The real news – More important than reported knife possession by far – murder by stabbing halved in six years, hospital stabbing admissions down by one-third and teen victims of murder plummet to only one-fifth of that in 2008
Top story from BBC Scotland relating to two murders involving knives, last year. The SNP minister described the murders of Kayden Moy, 16, and John McNab, 22, in Irvine and Edinburgh last year as “shocking” amid concerns over rising levels of knife possession among youths in Scotland. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ly5720vzdo There is evidence in police reporting of increased knife possession though we cannot be sure of the extent to which this is affected by increased police activity and/or new offences being added. Either way, there are other very important developments relating to knife crime, being ignored here, but which offer us a … Continue reading The real news – More important than reported knife possession by far – murder by stabbing halved in six years, hospital stabbing admissions down by one-third and teen victims of murder plummet to only one-fifth of that in 2008
SNP-run Glasgow City build 110 times more social rent homes than Labour-run Liverpool as Guardian predicts social housing lists ‘would take 119 years to clear’
In the Guardian today: Social housing lists ‘would take 119 years to clear at current building rate’ Research shows generations of children in England will grow up homeless unless government addresses council housing debt, charity says https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jun/07/social-housing-119-years-waitlist-current-building-rate Also in the Guardian, in October last year: According to the housing charity Shelter, in the 12 months leading up to March 2025, Liverpool city council received 2,048 applications for homelessness support, a 25% increase on the previous year. The most recent data shows 12,764 households on the city’s social housing waiting list. But one figure is particularly shocking: reflecting the fact that most local authorities … Continue reading SNP-run Glasgow City build 110 times more social rent homes than Labour-run Liverpool as Guardian predicts social housing lists ‘would take 119 years to clear’
Hiding the blame for Scotland’s decades-long £28bn entrapment in London-based parties financial incompetence
Major and Blair – the men responsible for Scotland’s seemingly endless PFI debt. What!? £600m in one year ‘repaying private firms?’ Surely the headline should tell us who is to blame for this massive mistake? Let’s look. Paragraph 1? Nothing. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 – nothing. Ah, there it is in paragraph 10. We’ll hear more of those parties now! Well, no, that’s it. 22 paragraphs but no repeating of of ‘Conservative’ or ‘Labour.’ In total for all the PFI scheme building under the Conservative Government of John Major and the Labour Government of Tony Blair … Continue reading Hiding the blame for Scotland’s decades-long £28bn entrapment in London-based parties financial incompetence
With less than 4% of the defence spending UK has no credibility in Scotland
From BBC UK today: Delays in publishing a report laying out government defence spending have undermined the UK’s credibility with its allies, a parliamentary committee that scrutinises public spending says. The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) was supposed to be published in the autumn but is now due to be released ahead of a Nato summit early next month. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says the hold-up means procuring the latest equipment will be more expensive, “hindering the government’s attempt to modernise the Armed Forces”. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesman said the DIP would “fix the outdated, overcommitted and underfunded … Continue reading With less than 4% of the defence spending UK has no credibility in Scotland
BBC Scotland copies Daily Record technique to attract viewers with one cancer misdiagnosis but fails to mention 99.6% diagnostic accuracy across thousands of cases
Top story today, just like the Record, three weeks ago: BBC Scotland have a tragic tale of breast cancer misdiagnosis, terrible, but a single case. How it came to their notice is not mentioned. From a family member or from a local non-SNP councillor to Fiona Stalker? How common is a breast cancer misdiagnosis? I can find no NHS Scotland research but this seems relevant. For certain cancers, researchers have estimated very low “missed cancer” rates after specialist assessment. For example, one UK study of breast clinics found an overall diagnostic accuracy of about 99.6%. https://www.nature.com/articles/6605082?utm_source=chatgpt.com Is there any reason … Continue reading BBC Scotland copies Daily Record technique to attract viewers with one cancer misdiagnosis but fails to mention 99.6% diagnostic accuracy across thousands of cases
Labour UK Government ‘risks failing to deliver on its promise to save NHS dentistry in England’ and Scots know what they’ve got
The above follows immediately the British Dental Association‘s claim that ‘across the whole UK, the dentists union says it’s become much more difficult for people to access affordable care.‘ The report had opened with ‘the British Dental Association says the Government risks failing to deliver on its promise to save NHS dentistry in England. Labour has pledged to reform the struggling service in this parliament.’ Dentistry is not an issue, it seems, for the media operating in Scotland. Here’s why: Twice as many have NHS dental care in Scotland, hundreds queue for care in England but the Herald lets the … Continue reading Labour UK Government ‘risks failing to deliver on its promise to save NHS dentistry in England’ and Scots know what they’ve got
Horrific, unregulated, and very profitable. The companies prevented from making cash from Scotland’s children in care because of Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘promise’ in 2016
Before anyone accuses me of being duped, read my trenchant criticism of Nicola Sturgeon’s apparent views on Hilary Clinton and US foreign policy at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/04/sturgeon-and-clinton-does-being-a-woman-any-woman-trump-sic-her-war-crimes-her-murder-and-betrayal-of-the-poor/ That matters to me, a lot, but nothing can deny her massive achievements on the home front. In the Guardian today, from George Monbiot, quite an heroic figure for me and often well-tuned into to Scottish affairs: Bring your suitcase, your bin liner, your dumpy bag. They’re handing out money faster than you can stuff it in a sack. All you need do is join the market in what may now be England’s most lucrative … Continue reading Horrific, unregulated, and very profitable. The companies prevented from making cash from Scotland’s children in care because of Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘promise’ in 2016
Aberdeen By-election Special – Where tory Promises Go To Die
By Jim Mennie The Tories like to present themselves as champions of North East Scotland. Yet issues like oil and gas show they definitively are not. But it’s not just oil and gas that exposes how they treat the voters of the North East as mugs. In 2014, the then Westminster Tory-LibDem coalition government promised to make North East Scotland a world leader in carbon capture technology. The then UK Energy Secretary, and now LibDem leader, Ed Davey confirmed Peterhead as the location for the world’s first gas-fired carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility – backed up by a £100 … Continue reading Aberdeen By-election Special – Where tory Promises Go To Die
Reform UK cannot speak for workers in the North Sea
By Jim Mennie Reform UK has positioned itself as a vocal advocate for the North Sea oil and gas industry, particularly in North East Scotland. The party presents its policies as a defence of high-skilled jobs, energy security and domestic energy production against what it describes as overly rapid net-zero targets and green levies. While the messaging resonates in oil-dependent communities, serious questions remain about the party’s experience, track record and ability to deliver on its promises. What Reform UK Proposes The party’s platform includes several core commitments: Fast-tracking new North Sea exploration licences as a priority. Maximising extraction of … Continue reading Reform UK cannot speak for workers in the North Sea
After intensive police investigations found nothing the presumption of innocence applies to the SNP just as it does to you and I – The SNP is innocent of the misuse of donor funds and deniers should be careful what they say now
BBC Scotland today: Police Scotland says it is not launching a fresh investigation into claims about a £667,000 fund raised by the SNP for an independence referendum campaign. Independence activist Sean Clerkin reported the party to police, accusing it of “misusing” the cash by spending it on “general” campaigning, the Scottish Sun, external reported. It came after First Minister John Swinney confirmed the fund had been used for the SNP’s “ongoing activity”, insisting it had been spent on “independence objectives”. Concerns about the money sparked the police investigation that led to former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell – Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband – … Continue reading After intensive police investigations found nothing the presumption of innocence applies to the SNP just as it does to you and I – The SNP is innocent of the misuse of donor funds and deniers should be careful what they say now
Talking-up Scotland 