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

By stewartb Just published is the latest edition of the World Press Freedom Index. Compiled by ‘Reporters Without Borders’ annually since 2002, its purpose is to compare the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and territories. The assessment methodology defines press freedom as “the effective possibility for journalists, as individuals and as groups, TO SELECT, PRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE NEWS AND INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, INDEPENDENTLY from political, economic, legal and social interference, and without threats to their physical and mental safety.” The analysis is based on the evaluation of five indicators: the political context, … Continue reading UK press freedom lower than in most of Europe

By stewartb It is right to draw comparisons between Scotland and Wales on this and other matters. For as long as we are within the Union this is relevant for various reasons including but not limited to: (i) testing UK political parties for consistency over policies and actions (as here with Labour and Wales), and (ii) because of the wider effects of powers and policy decisions over financing held in Westminster. (I look forward to the day when we compare the performance of an independent Scotland’s government and our public services against benchmarks in places such as the Nordic countries!) … Continue reading English councils’ funding 26% lower

BBC Scotland’s senior reporter, James Cook, chooses library closures in Glasgow, potholes and climate change as key issues for voters. Typically, he offers no evidence for these choices though we can all see the value of the first two if you want to support Scottish Labour on an election day. Cook knows, of course, that the cost of living crisis and Partygate are the real issues likely to affect the vote. Why has he avoided writing about them? Continue reading Scotland Editor misses the obvious

In the Herald, on an election day, a platform for Scottish Labour to display, once more, their lack of self-awareness and all-round dimness: ANAS Sarwar has urged voters to remove the SNP’s “puppets” from councils to allow the reversal of budget cuts and rebuilding of communities. https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/20114918.scottish-labour-urges-voters-cut-strings-off-snp-puppets-today/ I’m guessing he means that SNP councillors are puppets of the SNP Government but surely he knows that as soon as he mentions ‘puppets’, we are all reminded that he is only the branch manager in Scotland for Keir Starmer’s rightist UK Labour Party. Here he is with his puppet-master. Keir needs no strings. … Continue reading The Labour Puppet

From the First Minister today: In terms of the period since 2013-14, local authority revenue funding is up by £2.2 billion – that is 22.9% higher in cash terms than it was in 2013-14. Compared to where Labour is in government in Wales, that 22.9% increase in Scotland is 7.3% in Wales. In Glasgow, the SNP administration has had to pick up the pieces of the equal pay scandal that Labour presided over. Labour robbed women across Glasgow of money that was rightfully theirs – I’m proud that an SNP administration paid them that money back. I think it speaks … Continue reading Scottish councils get three times the increase in funding given by Labour in Wales

Based on a B Celebrity-led campaign, BBC Scotland has once again weaponised the NHS in the run-up to elections. Though well-staffed with researchers, they have made no effort to check the peer-reviewed research evidence explaining presumably why both the medicine approval systems in Scotland and England have not recommended Utrogestan before. It took me 5 minutes to find these two research reports: Luteal phase support with Crinone 8% vaginal gel (90 mg daily) resulted in better clinical pregnancy and implantation rates than Utrogestan vaginal capsules (200 mg, four times daily) in IVF/ICSI-BT cycles. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20045758/ The similar rates of clinical pregnancies … Continue reading BBC Scotland pushes less effective and less tolerable medication for political reasons

By Alasdair Galloway Some of you might have seen the letter I sent to the Herald – and which they didn’t publish – in a comment on John’s first day back (“Jeanne Freeman’s quick action saved many lives in care homes”). Even if you did, here it is again The leader of Labour in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, said in Holyrood today that “even by March 26” Scottish Government “guidance still said people being discharged from the hospital did not routinely need confirmation of a negative Covid test.”. Would Mr Sarwar care to suggest where those tests might have been sourced … Continue reading About lying

From the Daily Record yesterday: The number of bobbies on the beat in Scotland has plunged to its lowest level since 2008. Liam McArthur, justice spokesman for the Scottish Lib Dems, said: “On Nicola Sturgeon’s watch violent crime is on the rise yet the SNP are presiding over a decline in officer numbers. “There are now fewer than at any time since 2008. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/police-numbers-scotland-drop-lowest-26859100.amp There are fewer ‘bobbies’ today but there can reasonably be fewer because there is far less crime: So, in 2008 crime was at the level of 725 per head of population and in 2021 was only … Continue reading Crime plummets but SNP Government maintains police staffing levels