Angus Health and Social Care Partnership is pulling a planned £1 million investment in care homes, after the number of vacant beds continues to rise across the region.
The Courier reports that bosses say the money earmarked to increase the number of beds available should instead be used to care for more elderly and vulnerable staying at home.
Much of the fall in care home resident numbers is sadly due to the disproportionate impact on care settings which in Scotland saw more than 3,000 residents die — a third of the country’s total fatalities — from suspected Covid-19.
Tackling online abuse
In The Press and Journal, Charles Kennedy’s brother-in-law has joined the Scottish Liberal Democrats in calling for all political parties to stamp out abuse within their ranks as the Holyrood campaign enters its final full week.
The former Liberal Democrat leader was bombarded with a deluge of “abhorrent” personal abuse during the 2015 general election campaign where he lost his seat.
The politician died less than a month after the election from a haemorrhage linked to his battle with alcoholism, at the age of 55.
The intervention, dubbed the ‘Kennedy Commitment’, follows incidents during the Scottish Parliament election campaign, including a brick being hurled through the Lib Dems’ Edinburgh office, a man being charged following an alleged incident with SNP candidate Fergus Mutch and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar being racially abused.
Cummings still in frame as Tory’s ‘leaks rat’
TIMES: Cummings still in frame as lockdown leaks ‘rat’ #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/TWmKiIa0yo
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 25, 2021
The Times reports that Britain’s most senior civil servant is still investigating Dominic Cummings as part of the inquiry into who leaked sensitive details of the government’s lockdown plans.
Senior Whitehall sources said that Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, had not cleared Cummings of being the so-called ‘chatty rat leaker’ – despite claims by Boris Johnson’s former adviser.
Case is due to give evidence to MPs today. He will make clear that inquiries are continuing in the investigation prompted by the revelation in October that Johnson had decided to implement a second lockdown.
‘Let bodies pile high in their thousands’ claim
The Daily Mail leads with claims Boris Johnson said he would rather see “bodies pile high in their thousands” than order a third lockdown.
The explosive remark is said to have come after he reluctantly imposed the second lockdown, sources told the Mail.
Downing Street last night strongly denied the Prime Minister made the comment, insisting it was ‘just another lie’. But those who say they heard it stand by their claim.
MAIL: Boris: ‘Let the bodies pile high in their thousands’ #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/zCq9d7Jm4I
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 25, 2021
News closer to home
In the Evening Telegraph, a man in his thirties was assaulted outside a newsagent in Dundee – with footage circulating of the violent incident.
The incident on Balmoral Terrace happened shortly after 8.30pm on Saturday evening as members of the public looked on.
Police launch probe after man, 38, attacked in Douglas area of Dundee
One resident had seen video footage of the reported disturbance circulating on Sunday morning, with police now probing the matter.
Prisoner gets extra time for assault on guard
A drugs trafficker who was jailed over a massive cocaine recovery in Aberdeen has had another year added to his sentence for attacking two prison guards.
Jed Duncan assaulted an officer at HMP Perth, leaving him bruised and swollen.
Months earlier, the 25-year-old attacked a prison officer while at Addiewell Prison in West Lothian.
Perth Sheriff Court heard on Friday he lashed out because he thought staff had refused to give him a job because he was from Aberdeen.
In Fife, a motocyclist was arrested after he unwittingly disrupted a meeting to discuss anti-social bikers in Levenmouth.
The Courier reports that police interrupted talks on how to solve issues at the River Leven to apprehend the rider and charged him with a host of road traffic offences.
Councillors present at the site near Steelworks Brae in Methil were astonished when the biker sped into view just as talks began. The man’s bike was also confiscated.
