Tag: scotland

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How can there be ‘home care facing catastrophic breakdown’ in a system which actually increased the number of places available last year? 

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Today, the Herald has: Home caring services are heading towards a “catastrophic breakdown”, Scottish ministers have been told as industry leaders warn the funding deficit is becoming uncontrollable. Concerns over the sustainability of social care in Scotland have been growing in recent years, with local government body Cosla warning £750 million is needed just to stabilise the vital industry. Is there hard evidence for this claim? From Care home statistics for Scotland Support and services funded by local authorities in Scotland 2024/2025 published yesterday: During 2024/25 there were an estimated 49,605 people who resided in a care home and were fully or partially … Continue reading How can there be ‘home care facing catastrophic breakdown’ in a system which actually increased the number of places available last year? 

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Guardian’s Scotland Editor platforms Holyrood’s third party as the main and only opposition to Reform UK when polls make it clear the SNP is that

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Severin Carrell, the Guardian‘s ‘Scotland Editor‘ has this today: Reform UK has suspended one of its Scottish candidates after it emerged he had been struck off as a company director, and the party faces growing attacks for fielding candidates making Islamophobic remarks. Reform confirmed on Friday morning it had suspended Stuart Niven, its candidate for Dundee City West, after the Herald revealed he had been struck off after diverting tens of thousands of pounds of Covid grants into his personal account. Several hours after that admission, claims within Reform’s Scottish manifesto that it could save billions of pounds in Holyrood spending were … Continue reading Guardian’s Scotland Editor platforms Holyrood’s third party as the main and only opposition to Reform UK when polls make it clear the SNP is that

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A major new study counters ‘deluge of negativity, accusations and downright lies’ about NHS Scotland

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By Jim Mennie The Meidas Scotland  ‘Have Your Say’ survey created to gather feedback on Scottish NHS experiences — Scottish NHS: Your Stories Matter — has gathered over 400 responses in a matter of weeks and is already generating valuable insight.  The survey link – https://meidasscotland.eaction.org.uk/hospitals Meidas Scotland – https://www.facebook.com/people/Meidas-Scotland/61573925276612/ https://x.com/MeidasScotland and https://bsky.app/profile/sovereign.scothttps://www.instagram.com/meidasscotland/https://www.tiktok.com/@meidasscotlandhttps://free-scotland.scot/ I created this survey after becoming furious at the sheer deluge of negativity, accusations and downright lies coming from some politicians and parts of the mainstream Scottish media. Enough was enough — if they weren’t going to tell the truth, then I’d ask the public directly. I wanted the … Continue reading A major new study counters ‘deluge of negativity, accusations and downright lies’ about NHS Scotland

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Labour’s crisis in social care disappears when the figures come in

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In December 2025, Jackie Baillie, Labour Party Health spokesperson said: That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government’s failure to prioritise social care has fuelled a crisis, harming some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people, and calls on the Scottish Ministers to work to close the funding gap facing health and social care partnerships and value Scotland’s care workforce. In response, Health Secretary Neil Gray said: As an amendment to motion S6M-19977 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Crisis in Social Care), leave out from “Scottish Government’s” to end and insert “UK Government must reverse its hostile and damaging migration policies, … Continue reading Labour’s crisis in social care disappears when the figures come in

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Pollster YouGov long-mistrusted by the Yes movement and the SNP may be up to the same dodgy practice with Reform UK

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YouGov responds above, after these claims in the Times: YouGov to publish more data after Nigel Farage row – The Reform UK leader had accused the pollster of being ‘deceptive’ and underplaying the popularity of his party in its voting intention surveys I couldn’t help but smile after our years of noting YouGov‘s complete inability to ever find a Yes lead and to always find a smaller SNP lead, than in all the polls around them. See: I’ve written before about YouGov‘s unerring and almost unique (Survation too) ability to pluck a No lead out of a trend dominated by Yes … Continue reading Pollster YouGov long-mistrusted by the Yes movement and the SNP may be up to the same dodgy practice with Reform UK

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‘Almost a decade after Grenfell’ and six Scottish tower block fires contained on one floor, every flat is safe here

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BBC Scotland, today, repeating the same misunderstanding. Impressively titled but otherwise not so much, Angus Cochrane ‘Senior political journalist, BBC Scotland‘, has not thought to look a the history of tower block fires in Scotland, building and inspection standards, before and after Grenfell, to see if, in the very country in which he lives, that might be informative. His report is a passive acceptance of the views of one unqualified person. Here it is the actual evidence again. First, for the time-pressed a short video: Second, the full story with sources: Scotland’s SIXTH tower block fire contained on one-floor further … Continue reading ‘Almost a decade after Grenfell’ and six Scottish tower block fires contained on one floor, every flat is safe here

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Scottish Labour receives donations worth over half a million in just the last three months including £100 000 from English Multi-millionaire once opposed to nuclear energy

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By Liz S I see that democracy is still up for sale. It has been reported that: “Scottish Labour has reported receiving significant donations in the run-up to the May 2026 Holyrood election, with over £550,000 recorded in the final quarter of 2025 alone” “Billionaire businessmen Sandy and James Easdale are among the biggest donors, with a £150,000 cash donation recorded in December 2025 via their property firm, Dalglen, linked to them. “Donations from trade unions continue to support the party, including £5,300 from GMB, £6,000 from UNISON, £6500 from Unite, £4000 from USDAW , £700 from TSA, £700 from Community Union and … Continue reading Scottish Labour receives donations worth over half a million in just the last three months including £100 000 from English Multi-millionaire once opposed to nuclear energy

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Why is a £5.75m Scot Gov investment not newsworthy at all but a £0.25m Lottery Fund grant is?

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By stewartb The main Scotland page of the BBC News website today (Saturday 14 March) has a story with this headline: ‘Historic Borders bridge secures £250,000 for restoration project’. It’s been ‘elevated’ from the South of Scotland local news page and reports on the awarding of a National Lottery Fund grant. The Scottish Government issued a press statement on Friday 13 March with the heading: ‘Driving growth on Scotland’s islands – Funding to create jobs and strengthen local economies.’ This is not reported on the main Scotland page of the BBC News website. Indeed it doesn’t even figure in the local Highlands & … Continue reading Why is a £5.75m Scot Gov investment not newsworthy at all but a £0.25m Lottery Fund grant is?

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Labour Baroness MSP blames SNP for drug deaths as gangs run children to drug houses in Scotland’s century-long Labour-run-down seaside towns like some she knows well, from places such as ‘Blackpool and Rhyl’

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON Sometimes, not often I admit, you have to admire the openness of tabloids like the Sun. Yesterday, they told us CRIMINAL gangs are exploiting kids as young as NINE to use as drug mules across Britain’s rail network. The youngsters are recruited — and often kept there by threats — as part of “county lines” ­operations, where drugs are transported from major cities to supply dealers in smaller towns across the country. It was no surprise then to read: The … Continue reading Labour Baroness MSP blames SNP for drug deaths as gangs run children to drug houses in Scotland’s century-long Labour-run-down seaside towns like some she knows well, from places such as ‘Blackpool and Rhyl’

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Independence will end poverty

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By Liz S Independence for Scotland can in the future, with the right government, at least hopefully be able to prioritise ordinary people over other supposed priorities that both the current and the past UK governments have spent way too much time , energy and money upon. Indeed these other priorities do little to help people in the here and now, as instead they actually do the opposite. Nuclear weapons are not a deterrent but they are a threat….to all humanity (and also to all other beings who share this planet). Unfortunately we have UK governments, as well as some other rogue governments within … Continue reading Independence will end poverty