The politicised campaign against one of the safest hospitals in the UK
Glasgow’s supposedly ‘troubled‘ super-hospital, the QEUH, has been a steady supplier of stories based on one or two statistically insignificant cases, Scottish Labour ‘ambulance-chasing’ of these few cases and infections ‘linked to‘ deaths there. Try googling ‘QEUH deaths‘ and you’ll see how obsessive the media interest has been. Today, Reporting Scotland is headlining a story of a complaint by some staff based on possible risks with no actual figures to prove any consequences in terms of deaths in the hospital. For years, now, I’ve been trying to counter this shameless demonising of an institution in a proxy war against SNP … Continue reading The politicised campaign against one of the safest hospitals in the UK
Everyone in Scotland now benefits from the progressive SNP national council tax freeze.
All the rebel authorities have backed down to allow all of their constituents to benefit. While Labour, Tory and LibDem councils tried to impose big council tax hikes, it was an SNP government which has protected family budgets during this cost-of-living crisis. As well as showing a clear difference between the SNP and the Westminster parties, it also stands as an example to show voters how decisions made in Scotland prove better for the people of Scotland. It was the SNP that delivered a policy to protect people during a cost-of-living crisis. The above is from SNP Media. Progressive? Surely not? In December … Continue reading Everyone in Scotland now benefits from the progressive SNP national council tax freeze.
Scotland’s still far better care for those with breathing problems
In the Observer today: Lung disease patients waiting up to 10 years for diagnosis in poorer areas of England Coincidently in the sister paper, the Guardian, in September 2023, we had this report on the same concerns. It seem little has happened in the years of Johnson, Truss and Sunak. Today in the Guardian: Overlooked lung conditions could create ‘deluge of hospital admissions this winter’ in England, with GPs unable to offer basic lung function testing, report findshttps://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/sep/26/thousands-with-breathing-problems-going-undiagnosed-due-to-lack-of-tests When I read this, I was reminded of this in September 2019: In Nursing Standard yesterday this horrific news: Asthma patients are putting their lives … Continue reading Scotland’s still far better care for those with breathing problems
Is the Labour-supporting GMB the dirtiest and most dangerous trade union in Scotland?
Only last week, the GMB union leader was exposed as a bully and misogynist, after having campaigned to become leader, promising to eradicate the bullying and misogyny at the heart of the union. Today, in the Herald: The GMB has warned MSPs against the planned hike in minimum unit pricing (MUP) saying it will hurt lowest earning Scots hardest. The trade union, representing many drink industry workers, said ministers had “been too quick to accept the untested assurances of advisors and lobby groups.” So that’s a culture of bullying and misogyny plus promoting alcohol consumption? There’s a dangerous cocktail. Might we call it … Continue reading Is the Labour-supporting GMB the dirtiest and most dangerous trade union in Scotland?
Banking sector in Scotland would be worth more than twice the percentage of GDP than in the Rump UK
By cuckooshoe BBC Scotland’s Business and economy editor, Douglas Fraser reported yesterday: On Thursday, the directors of Virgin Money UK plc announced they have agreed to recommend to shareholders that they vote to accept a £2.9bn takeover offer by Nationwide building society. Virgin Money operates under the licence for Clydesdale Bank, which took it over in 2018 and adopted its brand, saying farewell to the older brand’s presence in Glasgow since 1838 while, for no obvious reason, continuing to print Clydesdale bank notes.” If the Nationwide’s shareholder’s agree to the takeover, it provides an opportunity to compare the state of … Continue reading Banking sector in Scotland would be worth more than twice the percentage of GDP than in the Rump UK
Scots drug gang are ‘Scots’ drug gangs but English drug gangs are never ‘English’ drug gangs
In the Daily Mail on 11 December 2023: Sophisticated Scottish cocaine-smuggling gang face jail and in the Sun on 21 March 2024: I was groomed by a major Scots crime gang – I was at their mercy out of fears of being murdered In February 2024, the Mail reported: The Scottish Mail on Sunday can reveal at least 55 gangs have been identified operating north of the Border – more than double the number in 2020. County lines is the phenomenon whereby drug dealers from cities expand their operation by crossing county borders into smaller towns and rural areas. Gangs … Continue reading Scots drug gang are ‘Scots’ drug gangs but English drug gangs are never ‘English’ drug gangs
GMB – Scottish Labour’s favourite union is institutionally sexist
By NMRN “Staff at one of Britain’s biggest trade unions, the GMB, have voted to strike over claims the organisation has failed to act on a report which branded it “institutionally sexist”. “Karon Monaghan KC was called in to investigate sexual harassment in the GMB in 2020”. “Employees in the North East say promised reforms have not materialised”. “The Monaghan investigation began after the abrupt resignation of the then-General Secretary Tim Roache”. “She concluded that “bullying, misogyny, cronyism, and sexual harassment were endemic” in the union. Her report found there was a “bully-boy atmosphere”, describing the union as a “hostile environment” … Continue reading GMB – Scottish Labour’s favourite union is institutionally sexist
Former head teacher says ‘PISA has very little statistical rigour and offers nothing in the way of improving educational practice’
By Alasdair Macdonald The issue is with PISA. It has very little statistical rigour and offers nothing in the way of improving educational practice. I was a secondary school head teacher at the time it and other ‘measures’ were introduced in education in Scotland in other places. I and my colleagues argued against it. Educational provision, like everything else, ought to be continuously evaluated, partly to get evidence on whether it is achieving the aims set out for it and partly to get information on areas which require attention. However, there are, literally, hundreds of aspects to be measured and … Continue reading Former head teacher says ‘PISA has very little statistical rigour and offers nothing in the way of improving educational practice’
Worse than England – Pisa scores fiasco leads to NINTH Welsh Education minister since devolution
By stewartb I’m not one to consider that an education system should be judged on just the OECD’s PISA scoring but there is something to be said for comparing reactions by politicians to such scores for different parts of the UK. When the last set of PISA results for Scotland were reported on the BBC News website on 5 December 2023, we learned that ‘Performance in Scotland’s high schools has slipped according to new international research on education.’ With countries across the world receiving scores that were better or indeed more often worse than before, there are likely to be … Continue reading Worse than England – Pisa scores fiasco leads to NINTH Welsh Education minister since devolution
How SNP minister tried to show minister the way to reduced child poverty
By stewartb On 4 March 2024 the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP wrote to the Secretary of State for Work, the Rt Hon Mel Stride MP on the subject of child poverty and support for the most vulnerable. What follows are extracts from her letter. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/child-poverty-support-vulnerable-letter-uk-government/ ‘Ahead of the Spring Budget, I am writing to set out key actions which we are calling on the UK Government to take to tackle child poverty and support the most vulnerable in our society. In Scotland, we are doing everything within the scope of our powers and limited … Continue reading How SNP minister tried to show minister the way to reduced child poverty
