Tag: news

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A&E – Scottish Daily Express front page is a disgraceful example of misrepresentation

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stewartb The Scottish Daily Express front page article – by its Scottish Political Reporter – is a disgraceful example of misrepresentation. It seeks to link excess deaths following a visit to A&E with NHS Scotland missing its four hour standard of 95% of patients being discharged, transferred or admitted within four hours. The postulated causal link between an increase in excess deaths and A&E attendance advanced by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) is concerned primarily with time periods of over eight and more significantly, over 12 hours. The Express fails to make this clear despite there being multiple … Continue reading A&E – Scottish Daily Express front page is a disgraceful example of misrepresentation

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Flood of British refugees into Scotland in the SNP era may surpass the level of Irish famine migration in 1845/1851

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From The Irish Famine in a Scottish Perspective 1845-1851 by Géraldine VAUGHAN, in 2015, it is estimated that there were roughly 115,000 Irish incomers to Scotland for those six years.1 From the NRS, in the ten years from 2012 to 2022 (latest data), around 100 000 arrived in Scotland from other parts of the UK, increasing sharply from 3 000 in 2012 to 12 500 in 2022. This trend seems likely to be due to worsening austerity in other parts of the UK unprotected by SNP policies, on child poverty, HE fees and prescription charges, lower crime, a better-performing NHS, low … Continue reading Flood of British refugees into Scotland in the SNP era may surpass the level of Irish famine migration in 1845/1851

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It’s good to see comparisons between Scotland and Wales

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By stewartb We know that the British Labour Party and its media allies in Scotland for the Union would have voters here believe that any shortcomings, all problems in Scotland’s public services can be laid at the door of the SNP Scottish Government. So it’s good to see comparisons between Scotland and Wales – in education, health and social care, housing, poverty levels, unemployment; economic development and yes, local government funding etc. All can be scrutinised in order to assess the track record of the British Labour Party government in Cardiff during the extended period of Tory rule in Westminster: … Continue reading It’s good to see comparisons between Scotland and Wales

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Pay attention Ireland – Scotland ‘stands apart’ as the best educated country in Europe, perhaps even the World

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The above is from an Irish journalist today. Am I going to have to invent a new term to add to the Anglocentric media Scots face daily? Hibernocentric? The facts: Scotland is the best educated country in Europe, according to a report released by the Office for National Statistics. It says that nearly 45 per cent of people in Scotland aged between 25 and 64 have had some kind of tertiary education – including university degrees and further education — ahead of Ireland, Luxembourg and Finland, which were the only other countries to get more than 40 per cent. “In … Continue reading Pay attention Ireland – Scotland ‘stands apart’ as the best educated country in Europe, perhaps even the World

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Incompetent Welsh Labour councils face nearly 20% higher cuts than in Scotland, including free bus travel for the young, despite same UK Labour Government funding cuts

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From BBC Wales yesterday: Welsh councils are facing “unsustainable” budget pressures over the next few years according to the body which represents them. The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) said funding shortfalls could “significantly impact” councils’ ability to deliver essential services. The BBC has identified a budget shortfall of at least £540m across Wales by 2026-27. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2kevnevwxo From Audit Scotland, in May 2024: Scotland’s councils are facing a significant gap in the money needed to deliver local services and the money they have available. Together, all 32 councils have a gap of £585 million. This is estimated to increase to … Continue reading Incompetent Welsh Labour councils face nearly 20% higher cuts than in Scotland, including free bus travel for the young, despite same UK Labour Government funding cuts

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Scotland’s state schools – in 2007, 37.6% of pupils in bad or poor condition buildings, in 2024 it’s just 5.1%.

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East Dunbartonshire Council’s brand new £34.9m Additional Support Needs School – Woodland View – opened to pupils on Friday 18 August 2023. By stewartb This provides statistics for context and perspective. It follows a BBC Scotland article on the corporation’s News website on 12 October headlined: ‘Child safety fears as ‘repaired’ ceiling falls at neglected school’. Now don’t get me wrong, no one should have a piece of wood or plasterboard fall on or near their head, anywhere. And especially no one wants children to be at risk from such an incident in a school. It’s a legitimate BBC local … Continue reading Scotland’s state schools – in 2007, 37.6% of pupils in bad or poor condition buildings, in 2024 it’s just 5.1%.

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BBC Scotland develops ‘fishy’ sense of humour reporting on ‘charity’ headed up by former UK Government advisor

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BBC Scotland this morning tell is that a ‘main sustainability charity’ (Open Seas) has a accused the Scottish Government of ‘floundering@ (really) because of a simple delay in getting a policy on sustainable fishing in plaice (my word) and properly developed to be effective. They’re just a Scottish charity so it’s not like Greenpeace accusing the Scottish Government. Hugh Raven, above, is the chair of the Open Seas board. Draw your own conclusions about his agenda. Draw your own conclusions as to why a simple delay like this is big news for BBC Scotland’s Reporting Scotland team when it’s not … Continue reading BBC Scotland develops ‘fishy’ sense of humour reporting on ‘charity’ headed up by former UK Government advisor

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Dangerous walks to school – what they don’t want you to know about Labour North Lanarkshire and Labour Wales

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By stewartb I notice in a BBC article a reference to North Lanarkshire Council’s financial woes: ‘In a bid to save £3.6m in August, the Council. changed the qualifying mileage limits for free school transport from one mile to two miles for primary school pupils, and two to three miles for secondary school pupils.’ One parent is quoted by BBC Scotland saying, amongst other things: “But we’re talking about a 50 minute walk for most children, and some will be more than that. So the distance is part of it, but it’s the safety.’ Of course ‘safety’ is a critically … Continue reading Dangerous walks to school – what they don’t want you to know about Labour North Lanarkshire and Labour Wales

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The Wolves of Badenoch?

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I’ve been waiting for some English politician to connect Kemi Badenoch with that other infamous Badenoch: Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, called the Wolf of Badenoch (1343 – July 1394), was a Scottish royal prince, the third son of King Robert II of Scotland by his first wife Elizabeth Mure. He was Justiciar of Scotia and held large territories in the north of Scotland. He is best remembered for his destruction of the royal burgh of Elgin and its cathedral. His sobriquet was given due to his notorious cruelty and rapacity. There is a legend that Stewart—the “Wolf of Badenoch”—died after a chess game with the Devil. According to this legend, Stewart was visited … Continue reading The Wolves of Badenoch?

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Shameful – BBC Scotland’s zombie reporters use a financial fraud investigation to return to unfounded accusations of child death from water supplies

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Reporting on a police and NHS investigation only into financial fraud, BBC Scotland are delighted to add: The QEUH campus, which includes the Royal Hospital for Children, was hailed as a world-leading facility when it opened. However, a series of infection outbreaks and concerns around the water and ventilation systems emerged after it opened and a number of patients died, including 10-year-old cancer patient Milly Main. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gl49vvjgro This is shameful politicising of personal suffering, scaremongering of the million plus served by the hospital, and deliberate harm to the mental well-being of thousands of NHS staff, based on … Continue reading Shameful – BBC Scotland’s zombie reporters use a financial fraud investigation to return to unfounded accusations of child death from water supplies