Tag: scotland

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No sign that Scottish farmer confidence is low in contrast with all of Europe thanks to SNP Government actions

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By Professor John Robertson In the Guardian today: Farmer confidence at lowest in England and Wales since survey began, NFU says. Union cites extreme wet weather and post-Brexit phasing-out of EU subsidies as main reasons for slump There’s no mention of Scotland in the survey. I had a look and can find no equivalent survey for Scottish farmers but did spot this from the Scottish Farmer in March : NFU Scotland has stepped back from the protest movement sweeping across Europe by the agriculture sector. President Martin Kennedy spoke out after more than 100 vehicles, many flying the Union flag and … Continue reading No sign that Scottish farmer confidence is low in contrast with all of Europe thanks to SNP Government actions

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The SNP is a failed project? Plummeting income and a hidden membership suggests Common Weal is a better example

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Front page on the National in October 2023, Common Weal’s Robin McAlpine appears. Three days ago, he was telling us: The SNP is a failed project It is hard to express how dark my mood is today or how much pain I feel for the future of Scotland and independence. The SNP is unreformed and unreformable, and the rest of us are just onlookers There is a Karl Lagerfeld quote by which I live my life: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat.” John Swinney is a sign of defeat. This is a sign of a party not only incapable of … Continue reading The SNP is a failed project? Plummeting income and a hidden membership suggests Common Weal is a better example

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Factcheck- 418 900 fewer staff in NHS England, ‘leading to patient deaths’, than if it were run by SNP Government!

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By Professor John Robertson In the Observer today, the above, and: Hospitals are being forced to cut medical staff, threatening their ability to care for patients, senior health leaders have warned. NHS trusts are reporting budget deficits after the chancellor Jeremy Hunt gave England’s health service £2.5bn extra funding, which only covers inflation and pay increases. The UK’s ageing population and the impact of having more than 6 million patients waiting for more than 7.5m treatments means that demand on the health service has increased substantially. https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/05/cuts-will-result-in-patient-deaths-hospitals-shed-medical-staff-after-being-told-to-balance-the-books Further staffing cuts in NHS England staffing will exacerbate an already worrying level of staffing. … Continue reading Factcheck- 418 900 fewer staff in NHS England, ‘leading to patient deaths’, than if it were run by SNP Government!

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ONS confirms Scotland as ‘sticky asset’ rich

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By stewartb There is merit in communicating the intrinsic – the ‘sticky’ – assets of Scotland. Demonstrating that Scotland has valuable assets in abundance is a necessary but not sufficient part of case making for independence – it’s also about giving confidence that such assets can be better sustained, used to better effect and renewed in future in an independent Scotland. I do still come across Unionists holding to the ‘too wee, too poor etc.’ nonsense! The UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) has in recent years been publishing accounts of ‘natural capital’ or ‘wealth’. It explains: ‘Natural wealth is reflected … Continue reading ONS confirms Scotland as ‘sticky asset’ rich

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BBC Scotland Hate Crime Law coverage complaint rejected because facts ‘may depend on which parties choose to comment on specific issues and news events’

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More than two weeks ago, I sent this complaint to BBC Complaints: Their answer: We have and continue to provide comprehensive coverage of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021. Throughout that morning our coverage correctly attributed the claims, that the hate crime legislation should be scrapped, to the Scottish Conservatives. We also provided the Scottish Government response, that ministers acknowledged communication could have been better but the law was required to protect the most vulnerable form those who stir up hatred. This followed our coverage the previous day (16 April) in which we reported a reduction in … Continue reading BBC Scotland Hate Crime Law coverage complaint rejected because facts ‘may depend on which parties choose to comment on specific issues and news events’

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Scotland to power millions of homes in England, for no return, for the moment

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From the Yorkshire Post in February 2024: Landowners in East Yorkshire have complained of feeling “pressurised” over an undersea electricity “superhighway” from Scotland to England which will cross their land. The £2.1bn link between Peterhead in north east Scotland and Drax in north Yorkshire, is expected to provide enough “green” electricity from Scottish offshore wind farms to power 2m homes in England. England. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/the-yorkshire-beach-where-ps21bn-cable-carrying-electricity-from-scottish-windfarms-will-come-onshore-4039515?s=03 Bloody Scots, comin’ down ere, powering our homes and blighting our landscapes with their pylons? 2 million homes eh? Based on average electricity bills, around £2 billion in revenue, taxed by the UK Treasury and kept there for … Continue reading Scotland to power millions of homes in England, for no return, for the moment

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Scotland 17 years later and getting more different from the UK – better support for young carers

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By Professor John Robertson I don’t need to keep on reminding you, I’m sure, of the lower income tax most pay and the range of other indirect benefits of living in Scotland – lower council tax, free tuition, bus passes for the young, the Child Payment, Bedroom Tax compensation, massively subsidised thus cheap ferry travel….. The steady influx of settlers from elsewhere in the UK reinforces the evidence. Today, another Scottish (SNP) Government initiative, within the limits of the devolution settlement: Thousands more unpaid carers in Scotland will be eligible for a new benefit, if regulations laid this week in … Continue reading Scotland 17 years later and getting more different from the UK – better support for young carers

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Updated – How the English cartunionists dehumanise Scots to make anything ‘just a joke’, even hanging and crucifixion

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By Professor John Robertson Peter Brookes in the Times, gleefully shared by the slimy be-wigged lard-bucket that is Andrew Neil, the above. Imagine doing that with the leaders of any other country? Sadly, it’s not new. In February 2024, again from Peter Brookes in the Times, a snide and offensive take on the SNP’s supposed troubles. Brookes Last year, we had: Martin Rowson with another dim-witted stereotype of Scots to conceal the fact that the SNP had a substantive, serious, motion, on one of their only 3 days, based on years of consistent support for the human rights of the … Continue reading Updated – How the English cartunionists dehumanise Scots to make anything ‘just a joke’, even hanging and crucifixion

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What does Scotland have? Look at this and try to keep your mouth shut

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From one of the many Anonymouses at Talking-up Scotland: What does Scotland have? What does Scotland have? We are only 8.3% of the UK’s population, 8.3 %! Remember!! 32% of the land area 61% of the sea area 90% of the fresh water. (There is more fresh water in loch Ness than In England and Wales combined!) 65% of the natural gas production 96.5% of the crude oil production 47% of the open cast coal production 81% of the untapped coal reserves 62% of the timber production 46% of the total forest area 92% of the hydro electric production 40% … Continue reading What does Scotland have? Look at this and try to keep your mouth shut

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The Largs-Cumbrae ferry is 6 years YOUNGER than a Clyde-built equivalent still in service in Ireland

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By Professor John Robertson The Herald is desperately try to make money off their ‘scoop’ on the Largs to Cumbrae ferry being 48 years old and ’23 years past its sell by date.’ Any idiot knows that sell by dates are not eat by dates. 48 years for a wee crossing ferry is not old. The aging ferry myth – Ireland has twice the GDP growth but is still using 7 of CalMac’s 50 year-old ferries Readers will know that the supposed failure of the SNP Government to invest in new ferries, despite the highest subsidies in the known world, … Continue reading The Largs-Cumbrae ferry is 6 years YOUNGER than a Clyde-built equivalent still in service in Ireland