Tag: news

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Scotland’s economy has recently been outperforming the rest of the UK

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By Liz S Labour are failing in what they promoted as being their main mission as the new UK government. Number one focus for them being “Growth” in the UK economy. On July 11th it was reported that: “Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called the economy’s recent performance “disappointing” after figures showed it shrank unexpectedly in May” Also………. “The economy contracted by 0.1%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, after also shrinking in April” Ian Murray, Labour’s so called ‘Scottish’ Secretary, declared in 2024 that Labour’s first budget as the new UK government would herald an era of “Growth” for Scotland. Yet his Labour party are … Continue reading Scotland’s economy has recently been outperforming the rest of the UK

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The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on existing UK nuclear sites: ‘all land dedesignated or reused’ by 2380 – but sooner at Dounreay, by 2334!

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By stewartb It’s clear from statements made, if Anglo-British political parties gain power in Holyrood after the 2026 election, Scotland in Union will see a new generation of nuclear power plants (large ‘conventional’ and/or small modular reactors) built here. Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, July 4, 2025 stated: “In other parts of the UK, the UK Government is driving forward nuclear power, as are countries across Europe and indeed the world. But in Scotland the Scottish Government clings to its ideological objection to new nuclear sites. That means that Scotland is being left behind, missing out on … Continue reading The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on existing UK nuclear sites: ‘all land dedesignated or reused’ by 2380 – but sooner at Dounreay, by 2334!

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Hell springs to mind as an apt description of that unwelcome scenario….but I believe the ball is in the court of voters in Scotland

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By Liz S I am hopeful that somehow Reform UK will never emulate the same level of success in Scotland next year that they, as a (pretend) party, seem to have achieved in England. (and also via polls are anticipated as having even more success in the future via some subsequent UK elections). However they will, I am sure , gain some seats next year in the Scottish elections which I think will be both a disgrace and also very much a huge badge of shame for Scotland as a nation. Open Democracy wrote an article in June 2025 which … Continue reading Hell springs to mind as an apt description of that unwelcome scenario….but I believe the ball is in the court of voters in Scotland

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Shock as some locals tell CNN they see fewer needles and drug paraphernalia on ground around ‘controversial’ SNP safe drug injection centre in Glasgow which has now saved lives after 2 500 supervised injections in only 6 months

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Professor John Robertson OBA From US-based international news agency CNN today, the above and: “We’ve had almost 2,500 injections inside the facility,” Dr. Saket Priyadarshi, the clinical lead of the Thistle, told a CNN team who visited the facility in early June. “That’s 2,500 less injections in the community, in parks, alleyways, car parks.” The Scottish government told CNN that the service has already delivered results in terms of public health. “Through the ability of staff to respond quickly in the event of an overdose, the Thistle service has already saved lives,” Scottish health secretary Neil Gray said. The service, … Continue reading Shock as some locals tell CNN they see fewer needles and drug paraphernalia on ground around ‘controversial’ SNP safe drug injection centre in Glasgow which has now saved lives after 2 500 supervised injections in only 6 months

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A free offer of a story for the mainstream media ‘serving’ Scotland: the Labour government’s new ambition for NHS England – no more than 10% of patients spending 12 hours in A&E – sets a threshold that NHS Scotland has NEVER EVER failed to better- NEVER worse than 8% and almost always very much lower! Why?

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stewartb The Royal College of Emergency Medicine issued a press statement (July 2) entitled: ‘RCEM Response to NHS England’s Urgent and Emergency Care Plan 2025’. This is part of the much heralded reforms to improve NHS services in England from the British Labour Party government in Westminster. I have little doubt that the same party in the run up to the 2026 Holyrood election, with the help of its mainstream media allies, will be telling us to vote Labour in order to get similar super-duper ‘change’ implemented for NHS Scotland. So what does the RCEM say about Labour’s plan for … Continue reading A free offer of a story for the mainstream media ‘serving’ Scotland: the Labour government’s new ambition for NHS England – no more than 10% of patients spending 12 hours in A&E – sets a threshold that NHS Scotland has NEVER EVER failed to better- NEVER worse than 8% and almost always very much lower! Why?

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“Learner drivers currently having to wait months until they can sit their tests, so can Scotland [sic] fix it’s [sic] driving test system” ?

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Liz S BBC Scotland News tweet: “Learner drivers currently having to wait months until they can sit their tests, so can Scotland fix it’s Driving test System” ? Linked to this tweet was a video. Then there was another tweet from the BBC Scotland News twitter account correcting their original tweet and the linked video to that original tweet. “Correction: This video refers to the Scottish government and it should have said the UK government”. So……. Who identified the error or was it identified via a complaint to the BBC, who then as those called out for this lie then had to correct the misinformation they had communicated in their … Continue reading “Learner drivers currently having to wait months until they can sit their tests, so can Scotland [sic] fix it’s [sic] driving test system” ?

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Michael Shanks – ‘[Scottish] Oil and gas has played a critical role in our energy story for the past 60 years. It will continue to play a critical role for decades to come’

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stewartb The recent session of the Scottish Affairs Committee of the Commons gained quite a few ‘insights’ from oral evidence given by Michael Shanks MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Energy) at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) See transcript of the oral evidence at https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/16235/pdf/ Shanks – ‘Oil and gas has played a critical role in our energy story for the past 60 years. It will continue to play a critical role for decades to come, …’ (my emphasis) Later, Committee Chair (Patricia Ferguson MP, Labour): ‘Do you think it is necessary to reduce North Sea oil and gas … Continue reading Michael Shanks – ‘[Scottish] Oil and gas has played a critical role in our energy story for the past 60 years. It will continue to play a critical role for decades to come’

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Had it been the opposite, England benefitting from reduced zonal pricing, then this U Turn would not have ever occurred

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Liz S It is being reported in the newspapers that Labour Minister Ed Milliand has abandoned plans to charge less for electricity in Scotland. This was reported as such in The Guardian newspaper. However in the Daily Mail (the non so called ‘Scottish’ edition) they reported it as this: “Ed Miliband ‘abandons zonal electricity pricing’ plan that would have charged people in southern England more for power than Scots” just so that we all know whose side they , the Daily Mail, are on i.e. not the “Scots” . This is the same story as The Guardian but with a different pro … Continue reading Had it been the opposite, England benefitting from reduced zonal pricing, then this U Turn would not have ever occurred

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Renewable energy: should maximising electricity from offshore wind be a priority for Scotland in Union given surplus ‘exported’ to England is not a true export?

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By stewartb The headline question is of current relevance as the Scottish Government initiated a public consultation on June 13 (closing August 13) to inform the updating of policy on offshore wind energy. Here are the consultation questions: ‘1) Does “up to 40GW of new offshore wind by 2035-2040” demonstrate an appropriate level of ambition for the Scottish Government?’ ‘2) What additional actions do you believe should be taken by the Scottish Government, UK Government and agencies in order to realise the full potential of Scotland’s offshore wind sector?’ Source: Scottish Government (June 18, 2025) Offshore wind policy statement 2020 … Continue reading Renewable energy: should maximising electricity from offshore wind be a priority for Scotland in Union given surplus ‘exported’ to England is not a true export?

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News you won’t see – Scottish Government funding for playparks to promote children’s health and development surges by FIVE times in only five years

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Professor John Robertson OBA From: Funding to upgrade children’s playparks: FOI release Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 published yesterday: Question 1 – How much of this money has been allocated (not to be confused with the £25,000,000 announced recently)? The Scottish Government has allocated and committed the following sums since May 2021: The Scottish Government announced recently that in 2025/26 the final funding instalment of £25 million will be provided to the local authorities, which is delivering on the 2021 Programme for Government commitment of funding £60 million for play parks renewal. https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202500467583/ … Continue reading News you won’t see – Scottish Government funding for playparks to promote children’s health and development surges by FIVE times in only five years