Making sure Labour get full credit for the PFI disaster costing Scots £30 billion
By Professor John Robertson Deep into today’s BBC Northamptonshire, not BBC Scotland, of course, we read The NHS is currently grappling with the detrimental effects of inefficient Public-Private Partnerships (PFI) introduced by New Labour, which are siphoning off essential funds from patient care. How much? From SNP Media, in March 2023: From SNP Media today: The price of the biggest scandal of the Devolution era – Scottish Labour’s PFI catastrophe – continues to increase after it was revealed the cost to the public purse ballooned by an extra £1million every week in just the last year alone. In response to … Continue reading Making sure Labour get full credit for the PFI disaster costing Scots £30 billion
Schools – IFS has already exposed Labour’s meanness and SNP record in funding 18% above the rest of the UK
Labour must hate the IFS. In the last few day’s they’ve pinned £18bn of cuts on them. A year ago……see below. The Scottish Government spends £4.2 billion on education and skills. Anas Sarwar has promised another £150 million or only 3.5% more but it is already 18% higher than in the rest of the UK. From the IFS last year: In the most recent year (2022–23), school spending per pupil in Scotland was over £8,500. This is over 18% or £1,300 higher than the level seen in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all around £7,200 per pupil. School spending per … Continue reading Schools – IFS has already exposed Labour’s meanness and SNP record in funding 18% above the rest of the UK
Massive 36% leap in Salmon exports, 51% more to EU – which party wants to re-join?
From the Insider today: New HM Revenue and Customs data analysed by trade body Salmon Scotland showed that in the first four months of 2024 alone, the value of exports soared by £65m to £250m – a 36% increase on the same period last year. This was accompanied by a 35% increase in the volume of fish transported. On a rolling annual basis, exports of the fish stand are up 11% increase on last year’s total of £581m, marking the highest sales value since 2019. The EU continues to be the key destination for exports, accounting for £153m worth of … Continue reading Massive 36% leap in Salmon exports, 51% more to EU – which party wants to re-join?
Ayrshire Labour candidates have nothing to say as real expert asks why they are – ‘happy to put a cap on child benefits but not on the super profits of bankers’
Watch the above from a professor of economics and, If you meet any Labour candidates or campaigners, ask them a few of his questions and watch them splutter. Here are two candidates you might look out for, though I note they can afford to use the Post Office for their leafleting. The above two Labour candidates in Ayrshire constituencies have thousands of children in poverty in their constituencies, after 14 years of austerity. What do they think Sir Keir Starmer will let them do about it? Continue reading Ayrshire Labour candidates have nothing to say as real expert asks why they are – ‘happy to put a cap on child benefits but not on the super profits of bankers’
Herald cartunionist excludes the SNP to other his own folk
The above in the Herald today with no place for Scotland’s biggest party, SNP, in the above General Election. The SNP and the million plus who vote for it, have just been ‘othered’ Othering is a social phenomenon that arises from our human tendency to categorize and differentiate. It is deeply rooted in social and cultural dynamics, shaping how we perceive and treat each other. Sometimes, it can have more disturbing consequences, leading to discrimination and dehumanization. https://www.developdiverse.com/deib_dictionary/othering/#:~:text=Othering%20is%20a%20social%20phenomenon,leading%20to%20discrimination%20and%20dehumanization. Why did Camley do this? Who knows? Maybe not even him? He has previous: The Herald’s Steven Camley’s interpretation of the SNP leader’s … Continue reading Herald cartunionist excludes the SNP to other his own folk
Cancer therapy waiting lists far shorter in Scotland – more than twice as long in Labour-run Wales
By Professor John Robertson From BBC Health in November 2022, a comparison of the performance in the 62-day waiting time target for cancer therapy, for the 4 nations. First NHS Scotland after 17 years of SNP-rule: The worst is 27% waiting longer than the target. The average is 21%. Then, NHS Wales after 27 years of Labour-rule. Every single area is worse than the worst in Scotland. The average is 43% more than twice as many. Northern Ireland? Appalling, and the average at 58% is nearly three times as many. England? If we can trust the folk managing the trusts … Continue reading Cancer therapy waiting lists far shorter in Scotland – more than twice as long in Labour-run Wales
Man dies of cancer after delays four times longer than target and police investigate the hospital but the Health Secretary gets no mention
In April 2021, we could write: 8 deaths in NHS England, police investigate, but no mention of Matt Hancock after BBC Lancashire wrote: A police investigation into the neglect of patients at a hospital is now examining eight deaths, the BBC has discovered. A coroner has been asked to review the deaths at Blackpool Victoria Infirmary, which all happened in late 2018. A separate and unrelated murder investigation into the death of another patient is ongoing. before failing to even mention the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, while in 2019, SNP Health Secretary was fully exposed (above) for allegedly concealing an infection death though … Continue reading Man dies of cancer after delays four times longer than target and police investigate the hospital but the Health Secretary gets no mention
A family from Greenock having a culture-break in Edinburgh is not on a ‘staycation’ at ‘home’
In the Herald today: A tourist tax is set to take tens of millions out of the pockets of the one in four Scots who decide to holiday at home, leading to calls for local authorities to boycott it. Analysis indicates that if set at 5%, the minister-approved visitor levy would raise £142m if brought in across the nation but there has been a warning that it also acts as what has been described as a “stealth tax” on Scots. If you can afford accommodation prices in Edinburgh or other Scottish hotspots, you can afford the wee bit extra tourism … Continue reading A family from Greenock having a culture-break in Edinburgh is not on a ‘staycation’ at ‘home’
No German bombers? Does no one learn any history these days?
These England fans are horrible I know, but even they deserve a fair comment based on historical accuracy. Social media are alive with commentators alleging they’re singing about bombing Germany and thus fascists. They may well be fascists but not because of the song. They’re singing quite explicitly about the heroic efforts of RAF fighter pilots (those are clearly inflatable fighter planes not bombers as any 11 year-old used to know), shooting down Nazi (fascist) bombers over London, in 1940. Continue reading No German bombers? Does no one learn any history these days?
Isle of Wight’s Red Funnel cancels even more ferry sailings as disruption continues
From Yahoo! News today: Isle of Wight ferry firm Red Funnel is experiencing further disruption and cancellations on its Southampton to East Cowes vehicle service. It follows a raft of cancellations announced earlier today (Monday), in which the 2pm, 5pm and 8.15pm from Southampton, and 3.30pm, 6.30pm, and 9.45pm from East Cowes, were all abandoned. It is over repairs required to Red Eagle’s aft Voith unit. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/red-funnel-cancels-even-more-143704654.html When the Red Funnel Chief Exec published an apology for the ‘shambolic performance’ in March 2024, one comment read: By not having worked her way up from the bottom, having no experience and being … Continue reading Isle of Wight’s Red Funnel cancels even more ferry sailings as disruption continues
