Scotland’s drinking water is world class, with more than 99.9% of tests meeting regulatory standards.

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From Drinking Water in Scotland 2025 Published27 August 2026 09:30 Water Quality Regulator says “Scotland’s drinking water remains amongst the best in the world, but improvement is required to reduce avoidable incidents’’ Scotland’s drinking water is world class, with more than 99.9% of tests meeting regulatory standards. But the Drinking Water Quality Regulator says a rise in avoidable incidents and complaints about discoloured water shows that further improvements are needed to maintain public confidence. https://www.gov.scot/news/drinking-water-in-scotland-2025/ Predictably BBC Scotland are ignoring this completely while STV … Continue reading Scotland’s drinking water is world class, with more than 99.9% of tests meeting regulatory standards.

Leading academic welcomes dramatic fall in Oxbridge acceptances for Scots applicants

In the Herald education supplement today, the above, from a fee-paying school head, is titled – Alarm as Oxbridge places for Scots fall’ Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Thanks to Ian McAnulla for alerting us to this: In the New York-owned Herald today, the above and: While it may be no surprise that success rates are higher in England, more important would be any change in the rate over time. The same analysis notes that in 2016 the combined Oxbridge offer rate for Scottish applicants was 18.4% and the … Continue reading Leading academic welcomes dramatic fall in Oxbridge acceptances for Scots applicants

Second lowest murder rate in Europe, murder by minors and by knife plummet, overall violent crime less than half the rate in England yet far more police officers

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Police-recorded non-sexual crimes of violence did rise 7% in the year ending June 2026 (71,915 to 77,005) and 6% in 2025-26 (71,170 to 75,601). https://www.gov.scot/news/recorded-crime-in-scotland-year-ending-june-2026/ I can’t see the full details as it’s behind a pay wall – pay the DR to check their dodgy stats, you must be kidding! Here are some far more important facts followed by the reason why the above ‘cop’ should stick to his day job. And why? Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON … Continue reading Second lowest murder rate in Europe, murder by minors and by knife plummet, overall violent crime less than half the rate in England yet far more police officers

Why child refugees are less likely to go missing in Scotland

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 In the Guardian today, the above headline and: Forty children who went missing from hotels housing asylum seekers in the UK have still not been found, according to a parliamentary report. Ministers are facing calls from MPs and peers to explain what they are doing to locate the group, two of whom are believed to still be under 18. The figure emerged in a report on Thursday by the joint committee on human rights on how the social care system is failing young adults. … Continue reading Why child refugees are less likely to go missing in Scotland

Scottish Government investigation reveals inadequacies in reserved Westminster rules for occupational injury and disease compensation and social security

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From an analysis of Employment Injury Assistance International Comparisons Subgroup minutes: March 2026 published today, members identified several features of other countries’ systems they saw as potentially more responsive, broader, or better integrated than the current UK arrangements that still apply in Scotland. Examples include: Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/employment-injury-assistance-international-comparisons-subgroup-minutes-march-2026/ Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Continue reading Scottish Government investigation reveals inadequacies in reserved Westminster rules for occupational injury and disease compensation and social security

Sickening and darkly ironic as Jackie Baillie takes over Anas Sarwar’s creepy uncle role in the tragic death of a child patient 9 years ago which is linked by hard facts to Labour siting her new hospital right next to raw sewage works

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 I suppose it was a natural transition from Anas Sarwar sitting beside the heartbroken mother and using the tragedy to then shout ‘What about Millie?’ at Nicola Sturgeon in an election debate, to the equally unpleasant figure of Jackie Baillie. We’ve written time and again about this nine-year-old case where a bacterial infection may have been contributory to a cancer death of a child then blamed by opposition parties and their media supporters on a supposed failure by the SNP Government to prevent such … Continue reading Sickening and darkly ironic as Jackie Baillie takes over Anas Sarwar’s creepy uncle role in the tragic death of a child patient 9 years ago which is linked by hard facts to Labour siting her new hospital right next to raw sewage works

Not in Education Employment or Training is far less common in Scotland with youth employment amongst lowest in Europe and mental health support 90% target smashed for sixth time

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 BBC Scotland today is making much of Scotland’s NEET [Not in Education, Employment, or Training] statistics not allowing comparison with the rest of the UK and the supposed lack of support for those with mental health problems in seeking employment, based on a single case: Neala Sheils spent two years applying for jobs with little success before finally securing work in a hotel last month. Before she got a job, the 20-year-old from Glasgow was one of growing number of young people classed as … Continue reading Not in Education Employment or Training is far less common in Scotland with youth employment amongst lowest in Europe and mental health support 90% target smashed for sixth time

Violent crime is more than 220% higher in ‘lawless’ England where their parties have ruled forever than in SNP’s ‘lawful’ Scotland

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 In England, as of June 2026, there were 30.4 violent crimes per 1 000 population, up from 30.26 the previous year.1 In Scotland the equivalent rate was 13.6 per 1 000 up from 12.8 the previous year.2 Nevertheless, the message from the Daily Record yesterday, based on the above 0.8% per 1 000 increase was the above headline and: Opposition politicians hit out at the surging figures too. Scots Tory justice spokesman Stephen Kerr said: “Scotland is becoming a lawless country, and these figures … Continue reading Violent crime is more than 220% higher in ‘lawless’ England where their parties have ruled forever than in SNP’s ‘lawful’ Scotland

Swinney announces plans for 40 GP-led walk-in centres as attendance surges

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From the Scottish Government today: First Minister John Swinney has announced 24 more areas will benefit from new GP-led walk-in services across Scotland, bringing the number of centres planned or operational to 40. Work is underway with health boards to establish new walk-in services for communities including Angus, Dumbarton, East Kilbride, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Inverness, North Ayrshire, Paisley, Shotts, Tweeddale and West Lothian. Many will be able to open within a year. Proposals are also in development for walk-in services in communities … Continue reading Swinney announces plans for 40 GP-led walk-in centres as attendance surges