Tag: wales

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Poverty – Given the Labour Party’s track record in government in Cardiff over decades, what credibility can it have now in Scotland?

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By stewartb In its news report of the JRF’s statement on the election manifestos of political parties in Scotland regarding poverty, The National newspaper quotes the social justice spokesperson for the British Labour Party in Scotland. This demonstrates yet again the party’s political hypocrisy. On poverty reduction, Claire Baker states: “The SNP’s shameful lack of progress over the last two decades has made this all the more challenging and all the more urgent.” And: “Scottish Labour is determined to tackle poverty at its root, support the next generation and make life more affordable.” Fortunately we can assess the Labour Party’s … Continue reading Poverty – Given the Labour Party’s track record in government in Cardiff over decades, what credibility can it have now in Scotland?

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The new Welsh government, of whatever party or coalition, has a particularly difficult inheritance in health and social care

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By stewartb The Nuffield Trust has published a companion to the Scottish briefing , for the NHS in Wales. It concludes (with my emphasis): ‘The new Welsh government, of whatever party or coalition, has a particularly difficult inheritance in health and social care. Waiting times are poor and the public deeply unhappy. ‘Wales’s older, more deprived population means that needs for care are elevated, and sustained high levels of health funding reflect that. ‘The incoming ministers will know that there is not enough money in the coffers to simply spend their way to success. Improvements in delayed discharges and waiting lists provide a … Continue reading The new Welsh government, of whatever party or coalition, has a particularly difficult inheritance in health and social care

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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. I think all of this shows the unionists are really fears that their ‘precious union’ might indeed be falling apart due to Starmer’s and his government’s lack of a narrative and a direction, the rise of Reform and collapse of the Tories, the DUP’s recognition that a united Ireland is coming accompanied by the mollifying words of the president of the Gaelic Games Association, the rise of the Green Party to the left of Labour (Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck are more leftwing than Labour), the likely third party status of Labour in Wales and the … Continue reading In the UK today – “Things fall apart, the Centre cannot hold, mere anarchy rules”

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Always choosing the darkness for you – BBC Scotland give you one rape and hide both that it’s TWICE as common in the rest of the UK and that resident doctors are NOT on strike here

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Above BBC Scotland, below BBC UK: In more than 1 000 words, BBC Scotland’s report on a rape case, above, offers no context of the kind student journalists must have or they fail, eg, ‘Is this offence more common in Scotland than elsewhere as drug deaths apparently are?‘ Would a bit of context have been useful for readers? This kind of thing? On 25 June 2025, I wrote: The media in Scotland are headlining the increase in recorded cases of rape and attempted rape in Scotland. Though the increase may in part be a consequence of a greater confidence by victims … Continue reading Always choosing the darkness for you – BBC Scotland give you one rape and hide both that it’s TWICE as common in the rest of the UK and that resident doctors are NOT on strike here

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Edinburgh Labour minority Lib Dem-assisted government repeats handing back housing money to government and failing constituents

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From BBC Scotland on 19 December 2024, the above and: Labour has retained control of City of Edinburgh Council under a minority administration propped up by Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Jane Meagher has been appointed as the council’s new leader. Former leader Cammy Day resigned over claims he sent sexually explicit messages to Ukrainian refugees. SNP and Green councillors had launched an attempt to take over running the council but their bid was voted down by 32 votes to 28. Labour only has 10 of the 63 councillors that make up the city’s administration. Councillor Meagher, who represents the Portobello … Continue reading Edinburgh Labour minority Lib Dem-assisted government repeats handing back housing money to government and failing constituents

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Labour Wales councils in debt at FIVE times the level in Scotland for worse services

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By stewartb If Scotland was an independent nation-state I would think it perfectly reasonable – indeed necessary – to hold its parties and system of government to account in part through making public policy (input, process, output and outcome) comparisons with other broadly similar nation-states. However, so long as Scotland remains in Union, it is wholly appropriate – indeed necessary – to make such comparisons with other parts of the UK. It’s relevant to draw comparisons with those parts whose responsible national government has limited (devolved) powers. However, it is ESPECIALLY ‘interesting’ and relevant to compare Scotland (and NI and … Continue reading Labour Wales councils in debt at FIVE times the level in Scotland for worse services

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Rape!!! Glasgow Herald works only to scare women with irresponsible, uninformative reporting – Reported rape and attempted rape is a staggering twice as common in England & Wales than it is in Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Herald, this morning, the above. Two things. One, can it be called just ‘rape’, at this stage unless of course your aim is only to shock as opposed to inform. Second, would a bit of context be useful for readers? This kind of thing? On 25 June 2025, I wrote: The media in Scotland are headlining the increase in recorded cases of rape and attempted rape in Scotland. Though the increase may in part be a consequence of a greater confidence by victims to come forward and report these crimes, the figures remain disturbing. … Continue reading Rape!!! Glasgow Herald works only to scare women with irresponsible, uninformative reporting – Reported rape and attempted rape is a staggering twice as common in England & Wales than it is in Scotland

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How Labour has betrayed the people of Wales with an NHS ‘brought to its knees’

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With only 2 days left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – John Robertson, Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 By stewartb As Scotland’s shoppers (and voters) view the front pages of newspapers without having to buy them whilst in supermarket queues and elsewhere (perhaps via the BBC), the messaging that NHS Scotland is ‘really bad’ and it’s that SNP’s fault, is fed drip by drip by drip – constantly, repeatedly – into the nation’s and the electorate’s consciousness. After all, according to BMA Scotland … Continue reading How Labour has betrayed the people of Wales with an NHS ‘brought to its knees’

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As British Labour Party politicians persist in gaslighting Scotland, is Labour’s disturbing legacy of 26 years of devolved government in Wales fair game for examination?

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details By stewartb “To put it bluntly, educational outcomes are a source of major concern in Wales” (Education Policy Institute, July 2025). When the BBC News website published an article headlined ‘Pass rates up for Scottish pupils in latest exam results’ on August 5, it reported (but did not headline) that there had been a reduction in the attainment gap: ‘The SQA said the attainment gap – between the level of qualifications achieved by children from the most affluent and the least affluent areas – … Continue reading As British Labour Party politicians persist in gaslighting Scotland, is Labour’s disturbing legacy of 26 years of devolved government in Wales fair game for examination?

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Which Scottish public service has the highest customer service rating? I’ll give you a clue – it has red and black funnels

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Professor John Robertson OBA We’ve seen a steady stream of politicised propaganda based on CalMac for a few years now and as recently as the above Scotsman headline only 5 days ago, suggesting some kind of crisis in Scotland’s west coast ferry system. You’d think, given its frequency and intensity, it must be real and that, because of that, ferry-users would be making their views clear, on the day they were in some way disappointed, through the company’s own evaluation easily accessible to them. They have made their views clear, but not in the way media critics might have hoped … Continue reading Which Scottish public service has the highest customer service rating? I’ll give you a clue – it has red and black funnels