Talking-up Scotland

From Insider today:

‘Scottish Gas owner Centrica is joining calls on the Government to introduce mandatory paid leave for workers who also have caring responsibilities. Chief executive Iain Conn has written to the chief executives of the UK’s 100 largest employers to encourage more support for carers. Centrica said it believed companies could save up to £4.8 billion a year in unplanned absences and a further £3.4 billion in improved employee retention by adopting flexible working policies to support those with caring responsibilities.The firm is announcing a change to its carers policy, giving employees more paid leave, without using annual allowances. It will now offer 10 days’ paid leave to all carers followed by another 10 days that can be taken if matched with annual leave.’

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/scottish-gas-owner-calls-carers-15005134

I’ve been reporting for some time now, not so much recently, on the notion that Scotland is different from rUK in terms of the predominance of more collectivist, communitarian values. The above report seems to reinforce the idea that there might be something in this contributory factor to the drive for independence. Here are some earlier reports:

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

We’ve already seen that Scotland has 28% of the UK’s living wage employers yet only 8% of the population, that NHS Scotland will pay a living wage to all employees and that Scottish housing associations will do the same. See…

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

There are around 3 500 living wage employers across the UK with 28% of them in Scotland but the Scottish government is clearly not satisfied and has launched an ambitious plan to turn Scotland into a ‘Living Wage Nation. Here’s…

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?

Porridge and oats specialists, Stoats, has just been named as Scotland’s 1 000th Living Wage-accredited employer. There are around 3 500 across the UK with 28% of them in Scotland. https://news.gov.scot/news/1-000th-living-wage-employer This 8% of the population but a…

Another difference as UK small and medium-sized business people prefer Boris while Scots prefer…

From Citibase: ‘Despite making numerous incendiary remarks and being at the heart of a ‘civil war’ among his own party, 23% of SMEs would still like to see Boris Johnson as the next Prime Minister, closely followed by Theresa May…

Another difference between Scotland and rUK?

Note: Found this in my drafts folder, forgotten I know it’s not a necessary condition for the Scots to be really different from their neighbours to then deserve independence but, if it’s there, it can help in articulating a rationale…

NHS England’s new motto: Who is laike us? Dem few and they err awl daid!

Anoher difference between Scotland and rUK? I know it’s not a necessary condition for the Scots to be really different from their neighbours to then deserve independence but, if it’s there, it can help in articulating a rationale which helps.…

Scottish Government support for small businesses superior to that in non-Scottish parts of UK