Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Blood cancer patients in England first in world [not including Scotland] to be offered ‘Trojan horse’ drug

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Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair It’s kind of sad that when I see headlines like the one above, in the Guardian today, I immediately think: Did they bother checking NHS Scotland? When they say ‘England’, do they mean ‘UK?’ There’s no mention of Scotland in the report, but not for the first time, I find something that shows their habitual Anglocentrism. From Myeloma UK, undated but posted in March 2025: Approval – the licensed treatment is approved for general use on the NHS. Approval is based on clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Two of the appraisal bodies … Continue reading Blood cancer patients in England first in world [not including Scotland] to be offered ‘Trojan horse’ drug

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Beware ‘gushing’ British Labour Party politicians in Scotland in the wake of their government’s Spending Review which quietly cuts Great British Energy funding to zero

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By stewartb The BBC News website on June 11 covered the Spending Review announcements in separate articles, in its Wales and Scotland sections. The BBC Wales article had this cautionary headline: ‘Spending review could mean cuts in Wales – experts’. Critical views ares shared by BBC Wales on the significance of the SR and not just from politicians opposed to the British Labour Party government but from ‘experts’ too: Here we learn: ’On Wednesday, the chancellor announced a real-terms increase of 3% to day-to-day funding for the NHS in England. That will result in extra funding for Welsh ministers to … Continue reading Beware ‘gushing’ British Labour Party politicians in Scotland in the wake of their government’s Spending Review which quietly cuts Great British Energy funding to zero

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The dark Brian Wilson allowed to challenge SNP universalism on winter fuel allowance in a typically under-educated manner

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Professor John Robertson OBA Brian ‘Bad Vibrations’ Wilson, former Minister under Tony Blair, is in the Herald today to claim: Winter fuel payment u-turn exposes flaws in SNP’s universalism Have I read it? No way? Do I need to read it? No way. I have the oven-ready, fully-researched, response from a think tank set up by that real socialist, the late Jimmy Reid. The facts, from the Jimmy Reid Foundation: In 2012, I read and was much impressed by their The Case for Universalism An assessment of the evidence on the effectiveness and efficiency of the universal welfare state which made these telling … Continue reading The dark Brian Wilson allowed to challenge SNP universalism on winter fuel allowance in a typically under-educated manner

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As Police Scotland send officers to help in Northern Ireland again, how the Scottish Government has made them the only UK force able to help with such ‘uncommon’ demands

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Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Scotland yesterday: Police Scotland has agreed to send officers to Northern Ireland after two nights of disorder in Ballymena. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) asked for extra support under mutual aid arrangements following violent scenes in the County Antrim town. The deployment will involve an undisclosed number of public order officers who are trained to police civil unrest. Police Scotland previously sent 120 officers to Belfast last summer after a number of PSNI officers were injured during several nights of rioting and disorder in the wake of attacks on children in Southport, Merseyside. Mutual … Continue reading As Police Scotland send officers to help in Northern Ireland again, how the Scottish Government has made them the only UK force able to help with such ‘uncommon’ demands

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Covid Inquiry reports praising Scottish Government’s approach which you’re not going to hear anywhere else

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By Brenda Robb I’ve done what BBC reporters routinely do ie scan a document and pick out selective bits to back up an argument. I make no apologies for this because rarely does Scotland get any positive mentions, while negative findings are highlighted, amplified in headlines and endlessly discussed. If I ever get the time & energy I’m going to work my way through all the Covid reports, maybe do a list of positive/negative statements and make my own conclusions before the BBC or Rupert Murdoch try to tell me what to think. Below are statements from the most recent Covid … Continue reading Covid Inquiry reports praising Scottish Government’s approach which you’re not going to hear anywhere else

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A closed breastfeeding support service and failed hospital disinfectants research but no mention that Scotland has the lowest stillbirth rate and the cleanest hospitals in the UK

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By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS BBC Scotland today, headlining: A breastfeeding support service which has helped mums of newborn babies for a decade has closed down after funding was withdrawn. Breastfeeding Buddies was run by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) charity in five hospitals in Greater Glasgow and Lothian, offering peer support to mothers who wanted to breastfeed. The Scottish government had previously funded the scheme directly but this year it said it had allowed the health boards to decide how to meet local need. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian will no longer fund … Continue reading A closed breastfeeding support service and failed hospital disinfectants research but no mention that Scotland has the lowest stillbirth rate and the cleanest hospitals in the UK

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Despite mass media misrepresentation most Scots still do not support new nuclear power stations

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the last few months, we’ve seen the MSM in Scotland support the Labour Party’s plans, across the UK and in Scotland, to build new nuclear power stations. Coverage has largely ignored the international research pointing to massive real costs, increased waste and health risks, as well as Scotland’s zero need for nuclear power as new windfarms and battery farms have us on the brink of full sufficiency and security. YouGov today, however, are headlining majority support for new nuclear at around 55% across England, 58% in the South of England. Looking closer, the figure for … Continue reading Despite mass media misrepresentation most Scots still do not support new nuclear power stations

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Suspected drug deaths fall by 166 (14%) in last year

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Suspected drug deaths in Scotland: January to March 2025 – This quarterly report presents Police Scotland management information to provide an indication of current trends in suspected drug deaths in Scotland, published today: There were 1,053 suspected drug deaths over the 12 months to March 2025, 14% (166) fewer than the 12 months to March 2024 (1,219). Note that numbers of suspected drug deaths fluctuate from quarter to quarter. Care should be taken not to interpret movements between individual calendar quarters as indicative of any long-term trend. https://www.gov.scot/publications/suspected-drug-deaths-scotland-january-march-2025/ That last point will, of course, be … Continue reading Suspected drug deaths fall by 166 (14%) in last year

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Latest figures reveal an independent Scotland would be 100% energy secure not even needing its own gas extraction after a 94% reduction in demand since 2007

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics 2023 – Official statistics showing emissions of greenhouse gases in Scotland over the period 1990 to 2023 published today, the above table and: There was a very large reduction in emissions in the electricity generation sector of 0.8 MtCO2e in 2023, with a large reduction in gas-fired electricity generation being principally responsible for this drop. Reduction in Electricity Supply emissions (i.e. power stations) (-13.8 MtCO2e; 93.4 per cent reduction) Industrial emissions fell 7.5 MtCO2e (59.5 per cent reduction) https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-greenhouse-gas-statistics-2023/ What the table above reveals is that Scotland is already almost entirely … Continue reading Latest figures reveal an independent Scotland would be 100% energy secure not even needing its own gas extraction after a 94% reduction in demand since 2007

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Do we need nuclear or Brian Wilson? Nope!

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Bob Lamont and Mills James on yesterday’s Sizewell C announcement millsjames1949 With estimates of (up to ) £40 billion as the ( building ) cost of this one Nuclear Station ( with several Small Nuclear stations to follow ) plus the higher cost of electricity to the consumers to access this power …imagine using this money for : a) proper insulation of existing housing stock to reduce energy consumption b) installing solar panels in existing housing stock to offset energy use from the Grid c) installing heat pumps in existing housing stock to reduce energy consumption …. I know , … Continue reading Do we need nuclear or Brian Wilson? Nope!