Tag: news

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‘It is very easy for Tories to cross over to Labour these days, THEY ARE THE SAME B****Y PARTY!’

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By stewartb ‘It is very easy for Tories to cross over to Labour these days, THEY ARE THE SAME BLOODY PARTY, ..’ How far will Labour-supporting newspapers in Scotland like the Daily Record be prepared to go on behalf of the ‘precious Union’ to protect/shield the party that many left leaning, progressive folk in England are now calling LINO – ‘Labour in Name Only’? This from today (8 May) : ‘Labour’s draft New Deal for Workers now “unrecognisable” See https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2024/may/labour-s-draft-new-deal-for-workers-now-unrecognisable ‘Responding to the recent New Deal documents sent to the trade unions by the Labour Party, the leader of Unite Sharon … Continue reading ‘It is very easy for Tories to cross over to Labour these days, THEY ARE THE SAME B****Y PARTY!’

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Why there have been no whooping cough deaths in Scotland – 96% vaccine update

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By stewartb My suspicion – because I’ve never come across anything about whooping cough in the mainstream media that supposedly ‘serves’ Scotland – is that there may well be a favourable story on Scotland’s health services somewhere in the above from Sky News today and indeed there is! From Public Health Scotland on 26 March 2024 (‘Childhood immunisation statistics Scotland – Quarter and year ending 31 December 2023’) , we learn that the vaccination for pertussis, or whooping cough since October 2017, has been ‘part of the combined 6-in-1 vaccine, consisting of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and Hepatitis B. A booster dose … Continue reading Why there have been no whooping cough deaths in Scotland – 96% vaccine update

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Medicine shortages – a Scottish solution

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By Professor John Robertson From the Guardian today, not Anglocentric, for once: Drug shortages in England are now at such critical levels that patients are at risk of immediate harm and even death, pharmacists have warned. The situation is so serious that pharmacists increasingly have to issue “owings” to patients – telling someone that only part of their prescription can be dispensed and asking them to come back for the rest of it later, once the pharmacist has sourced the remainder. https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/09/medicine-shortages-in-england-beyond-critical-pharmacists-warn The above makes no mention of Scotland. Searching for reports of shortages in Scotland gets the same story of shortages … Continue reading Medicine shortages – a Scottish solution

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Herald headlines rabid Unionist, Clearances apologist and second home owner with ‘crude’ research to undermine SNP policy to double his council tax

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As soon as the above self-portrait popped up I knew what this was all about. Macleod is a constant critic of the SNP and has accused them, in 2017, of having a ‘divisive lynch-mob’ among the membership Macleod shares Neil Oliver’s position on the clearances ie that much was voluntary and beneficial to the communities it affected. In a bitter blog review of the work of Dr James Hunter he questions a key point: “The forcible displacement of much of northern Scotland’s population”. The appropriate word should be ‘some’ rather than ‘much’, which makes a big difference. I’m no expert on … Continue reading Herald headlines rabid Unionist, Clearances apologist and second home owner with ‘crude’ research to undermine SNP policy to double his council tax

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Crime down 40% but staffing up a wee bit – Police Officers trade union praises SNP Government?

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By Professor John Robertson Crime in Scotland per 10 000 people, at the end of 10 years of Labour rule in Scotland Crime in Scotland per 10 000 people, at the end of 17 years of SNP rule in Scotland, 40.5% down. 40.5% less crime? We must need fewer police officers then? That’s what the Tories or Starmerites would do. It’s not personal, just business. Did the SNP do that? Nope. From Police Scotland data, today: Scotland’s Chief Statistician has published statistics on Police Officer Quarterly Strength, which gives the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed by Police Scotland. … Continue reading Crime down 40% but staffing up a wee bit – Police Officers trade union praises SNP Government?

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Despite steady growth in planned operations, NHS Scotland still ready to do stunning 98% on time

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By Professor John Robertson From Public Health Scotland today: The number of planned operations has been steadily increasing since pandemic restrictions first affected provision of services in March 2020. In the 12 months to March 2024, there was a 7.6% increase in the number of planned operations compared to the previous 12 months.  Of all planned operations during March 2024 in NHS Scotland, 738 (3.1%) were cancelled by the hospital based on clinical reasons, 642 (2.7%) were cancelled by the patient, 480 (2%) were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons, and 90 (0.4%) were cancelled due … Continue reading Despite steady growth in planned operations, NHS Scotland still ready to do stunning 98% on time

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Under Labour, NHS Wales put responsibility on A&E patients to ‘choose most appropriate place’ and BBC Wales ignore it

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By Professor John Robertson Thanks to AR for alerting me to this. From Wales Online yesterday but absent from BBC Wales reporting despite the drama and the relevance for their audience: Welsh health board issues ‘red alert’ over A&E pressures. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has issued a red alert as their emergency departments are currently under “extreme pressure”. The warning from the North Wales board makes clear that there are “extremely” long delays at A&E. People are being encouraged to choose the “most suitable place to access care”. Currently, waits of up to 10 hours are being reported at … Continue reading Under Labour, NHS Wales put responsibility on A&E patients to ‘choose most appropriate place’ and BBC Wales ignore it

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The Labour Party – breaking promises since 1910

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By JB January 1910 Labour Party General Election Manifesto: A general election has been forced upon the country by the action of the House of Lords rejecting the Budget. The great question you are to decide is whether the Peers or the people are to rule this country. Each Session since the last general election important Bills, upon which the House of Commons had spent much time, have been mutiliated or destroyed by the House of Lords, an irresponsible body which represents nothing but its own class interests. Not content with this, they now claim the right to decide what … Continue reading The Labour Party – breaking promises since 1910

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CalMac averages 99.8% reliability over May weekend

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On Saturday 4th May, CalMac ferries made 508 sailings with 98.6% reliability. Only 2 out of the 10 Arran crossings were cancelled. Yesterday, Sunday 5th May, 100% of 360 sailings, were made on time, regardless of the late new ferries of the others in dock for planned maintenance. On these crossings, CalMac charged half the prices faced by passengers heading for the Isle of Wight, the Channel islands or the islands off Seattle or Vancouver where staff shortages meant cancellations. Sources: https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=05%2F05%2F2024 Continue reading CalMac averages 99.8% reliability over May weekend

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No sign that Scottish farmer confidence is low in contrast with all of Europe thanks to SNP Government actions

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By Professor John Robertson In the Guardian today: Farmer confidence at lowest in England and Wales since survey began, NFU says. Union cites extreme wet weather and post-Brexit phasing-out of EU subsidies as main reasons for slump There’s no mention of Scotland in the survey. I had a look and can find no equivalent survey for Scottish farmers but did spot this from the Scottish Farmer in March : NFU Scotland has stepped back from the protest movement sweeping across Europe by the agriculture sector. President Martin Kennedy spoke out after more than 100 vehicles, many flying the Union flag and … Continue reading No sign that Scottish farmer confidence is low in contrast with all of Europe thanks to SNP Government actions