Tag: history

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‘Troubled’, not so ‘ageing’ Arran ferry’s ‘faults’ started when the contract to build it was awarded by Scottish Conservatives to an inexperienced English yard on its last legs in a ‘troubled’ Conservative constituency

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In the Scotsman, two days ago, the above and: A CalMac ferry which returned to service a year ago after 20 months of repairs that cost £11 million is to be retired, the operator has announced. Caledonian Isles, which sails on one of CalMac’s busiest routes, is due to end its 34-year career in February as part of the replacement of three of ageing large ferries with brand new vessels. The 1,000-passenger ship’s departure from the Ardrossan to Brodick in Arran service will follow 31-year-old Barra ferry Isle of Lewis’s retiral in December and that of 42-year-old spare vessel Isle … Continue reading ‘Troubled’, not so ‘ageing’ Arran ferry’s ‘faults’ started when the contract to build it was awarded by Scottish Conservatives to an inexperienced English yard on its last legs in a ‘troubled’ Conservative constituency

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Public Health ‘disaster’ in England as hospital critical incidents run at 2 to 4 times the level in Scotland

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From BBC Scotland yesterday, the above and: Staff sickness was a major factor behind the critical incident declared by NHS Grampian last month, its chief executive has said. A board-level critical incident had been declared on Saturday 26 September, when A&Es at both Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) and Dr Gray’s in Elgin struggled to cope with demand. That was stood down on the Monday, and remained in place at hospital level at Dr Gray’s until the next day. NHS Grampian chief executive Laura Skaife-Knight told BBC Scotland News that staff sickness had been a “challenge”, and ensuring patient safety was … Continue reading Public Health ‘disaster’ in England as hospital critical incidents run at 2 to 4 times the level in Scotland

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Latest Tory proposal is to prevent the Scottish Parliament from pursuing its own vision, goals and objectives!

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By stewartb The Tories – that very same party which has failed, often by a long way, to win any national or UK election in Scotland since the mid 1950s – has the gall to threaten to downgrade the Scottish Parliament. They have certainly changed the political climate with their expressed intent, if elected to be the UK government, to remove further powers from the Scottish Parliament in order to impose nuclear power generation within Scotland and regardless of the policies of the latter’s elected government. It’s worth revisiting the foreword penned by Lord Smith of Kelvin to the Smith … Continue reading Latest Tory proposal is to prevent the Scottish Parliament from pursuing its own vision, goals and objectives!

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The Shadowy Secretary of State Against Scotland

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Harriet Cross was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and grew up in West Cork, Ireland where her mother was from. She attended Bandon Grammar School in Bandon, County Cork before the family moved to Aberdeenshire, owing to her father’s work, when she was sixteen. She attended Gordonstoun School, after which she studied zoology at Imperial College London before earning a master’s degree in Rural Land and Business Management and from the University of Reading. In 2018, she returned to Aberdeenshire to work as a rural surveyor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Cross By Liz S The Tory Secretary of State for (against) Scotland, Harriet Cross, … Continue reading The Shadowy Secretary of State Against Scotland

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Comparisons only newsworthy when they can be framed as unfavourable to Scotland

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By stewartb Are comparisons between the constituent parts of the UK only deemed newsworthy by the editors of public service broadcasters when they can be framed as unfavourable to Scotland? Beyond the news of health service delivery in Scotland – as reported by BBC Scotland and on the front pages of the Unionist press that are aggregated and amplified daily on the Scotland page of the BBC News website – what do we find is the reality? An NHS Scotland that on many performance metrics operates more effectively and more efficiently to the benefit of patients than its peers in … Continue reading Comparisons only newsworthy when they can be framed as unfavourable to Scotland

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BBC Scotland are yet again ‘gunning for Swinney’

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By Liz S Clearly the BBC are yet again ‘gunning for Swinney” on behalf of a (pro) UK party (just as they also did , and still are doing, to former FM’s who were SNP leaders). That is their BBC 24/7 objective in Scotland. While surely the real issue here is the ending of the Triple lock Pension and why that decision was taken and so the possible potential consequences it may have for Scotland. (Also will it then benefit England and their National Care service , in it then freeing up money that was formerly allocated to sustain the … Continue reading BBC Scotland are yet again ‘gunning for Swinney’

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Take Your Brain For A Walk Down Reality Road

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By Mark E. Saunders of “The Scottish Minuteman” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 “Great question from Claire Baker” they said. Really? I think there’s a pretty big hole in Claire’s question or at least in the argument that follows it. Apparently, in Bakernomics, using the pound sterling in an independent Scotland means having “zero control over” our currency. Hold the presses! What control does Scotland, its Parliament, its MSPs or its MPs have over the currency we use TODAY? None. Westminster controls monetary policy. The Bank of England sets interest rates. The UK controls the currency, the exchange rate and the issuing of money. These are reserved matters. … Continue reading Take Your Brain For A Walk Down Reality Road

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Dear auld Glasgow toon sees plummeting violence but try telling that to this lot

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BBC Scotland’s Debate Night indulged in slagging off Glasgow based on no figures whatsoever and one old dear remembering fondly the period from the 1930s to the 1960s when the city and its razor gangs earned its mean reputation well, with violence levels many times those today. One of them, an old guy with lovely hair, compared it with other cities in the UK. See the facts below. Luckily, at best around 15 000 souls watch this drivel, 2.5% of Glasgow’s population and 0.27% of Scotland’s population. It surely cannot survive the current cull. I lasted 2 minutes. Rape? Is … Continue reading Dear auld Glasgow toon sees plummeting violence but try telling that to this lot

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The triple lock on the state pension will go by 2030, ‘to help pay for a new national care service FOR ENGLAND.’ John Swinney says we’ll lose out and here’s why he’s correct

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BBC Scotland yesterday, trying desperately to distract from the main issue by getting FM John Swinney in bother with this: Will Swinney face a Holyrood probe? Let’s not be distracted. Here are the facts again: He says the triple lock on the state pension will go by 2030, ‘to help pay for a new national care service FOR ENGLAND.’ Will you support that, Scottish pensioners? ‘Barnett! Do you trust that? On Newsnight, 30 September 2026, the above was clear with the implication that Scottish pensioners will be impoverished to pay a new national care service in England. Scotland got a … Continue reading The triple lock on the state pension will go by 2030, ‘to help pay for a new national care service FOR ENGLAND.’ John Swinney says we’ll lose out and here’s why he’s correct

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As the media in Scotland wallow in the mire just how impressive is the Scottish Government’s Child Payment policy in the UK and across Europe?

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It has attracted strong praise from respected poverty experts, with some describing it as exceptional even by European standards. These are among the strongest attributable statements: Figure Quote and context Professor Danny Dorling, University of Oxford The David Hume Institute reported in August 2023 that he described the payment as creating “the biggest fall in child poverty anywhere in Europe for at least 40 years.” This is the institute’s account of his remarks at its event. David Hume Institute Chris Birt, Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s associate director for Scotland On its expansion in November 2022: “a watershed moment for tackling poverty … Continue reading As the media in Scotland wallow in the mire just how impressive is the Scottish Government’s Child Payment policy in the UK and across Europe?