The turnout in local government elections has been declining for a number of years. That’s unlikely to change until we reinvigorate local democracy.
Today, I was giving evidence to the Scottish…Read more…
Action to recruit and retain health and care staff
The health and care sector in Scotland is facing significant recruitment and retention problems at a time when we need to expand the workforce. We need to take action now.
Today, I was giving…Read more…
Good progress on the Scottish Living Wage, but much more to be done
The Scottish Living Wage is the real living wage – the UK government just hijacked the brand!
The new rate of £8.45 is a welcome increase for many thousands of low paid workers. Also congratulations…Read more…
NHS Scotland – funding and reform
NHS funding is not keeping pace with increasing demand and the needs of an ageing population. NHS boards are facing an extremely challenging financial position and many had to use short-term measures…Read more…
We need a new strategy to end fuel poverty
The Scottish Government has missed the statutory target to eradicate fuel poverty this year by some distance. So, new reports on fuel poverty should be welcomed, but only if they are quickly followed…Read more…
Health & Safety Week – challenging authority.
‘Those in authority must always be challenged’. According to BBC presenter, John Humphries, that was the key lesson to be learned from the Aberfan disaster. Miners repeatedly warned the employers…Read more…
Challenge Poverty Week – Early Years
Important though actions to ameliorate poverty are in the short-term, it is through preventative spending and early interventions that we will begin to eradicate poverty in Scotland. One of the most…Read more…
Why trade agreements are bad for our health
Our understanding of trade deals is limited because they have largely been a matter for the EU. Post-Brexit, we should be concerned about what’s happening in Europe, as well as what sort of trade…Read more…
Delivering fair work and effective employee voice
Fair work and employee voice are key elements of an economic strategy for Scotland. There is even a welcome cross party consensus developing.
I was giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s…Read more…
Workplace dementia – time for action
More than 40,000 people under the age of 65 have been diagnosed with dementia in the UK, 3,200 of those in Scotland. It is estimated that 18% of them continue to work after a diagnosis and therefore…Read more…
Let’s have a proper reform of the council tax – not another sticking plaster
We understand that the Council Tax is a difficult issue for politicians, but this latest sticking plaster isn’t the solution.
I was giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government…Read more…
What next for Labour?
As the UK Labour Party conference comes to a conclusion, it’s time for everyone in the Party to remember the words of Keir Hardie; “Unity should be the first object of all of us who desire…Read more…
Impact of Brexit on health and care in Scotland
At this morning’s Holyrood Brexit and Health seminar, I was asked what my immediate response to the Brexit vote was. Well of course I was elated at the thought of the promised £350m extra spending on…Read more…
Scotland and Brexit
If there is one post-Brexit growth area, it is conferences on how to deal with it! The Centre on Constitutional Change at least does it better than most, and they gathered together a good range of…Read more…
Household income and inequality
As a new Oxfam report has highlighted, the richest 1% of Britain’s population owns almost more than 20 times the total wealth of the poorest 20%. Or put another way, 634,000 of the wealthiest people…Read more…
Stop start for nuclear power
The energy story of the week is the decision to go ahead with the Hinkley nuclear power station. Theresa May’s grand review of the project, turned out to be a case of the Grand old Duke of York,…Read more…
Valuing the workforce is the key to better social care
The key to delivering high quality social care in Scotland is a fairly paid, well-trained workforce that is given the time to care properly.
Today, I was giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament…Read more…
Plenty of vision in government plan, but delivery is more challenging
The Scottish Government’s plan for the coming year is light on legislation, but there is more meat in the administrative sections, if it can move from process into action.
I outlined the key elements…Read more…
Immediate Brexit priorities should be the economy and public services
Oh to be a fly on the wall at yesterday’s UK cabinet away day on post- Brexit planning. Given that most of the ministers around the table were in favour of Brexit – they will no doubt be outlining…Read more…
A modern police force needs a balanced workforce
The Scottish Conservative’s obsession with police numbers misunderstands the importance of getting the right skill mix in a modern police force. For a party that claims to be concerned about…Read more…