Tag: history

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With TWELVE times as many temporary school exclusions and ONE THOUSAND times as many permanent exclusions, PER HEAD, than Scotland, England’s schools are in a deep crisis fuelling County Lines gangs and street violence

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Thanks again to Dorothy for alerting me to this. From Channel 4 News last night, the above and: England’s schools have been described as being gripped by rising levels of violence against both teachers and pupils, leading to permanent exclusions. According to a new report, a record 3,320 pupils were permanently excluded last spring – which is about 21% higher than before the Covid pandemic. The report also found vulnerable children were affected most – with their exclusions from school almost 6% higher than other pupils. More than 300,000 were suspended last spring. https://www.channel4.com/news/permanent-exclusions-up-21-as-violence-in-schools-rise What are the comparable figures for … Continue reading With TWELVE times as many temporary school exclusions and ONE THOUSAND times as many permanent exclusions, PER HEAD, than Scotland, England’s schools are in a deep crisis fuelling County Lines gangs and street violence

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Attacker of two Jewish men in London had earlier tried to murder a Muslim but typically duplicitous UK media hide that in just the same way they hide essential facts from Scotland – we need out of this

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Readers may feel we’re straying into an area not directly related to our mission but as Liz S points out this is another example of the duplicity of the UK media that we must surely want to leave behind. By Liz S Much of the media and the Met Police are obscuring something else that happened on the same day a man attacked, as in stabbed, two Jewish men in London. Most of the media and the Met police are promoting this as a anti semitic attack and are only referring to two Jewish men being attacked. However it appear that on the same day the suspect was … Continue reading Attacker of two Jewish men in London had earlier tried to murder a Muslim but typically duplicitous UK media hide that in just the same way they hide essential facts from Scotland – we need out of this

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Innovative high capital cost projects commonly overrun in costs and time but only the ferries in Scotland can be exploited by the ruthless hypocrites

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It’s been ages, two days, since the last ferry fiasco story, likely to affect the voting behaviour of almost no voters of course but you can be sure there will be a big one on Wednesday night, maybe even on the day of the vote? Look and laugh. What will you not hear? Well-known examples 1. Hinkley Point C (UK nuclear power) 2. Crossrail (London rail project) 3. Boeing 787 Dreamliner (aviation) 4. Airbus A380 (aviation) 5. Sydney Opera House (Australia) **6. California High-Speed Rail What about the MOD? UK Ministry of Defence examples Ajax reconnaissance vehicle 👉 A classic … Continue reading Innovative high capital cost projects commonly overrun in costs and time but only the ferries in Scotland can be exploited by the ruthless hypocrites

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Herald writer’s suggestion of a ‘risk to life in 10 buildings as ScotGov post-Grenfell repairs stall’ is frankly stupid, dishonest and irresponsible tabloid scare mongering as…

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In the Herald today, Martin Williams has: 10 buildings in Scotland have had emergency safety measures put in place after being judged an “immediate risk to human life” — yet not a single block has been declared fully repaired under the national cladding programme, nearly nine years after the Grenfell Tower Fire. The intervention means some residents are relying on temporary protections such as additional fire safety systems, on-site monitoring and changes to evacuation plans while ‘dangerous’ cladding remains on their homes. What official, responsible, qualified body has ‘judged’ these 10 buildings to be ‘an immediate risk to human life?’ … Continue reading Herald writer’s suggestion of a ‘risk to life in 10 buildings as ScotGov post-Grenfell repairs stall’ is frankly stupid, dishonest and irresponsible tabloid scare mongering as…

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That BBC Scotland journalists ‘did not cover the referendum in the way they would have liked because of commands coming from London’ is untrue. It was because of this guy and others like him

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In the often excellent analysis by Prof Happer in the Herald yesterday, because it correctly identifies the bias in BBC Scotland as, for most staff, ‘structural’, ‘cultural‘ I’d say, I’d have to disagree with this: Happer, who speaks extensively to BBC Scotland staff, said: “BBC Scotland journalists felt they couldn’t cover the referendum in the way they would have liked because of commands coming from London” That’s a clear excuse, rewriting history. In 2014, I was approached by two younger staff at BBC Scotland News and neither mentioned commands from London. They did both say that the then Head of … Continue reading That BBC Scotland journalists ‘did not cover the referendum in the way they would have liked because of commands coming from London’ is untrue. It was because of this guy and others like him

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Poverty – Given the Labour Party’s track record in government in Cardiff over decades, what credibility can it have now in Scotland?

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By stewartb In its news report of the JRF’s statement on the election manifestos of political parties in Scotland regarding poverty, The National newspaper quotes the social justice spokesperson for the British Labour Party in Scotland. This demonstrates yet again the party’s political hypocrisy. On poverty reduction, Claire Baker states: “The SNP’s shameful lack of progress over the last two decades has made this all the more challenging and all the more urgent.” And: “Scottish Labour is determined to tackle poverty at its root, support the next generation and make life more affordable.” Fortunately we can assess the Labour Party’s … Continue reading Poverty – Given the Labour Party’s track record in government in Cardiff over decades, what credibility can it have now in Scotland?

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‘Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets?’ Has this fragmented think tank left out the obvious factor, based on their track record in Scotland or in the other parts of the UK so far, is there much chance they will deliver anywhere near the level the SNP has achieved?

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The Joseph Rowntree Foundation today asks: Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets? and opines straight-off: All parties have published their manifestos for the 7 May Holyrood elections, but they fall well short of the action needed to meet child poverty targets, leaving the next Scottish Government to match rhetoric with action. The researchers, above, base this largely on reading the manifestos and giving all the benefit of the doubt as to whether they might deliver them. This is hugely naive or predisposed to not consider what the SNP has done in Scotland with Labour in Wales and in … Continue reading ‘Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets?’ Has this fragmented think tank left out the obvious factor, based on their track record in Scotland or in the other parts of the UK so far, is there much chance they will deliver anywhere near the level the SNP has achieved?

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Replacing migrant care workers with better paid locals – Scottish Labour can only offer a review that might pay more in 2028 (!) while SNP has already delivered a 7% increase now!

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In the Guardian today: Britain [sic] risks undermining the care workers it depends on. A new Fair Pay Agreement [FPA] is promised, with the government overseeing pioneering sector-wide negotiations aimed at improving the lot of these undervalued workers. The deal is intended to come into force from April 2028. Yet by singling out this group for the longest wait before they belong in the UK – with high-paid workers on a faster track – the Home Office seems to be validating the deprecation of this essential work that helps explain why it’s under-rewarded in the first place. The hope is that … Continue reading Replacing migrant care workers with better paid locals – Scottish Labour can only offer a review that might pay more in 2028 (!) while SNP has already delivered a 7% increase now!

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Starmer and Farage on St George’s Day – ‘Today, we fly OUR flag proudly’ to ‘be English’ but he’s poor Lebanon’s patron saint too

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By Liz S Saint George’s Day is the feast day of Saint George, celebrated by Christian churches, countries, regions, and cities from which he is the main patron saint, including England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Catalonia, Aragon, Palestine, Rio de Janeiro, Alcoi, and Genoa, and also where he is an important patron saint, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Syria, and Lebanon “Today, we fly our flag proudly and we’re reminded of the values it represents – service, generosity, and respect. When we stand together, united in our communities, we are stronger than any attempt to divide us. Happy St George’s Day”! (So “our flag“.and “our communities“, what about other communities in other nations within the UK State , as surely many of them are … Continue reading Starmer and Farage on St George’s Day – ‘Today, we fly OUR flag proudly’ to ‘be English’ but he’s poor Lebanon’s patron saint too

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Cornwall ferry users ‘losing their minds cut off from civilisation’

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The Torpoint Ferry is a car and pedestrian chain ferry connecting the A374 which crosses the Hamoaze, a stretch of water at the mouth of the River Tamar, between Devonport in Plymouth and Torpoint in Cornwall. The service was established in 1791 and chain ferry operations were introduced by James Meadows Rendel in 1832. The route is currently served by three ferries, built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd at Port Glasgow and named after three rivers in the area: Tamar II, Lynher II and Plym II. Each ferry carries 73 cars and operates using its own set of slipways and parallel chains, with a vehicle weight limit of 18 tonnes (20 tons). The ferries, along with the nearby Tamar Bridge, are operated by the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee, … Continue reading Cornwall ferry users ‘losing their minds cut off from civilisation’