Tag: uk-politics

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‘The SNP won the 2011 Scottish election on an anti- austerity platform focused on tackling child poverty, reducing inequality, and building a more inclusive and universal approach to welfare’

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By stewartb Views on the economic and social policy context that Scotland in Union experiences can pop up in unexpected places. In this example, it’s in a report from the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, University College London (UCL) on the implementation of free school meals in different countries. It’s co-authored by the Institute’s founding director, Mariana Mazzucato, professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value. The latter has a notably high reputation in the UK and internationally, including for work on various aspects of political economy and government policy development. This is the source document: Macfarlane and … Continue reading ‘The SNP won the 2011 Scottish election on an anti- austerity platform focused on tackling child poverty, reducing inequality, and building a more inclusive and universal approach to welfare’

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‘Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets?’ Has this fragmented think tank left out the obvious factor, based on their track record in Scotland or in the other parts of the UK so far, is there much chance they will deliver anywhere near the level the SNP has achieved?

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The Joseph Rowntree Foundation today asks: Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets? and opines straight-off: All parties have published their manifestos for the 7 May Holyrood elections, but they fall well short of the action needed to meet child poverty targets, leaving the next Scottish Government to match rhetoric with action. The researchers, above, base this largely on reading the manifestos and giving all the benefit of the doubt as to whether they might deliver them. This is hugely naive or predisposed to not consider what the SNP has done in Scotland with Labour in Wales and in … Continue reading ‘Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets?’ Has this fragmented think tank left out the obvious factor, based on their track record in Scotland or in the other parts of the UK so far, is there much chance they will deliver anywhere near the level the SNP has achieved?

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Replacing migrant care workers with better paid locals – Scottish Labour can only offer a review that might pay more in 2028 (!) while SNP has already delivered a 7% increase now!

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In the Guardian today: Britain [sic] risks undermining the care workers it depends on. A new Fair Pay Agreement [FPA] is promised, with the government overseeing pioneering sector-wide negotiations aimed at improving the lot of these undervalued workers. The deal is intended to come into force from April 2028. Yet by singling out this group for the longest wait before they belong in the UK – with high-paid workers on a faster track – the Home Office seems to be validating the deprecation of this essential work that helps explain why it’s under-rewarded in the first place. The hope is that … Continue reading Replacing migrant care workers with better paid locals – Scottish Labour can only offer a review that might pay more in 2028 (!) while SNP has already delivered a 7% increase now!

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Lib Dems confirm that they share Scottish Labour’s values – protecting the wealthy, punishing the disabled, bombing the innocent and increasing child cancers

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By Liz S “Lib Dem leader signals party could back Sarwar as first minister”. ( “could” in that sentence is quite interesting, as one wonders if currently that is only a possibility as a scenario, then what would it take to definitely make the Lib Dems to then confirm that they “would back Sarwar as First Minister”) ? The BBC wrote that “Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has signalled that his party could back Labour’s Anas Sarwar in a vote to nominate a new first minister” He also “confirmed he would not support Conservative leader Russell Findlay or Reform chief Malcolm Offord in a … Continue reading Lib Dems confirm that they share Scottish Labour’s values – protecting the wealthy, punishing the disabled, bombing the innocent and increasing child cancers

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In the UK today – “Things fall apart, the Centre cannot hold, mere anarchy rules”

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By Alasdair Macdonald Comments. When an opinion poll near voting day for the 2014 referendum suggested YES was going to win, the unionists panicked. David Cameron flew to Scotland. Bodger Broon made his notorious speech at Community Central Halls in Maryhill to Labour Party members (naebdy else allowed in) which the the BBC broadcast live and had ‘pundits who hailed it. The Daily Ranger published the mendacious VOW. A spokesperson for MI5 was interviewed and said that at times when the integrity of the state is at risk all agencies must act to protect it. Even though Labour did not … Continue reading In the UK today – “Things fall apart, the Centre cannot hold, mere anarchy rules”

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Lord Offord’s revelation does seem credible considering Sarwar declared in 2025 that he would be prepared to work with Reform UK on a case-by-case basis

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By Liz S Anas Sarwar, last night in the CH4 leader’s debate, was exposed by Malcolm Offord of trying to concoct a plan for his Labour party & Offord’s Reform UK to work together “to remove the SNP”. (BTW Paisley Town Hall ,that was where Offord said Sarwar had “bounced up to him saying we need to work together” and was where the BBC’s Debate night did their leaders debate). Now Offord’s revelation does seem credible , especially considering Sarwar once declared in 2025 , that he would be prepared “to work with Reform UK on a case-by-case basis” . So Sarwar … Continue reading Lord Offord’s revelation does seem credible considering Sarwar declared in 2025 that he would be prepared to work with Reform UK on a case-by-case basis

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How I predicted Scottish Labour’s willingness to work with anyone to remove the SNP, 8 years ago

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You can just see that can’t you? Anas Sarwar ‘bouncing’ up to Lord Offal with a plan to get the SNP between them. Who thought Sarwar ever had a principle beyond ‘me first?’ Anyhow, in October 2018, I sensed the fit between the right-trending Labour Party then and that other extreme-right party, the DUP, and wrote: As the Scottish Labour Party in Scotland loses support to the Scottish Tories and to the SNP, attracted by unionist loyalty on the one wing and ‘The Real McKay’ progressive taxation on the other, its leader plans to abandon progressive politics to the SNP … Continue reading How I predicted Scottish Labour’s willingness to work with anyone to remove the SNP, 8 years ago

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CalMac ferries problems definitely not dominating real election campaign as they are of little interest to voters despite MSM efforts

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BBC Scotland today and yesterday: CalMac ferries problems dominate election campaigning – Ferries and the problems besetting CalMac’s services have dominated many of the day’s exchanges on the election campaign. First Minister John Swinney travelled to Stornoway, where he announced a new SNP government would set up a £10m resilience fund to help communities and businesses affected by the recent ferry disruption. His political opponents claimed it was a problem of the SNP’s own making, and Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said Swinney should be “ashamed” of the “ferry fiasco”. and: Labour promised to fix the “broken” ferries system with … Continue reading CalMac ferries problems definitely not dominating real election campaign as they are of little interest to voters despite MSM efforts

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The list of scandals connected to this Labour party is growing

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By Liz S BBC Scotland Disclosure team catch-up three years after we disclosed Anas Sarwar backing a care home cash cow milking the tax-payer. Indeed , but did they disclose in their disclosure programme that he, Sarwar, once backed them in the past ? If not , why not ? The list of scandals connected to this Labour party is growing , yet as scandals they are not given the same treatment and attention by the BBC as they , the BBC, give to any #SNPBAD stories, be they true or false as #SNPBAD stories. Remember also this: Labour in Scotland “using … Continue reading The list of scandals connected to this Labour party is growing

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The Herald – Beyond the headlines and into the swamp beyond belief or trust

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The Herald is using the above in a tragic attempt to groom gullible adults out there. They were using this in January this year: When I saw the above being punted by the Herald, I didn’t know whether to laugh or…………laugh. It’s Trump-like in its mix of self-delusion and deep cynicism. They’ll be giving themselves some kind of Pulitzer prize, awarded at a ceremony hosted by Anas Sarwar. I’ve long lost track of how untrustworthy they have proved to be these last twenty years of anti-SNP propaganda though, before that, they were long champions of corporate interests against those of … Continue reading The Herald – Beyond the headlines and into the swamp beyond belief or trust