/qnotables/ - ===Q Notables===

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22072871 (290129ZNOV24) Notable: Final Covid and Other Pestilence Bun / 22072877 Inquiry families still fear hospital building safety

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>>277697

>>277693

>>>/qresearch/21790661

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz0mzx8lkx8o

Inquiry families still fear hospital building safety

Lisa Summers

Health correspondent, BBC Scotland

Published

26 November 2024

Updated 27 November 2024

Families at the centre of a public inquiry into Scotland’s biggest hospital campus say they still have concerns over the safety of the buildings.

Relatives have been sickened by the evidence at the inquiry and say they have not been reassured the problems have been solved.

They want an interim report to be published on whether the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow currently meet safety standards.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde says it can “provide absolute assurance” to patients, families, staff and the public that the hospitals are safe.

The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry says that its chairman, Lord Brodie, is focusing on producing his final report so that it can be published as quickly as possible.

The inquiry was set up in 2020 after the deaths of a number of patients who contracted unusual infections while being treated at the hospital campus.

It is examining whether issues with the water and ventilation systems had an impact on patient safety.

The latest phase of the inquiry, which concluded this month, heard from senior managers, estates staff, whistleblowers, independent experts and affected families.

Families say the evidence over the past 12 weeks has shocked them and made them more angry. The inquiry heard that:

* Staff received a report in 2015, at the time the hospital opened, which indicated that the water supply was at a high risk of infection

* Head of estates Ian Powrie, who commissioned the mandatory report, admitted he "dropped the ball" and had not read the document until three years later.

* The hospital's second in charge, Dr Jennifer Armstrong, admitted being “taken aback” that the hospital had “not been built right” - but did not believe there was evidence the problems with the building caused the unusual infections.

* Dr Christine Peters, a senior microbiologist and former infection control doctor who became a whistleblower, said she still had ongoing concerns about the building and that there was a “serious problem with culture which does not value honesty”.

* The chairman of an independent investigation concluded there was a likely link between some infections in child cancer patients and the contaminated water supply. But Prof Mike Stevens said he felt the health board's chief executive had tried to “turn the screw” on him to alter the findings of his review.

Affected families told BBC Scotland News that three years on from giving their evidence to the inquiry, they had heard nothing to reassure them the problems at the hospitals had been fully addressed.

They also claimed that senior executives were more concerned with protecting the reputation of the hospital than patient safety.

Mark Bisset, from Peebles, still takes his 12-year-old daughter Charly to the Royal Hospital for Children for routine appointments.

She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2019 at the age of seven and underwent a stem cell transplant in the adult hospital because the child cancer wards were closed after a series of infection outbreaks.

Charly also contracted a number of infections during her five-month inpatient stay, which he believes could have come from the building.

“Four times our other children had to come in and say goodbye to their sister,” said Mr Bisset.

Charly is now cancer free but still requires support for ongoing health issues.

Mr Bisset says the family are still “petrified” every time they visit the hospital.

“You get the fear. I’ve asked for her care to be moved to Edinburgh because I just don’t trust that hospital any longer, I don’t feel it is safe,” he said.

He said listening to the evidence at the inquiry had been hard, but that “you need the truth to come out”.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22076719 (291550ZNOV24) Notable: Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two / Glasgow in 'crisis' thanks to clueless SNP council amid 'filthy' city centre and historic buildings being flogged off

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>>>/qresearch/21790671

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/glasgow-crisis-thanks-clueless-snp-34135964

Glasgow in 'crisis' thanks to clueless SNP council amid 'filthy' city centre and historic buildings being flogged off

Leading Scots architect John Stewart lambasted the council as well as the Scottish Government for allowing so many famed Glasgow buildings to fall into disrepair.

David Walker

18 NOV 2024

A leading Scots architect has launched a stinging attack on Glasgow, insisting it was a "city in crisis" and that the SNP-led council had "no ideas" to save it. John Stewart, who has been involved in major projects such as Exeter Crown Courts and the Wycombe Swan Theatre, bemoaned the fact historic buildings were being left to rot or sold off.

Numerous famous heritage properties have been the victim of fires and misuse across the city, including the ongoing demolition of the O2 ABC and the fire damaged Art School undergoing extensive repairs. Other buildings remain empty and have been damaged by vandalism and damp.

Mr Stewart, who has written a number of books about architecture, called for urgent action to ensure that "Britain's finest Victorian city" kept that title, and kept hold of its famous buildings. Glasgow was the home city of a number of world-renowned designers including Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Alexander Thomson.

Writing for Building Design, Mr Stewart said: "Alexander Thomson’s St Vincent Street Church has closed, the city is selling off a Mackintosh building to save money, and Victorian gems lie empty.

"Glasgow is a city in crisis once more. The immediate post-war decades brought little beyond six-lane motorways and the comprehensive redevelopment of vast tracts of the city, and yet enough survived to be appreciated in the ’80s and ’90s, when Glasgow was much restored and celebrated once more as one of our great, vibrant, regional British cities – it was a very real urban renaissance.

"But those days are over. The city centre is filthy, footfall is down, visitor numbers have plunged and, having presided over this decline, the City Council – who have contributed so much to the malaise – have simply no ideas as to how to reverse the process."

He pointed to a number of famed buildings which have been left to rot, including Alexander Thomson's only surviving church in St Vincent Street being shut to worshippers. The same architect's Egyptian Halls are empty, along with James Salmon's Lion Chambers and JJ Burnet's Savings Bank Hall.

For Mackintosh's buildings, Scotland Street School is closed, the Lighthouse never reopened after the Covid pandemic, the Lady Artists Club is vacant and the council is currently selling his Martyrs School. Mr Stewart added: "It doesn’t need to be like this. The solution to this malaise is a combination of civic leadership, community action and private sector investment.

"This is not just a tragedy for Glasgow but for Britain’s architectural heritage too. Glasgow is still, just, Britain’s finest Victorian city (as opined by John Betjeman, one of the founders of the Victorian Society) – and it now has a heritage crisis that needs both a local and a national response."

Glasgow City Council hit back at the claims, insisting that it has "invested around £280million in the city’s built heritage (buildings and projects) over the past decade or so." A spokesman added: "With specific reference to Mackintosh buildings, we are investing £4.5million in the Scotland Street School Museum to preserve and protect the fabric and breathe new life into the building and invested £250,000 in the Lighthouse on building fabric in 2020.

"With regard to the Martyr’s School, this is not about saving money – we are going to great lengths to identify and secure a long-term sustainable future for this building and we are currently testing the wider open market to see if a such a sustainable future use of the building can be found. This A listed building is in very good condition and its status gives it protection.

“The council has recently established a Built Heritage Commission - a collaborative forum with partners in the sector which will champion the heritage agenda and provide advice on heritage-related matters in Glasgow; identify how best to sustainably manage the city’s built heritage in the future; focus on finding solutions to the complex challenges facing parts of our built heritage; and consider issues around vacant and neglected properties and identifying sustainable uses for these.

“It should be noted that are very few of the heritage buildings in council ownership – owners are responsible for the condition of their properties. In saying that, we will assist owners where possible and appropriate. We are also looking at the repurposing of heritage buildings in the city centre, considering both the opportunities and challenges there.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22076729 (291551ZNOV24) Notable: Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two / Glasgow in 'crisis' thanks to clueless SNP council amid 'filthy' city centre and historic buildings being flogged off

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>>277701

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“With regard to the claim about the city centre’s population falling – I’m afraid this is simply untrue, as the most recent figures show a 35% rise in the number of people living in the area between 2011-2021.”

"We have frontline environmental teams working round-the-clock every day to empty bins, lift litter, sweep and clean the streets and keep Glasgow in good order. But with litter being dropped every three seconds in Glasgow, it’s vital residents and visitors play their part by always putting their litter in one of the city’s 5500 public litter bins.”

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22089646 (012037ZDEC24) Notable: Final John Swinney Bun / John Swinney booed and branded a 'traitor' as he attends Alex Salmond memorial (video)

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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/john-swinney-booed-branded-traitor-34220750

John Swinney booed and branded a 'traitor' as he attends Alex Salmond memorial

The First Minister is attending the memorial service for his former ally at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh but received a negative reaction from some mourners.

David Walker

30 NOV 2024

John Swinney was booed and branded a "traitor"as he attended Alex Salmond's memorial service in Edinburgh. A crowd waiting outside St Giles' Cathedral reacted angrily to the First Minister's arrival amid an ongoing feud between the late former SNP leader and the party he helped catapult into the mainstream.

As he took his seat,shouts of "traitor" and "shame on you" could be heard from some of the gathered crowd outside.The relationship between the SNP and Mr Salmond collapsed after he accused senior members like Nicola Sturgeon of orchestrating a campaign to discredit him.

He was in the middle of suing the Scottish Government, and in particular Ms Sturgeon, Liz Lloyd and Leslie Evans, when he died in October. Mr Swinney was a senior member of Ms Sturgeon's inner circle and gave evidence at the inquiry into the botched probe into sexual misconduct allegations against Mr Salmond, refusing to publish legal advice before being threatened with a vote of no confidence.

The First Minister was also a long-time ally of Mr Salmond and served as his Finance Secretary before admitting that they no longer talked during his feud with the government. He arrived at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh with his wife Elizabeth.

Crowds gathered along the Royal Mile and outside the Cathedral with Scottish flags being flown ahead of the service remembering Mr Salmond. Family, friends and figures from across the political spectrum all gathered in the capital on St Andrews Day to commemorate the long-time politician.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, actor and comedian Elaine C Smith, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar were among those attending, with ex-Salmond allies Ms Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf failing to do so. Mr Salmond died aged 69 on October 12 in North Macedonia after suffering a heart attack.

A number of Mr Salmond's friends and political allies also gave readings at the service which was officiated by Reverend Dr George J Whyte. Tributes were delivered by Kenny MacAskill – a longtime ally of his who joined the Alba Party – as well as the former First Minister’s lawyer Duncan Hamilton KC.

SNP MSP Fergus Ewing read from The Wild Geese by Violet Jacob. Conservative MP Sir David Davis, who shared a friendship with Mr Salmond despite a political divide, read from John 14.

The later years of the former First Minister's life were marred by scandal after he was accused of sexual misconduct during his time in office, and he was cleared after a trial at Edinburgh High Court in 2020. He stood for the Alba Party at the 2021 Holyrood election after a rift between himself and successor Ms Sturgeon saw him leave the SNP for good.

Rev Dr George Whyte paid tribute to Alex Salmond’s contribution to public service and life “which challenged the the status quo” at the former Scottish first minister’s funeral. Speaking to mourners gathered at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, he said: “On this 30th of November, with the Saltires hung on the pillars, we gather not to beatify a saint but to remember a human being.

“Some come to remember a loved one, and rightly you have the place of honour, your sudden loss is the sharpest and we who stand round you can do no more than offer our condolences and our prayers. Some of you come as friends, you knew the man behind the public image, and the political fray. You too are coming to terms with a parting as quick as it was unexpected.

“Many are here to remember the public service and contribution to the common life which Alex Salmond made. From fishing community, to farm to front bench, from campaign trail to committee room, from strategic discussions to local surgeries, from Holyrood to Westminster, you have brought to this ancient setting the interwoven strands of a life which changed all our lives, a life which challenged the status quo. He called people to a cause in which he believed and for which he would endure the slings and the arrows.”

Mr Swinney was also booed when he left the Cathedral as well, with revellers also shouting "traitor" and "shame on you."

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22099597 (031426ZDEC24) Notable: Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two / Hypocritical Stephen Flynn previously admitted its 'not practically possible to serve' in two elected roles

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>>277637

>>>/qresearch/22077037

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/hypocritical-stephen-flynn-previously-admitted-34142875

Hypocritical Stephen Flynn previously admitted its 'not practically possible to serve' in two elected roles

The Aberdeen South MP admitted he could not serve as both a councillor and an MP, but now believes he can work full time in both London and Edinburgh and represent his constituents.

David Walker

19 NOV 2024

Stephen Flynn's past comments about double jobbing have come back to haunt him as he previously quit his role as a councillor after becoming elected as an MP. When he resigned the role on Aberdeen City Council he even admitted its "not practically possible to serve" in two elected roles.

But now the SNP's Westminster leader is striving to do just that and work in both Edinburgh and London as an MSP and an MP. This has been met with a huge backlash from even within the nationalist party, who have called him out for hypocrisy after he previously slated Douglas Ross for doing similar.

Mr Flynn's attempts to double job could end in disaster with one Scottish Tory MSP putting forward legislation which could block him from doing so. Graham Simpson is set to table amendments which would force MPs to give up their job within eight days of being elected to Holyrood.

And now old comments from the Aberdeen South MP have resurfaced which show that he too was against double jobbing, and even urged one of his colleagues on the council not to do so. When he was elected in December 2019 he was also a councillor but quit the job quickly afterwards after admitting he could not do both roles at the same time.

He told the Press and Journal: "I have also consistently stated that it is not practically possible to serve a full term in a parliament and dedicate time to be an effective local councillor." He encouraged fellow councillor and Tory MSP Tom Mason to do the same in his Midstocket/Rosemount ward.

But just four years later he has now completely u-turned and insisted that he can do two, much tougher jobs, at the same time. He insisted that the Scottish Parliament "needed" him and that he was doing taxpayers a favour by not stepping down as an MP as they wouldn't have to pay for a by-election.

He even compared himself to SNP leaders and failed to deny that his main ambition is to become First Minister. He said: “I’m not blind to the fact that I will have to box smarter and work even harder. Others have done it in the past, not least Alex Salmond and John Swinney, and I’m positive about the prospect of walking the path they previously trod.

“Finally, I also hope not to be alone on a potential path to Holyrood. Some of my current and former colleagues in Westminster, as well as many outwith the world of politics, will hopefully be aiming for elected office in Edinburgh. And that can only be a good thing.”

Mr Flynn has infuriated some within the party by challenging sitting MSP Audrey Nicoll for the candidacy in Aberdeen South and North Kincardine. Former Scottish Government Minister Emma Roddick said: "You would have to stand down from one. You cannot, I think, serve with a straight face if you have made clear to your constituents - one way or the other - that this role is your second choice."

And she added that it would be "indefensible" to change the rules for the upcoming election and "of course it would be hypocritical' for Mr Flynn to be an MP and MSP."

Mr Simpson could still block Mr Flynn from keeping both roles as a vote on his amendment is set to be held before Christmas. The Scottish Greens and Scottish Labour will back this, while the Scottish Lib Dems and the Scottish Tories have yet to set out their position.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22099765 (031501ZDEC24) Notable: Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two / SNP 'puts up welcome sign' for human traffickers and people smugglers with 'naïve' asylum proposal

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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-puts-up-welcome-sign-34216219

SNP 'puts up welcome sign' for human traffickers and people smugglers with 'naïve' asylum proposal

New proposals to let asylum seekers the right to work in parts of Scotland have been labelled 'absurd' with criminals standing to benefit the most

Douglas Dickie

29 NOV 2024

The SNP has been accused of putting up a "welcome sign" for people smugglers and human traffickers with an "absurd" plan to give anyone seeking asylum the right to work in some parts of Scotland. Nat Ministers want the UK Government to rubberstamp a pilot scheme that would also increase the right to work from six months to 12.

But critics have warned the plan would be a boost to criminals who prey on the vulnerable. The Scottish Conservatives reckon it would make it easier for people smugglers to force migrants to carry out low paid work in Scotland.

Details of the proposal for the 'Scottish Right to Work Pilot' were published by the Scottish Government this week. One line states that the pilot "should take as inclusive an approach as possible" and eligibility criteria should be kept to a "minimum in order to further build the evidence base regarding the experiences of different cohorts of people seeking asylum".

The Tories say that could open the door to "just about anyone" and the proposal encouraged illegal immigration. The party's shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy said: "The SNP need to cut out this naive nonsense, which most people will think is absurd.

"This pilot would be welcomed by smugglers and human traffickers, who could use it maliciously to further exploit vulnerable people and commit criminal acts." Under the nationalist executive's proposal, those on the pilot would have access to support around the likes of employability and language learning.

The government claims that granting people who are seeking asylum the right to work at an earlier stage will "reduce their risk of exploitation". But Mr Hoy added: "Illegal immigration must be stopped and it shouldn’t be encouraged in any way.

"This soft-touch approach could undermine that and lead to even more dangerous attempts to enter the country under false pretences. Proposing to put up a big welcome sign to criminals confirms again proves that the SNP are completely detached from what people in the real world think.

"If the SNP want more workers to come to Scotland, there’s an easy way to do it - lower taxes in the budget." No decision has been taken on what areas would be included in the pilot but government documents suggest "Glasgow City Council at a minimum should participate".

Participants would be accepted once they have been waiting six months or more for a decision on their asylum claim. It is not clear how much the scheme would cost with the Scottish Government saying that would need to be evaluated in partnership with the Home Office.

It comes in the same week it emerged net migration into the UK hit a record 906,000 in 2023. Sir Keir Starmer told a Downing Street press conference that his Government would publish plans "imminently", in the form of a white paper, to bring down the number of people entering the UK.

In contrast, the SNP's equalities minister Kaukab Stewart launched the bid for the right to work pilot on Wednesday. She said the measures would "enable asylum seekers to integrate more quickly, making a positive contribution to our workforce and economy by reducing the cost and demand on our public services".

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22106843 (041712ZDEC24) Notable: Final Covid and Other Pestilence Bun / Fears UK could face 'quintupledemic' this month with five diseases hitting at once

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https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/health/fears-uk-could-face-quinthrupledemic-34244706

Fears UK could face 'quintupledemic' this month with five diseases hitting at once

Dr Joseph Ambani has warned that the UK could be under threat from a quintupledemic - five waves of diseases hitting at the same time - before the end of the year

Christopher Sharp, Trendswatch Reporter(?)

4 DEC 2024

Health experts have warned a so-called 'quintupledemic', which could see the UK being hit by five simultaneous waves of diseases, could strike before the end of the year.

Dr Joseph Ambani claims it is a real possibility that flu, RSV, Covid, Norovirus and mpox could converge at the same time and put a huge strain on the NHS over the festive period.

He explained: "The concept of a 'quintupledemic' may sound dramatic. However, it's a realistic concern in a winter where Norovirus, mpox, Covid-19, RSV, and flu could circulate simultaneously.

"Each virus has its unique transmission dynamics, but what makes this scenario particularly unsettling is the overlap in their seasonal peaks and the strain this could place on our healthcare systems.

"Winter provides a perfect storm for viral transmission. Closed spaces, festive gatherings, and waning immunity from vaccines or past infections create a fertile ground for outbreaks."

He also emphasised the potential toll it will have on people over Christmas. "The human impact of such a scenario cannot be overstated," he explained. "Imagine hospitals stretched thin, families cancelling festive plans due to illness, and caregivers juggling the overlapping demands of multiple infections."

Echoing these sentiments, Dr Bruno Silvester Lopes of Teesside University warned of the reality of facing increased cases of norovirus, mpox, COVID-19, RSV, and influenza at the same time during winter, reports the Mirror.

He explained: "The concept of a 'quintupledemic' may sound dramatic. However, it's a realistic concern in a winter where Norovirus, mpox, Covid-19, RSV, and flu could circulate simultaneously.

"Each virus has its unique transmission dynamics, but what makes this scenario particularly unsettling is the overlap in their seasonal peaks and the strain this could place on our healthcare systems."

"Winter provides a perfect storm for viral transmission. Closed spaces, festive gatherings, and waning immunity from vaccines or past infections create a fertile ground for outbreaks.

"The human impact of such a scenario cannot be overstated. Imagine hospitals stretched thin, families cancelling festive plans due to illness, and caregivers juggling the overlapping demands of multiple infections."

Dr Lopes has suggested that such phenomena arise "due to overlapping seasonal activity, weakened immunity, and increased social interactions".

Despite the threat of a quintupledemic, Dr Lopes says people can boost their changes of avoiding falling ill by handwashing and using masks in crowded spaces.

He continued: "Public health awareness, robust surveillance, and individual vigilance are essential in preparing and addressing these outbreaks effectively."

It comes after an identification of a fifth case of Clade 1b mpox in Leeds, which differs from the cases identified in London. With the situation evolving, the UKHSA's chief medical adviser Susan Hopkins addressed public concerns by saying: "It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and our diagnostics tests that we have been able to detect this new case.

"The risk to the UK population remains low following this fifth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread."

The NHS lists typical symptoms of mpox, including a rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen glands, shivering exhaustion and joint pain, with the rash usually showing up one to five days after the first signs appear.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22109586 (050142ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Justice in the dock: Scots courts are broken and on brink of collapse

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>>277714

>>>/qresearch/22077023

https://web.archive.org/web/20241119170446/https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24729169.justice-dock-scots-courts-broken-brink-collapse/

Justice in the dock: Scots courts are broken and on brink of collapse

17th November

By Neil Mackay

In a special report our Writer at Large investigates the delivery of justice in Scotland, and uncovers a litany of failures, mistakes and disasters waiting to happen

SCOTLAND’S justice system is “broken” and without root-and-branch reform it will “collapse”,(yaayyyy)according to the frontline staff who keep the nation’s courts running.

Workers with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS) say the system is buckling under the weight of an enormous backlog of trials still to be heard.

The number of outstanding cases currently stands at 23,361.

Staff say:

■ mistakes are being made in the administration of justice;

■ there are severe risks of miscarriages of justice;

■ cases are being dropped which don’t need to be dropped;

■ serious criminal cases like rape are taking three years to get to trial;

■ bail is no longer being opposed if the risk of reoffending is deemed “victimless”;

■ some witnesses wait so long to give evidence they disengage from the criminal process;

■ and victims are being routinely failed and subjected to unnecessary distress.

Staff are exhausted, poorly trained, working unpaid overtime sometimes until midnight, and there are rising levels of sickness including mental health problems among workers.

Responsibility for security in some courts is being shifted from police to civilian staff, leading to fears of violence that could put lives at risk or see prisoners escaping.

PCS, the civil service union, which represents hundreds of court staff, says it is willing and prepared to launch industrial action, including both work to rule and strikes, which will “cripple” an already creaking justice system.

Due to concerns that staff could be intimidated for communicating with the press, the PCS Scottish secretary Ruby Gibson and industrial officer Joy Dunn spoke on their behalf to The Herald on Sunday.

The consultancy firm Unity Consulting conducted a report for PCS into staff morale and wellbeing in Scotland’s courts and found nearly 85% of COPFS staff and 75% of SCTS staff felt that workload was impacting “the effectiveness and successful delivery of justice”.

Some 76% of COPFS staff and 57% of SCTS staff say they have “witnessed or experienced mistakes happening due to pressures on staff”. Nearly 67% of COPFS and 60% of SCTS staff have experienced mental health problems due to their work.

Fury

Management is known to be furious about the contents of the report. The problems causing the justice system to buckle are widespread and systemic, PCS says.

Even the way prisoners are transferred to court has an impact on justice operating smoothly. Repeated delays in bringing prisoners from jail to court by the private contractor GEOAmey, which is paid for its services by government, have caused trials to run late or be postponed, creating a knock-on effect of extra work for staff, slowing the wheels of justice.

Parts of the IT system – described as “useless and dilapidated” – date to the 1990s. Workers say it can take five minutes to load one criminal file. Around 90% of COPFS staff and 63% of SCTS staff say the IT system is “not fit for purpose”.

The PCS made clear that its members are indispensable to the administration of justice in Scotland. Without them, sheriffs, judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers simply cannot operate.

PCS Scottish secretary Gibson said: “Our members care passionately and deeply about justice being served, protecting victims of crime, and ensuring fair trials for defendants, but the dysfunctions of the system mean they’re unable to do their jobs and are being made sick by their unmanageable workloads.”

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22109724 (050201ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Justice in the dock: Scots courts are broken and on brink of collapse

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>>277717

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Covid caused the backlog of cases in Scotland to peak at 43,606 in January 2022. Staff have managed to bring that number down dramatically, but the backlog still stands at more than 23,000.

A good example of how overloaded the system has become can be gleaned from a snapshot of Glasgow Sheriff Court. On one sample day in June 2018, there were 38 summary trials. On one sample day in June 2022, the number stood at 89. Similarly, on a sample day in June 2018, there were eight indictment trials rising to 25 four years later, and 184 other hearings rising to 217.

“The pressure to complete work has led to higher levels of sickness-related absence due to stress and exhaustion,” Gibson explained.

Staff have made clear that pressures mean “mistakes are being made, errors are happening, and that where at all possible work that can be put aside is being put aside”.

Training is a significant issue when it comes to risks to the administration of justice. Staff aren’t properly trained, Gibson and Dunn said. New Crown Office staff are often simply “buddied up” with more experienced workers rather than given bespoke training. “This is a critical issue,” Dunn added.

Exhausted staff are quitting their jobs in higher numbers than before, meaning experience is being lost. Workers “just two weeks into the job are expected to train new staff – that’s the reality of the turnover and retention issues. You can’t expect people who have been in the job two weeks to know that job enough to train others”.

“This isn’t how justice should be delivered,” she said. “People are constantly taking shortcuts and skipping steps in case processing. New people are being trained that this is the way to do the job – and they then go on to train others. It all just lowers the quality of the work.”

Emergency

GIBSon and Dunn say that staff are often “working for free”. There’s so much work that staff continue with their tasks at home without getting paid overtime or being able to take time back in lieu. “It just means they end up going off sick eventually, or quitting the job.” One-fifth of Crown Office staff have been in the job less than two years, the PCS said.

“Our members have worked at full tilt to reduce the backlog,” said Dunn, “and are proud of the work they’ve done. But the emergency situation caused by the pandemic should be over. Staff cannot go on like this. There’s no respite. People are experiencing burnout and management needs to ease up.”

The backlog means there are lengthy delays in serious criminal cases coming to full trial. Staff say that for rape “two years would be short”, and “three years” is the more usual wait.

Prior to the pandemic, the PCS says, there was a time bar that crimes proceed to trial within 12 months. The time bar was then extended to 18 months. This was only meant to last until 2022 but repeated extensions mean the 18-month time bar remains in place until at least November 2025.

Staff say this clearly has an impact on: victims in their wait for justice; witnesses who may “disengage from the process” during the lengthy delay; and defendants who face long waits to discover their fate.

Staff say that means victims of crime are constantly being told of delays by caseworkers, causing upset. This can lead to victims “ultimately losing faith in the system and becoming unwilling to give evidence”.

If defendants are on remand, however, the wait for trial will be shorter.

Gibson added: “We’re shocked that for years our members have worked under conditions that have led to them falling sick and being under so much pressure that they’re leaving their jobs – and that’s having an impact on the delivery of justice. Our members are frustrated and distressed by what’s happening, and know that the conditions they’re working in is contributing to upset for victims.”

Dunn added: “Our members come into contact with victims every day and have to explain delays to them. That’s a really difficult thing to have to do.”

Staff say there are unquestionably risks of “mistakes being made” in the administration of justice due to overwork and unmanageable caseloads. “If mistakes are made it can have serious consequences.”

Examples were given, such as wrong names being written on warrants resulting in an innocent person being arrested, or data protection breaches if letters are sent to the wrong address.

“Miscarriages of justice could also take place,” it was said. Additionally, wrong information about someone’s criminal history could be added to databases, causing devastating consequences for someone’s life when it comes to employment.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22109961 (050234ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Justice in the dock: Scots courts are broken and on brink of collapse

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Fear

STAFF are suffering from high levels of stress over fears of making mistakes and being sacked. “They care about the delivery of justice and victims, they even care about the accused, but they’re not being supported to do their jobs properly.”

Steps being missed by overworked staff “can lead to cases ultimately being dropped”. Examples given included staff accidentally failing to disclose all relevant information to the defence, failing to cite witnesses, or sending legal correspondence to the wrong address. “This can lead to people not being convicted – there are so many steps that must be carried out precisely for cases to get to trial.”

Gibson said: “The Scottish public should be furious about this. Responsibility lies at the door of the Scottish Government as well as the COPFS and SCTS. We’ve been raising these issues for years – even pre-pandemic. Victims of serious crime are waiting years for justice. Accused people are sitting in custody for crimes they might not be guilty of – justice isn’t being served.”

Dunn added that huge caseloads, the creaking IT system, and lack of training meant “mistakes will be made. This has a real impact on our members mental health. They’re constantly worrying about the decisions they have to make. The entire justice system pipeline is clogged and needs fixed”.

The PCS says that overcrowded prisons at one end of the justice system and reduced police numbers at the other has, along with Scotland’s “broken courts”, created “a perfect storm”.

Cases have been dropped unnecessarily, staff say, due to the dysfunctional court system.

While cases have always fallen due to new evidence emerging or witnesses withdrawing, cases are now falling “for reasons that are avoidable, like proper resourcing”.

Staff say that in summary courts, where low-level cases are heard by sheriffs, the “volume of cases means that preparation for trials only really happens the night before”.

At this stage, it could be discovered that “everything needed for the case to proceed wasn’t submitted as thought” and so the case is dropped. The type of case in question might be “stalking”.

“Sometimes overworked staff don’t get to things on time, miss steps out, or haven’t been trained in the necessary steps in the first place. Sometimes nobody has told them what you have to do to prepare a trial if they’re new to a team.”

Overworked police can also make mistakes which aren’t picked up until it’s too late. Additionally, there have been dramatic falls in the numbers of available defence lawyers in Scotland due to changes to legal aid which is slowing the system down. The legal aid system is “chaos”, staff feel.

“There’s a lot of panic on the day that cases come to trial. There’s a risk that people who are guilty of crimes aren’t being dealt with, and are effectively getting away free.”

The IT system is one of the biggest failings facing staff, who say “it was developed decades ago, and is basically obsolete”. Processing time “is extraordinary long”, with just loading a case file taking five minutes. This can lead to simple tasks being skipped, presenting a risk to justice being administered well.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22109975 (050237ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Justice in the dock: Scots courts are broken and on brink of collapse

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Victims

THE IT system doesn’t allow staff to search the database, so a case with hundreds of statements and documents attached needs to be laboriously scrolled through, meaning material might be missed. Staff sometimes resort to written notes as the IT system is so poor, but these can later be overlooked. Sometimes victims are contacted twice as staff are unaware another colleague has spoken to them, causing “needless upset”.

Details can be lost of witness or victim needs – such as disabilities – which will cause problems for them getting to court and giving evidence. Gibson and Dunn say that if staff “had a functioning IT system they could focus on delivering justice and helping victims of crime”.

The system crashes “daily”, staff say, and when it’s down they cannot access vital information such as details of criminal charges, or witness contact information. Sometimes problems with IT mean victims aren’t updated on the progress of cases.

Staff say that training is “effectively non-existent”, adding: “ The vast majority of Crown Office staff maybe get buddied by someone sitting next to them for a while, but other than that it’s ‘just get on with it’.”

Although staffing overall has increased, the number of entry-level administrators – who keep the courts functioning – has fallen, the PCS says. “More senior grades cannot do their jobs effectively if they don’t have administrative support. It’s a top-heavy organisation typified by no joined-up thinking.”

The creation of new departments, such as units for wildlife crime and Covid deaths, has lead to additional pressures on overstretched staff. The increasing complexity of cases – particularly around cybercrime – also creates time and workload pressures. Additional delays are caused by the time needed to wait for DNA and other scientific reports to reach caseworkers.

“It’s taking longer and longer to process cases.” Better leadership is needed, according to the PCS.

The increase in sick leave is stark. “Even though there might be a full compliment of staff, the number of people off sick at any one time means effective understaffing,” Gibson said.

Despite staff increases, there’s still too much work. Staff are bringing assignments home and working unpaid. “It’s a big concern,” Gibson added. Overtime is strictly controlled, so the main system used to compensate workers is flexitime. However, staff struggle to take the hours owed to them due to the ongoing workload they must deal with daily.

The PCS says that between 2023/24, the amount of flexitime lost came to £700,000. “That, however, is still an underestimate,” Dunn added, as some staff were working while not ‘clocked on’. “They’re doing that because they’re dedicated to the public and don’t want cases to suffer.”

Working at home without clocking on and accruing flexitime is “common”.

“People can only work flat out like this for so long. They hope there’s going to be an end in sight, but when they realise there’s not, they look elsewhere for jobs.”

Abuse

Dysfunction is also leading to unnecessary adjournments. “It’s common sense,” said Dunn. “When courts are overcrowded, when there are too many cases in a court to physically call, then the bulk are going to be adjourned.” Adjournments also waste large amounts of police time as officers who could be on the streets fighting crime are called to attend trials which are then postponed.

Adjournments can have very troubling consequences. Police have told of cases of child victims of sex crime being brought to court to give evidence against their abuser only for the trial to be repeatedly adjourned. This evidently causes distress to the victim. Staff say they “wish such incidents were uncommon, but they aren’t”.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22109988 (050239ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Justice in the dock: Scots courts are broken and on brink of collapse

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Additionally, staff say “the dropping of cases is becoming increasingly common”. Clearly, this all incurs huge cost to the taxpayer. Witnesses, for example, called to cases which don’t proceed, are paid for loss of earnings and travel expenses.

Prison overcrowding, which has led to early release, also impacts the delivery of justice. Staff have been instructed not to oppose bail if reoffending will be victimless in order to keep prison numbers down. “The wider justice system isn’t functioning,” the PCS said.

The union wants the COPFS and SCTS to pressure government for additional funding and staff. Although budgets have increased, primarily in order to reduce the backlog, there’s still not enough cash to pay for the system needed to ensure justice is administered well.

The PCS says that until now the true extent of the problems besetting Scottish courts hasn’t been known by the public. However, now the issues are in the open, the government must act. “It cannot be avoided any more,” Gibson said. “A strategy is required.”

Dunn said the Scottish Government’s default setting was “to wait until there’s a crisis and then react to it. Well, there’s a crisis now”.

The PCS predicts the Scottish Government will pass responsibility to COPFS and SCTS, telling them to manage budgets better, and the COPFS and SCTS will blame lack of government funding. Dunn said: “They’ll pass it back and forth but ultimately someone must take responsibility and the buck stops with government.”

Dunn also predicted the SNP would “as usual” blame Westminster for tight budgets, despite wasting huge amounts of money on “the ferries”.

Gibson says “siloed thinking” is a major problem among government ministers and officials responsible for courts. This has led to all arms of the justice system – police, prisons and courts – being pitted against each other for resources.

Decision-making feels “done on the back of an envelope”. The government and senior management respond in a “knee-jerk way” to media pressure. This simply results in “the service deteriorating, more mistakes being made, and more negative news stories. Everything is a sticking-plaster solution. The service needs to be made robust and fit for the long-term”.

Resources are stretched so thin that staff fear the system would collapse if events such as the rioting which took place in England this summer happened in Scotland. “The courts just couldn’t cope with the extra demand. There’s no elasticity in the system at all. We need systematic and systemic change.”

Strike

If change doesn’t happen fast, then the PCS says members will “end up involved in a dispute. This can’t go on”. Dunn said that could mean “strike action”.

Gibson added: “Industrial action doesn’t have to include strikes. It could be work to rule, or an overtime ban, which would be really bad for these services and could, in fact, be even more damaging than striking.”

Striking would cause chaos for one day, but working to rule and overtime bans, said Gibson, “would cripple” the courts “and have a huge impact on the delivery of justice. We don’t want to do anything that would further exacerbate the problems in the delivery of justice but we can’t allow our members to continue like this”.

Gibson added that if the court service continues to be run as it is then “the justice system will collapse. Staff will continue to leave, training will deteriorate, escalating numbers of cases won’t proceed to trial, or trials will collapse as the work isn’t being done. We’re still at the point where matters can be fixed and things can be brought back from the brink, but time is ticking”.

She said: “There’s a risk of a very bad event happening – like somebody being released who’s a risk. That’s a very real possibility.”

The PCS explained that the police are drawing down officers from court security duties due to their own staffing pressures. “Court staff are now expected to take on the responsibilities of the police. There’s a risk of something bad happening if there’s a violent offender in court – they could escape, they could hurt somebody, or their families or friends could do something bad.”

Some courtrooms, the PCS said, don’t have police on duty any more. One-third of the police presence in Edinburgh Sheriff Court has been removed as part of a pilot project that may be rolled out. Police now perform “roaming duties in corridors” while civilian staff keep an eye on security.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22110006 (050242ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Justice in the dock: Scots courts are broken and on brink of collapse

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“Members are being asked to set off an alarm that sits on their desk if they think something is going to kick off. This is now a duty that they didn’t perform before. We can’t blame the police. They’re understaffed too and want more officers in the community.”

The experiment in removal of police only affects sheriff courts where lower-level crimes are dealt with, although the PCS says Aberdeen High Court has inadequate police security. “Only Glasgow and Edinburgh High Courts have the security that’s needed. There’s variation in security across the country.”

The PCS said this obviously presented a threat to the public. “There are rival gangs sometimes in the same court. We’ve not signed off on this, we don’t agree with it. Courts are dangerous places, that’s why there’s been such reliance on police for security.”

Removing police will also present problems should someone need to be arrested in court. “If there’s no police present then the court could agree an arrest and the person just walks out.”

The PCS said that like the police, court staff were being asked “to deliver more with less”. The fear is that with government spending reducing, “more cuts will come”.

Gibson said: “A functioning justice system is a key part of the fabric of society. Trust and confidence in the law must be robust, and it’s not. We have a justice system that’s severely compromising the delivery of justice.

“The courts are in crisis and that must affect wider society. Courts cannot operate in constant emergency mode, constantly at breaking point. A good justice system is a fundamental pillar of society, and that pillar is crumbling. It should shock the public that the people who administer justice go to work and get sick because of the pressures of work.

“That’s unacceptable on a human level for the staff and for victims of crime who need justice delivered well. It’s a devastating state of affairs. Court staff are dedicated and hardworking. They do their best under the most difficult of circumstances. Indeed, the justice system operates to a great extent thanks to their goodwill and unpaid work.

“Staff work these long hours and get sick as they care about victims, about getting justice done and getting dangerous people off the streets. They’re being let down. All their efforts seem invisible. How long can this go on? It’s an unsustainable way to hold a justice system together. The justice system is broken. It’s in absolute crisis.”

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22110022 (050245ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Justice in the dock: Scots courts are broken and on brink of collapse

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Replies

THE Herald on Sunday put the full nature of PCS and court staff concerns and allegations to the Scottish Government, COPFS, and SCTS, offering substantive right of reply.

John Logue, Crown Agent and COPFS chief executive, said: “The prosecution of crime and investigation of deaths is challenging work and we are proud of our staff and constantly aim to support them in their public service.”

A SCTS spokesperson said: “SCTS is committed to continuing our partnership with PCS to achieve the best outcomes for those we serve and dedicated to adapting to the evolving needs of the justice system, with staff wellbeing being of paramount importance.

“SCTS has received financial support from the Scottish Government over recent years to provide additional courts. This has allowed us to reduce the criminal court backlog despite a sustained and significant increase in solemn cases [the most serious criminal cases]. This, along with the hard work of our staff and justice partners, has helped to reduce the backlog by over 20,000 cases from its peak of 43,606 in January 2022, reducing the length of time victims, witnesses and accused have to wait for trials.

“Safety and security remains a top priority and we are working with Police Scotland to ensure that continues to be maintained across the court estate. A pilot reducing officer numbers at Edinburgh Sheriff Court is currently being evaluated, with the findings likely to inform Police Scotland’s models at other courts.

“However, each court is different and individual risk assessments will be required to ensure the safety of our staff and the public.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Significant progress has been made in reducing the summary case backlogs. The total number of outstanding scheduled trials has fallen by over 20,000 since January 2022, a reduction of over 46%. That trend is continuing and we remain committed to supporting justice partners to address the backlog.

“We have invested £93 million to support victims in the past five years and we are taking a number of actions to ensure that victims are placed at the heart of the justice system. We have awarded £48 million between 2022 and 2025 to victims’ organisations under the Victim Centred Approach Fund as part of our commitment to putting victims at the heart of the justice system. The Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Bill proposes a significant package of reform to ensure victims are treated with compassion and their voices are heard. This includes creating an independent Commissioner for Scotland to champion the rights of victims and witnesses.”

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22112446 (051449ZDEC24) Notable: Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun / Glasgow council spent over £6m on golden goodbyes for staff after cutting services

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https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsscotland/glasgow-council-spent-over-6m-on-golden-goodbyes-for-staff-after-cutting-services/ar-AA1vc0Yh

Glasgow council spent over £6m on golden goodbyes for staff after cutting services

Story by Paul Hutcheon

3rd December 2024

Cash-strapped Glasgow Council has shelled out over £6m in golden goodbye payments for staff while slashing services. The sum is the largest amount in ten years and works out at an equivalent of £62,284 per person.

It came after we revealed the council had drafted in a KC to probe massive pension boosts to the retiring chief executive and other senior staff.

The SNP-led local authority has had to fill several budget black holes through service cuts and selling flagship buildings. But a freedom of information request reveals the spiralling cost of “loss of office” payments for staff who have retired early or whose posts were made redundant.

The data, which covers a decade, shows over £1m was paid in 2017 to just nine staff while the figure for 26 employees in 2020 was £1.8m. These these figures were dwarfed by the massive £6.3m paid out last year to 102 individuals.

GMB Scotland, one of the biggest public sector trade unions, said severance payments for highly-paid officials are impossible to justify.

John Slaven, the GMB organiser in the council, said: “This is money that should be protecting the staff and services that Glaswegians rely on every day. Last year, services were savaged, our members had to threaten strike action to get a fair pay offer and low-paid colleagues forced to retire because of ill-health had to fight to get the pension they were entitled to. The suggestion that, while councillors insist there is no money to protect services and staff, executives are quitting with huge but unjustifiable cheques is obscene and demands urgent investigation.”

Tory MSP Alexander Stewart said: "These payments will stick in the throat of hard-pressed taxpayers. Savage SNP cuts to council budgets mean that Glaswegians are paying more, but getting less in return as vital services are axed or severely slashed. This culture at the SNP-led council, who should be focused on delivering value for taxpayers, should be curtailed.”

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney said: "It's no secret that the SNP's financial incompetence at every level of government has left Glasgow Council in dire straits, the council having suffered the highest budget cut of any local authority in Scotland over the last decade. However, the reason behind payouts on this scale is not clear at all — Glasgow City Council must explain what political oversight there was on this and who authorised them. The people of Glasgow deserve to know what their public money is spent on."

A council spokesman said: “A significant number of staff have left or are scheduled to leave the council’s employment as part of ongoing service reform projects. Voluntary redundancies always come at an initial cost, but are designed to deliver ongoing savings.”

The Record revealed last week that the council had brought in lawyers investigate six figure exit deals for staff in former CEO Annemarie O’Donnell’s department.

Four packages are being examined, including O’Donnell receiving a £357,845 contribution to her pension. Elaine Galletly, former Director of Legal and Administration, also benefited from a £223,065 pension contribution and £59,971 for “compensation for loss of office”. SNP council leader Susan Aitken and Treasurer Ricky Bell did not know about the deals and were angry when they heard.

When the fuck are people going to wake up and object to all this greed and corruption? These cunts are robbing you all blind. People will always try to tell me how much of a cunt I am for never having had a tax paying job. You are all the CUNTS, all you taxpaying morons. You're making all these wankers rich off of your blood, sweat and tears and paying for every other fucker they bring in to the country, you are supporting wars and the deliberate destruction of your nation, of every nation. When the fuck are people going to learn....?

Glasgow is a shithole. Edinburgh is a shithole, Dundee, Aberdeen........every major town and city here is a shithole........all you tax paying morons are responsible, every arsehole that votes in fake elections. A nation of idiots that can't see 5 minutes into the future unless there is a few lousy shecels of profit/gain attached to it.

Sun Tzu was right. Evil men/women will burn their nations to the ground, just to rule over the ashes. They are doing it now, all over the world as you watch and pretend it's not going on in case you have to make a stand. Cowardly, materialistic cunts. I hope all the markets crash, property crashes, the banks and everything else, and all of you end up with nothing for your stupidity.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22115011 (052326ZDEC24) Notable: Glasgow housing crisis driven by a 96% year-on-year surge in applications from asylum seekers

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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/glasgow-housing-crisis-driven-96-34240057

Glasgow housing crisis driven by a 96% year-on-year surge in applications from asylum seekers

With Scotland now at the start of another cold winter, the country's biggest city is in the grip of a homelessness crisis – and one in three applications for a new home from the city council are from asylum seekers

Ben Borland

3 DEC 2024

Glasgow's housing emergency has been driven "in large parts" by a surge in applications from asylum seekers, according to a new city council report.

The SNP-run local authority put itself on an emergency footing in November 2023 in response to "unprecedented pressures" on its housing stock. Now, more than 12 months later, the situation is even more alarming.

At the start of November, some 929 people had been forced to sleep rough so far this year in Scotland's biggest city, in shop doorways or under bridges. At the same point, more than 8,000 people were living in temporary accommodation.

And the problem is getting rapidly worse. In six weeks from September 18, the number of rough sleepers rose by 28%, the number of homeless applications rose by 20% and the numbers in temporary housing rose by 4%.

Last week, our sister title the Daily Record laid bare the misery of street sleeping and begging has been laid bare as Christmas approaches on Glasgow's Buchanan Street. Robert Munro, 77, told how he has been forced to sleep in an old caravan.

The city's Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023/24 reveals that applications from asylum seekers and the cost of living crisis are the chief reasons behind the surge. It said the "number of homelessness applications in Glasgow, from those granted leave to remain, increase from 1,384 to 2,709 - a 96% year-on-year increase".

Overall, homeless applications rose 15% from 6,708 in 2022/23 to 7,762 in 2023/24. Applications from asylum seekers represented 34% of the total last year. It has been reported that many of those seeking housing are Roma who have moved to the city's Govanhill area.

The city council has blamed the UK Government's new streamlined asylum decision making process, which was implemented in July 2023. As Glasgow takes in almost all of the asylum seekers in Scotland, the new system has put huge strain on the city's housing stock.

The report goes on: "This unprecedented increased demand has seen Glasgow rapidly expand its use of temporary accommodation, including the use of bed and breakfast/hotel accommodation, in order to attempt to meet the needs of homeless households. Prior to the accelerated asylum decision making process in July 2023, Glasgow were using approximately 700 bed and breakfast/hotel placements each night which doubled to over 1,400 placements across 30 hotels."

In addition, the city's Health and Social Care Partnership has 2,000 temporary furnished flats and 3,344 lets for homeless households in were secured in 2023/24. But even this has proved to be unable to meet the challenge.

Interim chief social work officer Kelda Gaffney said: "Glasgow did declare a housing emergency due to unprecedented demand last year and that demand has continued to increase for us. We know we have a significant challenge associated with our homelessness population."

Speaking to the Record, Mr Munro said he had slept on the pavement in Glasgow on many occasions. He explained: "I lost my tenancy and got chuckled out and I’ve been passed around from one council to another, without getting a proper home. So I'm in an old caravan. I come into Glasgow and try to beg for cash to get a deposit for a private let but even with that I might struggle because of references. I struggle with my mental health and I don't really know who to turn to."

He added: "At every turn I get told there's not enough houses. I think they need to get that sorted out."

Ross Baillie, 27, had just been released from prison and slept on the street that night. He said: "I've been on a vicious circle of taking drugs and low committing crimes and now I have a place in a hostel, which is a worse standard of living than inside. I was put on methadone I prison and I desperately want to get off it but that’s harder to do than you can imagine."

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22115081 (052340ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Five men facing human trafficking allegations after raids in Scots city

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https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13971488/five-men-human-trafficking-aberdeen-police/

'DEPLORABLE CRIME' Five men facing human trafficking allegations after raids in Scots city

The five accused were due to appear in court today

Gordon Tait

5 Dec 2024

Five men have been arrested and charged in connection with human trafficking offences in Aberdeen.

Warrants were carried out at addresses in the city centre yesterday as part of a co-ordinated day of action.

A 34-year-old man, two 32-year-olds, a 28-year-old and a 20-year-old were detained.

They were due to appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Thursday.

Detective Inspector Stevie Smith, from Police Scotland, said: "Human trafficking is a deplorable crime that has a significant impact on its victims and Scotland’s wider communities.

"We are committed to working with our partners to pursue those suspected of being involved in committing these offences, with a strong focus on safeguarding individuals who may be at risk of exploitation.

"We work to raise public awareness to help identify victims and ensure they get the support they need.

"Information from people within our communities is key to helping us identify those involved in committing these crimes against vulnerable people in our society.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22115149 (052352ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Illegal immigrant already deported five times found living in UK again

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https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13967253/illegal-immigrant-deported-uk-immigration-crime/

MIGRANT MISERY Illegal immigrant already deported five times found living in UK again

The news comes as a study revealed more illegal migrants were in Britain than any other European nation

Rob Pattinson

4 Dec 2024

AN illegal immigrant already deported five times has been found living in the UK again.

Lithuanian Audrius Verkauskas was first removed in November 2015.

But he has continued to return and was also deported in February 2019, June 2021, May 2022 and August last year.

Police arrested him for unrelated matters in April in Peterborough — and then discovered he was in breach of his deportation.

Verkauskas, 44, was this week jailed for two years at the city’s crown court after pleading guilty to immigration charges.

He will be deported for a sixth time once he has served his sentence.

PC Tom Todd from Cambridgeshire Police said: “I hope this case sends out a strong message that people found to be in breach of deportation orders will be found eventually.

“Verkauskas knew full well he was illegally in Britain and had flouted the order multiple times so it is not surprising he has been handed a jail term.”

In October, The Sun revealed more illegal migrants were in Britain than any other European nation.

Researchers believes as many as 745,000 were still here — enough to rival the population of Leeds.

The number was equivalent to one in 100 of the entire UK population and more than ­double the 300,000 in France.

It is also ahead of the highest estimate for Germany, which at 700,000 has the second-largest illegal population.

The landmark research was compiled by 18 institutions, including Oxford University’s Compas migration study centre.

Study chiefs estimated the number of illegal migrants in Britain as between 594,000 and 745,000.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22115268 (060014ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Trial of ex-London’s Burning actor for ‘child sex offences’ delayed as he’s due to be detained for mental health

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https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/13963975/trial-londons-burning-star-detained-mental-health/

STAR'S WAIT Trial of ex-London’s Burning actor for ‘child sex offences’ delayed as he’s due to be detained for mental health

The star, who also appeared in Grange Hill, was due to stand trial on Monday

Daniel Hammond

4 Dec 2024

THE trial of an ex-London's Burning actor for alleged child sex offences has been delayed as he is due to be detained under the Mental Health Act.

John Alford, who also appeared on Grange Hill, is accused of targeting a girl aged under 16.

The 53-year-old - real name John Shannon - is also charged with sexually assaulting a second female.

A seven-day trial was due to begin on Monday at St Albans Crown Court but it has been delayed.

The court heard Alford was admitted to hospital with suspected abdominal issues.

Two doctors have since approved his detention under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act and he is now waiting to be moved to a secure ward, it was said.

Dr Kirsty Allen said: "At the moment he's not technically detained because you've got to have a bed before you can be detained somewhere.

"He’s still in A&E until the psychiatric bed is found for him.”

Judge Bilal Siddique confirmed the trial could not go ahead without him because the actor had not chosen to be absent.

A further hearing will take place tomorrow to fix a new trial date.

The dad-of-two previously pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child.

He has also denied one count of sexual assault and another of sexual assault by penetration relating to the second complainant.

Between 1993 and 1998, Glasgow-born Alford appeared in the long-running drama London's Burning as Billy Ray.

He starred alongside Simone Hyams and George Christopher and took part in the anti-drugs single Just Say No.

He later had a role in film Mike Bassett: England Manager, Casualty and Brit flick The Hatton Garden Job.

Alford first shot to fame as a teenager when he landed the role of Robbie Wright on Grange Hill.

He also enjoyed a short-lived pop career - with three singles reaching the UK Top 30.

These included debut single Smoke In Your Eyes, followed by Blue Moon and Only You.

Away from the screen, Alford worked as a scaffolder and minicab driver.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22115360 (060034ZDEC24) Notable: Final John Swinney Bun / John Swinney says men cannot get pregnant despite SNP lawyers arguing opposite

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https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13930771/john-swinney-men-pregnant-snp-lawyers-court/

GENDER MUDDLE John Swinney says men cannot get pregnant despite SNP lawyers arguing opposite

In a 40-page statement to the Supreme Court, SNP ministers insist references to a woman who is pregnant in the Equality Act would also apply to a ‘pregnant man’ who was born female

Lewis Mckenzie

27 Nov 2024

JOHN Swinney has said he didn’t believe a man can get pregnant - as his government’s lawyers argue the opposite in the supreme court.

Scottish Government briefs have spent the past two days claiming a person can be a woman even if they were born male.

Ruth Crawford KC - acting for SNP ministers - told the Supreme Court that people who obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC) are entitled to the same protections under law as biological women.

In a 40-page statement to the court, Nats ministers also insist references to a woman who is pregnant in the Equality Act would also apply to a ‘pregnant man’ who was born female.

Ms Crawford was responding to a legal challenge brought by a Scottish women’s rights group over whether trans women can be regarded as female under the terms of the 2010 Equality Act.

She was pressed by the judges on how she squared her position with issues affecting the bodies of females, such as pregnancy - the so-called “pregnant man” issue - or cervical screenings.

She responded that the “pregnant man” issue was “very clearly a matter of deep political water” that should either be left for Parliament to resolve, or treated, along with things such as cervical screenings, as a “matter of fact” regardless of a GRC.

But First Minister Mr Swinney today also appeared to contradict his government’s lawyers on the issue - saying he did not believe a man could get pregnant.

Asked whether he did believe that, the SNP leader said: “No, I don’t.”

And pressed on why his lawyers were arguing exactly that, Mr Swinney said: “I think there are many complex arguments being put forward in the Supreme Court judgement and I don’t think they come down to the simplicity of the question you’ve put to me.”

Speaking today, feminist KC Joanna Cherry - a former SNP MP - said: “I am pleased that John recognises this biological reality but I’m presently sitting in the UK Supreme Court watching his Government’s lawyers argue the opposite.”

It is the latest evidence heard in a long-running legal challenge by feminist rights groups including For Women Scotland.

Lawyers acting on behalf of For Women Scotland set out their arguments in the two-day hearing on Tuesday, urging judges to recognise the “facts of biological reality”.

They added: “Our position is your sex, whether you are a man or a woman or a girl or a boy, is determined from conception in utero, even before one’s birth, by one’s body. It is an expression of one’s bodily reality. It is an immutable biological state.”

But Scots Gov lawyer Ms Crawford told the Court today: “We submit there are only two sexes or genders, and a person whose sex becomes that of a man or woman in consequence of a GRC belongs to that sex, and will have the protection afforded under the Equality Act.”

She countered claims that a gender certificate was a “legal fiction” or of merely symbolic value.

She described it as a “fundamental right” similar to adoption, telling the court a gender recognition certificate affected an individual’s relationship with the state, and with private organisations such as employers.

A GRC is an official document available to those over 18 who can prove they have been living in their chosen gender for at least two years.

A verdict in the hearing before Lord Reed, Lord Hodge, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lady Rose and Lady Simler is not expected until a later date.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22115548 (060109ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Senior Glasgow Labour councillor charged with stalking & suspended by party

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https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13957175/glasgow-labour-councillor-charged-stalking/

POLITICIAN NICKED Senior Glasgow Labour councillor charged with stalking & suspended by party

He represented Glasgow during the COP26 climate summit

Zoe Phillips

3 Dec 2024

A SENIOR Glasgow Labour councillor has been charged with stalking offences.

Former lord provost Philip Braat, who has represented the Anderston/City/Yorkhill ward since 2007, was suspended by the party pending an investigation.

The 48-year-old was nicked on Wednesday, October 23, Police Scotland said.

He is due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date.

Braat served as deputy lord provost from 2017 to 2020 before taking on the role of lord provost until 2022.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: "A 48-year-old man was arrested and charged on Wednesday, October 23 in connection with stalking offences.

"A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal and he is expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date."

A Labour spokesperson said: "The Labour Party takes all complaints seriously.

"They are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate action is taken."

Braat represented Glasgow during the COP26 climate summit and was previously head of the Strathclyde Police Authority.

According to his register of interests, he is also a member of the Law Society of Scotland and an honorary captain in the Royal Navy Reserves.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22115554 (060110ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Senior Glasgow Labour councillor charged with stalking & suspended by party

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>>277732

It only rules over those who believe it.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22119502 (061753ZDEC24) Notable: Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two / 'RELEVANT' FM defends Neil Gray’s glitzy film premiere trip - saying movie depicted drug & alcohol addiction

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>>>/qresearch/22077023

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13931137/john-swinney-neil-gray-film-premiere-addiction/

'RELEVANT' FM defends Neil Gray’s glitzy film premiere trip – saying movie depicted drug & alcohol addiction

Mr Swinney's comments follow recent criticism levelled at Mr Gray over his use of government cars to visit football matches

Conor Matchett

27 Nov 2024

NEIL Gray was right to take a government limo to a star-studded film premiere because the movie featured drug and alcohol addiction and was therefore government business, John Swinney has insisted.

The Health Secretary took a ministerial car to Cameo Picturehouse in Edinburgh on August 15 this year to attend the opening reception of the city's Film Festival - which included a screening of the new Saoirse Ronan film, Outrun.

But the First Minister claimed that this was still “government business” due to the film’s themes of addiction.

He said: “He was attending a film which is addressing the issues of drug addiction, alcohol addiction and mental health and wellbeing and therefore relevant to his portfolio interests as cabinet secretary of health.”

Mr Gray attended the glitzy premiere alongside his wife - despite holding the health secretary role and the fact culture secretary Angus Robertson was also there.

He was appointed as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in February this year, having previously been the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy from March 2023 to February 2024.

He held the post as Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development between January 2022 and March 2023.

Despite leaving his ministerial culture post, Mr Gray’s film attendance was listed as a “culture” engagement.

And the SNP leader’s defence of his minister was labelled “desperate” due to social media posts from Mr Gray which showed he wanted to see the film due to its links to Orkney, where he grew up.

On X/Twitter, the minister said in December last year: “Cannot wait to see this!

“Brilliant that @amy_may’s stunning writing, Orkney’s scenery and a Screen Scotland supported production will be featured at Sundance, a premier international film festival.”

Deputy Scottish Tory leader Rachael Hamilton blasted the Nats.

She said: “This is a desperate defence from John Swinney of his Cabinet colleague.

“He knows fine well that there was no justification for Neil Gray to be at this event and is clutching at straws.

“Taxpayers are sick and tired of the SNP taking them for a ride. Honest John should have had the decency to be upfront with the public over Neil Gray’s behaviour, instead of giving this absurd response.”

It comes after Aberdeen fan Mr Gray came under flak for taking government cars to four Dons games as a guest of the SFA and SPL.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22119539 (061805ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / One in 10 criminals serving time in Scotland's overcrowded prisons is from abroad

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>>>/qresearch/22077033

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/one-10-criminals-serving-time-34253848

One in 10 criminals serving time in Scotland's overcrowded prisons is from abroad

A record 1303 foreign offenders spent time behind bars in Scotland last year, including more than ever before from the Middle East and countries in eastern Europe such as Albania

Ben Borland

5 DEC 2024

Nearly one in 10 criminals serving time in Scottish prison last year was a foreigner, after the number of overseas cons soared to a record high.

The latest figures show that 15,348 offenders served time behind bars in 2023/24, including 14,035 British nationals and 1313 from somewhere else in the world. This was the highest figure of at least the past 15 years and also the highest percentage (8.6%).

Of these foreign criminals, 607 were from the European Economic Area – which includes all EU member states as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. This was the highest figure in eight years.

Much of the record increase is driven by non-EEA Europeans, with 219 behind bars up from 129 in 2022/23 and 85 the year before – a rise of 158%. Non-EEA European countries include Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Some 175 criminals from Asia spent time in prison, the highest figure in 12 years, along with 140 Africans and 88 from the Middle East, which was another record high.

And the rising proportion of offenders from abroad has fuelled concern over the failure to deport non-British criminals. The number of deportations stood at 226 last year, which was the most since 2009/10. However, it is not known how many of these were simply deported after serving their sentence. A further 36 remand prisoners were deported.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: "Deporting these convicted criminals is a common-sense approach, and it seems the SNP are the only ones who can't see this."

The Scottish Government figures show the proportion of individuals who are not British remained steady at between 5-6% of the prison population for more than a decade until the Covid pandemic. It then began to climb rapidly to its current record high.

It comes as the Scottish Prison Service prepares to grant early release to around 400 prisoners at the start of next year, after emergency legislation to cut the automatic release point for most serving four years or less from 50% to 40% of their sentence.

In September, it was revealed that more than 630 offenders who had been served deportation orders were still here. The UK Government is considering plans to deport foreign criminals rather than hold them at taxpayers' expense.

Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: "Across the UK and elsewhere, there has been an increase in prison populations and governments have had to implement a range of actions to address this."

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22119593 (061818ZDEC24) Notable: Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two / Car-hating SNP Government earmark £28m to increase 20mph zones in Scotland despite congestion claims

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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/car-hating-snp-government-earmark-34257297

Car-hating SNP Government earmark £28m to increase 20mph zones in Scotland despite congestion claims

The Scottish Government will be splashing the cash on infuriating motorists as the pot for creating 20mph zones has been almost doubled, with a huge roll-out by the end of 2025.

David Walker

5 DEC 2024

The Scottish Government has ratcheted up its war on motorists even further by earmarking a cool £28m to increase the number of 20mph zones across the country. Councils across the country will receive a share of this pot to reduce speed limits in town and city centres from 30mph to 20mph.

Concerns have been raised about how much of an impact this will make to road deaths and crashes, with Wales already being forced to rollback a similar scheme after angry feedback and a lack of solid evidence it worked. Critics have claimed that it will just make Scotland's roads more congested and increase travel times.

Local authorities were asked to come up with their own proposals for how many roads will be changed, with money being dished out to do this. It has already caused an almighty row in Edinburgh where Lothian Buses have said that it would increase journey times for those using public transport.

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop was asked about this by 20mph advocate Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell where she confirmed that councils now had enough funding to roll it out across towns, cities and villages. He said that it was "remarkable" that by "the end of next year, potentially every child in every community could be living on a safer street in Scotland."

He added: "Local level implementation alongside a national programme is really going to help drive forward national road safety messages that have been so successful in Wales and driving down casualty rates." He spoke about the "financial uncertainty" facing councils over this.

In response, Ms Hyslop pointed to budget lines which means that £28m has been earmarked for "the Road Safety Improvement Fund, National Speed Management Review and the National Strategy for 20mph to support the Road Safety Framework 2030." This is an 81.9% increase on the £15.4m from 2024/25.

Scottish Tory MSP Sue Webber referenced the row in Edinburgh as she urged the SNP Minister to admit that the policy will increase congestion and extend travel times. Changes in the capital are expected to cost £850,000 and would affect 66 roads on the rural western edge of the city.

It would increase the proportion of roads in the region with a 20mph limit for 86% to 88%, with Lothian Buses insisting it would affect journey times for passengers, and councillors admitted that "there would definitely be an increase". A report for the council said that the new speed limit would add more than one minute to 9.5-minute journeys between Piershill, east of Meadowbank, and Leith Walk.

The increase in journey times has caused the local authority to scale back its ambitions for more 20mph limits in built-up areas and cut 27 streets from its original plans. Ms Webber told MSPs: "Lothian buses have raised concerns that the slower traffic will affect journey times for passengers, adding to the misery commuters face across the capital.

"Only 18 fines have been issues for breaching the 20 mile an hour speed limit in Edinburgh since 2021. Without enforcement this is nothing more than an expensive box ticking exercise. Does the Cabinet Secretary agree that introducing more 20 mile an hour limits will increase congestion and journey times and do nothing to encourage people to use public transport?"

Ms Hyslop pointed out that the policy is geared towards reducing the number of deaths on the roads and not increasing public transport use.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22119668 (061843ZDEC24) Notable: Final Nicola Sturgeon & SNP Bun Part Two / SNP still haven't paid back Peter Murrell's loan as £1m Westminster loss emerges

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>>277705

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-financial-woes-laid-bare-34256362

SNP still haven't paid back Peter Murrell's loan as £1m Westminster loss emerges

The Electoral Commission published donations for the SNP between July and September, with three major donators giving out over £650,000, but two of them were bequests.

David Walker

5 DEC 2024

The SNP's financial woes were laid bare by new figures published by the Electoral Commission which confirmed the party will lose almost £1m in public money due to its General Election thrashing. And former party Chief Executive Peter Murrell has yet to be paid back half of his loan.

There was a small bit of joy for the nationalists as John Swinney raked in £682,220 of donations between July and September 2024, but the majority of this came from bequests. The SNP have struggled to attract big donors who are still alive since Alex Salmond was in charge and this barely changed.

Out of that £682,220, only a quarter of a million came from someone who is not dead, with property tycoon Alexander Adam donating the sum. The Springfield tycoon also donated cash during the independence referendum and beforehand but has only resumed his financial support now. He was caught up in cronyism storm with the Scottish Government back in 2015 when his company received a £1m loan from them.

South African-born Estelle Brownrig, who died in March 2018, is recorded as donating £203,921.21 on August 10. And another deceased supporter in Thomas McCann is listed as gifting the party £228,298.86 on August 19.

Overall in 2024, the SNP have only received £342,000 worth of donations from those still living, with the majority of this coming from Mr Adam. And all of it has come under Mr Swinney who took over from Humza Yousaf after his ill-fated reign.

The SNP's financial worries were well documented before the General Election and afterwards, with plans put in place to make 10 members of staff at its HQ redundant in the weeks running up to Christmas. It was claimed that cutting the headcount from 26 to 16 would make it more "efficient."

An ongoing police investigation into the party's finances, called Operation Branchform, has seen cops raid the SNP's HQ in Edinburgh as well as the marital home of Mr Murrell and his wife Nicola Sturgeon. Detectives are investigating what happened to £600k of ring-fenced Indyref2 cash.

Mr Murrell has been charged by police in relation to the allegdd embezzlement funds from the party he used to run, although the Crown Office have yet to decide whether to take further action. He loaned the SNP £107,620 back in June 2021 but has only received back about half, with £60k still outstanding.

The Nats also used to net about £1.2m in public cash from Westminster authorities in Short Money due to having such a large number of MPs and being the fourth biggest party at the House of Commons. It received about £110,000 a month for its 48 representatives, which helped with research and running costs.

Mr Swinney suffered a horrific General Election, losing almost 40 MPs and ending up with just nine, falling to the fourth biggest party at Westminster. According to the Electoral Commission, the party will only net about £27,000 a month, meaning a full-year total of just £324,000.

Accounts submitted by the SNP to the Electoral Commission in August this year, showed the party ended 2023 with a financial surplus of over £600,000, compared to a deficit of more than £800,000 in 2022. But this was due to a raid on branches, with £661,568 earned from that to fight elections.

Falling membership numbers have triggered a drop in income. The current membership is roughly half what it was after a surge following 2014's independence referendum. This year, 81% of the party's funding came from membership fees, compared to just 35% in 2015.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton MSP called on the SNP to hand the money back to Mr Murrell. She told the Scottish Daily Express: “Its frankly astonishing that the SNP are still in debt to the tune of £60k to their disgraced former chief executive. It is deeply concerning that this loan still hasn’t be repaid especially given the murky circumstances surrounding his resignation. The SNP should do the right thing and pay this money back.”

An SNP source said that "it would be inappropriate to comment while a live police investigation continues."

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22131901 (082327ZDEC24) Notable: Final Law and Disorder Bun Part Two / Scotland's prison population soars by 6% despite SNP claims crime is at 'lowest' in 40 years

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>>277735

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scotlands-prison-population-soars-6-34247680

Scotland's prison population soars by 6% despite SNP claims crime is at 'lowest' in 40 years

John Swinney boasted to MSPs that crime was at a 40-year low but despite this, jails have become overcrowded with inmates with this increasing from last year.

David Walker

4 DEC 2024

The SNP have been told it has "nothing to be proud of" when it comes to Scotland's creaking prisons as new statistics revealed a 6% rise in the jail population. The Scottish Government brought in emergency legislation last week to let them release hundreds of cons early despite concerns from victims.

And in October John Swinney boasted to MSPs that “levels of crime in Scotland are currently at 40-year lows”. This claim has been disputed by fact-checkers, with the rising number of people behind bars showing that crime is still a prevalent issue across the county.

Figures published by the Scottish Government on Wednesday showed that the average prison population in Scotland was 7,860 in 2023-24 which is an increase of almost 6% from 2022-23, and is primarily driven by a rise in the sentenced population (+8%). The capacity of Scotland's jails is 8,007.

Last week, the SNP and Scottish Greens voted through a bill which allows the early release of lags without the safety net of a governor's veto or telling victims it has happened. This was done because as of 8 November, external, there were 8,273 inmates in jail, with estimations that this number could rise even further.

Scottish Labour's Justice Spokeswoman Pauline McNeill blasted the Scottish Government for years of inaction which had led to overcrowded prisons. She said: "The SNP has nothing to be proud of when it comes to the continued pressure on prisons and their lack of a contingency plan.

“On John Swinney’s watch we have Scotland’s prisons at breaking point, our prison estate crumbling, soaring levels of remand, deep cuts to legal aid, a staffing crisis in our courts and huge court backlogs.

"Emergency release may take the pressure off in the short-term, but with victims unsupported, communities unprepared and prisoners without the network in place to stop them reoffending, this is not a long-term solution. The need for reform and a new direction has never been clearer – but all the SNP offer is more excuses, incompetence, waste and managed decline.”

From February 2025 offenders serving less than four years will be freed after serving 40% of their sentence rather than the current 50%. As part of this new arrangement, the Scottish Prison Service is expected to free up to 390 inmates in a staggered series of releases early next year. However, the changes will not apply to anyone convicted of a serious sex crime or domestic abuse.

Mr Swinney's boast about almost record low levels of crime was torn up by the Ferret fact-checking service who labelled it "Mostly False." In 2023-24, 299,780 crimes were recorded in Scotland. This is higher than the previous year, 2022-23, when police recorded 289,362 crimes, and in 2021-22, when there were 286,464 crimes recorded.

In response to the growing numbers in prisons, Ms Constance previously said: "We need the prison system to focus on those who pose the greatest risk to the public and provide a range of support to help reduce reoffending and integration back into the community."

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22138623 (100230ZDEC24) Notable: Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun / Brits hit with £26.3m bill to switch off Scottish wind turbines during Storms Ashley and Bert

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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/brits-hit-263m-bill-switch-34257372

Brits hit with £26.3m bill to switch off Scottish wind turbines during Storms Ashley and Bert

Exclusive: The annual total in so-called 'constraint payments' has now topped a staggering £342m for 2024... with one month still to and Storm Darragh tipped to cause further havoc during an 18-hour amber storm warning

Ben Borland

6 DEC 2024

With the fourth named storm of the winter about to blast in from the Atlantic, new figures have revealed how much two previous gales will cost energy bill payers across the UK.

Wind farm operators are given 'constraint payments' to switch off their turbines when the wind is blowing too powerfully, to stop the grid from becoming overloaded. Ultimately, the cost is passed on to consumers through their bills.

For Storms Ashley and Bert, a staggering £26.3million was received by energy firms – and the vast majority of that sum relates to wind farms in Scotland. This is due to the long-running problem of getting renewable energy from remote hillsides north of the Border to the conurbations of England and Wales.

Meteorologists described Ashley as a 'weather bomb' and it caused widespread damage and transport chaos across Scotland and much of the rest of the UK back in October.

Storm Bert barrelled in from the Atlantic around four weeks later and left at least five dead across Britain, including a man while walking his dog in North Wales. Grandfather Brian Perry, 75, was described as "much-loved".

A man in his 60s died after a tree fell on a car in Hampshire, while a man in his 80s has died after his car entered flood waters in Lancashire. At least two more people died in car accidents.

Conall was named by the Dutch Met Office and the main impacts were felt in the Netherlands, although the weather system did bring further flooding to southern England already reeling from Bert.

Costly constraints

Storm Ashley (October 20-21): Total constraints £11,727,794 (Scottish wind farms £11,687,592)

Storm Bert (November 22-25): Total constraints £14,569,466 (Scottish wind farms £14,567,057)

Storm Conall (November 26): Total constraints - £489,639 (Scottish wind farms £484,762)

The Scottish Express calculated the totals using figures supplied by the UK charity, Renewable Energy Foundation (REF). They also show that 2024 is ALREADY a record year for constraint payments, with £342.1m paid out so far. Of that record total, £328.9m relates to Scottish wind farms.

It remains to be seen how much Storm Darragh will cost, with two rare amber warnings for high winds put in place by the Met Office over an 18-hour period this weekend for much of western British Isles including Glasgow.

Dr John Constable, director of the REF, said: “Electricity systems with large shares of uncontrollable generation like wind are unavoidably expensive to run, but they don’t have to be this expensive. Action from the regulator Ofgem is long overdue.

“The prices demanded to reduce generation are clearly excessive, and as Bloomberg demonstrated in February there is clear evidence that wind output forecasts are so inaccurate, particularly during storms, that wind farms are sometimes paid to reduce output that would not have been generated in any case.”

Industry body Scottish Renewables has said demand for energy continued to soar with chief executive Claire Mack adding: "A modern electricity network capable of delivering renewable energy to consumers, as well as investment in large scale, long duration energy storage solutions, such as pumped storage hydro, will be the best way to balance supply and demand within the UK’s energy system and minimise the cost of constraint payments.

"These costs have increased in recent years so the quicker we build more electricity transmission infrastructure, like the Eastern Green Link, the quicker we will reduce constraint payments while connecting more renewable energy to UK consumers, creating jobs and bringing investment to Scotland."

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22144089 (110153ZDEC24) Notable: Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun / Shona Robison boosts 'out of control' benefits spending by £800m in budget funded by highest taxes in the UK

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https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/shona-robison-boosts-out-control-34247916

Shona Robison boosts 'out of control' benefits spending by £800m in budget funded by highest taxes in the UK

John Swinney's first ever SNP budget as First Minister brought little joy to those who pay higher taxes than England as income tax was frozen, with £800m more being ploughed into benefits.

David Walker

4 DEC 2024

Shona Robison has ignored experts who have warned about high taxes damaging the economy by refusing to introduce tax cuts for hard-working Scots. But the Finance Secretary confirmed that an extra £800m of public cash will go towards an "out of control" benefits bill.

Scotland has six of the 10 regions with the most people on out-of-work benefits but instead of combating this, more money will be ploughed into the Social Security System. Ms Robison also boasted that Scots will no longer wait more than a year for out-patient appointments by 2026.

Councils have also been given free reign to increase council tax for families across Scotland as a freeze was lifted. Some are considering rises of up to 17% from next April, although Ms Robison pleaded with local authorities not to do this and pointed to a increase in funding by more than £1 billion.

She said: “It will take their total funding to over £15 billion, including £289 million to give real terms protection to the general revenue grant.” The bloated public sector will also net huge above inflation pay increases of up to 9%, with this money being found through income tax receipts and money from Westminster.

In a bid to plead with the Scottish Greens for support, free buses for Asylum Seekers was included in the budget, with a huge £4.9bn being earmarked for tackling climate change and nature. Hospitality businesses were given some cheer as 92% of them will received 40% of Non-Domestic Rates Relief.

The tax threshold for the Scottish basic and intermediate rates will be lifted with inflation, meaning people who net pay rises on under £70,000 will be safe from being dragged into a new tax bracket. Ms Robison also piled on huge pressure on Scottish Labour by scrapping the two-child limit on how much benefits are handed to parents by 2026.

Sir Keir Starmer has refused to lift the controversial cap in England and Wales, with the Scottish Government pledging to do this by 2026. But this was criticised by the Scottish Tories, who pointed out that there was no cash to do this.

Scottish Conservative shadow social security secretary Liz Smith MSP said: “Social security payments must be fair to people who are struggling and to taxpayers who pick up the bill. We believe the two-child cap is necessary and the right approach at this time. The rapidly rising benefits bill is currently unsustainable as a direct consequence of the SNP’s high tax rates and mismanagement of our economy and public finances.”

The SNP Executive also unveiled a record funding settlement of £21bn next financial year for the NHS after a damning report warned it was on the brink of collapse in Scotland.

Ms Robison revealed the budget would contain an additional £800 million in social security benefits in 2025/26 and pledged a substantial sum for housing, including £768 million for 8,000 affordable homes. She also said that she will spend £30m to "drive out efficiencies" in the public sector.

The Scottish Tories blasted the budget for not giving tax relief to hard-pressed Scots who remain the highest taxed group in the entire UK. Finance Secretary Craig Hoy said: "Today's budget was a chance for the SNP to set a new direction on tax and spending, an opportunity for John Swinney to undo some of the damage he has done to Scotland over the 17 years.

"But this budget is just more of the same, inputs not outputs, half-hearted attempts to fix the problems they themselves have created. The era of high tax, free spending is far from over and once again people in Scotland will pay more and get less. Thanks to the SNP workers and businesses will pay more in tax only for that money to be wasted by SNP Ministers who let public services decline.

"What a boast it was today, a new policy to say a 12 months wait for an inpatient appointment in our NHS, that is a scandal and John Swinney's fingerprints are all over this. The SNP's economic mismanagement has held Scotland back and isn't it the reality that the only real growth that we are seeing in the economy is the size of the SNP Government and the scale of the black that is in the heart of their finances.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22144106 (110157ZDEC24) Notable: Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun / Shona Robison boosts 'out of control' benefits spending by £800m in budget funded by highest taxes in the UK

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"And the reality is we are paying a heavy price for years of SNP waste, on ferries, gender reforms, failed independence bids, and a national care service that has already cost the nation £30m. The benefits bill is rising by a further £800m and is out of control because the government cannot get people back into work.

"NHS waiting lists are so long that sick people are staying sick. The budget confirms that the SNP has wrecked public services, John Swinney is out of ideas, and his government is running out of time."

Tracy Black, CBI Chief Strategy Officer and Devolved Nations Ambassador, said: “Following a tough UK Budget for business, firms looking to the Scottish Government to provide some festive cheer will be left feeling a little cold.

“With fiscal headroom in famously short supply, this was always likely to be a Scottish Budget focused on shoring up the public sector and helping households most in need. Any small hope for an injection of capital to catalyse enterprise was dashed, even as firms battle a range of costly challenges.

“The income tax divergence between Scotland and the rest of the UK remains a significant disadvantage for local firms and their ability to compete for highly skilled staff. While firms will be relieved to see commitments to no additional bandings, the reality is that the policy remains a handbrake on growth and comes against a background of escalating costs for employers.

Darwin Friend, head of research of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Taxpayers across Scotland will warmly welcome the lifting of tax thresholds, even if this won’t benefit all Scots. But with this budget also including a dazzling array of spending pledges, there will rightly be concern about the impact of the fiscal measures on the already fragile public finances. Scottish ministers need to ensure that this spending binge is accompanied with meaningful reform of public services.”

Scottish Labour Finance Spokesman Michael Marra also claimed that Scotland "is going in the wrong direction under the SNP." He added: “Almost 1 in 6 Scots are on an NHS waiting list, schools falling further behind, a national housing emergency, growth lagging behind the rest of the UK. Every Scottish institution is weaker.

“It is not enough just to try and correct the mistakes made last year by putting back the money that was slashed in the budget itself or in the cuts chaos of the now annual SNP emergency budget. This budget amounts to more of the same, sending Scotland ever faster in the wrong direction.”

Reaction

The Scottish Lib Dems welcomed some of their policies being included but claimed it did not mean the party will support the budget. One rival party will need to back it if the SNP want it to be passed.

Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “After 17 years, this country is badly off course and we are honest we know that the only thing that will truly bring about the change that Scotland needs is a change of government. In the meantime, Liberal Democrats will work hard to unpick some of the damage that has been done.

“So, it is right that the government have listened to the Liberal Democrats and included spending on social care, affordable homes, insulation, winter fuel payments, additional support needs, ferries, GPs, dentists, long covid, mental health, Edinburgh’s Eye Pavilion, the Belford Hospital and business rate relief for hospitality.

“All of these are Liberal Democrat priorities and they are in the budget. But let me be clear, this does not guarantee our support. As in all budgets, the devil will be in the detail.”

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22144113 (110158ZDEC24) Notable: Final Government Bloat, Waste, and Abuse Bun / Shona Robison boosts 'out of control' benefits spending by £800m in budget funded by highest taxes in the UK

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Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “This budget undoubtedly delivers some much-needed progress, like ending the two-child limit, but ultimately the First Minister’s promises to eradicate child poverty and tackle climate change will remain built on sand without further new public spending funded by bold, long-term fair tax reform. The real test of the new Tax Strategy is whether it delivers a tax system that delivers fairness, not one that props up a financial house of cards.”

Joseph Rowntree Foundation Associate Director for Scotland Chris Birt said: “While this budget won't eradicate child poverty, the First Minister’s stated driving purpose, it does show positive signs of investing in the right things. Committing to the eliminating of the two child limit by investing in social security is a positive recognition that political choices can reduce poverty.

“Reversing the huge cuts to affordable house building is also welcome while we're in the jaws of a housing emergency. The Parliament as a whole, however, face the challenge of how the child poverty reduction targets will be met. The budget as drafted should nudge things in the right direction but there remains much work to do.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit , said: “Local government may welcome commitments to the New Deal with Local Government continuing work on a fiscal framework and plans to deliver new revenue raising powers. However, they will be dismayed to see how much funding continues to be ring fenced.

"There is an increase in core funding in today’s Budget but it doesn’t cover the ever growing costs of core statutory services. The Scottish Government has responded to the concerns of councils and has removed the freeze on council tax rises, but the Cabinet Secretary’s expectation that record funding levels should mean councils do not need to put up council tax is too complacent.

"The truth is that even with the additional funding announced today, local authorities will still need to raise council tax and make cuts to services and will still edge closer to being unable to balance their books.”

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/22150149 (120224ZDEC24) Notable: Final Abuse Bun / More than 50 children were raped or subjected to vile sex abuse by paedophile monks on UK holy island, damning report reveals

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14175289/Monks-living-holy-island-dodged-justice-sex-abuse.html

More than 50 children were raped or subjected to vile sex abuse by paedophile monks on UK holy island, damning report reveals

TOM BEDFORD and LIZ HULL

9 December 2024

More than 50 children who visited a remote holy island off the coast of Wales were raped or subjected to vile sex abuse by paedophile monks, a leaked report reveals.

Children as young as three were allegedly groomed and attacked in 'plain sight' on Caldey Island, a picturesque tourist spot off the Pembrokeshire coast.

For more than 100 years, the island has been home to Caldey Abbey and a small community of Trappist monks. It receives up to 60,000 visitors a year.

In April, an independent review was launched after several people came forward to report allegations of historic sex abuse, dating back more than 60 years.

The review found that monks, and men with criminal records who claimed to be monks, were able to join the monastery without checks.

They hid behind their 'chosen' religious names to carry out the horrific attacks, which took place while children were on summer holidays with their parents, often paid for by the Catholic church, or during visits with Catholic schools or youth groups, between 1960 and 1992.

Some victims claim they told the then Abbot immediately, or later reported the sex attacks to teachers, police and the Catholic Church, but all were 'largely ignored', the investigation found.

As part of the review, Jan Pickles, the former assistant police and crime commissioner for south Wales, interviewed 17 survivors who either lived on or visited the island.

The monks were 'reckless', did nothing to stop the abuse and were openly 'hostile and cruel' to those who complained about it, Ms Pickles said.

One victim told the Mail: 'Caldey Island is the perfect place for paedophiles and sex offenders to hide away or go undercover. They should change its name to Paedophile Island – no tourists would visit then.'

Sex offender Paul Ashton lived on the island under a false name between 2004 and 2011, while wanted by police in England for possessing illegal images of children.

Another paedophile, Father John Shannon, who was a priest on the island for nine months in 2008, was jailed for possessing extreme sexual images of children as young as nine.

However, the review focuses on Father Thaddeus Kotik, a prolific abuser of children in the 1970s and 80s.

The Polish-born monk was described by one victim as a 'Michael Jackson-like' character, who used a pet tortoise, kittens and gifts of sweets, biscuits and yoghurt from the island's dairy, where he worked, to groom, rape and molest children.

He died in 1992 without being interviewed by police.

In 2018, six women were paid compensation in out-of-court settlements for the abuse they suffered at his hands. They should receive official apologies and their cases should be reviewed, Ms Pickles said.