Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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NHS Scotland treating 20% more in 12 weeks than NHS England in 12 weeks as think-tank predicts a crisis there by the next election

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Across the BBC this morning and in the Telegraph, the above and: NHS waiting times will be twice as long as Labour promised by the next election, new analysis shows. The health service will fail to meet the 18-week waiting target that had been a flagship pledge of Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership, a report by the Health Foundation think tank predicts. Instead, it says, based on the rate of progress in Labour’s first two years in power, patients will still be waiting an average 35 weeks in 2029 – almost twice as long as promised. The Government will have barely … Continue reading NHS Scotland treating 20% more in 12 weeks than NHS England in 12 weeks as think-tank predicts a crisis there by the next election

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Take Your Brain For A Walk Down Reality Road

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By Mark E. Saunders of “The Scottish Minuteman” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 “Great question from Claire Baker” they said. Really? I think there’s a pretty big hole in Claire’s question or at least in the argument that follows it. Apparently, in Bakernomics, using the pound sterling in an independent Scotland means having “zero control over” our currency. Hold the presses! What control does Scotland, its Parliament, its MSPs or its MPs have over the currency we use TODAY? None. Westminster controls monetary policy. The Bank of England sets interest rates. The UK controls the currency, the exchange rate and the issuing of money. These are reserved matters. … Continue reading Take Your Brain For A Walk Down Reality Road

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Dear auld Glasgow toon sees plummeting violence but try telling that to this lot

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BBC Scotland’s Debate Night indulged in slagging off Glasgow based on no figures whatsoever and one old dear remembering fondly the period from the 1930s to the 1960s when the city and its razor gangs earned its mean reputation well, with violence levels many times those today. One of them, an old guy with lovely hair, compared it with other cities in the UK. See the facts below. Luckily, at best around 15 000 souls watch this drivel, 2.5% of Glasgow’s population and 0.27% of Scotland’s population. It surely cannot survive the current cull. I lasted 2 minutes. Rape? Is … Continue reading Dear auld Glasgow toon sees plummeting violence but try telling that to this lot

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Overall satisfaction with Scottish schools rises to 72% and for family, 80%

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From Scottish Household Survey: Satisfaction with Schools 2025 statistics – Published 06 October 2026 The Scottish Household Survey: Satisfaction with Schools 2025 statistics, published today, contains the key findings of the question asked on satisfaction with local schools for all adults and service users. Adult satisfaction with local schools increased from 69% in 2024 to 72% in 2025. As with previous years, service users were more satisfied with local schools (80%) than non-service users (68%) in 2025. Source: https://www.gov.scot/news/scottish-household-survey-satisfaction-with-schools-2025-statistics-published/ 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 Overall satisfaction with Scottish schools rises to 72% and for family, 80%

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More than 250 paid NHS placements will be made available to parents across Scotland as part of Scottish Government efforts to eradicate child poverty but only STV have mentioned it

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From the Scottish Government today: More than 250 paid NHS placements will be made available to parents across Scotland as part of Scottish Government efforts to eradicate child poverty. The paid placements, covering roles such as porters, caterers, healthcare support workers, administration assistants, and assistant technical officers, will be available across 18 health boards. With paid placements typically lasting between 6-18 months, the project is targeted at those facing the greatest risk of poverty – helping more parents to access employment in Scotland’s NHS. Full text at: https://www.gov.scot/news/250-nhs-jobs-for-parents/ There is no equivalent to this programme planned in other parts of … Continue reading More than 250 paid NHS placements will be made available to parents across Scotland as part of Scottish Government efforts to eradicate child poverty but only STV have mentioned it

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Once more NHS Scotland is resourced to carry out 98% of planned operations in a 5 year trend of ‘generally increasing numbers since March 2021’

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From Cancelled planned operations Month ending 31 August 2026 published today, the above graph and: There were 25,253 operations planned to take place across NHS Scotland. This is 1% more (+247) than the number planned in August 2025 (25,006). Over the course of the last 12 months, from September 2025 to August 2026 (308,558), there was a 5.9% increase (+17,320) compared to the previous 12 months (291,238). This is consistent with the trend of generally increasing numbers of planned operations since March 2021. In NHS Scotland, 8.4% (2,112) of planned operations were cancelled the day before or on the day … Continue reading Once more NHS Scotland is resourced to carry out 98% of planned operations in a 5 year trend of ‘generally increasing numbers since March 2021’

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Scots spend 90% of last six months of life at home or in a community setting, longer than during pandemic

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From Percentage of end of life spent at home or in a community setting Financial years ending 31 March 2017 to 2026 published yesterday, the above graph and: In 2025/26, there were 57,913 deaths in Scotland. This includes people who died after a fall but excludes deaths from other external causes such as accidents (see excel tables for more information on the exclusions). These individuals spent on average 89.8% of their last six months of life at home or in a community setting, with the remaining 10.2% spent in hospital. This is equivalent to an average of 19 days in hospital … Continue reading Scots spend 90% of last six months of life at home or in a community setting, longer than during pandemic

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Police Scotland clear-up rate for ‘revenge porn’ is TEN times that in England & Wales

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In the Guardian today, the above and: Police forces are routinely failing to investigate complaints about the circulation of image-based abuse, previously known as “revenge pornography”, according to research that has triggered a super-complaint over the way such crimes are handled. Lawyers have gathered evidence from 100 people who reported intimate images being shared online without their consent. Their research suggests that image-based abuse is still frequently dismissed or not recognised as criminal offending, despite being described by the former prime minister Keir Starmer as a national emergency. Referrals to the Revenge Porn helpline, the charity that helps victims get … Continue reading Police Scotland clear-up rate for ‘revenge porn’ is TEN times that in England & Wales

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Labour Education Secretary gets mixed up and sets scene for English schools to fall further behind Scotland

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The above impending financial, then inevitably, educational chaos comes on the heels of research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies revealing how just far behind Scotland, in terms of the crucial funding of resources and staffing, England’s schools are. From Scottish school spending, teachers and pupil numbers Luke Sibieta Darcey Snape Published on 14 February 2025: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/scottish-school-spending-teachers-and-pupil-numbers Here are the Key Findings: Total spending on schools and early years education in Scotland increased by £1.7 billion or 27% in real terms between 2015–16 and 2023–24. Current plans for 2024–25 imply an effective real-terms freeze in total spending of just over £7.8 … Continue reading Labour Education Secretary gets mixed up and sets scene for English schools to fall further behind Scotland

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The triple lock on the state pension will go by 2030, ‘to help pay for a new national care service FOR ENGLAND.’ John Swinney says we’ll lose out and here’s why he’s correct

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BBC Scotland yesterday, trying desperately to distract from the main issue by getting FM John Swinney in bother with this: Will Swinney face a Holyrood probe? Let’s not be distracted. Here are the facts again: He says the triple lock on the state pension will go by 2030, ‘to help pay for a new national care service FOR ENGLAND.’ Will you support that, Scottish pensioners? ‘Barnett! Do you trust that? On Newsnight, 30 September 2026, the above was clear with the implication that Scottish pensioners will be impoverished to pay a new national care service in England. Scotland got a … Continue reading The triple lock on the state pension will go by 2030, ‘to help pay for a new national care service FOR ENGLAND.’ John Swinney says we’ll lose out and here’s why he’s correct