Tag: politics

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“Protective effect of devolved policies” – Child poverty rates in Scotland (24%) remain much lower than those in England (31%) and Wales (28%)“The Protective effect of devolved policies” 

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation on the Scottish Government By stewartb The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) published (on 25 January) a report entitled ‘Constraints and trade-offs for the next government’. It paints a bleak picture of the present state of the UK, its public finances and services. Over the short to medium term, it offers no cheer for the future. The IFS notes: ’further tax rises and further cuts for most public services are built into current plans. But on official forecasts, this is only just enough to stabilise government debt as a fraction of national income.’  (my emphasis) And it … Continue reading “Protective effect of devolved policies” – Child poverty rates in Scotland (24%) remain much lower than those in England (31%) and Wales (28%)“The Protective effect of devolved policies” 

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What will a Labour government do? More austerity, no public investment, increasing privatisation, no curbs on corporate profiteering and remaining outside the UK’s largest market.   

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Leah Gunn Barrett English Labour says the UK economy is growing at the slowest rate for two centuries.[1] Could it have to do with austerity, Brexit, chronic underinvestment, rampant corporate profiteering and high interest rates? And if so, what will a Labour government do?  Fresh from Davos, Rachel Reeves told a meeting in the City of London “every day, every month and every year of a Labour government, Labour will maintain its credibility with the markets and relationship with the City.”[2] Labour has made clear that it will coddle and appease financial markets which means austerity, no public investment, increasing privatisation, no … Continue reading What will a Labour government do? More austerity, no public investment, increasing privatisation, no curbs on corporate profiteering and remaining outside the UK’s largest market.   

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Conscription to defend against Russian hypersonic missiles? Aye, for lads like these

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The Guardian and others are full of images like these: and comments from the likes of ex-Army Tory MP Tobias Ellwood: Sky News then reports: British citizens should be “trained and equipped” to fight in a potential war with Russia – as Moscow plans on “defeating our system and way of life”, the head of the British Army has said. General Sir Patrick Sanders, the outgoing Chief of the General Staff (CGS), said increasing army numbers in preparation for a potential conflict would need to be a “whole-of-nation undertaking”. The comments, first reported by the Daily Telegraph, are being read … Continue reading Conscription to defend against Russian hypersonic missiles? Aye, for lads like these

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Covid Inquiry – Scottish ministers closed schools and saved thousands contrary to Prof Woolhouse’s wrong views

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In the Herald today: The Scottish Government ignored its own scientific advice not to close schools during the second Covid wave of 2021, the UK inquiry into the pandemic has heard.   Mark Woolhouse, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, said that the decision to shut classrooms across Scotland was “not necessary” and did not contribute to halting the spread of the virus.   Woolhouse, as far as I can see, was only one of the 20 advisors on the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group. I’m not aware of this group advising against school closures. Prof Sridhar was … Continue reading Covid Inquiry – Scottish ministers closed schools and saved thousands contrary to Prof Woolhouse’s wrong views

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Tom Hunter – ‘So, the ONLY thing Scotland’s economy needs is …..?’

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By stewartb ‘Sir Tom Hunter saying Ireland has a £60billion surplus and Scotland has a £30billion deficit.’ Hadn’t seen this latest intervention in Scotland’s polity by the wealthy entrepreneur, but I do recall a similar theme covered in The Herald last year (on 5 September). Whether down to a deficit of understanding, a deficit in the journalism or a ‘political/economic ‘blindness’ caused by Unionism, the part of the article available to read online for free was IMHO fundamentally flawed! This was the headline: ‘Business veterans say Scotland can learn from Ireland’s success’. The article opened with this: ‘ONLY by engaging … Continue reading Tom Hunter – ‘So, the ONLY thing Scotland’s economy needs is …..?’

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Associating all problems with the SNP in government – Reporting Scotland’s subtle [not so] agenda on obesity

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This morning in a short teaser for their pals at Disclosure Scotland who will be, later tonight, doing a special on obesity, Reporting Scotland find time for the above little bookend comment implying responsibility. In the longer online report, there is no mention of the Scottish Government. Regardless of whether it is conscious propaganda or a subconscious tendency, the longer term impact on viewers is the association of the Scottish Government with another problem that they are not directly responsible for and an association of a kind which BBC England, Wales and Northern Ireland rarely make with their governments. A … Continue reading Associating all problems with the SNP in government – Reporting Scotland’s subtle [not so] agenda on obesity

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This is a bullying Labour administration and the GMB leader doesn’t care about it

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Gary Smith of the GMB, a regular here, siding with Labour, the private care home owners and others in the private sector who privately despise him and his members, blaming the SNP/Green government for delayed bin collections in Glasgow. He’s the GMB UK leader now so why hasn’t he gone to Labour-run Wales to see how they deal with refuse? See this: A long-running strike affecting waste collection in Cardiff is to be extended by another month in the latest bout of disruption. Unite union members have been on strike since December 28 with the industrial action due to end … Continue reading This is a bullying Labour administration and the GMB leader doesn’t care about it

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Scottish Labour – a parcel of rogues

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LEAH GUNN BARRETT The new Scottish Labour MP Michael Shanks will speak at the Scotland in Union Burns supper later this month. Quelle surprise.  During the by-election campaign Shanks said the constitutional debate was something ‘we have to completely ignore’ because it’s too divisive. Yet he’s voicing full-throated support for the failing union, because those are his orders from London. Scottish Labour is controlled by its English masters and if Shanks and his fellow Scots MP Ian Murray don’t fall in line with the unionist ‘better together’ lies, they can’t be members of the English Labour club with all its remunerative perks.  As a reward for his fealty, … Continue reading Scottish Labour – a parcel of rogues

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Does BBC refuse to release viewing figures for Reporting Scotland because they’re even worse than we’d guess?

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The response to my FoI requesting the viewing figures for Reporting Scotland, below. Note that they freely tell us the tiny figures for the Seven and the Nine, broadcast only in Scotland, on the BBC Scotland channel. What are they hiding? I think we know. British Broadcasting Corporation Information RightsWogan House, 99 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 7NY bbc.co.uk/foifoi@bbc.co.uk John Robertson10 January 2024 Dear John,Freedom of Information Request – RFI20231614 Thank you for your request to the BBC dated 16 December 2023 seeking thefollowing information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’):“Please provide me with the annual viewing … Continue reading Does BBC refuse to release viewing figures for Reporting Scotland because they’re even worse than we’d guess?

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Post Office Scandal – Just one more result of the Labour PFI curse

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By Frances McKie The Post Office Scandal has surely cast terrible doubt on the UK Justice System. Without open, determined,  legal action against the lies, persecutions, blackmail and silencing of the victims, it will be very hard to restore public trust. Furthermore, before the public inquiry  into the lethal consequences of the Fujitsu Horizon  contract  comes to an end, it is vital that  Gordon Brown , Tony Blair,  Hilary Armstrong and  all those associated with the imposition of  PFI  contracts on vital public services throughout the UK are required to give an account of their responsibility, under oath . This … Continue reading Post Office Scandal – Just one more result of the Labour PFI curse