Year: 2025

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SNP plans even fairer taxation with new council tax band

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Telegraph, above, plotting the downfall of the SNP with the politics of meanness. The Scottish Government is consulting with local councils on introducing a new council tax band for the most expensive homes. Expect a hysterical reaction as Anas Sarwar and his mum both rage against their houses being included. Most of us, I’m sure recognise another progressive initiative from the SNP in Government to gradually work away at the inequality which so damages life for everyone, including the rich. We had to defend Scotland’s modest attempts in this regard, earlier this year: We’ve recently … Continue reading SNP plans even fairer taxation with new council tax band

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How NHS Scotland repeatedly has and can help NHS England patients

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Independent yesterday, the above, and: Enhertu is the first licensed targeted treatment for patients with HER2-low breast cancer that cannot be removed surgically or that has spread to other parts of the body. Patients are usually offered chemotherapy, but Breast Cancer Now explains the targeted drug could offer people more time to live in comparison. Enhertu was approved for use in Scotland in December 2023 but was rejected for use on NHS England in March 2024 by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) because it was too expensive. In September 2023, 84 patients have to … Continue reading How NHS Scotland repeatedly has and can help NHS England patients

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Herald’s Martin Williams reports others taking ‘pot shots at the SNP’ using the ferries for ammo! What? That’s his job isn’t it? He’s trusted for it!

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Professor John Robertson OBA, BA Journalism Research Methods Module Co-ordinator (really I was) One of these moments, eh? The Herald‘s main ferry correspondent, daily rubbishing the SNP Government for their oversight of the CalMac ferry service (best in the world, really), writes today: So much to say. So much to snigger at. Is that headline suggesting the PM not the FM is to blame for not getting new contracts and letting them go to Poland? The headline is a bit different at the full page: More confusion – Is Starmer now to blame for those ‘pot shots’, aimed at the … Continue reading Herald’s Martin Williams reports others taking ‘pot shots at the SNP’ using the ferries for ammo! What? That’s his job isn’t it? He’s trusted for it!

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Channel 4 reports 150 knife attacks in schools in England & Wales but has no figures for Scotland and the reason is simple

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Legerwood for alerting me to this. Channel 4 tonight had the above story. Had this been drug deaths you can be sure the Scottish data would be presented to remind us of our status as the drug death capital of Europe. I am not aware of directly comparable figures for Scotland and neither are Channel 4’s researchers, it seems, but there is evidence to point to them being significantly lower. In 2006/2007, there were just over 4 000 recorded crimes of ‘having in a public place and article with a blade or point.’ By 2016/2017, the … Continue reading Channel 4 reports 150 knife attacks in schools in England & Wales but has no figures for Scotland and the reason is simple

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‘Scottish’ MP praises NHS England and damns NHS Scotland on behalf of her boss

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By Liz S Imogen Walker , Labour MP for Hamilton and Clyde since last year, stood up today in PMQ’s to feed her weak and needy Labour leader with the usual #SotlandIsSh*te and also BTW her declaring that apparently #EnglandIsBetter. This kind of infantile behaviour neither impresses nor fools anyone into believing the credibility of what is being spun by MP’s like her as part of the weekly pantomime we witness , at PMQ’s and also at Scottish Q’s, and it is merely ‘Playing Politics”. Imogen stated “Mr Speaker , in Hamilton and Clyde valley my constituents are struggling to … Continue reading ‘Scottish’ MP praises NHS England and damns NHS Scotland on behalf of her boss

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On Malta, timetables are purely expressions of intent – ferries leave when they are ready and if the gangway has not fallen into the sea

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By JB Didn’t see this across ‘our’ media, after all The herald and STV, are shouting about “new direct flights from Glasgow to ‘fantastic’ holiday destination” Glasgow Airport sees new twice-weekly Malta flight launched | The Herald Ryanair announces new direct flights to Malta | STV News People stranded at Gozo fast ferry terminals after gangway falls in sea. No politician, no MP, no council, no councillor, no government or government official and no ferry operator blamed.  From The Times of Malta 2 March 2025. People stranded at Gozo fast ferry terminals after gangway falls in sea  Voyages were cancelled … Continue reading On Malta, timetables are purely expressions of intent – ferries leave when they are ready and if the gangway has not fallen into the sea

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100% of 328 prisoner referrals started alcohol-dependency treatment within three week target yet Herald cannot be ‘trusted’ to report that

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland on 25 March 2025, for the quarter 1 October to 31 December 2024, latest release: 328 referrals to prison-based services started treatment. Of these, 302 (92.1%) involved a wait of three weeks or less (alcohol, 100.0%; co-dependency, 98.6%; drugs, 88.9%). In the Herald report today: Scottish ministers ‘lack leadership’ in prison alcohol rehab Only 42 referrals in June to September 2024, yet 328 in the next quarter? They, a charity called SHAAP, base this on what prisoners ‘say’ rather on actual records? Ministers lack leadership? What about the prison officers or their … Continue reading 100% of 328 prisoner referrals started alcohol-dependency treatment within three week target yet Herald cannot be ‘trusted’ to report that

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Despite daily media campaign to undermine it Public satisfaction with NHS highest in SNP Scotland and lowest in NHS Wales

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Professor John Robertson OBA Regulars here will have seen our almost daily rebuttals of the lies and selective bias against NHS Scotland and our reports of 95% plus target busting in areas such as IVF, operations completed and drug and alcohol treatment. You will also have seen our comparisons of, for example, the crucial cancer and 18 week waiting lists showing far better performance in Scotland. Only in Scotland is the NHS politicised with all ‘failures’ headlined and opposition politicians platformed to attack the SNP Government rather than the actually responsible health board. Despite this media ‘carpet bombing‘, folk in … Continue reading Despite daily media campaign to undermine it Public satisfaction with NHS highest in SNP Scotland and lowest in NHS Wales

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BC Ferries in Canada just beginning to think of replacing four ferries between 7 and 19 years older than the oldest major CalMac vessel

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Global News yesterday: BC Ferries is going to get four new major vessels for its fleet. The new vessels will replace the aging Queens of Alberni [49], New Westminster [61], Coquitlam [49], and Cowichan [49], which are the oldest major ships still in use. BC Ferries applied for five new diesel-battery hybrid, all-electric-ready ships, but the independent British Columbia Ferries Commissioner approved four. This news comes as the Queen of Oak Bay suffered a mechanical issue on Monday morning. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/bc-ferry-breaks-down-as-commissioner-announces-4-new-vessels-coming/ar-AA1C1mcN?ocid=BingNewsVerp None of these vessels is even specified or designed yet, never mind actually ordered. The … Continue reading BC Ferries in Canada just beginning to think of replacing four ferries between 7 and 19 years older than the oldest major CalMac vessel

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How the Scottish Government is supporting improved cancer care – but shamefully this is not being reported by ‘your’ media

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By JB Some positive things you will not be allowed to read about in the ‘Scottish’ media. Funding for projects to benefit patients and clinical staff. A total of £1.5 million funding in 2024-25 is supporting 12 projects to continue providing direct and personalised support to patients with cancer. Over £1.5 million will support 12 pilot projects across Scotland to deliver a single point of contact to people diagnosed with cancer. All of the people living within NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS … Continue reading How the Scottish Government is supporting improved cancer care – but shamefully this is not being reported by ‘your’ media