Tag: scotland

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117 bottles of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs at your expense in Boris parties but ‘your’ media has SNP leaders swearing about him

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From SNP Media today: Responding to the publication of the cost of drinks served at Boris Johnson’s Brexit party, the SNP’s Scotland spokesperson, Tommy Sheppard MP said: “It’s shameful that Boris Johnson’s boozy Brexit party cost the taxpayer £7,897. “While the disgraced former Prime Minister and his advisers guzzled wine from the taxpayer-funded government wine cellar, people across Scotland lamented the loss of their EU membership, their access to the world’s largest single market and customs union, and their ability to live and work in 27 countries. “For context, that means No.10 consumed 117 bottles of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs … Continue reading 117 bottles of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs at your expense in Boris parties but ‘your’ media has SNP leaders swearing about him

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Bowel cancer ebbs after Sturgeon scheme started screening earlier than in rest of UK

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So, facts, actual news, ‘bowel’, colorectal cancer cases fall by 20% in males and 10% in females over the last ten years, in Scotland. The Daily Record today? The Herald has the same story. Based on this: https://www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(23)05110-4/fulltext#%20 in March 2023, BBC Scotland did note: Public Health Scotland said the 2020 fall in numbers was “largely due to under-diagnosis caused by Covid restrictions”, including the temporary pause of screening programmes. Why have cases declined in Scotland longer term? Bowel cancer screening uptake in Scotland reaches a record high! Why might the UK researchers in the Record report be pessimistic? From … Continue reading Bowel cancer ebbs after Sturgeon scheme started screening earlier than in rest of UK

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The Covid Inquiry evidence unreported by BBC Scotland – can ‘bias by omission’ get any worse? 

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By stewartb ‘An important feature of the pandemic response of the Scottish Government was a pre-existing culture of professionalism, engagement, and collaboration, which, in the Covid-19 pandemic translated into a willingness to look outside of government for advice and expertise.’  On Scottish Government actions: ’Rather than divergence demonstrating political opportunism, it reflected better decision-making processes including more effective and meaningful consultation with others, and an appropriately precautionary approach to pandemic response.’ TUC/STUC submission to UK Covid 19 Inquiry (10 January 2024) By stewartb – a long read Already a lot of evidence concerning Scotland has been accumulated by the UK … Continue reading The Covid Inquiry evidence unreported by BBC Scotland – can ‘bias by omission’ get any worse? 

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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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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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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?