Tag: politics

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They are not only doing political journalism in BBC Wales differently from BBC Scotland but opponents of the government in Cardiff may behave differently too

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By stewartb Seems they are not only doing political journalism in BBC Wales differently from BBC Scotland but opponents of the government in Cardiff may behave differently too. The BBC News website in its Wales section today (November 26) had this headline about NHS Wales: ‘Ambulance response target may change after failures’. It reports: ‘Ambulance response targets in Wales may change in 2025, after four years of the service failing to meet its key measure.’ ‘A total of 65% of the most life-threatening calls are expected to arrive to a patient within eight minutes, but this has been missed for the past … Continue reading They are not only doing political journalism in BBC Wales differently from BBC Scotland but opponents of the government in Cardiff may behave differently too

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The Alison Pearson case proves how corrupt much of the MSM really really are, so much so, that can we in Scotland ever really trust anything they report?

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Anonymous Here is a classic example of all things wrong with the corrupt and tainted UK media. Peter Osborne , now an apparent enlightened member of the media, and so determined to do the job as per his job description as one who considers himself to be a real and honest journalist , has written an article for the Middle East Eye. This article exposes the hypocrisy and double standards of the UK media , many of whom are compromised by their allegiance to respective UK political parties, and so as such are complicit in obscuring those things that these political parties … Continue reading The Alison Pearson case proves how corrupt much of the MSM really really are, so much so, that can we in Scotland ever really trust anything they report?

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Labour should rethink this one, and give money directly to the devolved Scottish Government for them to allocate to Scottish councils

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Anonymous The National (England) Audit Office stated yesterday that “Just one in 10 local authorities submitted reliable formal accounts of their spending in 2022-23. Of the remaining 90%, half failed to submit any financial data at all and half submitted accounts that had not been audited“ Remember Labour’s big plan for Scotland is to bypass the Scottish government and allow Ian Murray, as Labour’s new SOS for Scotland ,to allocate funds directly to Scottish councils so hopefully they, the Scottish councils, are more diligent and careful with their accounting. This BTW is a carbon copy of what the Tories were going to do … Continue reading Labour should rethink this one, and give money directly to the devolved Scottish Government for them to allocate to Scottish councils

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Latest UK national debt has fallen by £1.5 TRILLION so Labour cannot deny pensioners a country in which it is possible to live in their old age

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Thanks once more to Dottie for alerting me to this. From Richard Murphy, today: The national debt has just fallen by £1.5 trillion There is a very strange feature that, as far as I can see, has not had much attention paid to it so far within the Whole of Government Accounts for the year to 31 March 2023 that were published yesterday. Ignoring the fact that, as I noted yesterday, these accounts were subject to qualification by the National Audit Office because about 90% of the data from local authorities required for their preparation was either unavailable or had not itself been audited, some … Continue reading Latest UK national debt has fallen by £1.5 TRILLION so Labour cannot deny pensioners a country in which it is possible to live in their old age

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90% of English councils failed to delivery audited accounts for 2022-23 making the GERS data even more just GUFF

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Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this. From Civil Service World yesterday: The National Audit Office has refused to give an opinion on the latest Whole of Government Accounts for the first time ever because of major backlogs in local-authority audits. Out of 426 local authorities across England, just 43 – around 10% – submitted reliable data to the WGA [Whole of government Accounts]. Just over half of those remaining submitted information that had not been audited, while 187 councils – 44% of the total – did not submit any data at all. https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/whole-government-accounts-nao-disclaimed-opinion-local-authorities-missing-data This is shocking. Imagine it … Continue reading 90% of English councils failed to delivery audited accounts for 2022-23 making the GERS data even more just GUFF

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SHOCK as FIVE TIMES as many, per head, wait for home care in England than in Scotland

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland, today: The number of people estimated to be waiting on a social care assessment to enable them to live independently at home or in the community was 6,027 on 4 November 2024. The estimated number of people assessed and waiting for a care at home package was 3,281 on 4 November 2024. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/people-requiring-a-social-care-assessment-and-care-at-home-services/people-requiring-a-social-care-assessment-and-care-at-home-services-26-november-2024/ So, that’s around 9 300 in total waiting for assessment and/or waiting for a care at home package. So, in England that should be around 93 000? It’s not. It’s nowhere near as few. It’s between 400 000 and 500 … Continue reading SHOCK as FIVE TIMES as many, per head, wait for home care in England than in Scotland

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Scottish homicide rate falls 23% to 10% below that in England & Wales and more than 100% solved

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA From Recorded Crime in Scotland published today, we see that there were 48 recorded cases of murder and culpable homicide in Scotland in the year ending September 2024, down 11% on the previous year and down 23% on 2022.1 How is BBC Scotland covering this? They’re not. From the ONS in July 2024, there were 583 homicide offences in England & Wales for the year ending March 2024.2 All things being equal, England & Wales might have been expected to have a homicide rate 11 times that of Scotland, or 528 but had 583, 55 times … Continue reading Scottish homicide rate falls 23% to 10% below that in England & Wales and more than 100% solved

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Scotland to take no lessons from Labour on saving lives by cutting smoking

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA In the Herald, today: The Secretary of State for Scotland has said UK Government proposals to gradually increase the age at which people can buy tobacco “will save lives” in Scotland.  Speaking ahead of the Tobacco and Vapes bill being debated at Westminster tomorrow, Ian Murray said the plans offer a chance to show how a “reset in relationships” between the UK and Scottish Governments can make a difference to peoples lives in Scotland.  https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24746978.tobacco-restriction-plans-will-save-lives-scotland/ Not being mentioned, of course: From The Scottish Health Survey 2023 – volume 1: main report, published today, the above graph reveals a marked … Continue reading Scotland to take no lessons from Labour on saving lives by cutting smoking

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First the Tory Brexit betrayal, now Labour try to push Ayrshire farmers under a tractor with a boycott, surely they know to vote SNP now?

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Today in the Express: Outrage as Labour councillor calls for boycott of Scottish farms amid budget backlash. A Labour councillor has been branded “arrogant” after suggesting Scots farms should be boycotted amid growing anger at Rachel Reeves’ budget within the sector. Brian McGinley, who sits on South Ayrshire Council, made the call in response to suggestions of a farmers’ strike. Only two weeks ago they were using their grizzled media attack dog, John McTernan, to undermine farmers with similar threats. Scottish farmers are known to be Tory voters. Even the Depute First Ministers husband is a keen one. This support is illogical given the … Continue reading First the Tory Brexit betrayal, now Labour try to push Ayrshire farmers under a tractor with a boycott, surely they know to vote SNP now?

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Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under ‘t.” Neil Mackay on Stephen Flynn

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In the Herald last week but only noticed by me after a retweet: Stephen Flynn – the SNP’s Macbeth, a man of ambition unfit to lead by Neil Mackay (above), then nailed by John Nicolson MP: Almost comically personal & vindictive in tone. Worse, unbriefed. SNP MPs at Westminster wanted Ian to stand down. There was a vacancy. Then an election which Stephen comfortably won. His leadership media & PMQ performances thereafter were impressive. A year ago, I could write this, below, and it stands: It’s been some time since I’ve read Neil Mackay, ‘Large Writer’ at the Herald. Clearly … Continue reading Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under ‘t.” Neil Mackay on Stephen Flynn