8% of the population 30% of the UK’s food and drinks exports!
From the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in SNP Media today: Scotland has the largest share of UK exports of food and drink products – with the industry in Scotland making up [nearly?] one-third of total exports out of the UK – making the sector worth £5.7billion. A report from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) shows Scotland’s food and drink sector has shown significant growth and is recovering from the impacts of the pandemic. FDF has said Scotland’s industry continues to ‘punch above its weight’. Exports of salmon increased by 20.6%, while those of whisky rose by 18.6%. France … Continue reading 8% of the population 30% of the UK’s food and drinks exports!
BBC fail to notice Scotland’s businesses growing faster than UK
From the Royal Bank of Scotland’s purchasing managers’ index today but not noticed by BBC Scotland Business: Business activity improved for the fourteenth consecutive month in April,according to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland PMI®, as the seasonallyadjusted headline Royal Bank of Scotland Business Activity Index – ameasure of combined manufacturing and service sector output – rose to 58.9in April, up from 58.4 in March and indicating a faster increase in privatesector output. The latest uptick was supported by a strong and renewedupturn in manufacturing production, although a sharp expansion in servicesactivity was recorded once again. Moreover, the rate of … Continue reading BBC fail to notice Scotland’s businesses growing faster than UK
Herald and doctors’ trade union leader too close for comfort
Headlining in the Herald today: Dr Graeme Eunson described the situation in A&E departments as “horrific” and said he fears the health service is heading towards a “twin-track” system where people who can afford to pay will get better care. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/20111995.bma-leader-warns-scotland-headed-two-tier-healthcare/ Using the same stock photograph from 2021, Eunson is presented as a ‘top consultant.’ He may be that too but he is first and foremost, a trade union leader with a priority role to promote his members’ interests. Eunson has featured before here presenting unreliable survey results from the BMA suggesting consultants are unhappy with their tax bills or that too … Continue reading Herald and doctors’ trade union leader too close for comfort
QEUH’s child cancer wards had the same infection rate as other hospitals and infections could have been brought in by visitors
For the umpteenth time, Reporting Scotland are pushing the ‘sick hospital’ narrative which they and the other MSM have used to try to oust SNP health ministers. Linking deaths to possible hospital acquired infections has been reported over and over since around 2019, traumatised parents groomed by Labour have been interviewed and a case has been made out of no evidence. However, as early as 2019, Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board had commissioned an independent expert report and this had found that there was ‘no evidence of a single point of exposure [in the building] causing the blood stream … Continue reading QEUH’s child cancer wards had the same infection rate as other hospitals and infections could have been brought in by visitors
What about Scotland’s share of Westminster government’s spend on something a majority in Scotland didn’t want to happen?
By stewartb ‘£90K to KPMG and £68 000 to PwC?’ This is money spent by NHS Scotland to help create something that the party of government and the parliament of Scotland wishes to be established. By contrast – and for perspective – what about Scotland’s share of Westminster government’s spend on something a majority in Scotland didn’t want to happen? On 12 March 2018, a report from the Institute for Government (IfG) was published that examined the cost of consultants hired by the Westminster government in support of Brexit: ‘Costing Brexit: what is Whitehall spending on exiting the EU?’ But … Continue reading What about Scotland’s share of Westminster government’s spend on something a majority in Scotland didn’t want to happen?
UK ministers fork out far far more on private consultants
The Herald makes much, without actually telling us who is ‘angry’, about a £1 million, in total, awarded to consultants by NHS Scotland, including £90K to KPMG and £68 000 to PwC. The total NHS Scotland budget is £15.3 billion. £1 million is 0.00653594%. In 2018/19 NHS England spent 7.2% of its budget on private providers: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/articles/big-election-questions-nhs-privatised In 2018/19, NHS England spent around £300 million on private consultants and in 2021 spent £375 million on the failed test & trace system alone: https://lowdownnhs.info/coronavirus/the-great-consultancy-boom-from-covid-to-icss/ Continue reading UK ministers fork out far far more on private consultants
Ferries: SNP ministers did not need to inform EU
In 2015, the RMT took legal advice from EU procurement law expert Gordon Nardell QC on whether the Scottish Government was obliged to put the new CalMac ferries out to tender and, thus, be required to inform the EU. Applying a provision known as the “Teckal exemption” he concluded that the Scottish Government did not need to put the service out to tender. The full text is here: https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/publications/teckal/?preview=true Continue reading Ferries: SNP ministers did not need to inform EU
Revival?
In the Scotsman today Alex Cole-Hamilton writes: I’m writing this with a smile on my face. For the first time since 2007, the Scottish Liberal Democrats have taken a significant step forward in Scottish local authority elections. We’re back and it feels amazing. https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/scotland-council-elections-2022-the-lib-dem-revival-has-begun-alex-cole-hamilton-msp-3684461 What is he talking about? This: So, the Tories lose 63 and their near equivalents, the Lib Dems, only take 20. Labour also take 20 and the SNP take 23 Tory wards. How on earth does he imagine this to be some kind of revival? Continue reading Revival?
How did the SNP get so good at winning? The electorate knows why
How did the SNP get so good at winning. Glenn Campbell, stressing and magnifying their supposed failures, puts it down to their campaigning strength. The implication, again, is that the electorate is stupid. The truth seems likely to be different. The electorate, or enough of them, know fine well what the SNP in government has done for Scotland, can see clearly what damage the Tories have done in England and how weak the Labour opposition is. They vote SNP because they know about things like this: 1. Free Tuition. While students in England face tuition fees up to £27,750, Scottish students receive … Continue reading How did the SNP get so good at winning? The electorate knows why
Echo Chamber
One of the background reasons for quitting a few months ago was the realisation that TuS was no more popular in 2022 than it had been in 2018. Though more than 6 000 followed it on Twitter, very few shared the posts and even fewer accessed the full text in the blog. Typically, 1 to 2 000 visit the blog each day and judging by the comments it’s largely the same people – the already converted? What can we do? John Continue reading Echo Chamber
