Talking-up Scotland

(c) Insider

From Insider today:

Scotland has kept its place as top of the UK in an index charting representation of women in the workplace. The high representation of women in senior positions helps set Scotland apart in the PwC Women In Work Index, which analyses the representation and welfare of women in the world of work across 33 OECD countries. The UK overall rose one place from 14th to 13th in the index which analysed data for 2017 and was second among the G7 nations behind Canada. Iceland was ranked first, ahead of Sweden and New Zealand. Scotland ranked above the UK average in two of the five metrics and equal in a further two.’

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/scotland-tops-uk-league-women-14087077

This another in a sequence of positive news reports regarding the place of women in Scotland:

Big increase in number of women GPs is excellent news for Scotland

Scotland’s progress on women in work

Economic contribution of Scottish women-owned businesses grows by nearly twice the rate of UK

Abuse of women and the disabled far higher in England than in Scotland

Scottish politics is third best in world for women’s empowerment and well ahead of UK

Scotland first again, again and again: women on public boards?

East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire best places in UK for women to live in

Interesting news for the DUP/Tory alliance: Women from Northern Ireland could get free abortions in Scotland

Scotland outperforms the rest of the UK with overall lower unemployment and lower unemployment for women and the young.

As reported levels of violence against women soar in England and Wales they seem to be falling in Scotland. Will this be reported?

 

We’ve recently seen that Loganair plan to launch flights from Aberdeen, Glasgow and even Stornoway to Southend, one hour by train away from London.

Loganair launch Southend Punk route to London

They have also saved flights from Aberdeen to Bristol, Oslo and Esbjerg. 

Scotland’s national airline, Loganair, steps in to save flights to Bristol, Oslo and Esbjerg

Now, improving access for those in Dumfries and neighbouring parts of Southern Scotland, Loganair have unveiled their first commercial and business flights from Carlisle for more than 25 years. The Scottish airline will fly to London Southend, Belfast and Dublin from this summer.

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/loganair-unveils-first-commercial-business-14085360

 

It’s getting worse isn’t it? That football violence. Somebody threw a bottle at the Hibs vs Celtic Game. A Celtic fan threw a coin at ex-Ranger Kris Boyd. Rangers fans sang a song at the Kilmarnock manager calling him a ‘fenian.’ What is a fenian anyway? Remember the cup final in, when was it? You know, when the Hibs fans invaded the pitch. It seems like it’s getting worse. Something needs to be done. I blame the ……….

Whoah! Who inserted that? Is that all we have? Minsk 1983?

Or does it?  Watching and reading reactions to these events over these last few weeks, I’m reminded of Stanley Cohen. In 1972, Cohen wrote a book called Folk Devils and Moral Panics about how the media and professional reaction to the conflict between the mods and rockers had amplified the actual level of deviance by melodramatic coverage and by influencing police behaviour.

Cohen says in the book’s introduction:

‘Calling something a ‘moral panic’ does not imply that this something does not exist or happened at all and that reaction is based on fantasy, hysteria, delusion and illusion or being duped by the powerful. Two related assumptions, though, require attention – that the attribution of the moral panic label means that the ‘thing’s’ extent and significance has been exaggerated (a) in itself (compared with other more reliable, valid and objective sources) and/or (b) compared with other, more serious problems.’

https://infodocks.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/stanley_cohen_folk_devils_and_moral_panics.pdf

Notably, Cohen pointed out that deviants such as football hooligans are often picked out at times of ‘national strain’ (Brexit/Indyref2?) to ‘clarify normative boundaries’ or to put it plainly, to remind all citizens that the status quo (Union/EU) is under threat and requires you to behave accordingly to help preserve it.

Last night Reporting Scotland headlined the story and made much of it with images of quite a small number of incidents, going back into the days of black and white, but search for ‘Scotland football violence’ from 1/1/19 to 4/3/19, and you only get three Scottish matches where violence was considered serious enough to be reported on. Jackie Bird did say ‘a number’ of them so that that’s true. Several English matches somehow made the list too.

1:

‘Tensions between Celtic and Airdrie fans boiled over into a brawl outside Parkhead. The Hoops won 3-0 against the League 1 side in the Scottish Cup fourth-round tie, but unsavoury scenes before kick-off saw bottles being thrown from one set of fans to the other.’

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/celtic-airdrie-fans-clash-ugly-13882705

No mention of specific injuries or any arrests made is offered.

2:

‘The clip shows large groups of fans descend into a huge fight – even throwing traffic cones at each other. The match itself was broadcast on BBC Alba. Police Scotland confirmed that there had been no arrests, but enquiries are ongoing.’

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/3944580/greenock-street-fight-morton-falkirk/

Again, no arrests. Does that tell us anything about the actual level of violence?

Note: As a Bairn myself, I take great offence at that headline’s pathetic alliteration.

3:

‘The supporter was caught on camera towards the end of the game, with footage showing someone in the away section winding up a throw before sending a red seat flying through the air – across the divide of dozens of security staff and police officers and into the Dons supporter section.’

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/1690518/scottish-government-vow-to-tackle-thuggish-football-hooliganism-after-seat-was-thrown-at-dons-fans-during-scottish-cup-match/

We must presume the fan missed as no report of injury is offered. Curiously, the offender is carefully referred to in terms of where he was rather than in terms of who he supports. That reminds me of Murdo Fraser’s warning on Debate Night that fans of one club might join another’s fans and commit an offence so as to get them banned. Hmmm….’Falkirk fan’ who ‘threw a traffic cone’ is exposed on his Facebook page as having been born in Greenock!

Looking at the previous three months, October to December 2018, only three matches, concerning Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen, were reported to feature any supporter violence. Only one man was charged, at an Aberdeen vs Ranger game, with throwing a bottle. Remember attendance at these games tends to be between 20 000 and 50 000 people.

In the previous three months, July to September 2019, only one incident was reported, the stabbing of two Croatian fans near to Ibrox stadium and in the three months before that, there were none.

Here’s a thought or two. There is little serious violence at Scottish football matches, and it tends to be concentrated, each year, in those matches featuring the five biggest teams. It’s not a major problem and it’s not one really affecting all of Scottish football as some like to suggest. The Morton/Falkirk incident is not in any way typical of these clubs.

Why don’t these big clubs in cohort with the police, just use film evidence, arrest the culprits and, perhaps, ban them for life, pour encourager les autres? As for our media, to reduce copycat offences, why not ignore them?

 

It’s 0.26am and while you, especially if you’re elderly, infirm or, better still, have a young child, are a bit tender, Reporting Scotland is ready with your occasional but potent dose of Fear of Nightmares medication delivered aurally in our long-running failing hospitals soap. From the smiling Nurse Shearer, who according to our facial expression analysis register software (FEARS), believes what she says and is just following orders:

‘Good morning. The health of Scotland’s children is being put at risk by staff shortages according to a new study.’

Well that’s woken us up. I can feel the sharp dip in my emotions.

‘The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says a shortage of children’s doctors is leaving staff struggling to cope and could lead to more paediatric wards closing.’

A ‘royal college’ with a big word in their title? Impressive. They probably can be trusted unlike, say the RMT. What, they’re a trades union which campaigns for their members interests?

They did a ‘study’. That’s like research and not just journalism, isn’t it? Well we don’t hear about their methods but, based on past experience, it will be another self-selecting sample using the ‘squeaky wheel’ algorithm which gives you the best results if you want to make demands.

Here are some earlier reports on the kinds of ‘research’ done by our royal colleges trades unions:

Contrary to Royal ‘College’ of Nursing’s ill-informed carping, the SNP Administration future-proofs nursing in Scotland as NHS England enters a training and staffing crisis

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s shoddy research exaggerates the level of child poverty in Scotland by contrast with other parts of the UK

Why won’t Royal College of Nursing release full results of a members’ survey?

Royal College of Nursing Refuse tgo let me see full data

The Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland Region: In Scotland but not with Scotland or with its members?

Now, I haven’t talked of the media ‘constructing’ reality here because the word can suggest ‘making up’ reality. The social scientists first using the term ‘construction’ did not, of course mean it in that way, but to avoid accusations of paranoia from the usual suspects at BBC Scotland, I’ll use the term ‘agreeing’ based on this piece which I only partly agree with myself:

‘The media can act as a socializing agent by constructing reality and then disseminating this reality to the mass public. The “social” element comes into play when upon receiving the media’s “reality” message, the vast majority agree upon this reality and accept it. Following this pattern, social construction may be more appropriately referred to as social agreement of reality. The term construction seems to imply that the media is “making-up” or “creating” reality. While some would agree with the previous statement, I believe to spout such an assertion is ludicrous because the media often must report issues that are simply a matter of operating by typical journalist guidelines/standards. Someone must make decisions concerning what information passes on to the public. Should this be a government responsibility or the responsibility of individuals who have a real desire to be in the industry and have studied the industry? While it is easy to sit back and criticize the media, they are providing a necessary function to society and individuals need this function (i.e., information providing).’

http://www.stephen.pollock.name/writings/res/socialconstruction.html

I’m going to argue here that a group of individuals at BBC Scotland are making decisions leading to distortion of reality with damaging consequences for wider public health and for democratic engagement, despite having the guidance of a royal charter to make them ‘responsible’ and to ‘inform’ having, presumably, studied the industry at an academic level.

 

 

No knives, better lives

I’m wary of seeming smug when there is so much suffering in other places but it’s still worth reminding everyone of what has been achieved or which has happened for unknown reasons, so here are the most recent TuS reports on knife crime:

Knife crime offences rise to highest level since 2010 in England and Wales while they fall 64% in Scotland

September 15, 2018johnrobertson8349 Comments

The Theresa Effect in the Independent today: ‘Knife crime has risen to the highest level since 2010 in England and Wales, new figures have revealed as police say stabbing investigations are being made harder by social media. In the year…

As knife and gun crime rockets across England and Wales and falls in Scotland, Scotland has far more police officers per head of population

May 2, 2018johnrobertson8347 Comments

(c) SWNS According to the Scotsman today: ‘Scottish police officer numbers at lowest level in nine years. In the first three months of year, Police Scotland had the equivalent of 17,170 full time officers, according to Scottish Government statistics. The…

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

April 9, 2018johnrobertson83412 Comments

‘Treating knife crime as a health issue has led to a dramatic drop in stabbings: of the 35 deaths of young people in Britain this year, none were in Scotland.’ https://www.theguardian.com/membership/2017/dec/03/how-scotland-reduced-knife-deaths-among-young-people As violent crime spirals out of control in London…

Less homicide, less knife crime, less domestic violence, safer cities and now much lower alcohol problems: should Scotland’s old stereotypes be sent south?

February 12, 2018johnrobertson83411 Comments

(c) playbuzz.com/nicklivingston It’s been more than 80 years since ‘No Mean City’ was set in Glasgow and comedians, including our own, continue to base their humour on an image of a violent, drunken people but the last ten years have…

Scotsman acts as Tory propaganda outlet in fake news about knife crime as statistics reveal dramatic fall in possession and use across Scotland

February 4, 2018johnrobertson83418 Comments

Michelle Ballantyne, Scottish Conservative early years spokeswoman (c) The Southern Reporter Yesterday, the Scotsman headlined with: ‘Scots teachers pressured to cover up knife incidents’ and followed up with: ‘A Johnston Press knife crime investigation revealed ten pupils across Scotland are…

As knife crime soars in England and Wales and police numbers fall, Police Scotland is staffed at 50% higher level

January 26, 2018johnrobertson8349 Comments

(c) Police Scotland According to the Guardian yesterday, in England and Wales, knife crime has increased by 21% to September 2017. This a dramatic figure large enough to suggest an emerging and extremely worrying trend. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/25/knife-and-gun-rises-sharply-in-england-and-wales In Scotland, knife crime…

Sky News suggests Scotland Yard can learn from Scotland on reducing knife crime. Scottish media miss the story

January 23, 2018johnrobertson8345 Comments

Watching Sky News this morning, making sure I don’t even catch a glimpse of Jackie Bird, I saw a short piece on how London police have been learning from Glasgow police on how they might reduce knife crime especially fatal…

Now Reporting Scotland LIES about violent crime RISING when it FELL

February 26, 2019johnrobertson8347 Comments

What is Reevel thinking? This is the latest in a series of lies by Reporting Scotland on, for example, gangs, knife, crime, obesity and hospital infections. I’ll summarise in the next post today. Last night, Jackie Bird opened confidently…

Massive fall in handling of offensive weapons in Scotland in last ten years

February 21, 2019johnrobertson8341 Comment

I think we’re all getting a bit embarrassed with comparisons revealing Tory England to be a place in hell. While there are times when I will persist because the justifiable target is not the poor souls living there but…

 

A sub-poll of 114 Scots, for Opinium and the Observer with fieldwork on 26^th February to 1^st March 2019, found SNP support steady at 41% and seems to reinforce five previous sub-polls giving them between 40 and 44%:

 Conservatives  29%

Labour             19%

Lib Dems         6%

SNP                  41%

But when the breakaway Independent Group (TIG) is added, we get:

Conservatives  23%

Labour              25%

Lib Dems         1%

SNP                  44%

TIG                   1%

https://www.opinium.co.uk/political-polling-26th-february-2019/

In the YouGov/Times poll on 22-23 February, introducing TIG seemed also to lead to the destruction of the Lib Dems. In sharp contrast, it also seemed to suggest desertion of Labour taking them down to 13% and the Tories up to 30%!

In this new sample, introducing TIG appears to have stiffened Labour loyalty with some turning back from desertion to the Tories or the Lib Dems once confronted with a potentially dangerous internal threat to party survival caused by some of ‘their own’ (all English). The psychology of a Labour supporter, first selecting the Tories to defend the Union then reverting to Labour, perhaps offended by the betrayal of posh English Blairites or the apparently unending MSM obsession with anti-semitism, is fascinating.

It’s a small sample, so the above conjecture is only that.

However, what is consistent in the two surveys is that the insertion of a TIG choice seems to trigger an SNP boost to 44% or 45% which could return then to almost full-spectrum dominance at Westminster.

http://www.deltapoll.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MoS-Deltapoll190223_pdf.pdf

I know, I had to claim for a bigger printer to make my last claim!

Last week, Tavish Scott, MSP with special responsibility for expenses claims, asked:

The English system for student teacher recruitment or ITT, doesn’t seem such a good model:

https://neu.org.uk/blog/how-bad-does-teacher-recruitment-crisis-have-be-dfe-calls-it-crisis

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/teacher-entry-tests-fail-multiple-times-recruitment-crisis-numeracy-literacy-assessments-nick-gibb-a8206551.html

https://www.tes.com/news/itt-providers-hit-nightmare-dfe-it-failure

Can’t wait for Swinney’s comments.

You’d think you could rely on what one big polis told you. Sadly the ‘Scottish’ Daily Express has been let down by its source. I suppose checking the official statistics is overrated? Not what real journalists do? Typical ex-professor at a pretendy wee university! Oh, go on then, tell me about it then, smarty pants.

                                                                   2010/11                       2017/18

Racially-aggravated                            4178                            3249                down 22%

Religiously aggravated                       694                              624                  down 10%

Disability aggravated                          48                                284                  up 491%

Sexual orientation aggravated           452                              1112                up 146%

 

http://www.copfs.gov.uk/publications/equality-and-diversity

The large percentage increases in the reporting of disability and sexual-orientation aggravated offenses is shocking but does reflect a more positive trend in that these groups are more willing to come forward.

The fall in the reporting of racially and religiously aggravated offenses is not, I’m sure, evidence that people are become more reluctant to report these.

So, given that sectarian abuse is included in racially aggravated crime, we can be fairly sure that the Express is wrong. It’s also worth noting that religiously aggravated crime, as well as falling, makes up just over 10% of the total.

82% of the total income from farming came from subsidies in 2018.  82%!

We’re grateful to Gentleman John Scott, Tory MSP, Ayr for this information as he campaigns for the interests of his constituents; the ones who are farmers that is. You’ll see above he’s worried about a decline in their benefits.

Now, no doubt there’s a reason or two for these subsidies but, at that level, are these businesses even vaguely viable under any kind of free-market ideology? If they’re small concerns helping to keep communities alive, providing jobs, then maybe there’s a case of some sort, but are they? Well, no, not even vaguely. Read on below for the truth of the matter. Farm subsidies are just another transfer of wealth from the tax-paying majority to the rich:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/01/farm-subsidies-blatant-transfer-of-cash-to-rich

 

(c) Daily Telegraph

The debate over the effectiveness of speed cameras and the attempt by the Tories plus friends, to use them as proxy tool to beat the SNP with, is at an end. In this most recent report on the A90, we see hard evidence of massive improvements as drivers slow down:

https://www.parliament.scot/S5ChamberOffice/WA20190228.pdf

This is of course only the latest report here, exposing the lack of evidence and the deceit at the heart of the Tory campaign to use life-saving traffic improvements to try to undermine the SG. See these:

SNP speed cameras reducing speed and saving lives. Will Jeremy Clarkson and his Scottish tory buddies now shut up?

Deaths on Scottish roads fall by 15% in one year as they rise across the non-Scottish parts of the UK. Paxman, Scottish Tories and Danny Alexander still wrong about SNP average speed cameras?

Nanny State? Average speed cameras, Jeremy Clarkson and the Scottish Tories

Child deaths on the road fall 61% to lowest level ever