Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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“Kill ‘Em all” and “Palestine – time for action”

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By Liz S I saw a picture yesterday on Blue Sky of a guy holding a placard that said “Kill ‘Em all” (Is ‘Em’ an abbreviated Scottish word for ‘them’…I do not think so ) . This picture and post on Blue Sky had been reposted by a guy called Colin Dunn (worth a follow as his Blue Sky account is great), The post also stated this……… “A woman was arrested in Glasgow today for wearing a T-shirt that said “Palestine – time for action” under terrorism legislation. Meanwhile this guy was allowed to stand outside an Asylum Seekers hostel … Continue reading “Kill ‘Em all” and “Palestine – time for action”

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As Lib Dems and BBC Scotland reveal compensation to delayed passengers of only 0.1% of budget, they forget that their previous FoI revealed that CalMac is more than 97% reliable

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland today have a report today based on a Freedom of Information request, by the Lib Dems: The state-owned ferry operator paid £432,735 in compensation to travellers in 2024-25. It marks a 37% rise on compensation payments in 2023-24, but a slight fall from 2022-23, when the operator paid £454,000 to delayed passengers, according to figures obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats. The total Scottish Government subsidy for CalMac is £370 million: https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/referral-of-the-proposed-subsidy-to-calmac-ferries-limited-by-transport-scotland CalMac operates 36 ferries.A further 5 vessels are … Continue reading As Lib Dems and BBC Scotland reveal compensation to delayed passengers of only 0.1% of budget, they forget that their previous FoI revealed that CalMac is more than 97% reliable

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Selective reporting on cancer treatment to conceal Scotland’s better performance

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details Professor John Robertson OBA From the healthandcare.scot news channel, today: Scotland falling behind on lung cancer screening – A leading lung cancer charity says, with a national lung screening programme announced for Wales last month and a scheme in England having already diagnosed thousands of new cases – Scotland is being left behind. The ownership of this news and any associations they hold are not transparent though it seems to be owned and run by a John Keenan. Not included, for necessary context, as it should … Continue reading Selective reporting on cancer treatment to conceal Scotland’s better performance

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A million more tourists in one year, outperforming the UK, as people head north away from the burning to make Scotland the new Monaco, but BBC Scotland miss this real trend too

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details Professor John Robertson OBA From the Observer, yesterday: It may not offer a reliable tan, but Scotland has become the place to be this summer – midges and all. The most recent figures on Scottish tourism are from 2023, when almost 4 million international visitors set a new record. And Jill Walker, director of marketing and digital at VisitScotland, says early 2024 figures surpassed this by almost half a million, with anecdotal reports from this summer suggesting no slowdown. https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/manic-in-the-glen-why-the-world-has-gone-wild-for-scotland-this-year From Daily Business in October 2024: There were 1,975,000 … Continue reading A million more tourists in one year, outperforming the UK, as people head north away from the burning to make Scotland the new Monaco, but BBC Scotland miss this real trend too

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Only 0.01% of voters actually think gender reform is the key issue but the media will say it is for the SNP in 2026 – How the media try to influence election outcomes by deciding WHAT you think is important

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details Professor John Robertson OBA The Trans issue has been central to media coverage in Scotland for years now and that coverage has uniformly sought to present it as controversial and to locate entirely within the affairs of the SNP, disregarding cross-party support, so as to protect, especially, Anas Sarwar. You see above, that the Times has decided that ‘trans’ is to be the ‘key issue for the SNP‘ at election, May 2026. What is that claim based on? In December 2022, in a poll of 1 … Continue reading Only 0.01% of voters actually think gender reform is the key issue but the media will say it is for the SNP in 2026 – How the media try to influence election outcomes by deciding WHAT you think is important

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By 2012, two years before, Ms Rowling had already made up her mind!

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By stewartb “ I came to the question of independence with an open mind” Question to ChatGPT: ‘Please summarise the public statements in the press and online made by the famous author JK Rowling in 2014 and in prior years concerning the campaign for and referendum on Scotland’s independence. Please include her first public comment on the matter.’ ChatGPT said: in part: ‘J.K. Rowling’s comments on Scotland’s independence were a topic of much attention, especially during the campaign leading up to the 2014 referendum. Here’s a summary of her key public statements made in 2014 and the years leading up to the … Continue reading By 2012, two years before, Ms Rowling had already made up her mind!

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No supporters resorted to the more ‘divisive’, the more extreme and inflammatory rhetoric to try to convince voters to stay in the UK

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details By stewartb “Lots of us were persuadable, but if the knee jerk response to common sense questions is ‘you’re a unionist traitor, a scaremonger and no true Scot’, don’t be surprised if the questioner becomes sceptical about the inclusive, egalitarian, welcoming utopia independence activists swore we’d be living in once they were in charge” At one level I’m bored by the likes of this from Ms Rowling and want to move on. But this wishing to occupy some sort of moral high ground grinds … Continue reading No supporters resorted to the more ‘divisive’, the more extreme and inflammatory rhetoric to try to convince voters to stay in the UK

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‘I came to the question of independence with an open mind’ – writer of mundane children’s fantasy books

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details By Liz S JK Rowling has now written another loooooooooooong post on ‘X’ today in response to a tweet by, checks notes, Wings Over Scotland. The last paragraph of her post includes this…. “Lots of us were persuadable, but if the knee jerk response to common sense questions is ‘you’re a unionist traitor, a scaremonger and no true Scot’, don’t be surprised if the questioner becomes sceptical about the inclusive, egalitarian, welcoming utopia independence activists swore we’d be living in once they were in … Continue reading ‘I came to the question of independence with an open mind’ – writer of mundane children’s fantasy books

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To Hell with the UK and the likes of JKR, Katie Hopkins , Kelvin McKenzie , Dan Wootten, Farage, GB News, the UK gutter press and all the others

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details By Liz S Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was quoted in 2023 as saying that “Labour had changed permanently under his leadership”. He then stated “if you don’t like that, if you don’t like the changes that we’ve made, I say the door is open, and you can leave”. Well guess what….people are now acting upon that and so many are now leaving Labour as party members…..and also leaving as Labour voters…where future voting intentions are showing that Labour are down in the recent polling outcomes. In February … Continue reading To Hell with the UK and the likes of JKR, Katie Hopkins , Kelvin McKenzie , Dan Wootten, Farage, GB News, the UK gutter press and all the others

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Scotland’s triple toxic relationship with the UK

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‘carcinogenic!’ Professor John Robertson OBA Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details As BBC Scotland resolutely (Like a submarine on duty?) refuse to mention the Category A nuclear incident or the 1 500 pipe leaks of tritium ‘smashing into your DNA‘, a few miles from Glasgow, as described in Scientific American, I’m reminded of the two other curses unavoidably resultant from our union but never to be mentioned – English drug gangs bringing new, more powerful but cheaper drugs, to around 50 towns and villages, from Dumfries to Thurso, backed up by extreme … Continue reading Scotland’s triple toxic relationship with the UK