Tag: scotland

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BBC Scotland develops ‘fishy’ sense of humour reporting on ‘charity’ headed up by former UK Government advisor

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BBC Scotland this morning tell is that a ‘main sustainability charity’ (Open Seas) has a accused the Scottish Government of ‘floundering@ (really) because of a simple delay in getting a policy on sustainable fishing in plaice (my word) and properly developed to be effective. They’re just a Scottish charity so it’s not like Greenpeace accusing the Scottish Government. Hugh Raven, above, is the chair of the Open Seas board. Draw your own conclusions about his agenda. Draw your own conclusions as to why a simple delay like this is big news for BBC Scotland’s Reporting Scotland team when it’s not … Continue reading BBC Scotland develops ‘fishy’ sense of humour reporting on ‘charity’ headed up by former UK Government advisor

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Shameful – BBC Scotland’s zombie reporters use a financial fraud investigation to return to unfounded accusations of child death from water supplies

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Reporting on a police and NHS investigation only into financial fraud, BBC Scotland are delighted to add: The QEUH campus, which includes the Royal Hospital for Children, was hailed as a world-leading facility when it opened. However, a series of infection outbreaks and concerns around the water and ventilation systems emerged after it opened and a number of patients died, including 10-year-old cancer patient Milly Main. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gl49vvjgro This is shameful politicising of personal suffering, scaremongering of the million plus served by the hospital, and deliberate harm to the mental well-being of thousands of NHS staff, based on … Continue reading Shameful – BBC Scotland’s zombie reporters use a financial fraud investigation to return to unfounded accusations of child death from water supplies

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So the Envoy will not attend the first collective meeting of those towards whom she will be the Envoy?

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By stewartb So the Envoy will not attend the first collective meeting of those towards whom she will be the Envoy! What a missed opportunity to forge relationships! This Council of Nations and Regions – which will have the Mayors of London and of England’s ‘combined authorities’ invited to attend – fails even in its own terms to be representative. The Institute for Government (IfG) on 24 June 2024 published this: ‘English devolution – What is the history of English devolution? How much of England has devolution? Which powers are devolved?’ It explains that there are currently 12 areas with mayoral … Continue reading So the Envoy will not attend the first collective meeting of those towards whom she will be the Envoy?

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What they don’t want you to know about in the ‘teacher numbers row’

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Headlining on BBC Scotland today: The Scottish government has withheld £145.5m in funding to councils because of a row over teacher numbers. It says the money has been earmarked to maintain teacher jobs, but local government body Cosla disagrees with the ringfencing. Most Scottish councils are looking at education cuts – including proposals to reduce learning hours, school buses, and classroom assistants – but only some, including Glasgow, have reduced teacher numbers. The important detail and context which BBC Scotland, the Herald and Scotsman never tell you: From 2017 to 2023, the number of pupils in … Continue reading What they don’t want you to know about in the ‘teacher numbers row’

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Religious hate crime in England & Wales surges to the highest since 2012, TWICE that, per head, in Scotland where it falls to the lowest since 2004

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From the Guardian today: Religious hate crimes in England and Wales have soared by 25% to record levels, coinciding with the Israel-Hamas conflict, government statistics show. The increase, from 8,370 to 10,484 offences reported to police forces in the year to March, was driven by a rise in offences against Jewish people and to a lesser extent Muslims, the Home Office said. According to the statistical bulletin, the total of 10,484 anti-religious offences was the highest annual tally of these offences since hate crime records began in the year ending March 2012. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/10/religious-hate-crimes-at-record-levels-in-england-and-wales-official-figures-show In June 2024, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service … Continue reading Religious hate crime in England & Wales surges to the highest since 2012, TWICE that, per head, in Scotland where it falls to the lowest since 2004

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11 year-old explains that England has more in common – 4 times as many homes at risk of flooding – with disaster-prone Florida than stormy Scotland!

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Watching BBC 24 last night, up popped a story suggesting that Scotland had similar worries to Florida. I had to the check the date wasn’t 1 April. Then Liz Lloyd (background booing) popped up to talk vaguely about the notion. I had to the check the date wasn’t 1 April. When did she become a spokesperson for the Scot Gov? You won’t be surprised to hear that I was more exercised by those numbers suggesting Scotland clearly has more to worry about storms and floods than rUK and is thus spending more on them. I’ll come back to that below. … Continue reading 11 year-old explains that England has more in common – 4 times as many homes at risk of flooding – with disaster-prone Florida than stormy Scotland!

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In which Scottish town did Buckinghamshire County Lines drug gang exploit a vulnerable woman – media silence on more than 300 cases

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Only from Yahoo! News today: A 20-year-old man [above] has been jailed for over a year after ferrying class-A drugs between Aylesbury and Scotland and ‘cuckooing’ a vulnerable woman at her home. Tyrees Kuba-Ngoma, of Friarscroft Way in Aylesbury, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin at Aylesbury Crown Court last Tuesday, October 1. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/man-20-jailed-cuckooing-vulnerable-170642139.html Police Scotland estimate more than 300 homes in Scotland have vulnerable adults being cuckooed by English County Lines gangs. BBC Scotland have twice, in 2021 and 2024, referred to this practice but on neither occasion did they indicate the English city from … Continue reading In which Scottish town did Buckinghamshire County Lines drug gang exploit a vulnerable woman – media silence on more than 300 cases

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London Deputy Mayor comes up to repeat urban myth of job flight to south as 12 500 flee north to fairer Scotland in just last year

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The Scotsman tells us today: Exclusive: SNP must narrow Scotland-England income tax gap in Budget, says City of London. The City of London Corporation said there were ongoing concerns in the financial sector SNP ministers should act to narrow the income tax gap between Scotland and England when they set out their spending plans later this year, the governing body for London’s financial district has said. Chris Hayward, policy chairman at the City of London Corporation, said there were ongoing concerns within the financial sector over the tax regime. He is due to meet First Minister John Swinney today. RUBBISH … Continue reading London Deputy Mayor comes up to repeat urban myth of job flight to south as 12 500 flee north to fairer Scotland in just last year

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Up to 80% of Scotland’s drug deaths were among those who became addicted before the SNP came to power, 93% of nearly 30 000 referrals per year are treated within 3 weeks and more than half within only 1 week!

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From Public Health Scotland’s National drug related death database (Scotland)Analysis of Deaths Registered in 2019 and 2020, published today, it’s clear that Scotland’s drug deaths are to a very large extent a legacy of the Labour and Tory governments that ruled the UK and devolved Scotland for decades before the SNP came into power, with limited powers over drug use, in 2007. Treatment for these users has been, for years, top notch, with above the 90% target seen within three weeks or less: Between 1 April and 30 June 2024, 7,361 referrals to community-based services started treatment. Of these referrals, … Continue reading Up to 80% of Scotland’s drug deaths were among those who became addicted before the SNP came to power, 93% of nearly 30 000 referrals per year are treated within 3 weeks and more than half within only 1 week!

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The SNP’s phantom decorators – A new sisterhood in Scotland’s mainstream media revealed – Daily Record/Sunday Mail and Scottish Daily Express!

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By stewartb Once upon a time not so long ago these ‘Scottish’ newspapers – the Daily Record/Sunday Mail and the Scottish Daily Express – would occupy quite different places on the political spectrum on most issues.  That was then and after all, we’ve been told we are in a time of ‘change’!  Of course they would be united for the Union and this is probably the key factor in this tale! On Sunday 6 October, the Sunday Mail on its front page and website had this ‘exclusive’: On the same day, the Scottish Daily Express had this: Note the journalists … Continue reading The SNP’s phantom decorators – A new sisterhood in Scotland’s mainstream media revealed – Daily Record/Sunday Mail and Scottish Daily Express!