Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Incidents of physical violence and aggression by patients against staff in Scotland are falling and are significantly lower than in England

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In the Guardian today: NHS trusts in England recorded at least 295,711 alleged incidents of physical violence and aggression by patients against staff in England between 2022 and 2025, the Guardian has found. Responses to freedom of information (FoI) requests from 212 trusts showed the number of incidents reported by staff rose sharply over the three years, 91,175 in 2022-23 to 104,079 in 2024-25. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/11/how-common-violence-against-nhs-staff-england-prevention-safeguards Directly comparable figures for Scotland can be problematic but were they higher per head and rising, you know that would be all over ‘our’ media. The data for 2024-25 in Scotland has not been published … Continue reading Incidents of physical violence and aggression by patients against staff in Scotland are falling and are significantly lower than in England

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CalMac chief with 36 boats and 50 ports paid only half what English ferry chief with 6 boats and 2 ports got – shareholder dividends? Read on

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So far today, the Scottish Government is accused of spending too much on social security staffing and too little on jotters in schools. What’s next? Ferries!!! Yay, haven’t had a ferry fiasco story since…yesterday. I wonder where that ‘Anger’ is coming from? Just Martin Williams? Anas Sinking Sarwar? Anyhow, never mind, is that CalMac guy better remunerated than say at some other UK ferry service? There isn’t a comparable company operating in the UK domestic market. Wightlink is the next biggest, but with only 6 ferries/2 ports to CalMac’s 36 ferries/50 ports, it will just have to do. Given that … Continue reading CalMac chief with 36 boats and 50 ports paid only half what English ferry chief with 6 boats and 2 ports got – shareholder dividends? Read on

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The UK DWP is 20 times bigger and costs 20 times more than Social Security Scotland as well as having a reputation for driving the disabled to suicide

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The Scottish elections loom and universally the media are coalescing around a drive to try to stem support for the SNP with reports of supposed evidence of incompetence by that party in government. This, they and the opposition will repeat daily along the lines of – ‘If they can manage….how could they expect to run a country?’ We’re going to be busy here these next 5 months. As with the Sunday Mail today (previous post), there’s no way I’m paying whatever the SOS costs to find out what dodgy sums they’re using to compare the DWP and the SSS. They … Continue reading The UK DWP is 20 times bigger and costs 20 times more than Social Security Scotland as well as having a reputation for driving the disabled to suicide

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Scottish Government gives schools 20% more cash and 30% more teachers but the Sunday Mail has another Labour pamphlet as a front page

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The Sunday Mail, now day after day, campaigning for Labour with some dreamed up statistics, set out by some undereducated or dishonest Labour spad, for them. No way would I pay less than a quid, never mind £3.40, to find out, nor will I do them the honour or marking their sums. The idea that the Scottish Government/SNP is in any way responsible for how much a headteacher gives a class teacher to spend on consumables is, and of course they know that, beyond ridicule. Here is what the Scottish and the UK Labour governments are responsible for, from the … Continue reading Scottish Government gives schools 20% more cash and 30% more teachers but the Sunday Mail has another Labour pamphlet as a front page

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Why shops on Scotland’s islands will not have to charge more like those on the Channel Islands – no harbour dues passed on and fares up to 5 times lower thanks to massive Scottish Government subsidies

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From the Jersey Evening Post on 5 January 2025: THE firm that runs M&S stores in Jersey says that its prices on the shelves will have to go up next month when DFDS starts to add harbour dues levied by Ports of Jersey on to its bills. No actual figures are as yet available but imagine that was on a Scottish island served by CalMac. Imagine the media coverage, the opposition partys’ faux fury. Why will this not happen here? Shops on Scottish islands do not specifically have to charge more because of harbour dues or levies charged by port … Continue reading Why shops on Scotland’s islands will not have to charge more like those on the Channel Islands – no harbour dues passed on and fares up to 5 times lower thanks to massive Scottish Government subsidies

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Five serious incidents in only two years including drifting powerless near a rocky headland but New Zealand never blame government

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From Wellington.Scoop on January 10th 2026: Bluebridge troubles continue; crossings cancelled after ramp fault – More Bluebridge ferry services are being cancelled since a winch problem left passengers stranded overnight on the Connemara in Wellington Two hundred passengers spent about 15 hours on the vessel after Thursday’s 8.30pm Wellington to Picton service had to return to the capital shortly after departure following the discovery of a fault with the ramp. After the ramp problem, two scheduled Bluebridge crossings were cancelled – yesterday’s 2pm Picton to Wellington, and this morning’s 2.30am Picton to Wellington. More cancellations were expected. https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=176968 The above … Continue reading Five serious incidents in only two years including drifting powerless near a rocky headland but New Zealand never blame government

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Though domestic abuse far less common, Scottish Government again first in UK to legislate to force abusers to leave social housing

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BBC Scotland has a tasteless, exploitative image, we won’t be using here. From BBC Scotland News today: Social landlords are set to be given powers to remove domestic abusers from tenancy agreements, making it easier for some abuse survivors to stay in their homes. Regulations laid before the Scottish Parliament will bring into force provisions on tenancies that were part of a domestic abuse law passed nearly five years ago. If backed by MSPs, social landlords could apply to the courts to remove people believed to be abusive from tenancy agreements, in effect forcing them to move out. The new … Continue reading Though domestic abuse far less common, Scottish Government again first in UK to legislate to force abusers to leave social housing

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Reliable transparent 12 hour A&E figures confirm corridor care in NHS Scotland less than half as common as in Labour-run England but Daily Record uses a single tragedy on behalf of Labour in Scotland

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It’s another single case plucked out by grubby figures, taking advantage of a distressed family and platformed, front page, by a newspaper little better than a Labour party election leaflet. Explicit figures are not published anywhere but there’s a good proxy for corridor care and that’s 12 hour waits in A&E. By definition if you’re waiting 12 hours after triage assessment and maybe some treatment before getting a bed, that is ‘corridor care.’ A fuller AI rationale for the use of 12 hour waits, based heavily on the views of the Royal College of Medicine, Age Concern and even NHS England itself, … Continue reading Reliable transparent 12 hour A&E figures confirm corridor care in NHS Scotland less than half as common as in Labour-run England but Daily Record uses a single tragedy on behalf of Labour in Scotland

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BMA leaders praise Scottish Government on ‘our shared ambition of making Scotland the best place in the UK for doctors to train and work.’

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From the BMA in Scotland today, absent the views of Dr Iain Findlay whom I’m guessing the Scottish resident doctors have never heard of: Strikes by resident doctors in Scotland due to begin on Tuesday have been suspended following a new offer on pay and contract reform. The BMA Scottish resident doctors committee recommends members accept the offer, which is the equivalent of a 9.9 per cent end-of-year pay uplift for this year and 9.4 per cent for 2026-27. SRDC chair Chris Smith (pictured above) welcomed the proposed deal, which amounts to £149m for the two years. ‘From day one … Continue reading BMA leaders praise Scottish Government on ‘our shared ambition of making Scotland the best place in the UK for doctors to train and work.’

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Only two months after the last time a ‘troubled’ CalMac ferry built in ‘troubled’ shipyard in Lowestoft England, approved by the Scottish Secretary of State, to help out the local ‘troubled’ Tory MP breaks down again

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In the Ayrshire Advertiser, yesterday, the above news. Only two months ago: The National’s piece, above, on the latest problems for the MV Caledonian Isles has no historical perspective on this long-troubled vessel, leaving some to think it’s another ‘SNP ferry fiasco‘. Here it is: Readers will already know that the MV Caledonian Isles had been in dock for repairs following botched work by Cammell Laird in Liverpool. Readers will also be aware of the regular and longstanding Scottish media reports describing the vessel as ‘troubled’ and ‘fault prone.’ While such accounts have been often exaggerated and ill-informed, it may be that the … Continue reading Only two months after the last time a ‘troubled’ CalMac ferry built in ‘troubled’ shipyard in Lowestoft England, approved by the Scottish Secretary of State, to help out the local ‘troubled’ Tory MP breaks down again