Far more working-class students in medicine in Scotland

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS  From the Guardian yesterday, the above shocking headline. You won’t be surprised to see the Guardian report is typically and lazily, Anglocentric when you see this from the original … Continue reading Far more working-class students in medicine in Scotland

Willie Rennie flunks his mathematics resit

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS  In the Scotsman, just two days ago: Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesman Willie Rennie said: “The attainment gap got bigger last year. Ministers have flunked it. The SNP now … Continue reading Willie Rennie flunks his mathematics resit

Crime continues to fall in Glasgow but corporate media cannot tell you the truth that it is falling fast and NOT the highest in Scotland or even near the several highest in England and Wales

By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS  Glasgow Live yesterday, had: Glasgow named as most dangerous Scottish area with highest crime rate in government report – A new report from the Scottish Government has revealed Glasgow is the most dangerous area in the country, as crime in the city increases by four per cent in 2024.1 The ‘report‘ is actually Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2023-24, where in the attached tables, you can see the data for different parts of Scotland. No one has ‘named‘ Glasgow anything, other than two journalists. As for the above 4% increase, concentrate lads (!), … Continue reading Crime continues to fall in Glasgow but corporate media cannot tell you the truth that it is falling fast and NOT the highest in Scotland or even near the several highest in England and Wales

Reform UK – Not the party to champion working-class communities like those in Shettleston?

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Liz S Former Tory Councillor , Thomas Kerr, who defected to Reform UK party tweeted this yesterday: “Swinney calling a press conference to discuss Reform is peak desperation. The Holyrood establishment is petrified and rightly so. … Continue reading Reform UK – Not the party to champion working-class communities like those in Shettleston?

How do we get and keep accurate independent reporting in Scotland?

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Brenda Robb From Ian Dunt in February 2025: The public is in desperate need of accurate journalism which cuts through the screaming. We need reporters who can refute what’s being said, or interrogate it, or at … Continue reading How do we get and keep accurate independent reporting in Scotland?

London County Lines ‘drug lord’ jailed six years ago in ‘landmark’ slavery case admits today using children to deal in Aberdeen but such drama is hidden by ‘Scottish’ media

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS  From BBC London in May 2019: Three county lines drug dealers who used vulnerable teenagers as runners in a coastal city have been jailed in a “landmark case”. Glodi … Continue reading London County Lines ‘drug lord’ jailed six years ago in ‘landmark’ slavery case admits today using children to deal in Aberdeen but such drama is hidden by ‘Scottish’ media

12 sub-polls in a row confirm SNP trending back toward 40%, Reform UK stuck around 15% and Labour/Conservatives drifting down to insignificance

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS  Westminster sub-polls of around 200 Scots over 18 are not, in themselves, strong indicators of support for the different parties but when 12 in a row tell a very … Continue reading 12 sub-polls in a row confirm SNP trending back toward 40%, Reform UK stuck around 15% and Labour/Conservatives drifting down to insignificance

As they once more accuse the Scottish Government of ‘failure’ why do the English and Welsh auditors never do that?

increase in the number of children who require additional support for learning in schools. The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS  Who is actually responsible for the implementation of educational policy in school? Local councils and … Continue reading As they once more accuse the Scottish Government of ‘failure’ why do the English and Welsh auditors never do that?

The hypocrisy of Metro Mayor Andy Burnham

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Liz S The Herald newspaper had a front page headline on the 26 February 2025. “Andy Burnham: Glasgow could be an economic powerhouse with five city collaboration” Andy Burnham is the Labour Manchester Metro Mayor. This … Continue reading The hypocrisy of Metro Mayor Andy Burnham

Corridor care now so common in NHS England it becomes normal – Someone tell Jackie Baillie the policy has changed before she tells another big fib

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser closing on Friday, primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS and Scotland’s only half-decent Health Correspondent Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this. How quickly have we travelled from the days when corridor care was the most unacceptable face and … Continue reading Corridor care now so common in NHS England it becomes normal – Someone tell Jackie Baillie the policy has changed before she tells another big fib