Research proves the Scotsman is wrong on universalism
If all of the available data is pulled together and the conclusions drawn, the historical and contemporary evidence strongly suggests that the appropriate response to austerity is to increase universal provision and so stimulate economic activity, equalise damaging wealth disparity and improve both government and wider economic efficiency By Professor John Robertson OBA Today, the Scotsman’s comment editor, Ian Johnston, has: The case for ending universal benefits is strong even for those on the left Typically, under-researched and ill-informed. The facts, from the Jimmy Reid Foundation: In 2012, I read and was much impressed by their The Case for Universalism An … Continue reading Research proves the Scotsman is wrong on universalism
Scotland has 27% more GPs per head of population
By Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this. From the Guardian today: Although the overall number of GPs working in the NHS rose, after taking changes in working hours into account those working the equivalent of full-time fell from 27,948 to 27,321.1 With one tenth of the population, all things being equal, Scotland might be expected to have 2 732 GPs FTE but had 3 478 FTE2, 27.3% more. Sources: The OBA – https://scotsindependent.scot/?page_id=116 Continue reading Scotland has 27% more GPs per head of population
October’s Budget will be “painful” but painful for whom?
Anonymous The Labour UK party chose to make specific cuts that will impact some of the poorest in society whose needs are far greater than some others, like say Bankers and large corporations . Where Labour UK have also chosen to not reinstate the cap on Banker’s bonuses and also where Labour UK have chosen to not raise corporation tax as the new UK government. According to the BBC UK Politics part of the BBC website (as in the part of the BBC who remain loyal to the Tory party) : “The government has repeatedly claimed that it has inherited a previously undisclosed £22bn “black hole” in the nation’s finances from the Conservatives. Ministers have used the figure to justify the decision to cut the winter fuel payment, while Sir Keir Starmer … Continue reading October’s Budget will be “painful” but painful for whom?
Cavity barriers of the kind repeatedly preventing ‘towering infernos’ in Scotland mentioned 36 times in one volume of Grenfell inquiry report to reveal deliberate cost-cutting neglect in England
By Professor John Robertson OBA In just Volume 1 of the 7 volume Grenfell inquiry report released today, there are 36 references to the cavity barriers designed and provided by Siderise – Integrity in all we do (!) to prevent a ‘chimney effect‘ allowing fire to surge up the space between new cladding and the original wall, revealing a regular failure to fit them or to fit them wrongly. Despite that it seems: Following an initial assessment by a local authority building control surveyor and a second stage review by a group of experts, it issued certificates verifying the compliance of … Continue reading Cavity barriers of the kind repeatedly preventing ‘towering infernos’ in Scotland mentioned 36 times in one volume of Grenfell inquiry report to reveal deliberate cost-cutting neglect in England
As Scotland’s smallest political party gets in the Guardian to misrepresent Scotland’s water quality, facts from an English academic
Alex Cole-Hamilton is in the Guardian today to comment on Environmental Standards Scotland’s report on sewage overflows. ESS are ‘independent’ with no apparent funding declared. What will look bad at first sight for some, is a classic example of misleading reporting. Scotland has 18 743 km of coastline compared to England’s 8 982, only one-tenth of the population and, crucially far fewer areas requiring monitoring. Dr Simon Boxall of Southampton University, a leading expert on water quality, explained this in the National, in August 2022: An overview of the most obvious data on bathing water quality superficially appears to show … Continue reading As Scotland’s smallest political party gets in the Guardian to misrepresent Scotland’s water quality, facts from an English academic
So-called Leftist Guardian celebrates Labour’s pension increase that wouldn’t pay for a cod fish fillet every day
There’s no mention in the Guardian’s report above of what that means per week – less than £8! What could you get for that from Morrisons? Birds Eye 4 Battered Cod Fish Fillets 440 £6.15 Great! you can have one but not every day, mum. Continue reading So-called Leftist Guardian celebrates Labour’s pension increase that wouldn’t pay for a cod fish fillet every day
Humiliation as England is revealed to be Child Poverty ‘Capital’ of Northern Europe with ‘Labour Forever’ Wales in second place
By Professor John Robertson OBA Readers will know that comparing Scotland’s drug deaths to shame the SNP Government is considered fair game but this is, somehow, not talked about. As First Minister, John Swinney’s speech on eradicating child poverty is reported at length but minus this: It’s worth putting child poverty into the same European context, so loved by commentators on Scotland’s drug death rate, with the above data, graphed by Eurostat in 2024. Only Romania, Spain and Bulgaria have higher rates of child poverty than England or Wales. Scotland already despite limited fiscal powers, has lower child poverty than … Continue reading Humiliation as England is revealed to be Child Poverty ‘Capital’ of Northern Europe with ‘Labour Forever’ Wales in second place
55 year-old Croatian ferry failure kills 3 as cheap steel ruptures
Thanks to Linda Graham of Broadcasting Scotland for alerting me to this: From infoMARE, yesterday: On Saturday a hatch of the company’s Mljet ferry Croatian shipping Jadrolinija fell into the sea in the stages docking of the ship at the port of Sveti Petro della Brač, on the island of Brač, an incident that caused panic among the passengers but no damage to people and vehicles on board. A A similar incident occurred on 11 August in the port of Mali Lošinj on board the ferry Lastovo Jadrolinija had a much more dramatic outcome: the collapse of a hatch had overwhelmed four seamen of … Continue reading 55 year-old Croatian ferry failure kills 3 as cheap steel ruptures
Aging English lifeline ferry, 37 years older than CalMac equivalent, doubles journey time for half the distance
The MV Scillonian III in Penzance From BBC Cornwall yesterday: A ferry from Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly has suffered a mechanical fault, extending transit time. The Isles of Scilly Travel said the Scillonian III, which runs from Penzance to St Mary’s, suffered the fault on Saturday. It said the ferry was running with reduced engine power meaning the journey, which usually takes about two hours and 45 minutes, will take about four hours. This is the only service to the Scilly Isles, population 2 153, 36 miles, normally 2 hours 45 minutes in the 47 year-old MV Scillonian … Continue reading Aging English lifeline ferry, 37 years older than CalMac equivalent, doubles journey time for half the distance
World Health Organisation reports ‘mortality rate due to leukaemia increased by more than 250%’ in nuclear workers despite ‘low’ radiation levels in plants – Scottish Labour’s Sarwar not interrogated on new plans for nuclear in Scotland
By Professor John Robertson OBA From the WHO, yesterday: In a new article, researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and partner institutions in France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the USA who are studying the effects of persistent exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation on workers in nuclear facilities report an increase in mortality due to haematological neoplasms. The findings were published in The Lancet Haematology. The scientists found a positive association between long-term low-dose exposure to ionizing radiation and mortality due to leukaemia (excluding chronic lymphocytic leukaemia [CLL]), chronic myeloid leukaemia, acute myeloid leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, … Continue reading World Health Organisation reports ‘mortality rate due to leukaemia increased by more than 250%’ in nuclear workers despite ‘low’ radiation levels in plants – Scottish Labour’s Sarwar not interrogated on new plans for nuclear in Scotland
