"If the SNP is re-elected in May, we will make sure every school pupil from P1 to S6 gets a laptop, Chromebook or tablet." - Nicola Sturgeon, 28 March 2021
Why didn't she do this last April?
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'Thousands of laptops bought for vulnerable schoolchildren remain in storage', July 6th 2020
They weren't competent enough to distribute 25,000 laptops after spending £9m.
FM spoke of the importance of equality of opportunity in her 2016 priorities for Gov speech: “It will help to create not just a fairer nation, but one that is wealthier, healthier and happier”
Let’s look at food insecurity & childhood health to see if she delivered.
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📈 Food Insecurity Rising 📈
The 2019 Scottish Health Survey showed that 9% of adults experienced food insecurity in the preceding 12 months.
While this is bad, it’s actually worse than you think.
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The percentage food insecurity was 8% in 2017. It actually increased to 9% in 2018 and has stayed there through 2019. So food insecurity got worse under the SNP 2017-2019.
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Let's try explain why the SNP are being so personal in their attacks on defectors to Alba; and what is worrying them.
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1. Even before Alba launched their party, it was touch and go if the SNP would even secure the necessary extra list MSPs they craved to land a majority.
You can see, even before Alba launched, the SNP list support had been dropping significantly since August last year.
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2. Constituency polling numbers over roughly the same time period have also been dropping.
SNP's fear that Alba dog-&-pony show could further erode SNP support on constituency. Divided parties lose elections, Alba stripping SNP of strategic control of media narrative.
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The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) reveals Govanhill is ranked in the 10% ‘most deprived areas’ in income, education, housing and crime. Second most deprived in employment & health. (as of 2020)
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If we flip to the 2016 SIMD map, we also see huge amounts of 'most deprived 10%' deprivation, around Govanhill. Some progress has been made, but not much. Not enough for those suffering severe deprivation.
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"I intend to continue doing what I and the government have done for the last give years, is making the progress, taking the decisions, making the investments to progress [closing attainment gap]" Nicola Sturgeon, FMQs, March 24th
Let's analyse some of this.
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➡️'Making the progress'
The FM talks about progress being made toward closing the attainment gap.
How accurate is it to claim progress has been made?
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While the latest Audit Scotland report does speak of 'limited progress', this disguises a wider pattern of very real failure.
For example, data shows that 93.3% of 2019-20 school leavers were in a “positive destination".
Well, Mr Salmond's talk about taking to the streets to obtain independence is precisely the sort of thing I had in mind; hurting Nicola Sturgeon & the SNP. [2/4]
'Alba technical fault reveals thousands of names who signed up for party events' reports the Sunday Herald.
And they report a few interesting names. [1/7]
The 'breach' happened because Alba Party website had a flaw in its design.
If someone registered to an Alba Party event on website, they were given a unique 'recruiter ID'. This ID allowed them to 'share' links to the Alba event with others, encourage them to also attend. [2/7]
"at least eight members of SNP's ruling body, National Executive Committee & its sub-committees appear to have registered for Alba events"
➡️Caroline McAllister - Alba 'recruiter' ID 1129
➡️Lynn Anderson - Alba 'recruiter' ID 1466
➡️Brian Lawson - Alba 'recruiter' ID 1019
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