Tag: scotland

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Crime down 40% but staffing up a wee bit – Police Officers trade union praises SNP Government?

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By Professor John Robertson Crime in Scotland per 10 000 people, at the end of 10 years of Labour rule in Scotland Crime in Scotland per 10 000 people, at the end of 17 years of SNP rule in Scotland, 40.5% down. 40.5% less crime? We must need fewer police officers then? That’s what the Tories or Starmerites would do. It’s not personal, just business. Did the SNP do that? Nope. From Police Scotland data, today: Scotland’s Chief Statistician has published statistics on Police Officer Quarterly Strength, which gives the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed by Police Scotland. … Continue reading Crime down 40% but staffing up a wee bit – Police Officers trade union praises SNP Government?

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Despite steady growth in planned operations, NHS Scotland still ready to do stunning 98% on time

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By Professor John Robertson From Public Health Scotland today: The number of planned operations has been steadily increasing since pandemic restrictions first affected provision of services in March 2020. In the 12 months to March 2024, there was a 7.6% increase in the number of planned operations compared to the previous 12 months.  Of all planned operations during March 2024 in NHS Scotland, 738 (3.1%) were cancelled by the hospital based on clinical reasons, 642 (2.7%) were cancelled by the patient, 480 (2%) were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons, and 90 (0.4%) were cancelled due … Continue reading Despite steady growth in planned operations, NHS Scotland still ready to do stunning 98% on time

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That’s now 10 ferry services more troubled than CalMac

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Regulars will know that Scotland’s state-run CalMac ferries were at 100% reliability across more than 300 sailings yesterday, after several days in the high 90s, despite endless media reports of delays in new ferries and planned maintenance for others. For some time, I’ve been looking at ferry services in Canada (2), the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Greece, the Channel Islands, the Scilly Isles and the Isle of Wight. Where data are published and many seem not to have to, I’ve found much higher prices everywhere, ageing vessels in the USA and Canada, delayed replacement vessels in Canada, USA (Washington State), … Continue reading That’s now 10 ferry services more troubled than CalMac

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CalMac averages 99.8% reliability over May weekend

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On Saturday 4th May, CalMac ferries made 508 sailings with 98.6% reliability. Only 2 out of the 10 Arran crossings were cancelled. Yesterday, Sunday 5th May, 100% of 360 sailings, were made on time, regardless of the late new ferries of the others in dock for planned maintenance. On these crossings, CalMac charged half the prices faced by passengers heading for the Isle of Wight, the Channel islands or the islands off Seattle or Vancouver where staff shortages meant cancellations. Sources: https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=05%2F05%2F2024 Continue reading CalMac averages 99.8% reliability over May weekend

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Shouting theatre in a crowded fire – Scotland’s firefighters betrayed by their own union

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In the Guardian today, the above and this below: Wrack, the general secretary of the 34,000-strong Fire Brigades Union, said: “The debate on workers’ rights is a key issue for all unions as we approach a general election. As a policy, it is very popular with our members but it is popular with the voters as well. “We know Labour will come under pressure from business interests but there should be no backtracking and no weakening. Labour needs to deliver this as one of its top priorities. If there is a rolling back there will be significant anger.” Meanwhile in … Continue reading Shouting theatre in a crowded fire – Scotland’s firefighters betrayed by their own union

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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’