Ferry ‘cross the Mersey? No thanks, I can’t swim!
stewartb In so many different places, ferry services seem to be ‘problematic’. in some way. Below gives an insight into Mersey Ferries: The current fleet consists of two vessels, the Royal Iris of the Mersey and Snowdrop. They entered service in the early 1960s on the Mersey – under different names – after being being launched in 1959 and received refits as long ago as 2002 and 2004, (according to Wikipedia) The Mersey Ferries company website confirmed (in 2023) a plan to build “the first new Mersey Ferry for more than 60 years’’. The plan has a longish history though. Back in … Continue reading Ferry ‘cross the Mersey? No thanks, I can’t swim!
56% for Yes with EU membership and they’d welcome us with open arms and fast – this must be the SNP strategy now
Today’s YouGov poll has 56% of people would vote for independence if it meant EU membership, while just 32% would vote No. https://ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/Internal_IndyRef_240903.pdf While the No majority without that, will get the mainstream headlines, the message for the SNP and the other pro-independence parties is clear. In September 2020: Tory List MSP, Dean Lockhart, helpfully took the time to remind us of the level of support for Scotland’s return to the EU by asking Mike Russell for confirmation of his claim that a former president of the EU had said to his face that Scotland would be able to join … Continue reading 56% for Yes with EU membership and they’d welcome us with open arms and fast – this must be the SNP strategy now
Struggling Canadian ferry service, average vessel age 13 years older than CalMac to replace seven by 2037
From a September 2022, Ernst and Young LLP survey for the Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland department, CalMac ferries are, on average, newer (22) than those in Norway (26), Australia (24) and British Columbia, Canada (35!). https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/strategic-framework-of-options-for-the-chfs-network-project-neptune/benchmarking From the Tyee in October 2023: The Crisis at BC Ferries – Why no reservations frequently means long waits on the main routes. https://thetyee.ca/News/2023/10/23/Crisis-BC-Ferries/ So, time to get on with so new ferry-building eh? From Marine Link, today: Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries announced it is moving forward with a program to build a series of new vessels for its busiest routes. The company said on … Continue reading Struggling Canadian ferry service, average vessel age 13 years older than CalMac to replace seven by 2037
The Herald’s so-obvious Cartunionist has another lazy dig at the best ferry service in the world
The Herald’s third-best cartoonist, Steven Camley, like one of those drunk ‘wits’ in a bar, tries to turn the news of whale-spotting made easy by Scotland’s ferries into one of those ‘Aye, aye, very good, I’m sure but my pal in Brodick wiz late for a medical appointment because that Sturgeon messed up the ferries’ moments. It’s his regular, lazy, thick trope. See these: It’s a sad state of affairs that the above pub-level banality passes for political satire at the Herald. To waste more time on his output considered, see: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=Camley On ferries, here’s why his infantile pokes are not … Continue reading The Herald’s so-obvious Cartunionist has another lazy dig at the best ferry service in the world
The poor Millionaire Keir Starmer’s wife is lucky he isn’t just Lord Provost of Glasgow
Anonymous Listen I remember when, in 2019, a female SNP Glasgow Lord Provost was reported by The Daily Record for claiming for 23 pairs of shoes on expenses and it was a very big story on the BBC Website for Scotland. In defence it was stated on the BBC website that: “Her role incurs personal expenses as she is required to represent the city at hundreds of events” and it was also stated that “there was no accusation of impropriety against the Lord Provost of Glasgow Eva Bolander”. “The money spent was within the civic allowance allocated to the council by the Scottish government” However the BBC article also stated that : “The issue here … Continue reading The poor Millionaire Keir Starmer’s wife is lucky he isn’t just Lord Provost of Glasgow
The Titanic – Scotland’s part in its sinking
Anonymous Here we go again. This may be considered too petty of me by some people but for me it seems a tad suspicious, strange and also knowing how the BBC works in Scotland, in them often misinforming us in Scotland, then this also seems deliberate as an action by them. So what am I referring to? Well I noted this on the BBC website. BBC website has the exact same article on their UK main page, NI main page and Scotland main page but not on the England main page. Headline “Titanic shipyard to go into administration” So why on NI main page ? Well the Titanic was built in Belfast, NI. So why on UK page ? Well NI part of the UK. So why on Scotland main page ? … Continue reading The Titanic – Scotland’s part in its sinking
Labour attempts to scare Scots with fake news about the Shetland subsea cable cut in 2022 but fails to mention how many of the Royal Navy’s subs to defend us are currently stuck in dock
In a report reminiscent of George Robertson’s ‘dark forces’ that would circle an undefended independent Scotland after 2014, Luke Pollard ‘armed forces minister’ and MP for Devonport, son of a submariner: Scotland’s coastline has become a terrifying new front on the West’s conflict with Russia. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard has warned Vladimir Putin is likely operating fleets of unmanned submarines designed to sabotage sub-sea internet cables which could cripple the UK. Military intelligence experts have said communications lines severed off the coast of Shetland two years ago was almost certainly the work of Russia, which has also been accused of operating “spy ships” … Continue reading Labour attempts to scare Scots with fake news about the Shetland subsea cable cut in 2022 but fails to mention how many of the Royal Navy’s subs to defend us are currently stuck in dock
Labour peer paid for a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Victoria Starmer
Anonymous On Sky News: “Sir Keir Starmer is facing an investigation over a possible breach of parliamentary rules after failing to declare that some of his wife’s high-end clothes were bought for her by his biggest personal donor, Lord Alli”. “The Labour peer paid for a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Victoria Starmer, reportedly both before and after the Labour leader became prime minister in July, according to The Sunday Times” “This year Sir Keir has received – and disclosed – nearly £19,000 worth of work clothes and several pairs of glasses from Lord Alli, the former chairman of online fashion retailer Asos, The Times reports” “In addition, the peer, whose personal wealth … Continue reading Labour peer paid for a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Victoria Starmer
8% of the population but 25% of the top universities and all of the safest campuses*
From the Guardian’s The best UK universities 2025 list – rankings, published today, pro rata, per head, Scotland might be expected to have 2 of the top 20 universities in the UK but has 5. In 2019*, we had: Scotland’s university cities the safest in the UK by a very long way From the Complete University Guide 2019, we can see that the overall fall in crime in Scotland in the last ten, or so, years is reflected in the relative safety of university campuses. Of particular interest is the level of crime (incidents per 1 000 residents) reported in Glasgow, … Continue reading 8% of the population but 25% of the top universities and all of the safest campuses*
Scottish Labour MP suggests following England’s failed strategies
In the Scotsman today, above, Dr Zubir Ahmed, Labour, notes the crisis in A&E and and cancer care in England, then suggests Scotland might learn from there. He clearly does not know or does not want to know this: First, on A&E longer waiting times, by stewartb, from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine data: On the longest times spent in A&E i.e. 12 hours or more, the equivalent percentages during January 2024 are: England = 13.2%; Wales = 15.5%; Scotland = 8%. On more than 8 hour waits, the equivalent percentages during January 2024 are: Wales = 24%; Scotland = 16%. (NHS … Continue reading Scottish Labour MP suggests following England’s failed strategies
