In the Herald today: ‘The government’ leaves the reader to decide themselves who is repsonsible. In the Herald report the calls for safe consumption rooms and the decriminalisation of all drugs are repeated the UK Conservative Government’s refusals are not. The Herald article is based on the SDF report in Third Force News which also does not mention the UK Government, does mention the Scottish Government and only in the very last of 14 paragraphs: Drugs policy is currently reserved to Westminster. https://tfn.scot/news/drastic-immediate-action-needed-as-scotland-remains-drug-death-capital-of-europe Neither report mentions this: Scotland’s drug treatment service busts 90% target. During the quarter 1 October to … Continue reading Westminster is ultimately responsible for Scotland’s drug deaths

Fresh from cheekily offering to share NHS England’s ‘best practice’ to help out NHS Wales and Scotland with waiting times (just giving more money to the private sector instead of paying the staff), Steve Barclay faces a 5th junior doctor strike, and the Scottish Health Secretary has reciprocated with an offer to mediate on these damaging strikes. Understandably medics, health research groups and the unions themselves have been keen to point out that those most-at-risk will be sheltered from the disruption and that no lives have been lost directly due to the action. I empathise but with around an additional … Continue reading Why Barclay should listen to Matheson – there may have been 20 000 excess deaths and more than 2 000 may have been saved in Scotland

In England today, a nurse was found guilty of killing 7 babies and may have killed many more, under the noses of consultants and in a health trust where administrators seemed to have obstructed whistle-blowing by other staff, even forcing some to apologise to the suspect. BBC UK has four prominent reports on the case on their website at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk In none of them is the Conservative Government Health Secretary, Steve Barclay approached for comment. In none, is the opposition leader or the shadow health secretary offering comment. In all of these 4 BBC UK reports, this is an emotional … Continue reading As a nurse kills at least 7 babies no Conservative politician is even asked what they think but when 2 babies die after an infection in Scotland, here comes Anas and the ‘biggest scandal of the devolution era’

In May 2023, BBC Scotland reported Scotland’s river sewage must be more closely monitored – charity as Scotland’s media were awash with reports that Scotland was behind England in monitoring flood drains. It soon emerged that Scotland was monitoring fewer flood drains because there was little point wasting money and time on the many in which there was no risk of sewage in the flow. Today, the Guardian has: A nationwide annual health check of England’s water bodies has been delayed by six years, prompting anger from campaigners and politicians, as public alarm grows over the state of the nation’s … Continue reading Conservative Government announces 5 year delay in health checks for England’s water under cover of a mass baby-killer and an asparagus psychic

From the FT yesterday: Labour rows back on workers’ rights to blunt Tory ‘anti-business’ claims Labour has diluted its 2021 pledge to create a single status of “worker” for all but the genuinely self-employed, regardless of sector, wage or contract type. The policy was aimed at guaranteeing “basic rights and protections” for all workers, including those in the gig economy. Instead of introducing the policy immediately, Labour has agreed it would consult on the proposal in government, considering how “a simpler framework” that differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed “could properly capture the breadth of employment relationships in the … Continue reading Rutherglen & West Hamilton Alert – Labour to screw workers and keep control of their rights in London

From BBC Scotland, minutes ago: A councillor has told how she drove an 86-year-old woman almost 60 miles (96km) from her home to hospital as there was no ambulance available. Geva Blackett said she took the pensioner from Braemar, Aberdeenshire, to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after being told she had already waited six hours. The woman was thought to be suffering from an infection, after suffering a broken hip in a fall. The Scottish Ambulance Service apologised about service pressure. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-66543621 BBC Scotland describe the councillor as an ‘independent’ and fail to mention that she left the SNP two years ago … Continue reading Disgruntled former SNP councillor drives non-life-threatening case to hospital for political reasons

I saw something similar in a recent documentary where a charity in Barrow on Furness had escape bags for women fleeing domestic abuse. They were large with space for clothes, pyjamas and all sorts of essentials like these: These wee handbags don’t look much use but if they’re sure, did Jackie consider asking Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves to donate the £1,250 handbag and contents she got ’for giving a talk to an investors forum’ run by a multimillionaire? ‘No case for banker tax’ Reeves accepting £1250 handbag from investors is tip of iceberg While we’re on domestic violence: From the … Continue reading Jackie Baillie misses massive handbag charity opportunity!

From Tom Gordon today: He offers no balancing view. In January 2023: Industry bodies across the retail sector in Scotland have written to Deputy First Minister John Swinney, urging the Scottish Government to match the Chancellor’s commitment of 75% rates relief for retail businesses in 2023/24. Representatives of the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF), the Scottish Retail Consortium, the British Independent Retailers Association, and the Booksellers Association signed the joint letter, highlighting the significant challenges facing the sector. SGF Chief Executive Pete Cheema said: “The retail sector in Scotland employs close to 230,000 people and is key player in driving economic … Continue reading Tom Gordon seems to like capitalism for the poor and socialism for business

While the Herald leads with ‘Appalling’: ScotGov rent curbs fail to prevent new record bill rises and BBC Scotland tell us they are ‘soaring‘ the actual facts of life in Scotland under the SNP, are ignored. The above ONS data reveal with clarity of a kind they don’t think newsworthy, that private sector rents have been controlled in Scotland in a manner they have not in England. As for Northern Ireland – WTF!! Can someone do the research on that for us? Continue reading Despite attacks on SNP rent-freeze success, private rents in Scotland remain lowest in UK