Tag: news

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SNP Government accused of not predicting which way the wind blows as local shouts ‘Theatre!!!’

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By Alasdair Macdonald BBC ‘Scotland’, some unionist politicians, most of the ‘Scottish’ newspapers, and other UK media, probably via the Press Association have given the Cairngorms wildfire extensive coverage, but as well as than reporting on tackling the fire they have used vox pops from two people in the Nethy Bridge area to ‘slam’ the Scottish Government and Scottish Fire and Rescue. The chair of the local community council is a retired photographer who worked for the P&J in Aberdeen and it is likely that he has used contacts in the media to get his political point across. BBC ‘Scotland’, … Continue reading SNP Government accused of not predicting which way the wind blows as local shouts ‘Theatre!!!’

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Still challenged but Scotland’s care system is years ahead of any plans Burnham has

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As the new PM is pressed on England’s failing social care system, we sometimes hear, not on BBC Scotland of course, that though still challenged, Scotland system after nearly 20 years of centre-left government by the SNP is well ahead. What’s the evidence? What has the SNP done differently? In Scotland, there is free personal care for all adults assessed as needing it. This was introduced for over-65s in 2002 and extended to working-age adults in 2019. This covers help with personal hygiene, continence, diet, mobility, and simple treatments, whether at home or in a care home. The upper threshold … Continue reading Still challenged but Scotland’s care system is years ahead of any plans Burnham has

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BBC Home and BBC Breakfast report that Cairngorm wildfire residents can return home safely but 12 hours later BBC Scotland are hiding that to keep the SNP Government blame game alight

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If, down in Salford or wherever, you’re just reporting the news, there it is above the latest on the Cairngorms wildfire and the folk of Nethy Bridge. It’s the opening sentence in a report, largely based on police statements, last updated around 1am: Residents of the village of Nethy Bridge, near the wildfire that has been burning in the Cairngorms, have been told they can return to their homes after being evacuated on Friday night. The fire was declared a major incident due to a change in weather, but that has now been stood down by Police Scotland. The news … Continue reading BBC Home and BBC Breakfast report that Cairngorm wildfire residents can return home safely but 12 hours later BBC Scotland are hiding that to keep the SNP Government blame game alight

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Tell Andrew Bowie, Shadowy Secretary of State for Scotland – No fire service in the UK has direct access to helicopters and the Scottish Government cannot just ‘call-in’ the Army but it has thousands of firefighter not as yet called upon

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As the Cairngorm wildfire faces heavy rain tomorrow, local MP and Shadowy Secretary of State for Scotland said: Increasing numbers of constituents had been getting in touch to express concern. In a letter, external to Scottish government minister Gillian Martin he claimed the SNP-led administration had “failed to treat the situation with the seriousness and attention that it deserves”. He singled out the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) lack of direct access to helicopter support. Currently it calls in private companies with helicopters and specialist equipment when needed. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2k7g15v3epo Do any of the UK’s fire service boards have their own helicopters? No. UK … Continue reading Tell Andrew Bowie, Shadowy Secretary of State for Scotland – No fire service in the UK has direct access to helicopters and the Scottish Government cannot just ‘call-in’ the Army but it has thousands of firefighter not as yet called upon

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The Edinburgh Tourist Levy to raise £50m a year, to build 472 new houses for locals and more city centre police officers

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Reader Arty Hetty has been hearing rumours from elements stirring against the Tourist Levy: ‘Far as I know Edinburgh council are introducing a tourist tax, with the proceeds apparently going to be used to build houses for workers from outwith Scotland, not for services for the residents that are impacted by tourism…needs more investigation but that’s what I saw reported recently.’  stewartb (with added comment below from Legerwood) responding to these rumours: How does it stack up against what the Council is stating? There is an abundance of information on the Levy and what has already been agreed in terms of its … Continue reading The Edinburgh Tourist Levy to raise £50m a year, to build 472 new houses for locals and more city centre police officers

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Burnham delivers ‘for Scotland’ two men close to Peter Mandelson

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From Liz S The Sunday Mail (falsely) headlined this last Sunday: “Burnham: I’ll deliver for Scotland”. So what has he, so far, “delivered” ? Well he has given a peerage and also a role in his UK government to someone who, as the (alleged) leader of Labour in Scotland, (badly) lost the Scottish election for Labour in Scotland in May of this year. He has also kept on the same SOS against Scotland even after revelations in June 2026 that this same individual, Douglas Alexander, was said to have “broken the ministerial code by not declaring a meeting with Peter Mandelson’s lobbying agency“ that is when he, Alexander, … Continue reading Burnham delivers ‘for Scotland’ two men close to Peter Mandelson

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Anas protests reduced access to the First Minister but seems OK with no access to the new PM

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Above, one of the very few media outlets reporting the no media access for the new PM yesterday and below one of the many reporting the moderated access for the FM, on 29 January 2026: By Liz S Talking of Anas and his U turns, as in his seemingly conflicting opinions , opinions that are dependent on who they can most damage and who they can most protect. In June of this year the BBC reported this on their website: “Holyrood restricts media access to politicians after FMQs” “A row has broken out at Holyrood after it was announced journalists will have restricted access … Continue reading Anas protests reduced access to the First Minister but seems OK with no access to the new PM

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Just like Andy, Anas U-turns all the way to the top to fulfil his dad’s dreams

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By a friend of Talking-up Scotland Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar MP was almost the first Lord Sarwar, having been proposed by PM Gordon Brown for a life peerage in May 2010. Significant objections, notably including HMRC, led to Brown’s nomination being blocked (ref 1). Other controversies included allegations of vote-rigging (not substantiated in Court) and running up almost £200,000 in MP expenses in 2008-2009. He also had the third highest MP expenses in 2003-2004 (a mere £157,262). These figures included interest payments on his mortgage for his £600,000 South London apartment from a UK branch of the Swiss-based Habib Bank AG Zurich (ref 2). Then … Continue reading Just like Andy, Anas U-turns all the way to the top to fulfil his dad’s dreams

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BBC Scotland’s Mark Daly incoherently tries to give Scotland its own ‘Wayne Couzens Moment’ on the way to hopefully blaming the SNP but STV and Sky don’t see it

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case in London are inevitable, and that is because the picture emerging is of an extremely violent sex offender, who targeted vulnerable women, who abused his power undetected for many years. In reporting the case of Alan Greer ‘a police officer who took his own life in May was a violent rapist who carried out attacks and attempted murders of women over at least 14 years, BBC Reporting Scotland reported last night that comparisons with the Met officer Wayne Couzens ,who raped and murdered Sarah Everard in in 2021, were ‘emerging‘ and were ‘inevitable.’ Neither Sky nor STV see the … Continue reading BBC Scotland’s Mark Daly incoherently tries to give Scotland its own ‘Wayne Couzens Moment’ on the way to hopefully blaming the SNP but STV and Sky don’t see it

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‘Loyalist’ Liverpool gangs still exploiting children to push drugs and community violence into Scotland keeping drug deaths high

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From Streamline today: In a massive display of force aimed at dismantling entrenched criminal networks, over 300 Merseyside Police officers executed dozens of synchronized dawn raids across the region on Thursday morning. The sweeping crackdown, codenamed Operation Vanguard, represents the third and largest iteration of Chief Constable Rob Carden’s relentless offensive against serious organised crime, county lines drug trafficking, and endemic community violence. In a massive display of force aimed at dismantling entrenched criminal networks, over 300 Merseyside Police officers executed dozens of synchronized dawn raids across the region on Thursday morning. The sweeping crackdown, codenamed Operation Vanguard, represents the … Continue reading ‘Loyalist’ Liverpool gangs still exploiting children to push drugs and community violence into Scotland keeping drug deaths high