Tag: scotland

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Juryless rape trials already take place in England and Wales – somebody tell the Scottish media and defence lawyers?

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In 2020 rape prosecutions were more common in Scotland than in England, by 13% to 1.6% despite reports of rape being more than twice as high in England. I’m not, this time, going to make much of that because the 13% level of prosecutions seems lower than it should be and the Scottish Government’s plans to pilot juryless trials is a very sensible thing to try out. Since May 2023, the UK media in Scotland have pounced on the objections of some defence lawyers (What else would a defence lawyer do?) with a view to irresponsibly blocking another progressive SNP … Continue reading Juryless rape trials already take place in England and Wales – somebody tell the Scottish media and defence lawyers?

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‘Beware of lonely numbers’ – Scotland’s A&E is still far better – by 15%!

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In December 2023, NHS Scotland’s full emergency departments (Type ED) saw 62.9% of those attending, within 4 hours. In England, the equivalent figure was only 54.7% 62.9% is 14.8% better than 54.7%. That matters. It means around 100 000 more, every month in England waiting over 4 hours, than if they had lived in a country with A&E performing like Scotland. It means around 10 000 fewer in Scotland, every month, waiting over 4 hours, than if they had lived in a country with A&E performing like England. The great statistics in public health communicator Hans Rosling says: When I … Continue reading ‘Beware of lonely numbers’ – Scotland’s A&E is still far better – by 15%!

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For the umpteenth time, there will never be a Grenfell here but Herald’s ferry correspondent lies in our faces for cheap returns

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In the Herald today from Martin Williams, the man with a ferry newsletter, the above disgraceful image and then this: Ministers have been accused of putting lives at risk after it emerged it has overseen the removal of dangerous cladding of just one building seven years after the Grenfell Tower blaze that claimed the lives of 72 people. Who has accused the ministers? A trade union fighting in the interests of its members, as staffing is reduced but by a far lesser extent than fire incidents are plummeting. Just doing what they should but NOT evidence of anything other than … Continue reading For the umpteenth time, there will never be a Grenfell here but Herald’s ferry correspondent lies in our faces for cheap returns

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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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Measles outbreak – Surely the Herald would not cherry pick dates?

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By stewartb The absence of news coverage of measles from a Scotland perspective in the relevant section of the BBC News website is worthy of note. After all, BBC Scotland supposedly provides a public service and arguably, issues of public health relevant to children merit greater attention. BBC Scotland COULD communicate the significance of Scotland’s relatively high rate of MMR vaccine take-up and provide evidence – for context and perspective – which would encourage even higher levels. It’s not as if BBC Scotland has always been ‘disinterested’! From its News website dated 25 June 2019 we find this headline: ‘MMR … Continue reading Measles outbreak – Surely the Herald would not cherry pick dates?

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The Campaign to blame the SNP for Covid deaths contrary to the facts is underway

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When the otherwise excellent Open Democracy seems to have swallowed the myth, much loved by Anas Sarwar, that Covid 19 deaths in care homes were the result of hospital discharges of untested patients into them, you know the campaign to turn around the story of Scotland’s better pandemic performance, is well on the way. Yesterday, they had: Care home deaths soared as Holyrood took two months to introduce testing for outgoing hospital patients, inquiry hears. Donald Macaskill, the chief executive of Scottish Care, which represents the country’s independent social care sector, said he warned the then-secretary for health and sport, … Continue reading The Campaign to blame the SNP for Covid deaths contrary to the facts is underway

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Why the Barnett Formula is not a subsidy for Scotland

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Leah Gunn Barrett The Barnett Formula is not a subsidy. To understand why it’s not, we need to understand the formula. Scottish public sector revenues are sent annually to the UK Treasury. Every five years there’s a spending review that decides England’s budget and then the Barnett Formula is applied. The formula gives Scotland the same revenue per person change in funding as the change in funding for similar English public services. From that, the UK Treasury allocates the Scottish government its block grant out of which it must fund the services for which it’s responsible. But the block grant … Continue reading Why the Barnett Formula is not a subsidy for Scotland

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Covid deaths – BBC Scotland lie to conceal Scotland’s better outcomes and UK Government’s under-reporting

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In a report on the BBC Scotland website today, with a carefully chosen image to connect Covid outcomes to the SNP leader at the time, this: The impact on Scotland In Scotland to date, more than 18,000 people have died with Covid and ONS (Office for National Statistics ) analysis suggests death rates were very similar in Scotland and England and slightly better in Wales and Northern Ireland. The question the UK Covid inquiry will ask is did the different decisions in Scotland have any real impact on the virus, for better or worse? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67985184 This is patently inaccurate and … Continue reading Covid deaths – BBC Scotland lie to conceal Scotland’s better outcomes and UK Government’s under-reporting

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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