By stewartb As we spectate, before our eyes attempts to suppress democracy in Scotland is playing out. And the perpetrators are not just the Tories: they now include the British Labour & Unionist Party. Two British/English nationalist parties are now in lock-step. In a recent speech to the Centre for European Reform, Keir Starmer stated: “So let me be very clear. Under Labour, Britain will not go back into the EU. We will not be joining the single market. We will not be joining a customs union.” He reasons that such moves would sow further division in Britain. Further division? … Continue reading The New Suppressionists – the British Labour & Unionist Party’s vow to Scotland

Agency leads to distinctive choices: the case of tax systems in ‘normal’ European nation-states By stewartb – a long read As we in Scotland spectate, Tory hopefuls to be our next Prime Minister are putting tax policy front and centre in their campaigns. I fear the fall-out for Scotland’s public finances from what the Tory Party eventually decides is best for us. I suspect that too many in Scotland – perhaps especially those hesitant about independence – fail to appreciate fully the options that having the agency of an independent nation-states brings. This is especially important when making big choices … Continue reading Scotland and tax: ‘Normality’ is ability to make different choices

The Herald’s Health Correspondent, once more, tries to dig up a scare story but bases it on her usual misrepresentation of statistics. The above graph does show an increase in callouts but the claim: is spurious. First, the 2022 data so far, suggest a plateau and not an ongoing increase, in callouts. Second the evidence of actual harm is statistically insignificant. We are told that the number of the most urgent cases where the response time took more than 60 minutes had climbed from 5 per year in 2018-2020 to 22 last year. Oooh four times as many? Yes, but … Continue reading Scottish ambulances saving ever more lives

From Public Health Scotland: Number of people delayed At the May 2022 census point, there were 1,690 people delayed. This is a decrease of 5% compared to the April 2022 census point when 1,780 people were delayed. Length of delay at census point Of those delayed at the May 2022 census point, the average (median) length of delay was 21 days, this compares to 22 days in April 2022 (a decrease of 5%). Average number of beds occupied per dayIn May 2022, the average number of beds occupied per day due to delayed discharges was 1,707. This is a decrease … Continue reading Delayed hospital discharges fall to free up beds

From Public Health Scotland: The total number of planned operations across NHSScotland during May 2022 was 21,895. This represents an increase of 19% from 18,392 in April 2022 and is 9% higher than the number planned in May 2021. Of all planned operations during May 2022, 667 (3.0%) were cancelled by the hospital based on clinical reasons, 483 (2.2%) were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons, 665 (3.0%) were cancelled by the patient and 96 (0.4%) were cancelled due to other reasons. The rate of cancellations by patients has returned to pre-pandemic levels. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancelled-planned-operations/cancelled-planned-operations-month-ending-31-may-2022/ Only those … Continue reading NHS Scotland is able to perform 97% of operations as planned

As BBC Scotland dwell on Scotland’s higher Covid infection rate, the good news above is ignored. Despite soaring attendances, from 122 000 in April 22 to 138 000 in May 22, NHS Scotland’s A&E departments treated 73% within 4 hours, up from 72.1% in April and 71.6% in March. NHS England only managed 60.2% in 4 hours, in the same month and the former PM’s local Hillingdon trust only managed 49.8%, slightly ahead of the average performance in Rwanda. Sources: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ae-activity-and-waiting-times/ae-activity-and-waiting-times-month-ending-31-may-2022/ https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2022-23/ Continue reading Scotland’s A&E performance improves for second month and is best in UK by some way

By stewartbPresently, the main public policy levers capable of altering substantially the nature of Scotland’s economy – and the nature of its tax base – reside with Westminster governments. By far the largest element of recurrent and capital spending by public bodies across the UK has been controlled by Tory politicians for over a decade. Given the model of dependency on Westminster and its spending decisions – operated via the Barnett Formula – it is always relevant to reflect on authoritative accounts of trends in spending in England on those public services that are devolved. A spending decision may be … Continue reading Austerity-hit education – decisions in Westminster, consequences in Scotland!

I’ve written twice already on this outlier poll conducted by an Italian pollster, new to the scene here and advised only by two Tory activists. You can read about it at: In the Record on the 1st July: A new independence poll has found the majority of Scots are against breaking up the union. The survey conducted by Techne UK asked 501 people between Wednesday June 29 and Thursday June, 30 from across the country the question: ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ When ‘don’t know’ answers are included the poll found that 39 per cent of people would vote ‘Yes’ in any future referendum, … Continue reading Only Daily Record daft enough to accept Tory poll results

Yesterday, I drew attention, prompted by Bill Cruickshank, to the above poll outlier suggesting far stronger support for No (6%) than the Panelbase poll at roughly the same time, which had No 1% behind Yes. Prompted again (I need that) by readers Scott and pd0930, I scrolled down the TechneUK website to find that their 4 Italian senior staff, had only these two UK consultants: DR SPENCER PITFIELD OBE​ Spencer served as a Hertsmere Borough Councillor between 1999 and 2007. Across these two elected terms he was both Portfolio Holder for Waste & Recycling and Planning & Infrastructure and also served … Continue reading Little surprise as new Italian pollster advised by two Tory politicians emerges, as campaign begins, to find less support for independence

The ever-alert Bill Cruickshank’s tweet has reminded me to comment on the above poll with a larger-than-usual lead for No and a surprisingly small level of support for Yes across the UK. As Bill points out, techneUK have come from nowhere with no track record and no transparency on ownership or funding. This smells strongly of fakery and propaganda and, hopefully, most will recognise it as both suspicious and unreliable. Let’s see what our MSM make of it. Expect more now that we have a date with destiny. On the second point, as recently as 30 May 2021, the Herald … Continue reading Dark forces behind the latest poll on Scottish independence and English interest in it