Professor John Robertson OBA
Yesterday, Sepa forecast widespread and intensive flood risk across the most populous parts of Scotland.
Today BBC England had
Thousands of flood defences meant to protect multiple homes or businesses in England were below the required condition when winter began, a new analysis has found. The 6,498 “high consequence” defences were among about 8,500 that were not fully working as intended due to erosion, damage or being overgrown.
BBC Scotland and all of Scotland’s newspapers have nothing at all on flooding. In 2022, BBC Scotland reporters were all over the North-east interviewing the flooded and letting them blame the SNP for it.
There’s nothing in the Scottish media today. Why?
Scotland’s flood defence system is generally considered more effective and proactive than England’s, primarily due to its dedicated legislation, holistic approach integrating natural flood management (NFM), and consistent government investment. While direct per-property spending can appear higher in Scotland (reflecting fewer but more targeted schemes), this has led to better-maintained infrastructure and fewer reported failures. England’s system, managed by the Environment Agency (EA), faces challenges like underfunding, ageing assets, and a heavier reliance on hard engineering, resulting in thousands of substandard defences. Comparisons with Wales and Northern Ireland are limited, but Scotland’s devolved framework allows for tailored strategies that emphasize resilience over reaction.
Key factors include:
- Legislation and Strategy: Scotland’s Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 mandates comprehensive, multi-stakeholder plans every six years, incorporating NFM (e.g., beaver reintroduction, wetland restoration) alongside traditional defences. This contrasts with England’s permissive powers under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, where local authorities lack a statutory duty to act, leading to fragmented responses. The UK’s 2025 National Flood Resilience Review highlights Scotland’s edge in “climate-resilient places” through long-term planning.
- Investment Levels: Scotland benefits from ring-fenced annual funding of £42 million to local authorities, plus £150 million committed over the current parliamentary term (to 2026) and an additional £15 million proposed for 2025-26. This supports 28 major schemes costing ~£985 million (up from £300 million in 2016 estimates), protecting ~13,000 properties at an average of £76,000 per property—high due to complex terrain but effective for high-risk areas. In contrast, England’s £5.2 billion six-year program (2015-2021, extended) faces “significant funding pressures,” with reviews planned post-2025-26 and inconsistent per-capita allocation favoring urban south over rural north.
- Asset Condition and Performance: UK-wide, ~92% of defences (walls, embankments) are in fair or better condition, but England’s 4,204 key assets (out of ~65,000) were rated poor/very poor in 2022, improving slightly to 1 in 20 by 2025—many in Storm Babet-hit areas. Scotland lacks equivalent public breakdowns, but SEPA’s flood maps account for defended extents, and events like the 2019-2020 floods saw defences “generally perform well” in northern England/Scotland borders, protecting 22,000+ properties. No major Scottish failures were reported in 2025 reviews, unlike England’s ongoing issues with private/neglected assets.
- Effectiveness Metrics: Flood defences UK-wide prevent £1.15 billion in annual residential damage (£640 million average losses with defences vs. higher without). Scotland’s NFM pilots (e.g., Eddleston Water) reduce peak flows by 20-30%, complementing hard schemes. Climate projections (UKCP18) predict 15-30% peak flow increases by 2050s, but Scotland’s strategies (e.g., 20% allowances in eastern designs) build greater adaptability than England’s variable regional uplifts.
- https://x.com/i/grok?conversation=1998697626884039036
Let me know if you detect any flaws in the AI report above.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
“Storm Brann” you say.
Well tomorrow there may be another kind of storm……one created by one of our many many UK nemeses , BBC QT and UK politicians (as in all of those ones whom we see as being sympathetic to and supportive of English Nationalism while opposing Scottish Independence and the SNP).
Tomorrow BBC QT is in Paisley……..the last show before Xmas………of course it is. To no doubt try to leave a bad taste in the mouths of the SNP as a party and also those of us who support them and vote for them. (and also all within Scotland who support and so want Scottish independence).
How ridiculous would it be , and yet how insightful their true agenda, if they , BBC QT, invited onto their panel the newly defected Tory to Reform UK, one Baron Malcolm Offord, who recently told the rally at Falkirk that he planned to stand down from the Lords and campaign as a candidate for Reform in the 2026 Holyrood elections.
His full title is Baron Offord of Garvel of Greenock in the County of Renfrew, he was born in Greenock.
However it was reported that it is not possible to renounce a life peerage, but peers can resign their membership of the House of Lords. Members of the House of Lords are disqualified from becoming members of the Scottish Parliament under legislation passed earlier this year.
So not a noble act by him just a temporary measure , as in gesture, to allow him to stand in next year’s elections for Reform UK……….the same Reform UK who always find a way to try to game the system.
As “Resigning from the Lords isn’t giving up the peerage itself (especially for life peers, which isn’t possible), but simply ceasing to be an active member . (as in no longer attending the HOL’s ).
Perhaps the media could press him on this (Bad dum tish), as is he actually wanting to give up his title or is he just standing down from attending the HOL’s as a peer , as he is a Life Peer….so apparently cannot renounce his Life Peerage/Title.
Bending the rules……..to suit his , Offord’s, needs.
His needs I suspect being this:
1. Be elected on the list as a MSP, perhaps even be the so called ‘Scottish’ branch office manager of Reform UK at Holyrood.
2. Then stand as a MP in a future UK GE for Reform UK
3. Then if Reform UK’s bubble does not burst before the next GE and then they do win , via mostly English votes , then Offord will hope to become a Reform UK government Minister at WM (perhaps the redundant UK government role that is the SOS against Scotland ) .
4. If none of the above options do pan out for Offord then he can still be a Baron/Lord so it’s still a win win for Offord.
Paisley currently has two Labour MP’s for then North & South of Paisley, as from the 2024 UK GE, one of which is Johanna Baxter , so every question she is asked with end up as a response that equates to #SNPBAD.
It will be operation deflect, deflect, deflect mode a La Labour style.
However will there be anyone in either the audience or the panel , apart from the SNP member, who will challenge the Labour representation on the panel.
Indeed it might even be the new Labour SOS against Scotland , as he is gie sleekit with his pat comments which amount to being “Labour are just great while the SNP are terrible”……..all said in different ways.
George Adams, SNP, is the elected Constituency MSP for Paisley just now.
Paisley is part of Renfrewshire Council where in the 2022 council elections(with subsequent changes of allegiance up to June 2025) we now see:
The SNP have 20 seats
Labour have12 seats
TheTories have 3 seats
Reform UK now have 3 seats (via 2 Tory Councillors defections and 1 Labour Councillor’s defection)
The Lib Dems have 1 seat
Independents have 4 seats
So then one assumes that there will still be some support in tomorrow night’s BBC QT audience in Paisley, for both George Adams and the SNP ………
Is Offord now perhaps to take over as Reform UK’s spokesperson within Scotland, as in take over from Thomas Kerr, who previously was a far too frequent guest on various Debate programmes as a defected Tory Councillor now representing Reform UK .
As In the same Thomas Kerr , who now may be consigned (back) to the lower league aka the bottom rung of the ladder within Reform UK. (where he always belongs).
However also where then does it leave the former Tory MSP, Graham Simpson, who also defected to Reform UK long before Offord, as now that Offord is on the scene to represent Reform UK within Scotland, I cannot imagine Offord being anything but ‘Top Dog’ (branch office manager) , emphasis on the ‘Dog’.
Of course much depends on whether Offord manages to sneak in and so be elected on the List vote for Reform UK next year
So with Baron Offord’s obvious superiority complex he will want to be the main ‘spokesperson’ aka ‘propagandist’ for Reform UK within Scotland going forward.
That then hat should surely seal Reform UK’s fate aka doom with all of those undecided voters and also those currently slightly tempted to perhaps vote for Reform UK next year in Scotland……..
As pompous and arrogant Tories are neither traits nor a party that many people within Scotland warm to and so vote for ,also who the Hell within Scotland, of sound mind, could ever warm to and so vote for any party led by Nigel Bloody Farage).
Tangled web is what the BBC and Reform UK want to weave (as do Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems also) when we all know for sure they are always likely to try to deceive us ( especially us within Scotland).
Malcolm Offord is a TORY (still) ………pass it on.
Liz S
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* so every question she is asked with end up as a response that equates to #SNPBAD.
“so every question she is asked will end up as a response that equates to #SNPBAD”
*That then hat should surely seal Reform UK’s fate aka doom with all of those undecided voters and also those currently slightly tempted to perhaps vote for Reform UK next year in Scotland……..
“That then should surely seal Reform UK’s fate aka doom with all of those undecided voters and also those currently slightly tempted to perhaps vote for Reform UK next year in Scotland…….”.”
Liz S
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Thames flooding? Scotland rising higher.
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WELL DONE SEPA
THIS IS HOW A PUBLIC WATER BOARD SHOULD BE MANAGED
UNLIKE THE SHAMBLES THAT IS ENGLISH PRIVATE MONEY GRABBING SETUP
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