Tag: wales

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Teacher staffing in Labour-run Wales a pupil-harming 40% lower than in Scotland as it remains the same here

johnrobertson834

This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ As the Guardian reports on 14 years of cuts to school budgets, crumbling buildings and a crisis in the funding for staff in England, the Scotsman has a go at including Scotland in this ‘crisis’ with: SNP teacher numbers vow in tatters The claim comes, no surprise, not from an independent research group but from the EIS union, whose leaders have regularly misrepresented their members interests to help Scottish Labour. The EIS leadership and Labour are close. Several, with me, were at Stirling University, thanks to one … Continue reading Teacher staffing in Labour-run Wales a pupil-harming 40% lower than in Scotland as it remains the same here

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Only in Scotland – Like his English counterpart the Welsh Auditor General is neither a political stooge nor a media favourite

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ By cuckooshoe I cannot find any mainstream media reports on this release from Audit Wales published on 20 Feb 2024 https://www.audit.wales/news/firefighting-future-proofing-challenge-welsh-public-services ‘The Auditor General for Wales has called for a bold vision for public services in Wales if it is to shift from a spiral of short-term firefighting to future proofing and long-term sustainability. In the context of the Welsh Government’s draft budget for 2024-25, the Auditor General identifies themes that the work of Audit Wales suggests would help public organisations achieve more value from the money … Continue reading Only in Scotland – Like his English counterpart the Welsh Auditor General is neither a political stooge nor a media favourite

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Juryless rape trials already take place in England and Wales – somebody tell the Scottish media and defence lawyers?

johnrobertson834

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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Covid deaths – BBC Scotland lie to conceal Scotland’s better outcomes and UK Government’s under-reporting

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In a report on the BBC Scotland website today, with a carefully chosen image to connect Covid outcomes to the SNP leader at the time, this: The impact on Scotland In Scotland to date, more than 18,000 people have died with Covid and ONS (Office for National Statistics ) analysis suggests death rates were very similar in Scotland and England and slightly better in Wales and Northern Ireland. The question the UK Covid inquiry will ask is did the different decisions in Scotland have any real impact on the virus, for better or worse? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67985184 This is patently inaccurate and … Continue reading Covid deaths – BBC Scotland lie to conceal Scotland’s better outcomes and UK Government’s under-reporting

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Associating all problems with the SNP in government – Reporting Scotland’s subtle [not so] agenda on obesity

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This morning in a short teaser for their pals at Disclosure Scotland who will be, later tonight, doing a special on obesity, Reporting Scotland find time for the above little bookend comment implying responsibility. In the longer online report, there is no mention of the Scottish Government. Regardless of whether it is conscious propaganda or a subconscious tendency, the longer term impact on viewers is the association of the Scottish Government with another problem that they are not directly responsible for and an association of a kind which BBC England, Wales and Northern Ireland rarely make with their governments. A … Continue reading Associating all problems with the SNP in government – Reporting Scotland’s subtle [not so] agenda on obesity

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Why is reporting of far fewer deaths by stabbing in Scotland not in the public interest when reporting higher drug deaths is?

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The tragic news of another death by stabbing of a 16 year-old in London on New Year’s Eve is not being reported comparatively in the way that drug deaths are. Regardless of falling drug deaths in Scotland, Scottish and UK media and opposition politicians continue to feast greedily on comparisons with the rest of the UK or Europe. In the last few months: Drug-related deaths in Scotland lie squarely at the feet of Nicola Sturgeon Labour List Scotland drug deaths decrease – but rate still higher than rest of Europe Sky News Scottish Labour demands SNP take action on drug … Continue reading Why is reporting of far fewer deaths by stabbing in Scotland not in the public interest when reporting higher drug deaths is?

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As Reporting Scotland headline unreliable doctor’s union figures, remember the facts

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Dr Iain Kennedy, chair of BMA Scotland Enthusiastic Unionist and admirer of Sandesh Gulhane MP (Con) returns with another dodgy survey as part of a wider attempt to undermine the SNP. The facts, not mentioned: First, staffing: NHS Scotland has 181 000 staff, 1 for every 30 members of the population of 5.44 million. NHS England has 1.4 million staff, 1 for every 40 members of the population of 56 million. NHS Wales has 90 000 million staff, 1 for every 35 members of the population of 3.14 million. Sources: https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/media/rgyfigzk/workforce-report-june-2022.html#:~:text=On%2031%20March%202022%2C%20NHS,156%2C875.6%20WTE%20(Figure%203.1). https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/nhs-in-a-nutshell/nhs-workforce#:~:text=and%20staff%20wellbeing.-,Workforce%20by%20staff%20group,time%20equivalent%20(FTE)%20basis. https://heiw.nhs.wales/careers/working-in-nhs-wales/#:~:text=The%20NHS%20is%20the%20largest%20employer%20in%20Wales%20with%20over%2090%2C000%20staff. Almost without exception, across Scotland, there are … Continue reading As Reporting Scotland headline unreliable doctor’s union figures, remember the facts