Not being reported properly in the Scottish MSM but from the South Wales Argus@ Of the UK nations, Wales has the highest rate of children living in poverty (31 per cent), followed by England (30 per cent), with Scotland and Northern Ireland equal on 24 per cent.…But none of the top 20 most affected areas in the UK are in Wales, the research by the End Child Poverty Coalition found. Here are the 20 worst constituencies for child poverty according to the research: 1. Bethnal Green and Bow (Greater London), 59.6 per cent 2. Hackney South and Shoreditch (Greater London), … Continue reading Child poverty throughout much of England TWICE that in Scotland

I haven’t read any of the above. It’s the Herald’s Mark Smith! I don’t need to read it. I know it’s merde. Anyhow, what might the lesson be? Small countries do better than big ones? Ireland has won it 6 times and 3 times in a row? Continue reading That’s easy: Royaume-Uni Nil Points?

Is anybody still buying this heap of rancid lies? I suppose if just one of them reads this, my time is not wasted. So: The ‘Covid push’ had all-party support. Indeed, some in parliament accused the SNP of not pushing hard enough. The weasel speech marks tell you that there is nothing that might stand up in court but that lawyers would happily take your money to fail to prove what they already know is unprovable. All of the patients who are transferred into care home are vulnerable. Everybody in a care home is vulnerable. The Herald report goes on … Continue reading Not ‘shabby’ but SHABBY

For a year now, this story has been pushed into eyes and ears. It’s headlining today on all BBC Scotland platforms. At every turn, evidence has emerged that the discharges into care homes did not cause outbreaks and that they were the result of a combination of the over-use of agency staff, over-capacity, under-staffing and failed infection control in the homes. The science is ignored and now we hear the discharges have triggered ‘legal concerns.’ Note the wording. Read carefully: The Mental Welfare Commission studied a sample of discharges when someone did not have the capacity to decide for themselves. … Continue reading Like a dog with a very small bone: Scotland’s media and care home deaths, again

The sinking-man’s Brian Wilson, Blairite minister, visiting (no qualifications) professor of FA at Strathclyde University and director at Celtic FC, Brian Wilson CBE of the Herald/Scotsman union, leads the charge to blame the SNP for the riots at the weekend. In this, Wilson joins those earlier unholy alliances – Aberdeen’s Labour/Tory Council, and the GMB/Care home owners His piece in the Herald today? Mince, rancid mince. Here’s why they controlled the reopening of hospitality in Glasgow: The announcement to keep hospitality closed was made on the 14th, after it became clear the outbreak was more than a blip – data … Continue reading Is this Celtic director excusing the rioters to get at SNP?

In the Guardian today with usual misuse of ‘UK’: Hospitals have been accused of burying the results of dozens of secret reports written by expert groups of doctors asked to investigate patient safety problems. NHS trusts have been criticised for “disgraceful secrecy” for not publishing the reports, and often not even sharing them with regulators charged with overseeing standards of care. While trusts have asked medical royal colleges to undertake 111 “invited reviews” over the last five years, they have put only 16 in the public domain, BBC One’s Panorama will reveal on Wednesday. In addition, just 26 of the … Continue reading Hancock not responsible for hospitals burying dozens of patient safety reports

I’ve been very impressed by Lorna Slater. The combination of my confidence in the local constituency SNP candidate to take the seat (phew!), the transphobes joining Alba and Slater’s performances on TV, pushed me into voting for them on the regional vote. I’ve done this before but some of their antics, especially running with the pack on the repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act (that’s worked out well?) have caused me to doubt them. Now we have the co-leader writing: Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater has called for the re-elected First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to work across the … Continue reading I gave the Greens my 2nd vote but….

The above in the Herald has quickly fallen down the page from the headline slot early this morning. Did the day editor think that appearing to side with the rioters might be a step too far? Before any more on the coverage and contrary to BBC Scotland editorial guidelines, at the top of this page, here’s what a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “At a time when people have missed funerals, not seen loved ones in care homes and postponed weddings, it is not right that we make an exception to the rules for football fans. We also received advice that … Continue reading Are Media losing confidence in attempt to blame SNP for Unionist riot?

Experts have warned that Tory plans to lift the current cap on Trident nuclear weapons based on the Clyde by over 40 per cent, from 180 to 260, could breach international law.  Academics at the London School of Economics have concluded that the plans are inconsistent with the UK Government’s support for the Treaty on Non-Proliferation, which is intended to limit the increase of nuclear warheads around the world. The review by Professor Christine Chinkin, a long-time consultant for the UN, and Dr Louise Arimatsu, a former fellow at the NATO Cyber Defence Centre, concludes that the proposals constitute a … Continue reading Tory plans to spend billions on weapons of mass destruction both immoral and illegal

From SNP Media: The SNP has said Tory cuts are “threatening Scotland’s recovery” – as new figures revealed Tory plans to slash Universal Credit could hit nearly half a million people in Scotland. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) quarterly Universal Credit statistics, published today, reveal the number of people on Universal Credit in Scotland has increased by 86% in the past year – rising from 264,117 in March 2020 to 490,426 in April 2021. David Linden MP said Tory plans to slash payments by £20 a week from October would leave thousands of families in Scotland worse off … Continue reading DWP figures reveal Tory cuts are threatening Scotland’s recovery