7 Comments
User's avatar
Caroline Peck's avatar

It’s absolutely heartbreaking when as you so rightly point out there is money available to tackle these terrible social problems. The heart is literally being eaten out of communities all over Scotland, unforgivable and I will never forgive them.

Expand full comment
Caroline Peck's avatar

Absolutely and of course for Indy preparations! It’s outrageous when there are people in real need. Infuriating!

Expand full comment
Dean M Thomson's avatar

£586m "guarantee" but nowt for Glasgow city council budgets as my home city has never been more filthy. I pay over £100 a month (roughly) on council tax, and as someone earning £1200 a month, it takes a kick out of me...but it's really the fault of staggering mismanagement in Holyrood. I mean, there is £20m ringfenced for this utterly ridiculous 'referendum' that won't happen next year...how much could that help the homeless? I'm not wealthy, but I'm better off than so many in Glasgow, this city is literally failing amid poverty, drug deaths, filthy streets and unbelievable SNP mismanagement.

Expand full comment
Caroline Peck's avatar

Murky is a very apt word for this mess. I look forward to reading the follow up article. It really is a jaw dropping shambles. Will the culprits ever be brought to account, I have my doubts. Thank you for keeping us apprised.

Expand full comment
Dean M Thomson's avatar

As a low income taxpayer, this sort of thing makes me genuinely furious when ScotGov claim they don't have the money for local government funding or whatever else. But they do have money to make this utter mess.

Expand full comment
Caroline Peck's avatar

Utterly depressing, what a web of deceit and incompetence. I wonder how long before the full story is known? I suspect Sturgeon will have flown the coop by then.

Expand full comment
Dean M Thomson's avatar

It's all such a murky mess this Gupta stuff I could go on writing follow-ups. I mean, just today there is another shoe dropping relating to the Fort William smelter deal (£586m in taxpayer backed liabilities)...and the resignation of the auditors from covering that site too. I note ScotGov is insisting the Lochaber smelter is continuing to "perform well", despite the auditors having now resigned from covering that site too (all amid investigation). How on earth can they claim this? A shorter third piece might be coming...but I'll probably tie it into a bigger piece I'm working on for Think Scotland and then just re-publish it later here after it goes live on their site.

Expand full comment