Talking-up Scotland

‘Over 75,000 carers receive new payment’ and ‘Supporting asylum seekers’

In the Guardian today, we see:

‘Majority of Britons think empathy is on the wane. YouGov survey finds 51% of people think empathy has declined compared with only 12% who think it has increased.’

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/oct/04/increasing-number-of-britons-think-empathy-is-on-the-wane

I haven’t been able so far to find the original research to see if there is a ‘regional’ breakdown and so to check if responses from Scots are any different. I suppose it is unlikely as it is about perceptions of empathy and we’ve just watched the nasty party (no speech marks required) at conference. I feel sure a reader will help.

It’s been two months since I last reported on the contentious issue of whether Scots and Scotland are just a bit different in terms of dominant values. The last was:

Are Scotland’s employers also different – more willing to pay a decent wage?

Before that, I’d written these:

Another step on the way to becoming a ‘Living Wage Nation’ and a ‘Better Nation?’

With 1 in 4 living wage employers already in Scotland, the Scottish Government aims to make this a ‘Living Wage Nation’

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?

80 000 lowest paid workers in NHS England still on poverty wages as NHS Scotland follows Scottish Government policy to pay a living wage to all public-sector employees

Scottish care workers to receive Living Wage for ‘sleepover’ hours while English care workers receive only the National Minimum Wage.

Don’t know about you but I think there’s something in it. So, to add support to the theory, see these two SNP Government announcements today:

1. Over 75,000 carers receive new payment

‘More than 75,000 carers have received the Carer’s Allowance Supplement. Carers are getting an additional payment of £442 this financial year, in two payments of £221, equivalent of an extra £8.50 per week and an increase of 13% on the current Carer’s Allowance.’

https://news.gov.scot/news/over-75-000-carers-receive-new-payment

BBC Scotland News and STV did cover it in an entirely positive way but the Herald, placing the story ‘well down the page’, managed to find:

‘The cost of the extra benefit to Scottish taxpayers, the first of 11 to be devolved over this parliament, is £30m a year.’

There’s no mention of the above in the SNP Government release so some real ‘investigative journalism’ was required there.

There’s no sign of the story on the Scotsman site but having seen the kind of comments they get from readers, it’s no surprise they’re headlining anger…over delays on the Queensferry Crossing, changes to the location for the cup semi-final and Nicola Sturgeon ggrrr! Is my imagined stereotypical Scotsman troll as a tweedy, keen fisherman, who likes to cross the said crossing very quickly heading for the Tay in his 4×4, unfair?

The second piece of evidence I offer for the Difference Theory is this:

2. Supporting asylum seekers

‘An organisation that supports asylum seekers in Glasgow will benefit from extra funding. In July 2018, Serco Ltd announced plans to evict people from asylum accommodation in Glasgow. Although the evictions are currently paused, there remain a significant number of people seeking advice to secure their access to support or services they are entitled to. Positive Action in Housing will receive £20,000 emergency funding over six months to increase the capacity of their advice service. This will enable more people to re-establish Home Office support, mainstream services and housing they are entitled to or to make decisions about their future for themselves.’

https://news.gov.scot/news/supporting-asylum-seekers

Now, think of Theresa May shouting about preserving England’s borders and note how different our government is?