Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
2 Comments

New Zealand taxpayers to pick up tab to replace outsourced risky rust-bucket service as four ferries come to grief!

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 8 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA From Newsroom, yesterday: As the New Zealand Government idly contemplates outsourcing the operation of the Interislander Cook Strait ferries, leaders around the Pacific are moving the opposite way with their passenger shipping fleets. As … Continue reading New Zealand taxpayers to pick up tab to replace outsourced risky rust-bucket service as four ferries come to grief!

Leave a comment

‘Ailing US state ferry system with 24% employee vacancy rate facing government cuts and freezes’ has three ferries over 60 years-old

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 8 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA In Scotland, CalMac‘s oldest large ferry, out of 34 vessels, the MV Isle of Arran is approaching 42 years of age. In the US state of Alaska, out of 11 vessels, they have 3 … Continue reading ‘Ailing US state ferry system with 24% employee vacancy rate facing government cuts and freezes’ has three ferries over 60 years-old

5 Comments

No evidence that majority of Scotland’s ethnic minority doctors witness racism

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 8 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA The BMA in Scotland have a terrible track record of totally useless surveys that are, nevertheless sucked up by the media. Today, the Herald claims Majority of Scotland’s ethnic minority doctors witness racism Needless … Continue reading No evidence that majority of Scotland’s ethnic minority doctors witness racism

16 Comments

BBC Scotland’s James Cook wallows in one town’s drug deaths but does not tell you what is really happening there – the trend is down, the treatment is there and the new powerful drugs are pushed by English gangs

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 9 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA A cheap and sensationalist piece by James Cook, pushed up into UK news to shame us, claiming a lack of services for drug addicts in rural areas and repeating the endless ‘worst rate in … Continue reading BBC Scotland’s James Cook wallows in one town’s drug deaths but does not tell you what is really happening there – the trend is down, the treatment is there and the new powerful drugs are pushed by English gangs

4 Comments

Latest Referendum/Holyrood poll distorts by pretending it’s still 2014 to hide 56% for Yes

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 9 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA The 11-14 February 2025 Holyrood poll of party preferences, above, and on independence, below, is based on a sample that has been adjusted, ‘weighted‘ to match the result of the 2014 referendum – a … Continue reading Latest Referendum/Holyrood poll distorts by pretending it’s still 2014 to hide 56% for Yes

2 Comments

Contrary to the SNP, Reform UK gets its money from wealthy people or firms linked to tax havens and they will want something in return

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA Reform UK, contrary to what we thought only a few months ago, has traction in Scotland and is now moving into second place and replacing the other Unionist parties as the main challenger to the SNP. Reform UK has managed to persuade many working-class voters that it is no their side when the evidence is clear that it will serve, first and foremost, the interests of the rich and powerful even more than the Cons and Labour. From The Daily Mirror in September 2024: Nearly three quarters of registered donations to Reform UK come from wealthy people or companies linked … Continue reading Contrary to the SNP, Reform UK gets its money from wealthy people or firms linked to tax havens and they will want something in return

4 Comments

Working-class Scottish voters beware – Reform UK is in the pocket of old Etonians, property moguls, the super-rich and will work to keep their taxes down

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 9 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA We had thought Scotland immune to the charms of Nigel Farage and Reform UK but recent polling suggests otherwise. Scots are just as bothered by immigration and just as cynical about the old parties. … Continue reading Working-class Scottish voters beware – Reform UK is in the pocket of old Etonians, property moguls, the super-rich and will work to keep their taxes down

Leave a comment

Reform UK’s manifesto ‘the sums do not add up’ and ‘would require substantial cuts to the quantity or quality of public services’ in Scotland

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 9 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA In June 2024, the IFS had a look at the Reform UK manifesto. Even this rightist think tank was less than impressed and concluded: Even with the extremely optimistic assumptions about how much economic … Continue reading Reform UK’s manifesto ‘the sums do not add up’ and ‘would require substantial cuts to the quantity or quality of public services’ in Scotland

4 Comments

Reform UK to offer 20% tax relief for school fees

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 11 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA Fettes College in Edinburgh with nine-hole golf course, an ice-skating rink used in winter for ice hockey and in summer as an outdoor swimming pool, a cross-country running track and a rifle shooting … Continue reading Reform UK to offer 20% tax relief for school fees

6 Comments

Reform UK – A clear and present danger for the SNP

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 11 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Mostly by Reader JB Yesterday, in the wake of the Norstat poll for the Times suggesting 77% of Scots are opposed to the SNP’s immigration policy and evidence from other polls of Reform UK moving into second … Continue reading Reform UK – A clear and present danger for the SNP