Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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If Offord is a ‘pathetic, poisonous, odious LITTLE man’ then so is Anas

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From BBC Scotland today: Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has branded Reform UK’s Scottish leader “a liar” and “a pathetic, poisonous, odious little man” after the pair clashed on a Channel 4 debate. Sarwar has a problem with correctness. He has previous in mocking stroke victims and that with his laddish manner suggest he’s hiding a few unreconstructed lines of humour. Last night, furious with Malcolm Offord for suggesting he had ‘bounced’ up to him a make a deal to oust the SNP, he couldn’t help himself and called him ‘little’. What height are the two, fighting a bromance and clearly … Continue reading If Offord is a ‘pathetic, poisonous, odious LITTLE man’ then so is Anas

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US citizens living near nuclear waste dump, 100 times smaller and less hazardous than Sellafield, to get clear-up

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From CBS News, yesterday: After decades of cancer cases and public outcry, the federal government this week will begin the long-awaited cleanup of a nuclear waste dump in Armstrong County.  The site in Apollo was a dumping ground for hundreds of 55-gallon drums containing radioactive nuclear waste. But come this week, a half-billion-dollar project to safely remove it will finally begin.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave KDKA an exclusive look at the painstaking, intensive and expensive process to rid the site of radioactive waste in Armstrong County.    https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/nuclear-waste-dump-apollo-armstrong-county-cleanup/ The Apollo plant is in Apollo Borough in the South West of … Continue reading US citizens living near nuclear waste dump, 100 times smaller and less hazardous than Sellafield, to get clear-up

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East Tennessee cancer victims living ‘in the shadow’ of nuclear sites to be compensated despite having far lower rates and deaths than Scots living ‘in the shadow’ of Sellafield only 43 miles away, upwind and upstream, across the border with England

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From 6 News in Tennessee, USA, yesterday: For decades, communities in Anderson, Morgan, and Roane counties have lived in the shadow of nuclear sites, now, help is finally here for those impacted. A federal program has come to East Tennessee, offering compensation to people diagnosed with cancer linked to radiation exposure. Watch the video in full at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euLZm6uyPsQ Why this area? From the Tennessee Environmental Council: Most Tennesseans think of Oak Ridge when radioactive issues are mentioned, but Tennessee is actually a major player when it comes to disposing of radioactive waste, with processors across the state: Up to 75% … Continue reading East Tennessee cancer victims living ‘in the shadow’ of nuclear sites to be compensated despite having far lower rates and deaths than Scots living ‘in the shadow’ of Sellafield only 43 miles away, upwind and upstream, across the border with England

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How I predicted Scottish Labour’s willingness to work with anyone to remove the SNP, 8 years ago

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You can just see that can’t you? Anas Sarwar ‘bouncing’ up to Lord Offal with a plan to get the SNP between them. Who thought Sarwar ever had a principle beyond ‘me first?’ Anyhow, in October 2018, I sensed the fit between the right-trending Labour Party then and that other extreme-right party, the DUP, and wrote: As the Scottish Labour Party in Scotland loses support to the Scottish Tories and to the SNP, attracted by unionist loyalty on the one wing and ‘The Real McKay’ progressive taxation on the other, its leader plans to abandon progressive politics to the SNP … Continue reading How I predicted Scottish Labour’s willingness to work with anyone to remove the SNP, 8 years ago

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Anas Sarwar’s manifesto will lift NO kids out of poverty – short video

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Full facts here at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/04/14/institute-for-fiscal-studies-shocking-revelation-scottish-labour-does-not-have-a-plan-to-reduce-child-poverty/ https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2025/11/17/child-poverty-in-labour-wales-predicted-to-be-nearly-60-higher-than-in-scotland-by-2029-placing-more-than-100-000-in-poverty-who-would-not-have-been-with-snp-policies/ Continue reading Anas Sarwar’s manifesto will lift NO kids out of poverty – short video

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Herald champions interests of buy-to-rent industry accused of only increasing supply for high income renters and of abusing others

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The Herald today platforms the buy-to-rent industry and blames the SNP Government for somehow not enabling it to thrive, with even greater exemptions from law designed to protect renters. BTR is not the same as traditional private renting. It is professionally managed, purpose-built stock funded by large institutions with expectations of high profit margins. Needless to say, the Herald report is not balanced and again in the interests of the industry rather than renters, gives little attention to The Private Housing Rent Control (Exempt Property) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 – business and regulatory impact assessment, evaluation published only 5 days ago. … Continue reading Herald champions interests of buy-to-rent industry accused of only increasing supply for high income renters and of abusing others

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A Labour Government agrees to compensate those infected by blood products from US prisons approved by another Labour Government in 1976, and despite warnings from their own Health Secretary. The Labour Scottish Secretary was there failing to protect us

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Today, the Guardian has: Compensation payments will rise for people affected by the infected blood scandal, including an extra £35,000 each for former pupils who were experimented on at school without their knowledge, the paymaster general has announced. The government has allocated £1bn for the payments. The final report of the inquiry into what has been described as the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history was published in May 2024. The compensation scheme that followed has also been blighted by controversy. People who were infected, and their relatives, had complained about delays, qualifying criteria, the size of payments and the complex application process. Among … Continue reading A Labour Government agrees to compensate those infected by blood products from US prisons approved by another Labour Government in 1976, and despite warnings from their own Health Secretary. The Labour Scottish Secretary was there failing to protect us

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Water company customers in England to pay another £40m on top of already the highest prices and the worst quality in the UK but in Scotland…..?

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Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: From the Financial Times today: Five of Britain’s water companies spent £32.4mn on an appeal to the competition regulator that resulted in the utilities being able to raise customer bills even higher. Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, South East Water, Southern Water and Wessex Water argued that regulator Ofwat’s decision to allow them to increase consumer bills by an average of 24 per cent before inflation by 2030 was insufficient to cover their costs and attract investors to the industry. The appeal to the Competition and Markets Authority cost Anglian Water £9mn; South East Water £9mn; … Continue reading Water company customers in England to pay another £40m on top of already the highest prices and the worst quality in the UK but in Scotland…..?

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Why is Crisis Scotland being so fulsome in its praise for a 2040 Scottish Labour aspiration 14 years after this election?

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By stewartb Governing with devolved powers, how might Crisis Scotland and others judge the credentials of the British Labour Party in Scotland when (supposedly) setting ‘a new standard of aspiration’ and a pledge ‘to end homelessness by 2040′? What about the Party’s actual delivery in government rather than its aspiration for 14 years’ hence? From Crisis (10 April,, 2025): The Homelessness Monitor: Wales 2025. ‘This fifth Wales-focused Monitor report takes a look at where homelessness stands in Wales, focusing particularly on the implementation of the Ending Homelessness in Wales High Level Action Plan, including planned extensive legal reforms, as well as the ongoing impacts … Continue reading Why is Crisis Scotland being so fulsome in its praise for a 2040 Scottish Labour aspiration 14 years after this election?