Children’s care homes in places like Rochdale could not just rely on ‘committed people.’ They needed regulation and inspection of the kind Alex Salmond brought to Scotland nearly 20 years ago
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 In the Guardian yesterday: Children’s care homes rely on committed people – While there are good private children’s homes (I’ve worked with some), they are defined by personal and family commitment, not profit. The same relationships are required whoever runs a children’s home, whether a charitable organisation or local authority. Without the personal, unflinching commitment of councillors, managers, social workers and, crucially, the grownups who work in the home, it can’t be a loving home. We have been led to believe that regulation and inspection ensure good care. Do … Continue reading Children’s care homes in places like Rochdale could not just rely on ‘committed people.’ They needed regulation and inspection of the kind Alex Salmond brought to Scotland nearly 20 years ago
Hydrofoil Hiatus as Orkney/UK Government-funded lifeline electric ferry is ‘beset by issues’, lasts only one year and is now four months into repairs with no sign of return – Islanders must be furious and leaving for the mainland surely?
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 I couldn’t help noticing today, the 6 month delay so far of an electric hydrofoil ferry to Isle of Wight service. https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/26560859.red-funnel-aims-launch-new-isle-wight-ferry-2029/ I was instantly reminded of this story and wondered if there had been any return of the above to service in Orkney. There is no sign of that after four months. In May 2026: Needless to say the BBC Scotland report on this plays the whole thing down and makes no accusations at all: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgpj13p5x1o The Orcadian is less restrained, with: None of the above highlighted phrases … Continue reading Hydrofoil Hiatus as Orkney/UK Government-funded lifeline electric ferry is ‘beset by issues’, lasts only one year and is now four months into repairs with no sign of return – Islanders must be furious and leaving for the mainland surely?
‘Cost of housing crunch in England looms for low-income families, warns Resolution Foundation’ but it does not mention Scotland because…..
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 In the Guardian today: More than 1.1 million low-income families in rented homes face a “cost of housing” crunch without action from John Healey in next month’s budget, the Resolution Foundation thinktank has warned. Local housing allowance (LHA) has been frozen in cash terms since autumn 2024. In a new report, Saving Private Renters, the thinktank found that rising rents since then have led to a widening gap between what families claiming LHA can afford, and the realities of the market. It said a low-income family renting a typical … Continue reading ‘Cost of housing crunch in England looms for low-income families, warns Resolution Foundation’ but it does not mention Scotland because…..
‘Drinks Spiking Danger’ FALLS to just over a quarter of that at the peak four years ago
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 There is no standalone “drink-spiking” offence in Scots law. Police record relevant cases mainly as the common-law crime of drugging (feloniously administering a substance with intent to stupefy) or, less often, as administering a substance for sexual purposes (Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009, s.11). Assault may also be used, but those cases cannot be isolated in the published recorded-crime series. https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2024/06/recorded-crime-scotland-2023-24/documents/recorded-crime-scotland-2023-24/recorded-crime-scotland-2023-24/govscot%3Adocument/Recorded%2BCrime%2Bin%2BScotland%2B2023-24.pdf So, reported drugging offences peaked in 2021/2022 at 444 at the same time as a media frenzy on it. In the following two years, the figures fell to … Continue reading ‘Drinks Spiking Danger’ FALLS to just over a quarter of that at the peak four years ago
How new Scottish Labour leader lied in a rant on the best NHS in the UK but is easily corrected
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 I could not sleep waiting for this result. 😉 Yes, yes but: Indeed but sadly, I do, quite a bit having, sadly again, written about him a few times here. Here’s the latest from February 2026, to give you a flavour of the man, sour of course. I know it has a tiny audience, but Michael Marra of ‘Scottish’ Labour had a rant on BBC Scotland’s Debate Night, 19 February 2026, of such hysterical dishonesty and fear for the near extinction event they face in May , I felt … Continue reading How new Scottish Labour leader lied in a rant on the best NHS in the UK but is easily corrected
Scotland performs better than ‘European education powerhouses rocked by falling scores in global study’
Scotland, second top in Maths, top in Reading and second-top in Science. England? Faked their sample again. Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 In the Guardian today: France’s were its worst ever. Germany’s, too. In the Netherlands, results also tumbled to all-time lows. Even in Finland, Europe’s much-vaunted schools champion and a global leader for decades, scores plummeted. The 2025 Pisa scores, which assess how effectively 15-year-olds apply school-learned knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics and science to real-life situations, have rocked some of western Europe’s education powerhouses. While the UK bucked the trend [sic], … Continue reading Scotland performs better than ‘European education powerhouses rocked by falling scores in global study’
Why abuse victims calling for help are far less likely to be arrested in Scotland – better law
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From OpenDemocracy, three days ago, the above headline and: Domestic abuse victims in England and Wales are facing arrest when calling the emergency services for help, according to new data published by Women in Prison. The charity asked more than 500 women in the criminal justice system about their experiences of domestic abuse, with nearly a third (29%) saying they were arrested when the police or emergency services were called to a domestic incident, even when they were the victim of abuse. The offence of assaulting an emergency worker, … Continue reading Why abuse victims calling for help are far less likely to be arrested in Scotland – better law
The problem with BBC Scotland’s lack of research before reporting on ‘ageing’ ferries
The 67 year-old, still in-service MV Tillikum in Washington State USA, 23 years older than CalMac’s oldest The 62 year-old, still in-service MV Queen of New Westminster in Canada 18 years older than CalMac’s oldest Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Back in 2022, BBC Scotland offered the above, under the heading – The problem with CalMac’s ageing ferries. Even after you add 4 years, you’ll hopefully be surprised to see that that even the oldest above, are not at all ‘ageing‘, in parts of the world far wealthier than Scotland. How about BC Ferries … Continue reading The problem with BBC Scotland’s lack of research before reporting on ‘ageing’ ferries
Islanders’ fury and tourists put off visiting as Channel Islands winter schedule publication lags months behind Scotland
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From BBC UK today, the above, and: Passengers say they feel like nothing is being done as they face an “extremely frustrating” wait for winter ferry timetables to be published. People in the Channel Islands said they had been unable to book any journeys to and from Jersey after December, while others were unable to get times for a slower service between Guernsey and Portsmouth. One tourist said the delays had put him off visiting and other passengers had called for clarity on the situation. Brittany Ferries and DFDS, … Continue reading Islanders’ fury and tourists put off visiting as Channel Islands winter schedule publication lags months behind Scotland
‘Shameful’ – Labour’s GB Energy to allocate only 6% of £30m community fund to Scotland
Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 By stewartb From the Aberdeen-based Energy Voice news website (September 18): ‘‘Shameful’: GB Energy to allocate 6% of £30m community fund to Scotland’. ‘The announcement that as little as 6% of GB Energy’s recently revealed £30 million community energy scheme (sic) has been branded “shameful” by one Aberdeen MSP. ‘Under-secretary of state in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Martin McCluskey, revealed that only £1.8m from the new initiative would be allocated north of the border. ‘ To this, Donside MSP Jackie Dunbar (SNP) said: “Scotland is home … Continue reading ‘Shameful’ – Labour’s GB Energy to allocate only 6% of £30m community fund to Scotland
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