According to the Herald, ‘The Army‘ is being drafted in to help with Scotland’s vaccination roll-out this week. More than 60 members of the armed forces will be deployed to NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire as part of ‘Operation Rescript’ for up to five weeks. More than 60? 5 weeks? Wow! We only have 5 500 of our own full-time vaccinators so that will make a big difference. The Scottish Army was not available for comment. Rescript? ‘A written answer, as of a Roman emperor or a pope, to a query or petition in writing.’ So the Scottish Government petitions … Continue reading Scots expected to line streets with Union Flags to welcome ‘British Army’ arrival in Scotland

Image: flickr.com From SNP Media: The SNP has said independence is needed to “keep Scotland safe” from the lasting damage of Tory rule – as midterm polls suggest the UK faces two decades of Tory governments that Scotland has consistently rejected. With new analysis showing no change in midterm polling since the Tories won a 157 seat majority in England at the 2019 general election, Ian Blackford said the UK was stuck in a “Tory political ice age” with no realistic prospect of change ahead of the next general election. The SNP Westminster Leader said Scotland is “increasingly vulnerable under Westminster control” … Continue reading Scotland stuck in UK stuck in Tory political ice age

Image: ross-shirejournal From SNP Media: Businesses in Scotland are set to save thousands compared to their English counterparts this year due to the 100% business rates relief that firms in Scotland will benefit from. Independent research from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has shown that businesses in Scotland saved £31,840 on average in financial year 2020/21 and are set for similar savings this year as the Scottish Government has extended 100% rates relief for the entire year. Businesses in England are set to pay on average £7,075 as the UK Government has only extended 100% rates relief for 3 … Continue reading Businesses in Scotland set to save thousands compared to English counterparts

Not exactly capturing the good news with their headline and keeping the story off the headline for a few jags, BBC Scotland does inform us: Scotland’s appeal to foreign investors bucked the sharp downward trend during the Covid crisis last year, according to an annual survey by accountancy and consultancy firm EY. The number of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects that came to Scotland last year was up from 101 to 107. That 6% rise compared with a 12% drop for the UK as a whole, to 975 projects. Much of that was from the reduction in digital technology going … Continue reading Indyref2 not a discouragement to foreign investors as Scotland surges 18% ahead of UK

Headlining all over BBC Scotland but not in BBC UK, Wales or Northern Ireland, today: In Scotland, 63 personnel will be split across NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire with vaccinators, health professionals and command-and-control managers providing support. 63 and not all actually jagging? There were 5 500 vaccinators in Scotland in January 2021 so those 60 or less army vaccinators make up? 1.09%, that’ll make all the difference! Let me know if you spot one of these rare birds. Continue reading Army to add only 1% to vaccination rollout and only on BBC Scotland

stewartb In early April 2020 I did some online research into which institutions in the UK referred to Scotland as a ‘nation’ or as a ‘country’: I kept notes on what I found, with links to sources. I was prompted to do this after seeing many social media contributions from Unionists denying that the UK was other than one, unified state. One of the sources I used at the time was the website of The Commonwealth. I used this:  https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/united-kingdom At that time, in April 2020 it stated explicitly that the UK is a union of four countries: England, Scotland, … Continue reading Stop referring to Scotland and Wales as “countries”

The above story is just one of many twisting reality into a distorted shriek aimed at attracting attention, sales and advertising revenue, through clicks. News media owned by corporations only serve their own interests and can never serve the interests of readers. State media, to state the obvious, serve the interests of the state, manifest in the ruling party and groups which dominate the establishment ie the civil service heads, the top military officers, university principals, chief executives and others like them. State media will never serve the interests of the masses or of minorities seeking outcomes not conducive to … Continue reading An alternative to Scotland’s corporate and state media

Excited at the prospect of taking Shona Robison’s scalp a second time, our MSM and their feeders have conveniently forgotten the fourth party, the Greens, and restored the titchy Lib Dems to importance in the campaign. From the Herald: Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison has called for Holyrood’s opposition parties to back full devolution of powers over employment policies to Scotland. But the bid to secure more powers to the Scottish Parliament has been branded a “predictable political fight” and the minister has been urged to focus on using the powers Scotland has already. Douglas Ross gets the chance to try … Continue reading Scotland’s media ignore Greens surpassing Lib Dems to maintain employment powers story

The Herald reports breathlessly: More than half a billion pounds has been paid out by Scottish public bodies during the coronavirus crisis without any scrutiny. Analysis by the Herald on Sunday of public contracts show more than 160 were awarded by the NHS, Scottish Government, local authorities, and others directly to suppliers without any competitive process. And, shockingly, ‘some’ firms have SNP links! Wait, around 50% of the population is pro-independence so by rights 50% of companies getting contracts might be expected to be owned by or led by someone pro-indy? Now if any of the contracts went to Nicola’s chums at … Continue reading Ayrshire town residents furious that Nicola gave them no contracts

As the UK establishment forces ponder what they can do about Scottish support for independence and decide to send a super-rich prince, to flaunt his wealth and sense of entitlement, in a country also moving to the republican left, I’m reminded of Frankie Boyle’s comments on Afghanistan and Prince Harry. He said, as I remember it: How can we teach the Afghans about democracy? I know, let’s send a prince to shoot at them from a helicopter! A more subtle approach is proposed in our hilly wee land and this prince, though also helicopter-capable, will be helicoptered in for a … Continue reading What about that Charlie?