Prof Gray was appointed Director General Health and Social Care at the Scottish Government and Chief Executive of NHS Scotland in 2013, a role he held until late 2018. Prior to this he held a number of roles at the Scottish Government, including, Director General of Governance and Communities, Director General Environment and Director General Rural Affairs, Environment and Services. Until 2009, Prof Gray was the Scottish Government’s Director of Change and Corporate Services, with responsibility for senior staff development and deployment; human resources; information services; accommodation and estates services; corporate learning; employee engagement; and the Scottish Government’s business improvement and … Continue reading ‘Ex-health chief’ doesn’t seem to know what he’s talking about

First, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report does not include the word ‘shame.’ Second, I agree entirely with their assessment of a crisis here, but, media reporting needs to be more accurate and, critically, provide context. On page 4 we see: Comparatively lower housing costs continue to be the principal reason for lower poverty rates in Scotland compared with England but there are still far too many families in Scotland who are in poverty solely because of their housing costs https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/poverty-scotland-2021 Why are there lower housing costs in Scotland? It’s not an accident, it’s the consequence in large part of SNP … Continue reading Lower child poverty in Scotland is part of the essential evidence for what we can do

A bit like the Queen lecturing us on climate control or Tony Blair on democracy, the man with three jobs and his own record of absence, feels fit to campaign against the very thing we know is just who he is himself: There are, I see, rumours he might soon have an enforced absence from leadership. Continue reading Absent? He’s a fine one etc

On Reporting Scotland a doctor’s trade union ‘snap’ survey of 200 junior doctors is used to suggest a crisis in the morale of junior doctors. There are more than 5 000 junior doctors in Scotland. 200 or just over 3% is not an adequate sample. The survey, its sampling or indeed any of its methods are not available. Schoolchildren would be expected to validate their findings properly. Why is the BMA allowed media representation of a politically motivated scare story based on no evidence? Well, you know the answer. Continue reading BMA survey not worthy of Primary 7 project but Reporting Scotland love it

From the BBC website: A new verification check for lone police officers in Scotland has been introduced in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard. Police Scotland said it wanted to reassure the public after she was abducted and killed by Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens. Couzens, 48, used his warrant card to abduct Ms Everard from a south London street before raping and murdering her. Members of the public in Scotland can now request a control room check. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58776349 Action, doing something but what about in London where these events began? What is the Met doing? Well, nothing … Continue reading In the wake of Sarah Everard, Police Scotland acts, the Met doesn’t but it’s not good enough Scotland

Despite their now massive reporting on almost every aspect of Scotland’s Covid data, BBC Scotland have missed the above. Scotland now has clearly, based on the more reliable 7 day rolling average, the lowest infection level in the UK and the trend is down. What the Herald made of it. Nothing. This confirms the success of the Scot Gov strategy, the work of Sturgeon and Yousaf and the complete imbecility of the opposition parties and their pals in strip club management. Spread some good news around especially when it’s accurate and helps construct a better reality for all of us. Continue reading LATEST: Scotland now has lowest infection level on more reliable 7 day average

You can see why she loves us: Cardiff University’s student paper offers the best account of this disgraceful hypocrisy given her call for the Scottish Government/Us to get climate change sorted for her: Breakdown: What is ‘Queen’s Consent’? Queen’s Consent (or King’s consent when the monarch is male) is a parliamentary procedure dating back to the 1700s, whereby the sovereign’s consent is needed for a bill affecting the crown’s “prerogative or interests” to be debated by parliament. It is distinct from Royal Assent, which is required for all legislation, and granted after a bill has passed parliament. In theory, Queen’s consent … Continue reading Because they do what I expect my subjects to do?

Presumably this was even after Boris made his speech to the UN coming out as a full climate change activist, committed to saving the planet. Do those ungrateful Jocks not believe him? What a verminous crowd we are! Next, the Jocks will be saying they’d do better on this business themselves than they do under the broad shoulders of the UK. What possible evidence do they have? This? Alan Brown MP has slammed the UK government’s ignorance to decades of Westminster mismanagement on energy grid charges, which sees Scotland subject to the highest grid charges in Europe. In a Westminster … Continue reading No really, even with Boris as PM?

Not reported by the express or any of ‘our’ MSM, but you knew that, Scotland’s R number has fallen to the lowest in the UK: When Scotland has a higher R number it does seem to interest: Continue reading Sturgeon strategy pays off as Scotland’s R number falls to lowest in UK

Above, today, in July, below: Why am I not surprised? Continue reading Royally brass neck?