I’m grateful to Leah Gunn Barrett for drawing my attention this letter in the Scotsman, confirming a lack of at least monolithic institutional SNPbadism at the Scotsman, just the presence in its columns of too many Scotland in Union activists: Louis de Bernieres lists a dozen questions that the “people of the UK are entitled to have answers to”. The first thing to note is that some of the questions presuppose that the UK is not a union of equals. There is an assumption that the 1707 Act of Union was an act on annexation; that the UK’s currency and the … Continue reading Separation can be smooth or bumpy

Virtually all MSM attention in Scotland has focused on the risks that the implementation of the Gender Recognition Act by the SNP Government, to protect the rights of Trans people, may pose for ‘hard-won’ women’s rights and on the ‘flight’ from the party by, loosely, ‘Gender Critical Feminists’. Other parties, such as the Lib Dems, have escaped any scrutiny, ‘under the radar.’ This is one of many areas in which I am not competent to be pontificating but as I understand things, both Trans groups and women are far too often the victims of discrimination, including predominantly male violence, monstrous … Continue reading No place for women?

Scottish Labour has announced plans for a commission to “clean up Holyrood” and restore trust in the Scottish Parliament.  Party leader Anas Sarwar said both Holyrood and the Scottish Government have been allowed to descend into “a bit of a joke” in recent weeks.  Anas Sarwar, in the Herald, above, revealing his lack of a sense of irony and his immersion in the Holyrood/MSM bubble, detached from what any potential supporters might actually think. First, that the Scottish Parliament is the one requiring a plan: In 2019, 61% of people said they trusted the Scottish Government to work in Scotland’s … Continue reading Scottish Labour and trust? Nope, not working for me.

On February 2nd, BBC Scotland were keen to talk about NHS Scotland’s vaccination rates which were lower overall BECAUSE it was tackling the more difficult care homes, AS the JCVI told it to do: Twice as many were to die in English care homes in 2021, because of their failure to follow the advice but that was not news it seems. Soon after, the care home residents had been made safe and NHS Scotland began to overtake NHS England. By the 7th February, they were vaccinating 20% more and BBC Scotland announced that we were nevertheless broadly, in line with … Continue reading Scotland vaccinates 31% more for last 7 days!

Duncan Hothersall, right-wing Fabian and Blairite, with Sarwar and Baillie, reveals his true colours (blues) with the above tweet. Their attitude to free school dinners is a regular indicator of their lack of empathy for any of their own voters. Last year, I wrote: In the Education, Communities and Justice committee on Thursday: Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what provision will be made for the delivery of free school meals when schools are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s deeply moving, well more stomach-churning, to hear from the leader of the right-wing in Scottish Labour Unionist … Continue reading Scottish Labour opposes free school meals again

Mackay opens with: There’s always been an unhealthy culture of silence within the Yes movement. Prominent SNP members who now position themselves as guardians of moral probity in politics and denounce the Alba Party’s Trumpian antics were only a few years ago amplifying hate speech online because it served their own political purposes. Today, the “Wheesht For Indy” crowd are telling Yes-supporting critics of Alex Salmond’s new party to be quiet. “We’re all supposed to be on the same side, guys,” they say. “Think about the bigger picture.” He goes on to make much of the not-guilty Alex Salmond, the reinstated after … Continue reading Premium? Not even bargain bin. Fish and chip wrapper at best.

Until the Leaders’ Debate when Anas Sarwar was able to come across as one of those tall, handsome, deep-voiced and mature sixth-formers telling a smaller less attractive, whiny ‘Tory boy’ to ‘grow up’, no one was saying the above. I can see why the Unionist camp might feel the need for a new leader but few can forget his last go at this, when even STV could make a right fool of him: If Nicola gets him on his own again, it will be the same all over again. Continue reading Unionists, think before you change horses for an unproven nervy colt

Only the GMB with its long history of loyalty to anyone in dispute with the SNP, even the corporate care owners responsible for the many deaths in their ‘care’, is telling its members to refuse the pay offer but wait, is it really only 4% for most of their members? Here is the actual offer: The pay rise would ensure that staff on the pay bands 1 to 7 would receive at least a 4% pay rise compared to 2020/21, with the staff who earned less than £25,000 in 2020/21 getting a guaranteed minimum increase of over £1,000 in 2021/22. … Continue reading Has the GMB even told its members what Scottish Government offer they will be rejecting?

Yesterday, as the election of a massive pro-Indy majority looms for BBC Scotland, it was the Institute for Fiscal Studies, funded by a group led by Douglas Alexander, telling us that Scotland spent too much to survive. Today, it’s the teacher assessment, they championed last year, as a fair alternative to the SQA’s brutal algorithm, taking away our children’s life chances then, now imposing ‘exams by another name’ to get the evidence for that teacher assessment. Damned in headlines if they don’t, damned if they do? What’s their evidence? Same as last time. A pupil petition which 4 340 had … Continue reading ‘Bare in mind’ BBC Scotland is in campaign mode with a petition anyone can sign

BBC Scotland Correspondent for Bad News Only about Health, Lisa Summers, has been unavailable to tell us about the steady fall in nosocomial infections. Sources tell us she ‘can’t be arsed.’ In the week ending 7th March, only 18 people caught Covid-19 in hospital, down from 83 in the week ending 20th January 2021. An NHS England spokesperson said it was more than her job was worth to tell us what the figures are there. Continue reading BBC Scotland asleep as hospital-acquired Covid infections fall for 7th week in a row