Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
1 Comment

Covid fallout – How Scotland did better on Covid deaths, life expectancy, homelessness and mental health care

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today, the above and: Britain performed worse than most other developed nations in its response to the Covid pandemic, according to an Observer analysis of international data, five years on from the first lockdown. The UK spent more money than most other countries on economic help yet still ended up with larger drops in life expectancy, more people too sick to work, huge levels of homelessness and soaring mental health problems among young people. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/08/five-years-on-britons-among-hardest-hit-by-covid-fallout There’s no mention of Scotland in the Guardian survey and there’s the regular use of data from England to back … Continue reading Covid fallout – How Scotland did better on Covid deaths, life expectancy, homelessness and mental health care

3 Comments

Women’s health and ‘trusted journalism’ – Herald off to a predictable and laughable start

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Herald today with the above footer: Women in Scotland fear they are still being left behind when it comes to medical services despite the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan. The Women’s Health Plan ran from 2021 to 2024 and had promised improvements to menopause services and better care for endometriosis, but the results of a new survey show women are still struggling to receive the care they need. Trusted journalism, eh? Is the source reliable? Well, it’s by McKeown Medical, a private profit motive-driven business. Were there no reliable sources? Clearly not. Oh, well, … Continue reading Women’s health and ‘trusted journalism’ – Herald off to a predictable and laughable start

7 Comments

Falkirk SNP council tried to set lower council tax but Labour and Independents forced through largest council tax increase of 15.6%

johnrobertson834

By Liz S BBC have an article on their website which is the top story on their Scottish Politics page and top story on the Tayside & Central page too and also it’s the sixth story on the main Scotland page with a headline that states: “Falkirk sets largest council tax increase of 15.6%” The text of the article explains that “The budget of the council’s SNP administration was defeated. Instead the motion of Independent councillor Laura Murtagh was backed by the Labour group and other Independents”. “Council leader and SNP councillor Cecil Meiklejohn said her administration’s proposed 13.7% would have brought … Continue reading Falkirk SNP council tried to set lower council tax but Labour and Independents forced through largest council tax increase of 15.6%

4 Comments

Daily Record’s sickening lies to Scottish readers as murder by knife and possession of knives plummet in Scotland, only

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA That front page is a new low for even the Wrecker. What’s wrong with it, factually? First, Murder by stabbing in Scotland has fallen in a steady trend to half of the level 6 years ago – From Knife crime statistics: FOI release, published today, we see that there were 49 homicides by knife in Scotland in 2017/2018 and that there has been a steady and significant fall to 25, in 2022/2023, the most recent data.1 Second, ‘teens’ are dying in ever fewer numbers. The above victim was 15 years old. There are no data for 13-19 … Continue reading Daily Record’s sickening lies to Scottish readers as murder by knife and possession of knives plummet in Scotland, only

4 Comments

Increasing cases of Parkinson’s in Scotland – latest research into causes and Monsanto’s $8 billion US pay-outs

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA BBC UK has been featuring new technologies to assist people with Parkinson’s, today. Two days ago, the BMJ reported new research on the condition’s global surge in cases. The BMJ site was down as I wrote this but parkinson’s europe has this: A new modelling study published today in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) suggests there will be 25 million people living with Parkinson’s worldwide by 2050, more than doubling the current global prevalence of Parkinson’s. Researchers from Capital Medical University in Beijing, China, conducted this latest modelling study using data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease … Continue reading Increasing cases of Parkinson’s in Scotland – latest research into causes and Monsanto’s $8 billion US pay-outs

6 Comments

Herald Ferry Correspondent ‘moved’ to Fashion and Arran elite u-turn as CalMac hit 95% reliability

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA, Global Ferry Correspondent 2022-2025 Something else I missed, almost a year ago: CalMac’s determination to provide a reliable ferry service to Scotland’s west coast communities has been demonstrated through its latest annual accounts, which show spending on maintenance has almost doubled in six years. The latest annual report for David MacBrayne Ltd, and a separate report for its main operating subsidiary, CalMac, were lodged this week. In the financial year ending March 2023, the annual report from DML shows that CalMac spent £36.5m on maintenance and its annual overhaul programme for the fleet during the financial … Continue reading Herald Ferry Correspondent ‘moved’ to Fashion and Arran elite u-turn as CalMac hit 95% reliability

4 Comments

From the ‘Murder Capital’ of Europe to the safest place in the UK in less than 20 years

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA My column in the March 2025 Scots Independent, on paper, delivered to your door, is available at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product/annual-12-month-subscription/ About: Since 1926 the Scots Independent has been the only regularly produced publication that fully supports the cause of Independence. It has always been produced and distributed by volunteers. This remains the case today with everyone involved living in different parts of the country. So long as there are willing volunteers the newspaper and the website will continue. Our remit is not to make great proits for our masters but to help spread the pro independence arguments to … Continue reading From the ‘Murder Capital’ of Europe to the safest place in the UK in less than 20 years

6 Comments

NHS Scotland’s ‘excellent ovarian [and other] cancer services across Scotland’

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA The Express today, rehashing a Record story on February 13th 2025, has the sickly headline: John Swinney shamed over NHS failures to treat Scottish women with ovarian cancer It’s nonsense. The facts, first on all cancers: In the Guardian on 3 February 2025: More than half a million people in England have had to wait longer than two months for essential cancer treatment, analysis of latest NHS figures has shown. It has led experts to suggest thousands more patients will die unnecessarily unless the NHS gets to grips quickly with the delays. Analysis of new NHS figures by Radiotherapy UK shows that in the … Continue reading NHS Scotland’s ‘excellent ovarian [and other] cancer services across Scotland’

11 Comments

Leading European expert says Scotland is ‘at the very top pillar with regards to patient safety’ since 2007 but BBC Scotland desperately try to hide that from you

johnrobertson834

In Scotland’s health service every day on average. That’s according to figures obtained by the BBC. Data released under a Freedom of Information requests show the number of significant adverse events, including avoidable deaths jumped by 41% in the last four years. Professor John Robertson OBA This wee story today seems to be another one of those carried out by the Pacific Quay team, at public expense, in the hope of undermining the Scottish Government via the NHS. Details are not available at the BBC Scotland website, as yet but I’m looking forward to seeing how the wee souls came … Continue reading Leading European expert says Scotland is ‘at the very top pillar with regards to patient safety’ since 2007 but BBC Scotland desperately try to hide that from you

1 Comment

The treatment of refugee children – How Scotland is trying to become a better place even before we have full control

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today, the above and: Tens of thousands of children in migrant and refugee families in the UK are being denied access to government-funded childcare because of benefit restrictions linked to their parents’ immigration status, a report says. Having “no recourse to public funds” (NRPF) means parents are not entitled to 30 hours of free childcare and are having to stay home to look after their young children instead of working. This is pushing families into poverty and denying their children the benefits of the early years education available to their peers, the report … Continue reading The treatment of refugee children – How Scotland is trying to become a better place even before we have full control