Absolute Fanny Of The Week
We’ve got a shock result for the inaugural winner of this exciting new award, readers. Remarkably it’s NOT David Torrance – who wrote an arch review of a chapter of a book about Donald Trump that didn’t actually exist. Good effort, Davey, but no cigar.
And it’s not even notorious Lib Dem atom-wit Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, who bleated to Ofcom when an SNP party political broadcast unrelatedly took the mickey out of a character who may (or may not) have been the selfsame Torrance.
No, the first ever Wings Absolute Fanny Of The Week is… Anas Sarwar!
In common with half of Scottish Labour, Sarwar has been raging at Paisley MP Mhairi Black for her “silence” over the closure of a 16-bed children’s ward in the town, which has been replaced by an entire new state-of-the-art 256-bed children’s hospital 10 minutes down the road, right next to the sparkly new Southern General.
But only Sarwar did it by enclosing a picture of the local paper’s front-page splash on the story. In which there was one teeny-weeny slight problem for him.
Now, we’ve got no idea as to whether the Greater Glasgow And Clyde Health Board (GGCHB) made the right decision about the ward or not. Trading a dilapidated 16-bed facility for a brand spanking new 256-bed one with fantastic amenities just six miles away seems a pretty good deal to us, and the decision was made by an almost 3:1 majority of the GGCHB committee, not by the SNP or the Scottish Government. But we don’t know enough about the specifics to judge.
(As with any change of location, some people will lose out because they live closer to the old one than the new one, and others will gain for the opposite reason.)
What we CAN judge, however, is that anyone who gets themselves caught indignantly shrieking about Mhairi Black’s “silence” on the subject while actually including a picture of the newspaper front page in which she’s anything BUT silent about it makes you the Absolute Fanny Of The Week.
Congratulations, Anas! It’s not a secret any more!
I know you have limited time, Rev., but I’m sure there would be scope for:
Monday’s Moron.
Tuesday’s Twat.
Wednesday’s Wanker.
Thursday’s Tosspot
Friday’s Fuckwit
And Saturday we could just make do with Chris’s Cartoon.
And even God needed a rest on the seventh day.
Anas sarwar should win the “Fanny of the Week” award every week.
heh, hilarious, he must have been off school the day they got taught reading, ffs
And that little list of suggestions is before you even get past the Slab mob and onto the Effin’ Tories.
Ah Anas, I forgot he was still fannying around loking for a real job.
There is the most apt quote from Dorothy L Sayers the brilliant author
” But it is the mark of all movements, however well intentioned, that their pioneers, tend, by much lashing of themselves into excitement, to lose sight of the obvious”
Just about sums it up.
Objection!
James Kelly is the clear winner.
Jeez, after Sarwar’s role in the last indyref, and ever since, I’ve had him down as Fanny of the Decade.
But it does prove to everyone that the London branch office of Labour in Scotland, is nothing more than a unionist party harping from the sidelines.
A thoroughly deserved accolade.
Another to add to the ‘Anas Sarwar is a liar’ file.
I have some ideas, should you decide to have a 14 day Fud cycle? I can think of at least 13 to start with….
another one that only pretends to read stuff
Mr Sarwar do at least get the grammar right, it’s ‘standing up for WHOM’ not who.
Oh boy … Fanny of the week award. 😀
I wonder if either Scruffy Fluffy or Scruffy Fluffy Junior would like to try for next week’s award. I have the perfect cause for them … the closure of D.G.R.I. (Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary) in Dumfries.
Admittedly there is a NEW D.G.R.I. on the outskirts of Dumfries on the A75 but, just like the 256-bed children’s hospital in Paisley, a change in physical location and a brand new building (financed by the E.U. by the way) will surely NOT be a barrier to such “esteemed” politicians as this pair of TWATS!
Well played & well deserved Mr Sarwar.
RAH used to be under NHS Argyll and Clyde with the then Chairman Mullin (labour) overseeing the closing of the maternity hospital at Inverclyde and services at Dunoon, RAH and Vale of Leven all under labour. Labour then allowed NHS Glasgow to take over. The Board was full of labour place men with the odd tories and UNITE and UNISON place men in senior management places as they proposed to close Vale of Leven and the other hospitals services— but not with a new hospital to replace them only 6 miles away
How much Sarwar has managed to forget about labour and tories in charge of the NHS. Thankfully many of us have not.
If truth be told, he was a fanny before this week. In fact he’s one of many who has made a career of being a fanny.
Fanny might have asked Jackie Baillie for her thoughts on the RAH. She told the non alligned North of the River Campaign Group that if there was an A & E at Clydebank then she wasn’t bothered if the RAH and the Vale of Leven closed.
She stopped convening the group when the Holyrood Election was on the horizon and announced a “Save the Vale” campaign when Nicola saved it years ago.
Yoghurt for brains. And he is an MSP…
It is beyond my comprehension that a fud like this is allowed to sit in the Scottish Parliament.
256 beds or 16…
As someone who has lived in a number of rural areas from the highlands to the borders, travel to hospital has been a given over the years. If there’s a state of the art unit ten minutes away I’d say that’s a pretty fair trade.
So betrayal? Hardly. Mind you, it is Mr Sarwar. (shrugs)
This is what happens when you rely too much on biased reporting silencing your opponents.
That said the vulnerability of mega hospitals to a flu outbreak does bring in to question the ideal size of a facility.
Shouldn’t there be a vocative comma after ‘Mr Sarwar’? 🙂
I feel it is unfair to have a fanny of the week award that offers no chance to the random, amateur fanny. Seasoned professional fannies like ‘the humungous Anas’ have an unfair advantage and should have a sponsored league that can allow for a Fanny league; perhaps organized through the Professional Fanny Federation (the Pee Fi Fi). This would enable people like Klever Vague, a dog walking economist, to engage in a junior league along with retired hysterical leprechauns and other such innocents.
Sarwar should check into the nearest Britnat desperation ward. He’s probably BUPA on the quiet.
shiregirl @ 15:58,
Alas, there isn’t any political equivalent of the driving licence, alas! It’s the dodgems there in Holyrood.
Perhaps what is really beyond your – and my – comprehension is that there are still plenty of deluded folk around who can bring themselves to vote for utter dolts like Anas and Murdo and the rubbish parties which sustain and promote them.
I’ve never heard a “Unionist” campaign or demand “equal partner” status or even equality in the Union for Scotland. They only ever denigrate Scotland and campaign for greater Colonialist control over Scotland. They’re not Unionists only colonialist and colonialist enablers. Everyone of them are fannies. Never an easy choice picking the biggest fanny from that lot.
Using their term “Unionists” gives them more credit and credibility than they deserve. They’re hoose Tams and colonialist enablers, subjugating Scotland under Westminster’s rule.
“Trading a dilapidated 16-bed facility”
You need to changed that. First the links says it’s 40 beds anyway, second there’s no picture of this “dilapidated” ward, and thirdly having been to the RAH every day for 10 days while my wife’s lkife was saved and then recovered, the hospiatly is NOT dilapidated, it’s a lovely hospital, though it wasn’t the children’s ward I was at it was Ward 32, outside the operating theatre and in HDU – none of them were in the slightest fucking dilapidated.
“You need to changed that. First the links says it’s 40 beds anyway”
No, the link says there are 40 beds free on any given day at the new hospital. Be better at reading.
“thirdly having been to the RAH every day for 10 days while my wife’s lkife was saved and then recovered, the hospiatly is NOT dilapidated”
Nobody said the entire hospital was dilapidated.
‘Bites lip’
And nor was A&E and triage, or even the tunnel.
@yesindyref2 4:28pm
“However, bosses at NHSGGC have defended their proposals and said the 16-bed children’s ward at the RAH is usually only half full.
Jamie Redfern, general manager of paediatric services, said: “On any given day, there are eight patients in the RAH ward and, at the [new] children’s hospital, there are 40 free beds.”
Good to hear your wife is doing well.
And Sarwar’s big mistake?
He didn’t bother to read beyond the headline.
He should listen to The Rev more often!
“Nobody said the entire hospital was dilapidated.”
Well PROVE the children’s ward is dilpaidated. Get a photo and a link thaty proves it.
And yes my apologies about HALF of my posting, yes it is a 16 bed ward in the article, the 40 beds are the free ones at the children’s ward.
It really is time that lying politicians were held to account,legally. Caught 3 times and your out. That would empty the Unionist benches.
@Andy-B says: 20 January, 2018 at 2:57 pm:
” … it does prove to everyone that the London branch office of Labour in Scotland, is nothing more than a unionist party harping from the sidelines.”
Harping? That lot couldn’t even twang a Jaws Harp.
There will be more of this soon Rev, Portree A&E is closing at the behest of NHS Highland and a new hospital is being built in Broadford, yet the SNP are getting slated for it, both Ian Blackford and Kate Forbes are fighting hard to stop the closure to the dept, and Councillor Ronald MacDonald of Bitter Together fameas a economist who was brought out of some dark cupboard every time the BEEB needed a soundbite in 2014, feck knows how he conned his way into being elected up here, but that will def be coming out soon I would say, especially with most services being performed at Raigmore 120 miles away.
He already has previous in the locally published Labour News, I mean West Highland Free Press, seems to be the new Brian WIlson up here in Wilsons old paper
@Spock says: 20 January, 2018 at 3:50 pm:
“If truth be told, he was a fanny before this week. In fact he’s one of many who has made a career of being a fanny.”
As the old advert on STV used to say, “He comes from a long line of Fannies”
More as above cant edit post I dont think but you will remember this fud
link to theguardian.com
link to facebook.com
But he will def push the SNPbad for folks who stay in North Skye, doesnt seem to realise that Broadford, the ideal choice covers quite a bit of the mainland to
“10 minutes down the road”
See discussion on the Herald from a solid pro-indy poster, and I can back that up too. Even at the best of times you’d have to have wings to get there in 10 minutes from RAH, and at rush hour it could take up to an hour from Paisley and around. Traffic can be crawling – I’ve driven it enough times in both directions.
Don’t slip your standards to those of the unionist media.
Facts facts facts.
It has been a remarkable week of idiocy by the Better Together Yoons, even by their standards.
Next week Johann Lamont shares tattie neeps and haggis with Liar Carmichael and Murdo The Queen’s Eleven ‘protecting children is an SNP Vanity Project’ Fraser. A ‘Robbie’ Burns fund raiser for the Filthy Rich who are determined to crush Scotland and starve the people into submission.
Well done, you rabid socialist, JoLo.
I pre nomionate her for Idiot of the Week.
Is it ‘something for nothing’ gravy train beano, or is it a millionaire’s do, £1000 a plate?
They KNOW in their heart of hearts that their days, and their corrupt, immoral illegal Union days, are numbered.
Boy will we party like there’s no tomorrow when we kick this mob of freeloading buffoons out of office.
Eh don’t know the place personally , but apparently it was built 1988 – so 30 years from first build possibly improvements and extensions since then , I don’t know.
I don’t doubt the comment of hardly delapitated from someone who has actually been on the premises , but 30 years however it’s presented and however well it’s been maintained is not a short time and possibly nearing the end of its useful life , just a thought .
I suppose that leaves the airhead of the week award to a Mr Cole-Hamilton. And like the Jules Rimet Trophy winning it three times allows him to keep the award in perpetuity.
Eh as I said last week.
Are S I U operating today , under another name ?
In fact some pretty dubious comments recently from apparently avid Independence supporters , Either that or strong liquor has been partaken of , and sense has gone out the window .
I think you should have a Wings Poll every week on a Saturday for … Fanny of the week award.
Nominations to be in for Friday evening, only one entry per person, there is not enough Days in the week.
The article in the Gazette (links in text) states that the Royal Sick Children’s 256 bed children’s facility would struggle to cope with the estimated 8,000 extra patients that would be using it each year if the 16 bed children’s ward at RAH closes.
8,000 patients per year is 22 patients per day every day. How does a 16 bed ward cope with that given that the average length of stay in hospital for elective procedures is just under 4 days and for emergency admissions just under 7 days?
@Robert Graham
I don’t know the children’s ward there. If it’s in the main building it’ll be fine, but if there’s some annexe I don’t know about it MIGHT be delapidated. It would need a photo or some sort of proof about that. It’s Inverclyde our kids were in, a few times 🙂 Fine hospital too.
It’s not neccessary to the article (“dilapidated”), and I’ve been caught out on that (I posted a commment here about one recently where I misread something – like I did that 40 bed thing). It can destroy the whole argument, even if it shoudln’t.
We need to be hard with each other to get accuracy, but with the other side, patient, nice, friendly, determined, – and correct. So that lurkers know where the right of it is.
This is just the latest in a process which is going to go on and on for some time. The medics are persuaded and I tend to agree with them. Excellence is limited, experience is invaluable and having lots of little specialist services dotted about is not good for patients.
Some of those 8 kids in Paisley might well benefit from the experienced specialists in the larger hospital as well as services like scanners etc.
The stats don’t lie, you are more likely to be properly diagnosed and properly and appropriately treated at a large teaching hospital than a small local one.
There is also the inevitable problem with recruiting enough specialist staff to staff all these multiple centres. So you get non specialists and inexperienced juniors and lots of turnover in smaller centres.
In almost all these cases the decision will be made on the recommendation of the medics who have all the relevant evidence on their side.
Do you want your kid treated by the best in the best facilities or just hopefully in an alright facility?
I think it should be a rule, that the Presiding Officer insists that all information given by MSPs be factually accurate and true. Any MSP found wanting, be removed from the chamber and disciplined. Sick of the weak efforts of our present PO.
Any body having problems with the site today ie posting comments
.
@yesindyref2 says:20 January, 2018 at 5:02 pm:
“10 minutes down the road”
“at rush hour it could take up to an hour from Paisley and around. Traffic can be crawling – I’ve driven it enough times in both directions.”
Yeah, yesindyref2, but do you have a siren and lots of flashing lights?
Is anus on the wordcatcher list 4 times ave posted today and not one post appeared an two test test posts .
“Is anus on the wordcatcher list”
Yes.
Dear ronnie Anderson,
I have had problems for months, perhaps what you are posting is spoiling there game. So they just remove it.
The staff want it closed for better facilities. Tgere must Dr surgery in the area. An ambulance could get there in 10mins. Others might take longer. Just as in every other healthcare facilities. People have to travel, especially if it is not an urgency. Everybody can’t have facilities across the road. How many people would use a 16 bed facilities instead of a 256 facility. With a better waiting areas and better cafe facility etc.
OT … An interesting opinion piece in the Guardian.
” Britain’s tired old economy isn’t strong enough for Brexit “
link to archive.is
The message I took from it is that the UK economy has never really moved from it’s post imperial state into a modern balanced and stable economy.
Accordingly, Scotland needs to disentangle itself from UKOK and move to an economy with a better mix, especially more manufacturing.
Anas is weird. Why would a millionaire dentist want to get into faux lefty SLab politics anyway. Its been a decade now of trying to clear up the SLab era of unspeakable wastes of money for starters.
The English are currently going nuts right the noo over their £200_bn PFI bill, and they will never actually own the hospitals etc that they’re paying £200+bn PFI business/golden goose.
Who was the great PFI king, Crash Gordon Brown.
Every time I see Anas there, I always hear, “Who wants to be a slave wage paying millionaire, Anas!”
link to youtube.com
The RAH may be fine for many, but children come from farther afield and they will be perfectly happy with the new hospital.
People think a ward looks fine for their needs but looked at by staff as past its prime!
Because we live in a world of fast paced change and equipment is being updated sometimes faster than you can learn how to use it, space for patients changes too!
Modern hospitals are more geared up to prevent the mass infections of old…small cottage hospitals for eg can be closed because of flu whereas larger ones can isolate easily.
We all have to understand that no hospital is closed these days by a whim of a politician but by careful medical advice.
@Robert Peffers
Sure, but it’s not 10 minutes down the road for parents taking their kids, going home, and visiting a couple of times a day for a few days or even weeks. And going through the St James even an ambulance would be slowed down.
Yes, in the highlands it could be hours travel, from the islands where Glasgow is used for specialist stuff it can be a day each way.
Still doesn’t mean the “10 minutes down the road” is accurate, it’s not. From a poster in the H: “having worked in Paisley for 35 years I can also tell you without fear of contradiction that while St James’ Interchange is not the middle of Glasgow, at rush hour, or if there are roadworks, it can be chaotic”
From another fierce Indy supporter: “According to Google Maps the driving time between RAH and RHC is 17 mins., alternative route 18 mins, half for what is being claimed. By bus it is 46 min“.
Google doesn’t do rush hour at the St James, or anywhere come to that.
They do not tell us on the TV, the papers, it might be their next move, night be to remove certain posts that inform us.
@Yesindyref2,
Are you making the assumption that most patients live closer to the old hospital than the new. The time from the old hospital to the new may therefore be irrelevant.
The moanin faced cunts want to come down to Ayrshire and get a bus from Dalmellington or Drongan to Crosshouse hospital to see their sick bairns let’s just say it isn’t ten minutes down the road.
Really makes me sick politicising the NHS over a decision taken by the NH fucking S board. total and utter fanny
@Bob Mack
It seems a reasonable assumption. If they were nearer the new one I guess they’d go there anyway. If referred via a GP they seem mostly to have a reasonable choice where they refer people, and an ambluance would presumably go to the nearest or most approptiate (or both).
RAH would have quite a large catchment area to its west and south, and a bit to the east and north compared with RHC.
But my point is about accuracy, not whether it’s the right decision or not. I’ve mixed feelings, but hey, budgets are budgets. It’s what got me thinking: “How could we get £69 million a year to save RAH Children’s ward (and presumably other cuts)”, and that’s how I got into that palace in Paris that houses one British ambassador – and the extravagance of the FCO which iScotland could do without.
Do you trust BBC Scotland?
I see a poll on this as I don’t do twitter cant vote would be a resounding NO from me.
Look on the bright side , at least he’s not inside your mouth trying to mend your teeth.
@Dan Huil
Thanks for that, just saw your post.
Yes, she’s doing fine, just arranging the 6 week clinic which could be at RAH or ironically VOL, same gynaecologist who with the senior consultant / surgeon, saved her life.
@Scott 6:01pm
Looks like over 4000 folk have voted. 96% say No.
link to twitter.com
I believe it’s been the policy to centralise NHS services to save money.
In the West End of Glasgow, Blawarthill shut, Knightswood hospital shut, Drumchapel H shut, Yorkhill children’s shut, the Western Infirmary shut etc.
Gartnavel is still open.
Most services are now transferred to “Betty’s” or the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Govan. Not the easiest place to get to for much of the North of Glasgow.
Many Westenders continue to complain about the lack of an A&E Unit since the one at the Western has closed. I think they have a good point.
If there is a problem with the Clyde Tunnel, it could add quite a bit to journey times, especially in an emergency. The difference could be life or death.
Also, I would just like to praise Mhairi Black for speaking out and criticising decisions, not just toeing the party line. We need more politicians like her who will say what they really think.
Hud the bus this surely qualifies fur ah fanny .
link to facebook.com
Thats a change to far lol.
Hospital closures are always a tricky subject at the best of times. Some people will inevitably be disadvantaged by any move, and those are the ones from whom you will hear loud protests. (As is their right.) You won’t hear a toot though from or about those whose situation has improved.
There has also been a latterday policy of centralisation that is entirely medical-driven, from a well-intentioned wish to maintain a sufficient depth of expertise in any one location.
This does somewhat ignore the wider social context, though. For example, the new Southern here in Glasgow is a fine institution, but after withdrawal of the excellent but short-lived direct bus services from the North side, it is rather expensive now (or alternatively bothersome and time-consuming) to make a visit from large parts of the city. That needs to be changed.
Furthermore, on one occasion I was attempting a visit on a very rainy late afternoon during rush hour, and the Govan Road outside was completely chock-a-bloc with traffic, and nothing much was moving anywhere. None of which was the medics’ fault, but there you are. (Just don’t have a heart attack in Maryhill at 5:30pm on a wet Friday night, peeps!)
However, none of that has anything directly to do with the politics of independence. It is the “weaponisation” of such issues by the BritNat Party, the BBC and the hyenas of the dead tree scrolls that has made any kind of rational analysis and response to such matters nigh-on impossible.
Damn them. The quicker independence is settled so we can all get back to a normal existence the better.
yesindy2ref i have close relatives that stay close to RAH , I have travelled that route countless times and would say it takes me on average ten minutes . Someone posted a photo of the ward on twitter last night, if its indeed the ward in question it looked as if it could do with a lick of paint.
I think the Rev’s description of the journey the journey time is correct as I have done it hundreds of times.
When you talk to somebody and they ask you how long a journey takes you dont say well it can take over an hour because a car may break down at the interchange etc etc do you?
If there is a problem with the Clyde Tunnel, it could add quite a bit to journey times, especially in an emergency. The difference could be life or death.
Mare shite from Colin A.
Colin A, public health care in the UK is actually a terrific way to compare and contrast how each major UK party is doing running the NHS, SNP Scotland, tories England, Labour Wales.
As we all know, beeb Scotland gimps rage at us all the time that the Scottish NHS is truly terrible and we would all be so wise and clever to let Anas and chums run it all, again.
Would we though, even starting at free prescriptions for Scots.
link to independent.co.uk
This could get exciting, a close run thing, with so many contenders.
Who’s going to get the keep the trophy after winning it three times?
Said this on the last post, but I think it is worth saying twice,
‘You know what, I have all the time in the world for unionist supporters making valid points and engaging in debate, but unionists pretending to be Independence supporters, well they are just the scummiest lowest of the low.
Robert J. Sutherland says:
YES …. normal [ like every other small country in Northern Europe ] existence ASAP!
heedtracker
I refer you to the post by Robert J. Sutherland.
He clearly knows what he’s talking about, as do I. I’m sure anyone from the North or Westend of Glasgow will agree with our posts.
Whereas, where are you Heedtracker? North or West End of Glasgow? No.
You just argue the toss for the sake of it.
colin alexander @ 18:38,
Here you are at your divisive little game again, CoCo. Heedy and I don’t disagree as you assert. As with the rest of us, we’re not clones and may well differ on something or other, but not on anything significant.
Which is more than I can say about me and you, wormtongue.
galamcennalath @ 18:35,
Precisely!
Whereas, where are you Heedtracker? North or West End of Glasgow? No.
You just argue the toss for the sake of it.
Southside Glasgow, your arch enemy Nic Sturgeon’s my MSP. She was here this morning but I was too hungover.
The local old Victoria’s gone, demolished almost completely for flats, high density quick buck flats.
This was built lately behind, beeb gimp network have still to drive by smear it though. Soon no doubt.
link to nhsggc.org.uk
heedtracker
Precisely, you don’t live in the North side of Glasgow.
As you mention Nicola Sturgeon: link to archive.is
It’s the Express’ take on the ward closure. I’ve archived it, as I wouldn’t want people clicking on the Express website and giving them ad revenue.
Sorry it’s not the Guardian.
@Heed
In a previous life I had a contract with the GGHB and regularly visited them all (not medical staff mostly), very nice people, I loved the work. The people at the Vic were very relaxed 🙂
colin alexander says:
20 January, 2018 at 7:14 pm
heedtracker
Precisely, you don’t live in the North side of Glasgow.
But the squinty bridge is never shut, so if the tunnel is, that’s what say 5 minute divert past the Hydro delay Colin A?
There’s a pretty nifty helipad on the roof of the new QE too.
The people at the Vic were very relaxed
Its almost all gone now though. Really miss it too. We do not appreciate our heritage in Scotland today, sometimes. Its all about the bucks.
Robert J. Sutherland
Wormtongue, haha. Cheers Robert, I like it. You know how to flatter me.
@Heed
Privatisation came in and I need say no more.
Robert J. Sutherland re policy of centralisation to maintain a level of expertise, i am living proof that the policy works , during June and July 2015 I was in the new southern general, i spent over a week in critical care several days of which was in an induced coma. I have been told by a relative who is a senior healthcare professional that if I was anywhere else I would not have made it.
*
It’s called a splat. It’s what a fly does as its head goes up its airse when it hits the windscreen.
Too much whataboutery. Local mat flats are ideal when everything goes smoothly but when it goes wrong, and can go wrong spectacularly and fast, you want the all singing all dancing sooper duper kit and caboodle with highly trained staff to use it.!
GGS is 9 months old, brain hemorrhage and heart stopped twice on the day he was born 10 weeks premium. Wasn’t expected to last the night.
Several infections, major bowel ops and he’s a bright wee button, thriving, trying to walk and making all the proper goo gah noises he should. Still has to have a heart valve repaired when he’s a bit bigger.
Don’t anyone ever dare run down our SNHS or the good folk who work in it. Hospitals get old, priorities and procedures change. Specialities change all the time and hard decisions have to be made.
I know absolutely that our latest GGS would not be alive if he hadn’t received the best of care.
End of *
Now fuck off!
@Lenny Hartley / @RJS
Centralisation or not is an issue that shouldn’t be party political. Sadly it is.
Premium should have been prem as in premature, bloody autocorrect!
@frogesque
Before that contract at the GGHB I’d been all private sector, and the accepted attitude was private sector good people, public sector just in it for the benefits and the pension, lazy, incompetent, you name it. I took it because I was in Edinburgh long long commute back home, hardly got to see the baby / weans (can’t remember the year) and it was a lot nearer. What an eye-opener it was working there and I worked with a lot of people.
It only needs one word to describe them: dedicated.
link to isdscotland.org
For those who want to check waiting time performance etc
See also: http://www.nhsperforms.scot
Talking of respected Scottish journalists, remind which ones were tied up with the obscenity of the Brian Spanner scandal?
yesindyref2 @ 19:43,
My view also, as already indicated.
In fact I got an inside view on this some years back (centralisation is by no means a new issue) from someone I knew from when we were both on the local school board, who was both a medical professional and also a LibDem party activist, and very much in support of the clinical advantages.
Like other issues we have seen, it’s only post-IR1 that the Red/Blue/Orange Tories and their faithful friends in the media have poisoned all rational debate on this. Largely due to their manifest inadequacies as politicians, it must be added.
And in so doing they have also attempted to airbrush away all their inconvenient previous views and public statements.
A blag which they can’t get away with, thanks to sites like this.
I have a sense that unionists are becoming more polarized in their view. They agree with the propaganda they are being served up by the BBC and it reinforces their belief hence this type of headline and fake news will be very effective.
There is part of me thinks the SNP should serve up Westminster cuts to the full
The yes side need to break the media impasse and this means making Wings mainstream
@yesindyref2 7.59
Actually the wee fella was born at the new Simpsons, Little France Edinburgh, and the bowel operated on at The Sick Kids Edn, he will get his heart op in Glasgow though.
It’s a tribute to the organisation and dedication of health care teams. They are bloody fantastic!
Here’s the performance figures for the A&E at Betty’s in Govan:
link to nhsperforms.scot
The latest figure for meeting the A&E 4 hour target:
7 January 2018 – 67.6%,
the previous figure for 31 December 2017 was
63.3%
I wish the SNP would just stop building hospitals and clinics and updating services all the time all this modernisation’s too much we need to get back to basics when we just went to the phone box put our four pennies in dialled and waited to be connected then pressed button A to talk then went to the bus stop to wait for the bus, one every half hour before you changed buses to go where you wanted to go then went into the freshly updated Labour refurbished hospital with the new smell of refurbishment paint because that’s how Labour used to refurbish hospitals, you knew where you were with Labour, by the time you’d done all that you were satisfied you’d done all you could then you died aged 57 and had had a good life everybody said at your funeral, and your kids had died from diptheria anyway so what was the point of your living anyway
Better days
Going to be some tough competition for this new award.
There are a lot if practical and financial reasons that this decision makes sense, whether parents think/feel hospitals should be near to them.
By the accounts I read on FB, the children’s ward at RAH was very outdated/lacking. Children were exposed to adult patients etc. First hand accounts of the new facility include individual bedrooms, pull out beds for parents, TVs, then its all modern medical equipment. Of course the big plus is that world renowned paediatric staff from old Yorkhill are on hand. Call me daft, but that last one is pretty key.
We are a small country. We inevitably work around the centres of population that attract the brightest and best doctors to their hospitals, that coincidentally have accommodation to buy by those doctors.
Travel to a centre of medical excellence happens in heart, cancer etc. and as far as im aware, if you are asked to attend elsewhere, you get travel expenses.
In terms of travel time, half of Paisley has no need to get through the St James interchange, they go on at the airport, and it would take you 15-20 mins in a car. Certainly an ambulance or transport will have no real issue. Public transport is a bit more hassle, but it is for most places.
Until this country has an oil wealth fund of £1 trillion like Norway, this is the best decision for our pocket money.
I grew up in Paisley during the 70s/80s, and it was known as The Butcher’s shop. A bit cruel, but it is certainly not at the cutting edge. I was visiting a sick female adult there about 3 months ago, and the best thing I can say about it is it looks ‘tired’. These comments are not in any way reflective of the staff, because I know all staff do their best under very difficult circs.
Dr Jim I was just thinking the SNP could build more hospitals & schools & housing if they went back to gerry building Nissen Huts .
Four Pennies tae phone lol , did ye no learn tae tap ( morse code ) worked every time .
Dr Jim says
My great grandparents lost four of their five children in the 1874 scarlet fever epidemic. Aged 0-7. They went on to have ten in total, including my grandfather. They lived in crap accommodation around where the M8/M77 now split.
Apparently this epidemic raged globally, yet history books never mention such event. Child death was a normal occurrence than.
Dr Jim ah forgot tae mention the Nissen huts wie nae windies would be Sanatoriums fresh air for the Tuberculosis sufferers .
Ronnie
That’s what Law hospital was originally, old barracks! It’s where I trained and really loved it but, it wouldnae be suitable in these high tech days. 😀
@galamcennalath
I myself had scarlet fever, measles and chicken pox like most of the kids then, and polio was still a thing when they had to get around wearing leg braces
Rickets was not unknown, pneumonia was every winter for many
and yet here we are with state of the art hospitals, paramedics, helicopters, scanning machines that can see amazing amounts of stuff never seen before allowing for medical interventions and treatments so quick people don’t even realise their lives are being saved on a daily basis they just expect star trek medicine because they’ve seen it on the telly
And all of it free for an extra ten minutes on a bus to visit a facility that has Television, reading, computers, games for the kids and the confidence that somebody can help you with whatever your problem might be
OK I might sound like and old duffer to the youngsters but I remember and was there when Labour used any extra cash to line their own pockets with wee holidays to Cuba (for cultural exchanges) while Scotlands homes were damp dark and and full of closes with lead paint but as they like to keep reminding us
What a sense of humour and community we all had
And Billy Connolly was funny when he made his living from it and good luck to him but he was and is also a total dickhead because he supports the regime that made it that way
End of History reminder for the young who might think they’ve got troubles
Actually accolades for the campaign to save children’s services should go to the hilarious independent councillor who sticks it to Labour on a regular basis in Paisley. He may be an outsider but he is no dummy when it comes to looking at how Labour works.
It is however a sore point about the children’s ward at RAH. Labour conjoined Inverclyde Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire into Greater Glasgow which they are most definately not.
The new “state of the art|” hospital has struggled from the beginning to accomodate both patients and visitors. It’s essentially too big. If you have a child with major illness it’s a nightmare to park at the new hospital. You have to go there anyway if the illness is serious enough.
What we are losing is a local facility accessible by transport links which are local. The important thing is that people in Paisley, Mhairi Black and all, recognise this. We are being steamrollered into being part of Glasgow for health services and that is always a bad idea.
Ha ha. What a fanny.
mogabee The Law/ Stonehouse/ Belvidere /Hairmiers if the Scottish Gov did return to Nissen Hospitals it would give these moaners something to moan about . In the last 5 years I’ve been in more Glasgow Hospitals than my local Monklands & more recently the Jubilee in Clydebank if that where the Specialist treatment is the onus is on the Patient to ether go or suffer .
In respect of RAH children’s ward I would rather my child was in the best place of care under full Pediatric staff .
I had two of my sons in Yorkhill when younger ( dif times ) I traveled by train from Airdrie to Partick every night after work with no thought of the time or journey , that’s what Parents do . My Wife & myself were grateful to the Staff for their dedication .
Mmm, Yorkhill, parties, nurses, Overflow and the Stirling Castle was it? I think I was born in nissen huts which was Ayr Hospital (Heathfield) back then but not sure if my leg was being pulled. Strangely enough I don’t remember.
….not fair. Unionists have an unfair advantage in this contest!
I guess anyway we’re pretty spoilt in the Central Belt or even on the finges of it. There must be people reading these comments shaking their heads in wonder about discussions about a few minutes either way. Everybody should have an A&E to go to, and they do use phones to get opinions.
yesindyref2,
“Don’t slip your standards to those of the unionist media.”
How much do you spend on The National every year?
How do you compare the standards there with the standards of articles on this site?
How many comments do you post on The National every week?
yesindyref2 (3rd March 2017 – “Pushing the accelerator”):
“To pick up what Rev says, all I gave was £5, and posted as much on the first thread.
Am I ashamed it’s so little? Why should I be? It’s all I can afford at the moment.”
I spent almost a decade working on the Paisley Daily Express, back when it was actually based in New Street, Paisley.
We had a great team then, under a charismatic Editor, who was a born and bred Buddie, who loved the town and the paper.
Today, the PDE sells less than half the copies it did then, oh, an the main editorial office is in GLASGOW. So, the PDE really has a nerve getting aerated about the closure of Ward 15 – the new unit is a damned sight closer to Paisley than the PDE is.
Cag-does-thinking @ 21:18,
You touch on the heart of it here. It isn’t really a medical issue pure-and-simple at all. If anything the medical case supports centralisation as the medics prefer, and people like Lenny Hendry upthread can personally attest.
Rather it’s an issue of adequate resourcing for ancillary support, not least accessible and affordable public transport. Which is a much wider issue than a purely medical one, granted, but it has a particular sensitivity for this issue.
In my case, for example, I don’t have a private car, so travel to that big central facility by taxi takes something like 30mins at best, and costs £20 round trip (which isn’t refundable for a visitor). The only alternative is the bus, which is cheaper, but takes far onger and involves changeovers.
Initially there was a great and very convenient direct bus service, but the private operator discontinued it after a year because it was severely underutilised. (All those people taking to their cars instead.) It ought to have been maintained by subsidy as a public good, but that’s austerity for you. (During the time of the previous Labour administration, as it happens, but I’m not trying to political point-score here.)
The conclusion: public support for clinically-necessary improvements in medical facilities may depend critically on apparently tangential social issues such as ease of access.
And unfortunately for us all, the continued high dependence on private car ownership and the absolutely antiquated bus system operating in much of Scotland (not helped by the idiotic privatisations of the Thatcher/Major years) is having an impact on otherwise unrelated matters.
Meanwhile, the best that Anas+NorthBritLab can muster is inane sound-biting like this.
We desperately need a medical treatment for parasites. The human kind.
Sarwar deserves this title permanently because he makes his millions partly by not paying the living wage ‘because he does not have to’ that’s socialism in action for you – labour style. And he thought he could be leader of even a red tory party.
A longish post but covers some of the points raised by other posters above
1. Hospital provision in Glasgow:
New Victoria Hospital
link to nhsggc.org.uk
Click on the Servicesand Outpatients link to see what is offered at the hospital. There are 21 Services including Minor Injuries Unit, Day hospital, Day Surgery and out of hours GP service.
All in a brand new facility.
New Stobhill Hospital
link to nhsggc.org.uk
Again click on the Services and outpatients link to see what is offered at the hospital which serves the North of Glasgow. There are 28 services in all including Minor injuries unit etc same as Victoria.
Again in a brand new facility.
So provision of local services particularly some of the most commonly used diagnostic and outpatient services as well as Day Surgery which means people do not have to travel far to access them. The provision of modern facilities also helps to cut infections and improve the throughput of patients in an efficient manner. Access to a minor injuries facilities helps to take the strain off larger A&E departments.
2. Provision of Services in general
Last year Shona Robison outlined the future direction of service provision in the NHS. This will be based on centres of excellence dealing with what are described as life changing procedures – heart OPS, orthopedics (hip replacement etc) and probably key hole surgery. The model for this type of centre would be the likes of the Golden Jubilee Hospital. Local hospitals would provide day surgery etc similar in fact to the new Victoria and Stobhill facilities.
This is driven by the recognition that the changes in medical delivery and the need for medical professionals -doctors, nurses and midwives – to maintain their skills requires a certain level of throughput of patients in order to maintain their skill levels.
Do you want your key-hole surgery carried out by someone who does 2-3 such procedures per month in your local hospital or someone who does 2 per day in a centre of excellence? That is what it boils down to across so many disciplines in medicine.
There is also staffing issues. A growing problem as we lose EU doctors and nurses. Of relevance to Paediatrics in RAH and in Livingston is a workforce report published in 2017 by the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health. You can read it here by following the links in the page. It is short – 6 pages -but worth reading
link to rcpch.ac.uk
@ Dr Jim
I always feel like some kind of cultural sell out when I confess I NEVER found Bill Connelly funny at any point in his career. The acting role I like him best is the Uncle who kept poisonous creatures, but the kids like him. The Lemony Snicket movie.
The rest is, imo, guff. As a young man, doing his big banana feet etc., talking about Govan, I just didnt find it funny, and I wanted to.
When I was about 11, we lived on 3rd floor of a tenement in West end of Paisley. About 1am one night, I felt sick, and my face felt numb. I felt I had no choice but to go wake my mother, so shuffled through to her bedroom, followed by my young sister, saying I felt funny.
My mother was raging at being woken, and was cursing as she fumbled for the switch. When the big light was turned on, my mother and sister started screaming – at me.
My face had blown up to more than twice its size, and my eyes were almost shut. There was a lot of omg, and my mother put on her coat over her nightdress, to run up to a phone box that was two streets away.
An indian doctor came, who was very kind to me, because my mother apologised to him for me being a nuisance.
The doctor snapped at her that I could have died if the jag and pill he gave me hadnt slowed the swelling. He was prepared to do a tracheotomy, and cut a hole into my windpipe.
We never found out what caused it, but everyone told me I looked like a hideous doll for a week. It was a severe allergic reaction to something.
Ah, those were the days. Im glad it wasnt raining that night, or you might be a cybernat short today :).
Dundee built a new hospital in 1974, Ninewells and it is about as far West as you can go before leaving the city.
The main hospital until then had been Dundee Royal Infirmary which first opened in 1798. A big grand imposing building that continued to be used after Ninewells opened for a further 24 years before finally closing in 1998.
I’ve had reason to use Ninewells on more than one occasion since 1998 and have always been impressed with the treatment I received. In fact when I last looked Ninewells has consistently been very close to the top of the A&E figures and is one of Scotland’s best performing hospitals.
OK it is now over 40 years old but I doubt you would notice, I’d much rather be there than the old DRI.
Things change and often for the better, it’s the making of difficult decisions that are not so easy but I’ll tell you what even if initially you might disagree with a decision made on your behalf. Often it can turn out to be the right one.
Me personally? I’m all for modernising Scotland in all ways possible, out with the decrepit and in with the new if it will make peoples lives better.
By the way can anyone tell me where that £69 million figure came from.
Aye yer right Ronnie.
Mind you, Monklands frae Wishaw was incredibly hard to get to without a car, as I had one of my boys in the isolation unit. And I recently had an op in the Jubilee!!
Just shows how things have changed and some haven’t changed much at all. 😀
Slab probably dodged a bullet when they didn’t elect Anas as leader.
They may have sat on a hand grenade minus pin with the one they got but they probably dodged a bullet. 🙂
@yesindyref2
Yes, some folks live a few hours drive from a full A&E. That’s why so much of Scotland is covered by planes and helicopters, both Scottish Government and chastity. Hospitals in Scotland with full A&E 24/7 facilities ….
(I think this is the current situation)
Ayrshire & Arran
University Hospital Ayr
University Hospital Crosshouse
Borders
Borders General Hospital
Dumfries & Galloway
Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary
Galloway Community Hospital
Fife
Victoria Hospital
Forth Valley
Forth Valley Royal Hospital
Grampian
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Dr Gray’s Hospital
Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital
Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Inverclyde Royal Hospital
Royal Alexandra Hospital
RHSC Glasgow
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Highland
Belford Hospital
Caithness General Hospital
Lorn & Islands District General Hospital
Raigmore Hospital
Lanarkshire
Hairmyres Hospital
Monklands Hospital
Wishaw General Hospital
Lothian
RHSC Edinburgh
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
St John’s Hospital at Howden
Orkney
Balfour Hospital
Shetland
Gilbert Bain Hospital
Tayside
Ninewells Hospital
Perth Royal Infirmary
Western Isles
Western Isles Hospital
Chastity!? Charity of course.
fanny of the week more like fud of the century
galamcennalath @ 22:08,
Ah well, you know what they say: “abstention is better than cure”.
Or something…?! =grin=
I said
Of course I’m thinking of the mainland only here. All across the Hebrides any serious emergency and it has to be an air ambulance!
@mark roberston –
Fud of the Century is different league altogether, surely!? It’s Mundell-level fanniness, rarely reached by mere mortals.
@olin alexander says: 20 January, 2018 at 7:14 pm:
“Precisely, you don’t live in the North side of Glasgow.”
Such illogical thinking there Colin. Perhaps we should situate the Hospital equidistant from north and south Glasgow, just to be fair to both area covered by the new hospital, and a site in east or west Glasgow may well fit that bill.
Oh! Wait! Then we will have the voters of either east or west Glasgow complaining unless it is also equidistant for them as well.
The point is that no matter where you site a new hospital in any given area, unless that area boundaries are absolutely circular, there will be people less conveniently situated than others.
Oh! Wait up! Some will still be closer to the hospital than others and complaining.
Did you understand the logic and the point of this comment, Colin? It really isn’t difficult to understand.
As to bringing Nicola Sturgeon into the matter – any excuse will do – would that also be the case Colin?
@Colin alexander says: 20 January, 2018 at 7:14 pm:
“Precisely, you don’t live in the North side of Glasgow.”
Such illogical thinking there Colin. Perhaps we should situate the Hospital equidistant from north and south Glasgow, just to be fair to both area covered by the new hospital, and a site in east or west Glasgow may well fit that bill.
Oh! Wait! Then we will have the voters of either east or west Glasgow complaining unless it is also equidistant for them as well.
The point is that no matter where you site a new hospital in any given area, unless that area boundaries are absolutely circular, there will be people less conveniently situated than others.
Oh! Wait up! Some will still be closer to the hospital than others and complaining.
Did you understand the logic and the point of this comment, Colin? It really isn’t difficult to understand.
As to bringing Nicola Sturgeon into the matter – any excuse will do – would that also be the case Colin?
Totally OT, but showing what small independent countries can achieve.
New Zealand planning a space launch tomorrow!
https://www.rocketlabusa.com
Hi Thepnr at 10:04 pm.
You typed,
“In fact when I last looked Ninewells has consistently been very close to the top of the A&E figures and is one of Scotland’s best performing hospitals.
OK it is now over 40 years old but I doubt you would notice, I’d much rather be there than the old DRI.”
I’ve been working at Ninewells (in the Medical School) since 2001. What struck me, in my first few months there, was that there is always maintenance and refurbishment work going on – and new builds, like the Clinical Research Centre, the Jackie Wood Cancer Centre, the (newish) Maternal & Child Health Sciences building, at the far west of the campus, which physically connects with the Childrens’ Hospital, based around Ward 29 and children’s outpatients areas. I don’t think a week goes past without work going on somwhere on the Ninewells Campus.
Apart from maintenance work going on within the actual hospital, at the moment a new building is nearing completion, next to the Jackie Wood Cancer Centre. This new building will house a manufacturing facility producing generic drugs for all NHS Scotland.
Yes, the original (expansive) building is over 40 years old but it has been expanded over the years and the original building is still in good shape.
@Brian Doonthetoon
I have a certain bias towards Ninewells, I too worked there for 6 months back in 1987 in their engineering department while a student at what is now Abertay University.
Most people would not believe the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to keep a hospital running. Even then planned maintenance cards printed out everyday for all the essential equipment that few ever see.
The maintenance for every pump, generator, boiler (and they were big) etc. has it’s own maintenance scheme. Then the small things like the radiators, leaky taps, kitchen equipment. All have to be maintained and it’s not a small job to keep everything running smoothly.
They manage it though and the proof is the comparison with Scotland and the other NHS’s elsewhere. Well done to all NHS Scotland staff and not just the front-line doctors and nurses.
yesindyref2 says:
20 January, 2018 at 7:32 pm
@Heed
Privatisation came in and I need say no more.
New modern hospitals are much cleaner too. Mind the outbreaks of the MRSA superbugs. No idea how much of that was down to our noble UKOK hackdom bullshit but I know they’re designed now for much more effectively cleaning.
@galamcennalath
Interesting list, was looking for Islay and that’s what it is at Bowmore “Community Casualty Unit”. I went up and had a look one time I was over there just for interest. I’m guessing they take people there before ferry / air ambulance.
Yes, the air ambulances. See them sometimes where I am on the mainland, or at least I guess that’s what they are.
There’s the hand dispensers too, we used them all the time at RAH. I did manage to use the wrong one by a sink, thought it was a bit sticky all the same. Most visitors seemed to use them, it’s education too so in that way the media done good for a change.
Talking about air ambulances, I often amn’t able to book a ferry not knowing if I’ll get that far sometimes, or what time, so end up in the wait queue – every time at Mallaig for Armadale. They really work hard to get you on, one time I was 8th there and just got on, a couple of times diagaonally in the ramp and one time they had to get an officer down to check it was safe.
Anyway to get to the point of a shaggy dog story, I was told a long time ago they keep spaces for an ambulance and they are rare, and I think it was about 3 car or small van spaces worth, a reason you usually get on though they can’t properly tell you that just in case you get angry you don’t get on if you don’t, though a little blether don’t go amiss.
You do see the ambulance transfer sometimes, the mainland ambulance transferring patient to the island one and going back on the ferry.
Not a lot of people know that innit!
Robert Peffers
Good evening Robert, how’s it going?
The best thing about Scotland is the NHS.
When I was campaigning for YES, I highlighted the work of Professor Allyson Pollock:
link to allysonpollock.com
One of my themes was that the Scottish NHS is a health care system the world envies. That remaining part of this UK Union poses a threat to our NHS.
In my opinion, the best way of protecting the Scottish NHS is by Scotland becoming an independent country.
That’s what I said in 2014 and I still believe that in 2018.
So, I laugh when people like yourself imagine I’m a Unionist just because I criticise the SNP on occasion.
“I criticise the SNP on occasion.” Zoomer LOL
So, I laugh when people like yourself imagine I’m a Unionist just because I criticise the SNP on occasion.
Its all you ever do Colin A, you and Rock. You are Nic Sturgeon nemesis aren’t you. I think most WoS btl commenters understand how annoying it must be for yoons to read btl comment after btl comment, monstering the tories red and blue.
So hopefully its good old NHS level therapy for you Colin A, to do your Nic Sturgeon ate my British hamster stuff on here.
@Colin A –
It’s okay to be critical of the SNP and still be an indy supporter.
Look at Loki!
Why don’t you collaborate with him and do something productive instead of annoying folk here – he’s already done loads of stuff about ‘pollock’.
Like Stu I don’t know enough about the ins and outs of hospital management to determine what the capacities and requirements are but a couple of things strike me from the story.
1) The rather bizarre claim that children will die seems a tad intemperate. Do all children who live more than a couple of miles from a dedicated ward run this risk or only children in Paisley who have the misfortune to live six miles from the best facility in Scotland? (Carolann Davidson is a Labour Councillor btw).
2) RAH A&E is still there and would be first port of call for an emergency.
3) Getting to the Southern from Paisley is really not that hard and if you are from outside Paisley it is easier getting to the Southern than trying to negotiate Paisley’s insane road system.
galamcennalath to your list add Arran War Memorial Hospital which has 24/7 A+E, I suspect that many Island hospitals are the same. Following job advert I saw today gives details, I can confirm that I have used the A+E facilities many times over the years and the standard of Care is second to none.
YesIndyref2 you are correct about a space being left for an Ambulance and also fire Appliances . However the main reason that Cal-Mac have space when the ship is fully booked is because their booking system is not fit for purpose. Part of the recent contract they were awarded specified a “Smart Ticketing System” We will see, Im not holding my breath.
Location: Remote & Rural North, Arran War Memorial Hospital, Grade: Band 5
Category: Nursing & Midwifery Salary: £22440.00 to £29034.00
Contract: Permanent Duration: undefined
Region: Ayrshire_Arran Hours: 34.50
Job type: PartTime Date posted: 19 Jan 2018
Ref: N/671/17/SHOW Closing date: 03 Feb 2018
Description:
The Isle of Arran often described as ‘Scotland in Miniature’ is an island some 20 miles long by 10 across separated from the mainland Ayrshire by an hour long ferry crossing from Ardrossan to Brodick and in summer by a shorter ferry from Kintyre to Lochranza. Arran’s stable population if just 5250 increases approximately 3 fold during the summer months. In support of our core purpose of Working together to achieve the healthiest life possible for everyone in Ayrshire and Arran we are committed to a culture that is Caring Safe and Respectful. The post holder is required to work collaboratively in a safe caring and respectful way. Dynamic and forward thinking Arran War Memorial Hospital is a 17 bedded hospital providing care to a diverse patient population on an inpatient and outpatient basis including Accident and Emergency services day therapies and outpatient clinics. Patient care services are provided by a wide range of clinicians from both Primary and Secondary care setting and are expanding as the Integration of Health and Social Care progresses locally. We are seeking an enthusiastic and flexible nurse to join our team of staff providing care to patients within all of the hospitals settings. The successful candidate will be a first level Registered Nurse who will be able to provide evidence of work experience in a variety of acute clinical care settings. Staff will be required to work on all shift patterns and provide care in all general areas within the hospital and also the opportunity of working in the community. Hours: 34.5 hours per week.
Corbyn bounce is bouncing less and less. Anas knows why. Who wants to be a millionaire socialist worker/slave wager, Anas!
link to politicalite.com
heedtracker
Nicola Sturgeon and I have much in common: we want the best for Scotland and her people.
We also believe independence is the best way of achieving that.
Of course, I have differences of opinion on best strategies and some policies etc but, that doesn’t mean we are enemies or opponents when it comes to many core issues such as independence and the NHS.
SNP PBB being critisised now for it’s production values and acting
Yoonworld now being sucked up into it’s own bowels
What do they expect for a PBB anyway *Braveheart* I know that’s one of their all time favourites
All the LOLZ
@heedy
I know you like playing with the guy but he’s a mental, careful he’s not infectious, don’t tell him your name Pike
Damn! fell for it again
All the LOLZ
Nearly but not quite, last king of Scothland likes it.
Andrew Neil
?
Verified account
@afneil
6h6 hours ago
More
I don’t retweet PPBs of any party but the new one from the SNP which is causing such controversy I thought was very effective in getting its message across. Big cut above most PPBs.
He,he, he, Fanny
@Lenny Hartley
Yes, that too. I think there was something about the mezzanine deck not being bookable on for instance the Islay crossings, even though they were actually working.
The other thing is block freight. For Coll for instance which I did on Calmac 8 day tickets with other islands (carefully planned trips) I could never get a booking back to Oban, as they were filled from Tiree (the Barra ferry). But I managed to get on OK. It’s annoying, but on the other hand particualrly for the Outer Hebrides freight is the lifeline. Different problems these days of course with RET which takes away the benefit of the 8 day ticket for me, though making it cheaper even than a 6 ticket book for the likes of Arran.
Anyway zzzzzs for me, I see oor Colin and Rock still haven’t come up with their factoids, though some other types of oids seem to be oozing out of them.
colin alexander says:
21 January, 2018 at 12:28 am
heedtracker
Nicola Sturgeon and I have much in common: we want the best for Scotland and her people.
We also believe independence is the best way of achieving that.
Yes dear. There’s a bloke at my work like you too, he voted YES but NEVER again, we can never make it alone etc.
Whatever floats your boat Colin A. You’ll get Nicola in the end though, we all know how political careers end in failure right. Its democracy.
Even the great UKOK newsrooms are looking at the end of everything, sales, influence, advertisers don’t want to be seen in their shitrags much now. BBC gimps will also be wondering how on earth they can get millenials to watch their relentless vote tory, Scotland’s a shithole garbage.
Nothing’s forever Colin A, except you ofcourse:D
heedtracker says:
20 January, 2018 at 11:21 pm
yesindyref2 says:
20 January, 2018 at 7:32 pm
@Heed
Privatisation came in and I need say no more.
New modern hospitals are much cleaner too. Mind the outbreaks of the MRSA superbugs. No idea how much of that was down to our noble UKOK hackdom bullshit but I know they’re designed now for much more effectively cleaning.
……………
The MRSA infection rate in hospitals and its sometimes tragic consequences for patients was very real. The media, for once, were not over-hyping the story. If I remember correctly Scottish hospitals had some of the worst rates in Europe for hospital acquired infections at that time – early noughties.
Labour-LibDem coalition were in office in Holyrood at the time and seemed to be less than pro-active in dealing with the problem.
When the SNP came to power, M&s Sturgeon as Health Secretary, they made a huge effort to tackle the problem.
Cleaning services brought back in house and more cleaners employed. Very pro-active campaign to ensure hand cleaning. Not wearing long sleeves – nothing below the elbow. Pre-testing of patients coming into hospital for elective treatments to ensure they were not carriers. And, as you said, improving facilities which are easier to clean.
Introducing unannounced inspections of hospitals with follow-up inspections to ensure recommendations have been acted upon if problems with cleanliness had been identified.
These and other steps have helped to bring infection rates in hospitals under control and reduce them.
Dug’s in good form.
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
It’s like, unionist politicians keep getting more like scary Zombies.
link to youtube.com
Just for laughs, mind.
AFoTW 🙂
AFOTW.
As someone who actually knows about the logistics of looking after sick kids, I can absolutely confirm that it is much, much better to look after paediatric patients in a dedicated facility where the entire staff are skilled at delivering safe care to small people. Having paediatric resuscitation teams, critical care services and surgeons on call 24/7 365 is well worth the 6 mile trip down the road. Children’s Hospitals are much more attractive to elite specialist staff so recruitment is easier than at a District General. Centralising services is also more efficient than having wards scattered around the region so will give better value for money. It’s called the supercentre model.
The whole hospital closure meme is a political football which ultimately distracts from the central aim of health boards to provide high quality safe care at reasonable cost.
@me at 10:59pm
New Zealand launch successful. Wee countries can kick ass too 🙂
link to nzherald.co.nz
RE: SNP PPB
With the yoons and their media chums in meltdown over this, it is becoming obvious just how effective it has been.
Well, SNP folk, you have stumbled on a brilliant formula.
I hope to see more like it. Maybe our hipster could return with one of his yoon pals. More of the same please. 🙂
Luigi at 0711am,
Exactly. What stands out however, from all of this, is just how totally uptight the unionists are. Absolutely zero sense of humour – and let’s face it, I and many others did not when watching the PPB think immediately of that Torrance bloke, since I’d never seen him very much, and the last time I checked he wore dark glasses.
The mind boggling sense of entitlement amongst unionists and their ‘scottishy’ media puppets, is truly staggering. What a right greetin faced bunch.
Let’s have more of this from the SNP. Truly superb.
LINKS!
The curious case of the disappearing parliament;
link to itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com
The Scottish Press;
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
‘Unfair’ delivery charge dossier sent to watchdog;
link to archive.is
How Brexiteers want to reassert British power in Asia;
link to youtube.com
LINKS!
Being deafened by the “silenced”; ‘First posted by Macart 2:12am’
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
Sinn Féin to be led by a woman for the first time in its modern history;
link to archive.is
People are crowdfunding to buy Katie Hopkins’ house to turn it into a Refugee Shelter;
link to evolvepolitics.com
No Brexit deal on financial services if UK diverges from EU, says Merkel ally;
link to politico.eu
LINKS!
Exclusive: leaked files reveal Carillion’s payments to blacklisting agency. And far more.;
link to thecanary.co
VIRGIN CARE ‘ASKED STAFF NOT TO REPORT SAFETY CONCERNS’;
link to skwawkbox.org
Carillion’s missing millions;
link to redpepper.org.uk
How not to be ignorant about the world; (Ted Talk)
link to gapminder.org
LINK!
A BBC Scotland complaint – Coverage of EU Withdrawal Bill;
link to indyref2.scot
That’s All for now, Wingers. Will post any late links as and when.
Have a peaceful and profitable Sunday.
🙂
THE BIG PICTURE
As ever, top marks to Stu, our Champion who steps up every day to take on the BritNat forces of propaganda in hand-to-hand ‘media combat’- and wins every time.
While detail will always remain very important, everything has context and should never be looked at as separate from the big picture. When the electorate are distracted they are effectively blinded. This is a vital part of this Tory Government’s propaganda strategy. It helps win elections after all.
So it is that the UK is filled with media noise every single day from morning till night in an attempt to drown out the reporting of the truth.
Currently, the British Establishment, operating through the Government, is seeking to strengthen its power over Scotland and Northern Ireland as part of the UK leaving the EU . In Scotland, by the repatriation of devolved powers, and in NI by redrawing the political boundaries in order to ensure the DUP dominate, a practice known as gerrymandering and not new to Unionist politics in the Province.
The Government’s big picture is framed by the desire of the English ruling classes to grab as much political power as possible within the UK and then, free from EU regulations, to create a UK which will be effectively democracy-free and controlled by the wealthy elite via its political wing, the Tory Party and with only two over-riding policies – to continually transfer the wealth of the UK to the rich, and to cement Austerity into the lives of the masses on a permanent basis.
People like Anas Sarwar and David Torrance will always be promoted and protected by and in the Media because they are part and parcel of that strategy. The British Establishment always looks after its own.
Our big picture is of course Scottish Independence, and it’s becoming clearer by the day why Scotland needs it.
Over in NI, the same basic problem of British Colonial power continues to usurp the sovereignty and integrity of the island of Ireland and disturb the peace of the people. This is the same colonial legacy which the English Upper class has left scattered across half the world. And still they cling to their delusions of superiority in their insistence on different classes of people, only now there are it seems only two classes, the very rich and the rest.
Everyone ready, eyes open, and…. say ‘cheese’.
Is Mhairi Black going to apologise for her plastic paddy remark? Is she another big jock knew headbanger who can’t accept an Irish identity?
Is it still Labour – unionists plants and placepeople running (ruining) the Health boards or inciting malicious protests. That new hospital looks really adequate for the many and not the few.
Sarwar has a habit of asking ridiculous questions in Holyrood which should have been for the Labour run Health Board. With manipulated facts and figures. They can’t count or read a balance sheet. Killing and maiming people the world over. £Trns of debt. Milking Scotland of £Billions which would provide even better essential services.
Most people would be delighted with a brand new up to the minute facility. Instead of complaining.
I have been told many times, keep putting the drops in the eyes, although you can see better, you will see even more and tell others.
O/t
You know those ‘Jimmy’ hats etc much loved by footy supporters?
Anyone know where I can get a hipster beard tie and glasses from?
Listening to President Macron is like listening to Nicola Sturgeon
Spookily promising for Scotland I think
“Listening to President Macron is like listening to Nicola Sturgeon”
How?
Did he demand Scotland’s Remain ( in the EU) vote be respected based on the Claim of Right and the sovereignty of the people of Scotland, then do the opposite and support Soft Brexit?
The Scottish Fanny Society is holding its Anas Sarwar of the week competition this evening (allegedly)
@Stephen Paterson,
I will deal with your points. She is a Partick Thistle supporter and has been since she was a little girl She went to a Catholic girls school and attended Mass every week.
The issue you are referring to about “plastic Irish” is an interview she gave to Holyrood magazine. She was not decrying Irish folk in any way, but was alluding to those native Scots on both sides of the religious divide here in Scotland, who utilise Irish culture and history to their own ends,
She is perfectly correct in that view in my opinion
26 January 2012, c5805
Nicola Sturgeon: “Presiding officer, the motion for this afternoon’s debate is deliberately simple. It states that
“This Parliament acknowledges the sovereign right of the Scottish people to determine the form of Government best suited to their needs, and declares and pledges that in all its actions and deliberations their interests shall be paramount.”
Nicola, the people voted to REMAIN part of the EU. That is a form of government. So, you have no right to support Soft, medium, or hard-bolied Brexit.
The FM or Scot Govt or Holyrood is not sovereign; it’s the people of Scotland, as you have accepted.
Frogesque link to tamshepherdstrickshop.co.uk Hope that helps
Another fanny exposed and ridiculed, ignorance and lies oozing out of them, like a poisonous pus.
The SNP PPB was perfectly pitched, in my view, by eliminating the need for any argie-bargies and allowed a narrative of a real and rightful national pride in Scotland’s achievements, full of facts and information. Hence the faux outrage from the Colonialists/Unionists who can’t stand it when they are denied argie-bargies to sow their division and hatred and lies.The PPB exemplified ,for me, a line I read in a fictional book by the great James Lee Burke, that the only argument you ever win is the one you don’t have.
@Stephen Paterson says: 21 January, 2018 at 8:57 am:
“Is Mhairi Black going to apologise for her plastic paddy remark? Is she another big jock knew headbanger who can’t accept an Irish identity?”
Isn’t that comment from you in the wrong place, Stephen?
What exactly did you intend to achieve by asking your rather idiotic question here on Wings?
Seems to me that Wings has, of late, acquired a small, but overly vociferous, faction of totally illogical thinkers who ask, or state, absolutely ridiculous questions.
However, as I seem to be making a reply to one such illogical thinker, I had best explain the illogical thinking I refer to.
It really is, as all logical things are, quite simple.
You enquire, “Is Mhairi Black going to apologise for her plastic paddy remark?”
Logically there is only one person in the entire World who can answer your question – that one person is none other than Ms Black herself and to the best of my knowledge, (and I stand ready to be corrected), Ms Black may or may not read Wings but, sure as hell, is not well known as a Wings over Scotland commenter.
So may I ask you the obvious question – What exactly is your motive for questioning Wingers if the SNP MP will answer your question?
Which question incidentally refers to some alleged remark quoted completely without context. Without which context, (or having personally heard/read or viewed the remark elsewhere), the average Winger will have no idea what the hell you are mumping about.
By the way, your own denigration, that you apply to Scots in general instead of to Ms Black in particular, is hardly likely to encourage Wingers to answer your, somewhat overblown and much exaggerated, feelings of insult.
What was it again?
Oh! Yes! Here it is:-
BTW: It makes little sense – what exactly is a, “knew headbanger”?
Incidentally, are you aware that most Scots will likely have a fair proportion of Irish blood. For Myself I had two Irish Grandmothers. One born in what was to later become a republic and one from what was and still is, from 1542, the English province.
O/T completely random:
My road map shows total border crossings between Scotland and England:
2 railway lines
1 motorway
4 A-roads
17 minor roads
Doesn’t seem very much
The SNP PPB has opened a door to more exposure of the ways that
corrupt media reporters follow the Westminster directive for Scotland.Their squealing over the Torrence issue shows how they could be hurt, annoyed and outraged by similar kinds of exposure.
A phantom Films type on the same lines of “No to Yes” could be deployed, deliberately targeted on social media and with a themed end punchline making fools of them.
That would outrage them further, and the more rabid they become, the more mistakes they make, which again may trend on social media, which the PPB shows is very effective. Just my way of thinking. However opportunities are endless with idea.
What thoughts do you have on this?
colin alexander says:
21 January, 2018 at 10:20 am
“Listening to President Macron is like listening to Nicola Sturgeon”
How?
That made you jump huh Colin A.
Yoons are a hoot sometimes:D
If you ever dare to mention online anywhere that Scotland could be an EU member state and there might be a Scottish EU president like,
link to euronews.com
Yoon and English fury and mockery melts the line. You’re an odd lot Colin A but who’s the odder, yoons or Scots that voted to stay under yoon rule?
Another though re my last posting, imagine what could be done with this idea in exposing the unionist parties in Scotland!
Yesindy2ref, the mezz deck would probably not be bookable as if more than a couple of trailers booked then they cant use them. The freight block bookings are an issue, however if
I have seen one photo on fb of car decks half empty when folk have been told the sailing is full, ive seen a hundred and that cannot be down entirely to block bookings. Mind you cannot keep everybody happy, the number of folk complaining that they cant get their car on to attend a medical appointment on the mainland or have a short notice medical appointment seems to have risen considerably since RET has been introduced.
When I was a lad you accepted the good and bad of living on an Island. Now folk expect no downsides.
So it turns out that Keith Cochrane, who is the chief executive of Carillion, is also the lead non-executive at the Scotland Office.
Surely Fluffy Mundell must remove this incompetent aid as soon as possible.
Cochrane backed no in the 2014 independence referendum, he’s also an advisor to the pro-unionist group These Islands.
LATE LINKS!
link to pilaraymara.com
link to salon.com
link to theregister.co.uk
They Were Bad. He May Be Worse.
link to archive.is
Well Sunday Politics show is at it again, showing a clip of the new SNP PPB, speaking about new schools. The programmes shows Edinburgh’s Oxgang primary school, which was in the news due its shoddy building and the unfortunate death of a young pupil.
Of course there’s no mention of the Labour/Libdem admin, that the PFI school was built under. The show even rolled out Tom Harris, to say Labour’s PFI wasn’t that bad.
Heedtracker said:
“yoons or Scots that voted to stay under yoon rule”
You mean, 55% agreed with a central tenet of the BT NO campaign that said:
“vote NO to guarantee Scotland’s continued membership of the EU”
Then 62% in Scotland voted Remain in the EU.
Thus, TWO referendums backed Scotland remaining part of the EU.
Now, since the Turkeys voted for Christmas (the NO vote), the status quo that they were supposed to be voting for will no longer exists with Brexit.
However, Alex Salmond warned of this very situation in 2013: “real uncertainty on Scotland’s future in Europe is coming from Westminster”.
He urged people to vote YES or: “The alternative is Scotland being dragged to the EU exit door against our will as Westminster descends into a right-wing debating society that threatens jobs and prosperity in the real world.”
Brexit is against the will of the clear majority of the sovereign people of Scotland. It is a betrayal of TWO clear referendum decisions, so the Scot Govt should not touch it with a barge pole.
Soft Brexit is Brexit. It is being dragged out the EU against our will. Thus, it is unacceptable for the FM, Scottish Govt or Scottish Parliament to aid or facilitate that in any way.
It’s good that the SNP warn of the very serious damage of leaving the EU, highlight the betrayal of promises and argue that Hard Brexit is the most damaging of all.
But that does not give them a mandate to try to achieve ANY form of Brexit when it is clearly contrary to the will of the people of Scotland.
Andy-B says:
21 January, 2018 at 11:50 am
‘So it turns out that Keith Cochrane, who is the chief executive of Carillion, is also the lead non-executive at the Scotland Office.’
As reported in the Herald. Good grief this sounds corrupt as f*ck
link to archive.is
@Glamaig
Thanks for the border crossing count. Saved me the effort. Was on my wish-list/todo-list.
You are correct Scotland is isolated pretty much from our neighbour.
Most of the heavy stuff goes by rail via Carlisle. Xustoms checks at Mossend in N Lanarkshire would be easy to implement. Then we would be able to quantify actual Scottish exports by rail. All that whisky exported via Felixstowe would not be English anymore.
Two Off Topic links,the first being David Mundell MP “under pressure”.
The Sunday Herald:
“SCOTLAND Secretary David Mundell is under pressure after it emerged that the interim chief executive of failed construction giant Carillion is one of his top advisers.
Keith Cochrane CBE, who sat on Carillion’s “business integrity” and audit committees before taking temporary charge of the the firm last year, is also the lead non-executive director at the Scotland Office……” [!!!] 🙁
link to tinyurl.com
The second link is the Guardian:
“Scotland’s new social security system will include an unprecedented degree of independent scrutiny – with the express intention of future-proofing the powers against the kinds of austerity measures that have devastated vulnerable groups in the rest of the UK………”
By Libby Brooks.Scotland correspondent.
link to archive.is
@colin alexander says:21 January, 2018 at 10:20 am:
“Listening to President Macron is like listening to Nicola Sturgeon”
How?
Very telling that you, and your yoon pals, need to ask that little question.
There is one stand out EU/EC view that has been held and stated but goes mainly unreported by the Westminster Establishment. It is precisely worded, “The United Kingdom cannot cherry pick which of the four freedoms it chooses”.
That simple means that the freedoms that are the entire essence of the EU are sacrosanct.
Got it now, Colin?
The EU and EC have said since the United Kingdom declared
BRUKEXIT that in no way will the EU allow any dilution by the United Kingdom of any of the four core freedoms of the EU.The ‘four core freedoms’ of the European Union are the freedom of movement of goods, people, services and capital, over borders.
Is that David Torrence on Politics Scotland a look alike how many are there.
Where is Davidson sent Mary Scanlon on Police Scotland now Brewer the same as Gary.
Glamaig says:
21 January, 2018 at 12:06 pm
Andy-B says:
21 January, 2018 at 11:50 am
‘So it turns out that Keith Cochrane, who is the chief executive of Carillion, is also the lead non-executive at the Scotland Office.’
As reported in the Herald. Good grief this sounds corrupt as f*ck
link to archive.is
And I can only think that’s ‘lead’ as in ‘balloon’.
Totally bizarre that Unionism can have an unchallenged monopoly on broadcasting, a virtual monopoly on press media, can see the Labour Party liaising with the BBC to write the news agenda two weeks in advance, and see the BBC’s flagrant violation’s of Purdah rules all but ignored by spineless, dare I say, complicit Electoral commission, and yet, look at the farcical hysterical reaction to what, a minute and a half of what might at a push be described as abstract ridicule.
You can smell their terror as Scotland wakes up to their widespread complicity in keeping Scotland subjugated and downtrodden for generations.
Their reaction is like a pompous BritNat drill instructor screaming and busting a blood vessel trying to keep conventional order in the ranks, but floundering and impotent because it’s his own idiotic caricature the troops are laughing at.
It is real “Emperors new clothes” stuff. The SNP’S broadcast has pointed a finger at the buck-naked Imperial media …and giggled.
Andy-B
Tom Harris, it seems, appears on Scottish political shows more than any elected politician.
Whether it’s BBC or STV, there he is again, Tom Harris. Political reject. Hasbeen. A nobody. An EX-Red Tory Labour MP.
WHY ??!!
Breeks
I printed the Electoral Commission rules.
They said the Electoral Commission does not have any rules on impartiality for the BBC or ITV in General Elections or referendums ( well, that’s what it said for indyref)
These organisations have their own codes of conduct and are regulated by OFCOM.
Andy-B says:
21 January, 2018 at 11:50 am
‘So it turns out that Keith Cochrane, who is the chief executive of Carillion, is also the lead non-executive at the Scotland Office.’
And this is just a glimpse of what direct rule from Westminster would look like.
link to archive.is
BBC POLITICS Scotland Peter Geaghan? is Torrance’s doppelgänger or is it the other way around?
Leonard (LABOUR NORTH) will side with the tories in any possible vote over our independence.
Why?
There hasn’t been a material change since 2014!!!! Brexit in his view is a wee side show obviously. Tell that to the workers who will be losing their jobs in the next few years. What a total f******- my nomination for next week. Or maybe ex MP Harris or Jackie Baillie or Davidson, Torrance Mundell…. so many to choose from.
colin alexander says:
21 January, 2018 at 12:02 pm
Heedtracker said:
Ok Colin A, so what do you actually want to happen next for Brexit Scotland?
You’re on here all the time ragin away, SNP bad, Nic Sturgeon ate my hamster etc, but you never say what you want to be done about it all.
Constructive critics are rather rare in yoon culture to be fair Colin A, smash, wreck, lie, frighten, UK first, Scotland is our region of greater England, Holyrood’s just a shitty town council for a shithole region of the UK etc
So what to do next Colin A, other than stop voting SNP?
Why Heed why…y’know he’s just gonnae launch intae mair fud fanny waffle? 😉
K1 says:
21 January, 2018 at 12:33 pm
Why Heed why…y’know he’s just gonnae launch intae mair fud fanny waffle
He is. But Nic Sturgeon ate his hamster, that’s always interesting to hear about:D
@colin alexander says: 21 January, 2018 at 12:15 pm:
“Tom Harris, it seems, appears on Scottish political shows more than any elected politician.
Whether it’s BBC or STV, there he is again, Tom Harris. Political reject. Hasbeen. A nobody. An EX-Red Tory Labour MP.
WHY ??!!”
colin must be the only Wings commenter who does not already know why.
Looks like I’ve upset @heedys resident wee playmate by saying Scotlands beloved leader has similar views to an actual President of another country
He’ll be at it all night now @heedy and you know it’s you he comes here to play with
Nae pals the wee soul
[…] link to wingsoverscotland.com […]
Heedtracker
I want the SNP to 100% oppose Brexit, as that’s the will of the people (62%).
If the UK Govt ignore that, they ignore that. The SNP stick to their guns. The SNP do NOTHING to facilitate any type of Brexit. Instead they fight to keep Scotland in the EU.
Re devolution. The SNP sticks to: devolved = devolved. EU powers are devolved so if Scotland is dragged out the EU against her will, those EU powers go to Scotland.
It would then be for Scotland to decide if they want to give WM any say in administering them – or not. After the Scottish election (seeking a mandate for independence) or an indyref.
That’s what I want, because that’s what the people voted for.
As I am a democrat and defender of the sovereignty of the people of Scotland.
Fud*
*Fear Uncertainty Doubt
He’ll be at it all night now @heedy and you know it’s you he comes here to play with,
Indeed, but more generally as I mentioned, Colin A’s jump into UKOK action at the site of your Macron/Sturgeon point, is much like the yoon rage, you really only ever see in BBC Scotland telly, at Scots, with the damn cheek to even suggest that there may well be a Scottish EU president one day, can melt the internet.
England first, never forget:D
Dr Jim
What same views? You never explained.
Do you mean France is pro-nuclear power, pro-nuclear weapons?
President Macron is the directly Elected head of state of France.
No disrespect to Ms Sturgeon but, the FM is only elected as an MSP and only the appointed head of the North UK Holyrood branch office of devolved Westminster Govt.
The SNP prefer the unelected Royals to be head of state of Scotland.
Claim of Right: Kings can only reign by the will of the people. But the SNP intended to deny the people a say about who would be head of state of indy Scotland.
I’m not saying the Royals cannot rule, but that should be only following a decision by the people, not decided by the SNP’s White Paper.
Let’s hope that’s another lesson learned for next time.
@heedtracker says: 21 January, 2018 at 12:38 pm:
“He is. But Nic Sturgeon ate his hamster, that’s always interesting to hear about:D”
I’d hazard a guess that there are far darker psychological reasons than well loved hamster eating at work there, heedtracker.
I think colin/Colin really, really, fancies Nicola but she ignored his advances.
So it may well be a case of, (the oft misquote William Cosgrove’s), quote is most likely Colin/colin’s motivation:-
Either that or colin/Colin just has a rather poor understanding of the meanings of words coupled with a poor knowledge of politics and diplomacy.
A well written and to the point article by Iain MacWhiter in the SH.
link to archive.is
Watched a few minutes of Politics Scotland as they inferred that collapsed schools was an SNP initiative funded under PFI also the SNP system was basically PFI under another name. Thoroughly unscrupulous reporting, switched off after that. They will of course make some pathetic excuse that it was an overview, but most of us can spot manipulation of facts.
Robert Peffers
As you are so knowledgeable:
How many more Tom Harris TV appearances are needed before he overtakes the all time record set by that other Red Tory reject, Brian Wilson?
As I am a democrat and defender of the sovereignty of the people of Scotland.”
Nice. But what does all that hoohaa mean Colin A, in the real world, of elections and referendums.
You wrapping yourself up into all kinds of contortions here Colin A, at the simplest of questions too,
“I want the SNP to 100% oppose Brexit, as that’s the will of the people (62%)”
That’s nonsense too. Scots voted to Remain in the EU. We did not vote for the SNP to oppose Brexit, in any shape or form. And thusly, your arch enemy Nic Sturgeon is not opposing Brexit.
That’s the kind of gibberjabber we Scots have to face all the time from idiots like you Colin A, in all beeb Scotland gimp tv and radio and every newspaper.
Did Nic Sturgeon really eat your hamster Colin A? sorry your British hamster, great British hamster!
jfngw
Do you mean SNP PFI like Wheatley Group / Glasgow Housing Association taking out huge private loans then paid for by above inflation rent rises while the fat cat boss is on a mega salary?
“Wheatley Group has secured £100 million of new private investment as it drives forward the country’s largest house-building programme.
The debt funding deal with investment firm BlackRock Real Assets follows days after Wheatley’s financial outlook had been revised upward. In its annual review, S&P Global Ratings revised its forecast to “stable” from “negative”, while retaining Wheatley’s A+ credit rating for its £300 million public bond, issued in November, 2014.”
link to scottishfinancialnews.com
Oh dear…i think coco is making a desperate late bid to wrestle away Sarwar’s “fanny of the week” award…!!
My name is coco…and I weely weely support independence…it’s just I hate Nicol Sturgeon, the SNP, the Yes campaign, and everything positive connected with Independence”.
“I also never criticise ANY unionists in any way, nor the msm, but only because I am such an ‘uber yesser’ you understand…and hopefully you forgot everything i posted over the christmas/new year period…that was coco with a ‘C’…honest guv”.
………
Bolt, ya diddy.
Keith “I`M VOTING NO” Cochrane CBE,
Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh,
ex of pro Better Together Weir Group,
UK Government’s Lead Non-Executive Director for the Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate General,
is Chief Executive of the failing Carillion construction empire.
A Lead Non-Executive Director is the way Big Business has been allowed to infiltrate our Government,
there are 80 unelected Lead Non-Executive Directors infesting 17 depts of Government,
their chief is Sir Ian Michael Cheshire who worked for Ernest Saunders during the illegal Guinness takeover of Scottish company Distillers,
Saunders was given a 3 year prison sentence but let out early because, according to bent doctors ,he had alzheimer’s,
he later recovered from alzheimer’s,the only human being to have recovered from alzheimer’s ever,
Sir Ian Michael Cheshire disappeared to later emerge as controller of the 80 business leaders infesting all Government Departments,
worth a read if you are interested in democracy
link to tinyurl.com
His name was Alexander, though Colin was his first
Only SNPbad mantra could quench his toxic thirst
He talked a load of shite from mornings through to nights
But Heed was here to goad him on with phoney little fights
And so we all watched passively to all the pish he spouted
But Alexander thought ‘I’m great!’ though he had been pure routed
So on it went relentlessly, on Wings below the line
The needless pointless crap from Colin, with not one person chimed
What will we all do now, that we know the score?
We cannot rid ourselves of Colin’s obvious ordure
The only course of action, it is plain to see
Is simply to ignore the prick that needles you and me
Oh dear…i think coco is making a desperate late bid to wrestle away Sarwar’s “fanny of the week” award…!!
Colin A’s currently trying to think of a way of explaining what this means, Nicola Sturgeon at my hamster style, because as we all know, yoons of the great UKOK zone, always know what the “will of the Scottish people” is.
“I want the SNP to 100% oppose Brexit, as that’s the will of the people (62%)”
Actually to be fair, future Sir Gordon Brewer told that Leonard nobody this morning on his beeb Scotland gimp network that the English will not permit Scots indyref2, at least until they decide when the time is right, probably after dudes like future Lord Gordon Brewer have actually taken out SNP Scots gov.
See Colin A, even though Nic Sturgeon ate your hamster, the great British UKOK card deck, is always stacked in your favour.
Re the SNP’s versions of PFI.
I have a modicum of sympathy. With Austerity, it’s difficult or nigh on impossible for Govt to fund lots of public building projects.
So, these Quangos and Aleos etc , eg Wheatley Group turn to the likes of BlackRock to borrow money privately.
Ultimately that money will be paid back WITH INTEREST FOR PROFIT to the private investors.
That money will come from taxpayers as Wheatley Group is supported by the Scot Govt and from tenants / factored home owners.
So, while we shouldn’t pretend private money is not happening under the SNP, We must also ask WHY? Are the SNP following the same ideology as New Labour?
The Why, I’d argue, may be because of UK Govt Austerity supported by Tories and Labour, so that the amount of public – not for profit – money that can be invested in house building and public infrastructure projects is severely limited.
Cochrane and his position as a Non-Executive Director in the Scottish Office
I love the acronym for that position: NED so appropriate. And collectively when you include those in other departments: NEDS.
Noticed the Sunday Herald used it quite a bit in the article.
@K1 –
🙂 🙂 🙂
@colin alexander says: 21 January, 2018 at 1:02 pm:
Re your reply @Dr Jim:-
Dear Me!
What a right old load of utter infantile pish, colin.
You have no actual grasp on reality and live in a childlike fantasy world.
In the first place, (whether you or they like it or not), the actuality is that Holyrood, and hence the Scottish Government, no matter of which political spectrum colour(s), are legally, under Westminster’s, (Kingdom of England law), – thus an actual legally created part of the Westminster Establishment’s, de facto parliament of the country of England.
Note those very carefully chosen words Colin/colin. They mean exactly what the describe.
The consequences of any SG not abiding by the Westminster, (de facto Parliament of the country of England), rules would give Westminster the instant legal right, (under English law), to dissolve the Scottish Parliament.
The ensuing battles would be long and deliberately drawn out by Westminster and probably conducted in the Westminster created United Kingdom Supreme Court by mainly English/UK created judges on the bench.
You fail to differentiate between the SNP as a purely Scottish political party and the SNP/SG who have no option but be a part of the Westminster Establishment. For example, Nicola Sturgeon is, through no choice of her own, a Privy Councillor.
Now pause a moment before jumping to your feet yelling, “I told you she was one of them”, and consider this –
:-
link to researchbriefings.parliament.uk
Now ask yourself – is it not better to have an FM on the inside to know what the Privy Council are advising/demanding what the Queen should do?
Whether any of us like it or not, for at least the time being, we must play within the rules as laid down by Westminster even when they are using Kingdom of England legalities that dates from long before there even was a United Kingdom.
We must thole such laws until the SNP and SG command a clear majority of the Electorate. The clear fact is that although the Rule of Law in Scotland categorically states that the people of Scotland are sovereign there must be a clear majority of the electorate backing the SG and/or the SNP before the matter can be legally taken before the High Court of Scotland.
For only then can we be sure that the High Court of Scotland has no other option than accept that the legally sovereign people have spoken and demand they accept the people’s sovereign decision(s).
In Westminster, under the English rule of law, Her Majesty remains legally sovereign but, (since 1688), the monarchy OF THE KINGDOM OF ENGLAND, must legally delegate their divine right to rule powers, (sovereignty), to the Parliament of England. However, there has been no legally elected as such Parliament of England since the last day of April 1707.
Westminster, though, uses that delegated sovereignty as if it applies also under Scottish law. It doesn’t but, even although the High Court of Scotland has ruled otherwise, Westminster has ignored the true facts and, to date no Scottish political party, (or government organ), has had any proof that the legally sovereign people of Scotland want to end the union.
So what you, colin/Colin want is for either the SG or the SNP to take an unlawful, (under English law), action to give Westminster the legal right, (under English law), to take back all Holyrood’s devolved powers. How stupid is that? We are but a hair’s breadth from having a legal, under Scottish law, right to use the people of Scotland’s sovereignty properly.
In your war against Nicola, the SG and the SNP you have the backing of all unionists, (including that other false flag yoon fool, Rock and other yoon sock puppets.
K1
Nice poem.
I don’t force anyone to engage in dialogue.
But when the SNP go talking ( or is that crawling) to the unelected House of Lords to try and save devolution, it seems a bit hypocritical for some Wingers to regard me as someone persona non grata for political discussion.
Dr Jim Says: Looks like I’ve upset @heedys resident wee playmate.
He is doing Wings people a favour, of what to skip by, and YES people from even reading his post in the first place.
So, while we shouldn’t pretend private money is not happening under the SNP, We must also ask WHY? Are the SNP following the same ideology as New Labour?”
Oooh I know this one Colin A. Its because Scots.gov cannot borrow, like what the great and good UK gov Treasury does, by the hundreds of billions, nae trillions, and then there’s their £200+bn PFI debt mountain/golden goose bullshit.
And all of that despite their great 2014 The Vow shyste on Scotland Colin A, where we all promised devo-max, if we would just please please please, not end this shithead UKOK zone.
UK gov Treasury dingdongs have borrowed and wasted so much money Colin A, in Scotland’s book too, it does all look like its their cunning UKOK plan, dump so much debt on their Scotland region, indy really may not be a viable financial option, or at the very least, giant debt does give yoons like you a massive Project Fear 2 stick, to beat the YES out of Scots again. Surely not eh Colin A.
Although, watching SLab’s Leonard nobody flounder about under the very gentlest of future Sir Gordon Brewer questions this morn, it is hard to gauge just how much fiscal planning yoon culture does for its Scotland region, what dudes like Leonard nobody do rightfully own. Leave it all up to the beeb gimp network to crush the vile seps, seems the way UKOK forward.
Interesting too how you’ve ducked away from this nonsense too Colin A. You yoons eh:D
“I want the SNP to 100% oppose Brexit, as that’s the will of the people (62%)”
How dare you call Sarwar a fanny. Fannies are very useful things and Sarwar and his ilk certainly ain’t that.
Things in Ireland, north and south, just got more interesting, and more encouraging, with Mary Lou McDonald becoming Sinn Fein’s new president. The Dublin TD was quick to announce her continuing ambition of uniting the island of Ireland.
Bit by bit the tatty so-called united kingdom crumbles away.
@Colin Alexander says: 21 January, 2018 at 1:12 pm:
“Robert Peffers
As you are so knowledgeable:
How many more Tom Harris TV appearances are needed before he overtakes the all time record set by that other Red Tory reject, Brian Wilson?”
How would I know, Colin? I don’t use the Westminster Establishment, (of which the United Kingdom Media is big part), to get misinformation at subliminal, subconscious or, increasingly, at conscious level.
Some weekend reading when television is crap:
Our useless press: link to wp.me
A hostile western: link to wp.me
Colin Alexander: “Are the SNP following the same ideology as New Labour?”
No. And you state nothing to disprove that.
Remarkable how the irritants that appear on this site to remind us of our master’s existence all have Scottish names, rather than say, Anthony Smith-Jones, or Aubrey Lytton, or Maid Marion of Sherwood.
@heedtracker
There’s a strong similarity between your playmate and the guy in the SNP PPB, it disnae matter how many folk tell him he’s a dumplin and even leave the room he still hangs out at the fridge
Robert Peffers said:
“we must play within the rules as laid down by Westminster even when they are using Kingdom of England legalities that dates from long before there even was a United Kingdom”.
No we don’t.
It’s good you recognise the subservient, devolved WM Govt nature of Holyrood.
I infer from your suggestion that WM can just dissolve the SP despite it clearly saying in the Scotland Act 2016 about the “permanent” nature of the Scottish Parliament that shouldn’t be abolished except by a vote by the people of Scotland. ( You could be right. The “permanent” may be an expression of sentiment, not a guarantee of a legally enforceable right.)
The Gina Miller case upheld the right of WM parliament over Royal Prerogative with regard to Brexit. Other case law has upheld that parliament must vote when it’s constitutional change.
What “unlawful action”? There is no law that says the SG or SP MUST lick their Lordships’ “noble” airses. There is no law that says the SG or SP MUST give an LCM.
The SG and SP could simply do nothing, but continue to criticise and verbally oppose Brexit and argue the Claim of Right.
There was nothing to stop them asserting the breach of Claim of Right rather than Sewell Convention during the Gina Miller case. That the democratic decision of the people of Scotland should be upheld when such major constitutional change, such as leaving the EU, is taking place.
They could or anyone could assert Claim of Right and take it to court. The finding of the court, if biased, if unjust, would be open to national and international legal scrutiny.
To summarise, I agree with some of your points such as the subservience of devolution. Other parts are sheer speculation, sheer unproven assertions and predictions without proof.
PBBs tend to pass me by but thanks to Cole-Hamilton the latest SNP is certainly getting way more attention than these things normally do, although the classic Python format helps too.
Nevertheless it just proves the old adage, if you need a tube a double barrelled tube is better.
How would I know, Colin? I don’t use the Westminster Establishment, (of which the United Kingdom Media is big part), to get misinformation at subliminal, subconscious or, increasingly, at conscious level.”
Colin A is angry that Nic Sturgeon ate his hamster but he’s quite a good yoon tool, a fanny even, at diverts.
Look at this week on planet toryboy, where the top of the toryboy catastrofuck, red and blue, Carillion, is effectively a very big chunk of our noble and honest tory UK gov.
Carillion’s catastrofuck is a toryboy catastrofuck, right in to No.10, yet from massed ranks of beeb Scotland gimps, not a peep.
How it works in toryboy teamGB, current owners of the Scotland region, kept down and in its place by the BBC Scotland gimp network, only £350 million a year too.
To compensate for Colin A’s rage at Nic Sturgeon eating his hamster, UKOK Prime Minister Teresa has appointed a Loneliness Minister.
Yes I know, its all SNP bad but can you really invent bigger and creepy shysters than toryboy Colin A.
TROLLISH NATIONAL ANTHEM
Some speak of Alexander (as you do on days like these)
Of Podmore, Caledonia and those who love to tease
And when the outlook’s rocky we’re all reduced to tears
By the trollolololololol of the British Volunteers
Accordin ti The Manual ti wreck a brand-new threid
Ye either plant a time-bomb or banter wi The Heed
Or throw things fae the margins an play on secret fears
Wi a trollolololololol for the British Volunteers
So let us fight for freedom but be aware of those
Who dress in party colours or wear their mufti clothes
May they and their commanders stay happy down the years
With their trollolololololol for the British Volunteers
Grouse Beater says:
21 January, 2018 at 2:43 pm
“”Colin Alexander: “Are the SNP following the same ideology as New Labour?”
No. And you state nothing to disprove that.””
Exactly. You are 100% correct.
I’m saying the SNP DO USE private finance by a different name.
BUT: I think they are probably forced to do so, due to the lack of public money, due to Austerity policy. (Whereas New Labour did it for political ideological reasons).
So, That’s not an attack on the SNP, but a defence of their use of private money, as there is little other option due to UK WM Govt.
Even if WM did fund those Scottish projects via public money. Much of that “public money” is again from borrowing that is paid back with interest – or rather it’s interest on interest with ever increasing debt under the UK.
Currently just under £2 Trillion and rising by £5,170 per second.
Nevertheless it just proves the old adage, if you need a tube a double barrelled tube is better
To be fair to all the wetfart toryboys like Cole-Jollyposh, that PPB they’re enraged by, does kick off with the party guests arriving and the host explaining that, “Davey’s bashing on about politics again.”
Not sure if Mr T goes by Davey, probably David, Davey is too common by half, even so…