Nicola Sturgeon

The Great Education Blame Game

The Great Education Blame Game

The heart-breaking stories flooding social media yesterday, demonstrated a scandalous truth: that the life chances of many Scottish children are doomed, regardless of individual effort and ability. They evaporated the illusion of free will, the idea that through grit and determination you can transcend the disadvantages of multiple deprivation and poor schooling. 

The outcry has been predictable, from individual pupils and parents, politicians on all sides, and educationalists. The latter group warned months ago that the SQA moderation process was dodgy. Unlike the equivalent examining body in England, the SQA was allowed to hide its methodology from scrutiny, despite suggesting to the Scottish parliament that they would explain their methods and discuss adjustments with teachers. 

Five more ways Nicola Sturgeon has failed Scotland

Five more ways Nicola Sturgeon has failed Scotland

The very first article on this site, Nicola Sturgeon’s five biggest failures, got a huge response, with over 14,400 views so far.  But, so many of you said ‘Only five..?’ And we agree, so here’s some more of our First Minister's failures. Share widely...

#5 Dude, where’s our superfast broadband?

Lockdown measures over the last few months have really shown the importance of a reliable and fast broadband connection. In their 2016 election manifesto, the SNP proclaimed they would ensure “100% of premises across Scotland will have access to super-fast broadband by 2021.”

Would you like a foot rub too, Nicola?

Would you like a foot rub too, Nicola?

When will the opposition parties in Scotland learn to fight? Today I was appalled to see yet another weak and compliant message from Jackson Carlaw, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, praising the Nationalists for their response to COVID-19. 

This comes on the heels of an earlier tweet where he did the same:

Confidence in the First Minister? W.T.A.F.

Jackson, a wee clue: they are not your friends. They are Nationalists who are destroying our country. Every move they make, every breath they take, is designed to further their ugly Nationalist goal of separation. Everything they do causes division. 

Nicola Sturgeon is ‘socially-distancing’ herself from Scottish parents

Nicola Sturgeon is ‘socially-distancing’ herself from Scottish parents

In a previous contribution I wrote how the SNP have failed schoolchildren of all ages and stages of progress, with slipping standards.  The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN) found that only 49% of 13/14 year olds were performing "very well" or "well" in 2016, down from 55% in 2014 and 64% in 2012.

It is against that backdrop that the SNP need a bolder drive and ambition to get Scottish school children all of the classroom time they can.  Nicola has had since March this year to plan for this provision, and that is precisely what is happening in the Scottish public school sector, but the SNP are letting down the majority of pupils who attend state sector schools.

The Cult of St. Nicola

The Cult of St. Nicola

The camera shakes. A young child comes into view, the first of many, their gleaming eyes open and eager. They start talking in the coached manner of totalitarian regimes:

The children of North Korea would like to say ‘thank you’ to our Dear Leader. We are so grateful, thank you for always keeping us safe, working so hard, for being strong for us. Thank you for caring for every individual life and for always thinking about the children. Thank you, Dear Leader, thank you, thank you, thank you….

Wanted: a worthy opponent to Nicola Sturgeon

Wanted: a worthy opponent to Nicola Sturgeon

https://stephendaisley.com/2020/06/15/wanted-a-worthy-opponent-to-nicola-sturgeon/

Stephen Daisley, writing on his blog, says that frustration is rising as Scottish Nationalists fail to deliver results after 13 years in power.

Three terms of Nationalist rule have produced little of substance and on education and health we have seen progress stall and even go into reverse. Meanwhile, sizeable reserves of political capital, parliamentary time and government resources have gone into a constitutional war of attrition. What exactly about the past 13 years would make anyone want another five?

Nicola Sturgeon: Bigotry in a Smart Suit

Nicola Sturgeon: Bigotry in a Smart Suit

Yesterday, I was talking to a female ex-Labour supporter, and new Nationalist. While claiming she was 'for social justice', she said that she was all for anyone being Scottish, except for JK Rowling. When I asked why, she told me that Rowling should be excluded because of her political views.

Whatever you think of Ms Rowling, or transgender activism, this woman, who presumably thinks she is a decent person, told me straight up that someone with a different political opinion from her has no place in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon's Five Biggest Failures

Nicola Sturgeon's Five Biggest Failures

#5 She deprived 300,000 children of their new hospital


Edinburgh's new Sick Children's Hospital was supposed to open at the end of 2012.  You didn’t misread that: it's just one example of the level of incompetence we must live with under the SNP in Scotland.

The project has been so delayed it has even outlived three previous health secretaries who were looking after it, making Jeane Freeman the fourth.  I hear you all breath sighs of relief at that...