Between Ipsos MORI’s November poll, support for independence has fallen by 3 points from 51% to 48% but any pollster surely knows that to talk of a trend, as they do above, you need more than two polls. There have been six already this year and dozens in 2020. Here’s what they show: Here are the trends: Support for independence has flattened in 2021 so far after a steep climb into clear lead in 2020. It has NOT fallen back. Support for the Union has continued in a very steep decline in 2021 after falling steadily since the end of … Continue reading Ipsos Morons?

By stewartb There have been a number of ‘prominent’ people opining that the Salmond affair is revealing fundamental weaknesses in the structuring of Scotland’s institutions. There can appear also to an implication here that such concerns – and perceived weaknesses – are present in Scotland but do not exist within the Westminster system. Unsurprisingly this, in my inexpert opinion, seems to be false. For anyone interested in views on not dissimilar issues facing institutions within England – over the dual role of government law officers, their independent status and the publication (or not) by a government of its legal advice … Continue reading Why Scotland’s Attorney General can be trusted more than rUK’s

All over your MSM today, a trade union survey reported as if it came from an independent university-based research group which has to declare any interests. SCOTLAND’S health service is facing a “perfect storm” of huge waiting list backlogs and consultant vacancies which are more than double official estimates, according to a new report. Freedom of information research by BMA Scotland suggests that just over 15 per cent of consultant posts are empty once vacancies which are not being advertised or which health boards have “tried and failed to fill” are taken into account. Why would a vacancy not be advertised? Could it be … Continue reading Vacancies which are not being advertised are not vacancies and a retirement ‘dribble’ is of no concern

Conservative councillor Alan Donnelly (bottom, wee, once) was found guilty of sexual assault in 2019, fined and placed on the sex offenders register. Alex Salmond (top, big, three times) is not guilty of any offences, of any kind. Donnelly refused to resign, collected his salary and expenses for two years and has vowed to stand again for election. There’s an easy headline but not one BBC Scotland would construct for a Tory. Now if they had an SNP politician who had not actually laid hands on anyone, had been accused of no crime, but had messaged a 16 year-old boy? Salmond resigned … Continue reading Which of these two men actually is a sex offender?

All over BBC Scotland today, a trade union rumour used to undermine your confidence in NHS Scotland and by association the SNP Government: The British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland said vacancies for consultants may now be higher than 15%. Doctors were also reporting “widespread burnout” even before the Covid crisis hit, according to the association. This is no better than rumour but we can trust a doctors’ trade union can’t we? I mean it’s not the RMT or the NUM. Did you see this in the small print? The Scottish government said the number of consultants had increased by more … Continue reading Never mind the BIG bollocks in the headline, consult the small print?

I could be wrong. I could. This is not my field but has Wings misunderstood who the Faculty of Advocates is aiming their criticism at? He writes: When the Faculty Of Advocates – the most senior body of lawyers/QCs in the country – is handing out barely-veiled smackdowns like this to the First Minister, then you know you’re in some pretty uncharted jungle. They write: The Faculty of Advocates is becoming increasingly concerned at the debate, both in the media and in parliament, in relation to the parliamentary committee into the investigation of harassment allegations.  The debate appears increasingly to be focussed … Continue reading Winging it like Icarus?

Retired Sheriff Kevin Drummond QC is the latest to lend his reputation to the strange bedfellows leaping to join the attack on the First Minister with more than a bit of melodrama in his words, above. Let me say, I don’t know what happened but some folk seem convinced, from Stuart Campbell to George Galloway, a cluster of guys (only?) seem in little doubt. Not really knowing, not really being legal-savvy, I find myself looking at the kind of guys piling in here. There are some I’ve admired, Craig Murray for one, and others, George Galloway for another, of whom … Continue reading With friends like this

Is the media effect reversed? The more the media report negatively on the FM, the more popular she gets. In a poll where the desperate find the teeniest suggestion of a dip in support for independence, Ipsos MORI reveal this: 95%, up from 93% in October 2021. She’s going nowhere unless she decides to. Take out the don’t knows and it’s 97%. From New Zealand: Ardern’s own popularity as preferred prime minister was sky high at 62%, while the National Party’s newly elected 61-year-old leader Judith Collins stood at just 14.6%. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-newzealand-election-ardern-idUSKCN24R0UI Continue reading Sturgeon’s popularity limited by 100% restriction

Beside themselves, soiling themselves, Scotland’s media commentators pore over the latest from Ipsos MORI and find to their delight, a DIP! Look: See it? There, in yellow, top right, the average support for the SNP constituency vote has just dipped. It has! Look. Get your magnifying glass. Ipsos-MORI have just reported 52% based on 15-21 February, down from 55% on 20-26 November. The Green vote is up by 2% so that probably explains it but no, the experts see the effects of the investigation. Given the huge effort put into getting some kind of effect by the media, they must … Continue reading editor obliged to wear nappy!

The Herald, at its worst, distorting the truth to make the place it lives in seem somehow inadequate. First, contrary to the headline this was not a poll of ‘Scots’ but an online panel-based survey by Scotpulse, an STV market research subsidiary on behalf of a trade union, the Royal College of Nursing. Scotpulse gives prizes to respondents but neither they, the RCN nor even the STV reporters seem able to tell us what we need to know if we are to take any of their percentage results seriously. Reporting percentages only is a sign that the sample size is … Continue reading Despite having 50% MORe than NHS England does?