{"id":1644,"date":"2017-02-23T17:00:29","date_gmt":"2017-02-23T17:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/?p=1644"},"modified":"2017-03-16T19:04:58","modified_gmt":"2017-03-16T19:04:58","slug":"catching-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/?p=1644","title":{"rendered":"Catching Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Strange things happening today; I customarily look at Wings Over Scotland and newsnetscotland more or less every day, but have been having a few problems, no doubt due to Windows 10, Word and general auld man\u2019s incompetence.\u00a0 However today when I clicked on newsnetscotland I got a big notice\u00a0 \u201c403 –\u00a0 Access to this site is forbidden.\u201d\u00a0 So I have been unable to read the thoughts of Derek Bateman;\u00a0 I tried going through his website but fell at the first twitter!\u00a0 Might come all right.\u00a0 Wings was OK.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I returned last week from a fortnight in Lanzarote, very nice.\u00a0 My eldest son and his wife were with us but staying in a villa, my wife and I were in a hotel.\u00a0 We did this last year, but this year I needed someone to do the heavy lifting.\u00a0 We flew with Ryanair, and got assisted boarding for myself and my walking stick \u2013 first on and last off \u2013 and this was very good at both Edinburgh\u00a0 and Arrecife \u2013 something I hadn\u2019t done before, but would do again.\u00a0 Virtually every day we walked down to the seafront, sat in a caf\u00e9 with a glass of wine and watched the Fred Olsen ferry to Fuerteventura arrive and depart.\u00a0 Ah the simple pleasures of life when you are an octogenarianJ<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

NHS<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Every day we watched The Chase on TV, followed by the BBC News.\u00a0 This was depressing because it was all about the NHS and the massive problems it was having, but I did not spend too much time on this because it was the problems in England, which far outstrip the ones in Scotland, but this factor is ignored by commentators, and the opposition in Scotland.\u00a0 We spent two weeks knowing we were from an invisible country, and only spoke to one Scottish couple \u2013 from Armadale.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Referendum<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Just had a phone call from Andrew Kerr, our Man in Surrey who asked me a very pertinent question I had not given a lot of thought to.\u00a0 He said there was a lot of comment about a \u00a0referendum, and would I prefer\u00a0 a short campaign \u2013 May 2018 or a longer one, September 2018.\u00a0 My thoughts crystallised, and I said \u201cSeptember\u201d.\u00a0 I had not thought of this before, but we have not as yet regenerated the Yes Campaign.\u00a0 If we go for September we will have the summer months to stage outdoor rallies and marches \u2013 the weather will be kinder than November to March, the nights will be brighter, and activists will be keener.\u00a0 I have always believed that the SNP could sprint for about eighteen months.\u00a0\u00a0 I enjoyed the last Referendum campaign,\u00a0 never having imagined I would live long enough to take partJ<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tony Blair<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I have to confess I do not know what Tony Blair is up to.\u00a0 He seems to be saying \u201cRise up against Brexit and be a nation again!\u201d It was always my contention that what Tony Blair would go down in history as having achieved was not the Iraq war, but Scotland becoming independent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Despite the chaos in the Middle East and the Chilcot Report I believe he will get off scot free as\u00a0 time passes, but as Scots are freed we are talking about the end of the British Empire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Scottish Parliament was not really Tony Blair\u2019s pipedream.\u00a0 It was John Smith\u2019s and his untimely death left unfinished business.\u00a0 Labour was not that keen on the idea but agreed to a referendum, not in Tony\u2019s original plans, but acceded to.\u00a0 The imposition of a second question was factored in by Gordon Brown, a blocker as no one would vote to pay out money;\u00a0 at one stage three questions were mooted, Mohammed Sarwar\u2019s bright idea, but for the life of me I cannot remember what they were.\u00a0 (Mohammed Sarwar, MP for Govan was\u00a0 nominated by Gordon Brown to the House of Lords, but was blocked by the Inland Revenue; I thought he had become a Lord but he resigned his British citizenship to take up a post as Governor of the Punjab in Pakistan, a post he has now vacated. Where he is now I know not.) His son, Anas Sarwar, inherited his father\u2019s seat, but lost it, along with all but one of the Labour MPs in 2015;\u00a0 he is now a list MSP for Glasgow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In any event, the Blair Brown relationship soured, as there was alleged to be an agreement that Blair would pave the\u00a0 way for Brown to succeed him.\u00a0 According to received wisdom (Gordon Brown\u2019s) Mr Blair did not keep his part of the bargain.\u00a0 Mr Blair won three elections, and Mr Brown only lost one, but then he only contested one.\u00a0 The outcome of that election meant there was not a majority, and there was a lot of coming and going by the Liberals.\u00a0 It was just possible for a coalition of Labour and the Liberals to form a government, but they would have required support from the Ulster Unionists, Plaid Cymru and the SNP.\u00a0 Any truck with the latter was anathema to Labour, so the Tories and the Liberals ganged up.\u00a0 A fat lot of good that did the Liberals, who had to scrap their \u201cunshakable principle\u201d of opposition to tuition fees.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And while Tony Blair was off earning millions from speeches, Gordon Brown was humphing away in the background, only emerging into daylight for the referendum, to somehow line himself up with Cameron, Osborne and Clegg in a Vow that never was!\u00a0 He has resurfaced at the first smell of another referendum bleating \u201cFederalism forever\u201d.\u00a0 He has very little credibility left.\u00a0 In my eyes what cooked his goose was his speech at the Mansion House in London in June 2007 saying this was the start of a Golden Age for the City of London; by 2008 we had the worst financial crash we have ever seen.\u00a0 I have the speech somewhere in my filesJ<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Odd points<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On Tuesday this week I came across an item in the Herald from an interview with a former Leader in the House of Lords.\u00a0 She was concerned that anyone could get to be a member of that august body hinting at Cherie Blair\u2019s hairdresser! She did pass a comment that one Lord only came in to sign for his \u00a3300 per day attendance, and kept his taxi idling while he did so;\u00a0 no doubt the taxi fare was on his expenses too.\u00a0 By\u00a0 the way, a member of the House can draw the allowance of \u00a3300 per day- tax free, just by signing their name; public money is our money, paid for by even the people whose benefits are cut \u2013 what a wonderful world. It is my opinion that we did not shout that from the rooftops during the 2014 referendum, but I have great hopes for the next one.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I read David Torrance\u2019s piece in the Herald on Monday this week, but all I can recall is thinking that his petulance as Alex Salmond\u2019s comments are still hurting, but for the life of me I cannot remember what he wrote.\u00a0 Maybe I should worry about my memory \u2013 or not.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Glad to see the SNP got support for its Budget.\u00a0 I was worried as Labour was dead set on increasing tax, the Tories were dead set on reducing tax and the Liberals were just dead set on adopting a posture. The Greens bother me as they are more concerned with the mountain hares than the mounting food banks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It seems as if the media have suddenly made an earth-shattering discovery;\u00a0 people do not like paying taxes!\u00a0 This latest manifestation is now aimed at business rates, as a revaluation has been done.\u00a0 We now have a weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, if available.\u00a0 I enjoyed one pithy comment in a letter to the Herald;\u00a0 the writer wrote that the North East were complaining as the valuation had been done in their good times, which have ceased for the moment.\u00a0 He said that at least they had had the good times.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SY<\/strong>NO<\/strong>PSIS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

REPORT SHOWS MoD SERIOUSLY DOWNPLAYING DANGERS OF NUCLEAR\u00a0INCIDENTS<\/h3>\n

SNP MSP Bill Kidd has expressed serious concern that the MoD is downplaying the number of nuclear incidents in the last 65 years – after a report by the Nuclear Information Service (NIS) listed 110 major nuclear accidents compared to only 27 acknowledged by the MoD.<\/p>\n

Bill Kidd MSP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The NIS dossier\u00a0comes not long after it was revealed the UK government failed to disclose a serious malfunction in a Trident test launch just before Westminster voted on its renewal last year.<\/p>\n

Accidents reported by the NIS included eight explosions, 21 security-related incidents as well as 45 accidents relating to nuclear-capable submarines, ships and aircrafts.<\/p>\n

Co-President of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmaments,\u00a0SNP MSP Bill Kidd said:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is really worrying to think that the MoD would put people\u2019s safety in danger and downplay the number of accidents linked to nuclear weapons by such a large margin only to further their own agenda.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe NIS report lists four times as many nuclear-related accidents than the MoD has owned up to –\u00a0including a collision between British and French submarines each carrying nuclear warheads in the Atlantic in 2009.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnowing the dangers of nuclear weapons and not disclosing them to Parliament or the public is indicative of the type of government we have in Westminster.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt a time of such grave uncertainty, we should be leading the world in getting rid of the obscenity of\u00a0nuclear\u00a0weapons once and for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a3600M FRUITLESS FRITTERING AT TIME OF AUSTERITY<\/strong><\/h3>\n

FOIs REVEAL TIP OF ICEBERG ON WHITEHALL WASTE<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>New figures uncovered by the SNP through Freedom of Information requests show the UK government pouring hundreds of millions in taxpayers\u2019 money down the drain.<\/p>\n

The newly unearthed record of so-called \u201cfruitless spending\u201d \u2013 a government categorisation for money spent where nothing of use will be received in return \u2013 reveals an irresponsible, spendthrift Westminster over a 10-year period when ordinary families across the UK have been hit hard by austerity and told to tighten their belts.<\/p>\n

But the vast \u00a3600 million in Whitehall wastage is just the tip of the iceberg, with some of the major departments in the UK government blocking attempts to make the information public.<\/p>\n

While the Ministry of Defence is planning to slash and burn Scotland\u2019s defence estate over the coming years to make \u00a3140 million in savings, the department has wasted a staggering \u00a3223 million in the last 10 years \u2013 including \u00a3103 million on eight Chinook helicopters which were not fit for purpose, \u00a31.6 million on unused furniture and \u00a324 million on cancelling flying lessons.<\/p>\n

Other policy disasters revealed include spending of \u00a31.5 million by the Department for Education to develop a new school site without planning permission, and tens of millions spent on developing overseas embassies which never materialised.<\/p>\n

Commenting on the revelations, the SNP\u2019s Colin Beattie MSP who sits on Holyrood\u2019s Public Audit Committee said:<\/p>\n

Colin Beattie MSP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis is an eye watering amount of waste by Whitehall departments and it\u2019s even more concerning when you consider \u00a3600 million is just the tip of the iceberg.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile ordinary families are being hammered by Tory austerity and told to tighten their belts, it\u2019s absolutely shameful that the UK government has been playing fast and loose with hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers\u2019 money.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven worse, it seems as though some departments of this Tory government have something to hide \u2013 battening down the hatches and refusing to come clean about their misspending sprees. In the interests of democracy and accountability it\u2019s important that they are honest and transparent about frittering away public cash.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one thing for governments to make mistakes, but this reveals a much deeper rooted problem \u2013 a systemic culture of waste in Whitehall and an absolute scandal in the UK\u2019s public finances. This Tory government has many questions to answer and taxpayers have a right to know their money isn\u2019t being squandered.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Full breakdown of fruitless spending information obtained by the SNP attached – FRUITLESS_SPENDING_BY_UK_GOVERNMENT_DEPARTMENTS.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

Since 2007, over half a billion pounds (\u00a3571,162,102) has been frittered away by UK Government departments through \u201cfruitless spends\u201d.<\/p>\n

The total breakdown of fruitless payments by UK Government Departments is provided below:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Total: \u00a3571,162,102<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ministry of Defence- \u00a3223,700,877<\/p>\n

Department of Work and Pensions – \u00a392,433,000<\/p>\n

Department of Health – \u00a387,061,612<\/p>\n

Ministry of Justice – \u00a333,578,000<\/p>\n

Department for Education – \u00a331,240,836<\/p>\n

Department of Communities and Local Government – \u00a328,478,000<\/p>\n

Home Office – \u00a320,094,000<\/p>\n

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – \u00a319,137,293<\/p>\n

Foreign and Commonwealth Office – \u00a315,122,893<\/p>\n

Department for Business, Innovation, and Skill* – \u00a36,731,000<\/p>\n

Department of Transport – \u00a35,276,626<\/p>\n

Department of Energy and Climate Change* – \u00a33,091,790<\/p>\n

Department for International Development – \u00a32,504,796<\/p>\n

Department for Culture, Media and Sport – \u00a31,813,000<\/p>\n

UK Export Finance* – \u00a3500,000<\/p>\n

Treasury – \u00a3398,379<\/p>\n

* Marks a Department no longer active<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

UK Government Departments which did not provide Fruitless Spend information through FOI include: Ministry of Defence, Department of Culture Media and Sport, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Home Office<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a3328M A DAY POORER WITHOUT MIGRANT WORKERS \u2013 AND NHS \u201cUNABLE TO FUNCTION\u201d<\/h3>\n

The UK economy would take a \u00a3328m hit if all migrant workers stayed at home for a day, according to new research by the New Economics Foundation \u2013 a 4% fall in the daily GDP.<\/p>\n

The report also highlights that 26 per cent of health professionals in the UK are migrants \u2013 outstripping 10.9 per cent of the UK\u2019s total workforce.<\/p>\n

It says: \u201cIf all migrant workers stopped working for the day, the NHS and other key parts of our economy would be unable to function.\u201d<\/p>\n

Separately, accountancy firm Grant Thornton warned that Brexit posed a threat to Scotland\u2019s booming tech sector, which has been \u201cgoing through a bit of a honeymoon period, with relentless growth and a sense of genuine optimism.\u201d<\/p>\n

They continued: \u201cThe Brexit result dealt something of a blow to an industry that needs to be able to easily attract and retain key talent from across the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Commenting, SNP MSP Stuart McMillan said:<\/p>\n

Stuart McMillan MSP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThese are just the latest warnings that Brexit is going to have a harmful impact on our economy \u2013 and Theresa May\u2019s complete failure to provide clarity is making things worse.<\/p>\n

\u201cA hard-right Tory Brexit threatens to cost 80,000 Scottish jobs and cost Scotland\u2019s economy by up to \u00a311 billion a year by 2030.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the Tories seem determined to take us down the route of a harmful \u2018hard Brexit\u2019 regardless of the impact, with Theresa May more interested in playing to her hard-right backbenchers than in finding a deal that works for jobs and for our businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Tories must wake up to the realities of a hard Brexit and what it will mean for our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

UK economy would take a \u00a3328m hit if all migrant workers stayed at home for a day, new research says\u00a0www.independent.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monday 20 February 2017<\/h5>\n

TORIES WARNED NOT TO BETRAY SCOTLAND\u2019S FISHING INDUSTRY IN BREXIT NEGOTIATIONS<\/h3>\n

LEAKED MEMO SUGGESTS UK GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO SACRIFICE SECTOR IN TRADE-OFF<\/h4>\n

The Scottish National Party has warned the UK government not to \u2018betray\u2019 Scotland\u2019s fishing industry again, after leaked documents indicated Tory Ministers do not consider fishing a \u2018high\u2019 priority in the UK\u2019s Brexit negotiations.<\/p>\n

According to a UK government memo, obtained by The Times, the fishing industry has been designated as only a \u2018medium\u2019 priority for negotiations by comparison to other industries. Separately, a leaked document from the European Parliament\u2019s Committee on Fisheries, obtained by the Guardian, suggests that the EU are preparing to negotiate for foreign vessels to continue to access UK waters, and restrict the UK\u2019s access to additional fishing quota after the UK leaves the EU.<\/p>\n

Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP has today called for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Andrea Leadsom MP, to make a statement to the UK Parliament, and answer questions from MPs, on the UK government\u2019s commitment to the fishing industry.<\/p>\n

The MP for Banff and Buchan, whose constituency includes Peterhead – the largest fishing port in Europe, has submitted an Urgent Question in the House of Commons, and said that the industry would be concerned with any signs that Ministers were reverting back to the attitudes of past Tory governments, that saw Scotland\u2019s fishing industry deemed \u2018expendable\u2019.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Commenting Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP said:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe UK government must not betray Scotland\u2019s fishing industry again \u2013 it is a vital part of our economy and crucial to the livelihoods of many communities and many thousands of families across the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cAndrea Leadsom must urgently come to Parliament and explain the contents of this Brexit memo. We need clear assurances that Tory Ministers will not treat this important industry as \u2018expendable\u2019, or anything other than the very highest priority in its negotiations with the EU.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the EU referendum, Leave campaigners made many exaggerated promises that they knew they couldn\u2019t keep \u2013 not least those made to the fishing industry. It now looks clear that the Tory Brexiteers never had any intention of keeping their word – and the promises made to the fishing industry look set to be broken before formal negotiations have even begun.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is quite clear that the focus of Ministers in the negotiations will be on banking and finance, and the automotive and aerospace industries. Fishing is, once again, being lined up as a pawn to be traded away by the Tories.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis would be utterly unacceptable and shows why it is so important that the Scottish Government is at the centre of the UK\u2019s negotiations with the EU – to stand up for the fishing industry and other key Scottish industries.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Leak reveals low priority industries for Brexit talks: www.thetimes.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

UK fishermen may not win waters back after Brexit, EU memo reveals- www.theguardian.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Strange things happening today; I customarily look at Wings Over Scotland and newsnetscotland more or less every day, but have been having a few problems, no doubt due to Windows 10, Word and general auld man\u2019s incompetence.\u00a0 However today when I clicked on newsnetscotland I got a big notice\u00a0 \u201c403 –\u00a0 Access to this site is forbidden.\u201d\u00a0 So I have been unable to read the thoughts of Derek Bateman;\u00a0 I tried going through his website but fell at the first twitter!\u00a0 Might come all right.\u00a0 Wings was OK.   I returned last week from a fortnight in Lanzarote, very nice.\u00a0 My eldest son and hisRead More →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1644"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1644"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1644\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1677,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1644\/revisions\/1677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}