How the Conservative Government allowed P&O to lay the ground for future ferry disasters
Never mind the construction delays or the cancellations inconveniencing the comfortable island retirees – 193 dead – there’s a ferry fiasco for you. Above, the Herald of Free Enterprise, only a few minutes after leaving the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on the night of 6th March 1987, killing 193 people on board. Ironically, the UK Government of the day and for 8 years until then was Conservative, big champions of de-regulated capitalism and full-throated free enterprise. According to research by Middlesex University: One root cause was the failure of the assistant boatswain to close the bow door before dropping moorings, … Continue reading How the Conservative Government allowed P&O to lay the ground for future ferry disasters
Thanks to SNP policies Scots far less likely to have fallen behind on bill payments
Media reports based on research by Debt Justice today have drawn attention to large numbers unable to keep up with debt payments after 14 years of Tory mismanagement of the economy, soaring costs and high taxation. The researchers kindly provided me with the breakdown across the 4 nations, not being covered in other media reporting. In South-east England, 21% had fallen behind or missed payments on any three months in the last year. In the North of England, it was 16% and in the Midlands, it was 14%. In sharp contrast, in Scotland the figure was 9%. These differences are … Continue reading Thanks to SNP policies Scots far less likely to have fallen behind on bill payments
Hospitals are cynically burying evidence about poor care in a “cover-up culture” but UK Conservative Government not to blame apparently
In the Guardian today but completely absent from BBC websites including amazingly BBC Health, the above shocking scandal: Hospitals are cynically burying evidence about poor care in a “cover-up culture” that leads to avoidable deaths, and families being denied the truth about their loved ones, the NHS ombudsman has warned. Ministers, NHS leaders and hospital boards are doing too little to end the health service’s deeply ingrained “cover-up culture” and victimisation of staff who turn whistleblower, he added. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/17/nhs-ombudsman-warns-hospitals-cynically-burying-evidence-poor-care Even the Guardian article names no government minister nor does it platform the Labour opposition to attack this very real health … Continue reading Hospitals are cynically burying evidence about poor care in a “cover-up culture” but UK Conservative Government not to blame apparently
‘Police Scotland acts to protect young people from County Lines drug dealers’ – how long can BBC Scotland stem the tide of local media coverage?
Even BBC Scotland’s ‘local’ website for the Midlothian area has nothing on the serious matter of County Lines drug gangs from large cities in England terrorising small town Scotland. To be fair they have covered the arrest of a ‘beer bike’ to stem the flow of that crime wave also terrorising small town Scotland. In my local area, you can’t cross the street for ‘beer bikes’ hurtling by. Back to the point. Why Midlothian? This: The lads at the Midlothian View Reporter are on the ball but perhaps we’re being unfair to that ancient defender, the Scotsman? Drug gangs from … Continue reading ‘Police Scotland acts to protect young people from County Lines drug dealers’ – how long can BBC Scotland stem the tide of local media coverage?
Using Labour’s ‘Drunkford’ method Scotland’s A&E hits 86% seen in 4 hours
‘A message from my mum – thanks for not doing a wealth tax.‘ Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ In 2022, Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said the A&E figures, obtained by the party through freedom of information requests, were “shocking” NHS Scotland, though always far better than the other 3 nation’s NHS system, has not met the 95% within 4 hours target since the early days of 2020: But yesterday, the Labour leader in Wales, who shares the … Continue reading Using Labour’s ‘Drunkford’ method Scotland’s A&E hits 86% seen in 4 hours
Will Scottish Labour donor call for Matheson to be shot?
Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ By NMRN BBC Scotland website Politics page third story….a continuing saga…..on… Michael Mathieson…..who is… The former Health Secretary……as he…. Resigned. The End.…no….that cannot be allowed to be….as To aggravate matters on this situation even further……now he has ….via BBC article…. “been found to have breached the MSPs code of conduct“…and thus…. “The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) published its findings on Thursday”. “Holyrood’s standards committee will now decide if he should be sanctioned”…..and… Of course in this story on BBC Scotland’s politics page we … Continue reading Will Scottish Labour donor call for Matheson to be shot?
Injury after collisions involving HGVs and Buses with bridges fall dramatically
Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ Published yesterday as part of a Freedom of Information request, by the Scottish Government, the latest data reveal a big decline in the number of incidents where people were injured after a bus or an HGV vehicle hit a bridge, in Scotland. Not the biggest of Talking-up Scotland scoops, I know, but one more area where Joe Public might be forgiven for thinking the trend goes the other way, based on media reporting. Who … Continue reading Injury after collisions involving HGVs and Buses with bridges fall dramatically
Scotland’s housing stock up by 300 000
Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ In November 2023, STV reported: The Scottish Government has been urged to back a motion declaring a housing emergency as “Scots cry out for help” amid the crisis. Scottish Labour is set to table a motion in Holyrood which will ask MSPs to agree Scotland is facing a “housing emergency”. Two basic facts were not mentioned. First, in 2022, latest data from two days ago, after 15 years of SNP government, there were 2.7 … Continue reading Scotland’s housing stock up by 300 000
BBC Scotland Business covers Scotland’s economy thriving under SNP leadership despite the limits
Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ From the Scottish Government yesterday: BBC Scotland’s coverage today: Ferries! Remember the ferry quota! Is the above from the SNP Government not just a freaky statistical exception? From the ONS in June 2023: Freaky stats? Nope, a purple patch for Scotland going back decades. ‘From 2016 to 2021, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all had a trade surplus?’ Well, for two of those, not so much you’d be rolling out the capital investment on … Continue reading BBC Scotland Business covers Scotland’s economy thriving under SNP leadership despite the limits
98% of Scottish lamb exports goes to EU and far less than the other 2%, well actually FA, goes to Oz
Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ According to Politico, in June 2023: Prime Minister Boris Johnson personally apologized to his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison for Britain’s decision to join the EU almost 50 years earlier as he signed away greater access to Britain’s beef markets than had ever been conceived by his senior officials. https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-sold-out-uk-farmers-australia-trade-deal-uk/ On 14 March 2024, we hear from National World: Brexit: no British beef exported to Australia under UK’s first post-EU trade deal due to red … Continue reading 98% of Scottish lamb exports goes to EU and far less than the other 2%, well actually FA, goes to Oz
