Ishan Crawford

Scottish teachers now earn more than their English counterparts, yet politicians still attack the paybill as if a simple London comparison settles the argument. New international data shows the truth is far more nuanced, and Scotland's higher salaries reflect real differences in geography, demographics and delivery costs that Westminster's Barnett formula ignores. Scotland's teachers have become the best-paid in the UK, but cutting them back to English levels would ignore the extra challenges of teaching across one-third of Britain's landmass. Scotland Pulls Ahead of England Teachers north of the border secured a cumulative 21 per cent rise between 2021 and…

Scotland is sleep-walking into a stroke crisis that could shatter thousands more lives every year. Without urgent action, nearly 46 people will suffer a stroke every single day by 2035, one every 32 minutes, according to devastating new projections from the Stroke Association. That is a 53% jump from today, when 30 people have a stroke daily. The charity warns that more than 16,500 Scots will face this brutal condition annually within a decade if prevention messages keep falling on deaf ears. Nine in ten strokes are preventable, yet the main culprit, high blood pressure, remains Scotland's silent assassin, triggering…

Bangladesh Women can seal top spot and an unbeaten campaign when they face a determined Scotland side desperate for a historic win to reach the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. One team chases glory, the other survival. Friday morning in Kirtipur promises high drama. Match Details and Stakes The Super Six clash begins at 9:00 AM local time (8:45 AM IST) on January 30 at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. Bangladesh have already qualified but want to finish with a perfect record. Scotland must win to leapfrog Thailand and book their first-ever World Cup ticket. Nothing less than victory…

A direct ferry linking Scotland and northern France could return as early as late 2026, eight years after the last freight ships left Rosyth and sixteen years after passengers last sailed straight to the continent. The surprise revival is tied to Dunkirk's colossal €40bn (£35bn) port transformation that is already attracting battery giants, hydrogen projects and low-carbon steel production. Local leaders say the scheme could become Europe's blueprint for bringing heavy industry back to life without wrecking the planet. Port officials and shipping sources confirm talks are "very advanced" for a new Rosyth-Dunkirk service combining roll-on roll-off freight with passenger…

Glasgow's art scene is buzzing with controversy after a proposed mural on Elmbank Street drew sharp online criticism for its AI-generated design featuring odd elements like an American bald eagle. Businessman Derek Paterson insists the final version will ditch AI entirely, handing creative control to a local artist. But has the damage already been done to the city's vibrant street art culture? This backlash highlights growing tensions between technology and traditional artistry, leaving many wondering if Glasgow's walls should stay true to human hands. The Spark of Controversy The trouble started when Glasgow City Council greenlit a massive mural proposal…

Scotland is on high alert as the Met Office issues an amber weather warning for heavy rain, raising fears of widespread flooding, power outages, and isolated communities. This comes amid a wet January that's already battered the region, with experts warning of significant disruptions starting today. Residents in affected areas are urged to prepare now, as forecasters predict up to 120mm of rain in some spots, potentially overwhelming rivers and roads. What Triggered the Amber Warning The Met Office upgraded its alert late Wednesday, citing persistent heavy rain moving in from the west. This amber warning, effective from midnight to…

EDINBURGH – On a bright January morning inside the National Library of Scotland, Her Majesty The Queen stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Dennis the Menace, three of Scotland’s biggest literary names, and 150 excited primary school children to launch the National Year of Reading north of the border. The message was simple but urgent: Scotland’s children are falling out of love with reading, and the country is going all in to win them back. New research published the same day by the National Literacy Trust paints a worrying picture. Only 30.3 percent of Scottish children and young people aged 8 to 18 say…

Scotland's north and north-east are staring down the barrel of serious trouble this week. The Met Office has slapped a yellow weather warning across huge parts of the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Moray, and Perth and Kinross from midday Wednesday right through to midday Friday. Forecasters say up to 120mm of rain could hammer the highest ground, with 30-60mm expected almost everywhere else. That's one to two months' worth of rain in just 48 hours, falling on ground already soaked from weeks of wet weather and melting snow. Communities are being told to get ready now, because flooding is looking very likely.…

A powerful new critique accuses Scotland of repeatedly choosing expensive rescue over affordable prevention in stroke care, despite having all the data, tools, and evidence needed to slash thousands of preventable strokes every year. For 25 years the NHS has poured resources into emergency response while leaving upstream risk factors largely untouched in the most deprived communities. Experts now warn this approach has reached breaking point. Scotland Still Pays Heavy Price for Preventable Strokes Around 8,000 people suffer a stroke in Scotland every year, and more than 1,000 die within 30 days, according to the latest 2024 Scottish Stroke Care…

More than 200 angry residents packed Jedburgh town hall on Saturday as southern Scotland officially joined the Highlands and north-east in demanding an immediate pause on large-scale renewable energy projects. Fed up with feeling ignored, community leaders from the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian and South Lanarkshire stood shoulder to shoulder and warned the Scottish countryside is being turned into an industrial zone just to hit government net zero numbers. This is no longer a handful of isolated voices. It is a full-blown rural revolt. What Happened in Jedburgh This Weekend Over 30 community councils sent representatives to the…