Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Delayed discharges fall by 8% in one year, in a two-year trend as ‘Scotland’s public sector model based on integration and cooperation among its component parts’ pays off

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy From Delayed discharges in NHS Scotland monthly Figures for December 2025 published today: Timely discharge from hospital is an important indicator of quality. It is a marker that care is person-centred, effective, integrated and harm-free. A delayed discharge occurs when a hospital patient who is clinically ready for discharge from inpatient hospital care continues to occupy a hospital bed beyond the date they are ready for discharge. At the December 2025 census, there were 1,867 people delayed. Compared to the previous three census points, this … Continue reading Delayed discharges fall by 8% in one year, in a two-year trend as ‘Scotland’s public sector model based on integration and cooperation among its component parts’ pays off

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Why did the SNP ‘fraud’ case attract offers of help from other agencies yet no help can be found to investigate Labour’s failures in the Emma Caldwell inquiry?

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy From BBC Scotland today: An investigation into the original inquiry into the murder of Emma Caldwell has stalled because prosecutors cannot find a police force from outside Scotland to take on the task. Scotland’s top law officer, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain, announced two years ago she wanted an independent inquiry into potential criminality by officers involved in the case. However, the Crown Office has told BBC Scotland News that it has been unable to get an English or Welsh force to do the job because … Continue reading Why did the SNP ‘fraud’ case attract offers of help from other agencies yet no help can be found to investigate Labour’s failures in the Emma Caldwell inquiry?

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‘Aggressive assertion’ in Spain and England fans – two former imperial powers – but Scotland fans’ jovial defiance ?

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy Two stories today have got my goat. Yes, I know you know my goat well. First, in the Guardian today: ‘The referee has to be neutral’: Rodri claims Manchester City are victims of injustice – Rodri said: “I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. It’s not fair because we work so hard. When everything is finished, you are frustrated.” https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/feb/02/rodri-referee-neutral-manchester-city-spurs ‘Rodri’, I thought, why do I already have a dim view … Continue reading ‘Aggressive assertion’ in Spain and England fans – two former imperial powers – but Scotland fans’ jovial defiance ?

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Good news you won’t be told – ‘Additional investment for neurodevelopmental support’ but by the Scottish Government so…..

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy Above all of the coverage from a search for ‘Additional investment for neurodevelopmental support’ and the third isn’t even it at all. From the Scottish Government two days ago so plenty time to write a wee piece on it, if the MSM in Scotland wanted to report something good about the SNP in government, in the run-up to an election – Paul Hutcheon at the Record? Children, young people and their families will benefit from £3.4 million of additional investment to improve access to neurodevelopmental … Continue reading Good news you won’t be told – ‘Additional investment for neurodevelopmental support’ but by the Scottish Government so…..

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What First Minister Anas Sarwar offers you – Only weeks after SNP government settles with resident doctors, they plan further strikes and thousands of extra deaths in Labour-run England

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy Note that unlike the recent EIS ballot for teacher strike action, they got a majority response. What happened in Scotland? Resident Doctors have called off proposed strike action across Scotland after the British Medical Association (BMA) Scottish Resident Doctors Committee agreed to ballot members on an offer of 4.25% in 2025-26 and 3.75% in 2026-27. The committee is recommending that their members accept the two-year pay deal offered by the Scottish Government – that matches one already accepted by nurses and other healthcare staff – alongside a separate … Continue reading What First Minister Anas Sarwar offers you – Only weeks after SNP government settles with resident doctors, they plan further strikes and thousands of extra deaths in Labour-run England

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2024 Labour voters get a big slap – let’s hope they remember

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By Liz S Mandelson , the once Business Secretary in Gordon Brown’s cabinet and also he was once appointed as the UK ambassador to the US by Keir Starmer, is yet another Labour scandal coming just after the other recent big Labour scandal . It was reported that “Jeffrey Epstein made $75,000 (£55,000) of payments to accounts connected to Lord Mandelson, bank statements released by the US Department of Justice suggest“ Lord Mandelson said he had no record or recollection of receiving the sums and did not know whether the documents were authentic. The other Labour scandal being when it was reported recently that Jim Murphy’s lobbying firm asked companies … Continue reading 2024 Labour voters get a big slap – let’s hope they remember

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SNP-GOOOD? Decision to avoid US/Israel affiliated creepy Palantir for your health data further validated but Herald goes full obtuse on us

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy From the Herald’s Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco today: Tech firm with NHS Scotland contracts to sell ICE-linked subsidiary – A French tech company with Scottish Government contracts will sell its US subsidiary after it emerged the firm had engaged in people-tracking operations for ICE. The Herald reported last week that Capgemini had provided IT services to a number of public entities in Scotland, including NHS Scotland, SAAS, and the Care Inspectorate.  On Sunday, following backlash from French politicians, the tech firm announced it would divest from its US subsidiary – which signed a deal worth up … Continue reading SNP-GOOOD? Decision to avoid US/Israel affiliated creepy Palantir for your health data further validated but Herald goes full obtuse on us

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Starmer’s China whisky deal will benefit Scotland by SFA!

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy From BBC Scotland, 30 January 2026: A cut in tariffs on Scottish whisky exports to China will come into force on Monday, the prime minister has told the BBC. As a result of a new deal agreed during Sir Keir Starmer’s trip to China, import taxes on whisky will be cut from 10% to 5% – a deal the UK government said would be worth £250m to the UK’s economy over the next five years. Scotch whisky is a key export for Britain’s drinks … Continue reading Starmer’s China whisky deal will benefit Scotland by SFA!

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Talking-up Scotland escapes from paywall misery and owner gets new gasket fitted

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After one day of putting Talking-up Scotland behind a paywall, I’ve come to my sense (just the one) and set it free. It was the 3 800 readers one night followed by only 14 contributors the next day, that blew my gasket. I have a new gasket and plan to just chill from now on. Maybe I’m too emotional for this line of work but then if I wasn’t, I suspect TuS would be smaller or have been quietly abandoned years ago. What normal person would work to 74, seven days a week, 340 days a year? In the end, … Continue reading Talking-up Scotland escapes from paywall misery and owner gets new gasket fitted