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Corridor Care – Another Scottish Labour MP toadies to Westminster with discredited methods and hides far higher level in England and Wales

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In the Ayr Advertiser today: Ayrshire MP Irene Campbell has highlighted concerns about Crosshouse Hospital during a Parliamentary debate on corridor care. The North Ayrshire & Arran Labour MP told the Commons: “I would just like to highlight that the Scottish Government do not record or publish any statistics on the number of patients being treated in corridors. However, we know that it happens. . “Crosshouse Hospital, which serves my constituency, was recorded in January as having one of Scotland’s most under-pressure emergency departments. It exceeded capacity by 50 per cent in December, revealing corridor care conditions in the hospital. Does … Continue reading Corridor Care – Another Scottish Labour MP toadies to Westminster with discredited methods and hides far higher level in England and Wales

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One of Andy Burnham’s first acts will be to copy John Swinney on digital ID

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In the Guardian today: Andy Burnham is expected to scrap Keir Starmer’s plans for digital ID cards in a “reset of priorities” when he enters Downing Street on Monday. The new Labour leader plans to redirect the resources earmarked for the scheme towards tackling the cost of living, his team indicated on Saturday.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/18/burnham-to-scrap-starmers-digital-id-scheme-in-reset-of-priorities 10 months ago: There’s something missing from all the media coverage of Labour’s Digital ID proposal and it’s darker than any worries we might have about Scots ‘declaring ourselves British.‘ From the Canary factchecker 27 September 2025 ago: As Keir Starmer moves to impose ‘digital ID’ on the UK, … Continue reading One of Andy Burnham’s first acts will be to copy John Swinney on digital ID

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Amended ‘Irresponsible BBQ users’ are not always to blame for wildfires

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A reader has correctly pointed out a basic error in the first draft of this. Media coverage of wildfires tends almost uniformly to blame supposedly irresponsible BBQ-users. The current Cairngorm wildfire is similarly explained despite taking place on fairly uninteresting moorland: In this case, as the fire started on RSPB territory popular with walkers, the above explanations are more likely. However many wildfires cannot be so easily attributed. A significant percentage, often those which start on grouse-shooting estates are caused by the estate practice of muirburn. Muirburn? What is muirburn? Also called heather burning or controlled burning, muirburn is a … Continue reading Amended ‘Irresponsible BBQ users’ are not always to blame for wildfires

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Domestic violence already twice as common spikes around England games but not those in Scotland

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From BBC Sport yesterday: As the full-time whistle blew in Atlanta on Wednesday, signalling England’s exit from the World Cup, a wave of disappointment spread across the country. But for some, there was a very different emotion growing inside. Domestic abuse rises by 26% when England play and by 38% when they lose, according to research by Lancaster University. During a major football tournament such as the World Cup, some women and girls are constantly living in fear. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwymljn8y10o In Scotland, there is no evidence of domestic violence spikes around football internationals. This aligns with the Tartan Army‘s developed culture … Continue reading Domestic violence already twice as common spikes around England games but not those in Scotland

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However in England 

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By Liz S Currently the UK government has the majority of the powers, the control and also the money within the UK State. I read this recent headline from The National newspaper: “Labour pledge £10 million for new Scottish colleges but only if the SNP pay the same”. The National states it is in relation to this: “The UK Government has pledged to invest £10 million creating two ‘defence technical excellence colleges’ in Scotland – but the money will only be delivered if it is matched by the SNP” However in England these types of colleges were to be fully funded by the UK Government. (Some of these English colleges were in areas that … Continue reading However in England 

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Inverness Sheriff says county lines gangs from England exploiting vulnerable women and children must be stamped out

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In the P&J today, the above. What has driven his demand? Police report a notable increase in drug offences in Inverness. Gangs target the region because of demand, less competition, and vulnerable people. Cases involve women and sometimes children being coerced into the networks. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy0xdxdl40o How widespread and how damaging have county lines gangs been in the Highlands? They are not as pervasive as in major English cities or urban Scotland, but their impact is disproportionately damaging due to the region’s vulnerabilities. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy0xdxdl40o The harm extends far beyond drug sales, involving exploitation, violence, and community disruption: Exploitation of vulnerable people: … Continue reading Inverness Sheriff says county lines gangs from England exploiting vulnerable women and children must be stamped out

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Nottingham, Sussex, Shrewsbury and now Leeds – Why England’s national maternity scandal is not coming to Perth or anywhere in Scotland

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Across BBC TV broadcasts and BBC West Yorkshire today: Bereaved mothers and families have been invited to meet the chair of an inquiry looking into “repeated failures” at maternity units in Leeds. Donna Ockenden, who recently led a similar inquiry into failings in Nottingham, will lead a review into maternity and neonatal services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust. The senior midwife will speak to impacted families in the city on Saturday over their concerns surrounding local midwifery services. It comes after a BBC investigation found the deaths of at least 56 babies and two mothers over the last five years at … Continue reading Nottingham, Sussex, Shrewsbury and now Leeds – Why England’s national maternity scandal is not coming to Perth or anywhere in Scotland

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500% increase in child victims of more brutal English county lines drug gangs operating in Scotland

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No disturbing, exploitative images of child victims here. From Deadline News yesterday: A NATIONAL charity is urging the public to report signs of county lines exploitation as criminal gangs continue to target and manipulate vulnerable children. Crimestoppers has warned that young people are being coerced into transporting drugs, money, and weapons across the country, often facing violence, intimidation, and isolation far from their homes. According to police estimates, up to 11,600 children are currently at risk of county lines exploitation. In the past year alone, more than 2,600 children were officially identified as linked to county lines activity, although the true figure is believed to … Continue reading 500% increase in child victims of more brutal English county lines drug gangs operating in Scotland

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Glasgow’s giant hospital is revealed as one of safest in Scotland and far safer than several of NHS England’s really ‘scandal-hit’ hospitals

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The Times today is front-paging a story of a floor-cleaning fluid and the apparent lack of clear instructions on its use. Staff have been ‘offered the chance to speak to occupational health.’ Disturbing, I agree. Something should be done, I agree but front page on a major newspaper? Is it there, only because the hospital in question has been subject to repeated, ill-informed, hyperbolic, claims from Scottish Labour and associating it with the current SNP Government? Using real, important, data, just how good is the QEUH and compared to other hospitals across the UK not, it seems , ‘scandal -hit?’ … Continue reading Glasgow’s giant hospital is revealed as one of safest in Scotland and far safer than several of NHS England’s really ‘scandal-hit’ hospitals

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BBC Crime show confuses ‘Two a week!’ femicide rate in England with ‘One a month’ in Scotland

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In BBC Crime Files, broadcast two days ago, Professor David Wilson, after just hearing there were only 45 murders in Scotland last year, reflects: So in ten years’ time, could we ever get to the point where there will be no murders in Scotland at all? Or to get there, will we have to challenge misogyny so much that we will get rid of that appalling statistic that two women a week are murdered in this country? His interviewee, Karen McCluskey of the the Violence Reduction Unit, apparently accepting that claim then says: Oh wouldn’t that be wonderful. When I … Continue reading BBC Crime show confuses ‘Two a week!’ femicide rate in England with ‘One a month’ in Scotland