Rab Bruce's Spider

by Rab Bruce’s Spider   Mastodon: @RabBrucesSpider1@Mastodon.Scot BlueSky: @RabBrucesSpider.Bsky.Social   There’s a lot of bad stuff going on in the world at the moment, but I want to take a look at UK domestic news. The headlines over the past few weeks have been bleak, with plans to cut social security for the poor and disabled, with NHS England facing sweeping staff cuts and more privatisation which will have a knock-on effect on Scotland, alongside news that many families cannot afford healthy food for their children, and with reports of an epidemic of shoplifting. Yes, there’s plenty more, but what I think all of these things have in common is poverty.   When people are struggling financially, their health, both physical and mental, can suffer. This forces a few to turn to crime like shoplifting, and means that many will struggle to hold down a job or will take on extra jobs just to earn a bit of extra cash. But poor mental health, exhaustion r an unh...

by Rab Bruce’s Spider   Mastodon: @RabBrucesSpider1@Mastodon.Scot BlueSky: @RabBrucesSpider.Bsky.Social   Readers of this site will know that I am no fan of Keir Starmer. He is, in my opinion, a very right wing ultra-Unionist who despises Scotland except for what he can wring out of our country for the benefit of England. When it comes to democracy, he will always have a complete blind spot regarding Scotland’s right to self-determination because, like every other UK Prime Minister, he knows how much England relies on Scotland’s resources which they can currently take without payment. When you add to that the long list of broken promises and the number of U-turns he has done, it is very easy to regard him as little more than a puppet for moneyed interests.   Having said all that, I must give credit where it is due and say that, at time of writing, he is doing an excellent job on the world stage. Of course, international politics being the way they are, this ...