland’s homeless surge is due to UK Home Office failures and not ‘failed and distracted SNP government’ as it falls among all but very recent immigrants

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Giftgate – Sarwar and Ross get freebies worth 20 times those of any SNP politician!

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Under the headline What expensive gifts have Scotland’s politicians declared? and the above image, BBC Scotland report: In the wake of a row over gifts received by high-ranking members of the Labour party, people are now scrutinising the freebies accepted by politicians in Scotland. These items, sometimes worth thousands of pounds, have to be declared on a public record. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar declared the highest value of gifts, at £10,117.48, closely followed by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross’ £10,028.72. Clearly disappointed, BBC Scotland leave this till well down their report: Health Secretary Neil Gray, whose remit also includes … Continue reading Giftgate – Sarwar and Ross get freebies worth 20 times those of any SNP politician!

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#ReleaseTheSausages

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Anonymous #ReleaseTheSausages Hands up who did not even know that they, the sausages, had been taken. Indeed most of us thought it was Hostages that had been taken and so should be released– but it appears Keir Starmer apparently knows best as he mentioned them (the captured Sausages) in his speech today at the Labour party conference in Liverpool. Next Q is this. Is Keir Starmer Liz Truss in a man’s suit ? (Yes or No). Or is he more similar to Boris Johnson ? (Also Yes or No). Also who in Scotland would now proudly admit that they actually voted Labour in the recent GE in July … Continue reading #ReleaseTheSausages