Year: 2025

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Latest data shows just 1.8% of the Scottish population used private healthcare for inpatient and day case admissions but STV find a private healthcare boom

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Professor John Robertson OBA The above from September 2023, shows private healthcare providers (red) and MPs taking money from them to push their interests (blue £), notably then only one in Scotland – Ian Murray, Edinburgh South (Labour). https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1_vYkm4Yb_3r1SCl76qvgdR6zwqqB4u4&femb=1&ll=54.52217059297223%2C-2.3420011625000114&z=6 STV today has the above and what is essentially advertising for the Elanic Hospital in Glasgow. Typically, only at the very end of long piece do we see: A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Latest data shows just 1.8% of the Scottish population used private healthcare for inpatient and day case admissions. telling the reader that they have been reading a pack … Continue reading Latest data shows just 1.8% of the Scottish population used private healthcare for inpatient and day case admissions but STV find a private healthcare boom

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How Wes Streeting’s NHS app has failed the people of England

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Times on 30 September 2025, the above and: Wes Streeting has attacked the SNP over its “shameful” failure to launch an NHS app for Scottish patients. The UK health secretary told the Labour conference that while progress was being made in England and Wales on tackling waiting lists and harnessing innovative new technologies in the health service, standards were continuing to deteriorate in Scotland. He highlighted the failure of the Nationalist government to launch an app for the health service — one has been in use in England for the past six years. Oooh, … Continue reading How Wes Streeting’s NHS app has failed the people of England

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Dr Iain Kennedy linked to Labour campaign and Prof Curtice might be underestimating the intelligence of fleeing Labour voters

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Professor John Robertson OBA, Former Faculty Research Ethics Chair The word ‘ethics’ does not appear in Prof Curtice’s CV. Should I see if Dr Kennedy has any such interests? Should I check if the BMA ever considers the ethical dimensions of their surveys? I did. SFA. In the Herald today – Labour is losing ground in Scotland as NHS blame game bites, two things are intriguing. The big one is about the NHS performance so I’ll get the lesser one out of the way first: With mounting waiting lists, staff shortages, and bed-blocking crises, Scottish Labour has made the state of the … Continue reading Dr Iain Kennedy linked to Labour campaign and Prof Curtice might be underestimating the intelligence of fleeing Labour voters

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The news that we are no better than English people who riot and who always vote for parties led by Nigel Farage

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By Liz S The dominant English press whose publications stick a ‘Scottish’ label upon their various editions that they distribute within Scotland will always tell us that there is no “Scottish exceptionalism” in respect to anything….or anyone. It is these ‘Scottish’ editions that are the ‘favourite’ newspapers that the BBC in Scotland always refer to and so discuss on BBC GMS Radio programmes as being the ‘News where we are’……as examples of how #ScotlandIsS**** and why it is always only the #SNP who are #BAD. Like for example………as ‘newspapers’………. The Times (supposed ‘Scottish edition) …..**below** are some of it’s various headline articles ….in it’s, so … Continue reading The news that we are no better than English people who riot and who always vote for parties led by Nigel Farage

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As the Herald insists island communities deserve ferry services that are fit for purpose how they get 10 TIMES the subsidy for their ferries than those in more affluent British Columbia, to keep fares amongst the lowest in the developed world

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Richmond News 24 April 2025: Right now, B.C. Ferries, which according to the union carries more than 21 million passengers and $8 billion in cargo each year, receives about $35 million annually from Ottawa.1 BC Ferries has 41 vessels serving 47 locations to 21 million passengers per year.2 CalMac has 36 vessels serving 50 locations to only 5.3 million passengers per year.3 Yet the Scottish Government, from taxpayers living in places like Glasgow, Kilmarnock, Coatbridge and Dundee, will be a bit more generous than BC: Transport Scotland is proposing a total subsidy of £3.7 billion over a 10-year period for CalMac Ferries Limited … Continue reading As the Herald insists island communities deserve ferry services that are fit for purpose how they get 10 TIMES the subsidy for their ferries than those in more affluent British Columbia, to keep fares amongst the lowest in the developed world

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As the Herald insists island communities deserve ferry services that are fit for purpose how the Scottish Government transformed their economies in 2020

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Professor John Robertson OBA The above chart from the Evaluation of Road Equivalent Tariff [RET] on the Clyde and Hebridean Network Prepared for Transport Scotland March 2020 reveals a massive increase in ferry usage to the islands with a consequent economic boost, but increasing costs for the taxpayer in lost revenue. The comparison is based on ticket sales only and takes no account of retail revenue, which is likely to have increased as a result of the increased numbers of passengers. What is the RET? In October 2008, Transport Scotland introduced the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) fares policy as a pilot on … Continue reading As the Herald insists island communities deserve ferry services that are fit for purpose how the Scottish Government transformed their economies in 2020

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How Scottish Government support for business dwarves that of UK Government by a factor of 60!

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By stewartb From the Scottish Business section of the BBC News website (October 1): ‘Tech projects to receive share of government fund’. We’re told: ‘ScotlandIS’ Future Ready programme, which provides business support and learning resources for tech businesses across the country, and Game Space in Dundee, who support those working in the country’s gaming industry, are among the recipients of funding from the UK government’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT’s) Regional Tech programme.’ The BBC understands the two Scottish projects will each receive £30,000: the DSIT has told the BBC the money will support at least 30 businesses in Scotland. … Continue reading How Scottish Government support for business dwarves that of UK Government by a factor of 60!

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Manchester synagogue attack – As Reporting Scotland try to include us in England’s violence, the important facts they won’t tell you

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BBC Scotland tonight, headlining a concern with no basis in evidence. On September 8, 2025, we saw a similar attempt to include Scotland. Contrary to media hysteria, there was not one anti-semitic violent attack recorded in Scotland in 2024 By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS The most recent report on anti-semitic attacks in the UK, in 2024, from the CST, published 12 February 2025, prompted some excited media coverage at the time but today the hoisting, in Edinburgh, of a Palestine flag in sympathy for the genocide in Gaza and in line with the UN position on Palestine as … Continue reading Manchester synagogue attack – As Reporting Scotland try to include us in England’s violence, the important facts they won’t tell you

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Justice secretary able to call for emergency prisoner release as released prisoners are now 27% less likely to re-offend than they were when Labour was in power

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA From BBC Scotland today: Around 470 prisoners could be released early from Scottish prisons by the end of the year. Justice secretary Angela Constance has asked parliament to pass emergency legislation that would see short-term prisoners – within 180 days of their release date – to be freed in tranches in November and December. It is the third time early release has been used in this way in Scotland since last summer. Constance said the move was necessary to prevent overcrowding after the prison population “surged” in the last three months. In a statement to MSPs, … Continue reading Justice secretary able to call for emergency prisoner release as released prisoners are now 27% less likely to re-offend than they were when Labour was in power

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After 18 years of building 40% more affordable homes than England and 70% more than Wales, SNP maintains level of starts at nearly TWICE that of last Labour government and exceeds 2032 target by a third

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA The Herald today above. The facts: For 2025, the SNP Government has funded 5 313 new affordable home starts to a level down from a peak of 11 158 in 2021 but above the level before 2014 and still almost twice that of the last Labour government in Scotland, only 3 100. AND: According to the latest official statistics from the Scottish Government, as reported in the Quarterly Housing Statistics update to June 2025, Scotland has delivered a total of 140,346 affordable homes since 2007. This includes 100,064 homes for social rent, with the rest for … Continue reading After 18 years of building 40% more affordable homes than England and 70% more than Wales, SNP maintains level of starts at nearly TWICE that of last Labour government and exceeds 2032 target by a third