The Scottish Health Secretary is meeting with unions today to try to avert strikes in January after he and the First Minister were able to do so with nursing, ambulance and other health service workers’ unions to stop or at least pause strike action over Christmas and the New Year. The print version of the Herald has a more confrontational headline: ‘Nurses told: There is no more cash for rises, as stike looms.’ What are the other health secretaries doing to try to avert this crisis? England? Health Secretary Steve Barclay is keeping out of things and Business Secretary, Grant … Continue reading Only the Scots Healthy Secretary trying his best?

The Scottish Government has been wrongly accused of putting sex-offender’s rights ahead of those of women. I won’t trouble you with the distasteful, frankly inaccurate and irresponsible tabloid headlines fuelled, of course, by the Scottish Conservatives. Almost entirely missing from the media reporting is the fact that all MSPs, cross-party, voted in favour of amendments, from Gillian Martin MSP, allowing Police Scotland to stop sex offenders gaining a Gender Recognition Certification on the basis of risk: Amendments 40 to 42, in the name of Gillian Martin, would further strengthen that risk-based approach. Police Scotland, after considering the evidence of risk in … Continue reading SNP GRA amendment WILL protect women from predatory men

When I see the words ‘Scotsman’, ‘Savanta’ and ‘poll’ together, I think ‘NO.’ Today, the Scotsman has the first poll in seven or more with a NO lead. It’s the first from them since the end of September, when they had a 1% lead for NO among a series of such results. They haven’t had a YES lead in 2022. In January 2022, we could write: Looking at the polls going back to the beginning of 2021, Savanta Com Res often with the Scotsman stand out. They report 1 Yes win, 9 No wins and 2 ties after the Ipsos … Continue reading Scotsman/Savanta polls: NO if you want it?

stewartb With the news that nurses who are members of the RCN have rejected the Scottish Government’s improved pay offer, it’s worth reflecting on this from the BBC News website’s Wales section a few days ago: ‘Nurses’ pay: More strikes promised as Drakeford defends offer’. At the end of my post, the reaction of Labour to the latest RCN news in Scotland is compared and contrasted. But first to Wales.: in the BBC article we learn a lot about the Welsh Government’s current response to the industrial disputes across the NHS. Of course that is the Labour Party in government … Continue reading Nursing strikes: How Scottish and Welsh Labour operate from different planets

I’m not going to spend any time responding to the accusation. No one in their right mind believes that. Ibrahim doesn’t either. As soon as I saw the name, I remembered this from last year: A new Advisory Council Member for the anti-independence group SBUK has popped up. Scottish Business UK (SBUK) is an independent, non-party voice for business leaders who want to see Scotland thrive economically as part of the United Kingdom. It seeks to make a positive case for that future and believes strongly that the campaign to break up the UK offers unacceptable disruption for business and … Continue reading Honorary US Army officer wheeled out to Clarkson attack SNP again but no Russian sub threat this time

Some of you may have seen the letter by Professor Brian Wardle in last week’s Herald (17/12) https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23196988.letters-snp-replaced-economic-reasoning-wishful-thinking/ It reads THE pertinence of Brian Wilson’s commentary (“We need a root and branch review of how the SNP spends our money”, The Herald, December 13) on the recklessness of the SNP Government’s spending profile is exemplified by the character of the latest Budget (“Changes in key taxes on income and rates alter Scots funding position”, The Herald, December 16). Economists fear they are in a parallel universe, looking hopefully on the SNP’s declarations for some sign of over-riding rationale. Brian Wilson … Continue reading ‘Your goldfish doesn’t bark’: Developing a “comprehensive” economic strategy

In the clearest of examples of just how Scottish the UK press is, regardless of any banner heading ‘SCOTLAND’, the Times ignores the fact that, uniquely, the Scottish ambulance service is operating normally and grossly simplifies the message from one health board: Note this desperate attempt to make sure Scots feel included in England’s health crisis. Note also, this warning of increased attendances due to slipping on ice comes FIVE days after the West of Scotland began to thaw. The Express had the same: and the SUN: and the Herald: Continue reading Lives risked as Scots wrongly advised to stay away from A&E

With 10 times the population, NHS England has had 14 times as many admissions in the last 7 days. Shockingly, again with only 10 times the population, NHS England has 37 times as many patients in ventilation beds. Something is going badly wrong, especially with the more severe cases in communities. Lower vaccination levels due to less clear government guidance? Source: Continue reading Why is Covid hospitalisation not surging in Scotland?

In the last 7 days, prior to 15 December, there were 15 deaths in Scotland, within 28 days of a positive test (30 fewer than in the previous week) and a cumulative total thus of 12 389. In England with 10 times the population, there were 402 deaths (only 18 fewer than previous week), 2.7 times as many pro rata and cumulative total of 173 821, 40% higher than the Scottish figure, pro rata. Why are there still, and have there been so many fewer deaths in Scotland? Better hospitals, more nurses and doctors, more beds, better government….? Sources: Continue reading Why are Covid deaths far fewer and not surging in Scotland?

In the Scotsman today: We should be thankful for there being politicians like John Swinney. By his own actions the evidence that devolution is failing the Scottish people continues to mount, building a funeral pyre for the democratic experiment. John Swinney would not want it any other way, he does not and never has supported devolution as a democratic ideal that should be made to work. For Swinney, demonstrating devolution can never be enough is his political mission, for the collapsing public services and economic stagnation under his watch can be used to justify it should be replaced by secession. https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/brian-monteith-why-should-john-swinney-care-if-higher-taxes-ruin-scotlands-economy-3958279 … Continue reading Why should anyone read anything Brian Monteith writes