Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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As Labour government cuts millions from funding for victims’ services, SNP increase it by 12% in one year

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By Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today: The [UK] government has cut millions of pounds in funding for victims’ services, prompting warnings that “criminals will go unpunished” unless it urgently changes its position. The Victims’ Commissioner has written a letter to chancellor Rachel Reeves, shared exclusively with the Observer, saying a combination of funding reductions and the upcoming employers’ national insurance increase was creating an “existential crisis” for charities. The commissioner and charities in the sector are calling for an urgent funding increase in the next spending review, which concludes this spring. “These crucial services ensure victims have the … Continue reading As Labour government cuts millions from funding for victims’ services, SNP increase it by 12% in one year

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Rail fares in England and Wales to soar by 21% more than in Scotland but only Scottish opposition parties are platformed (!) to moan

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By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland on 31 January 2025: ScotRail fares set to increase by nearly 4% – Rail fares across Scotland are set to increase by 3.8% in April. Scottish Labour‘s transport spokeswoman Claire Baker said the price increase would “hammer” rail passengers and “consign ScotRail to a spiral of decline”. She added: “The SNP should be making rail more affordable, but instead it has hit passengers with painful fare hikes time and time again. This increase is bad for Scotland’s rail passengers, bad for our economy and bad for the environment.” Sue Webber, transport spokeswoman for … Continue reading Rail fares in England and Wales to soar by 21% more than in Scotland but only Scottish opposition parties are platformed (!) to moan

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Ukraine – Stand up for the people of Scotland against rich warmongers

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I see Stephen Gethins MP, the SNP’s Westminster foreign affairs spokesperson, has said on our behalf without any membership consultation, that Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK cannot go ahead if he refuses to show further support for Ukraine, called Trump’s behaviour towards Zelensky “grotesque” and said it amounted to “bullying”. I cannot agree with idea nor with that naive ‘David and Goliath’ assessment. My thoughts more fully are here: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2025/03/01/elite-fall-out-at-least-we-got-to-see-it-this-time/ Further thoughts from reader JB As a kid my father always told me to read once, read again and then read between the lines to ensure of … Continue reading Ukraine – Stand up for the people of Scotland against rich warmongers

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Even the intelligent Bella Caledonia jumps unthinking onto the barricades, brandishing little more than a tooth-pick, to stop Trump coming to Scotland

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By Professor John Robertson OBA The typically excellent Bella Caledonia [ I mean that] has this today, joining with all the other folk I respect on Scottish independence but suddenly ‘armchair tank commanders‘, and rushed to the barricades to try to stop President Trump coming to Scotland. I mean, really, you hate him more than Narendra Modi of India or whichever Israeli diplomat comes to Scotland? Look properly. He’s a horrible horrible guy but he has done little to compare with the horror inflicted on Muslims in India or in the Israeli Empire. They write: America is a shadow of … Continue reading Even the intelligent Bella Caledonia jumps unthinking onto the barricades, brandishing little more than a tooth-pick, to stop Trump coming to Scotland

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Scilly Season – 48 year old ailing, elderly, ferry replacement no longer due in 2026 despite journey times dearly doubling

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By Professor John Robertson OBE From BBC Cornwall, yesterday: Final preparations are under way for the Scillonian III ferry to start sailing to the Isles of Scilly next month on what could be her last season. The vessel came into service in 1977 and has made more than 10,000 trips to the islands. Senior managers at the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group (ISSG) have said the ferry was now 48 years old and it was now time to look forward. Her replacement, the Scillonian IV, and a new cargo vessel were both under construction in Vietnam and were scheduled to enter service … Continue reading Scilly Season – 48 year old ailing, elderly, ferry replacement no longer due in 2026 despite journey times dearly doubling

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The case for developing a shipbuilding industry on the Clyde – as four cheap-build island ‘lifeline’, Turkey-built ferries are delayed again and again despite cheap and dangerous practice

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The MV Isle of Islay, a Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) vessel and the first of two vessels to serve the islands of Jura and Islay, taking to the water for the first time on Saturday at Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Yalova, Turkey. Picture: CMAL/PA Wire© (Photo: CMAL) By Professor John Robertson OBA From the Scotsman today: A fleet of ferries being built in Turkey have been hit by a further setback, with their completion date pushed back by at least another three months due to labour shortages. The Isle of Islay – the first of four vessels being built at the … Continue reading The case for developing a shipbuilding industry on the Clyde – as four cheap-build island ‘lifeline’, Turkey-built ferries are delayed again and again despite cheap and dangerous practice

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Cancer risks around nuclear power stations and lessons for Scottish Labour, latest – ‘Rates exceeded the national average and grew over the plants operating lifetimes’

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From A Nuclear Power Resurgence Is Coming to Michigan. What Are the Potential Health Impacts? in Inside Climate News on 28th February 2025: Adding to multiple reports, across the globe of increased cancer cases around nuclear power and waste plants, going back for decades now, recent research evidence from the USA reinforces these and casts Scottish Labour’s support for new nuclear plant in Scotland, into serious doubt. From the above report: Before the Palisades nuclear plant powered on in 1971, cancer death rates in Van Buren County, Michigan, were comfortably below the national average. But … Continue reading Cancer risks around nuclear power stations and lessons for Scottish Labour, latest – ‘Rates exceeded the national average and grew over the plants operating lifetimes’

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Elite fall-out – At least WE got to see it this time

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By Professor John Robertson OBA This is still about Scotland because it’s about everywhere. It’s about what happens to smaller countries when their larger protectors do a u-turn and about how the elite groups in our country are not really our friends any more than the elite groups in other countries care about their own people. Everybody’s talking about it. Two beefy big guys give a wee guy a dressing down in public. It looked like bullying. Just about everybody I agree with on Scottish independence is of one mind – we must stand by Ukraine. It’s all much more, … Continue reading Elite fall-out – At least WE got to see it this time

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Massive seagrass project – Scottish Government provides core funding for this high profile project but you’d never know that from the reporting

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By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC UK had this story and it’s getting fairly wide UK media coverage. I see little ‘Scottish’ media coverage but maybe they’re not up yet. What’s it all about? Seagrass is a wonder plant, the only true flowering plant in the sea. The meadows it creates in shallow and intertidal waters are home to a bewildering array of wildlife and are often likened to rainforests because of the thousands of species they provide food and shelter for. Scottish seas are a special place for marine habitats like seagrass, with our coast stretching 18,000 km and … Continue reading Massive seagrass project – Scottish Government provides core funding for this high profile project but you’d never know that from the reporting

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LATEST – Two research groups praise unique SNP efforts to tackle child poverty in the interests of all of us

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By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS From Turning the tide What it will take to reduce child poverty in the UK published by the Resolution Foundation, two days ago, at: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/, the above revealing graph and: In 2017, the Scottish Government enshrined ambitious child poverty reduction targets into law. These targets require Scottish ministers to reduce relative child poverty in Scotland to below 10 per cent and absolute child poverty to below 5 per cent by 2030 (both measured after housing costs).50 Such ambition has led to Scotland enacting measures that directly boost the incomes of parents claiming … Continue reading LATEST – Two research groups praise unique SNP efforts to tackle child poverty in the interests of all of us