In the Guardian today, the above, and: Burning vegetation on deep peat will be banned under government plans to protect nature and reduce carbon emissions. Vegetation on peatland is often burned to create habitat for grouse, which like to feed on the fresh shoots of new plants that grow after the burn. This increases the number of birds available to be shot for sport. But, in part as a result of burning, 80% of England’s peatlands are now degraded. These rare habitats store carbon when they are in good condition, ‘locking in’ an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes in the UK alone. But, … Continue reading The far north of Scotland – still part of the England project?

Professor John Robertson OBA The University of the Highlands and Islands campus in Lerwick, Shetland, offers a wide range of education and training courses which can help young islanders to climb out of disadvantaged circumstances but travel, even within the islands, can be too costly for them. The Scottish Government has introduced free ferry travel to enhance the existing free bus passes for under 22s to support students and apprentices. It’s as great thing and the Shetland Times has written: The Scottish government said the new scheme would apply to residents of Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles, who are … Continue reading Why the Scottish Government’s free inter-island ferry travel for under-22s will tackle poverty and disadvantage and opposition criticism is just stupid

By JB With Baillie and Gulhane being given the red carpet by the BBC and STV to freely slander the SNP Scottish Government on GP numbers, they omit comparison with the British Labour government and British Tory governments track record on failing primary care in England. John Swinney Scottish National Party  5:17, 20 February 2025  The number of GPs per 100,000 of the population in Scotland stands at 82. In England, it is 64; in Wales, it is 67; and in Northern Ireland, it is 75. There are more GPs available in Scotland as a consequence of the investment that the Government has … Continue reading Baillie and Gulhane being given the red carpet by the BBC and STV to freely slander the SNP Scottish Government on GP numbers

Professor John Robertson OBA, Ferry Accountant of the Year From Brian Wilson, one -time Blairite minister, now apparently Ferry Correspondent for the Herald, the Scotsman and the Stornoway Gazette, two days ago, this: ​A CalMac manager apologised for “the current and unique pressure on vessel availability” following a series of failures within the ageing fleet have caused severe disruption for travellers to and from South Uist and Barra. The latest development means that Lochboisdale will continue to be served until mid-April by the MV Isle of Mull which has a passenger carrying capacity limited to just 45 because of safety … Continue reading “Unbelievable” – Brian Wilson’s latest ferry fake news ignores tiny passenger numbers rattling around in boats the rest of us subsidise massively

Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald today has: Over 6,500 Scots ‘in limbo’ due to waits for social care assessment – The SNP have been criticised for failing Scots as 6,500 people are currently on a waiting list for social care assessment- a rise of more than 500 since October. It is estimated that 6,508 people were waiting on a social care assessment to enable them to live independently at home or in the community on 3 March this year, according to the latest figures from Public Health Scotland. 1 I won’t bother finding who has criticised ‘SNP.’ You can guess. I can’t find up-to-date comparative data … Continue reading 52% more waiting for care home packages in NHS England, than in Scotland, but Herald cannot be trusted to tell you that

By JB Today in The Herald I see that they are blaming the Scottish Government, or more succinctly and inaccurately,  blaming the SNP for fostering agencies robbing millions of pounds of public money for their own profit, or as the headline states….” Call to end ‘backdoor profiteering’ in Scotland’s fostering system”. The article opens with…….”Campaigners have called on the Scottish Government to take action against fostering agencies diverting millions of pounds of public money to their private equity-backed parent companies. Legally, foster care services for children and young people in Scotland must be provided on a not-for-profit basis”. Call to end ‘backdoor profiteering’ … Continue reading UK ministers urged to consider lessons from Scotland, where laws state fostering agencies which are profit making cannot approve, review or terminate the approval of foster carers