Every issue must be politicised
BBC Scotland today has the above and: A devastating wildfire that has been ablaze for three days in the Cairngorms is still “burning hard”, residents have warned. Community leaders criticised the Scottish government for describing the incident as “contained”, despite flames spreading further through the national park. and: Sandy McCook, chairman of Nethy Bridge community council, told BBC Radio Scotland: “They are doing sterling work, they are doing everything they can. “But it is still a bucket in the ocean compared to the size of the incident we have.” McCook criticised Justice Secretary Neil Gray, who said the fire was “currently contained” … Continue reading Every issue must be politicised
Nottingham, Sussex, Shrewsbury and now Leeds – Why England’s national maternity scandal is not coming to Perth or anywhere in Scotland
Across BBC TV broadcasts and BBC West Yorkshire today: Bereaved mothers and families have been invited to meet the chair of an inquiry looking into “repeated failures” at maternity units in Leeds. Donna Ockenden, who recently led a similar inquiry into failings in Nottingham, will lead a review into maternity and neonatal services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust. The senior midwife will speak to impacted families in the city on Saturday over their concerns surrounding local midwifery services. It comes after a BBC investigation found the deaths of at least 56 babies and two mothers over the last five years at … Continue reading Nottingham, Sussex, Shrewsbury and now Leeds – Why England’s national maternity scandal is not coming to Perth or anywhere in Scotland
Labour disappointed after SNP cleared of responsibility for seagulls pooping on Portobello beach
BBC and STV News tonight report that Sepa has said the e-coli readings on Portobello beach are ‘likely’ due to gull-fouling rather than sewage spills of the kind being repeatedly championed by local Labour MP, Chris Murray. The Scottish Government is “missing in action” after bacteria pollution at an Edinburgh beach led to swimmers being warned to stay away from the water, an MP has claimed. Chris Murray, the new Labour MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh, said urgent action is needed to deal with sewage ending up in waters around the city. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/environment/edinburgh-scottish-government-labour-liberal-democrats-scottish-b1170407.html STV said that Sepa had told them that raised e-coli reading were … Continue reading Labour disappointed after SNP cleared of responsibility for seagulls pooping on Portobello beach
500% increase in child victims of more brutal English county lines drug gangs operating in Scotland
No disturbing, exploitative images of child victims here. From Deadline News yesterday: A NATIONAL charity is urging the public to report signs of county lines exploitation as criminal gangs continue to target and manipulate vulnerable children. Crimestoppers has warned that young people are being coerced into transporting drugs, money, and weapons across the country, often facing violence, intimidation, and isolation far from their homes. According to police estimates, up to 11,600 children are currently at risk of county lines exploitation. In the past year alone, more than 2,600 children were officially identified as linked to county lines activity, although the true figure is believed to … Continue reading 500% increase in child victims of more brutal English county lines drug gangs operating in Scotland
Will former Modern Studies teacher and Labour Junior Minister for Energy now accept this final demolition of the case for nuclear energy from the London-based top medical journal in the world and accept that SNP policy has been factually correct all along?
I’m going to have to have a serious word with some of the 11 0000 plus folk following us on xtwitter. I posted the basic details of this earlier with a request to ‘share, share and share again.’ Only 25 have. I got 472 shares on a post about Prestwick Airport profits! Junior Energy Secretary under Ed Milliband, Michael Shanks (above) used to teach Modern Studies, so he’ll know all about referencing and basing your conclusions on reliable facts. So, made more tasty, with Michael above, here are the facts, irrefutable, again. Pay attention Michael! The Lancet is one of … Continue reading Will former Modern Studies teacher and Labour Junior Minister for Energy now accept this final demolition of the case for nuclear energy from the London-based top medical journal in the world and accept that SNP policy has been factually correct all along?
The sickening front pages on Nicola Sturgeon only days after the murder of Anne Widdicombe
Just three front pages today not including the Herald and the Scotsman saying the same thing less directly. Corporate ‘journalism’ has been long dead, writing now zombie-like. Do they feel any responsibility not to inflame, to influence some of disturbed mind, like the recent murderers of MPs? Do they feel anything other than their wallets? Only a month ago, they were working to distort the reality, flaws and all, of what Nicola Sturgeon has done for Scotland. In the Herald 21 June 2026, this either unaware or dishonest claim, above. Journalism students know that much of what journalist do, rather than faithfully … Continue reading The sickening front pages on Nicola Sturgeon only days after the murder of Anne Widdicombe
‘The false promise of nuclear power’ – a devastating and final demolition of the case for nuclear energy from the Lancet, the top medical journal in the world
The Lancet is one of the world’s most highly respected and influential general medical journals. Latest Journal Impact Factor (JIF): 109.0 (2025 JCR, released June 2026, based on 2025 citation data). This is a significant increase from 88.5 the previous year. It ranks #1 in the “Medicine, General & Internal” category (Q1), ahead of competitors like the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). In the Lancet today: By focusing narrowly on reactor operations, portraying reactor hazards as “extremely small”, and ignoring nuclear energy’s other dangers, Talha Burki’s World Report1 supports the mendacious narrative that nuclear power is a “safe, clean, and … Continue reading ‘The false promise of nuclear power’ – a devastating and final demolition of the case for nuclear energy from the Lancet, the top medical journal in the world
Largs to Millport ferry, four times every hour, with capacity for 6 million passengers and three quarters of a million cars only used one eighth and one third of that capacity in 2024 – who pays for such generosity?
Every year, thousands of drivers, often in SUV’s, try to get on to a tiny island which thousands of others walk and cycle round, their potentially lovely day spoiled by those same drivers. There’s a well-run bus service from the ferry slip to the town with hundreds of bicycles for hire and lots of wee cafes to relax in. I’ve been there more times than I can remember and never felt the need to take a car. These days, I’d struggle to get round the island on feet or wheels but there’s no way I’d be bullying my way round … Continue reading Largs to Millport ferry, four times every hour, with capacity for 6 million passengers and three quarters of a million cars only used one eighth and one third of that capacity in 2024 – who pays for such generosity?
Child sexual abuse offences in Scotland half as common as in England & Wales 19 years after Salmond’s minority government acted
On BBC Newsnight, last night, discussing police arrests in Oxford and the Pakistani government’s refusal to accept a rape grooming gang leader born there, a figure that just took my breathe away. According to the National Police Chief’s Council, the latest figures show 123 000 child sexual abuse offences in 2024, a 6% increase on the year before. I know, this is a topic we feel unhappy about exploring but you can be sure that were there a sniff of a higher rate per head in Scotland, the media and opposition politicians would not hesitate to milk it daily and … Continue reading Child sexual abuse offences in Scotland half as common as in England & Wales 19 years after Salmond’s minority government acted
Four months after two die from meningitis NHS England does something to catch up with Scotland
Four months after two meningitis deaths in Kent, we can read from BBC Health, in the last few minutes: All teenagers should be offered a free vaccine against meningitis B (MenB) at around the age of 15, UK experts are now recommending – a change to previous advice. It follows concerns over the UK’s largest and fastest growing outbreak that happened in Kent earlier this year, in which two people died. As a precaution, a one-off vaccination campaign is already being launched around the UK this summer for young people heading off to university for the first time, among some others. Advisers, external are asking … Continue reading Four months after two die from meningitis NHS England does something to catch up with Scotland
The 'Unstoppable' Talking-up Scotland 