Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Reform’s Scottish leader may or may not be racist but he’s definitely wrong as knife crime falls in Scotland

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From BBC Scotland yesterday, the above and: The leader of Reform UK in Scotland has denied fuelling racial tensions with comments he made following a stabbing in Edinburgh. Malcom Offord has been criticised by both Scottish Labour and the Scottish Greens for linking the incident in the Calders area on Monday to a “massive insurge of immigrants”., external Lord Offord said he based his comments on photographs he had seen and claimed statistics showed a rise in crime by people … Continue reading Reform’s Scottish leader may or may not be racist but he’s definitely wrong as knife crime falls in Scotland

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Scotland’s teachers biting the hand of the ‘best friend they could have’ and even Jack McConnell’s Labour think tank director says ‘Scotland’s teaching unions must be broken’

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON In the long-time Labour-supporting New Statesman, by the long-time critic of the SNP and Director of Lord Jack McConnell’s ‘Enlighten’ think tank, Chris Deerin writes: Scotland’s teaching unions must be broken The country’s education system needs radical reform.You can always rely on the EIS. The Educational Institute of Scotland, the country’s largest teaching union, has for decades been the main block to effective reform of the nation’s schools. Its instinctive belligerence and obstructionism are key reasons that educational … Continue reading Scotland’s teachers biting the hand of the ‘best friend they could have’ and even Jack McConnell’s Labour think tank director says ‘Scotland’s teaching unions must be broken’

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Scotland’s SIXTH tower block fire contained on one-floor further proves there can be no Grenfell here – here’s why

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From BBC Scotland, yesterday, the above image, and: A man has died after falling from a window during a tower block fire in North Lanarkshire. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) were called to reports of a blaze on the 12th floor of the building on Shields Drive, Motherwell, at about 22:08 on Thursday. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g7jz7kjl7o Notice the phrase – ‘on the 12th floor of the building?’ Why did the fire not progress up the side of the … Continue reading Scotland’s SIXTH tower block fire contained on one-floor further proves there can be no Grenfell here – here’s why

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Short video – What has the SNP ever done for you? How about stopping private companies using NHS facilities, NHS equipment and NHS staff to enable the private companies to generate a huge profit?

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON Full version at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/06/what-has-the-snp-ever-done-for-you-how-about-stopping-private-companies-using-nhs-facilities-nhs-equipment-and-nhs-staff-to-enable-the-private-companies-to-generate-a-huge-profit/ Continue reading Short video – What has the SNP ever done for you? How about stopping private companies using NHS facilities, NHS equipment and NHS staff to enable the private companies to generate a huge profit?

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15 years of SNP government and significant increases in employment across almost every sector

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Industry statistics published today: https://www.gov.scot/publications/industry-statistics/ You’ll see in the table above there have been fairly large increases in employment across almost every sector of the Scottish economy in these last 15 years as SNP policies have become embedded. There have been minor falls in only three. This is reflected in recent news on employment in Scotland in 2026: Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. BBC Breakfast this morning with an extended piece on unemployment not … Continue reading 15 years of SNP government and significant increases in employment across almost every sector

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Da da da ta da da ta da diddle etc….We can now drive one hundred miles to fall down at your door for only TWO POUNDS down from THIRTY-ONE!

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Cheaper bus travel for Highland communities published yesterday: People across the Highlands and Islands are set to benefit from more affordable public transport as £2 capped bus fares are rolled out this month. The pilot will significantly cut fares across the Highland network and is one of a range of measures the Scottish Government is taking to support households hit by rising everyday costs. Fares such as a single adult journey from Wick to Inverness, currently £31, … Continue reading Da da da ta da da ta da diddle etc….We can now drive one hundred miles to fall down at your door for only TWO POUNDS down from THIRTY-ONE!

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BBC Scotland wildfires report ignores the role of the big private grouse estates to blame you, me and the SNP

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON In a BBC Scotland report yesterday: Scotland facing escalating threat from wildfires – report https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx28wez183eo There’s not a word criticising the big grouse estates or their practice of muirburn and its role in wildfires. There is also, a complete failure to report the steps the Scottish Government is taking to manage that: From the Scottish Government in October 2025: Link – https://www.gov.scot/news/muirbuirn-licence-scheme/ This diplomatic account conceals, I feel sure, a determined policy by the SNP to reign in grouse moor owners … Continue reading BBC Scotland wildfires report ignores the role of the big private grouse estates to blame you, me and the SNP

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Astonishing attempt to cover up Glasgow Labour’s decades of betrayal and abuse of women workers’ rights for 50 years and more

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON In the Herald today: SNP ministers have been accused of ‘betraying’ women as the public sector equal pay row continues with thousands of claims facing ‘indefensible delays’. Leading trade union GMB Scotland has warned the Scottish Government must now intervene to demand councils involved in disputes settle instead of taking cases through lengthy employment tribunal processes. It goes on to say: I have been taken aback by this. Even the Herald, I thought, would try this. There is no mention of the fact … Continue reading Astonishing attempt to cover up Glasgow Labour’s decades of betrayal and abuse of women workers’ rights for 50 years and more

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What has the SNP ever done for you? How about stopping private companies using NHS facilities, NHS equipment and NHS staff to enable the private companies to generate a huge profit?

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From our regular and much-valued, non-Russian spy, France McKie, from Every Doctor, the campaign against NHS privatisation, yesterday: I wouldn’t be surprised if you hadn’t heard of “NHS in-sourcing”, because the newspapers don’t talk about it very much. But it’s one of the most mind-boggling forms of NHS privatisation! Essentially, NHS Trusts are desperate to bring down their waiting lists, and many are now paying private companies to come in out-of-hours and use NHS resources to do NHS … Continue reading What has the SNP ever done for you? How about stopping private companies using NHS facilities, NHS equipment and NHS staff to enable the private companies to generate a huge profit?

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One woman moved to a ‘lovely’ care home within one region headlines while a whole care system held together with ‘sticking plasters and glue’ does not – why might that be?

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON In Scotland, to allow proper care, a young woman is moved to another care home, on a temporary basis, within the same region. Iona said the care home and its staff were “lovely”, but she wants to be back in her own home. but for BBC Scotland, it’s Woman, 29, ‘chucked’ into care home 100 miles from family and in the same report on a responsibility, entirely of a local authority, the story is linked to the SNP, … Continue reading One woman moved to a ‘lovely’ care home within one region headlines while a whole care system held together with ‘sticking plasters and glue’ does not – why might that be?