Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
Leave a comment

Scottish hospital operations climb almost to pre-pandemic levels with 98% efficiency and only 4 years after ‘the most extreme combined health and economic crisis in the last century’

johnrobertson834

From Cancelled planned operations Month ending 31 March 2026 published today, the above and: There were 28,454 operations planned to take place across NHS Scotland. This is 12.8% higher (+3,228) than the number planned in March 2025 (25,226). Over the course of the last 12 months, from April 2025 to March 2026 (307,272), there was a 7.2% increase (+20,756) compared to the previous 12 months (286,516). This reflects the post-Covid pandemic trend of generally increasing planned operations. The latest figure is the highest number of operations planned to take place in the post-pandemic period and [only] 3.3% lower (-961) than … Continue reading Scottish hospital operations climb almost to pre-pandemic levels with 98% efficiency and only 4 years after ‘the most extreme combined health and economic crisis in the last century’

1 Comment

By any measure (four of them) crime really is way down under the SNP yet they maintain 200 more police officers than the last Labour Government in 2007

johnrobertson834

From Police officer quarterly strength statistics: 31 March 2026 published tody: Scotland’s Chief Statistician has published statistics on Police Officer Quarterly Strength, which gives the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed by Police Scotland. The key findings of the statistics are: there were 16,430 full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers in Scotland on 31 March 2026 and this is an increase of 196 FTE police officers (+1.2%) from the 16,234 FTE police officers recorded at 31 March 2007. https://www.gov.scot/publications/police-officer-quarterly-strength-statistics-31-march-2026/ You can see in the graph above how overall crime in Scotland has plummeted since 2002 but, crucially, has continued to … Continue reading By any measure (four of them) crime really is way down under the SNP yet they maintain 200 more police officers than the last Labour Government in 2007

2 Comments

As US/Israel/Iran war escalates out of control, new generations of terrorists are produced and US experts warn Washington, a former officer with UK Civil Nuclear Constabulary says Labour’s new mini reactors cannot be protected

johnrobertson834

Continue reading As US/Israel/Iran war escalates out of control, new generations of terrorists are produced and US experts warn Washington, a former officer with UK Civil Nuclear Constabulary says Labour’s new mini reactors cannot be protected

5 Comments

The Great Scottish Ferry Inconvenience Media War

johnrobertson834

Lesley Riddoch in her early April 2026 podcast said on the ferries crisis (literally) I’ve got to say personally, I’m sick of hearing people on the mainland ‘attack islanders’ for simply expecting that they can be connected. Just to remind you we all live on an island, and it would be a bit like saying Scotland’s a bit too expensive to include in UK national systems so let’s just charge them more. We wouldnae, would we?’ Who are those ‘people’ attacking islanders then? Turns out it’s me! ‘I’m probably gonna lose some friends on this because I am absolutely sick … Continue reading The Great Scottish Ferry Inconvenience Media War

6 Comments

‘The SNP’s childcare proposals build on a sustained, multi‑year expansion with measurable benefits for families’

johnrobertson834

From BBC Scotland yesterday, the above and: The SNP’s plans to expand free childcare have been criticised by Scottish Labour and the Scottish Conservatives as a “gimmick” and lacking in detail. Is that true? Let’s ask an intelligent speedy independent source: Look at the actual proposals and the Scottish Government’s history of action on free childcare, including relative to England or Wales to assess whether this is just a gimmick or real plan with benefits for parents. From use.ai: Looking at the SNP’s actual proposals and track record on childcare, it would not be accurate to characterise the current plan as “just a gimmick.” … Continue reading ‘The SNP’s childcare proposals build on a sustained, multi‑year expansion with measurable benefits for families’

9 Comments

Not one Scottish Jew has been physically assaulted in an anti-semitic attack since records began but the Scotsman reports one non-Jew being ‘pushed and spat at’ to fuel a panic

johnrobertson834

So, a non-Jew on his way to a non-Jewish event is ‘pushed and spat at‘ by someone shouting ‘anti-semitic abuse’ in Edinburgh is a sign that Scotland’s Jews too must now fear events comparable to the actual stabbing, in London, of two men wearing Jewish headgear, by a man with a long history of mental health problems and who had earlier that day tried to murder a Muslim man? You’d think even the churnos at the Scotsman might realise ‘Hey we’re constructing a moral panic here.’ You know, where the media amplify a relatively rare form of crime to make … Continue reading Not one Scottish Jew has been physically assaulted in an anti-semitic attack since records began but the Scotsman reports one non-Jew being ‘pushed and spat at’ to fuel a panic