Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Latest Tory proposal is to prevent the Scottish Parliament from pursuing its own vision, goals and objectives!

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By stewartb The Tories – that very same party which has failed, often by a long way, to win any national or UK election in Scotland since the mid 1950s – has the gall to threaten to downgrade the Scottish Parliament. They have certainly changed the political climate with their expressed intent, if elected to be the UK government, to remove further powers from the Scottish Parliament in order to impose nuclear power generation within Scotland and regardless of the policies of the latter’s elected government. It’s worth revisiting the foreword penned by Lord Smith of Kelvin to the Smith … Continue reading Latest Tory proposal is to prevent the Scottish Parliament from pursuing its own vision, goals and objectives!

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The Shadowy Secretary of State Against Scotland

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Harriet Cross was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and grew up in West Cork, Ireland where her mother was from. She attended Bandon Grammar School in Bandon, County Cork before the family moved to Aberdeenshire, owing to her father’s work, when she was sixteen. She attended Gordonstoun School, after which she studied zoology at Imperial College London before earning a master’s degree in Rural Land and Business Management and from the University of Reading. In 2018, she returned to Aberdeenshire to work as a rural surveyor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Cross By Liz S The Tory Secretary of State for (against) Scotland, Harriet Cross, … Continue reading The Shadowy Secretary of State Against Scotland

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Scotland produces far more food per head than England

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From June Agricultural Census 2026 published today: Results from the June Agricultural Census 2026 were published today and show that the number of cattle increased for the first time since 2021. In 2026, there were 1.67 million cattle, an increase of 0.7% compared with last year and 1.3% below the five-year average (2021 to 2025). Annual increases in male cattle, female beef cattle and calves offset a fall in female dairy cattle. The number of pigs also increased for the first time since 2022 to 327,700. This was 4.9% more than last year and 1.2% below the five-year average. Other … Continue reading Scotland produces far more food per head than England

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Scotland’s training support for parents is designed to prevent drop-out and to meet a child poverty target which England cares not to even have

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From Training support for up to 2,400 parents published today: Up to 2,400 parents will be able to access training at colleges across Scotland to enter or progress in work. As part of the Scottish Government’s mission to eradicate child poverty, a total of £10 million is being invested in the college sector through the Raising Income through Skills and Education (RISE) initiative. This helps families at the greatest risk of poverty to access the skills and education they need to enter, sustain and progress in work.  Alongside training courses, the project will unlock additional support with childcare and transport … Continue reading Scotland’s training support for parents is designed to prevent drop-out and to meet a child poverty target which England cares not to even have

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Scotland’s extra-funded national winter health plan package is likely to be more co-ordinated and more effective

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From New winter health plan to ease hospital pressures published today: Expanded Hospital at Home services, a public awareness campaign and targeted investment to reduce waiting lists are all part of a newly-unveiled health preparedness plan for winter. A collective effort is critical in the months ahead to ease pressures on the NHS, Health Secretary Angela Constance said as she launched the new national winter health plan. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, the Health Secretary set out several actions to provide guidance to health and social care systems ahead of winter, including: an increased focus on community care, … Continue reading Scotland’s extra-funded national winter health plan package is likely to be more co-ordinated and more effective

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Alex Cole Hamilton leads the least powerful party in Holyrood yet dreams of power

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Let onto the top of the front page of the Herald today, the above. Oh, really, wee Eck? Have a look at this. Sox 65 MSPs gives you a voting majority and the SNP/Greens combination has 72? Remind me how your wee gang of 10 gets you ‘the real power?’ Remind me Andrew Learmouth, why have you put your name to this? Crowdfunder – https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingBank transfer – JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account 12266421 Continue reading Alex Cole Hamilton leads the least powerful party in Holyrood yet dreams of power

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57% of new social lets already go to homeless households, up from 36% ten years before

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From STV today, the above and: Scotland could cut the most extreme homelessness by nearly half within just the next two years, a study has found. The number of Scots facing the worst forms of homelessness could be cut by 47% by 2028 if ministers made the right interventions, analysis by Heriot-Watt University for Crisis Scotland found. The researchers said three-quarters of the reduction could be delivered with powers already held by the Scottish Government. https://news.stv.tv/scotland/scotland-could-slash-extreme-homelessness-by-nearly-half-in-two-years-report How true is this? The full package is not only Scottish powers. The report’s most effective short-term levers are higher direct allocation of social … Continue reading 57% of new social lets already go to homeless households, up from 36% ten years before

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Comparisons only newsworthy when they can be framed as unfavourable to Scotland

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By stewartb Are comparisons between the constituent parts of the UK only deemed newsworthy by the editors of public service broadcasters when they can be framed as unfavourable to Scotland? Beyond the news of health service delivery in Scotland – as reported by BBC Scotland and on the front pages of the Unionist press that are aggregated and amplified daily on the Scotland page of the BBC News website – what do we find is the reality? An NHS Scotland that on many performance metrics operates more effectively and more efficiently to the benefit of patients than its peers in … Continue reading Comparisons only newsworthy when they can be framed as unfavourable to Scotland

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Punished and not rewarded because we voted to stay

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Here is another story linked to another UK party that, so far, the BBC have avoided on their website, yet as a situation it is shocking for Scotland and devolution, but it’s not surprising it’s being neglected by the BBC, as let’s not forget this is the BBC we are talking about (or writing about) and it also relates to the Tories. So firstly there is this: On the 1 October JK Rowling responded to someone asking her about Nicola Sturgeon and her new role in giving a masterclass on women’s leadership. Rowling’s response “I learned not to ask why … Continue reading Punished and not rewarded because we voted to stay

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BBC Scotland are yet again ‘gunning for Swinney’

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By Liz S Clearly the BBC are yet again ‘gunning for Swinney” on behalf of a (pro) UK party (just as they also did , and still are doing, to former FM’s who were SNP leaders). That is their BBC 24/7 objective in Scotland. While surely the real issue here is the ending of the Triple lock Pension and why that decision was taken and so the possible potential consequences it may have for Scotland. (Also will it then benefit England and their National Care service , in it then freeing up money that was formerly allocated to sustain the … Continue reading BBC Scotland are yet again ‘gunning for Swinney’