Tag: news

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Horrific, unregulated, and very profitable. The companies prevented from making cash from Scotland’s children in care because of Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘promise’ in 2016

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Before anyone accuses me of being duped, read my trenchant criticism of Nicola Sturgeon’s apparent views on Hilary Clinton and US foreign policy at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/04/sturgeon-and-clinton-does-being-a-woman-any-woman-trump-sic-her-war-crimes-her-murder-and-betrayal-of-the-poor/ That matters to me, a lot, but nothing can deny her massive achievements on the home front. In the Guardian today, from George Monbiot, quite an heroic figure for me and often well-tuned into to Scottish affairs: Bring your suitcase, your bin liner, your dumpy bag. They’re handing out money faster than you can stuff it in a sack. All you need do is join the market in what may now be England’s most lucrative … Continue reading Horrific, unregulated, and very profitable. The companies prevented from making cash from Scotland’s children in care because of Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘promise’ in 2016

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Aberdeen By-election Special – Where tory Promises Go To Die

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By Jim Mennie The Tories like to present themselves as champions of North East Scotland. Yet issues like oil and gas show they definitively are not. But it’s not just oil and gas that exposes how they treat the voters of the North East as mugs. In 2014, the then Westminster Tory-LibDem coalition government promised to make North East Scotland a world leader in carbon capture technology. The then UK Energy Secretary, and now LibDem leader, Ed Davey confirmed Peterhead as the location for the world’s first gas-fired carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility – backed up by a £100 … Continue reading Aberdeen By-election Special – Where tory Promises Go To Die

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Reform UK cannot speak for workers in the North Sea

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By Jim Mennie Reform UK has positioned itself as a vocal advocate for the North Sea oil and gas industry, particularly in North East Scotland. The party presents its policies as a defence of high-skilled jobs, energy security and domestic energy production against what it describes as overly rapid net-zero targets and green levies. While the messaging resonates in oil-dependent communities, serious questions remain about the party’s experience, track record and ability to deliver on its promises. What Reform UK Proposes The party’s platform includes several core commitments: Fast-tracking new North Sea exploration licences as a priority. Maximising extraction of … Continue reading Reform UK cannot speak for workers in the North Sea

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After intensive police investigations found nothing the presumption of innocence applies to the SNP just as it does to you and I – The SNP is innocent of the misuse of donor funds and deniers should be careful what they say now

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BBC Scotland today: Police Scotland says it is not launching a fresh investigation into claims about a £667,000 fund raised by the SNP for an independence referendum campaign. Independence activist Sean Clerkin reported the party to police, accusing it of “misusing” the cash by spending it on “general” campaigning, the Scottish Sun, external reported. It came after First Minister John Swinney confirmed the fund had been used for the SNP’s “ongoing activity”, insisting it had been spent on “independence objectives”. Concerns about the money sparked the police investigation that led to former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell – Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband – … Continue reading After intensive police investigations found nothing the presumption of innocence applies to the SNP just as it does to you and I – The SNP is innocent of the misuse of donor funds and deniers should be careful what they say now

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The Daily Record’s front page today seeks to conceal how safety in NHS Scotland has impressed Nordic countries and pays out less than one sixth of the amount per head in malpractice claims paid in NHS England

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We’ve had to stop saying ‘a new low for the Record.’ There seems to be none. Today, we see them sickeningly exploiting an understandably upset father and using his words, only, to apparently confirm mistakes made in the death of his newborn child. I’m no more in a position to comment on that death than is the Record but I am able to tell you this: In 2023/2024 (latest) NHS Scotland payed out £47.3m for health-related complaints.1 All things being equal with ten times the population, you might expect the NHS England to be around £480m. It was £3.1bn! 2 … Continue reading The Daily Record’s front page today seeks to conceal how safety in NHS Scotland has impressed Nordic countries and pays out less than one sixth of the amount per head in malpractice claims paid in NHS England

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How SNP donors were denied the right to testify and so COPFS/Police Scotland had no automatic right to assume misuse

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By Jim Mennie “DONORS RIGHTS TO TESTIFY ON SNP DONATIONS” Thursday 4th June 2026 As expected, there are many bad actors now looking to demand that Murrell return the funds stolen from the SNP coffers. It’s all smear and dirty politics of course intended to hurt the SNP but it’s already backfiring with increases in SNP membership and donations. Many SNP members and donors are already in print saying in effect “I gave away my money voluntarily, and I don’t want it back.” So this might be a bit of Déjà vu for some of you. My good friend Para … Continue reading How SNP donors were denied the right to testify and so COPFS/Police Scotland had no automatic right to assume misuse

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Holyrood’s Real Public Servants vs One Very Dubious Charity Case

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By Jim Mennie: SNP cabinet ministers have returned nearly £2 million in pay with full audit trails. Reform’s Malcolm Offord promised his entire salary to a trust he alone controls — one the Scottish charity regulator has now opened a formal inquiry into. SNP cabinet ministers have voluntarily frozen the ministerial part of their pay at 2008-09 levels for 17 years. They take the full legal salary but immediately return the excess straight to the Scottish Government for public spending — over £1.94 million returned by March 2024, projected to hit £2.64 million by 2026. Fully auditable: The figures come … Continue reading Holyrood’s Real Public Servants vs One Very Dubious Charity Case

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A Voter’s Guide for Aberdeen South – SNP/Scottish Government vs Reform UK 

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With the Aberdeen South by-election just two weeks away on 18 June 2026, this short cut-out-and-keep guide has been written specifically for voters in Aberdeen South and Aberdeenshire.  The area is at a crossroads: we still depend on North Sea oil and gas jobs, yet we’re also facing the huge challenge of a fair energy transition, rising living costs, and the need for strong local support for families and communities.  This report compares what the SNP-led Scottish Government is actually delivering right now (through devolved powers and funding) against the promises being made by Reform UK.  It focuses on the … Continue reading A Voter’s Guide for Aberdeen South – SNP/Scottish Government vs Reform UK 

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Baroness Amos is investigating 8 000 cases where babies may have died or been seriously harmed by inadequate maternity care in NHS England – today’s report into the QEUH Glasgow mentions none

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at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, faced long delays for labour to be induced – the longest waits at potentially almost eight days. Notably, in the wake of last night’s dramatic Sky TV News reporting on the maternity crisis in NHS England as they await the Baroness Amos Inquiry report, BBC Reporting Scotland, this morning in their BBC Breakfast insert, headlined the above report which does contain some concerns based on the comments of ‘some’ staff and patients. The health board has already put in place remediation. ‘Some’ is never quantified. The website has this: The word ‘unsafe’ only appears … Continue reading Baroness Amos is investigating 8 000 cases where babies may have died or been seriously harmed by inadequate maternity care in NHS England – today’s report into the QEUH Glasgow mentions none

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Fair unbiased and accurate assessment of Scottish Government (SNP-led) actions vs Reform UK’s position on A9 and A96 dualling (as of June 2026)

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By Jim Mennie Reform raised this at FM’ Questions yesterday 2nd June and @StephenFlynnSNP replied. I think it’s only fair that this should be reported factually. The Scottish Government remains the SNP minority administration (58 MSPs). Reform UK holds 17 regional list MSPs and has no executive power. Only the Government can fund, procure and build these projects. Opposition parties can scrutinise and campaign, but cannot allocate budgets or award contracts. Historical context: Why early progress on the A9 was blocked (2007–2011 period) This is the part that is frequently omitted or downplayed in current debates. When the SNP formed … Continue reading Fair unbiased and accurate assessment of Scottish Government (SNP-led) actions vs Reform UK’s position on A9 and A96 dualling (as of June 2026)