David Bol

QEUH 'not fully validated' by safety experts which inquiry counsel calls 'concerning' MSPs were told hospital staff have told cancer patients to drink bottled water at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) has not been fully validated by safety experts.
It's also been alleged that cancer patients are being told to drink bottled water by hospital staff.
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Health Secretary Neil Gray unable (again) to confirm if the QEUH and RHC have been validated - a move that did not happen before the hospital opened and led to fatal infections.
Given this response by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Neil Gray dodging questions, it does not sounds like it has.

'Shameful' SNP under pressure to reassure patients QEUH has been validated for safety Questions have been raised over whether the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow is safe for patients

Neither the Scottish Government nor NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have been able to confirm the QEUH has been fully validated - but both insist the hospital is safe for patients.
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Sarwar vows to make women's spaces, services and sport single sex in trans U-turn Anas Sarwar said he will ‘get men out of women’s prisons’ despite previously supporting self-ID for trans women

Anas Sarwar dodged my questions about whether he'd had any legal advice a blanket ban would be possible to meet human rights laws. He then inaccurately said the "Equality Act is primary". The U-turn comes after two Labour frontbechers met with a vocal campaign group.
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SNP 'ignored vital warnings' at QEUH after infection alert over ceiling leak Documents reveal the Scottish Government was told about infections in Glasgow’s children’s cancer ward in March 2017.

The Scottish Government was told about infections on the children's cancer ward linked to the fabric of the QEUH building in March 2017, despite SNP ministers continually insisting they were not made aware of "issues" until 12 months later
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Political pressure to open scandal-hit Glasgow hospital, minute says Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called the evidence ‘damning’

The mother of 10-year-old Milly Main, who was killed by an infection at a scandal-hit hospital, has accused John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon of having “added to our pain and anguish” after a document revealed political pressure was put on NHS chiefs to open the QEUH.
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Scotland has ‘glaring weaknesses’ in maritime defences, warns Swinney The First Minister criticised the UK government for not doing enough

@johnswinney.bsky.social has warned Scotland has “glaring weaknesses in our physical defence”, particularly around “the deployment of surveillance vessels which will protect us”.
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MingYang 'Plan B' if Starmer continues to drag feet over Highlands turbine factory The Chinese company has suggested it take take its £1.5bn factory plans elsewhere if Keir Starmer does not make a decision over allowing the facility to be built in the Highlands.

Chinese wind turbine supplier MingYang has warned it has a "Plan B" if Keir Starmer continues to drag his heels over approving its factory plans for the Scottish Highlands, with a shortlist of other potential sites in continental Europe drawn up
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Scottish Tories vow two-child limit for Scottish Child Payment The Scottish Tories have set out plans to cut spending from the Scottish Government’s social security systems.

The Scottish Tories have proposed introducing a two-child cap on the Scottish Child Payment and Russell Findlay has been unable to rule out the rape clause being reintroduced, warning he wouldn't want to pre-judge a consultation on his plans.
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SNP MSP warns council tax hikes 'almost a certainty' as Robison expects extra Westminster funds Finance Secretary Shona Robison has insisted that “history” has shown Westminster always cough up more funding that will help local councils in the coming years.

An SNP MSP has warned Shona Robison that big council tax hikes are "almost a certainty" and branded her hopes that the UK government will cough up more cash for local government "a wing and a prayer".
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NEW: Expensive gas still biggest driver of high UK electricity bills, says UKERC

"Volatile, gas-linked market prices – not green policies, as some misleading claims have suggested – dominate the real-terms increase in bills since 2021."

www.carbonbrief.org/expensive-ga...

Swinney told to release QEUH files as SNP minister accused of 'criminal negligence' SNP ministers have been urged to release all the files relating to an infection deaths scandal at a flagship hospital.

Scottish Labour will call for full transparency from SNP ministers over the QEUH scandal and demand all files relating to hospital infection deaths are published.
“The culture of secrecy and cover-up must end, and those responsible must be held to account.”
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Reform wants a real policy platform - but risk cementing pie in the sky reputation Malcolm Offord has set out a thirst for Reform UK to embrace Scottish devolution, despite painting a bleak picture of its success

My analysis on Malcolm Offord's first keynote speech as Reform UK Scotland leader and why his big pledge on cutting income tax just plays into the party's pie in the sky reputation.
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Reform vows huge tax cut for Scots costing billions as Offord insists party can win Malcolm Offord has suggested some Reform UK candidates standing in the Holyrood election are supporters of independence.

The Reform UK Scotland leader's plans to cut income tax would cost (at least ) £3.7bn which Malcolm Offord claimed would come from cuts to quangos, "highly-dubious environmental protection" and economic development...
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Sturgeon denies putting pressure on NHS chiefs to open scandal-hit QEUH too early Families have called for the former first minister to be “honest” with what she knew

Nicola Sturgeon has denied putting pressure on NHS chiefs to open the SNP's flagship Glasgow hospital.
It comes after the mother of a 10-year-old who was killed after contracting an infection told Ms Sturgeon to “be honest” about what she knew about the scandal.
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This is what John Swinney had to say to me in response to being accused of putting national security at risk

SNP accused of 'jeopardising national security' as defence row erupts A row has erupted between John Swinney and the UK government over national security.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey has claimed the SNP's opposition to nuclear weapons "jeopardises national security".
John Swinney has hit back and then accused Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander of "juvenile behaviour".
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China embassy approval does not make Ming Yang green light more likely - Downing St The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the decision to approve the massive embassy in the heart of London was “entirely self-contained”.

Also this crucial decision over MingYang's plans for a £1.5bn turbine factory in the Highlands needs made, one way or another. Supply chain hold-ups are at risk of swaying final investment decisions being made by developers.
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Huge Scottish wind farm development paused over 'unfair' transmission charges Those behind the project say they are being ‘penalised’ by the transmission charges system

The second ScotWind project looks set to be scrapped in the space of two months. This one over transmission charges. The UK government needs to take that concern seriously if its clean power targets are going to have any chance of being met.
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'I don’t make it up as I go along': Reform's MSP denies Farage will abolish Holyrood John Swinney has warned Nigel Farage would abolish the Scottish Parliament if he becomes first minister.

Reform UK's only MSP in the Scottish Parliament has claimed the party "believe in devolution" and has addressed fears about privatising the NHS. Never a great look when a politician is forced to insist "I don’t make it up as I go along".
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SNP's top civil servant insists 'not everything is broken' SNP ministers have pledged to cut £1.5bn from Scotland’s public sector.

The Scottish Government's top civil servant has insisted not "everything is broken" as he told the public sector to "get on with" making cuts and reforms. Joe Griffin earns £180,000 a year.
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Clash looms over public sector pay as SNP drags workers into higher tax bands Fears have been raised over the impact of the SNP government’s income tax strategy on public sector pay negotiations.

Fears have been raised that Scottish public sector workers poised to be dragged into higher income tax bands by the SNP government will mean trade unions begin negotiating "take-home pay" rather than salaries. Ministers have just 1% left to offer pay deals next year.
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£300m raided from ScotWind revenues to prop up SNP's Budget The Scottish Government is having to use one-off funding pots to balance its day-to-day spending.

SNP ministers will use £288m of one-off funding, generated by energy companies leasing the seabed for renewables projects, to balance the Scottish Government's books over the next two years.
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Scottish football isn't really a thing on here yet. But what a night in Gorgie last night 💙

Lord Advocate's legal probe over Russian-flagged oil tanker amid extradition concerns Questions have emerged over whether SCots law is being followed following the operation by US armed forces.

Excl: First Minister John Swinney and Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain have issued warnings over the rule of law being respected with the seized tanker in Scottish waters.
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Deposit return scheme case against SNP government thrown out by court Scotland’s deposit return scheme has been paused by ministers

Biffa has had its £51.4m case against the Scottish Government over the bungled deposit return scheme throw out after the court branded its argument "wishful thinking"
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SNP under pressure as poll finds majority of Scots back move away from oil and gas The SNP government has not published an energy strategy since 2017.

The Scottish Government is under pressure to finally publish its energy strategy (the draft was published three years ago) after a new poll found a majority of Scots support the shift away from North Sea oil and gas
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Kemi Badenoch unfazed by Scottish Tories' polling and dismisses Reform mass exodus The UK Tory leader said she does not expect a flurry of further defections from her party to Reform

Kemi Badenoch said she is not bothered by dire polling for the Scottish Tories and if more people jump ship to Reform.
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💥 The latest episode of The Steamie is out now!

Scottish Budget: soundbites over substance?

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/1hCb...

Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Labour minister hits back at 'dishonest' SNP independence energy bills claim A Scottish Labour UK minister has accused John Swinney of false claims over independence.

UK Energy Minister @michaelshanksmp.co.uk has argued that @johnswinney.bsky.social's strategy that claims Scottish independence will cut energy bills by one third will lead to “years of uncertainty, loss of investment and ultimately, higher bills”.
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