Tag: writing

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David Lammy’s shocking incompetence to be tested again? Remember when he oversaw the release in error of 179, more than THREE times as many prisoners proportionally as in Scotland, 5

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Prison security is a big story across UK media this morning, prompted by the above in the Telegraph, this morning. BBC Scotland have nothing on it but do have a piece on the QEUH not being able to report even one positive Ebola case. In April 2026, BBC Scotland were interested in the same story – prisoners released in error – as the UK media. As always, they failed to spot the main issue: Shocking incompetence as Lammy oversees the release in error of more than THREE times as many prisoners as Constance in Scotland Justice Secretaries in April 2026, … Continue reading David Lammy’s shocking incompetence to be tested again? Remember when he oversaw the release in error of 179, more than THREE times as many prisoners proportionally as in Scotland, 5

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Be Careful What You Sound Like

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By Mark E. Saunders of “The Scottish Minuteman” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 When we read through today’s article abovefrom The Daily Express, it appears to be little more than comedy gold worthy of Armando Iannucci. Read it in the context of Scottish history, however, and it becomes something rather more sinister. The debate is supposedly about authenticity. But authenticity measured by what? Policy? Integrity? Competence? No. Pronunciation. For centuries, the British state understood something that many modern commentators of the British experiment often overlook: language is power. Following Culloden, the assault upon Scotland did not end with disarmed clans and outlawing highland dress. It continued in classrooms, … Continue reading Be Careful What You Sound Like

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Scotland’s ambulances between 2 and 3 tines faster thousands of times but Daily Record finds one case to report

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There are some minor problems in comparing the data for England and Scotland but you can be sure that were they to favour the former, they’d be widely reported. Here’s why they’re not: In January 2024, BBC UK made direct comparison possible: Via the BBC’s How long do patients wait for an ambulance? app, we can confirm that the average waiting time for a Scottish ambulance was 8 min and 46 secs: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59549800 Also, from BBC UK on 14 December 2023: Average response times of more than 38 minutes for category two emergency calls such as heart attacks and strokes – above the target time … Continue reading Scotland’s ambulances between 2 and 3 tines faster thousands of times but Daily Record finds one case to report

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Murrell purchases map onto established features of a mental health disorder more readily than ‘strategic’ criminality and the harms were limited

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The judge clearly knows little of mental health conditions judging by his statement reported by the Scotsman, above. Looking at the purchases made by Peter Murrell over 12 years, the low-utility or barely-used nature of many of his purchases strengthens the case for significant compulsive or impulse-driven elements more than a purely rational, strategic “deliberate crime” model. In classic deliberate embezzlement or fraud for instrumental gain, funds are often deployed strategically: gifts/patronage to build loyalty or alliances, investments in assets/shares for laundering or growth, offshore accounts, property, or other mechanisms that sustain power, provide ongoing cover, or generate further illicit … Continue reading Murrell purchases map onto established features of a mental health disorder more readily than ‘strategic’ criminality and the harms were limited

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Add the DUP to the history of the Tories, Liberals and Labour in covering-up systematic child abuse by MPs that underlies the more recent inaction by government and by police on grooming gangs

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The astonishing apathy of the MSM in reacting to the above sexual abuse of children contrasts with their frothing pile-on of a man clearly with a mental health problem relating to spending but it’s part of wider historical pattern. By JB Independent Inquiry Child Sex Abuse From the 2012 investigation  ‘Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse Linked to Westminster’. “This investigation concerns institutional responses to allegations of child sexual abuse and exploitation involving persons of public prominence who were associated with Westminster. Westminster is defined in this report as the centre of the United Kingdom’s government, government ministers and officials, as … Continue reading Add the DUP to the history of the Tories, Liberals and Labour in covering-up systematic child abuse by MPs that underlies the more recent inaction by government and by police on grooming gangs

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Huge surge in child exploitation – carrying drugs in body cavities and sexual abuse – by English county lines drug gangs in Scotland

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From Human Trafficking NRM referrals re county lines – 10yrs published by Police Scotland today, that ‘referrals made by Police Scotland to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) where county lines and suspected criminal exploitation was a factor‘ was: Under 16 year-olds – from 6 in 2020/2021 to 39 in 2025/2026, almost a seven-fold increase. 16-17 year-olds, from 16 to 65, a four-fold increase. Source: https://www.scotland.police.uk/access-to-information/freedom-of-information/disclosure-log/disclosure-log-2026/june/26-1022-human-trafficking-nrm-referrals-re-county-lines-10yrs/ What forms does that exploitation take? County lines refers to a violent, exploitative model of illegal drug distribution in the UK, where urban gangs and organised criminal networks export drugs (primarily heroin and crack cocaine) … Continue reading Huge surge in child exploitation – carrying drugs in body cavities and sexual abuse – by English county lines drug gangs in Scotland

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Holyrood still far more open and transparent for journalists than Westminster

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The Herald and other media wailing at new constraints on their journalists wandering Holyrood and mobbing ministers, fail to tell you this. Holyrood access still remains more transparent overall than Westminster, even after the recent media pen change. The new restriction is narrow and targeted. It’s only after First Minister’s Questions, in one specific area. Westminster’s system is much more controlled. Why Holyrood Is Still More Transparent There is broader general access. Accredited journalists at Holyrood have significant freedom to move around the building, approach MSPs in public areas and can conduct impromptu interviews. The media pen is limited. It … Continue reading Holyrood still far more open and transparent for journalists than Westminster

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Nine SNP initiatives to tackle child poverty all unique to Scotland and all of them not news for you apparently

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From: Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan: Progress Report 2025-26 published yesterday to the above MSM response: Steps taken in the past year to further strengthen the support available to families include: Launching the £3 million Bright Start Breakfasts fund, awarding funding to 490 breakfast clubs including 142 new clubs. This has created almost 9,000 breakfast club places, supporting up to 20,000 primary and special school children. Tackling the cost of transport by abolishing peak fares on Scotrail services, delivering free foot passenger travel on inter-island ferries for under 22 year old islanders, extending the national concessionary ferry scheme, and introducing a £2 bus fare … Continue reading Nine SNP initiatives to tackle child poverty all unique to Scotland and all of them not news for you apparently

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In Scotland, twice as many ‘probation officers’ and so only a tiny fraction of the re-offending level

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In the Guardian today: The public is “at direct risk” from unsupervised ex-offenders because probation officers in England and Wales are being asked to cope with excessive workloads, a union has said. As ministers prepare to release and monitor tens of thousands more prisoners this autumn, Napo’s executive has declared for the first time that it has no confidence in managers at the probation service. In a worrying development for the government, the union is threatening to launch industrial action in three months’ time unless members receive increased support and pay. James Timpson, the prisons minister, told MPs last week that the … Continue reading In Scotland, twice as many ‘probation officers’ and so only a tiny fraction of the re-offending level

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After two decades of SNP Government far fewer per head young Scots are not in employment, education or training (Neets)

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BBC Breakfast today had the above headline story of 1 012 000 16 to 24 year-olds not in employment, education and training. All things being equal, with 8% of the population, you’d expect the figure in Scotland to be around 81 000. Scotland does not publish a single official NEET figure for the full 16–24 age group using the same definition as the UK-wide Labour Force Survey (LFS). Instead, it focuses on a more comprehensive Annual Participation Measure (APM) for ages 16–19 and the figure for that is around 9 000. https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/2y3ex4it/2025-annual-participation-measure-statistics.pdf On the basis of the above, the Scottish … Continue reading After two decades of SNP Government far fewer per head young Scots are not in employment, education or training (Neets)