Talking-up Scotland

I’ve been banging on about this for some time now. While it’s not a necessary condition for us to want independence are we different enough as community, including those born elsewhere, even in England (😊), to further justify the claim in terms of difference. It’s a concept that BBC Scotland love to challenge when they can so this from their own website, might have given them pause for thought:

‘More than half of Scotland’s population have registered to donate their organs or tissue after their death – the highest rate in Britain. Figures show that more than 2,724,000 Scottish residents are registered on the UK Organ Donor Register.’

For balance of course, they quickly reminded us not to get too cocky with:

‘Approximately 550 people in Scotland are waiting for an organ transplant, which could save or transform their lives.’

On the website, they found time and space for this comparative comment below:

‘On 4 July there were 2,724,358 people in Scotland on the UK Organ Donor Register – 50.4% of the population. The UK average on 31 March was 38%.’

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-45022265

The broadcast versions of the report found no time for the comparative percentages but plenty for interviews with patients in hospitals. Why didn’t they report the percentages?

Anyhow, back to the concept of ‘difference’. On its own, a higher level of organ donation might suggest but not prove anything. When, however, you add, higher charitable donations, stronger support for ethical shopping, many more living wage-employers, much less racial hate crime, less violent crime, civic nationalism in contrast to England’s ethnic nationalism, opposition to fox hunting, support for progressive politics, greater kindness toward refugees and less-violent prisons, does it add up to something more tangible?

See these for detail:

Scottish Nationalism is a very different and a better thing than English/British Nationalism and, at last, BBC Scotland seems to have faced up to the fact.

BBC News tries to spread knife crime crisis into Scotland to tell us: ‘You’re no different. Don’t get any ideas!’

SNP moves to finally put an end to foxes’agony being ripped apart by hounds as the English Tories plan a return to the unspeakable business. Different again?

8% of the UK population and 28% of living wage employers. More evidence that we are different enough to want to run the whole show?

Racial hate crimes increase by 33% in England & Wales while falling by 10% in Scotland: Who says we’re not different?

Young Syrian refugees happier in Scotland than in the non-Scottish parts of the UK. More evidence of difference?

Why are prison officers staying in post in Scotland as they flee the tide of violence and self-harm in England and Wales?

Another wee difference as Scottish consumers seem more willing to pay more for ethical goods?

8% of the population but 11.8% of the charitable donations – ‘punching above our weight?’

Have ten years of progressive SNP policies made Scots more optimistic?