Right off, I don’t think Margaret Ferrier should be forced to resign and I don’t think that, consequently, there should a by-election in Rutherglen and Hamilton West. Why not. This: If can stay, why can’t she? However, if there was to be one, the good folk of the constituency would have little reason to trust Labour again. While Margaret Ferrier’s predescessor, Gerard Killen seems to have done little or no harm in his two years from 2017 to 2019, those around him had barely had the time to get started again exploiting the ‘gravy boat’ situation they found themselves in … Continue reading Why the SNP would not fear Labour in a by-lection in Rutherglen and Hamilton West

This morning, Reporting Scotland, in an interview with a police trade union rep, tell us a tale of understaffing and increased pressure. The story is nowhere else. It’s not even on the BBC Scotland website (different editor?). It hasn’t been fed to the Herald and there are no reports of such pressure anywhere else in the UK. We don’t hear these, the facts, of course: Staffing: The chart below plots total police officer strength (FTEs) for Scotland from 1985 to 2020.  It shows long term, steady rise followed by a short period of rapid rise, and then by a period … Continue reading Crime plummets, staffing 50% higher than in England but Reporting Scotland peddle a different tale

This morning, the above happy professor Andrew Jahoda of Glasgow University, told BBC Scotland: “Services are finding it incredibly difficult to find workers, to resource services and we have the cost of living crisis. Although we have devolved governments and different polices, to a degree, the findings were consistent across all four countries of the UK.” I’ve now been able to read the research upon which his claim is based. It is qualitative research, using a legitimate methodology which helps researchers to understand the meaning events have for the subjects of the research. It consists of interviews with 354 adults with … Continue reading Glasgow prof has made up results to cast Scotland in a negative light

From the Scottish Government today but clearly not in the public interest judging by the BBC Scotland coverage: Up to £30 million will be made available through the Fuel Insecurity Fund next year to help households who are at risk of self-rationing or self-disconnecting their energy use, First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced. The funding will be made available to third sector organisations in the next financial year to support the most vulnerable households in Scotland. The Scottish Government had previously committed to doubling the Fuel Insecurity Fund, from £10 million to £20 million. https://www.gov.scot/news/more-funding-made-available-for-fuel-insecurity-fund/ Continue reading £30 million more funding made available for Fuel Insecurity Fund

Note the Herald’s Tom Gordonstoun refers to the dodgy pen provided by the legal bods as ‘his?’ Watch the video and note Humza’s patient smile and manner. Remember and contrast the above with this: Why has Tom Gordonstoun not written what I’ve written? Charlie is his darlin’? See this from 2020: Once again, we’ve had to sort out the Herald headline before they lose any more readers. Their Royal Correspondent, Tom Gordonstoun (good eh?) was going to accuse a former SNP MSP of something disloyal. I forget what. Does the Herald have some kind of collective death wish? Continue reading Herald’s Tom Gordonstoun tries to blame Yousaf as he copes with a pen malfunction far better than Charles III

Prof Andrew Jahoda of GU with BBC Scotland tell us this morning: Disabled people and their families are facing a crisis when accessing care. That’s according to a study seen by BBC Scotland. It says that since the pandemic, people with complex disabilities have faced reduced access to respite and day-care services, and staff shortages are exacerbating the situation. Services are finding it incredibly difficult to find workers, to resource services and we have the cost of living crisis. Although we have devolved governments and different polices, to a degree, the findings were consistent across all four countries of the … Continue reading Why is this smiling academic so pleased to claim that disabled care is just as bad in Scotland!

This is of relevance as Dr Malhotra’s ideas, popular with Andrew Bridgen MP (Con), on the Covid vaccines have gained traction in Scotland too. I had a look at his research. His research casting doubt on C19 vaccine safety is in the Journal of Insulin Resistance. While this journal, and thus Dr Malhotra’s research, is peer-reviewed, it does not seem to feature at all in the Top 100 High Impact journal listing for medicine-related research, unlike say, the Lancet which is at 5. The debate on vaccines in the UK, read widely and influential in decision-making circles, has unfolded largely … Continue reading Spreading dangerous ideas on vaccines in Scotland

After reading the above on ‘Britons’ and their NHS, you might be interested to read the actual words in the report: In England, there was a statistically significant decrease in satisfaction between 2021 and 2022 (36 per cent to 29 per cent). Changes in satisfaction in Scotland and Wales were not statistically significant. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/files/2023-03/public-satisfaction-with-the-nhs-and-social-care-in-2022-final-for-web.pdf p13 Can the above be read to suggest no significant fall in satisfaction rates in Scotland or Wales? I think so but have requested the data tables from the authors, the Nuffield Trust, just to be sure. I’ll update you when I have it. Continue reading Dragging NHS Scotland down with English dissatisfaction

According to the WHO: Herd immunity against measles requires about 95% of a population to be vaccinated. The remaining 5% will be protected by the fact that measles will not spread among those who are vaccinated. The figure for Scotland at 2 years, is 93.9% and at 5 years is 95.2%. In the England the equivalent figures are worryingly low at 89.2% and 93.4%. Sources: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/herd-immunity-lockdowns-and-covid-19#:~:text=The%20percentage%20of%20people%20who,among%20those%20who%20are%20vaccinated. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/childhood-immunisation-statistics-scotland/childhood-immunisation-statistics-scotland-quarter-and-year-ending-31-december-2022/ https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-immunisation-statistics/2021-22 Continue reading Childhood vaccinations in Scotland safely in herd immunity range but….