Tag: politics

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Is there no BBC Scotland reporting immune from omissions to favour the Union?

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By stewartb The initial purpose here was to comment solely on a divergence of view between the National Farmers Union in Scotland (NFU Scotland ) and the Tory Party. The difference became evident in responses to the First Minister’s speech to NFU Scotland’s annual conference in Glasgow on 9 February. But reading the coverage of the same speech on the BBC News website’s Scotland page, additional noteworthy aspects emerged! The FM was setting out the Scottish Government’s future funding plans for the agriculture sector as necessitated by the transition away from the EU Common Agriculture Policy, post-Brexit. Responding at the … Continue reading Is there no BBC Scotland reporting immune from omissions to favour the Union?

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Already worse, how much more so can England’s pupil-teacher ratio get?

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Today in the Observer: Schools across England are warning they will soon be unsafe because they are having to cut teachers and support staff to save money, with record numbers now in deficit. With escalating behavioural problems, soaring numbers of children with special educational needs, and increased pupil numbers, schools say staff are already stretched to the limit. Yet heads across the country say they now have no choice but to plan redundancies or not replace leaving staff in order to balance their books. One in eight local authority maintained schools were in deficit in 2022-23, the highest number on … Continue reading Already worse, how much more so can England’s pupil-teacher ratio get?

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Do the folk at Ipsos MORI know something as they regularly predict a Yes vote and SNP success over 9 years?

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The Ipsos MORI pollster, in the National today, has Yes on 53% with a 6 point lead. In November they had Yes on 51% and an 8 point lead. These two, plus one for Find Out Now, were a minority in a sea of 11 No leads since October 2023. Overall the picture (above) has been dominated by No leads from several pollsters but there’s a pattern going back to August 2015, when, in a sea of No leads , Ipsos MORI had a 9 point lead for Yes. From there forward to the present, Ipsos MORI have had 14 … Continue reading Do the folk at Ipsos MORI know something as they regularly predict a Yes vote and SNP success over 9 years?

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Labour ditches reforms designed to placate Scotland and secure the Union

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– to win the next General Election in England, Labour is discarding radical House of Lords reform and federalism proposed by its own, Gordon Brown-led Commission. By stewartb – a long read The Labour Party seems to be working a new wheeze to bamboozle the electorate and yes, even political journalists. This is how it works: it announces a new radical, progressive policy to gain media and voter attention. Later – in various ways and at various times – Party spokespersons indicate a softening – a rowing back – on the prior radical policy position. Crucially, and in the weeks … Continue reading Labour ditches reforms designed to placate Scotland and secure the Union

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How Labour’s plan for small business has been at the heart of the SNP legislation for years

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Not for the first Labour advisers reveal their ignorance of what is already happening in Scotland as they come up to tell us about their supah new ideas to find we already have the same or better. Here’s what they claim and what they plan, responded to one-by-one. “The Labour Party knows the value of small businesses; you are not just the lifeblood of our communities but essential to our economic success. That is why we have launched an ambitious plan to support small businesses.” “The Scottish Government regrets any delays in payments to suppliers and our performance in paying 98.8% … Continue reading How Labour’s plan for small business has been at the heart of the SNP legislation for years

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Can anyone recall any interrogation of witnesses or any media assessment around the ACTUAL content of key Cabinet papers?

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stewartb ‘Could the Covid inquiry reshape the UK?’ – this is the headline above a piece by James Cook on the BBC News website today. Mr Cook is of course BBC Scotland’s political editor whose team of journalists has been working hard to amplify the alleged ‘significance’ of WhatsApp messaging more than anything else in news reports on the Covid Inquiry’s Edinburgh sessions. Having feasted on the Inquiry’s references to WhatsApps, Mr Cook seems to have belatedly become aware of the journalistic relevance of ‘perspective’. He writes today: ‘ Not so many years ago many of the conversations now under … Continue reading Can anyone recall any interrogation of witnesses or any media assessment around the ACTUAL content of key Cabinet papers?

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Expelled MP with Herald tries island famine scare story after only two days with no deliveries

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In a stormy month, there have been a few cancellations of the Oban to Castlebay (Barra) sailings and the last two days have seen cancellations but for nearly every other day, reliability has been 100%. How wee are the coolers and fridges in the Barra shops that two days means a famine is imminent? Is this just a scare story from Angus Brenda MacNeil MP after his ejection from the SNP and the looming loss of his seat? Why was he ejected? Was it this? ‘Sleazebuster’ MP’s regret over three-in-a-bed romp with teenage girls: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-447550/Sleazebuster-MPs-regret-bed-romp-teenage-girls.html or this: Love rat SNP … Continue reading Expelled MP with Herald tries island famine scare story after only two days with no deliveries

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GDP – Does any other country have to ignore its offshore activity to make it seem to be in trouble?

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From the Scottish Government (!) today: Scotland’s onshore GDP is estimated to have fallen by 0.1% in November. This follows a contraction of 0.6% in October (revised from -0.5%). In the three months to November, GDP is estimated to have contracted by 0.2% compared to the previous three month period. This indicates a slowing of growth, relative to the increase of 0.4% in 2023 Quarter 3 (July to September). Try searching for the word ‘offshore’ in the full report. Not a mention. But what, I hear you say about those booming energy revenues from oil, gas and renewables? You know, … Continue reading GDP – Does any other country have to ignore its offshore activity to make it seem to be in trouble?

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117 bottles of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs at your expense in Boris parties but ‘your’ media has SNP leaders swearing about him

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From SNP Media today: Responding to the publication of the cost of drinks served at Boris Johnson’s Brexit party, the SNP’s Scotland spokesperson, Tommy Sheppard MP said: “It’s shameful that Boris Johnson’s boozy Brexit party cost the taxpayer £7,897. “While the disgraced former Prime Minister and his advisers guzzled wine from the taxpayer-funded government wine cellar, people across Scotland lamented the loss of their EU membership, their access to the world’s largest single market and customs union, and their ability to live and work in 27 countries. “For context, that means No.10 consumed 117 bottles of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs … Continue reading 117 bottles of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs at your expense in Boris parties but ‘your’ media has SNP leaders swearing about him

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The Covid Inquiry evidence unreported by BBC Scotland – can ‘bias by omission’ get any worse? 

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By stewartb ‘An important feature of the pandemic response of the Scottish Government was a pre-existing culture of professionalism, engagement, and collaboration, which, in the Covid-19 pandemic translated into a willingness to look outside of government for advice and expertise.’  On Scottish Government actions: ’Rather than divergence demonstrating political opportunism, it reflected better decision-making processes including more effective and meaningful consultation with others, and an appropriately precautionary approach to pandemic response.’ TUC/STUC submission to UK Covid 19 Inquiry (10 January 2024) By stewartb – a long read Already a lot of evidence concerning Scotland has been accumulated by the UK … Continue reading The Covid Inquiry evidence unreported by BBC Scotland – can ‘bias by omission’ get any worse?