Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Herald and Brian Whittle reveal fury as cost of swimming lessons go up by less than inflation….eh what…less….Brian?

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Headlining in the Herald and with Con MSP Brian Whittle to comment, has today: Price of children’s swimming lessons jumps 24 per cent in six years – Councils across Scotland have increased the cost of swimming lessons in recent years, with cash-strapped authorities desperate to find savings. One MSP warned that the price hike could stop children from getting access to pools and ultimately impact the mental and physical health of the nation. They never tire of adding up do they? They should have tried 70 years. Under a Tory government, me an my pals (12-14) could go to ‘the Baths’ … Continue reading Herald and Brian Whittle reveal fury as cost of swimming lessons go up by less than inflation….eh what…less….Brian?

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Holyrood 2026 – SNP’s lead widening steadily

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Most recent 3 polls from 4 December 2024 to 13 January 2025, average SNP lead is 15%. Previous 3 polls from 10 September 2024 to 15 November 2024, SNP lead is 5%. Previous 3 polls from 20 August 2024 to 5 September 2024, SNP lead is 3.7%. Previous 3 polls from 21 June 2024 to 26 June 2024, Labour lead is 1%. Previous 3 polls from 3 June 2024 to 14 June 2024, Labour lead is 0.7%. Clusters of polls are more reliable than single polls often with quite small samples so these five 3-poll clusters offer a clearer picture … Continue reading Holyrood 2026 – SNP’s lead widening steadily

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Shocking inequalities in NHS England’s maternity care not apparent in Scotland where standards are being further ensured thanks to Scottish Government plans

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‘shocking inequalities’ in maternity services… the deaths of 56 babies and 2 mothers at Leeds Teaching Hospital may have been preventable. By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC News at 6 [January 2025] has the above astonishing report goes on to list 6 or 7 other locations with comparable concerns to those in Leeds but there as no suggestion of blame for the current or previous governments. In November 2023, I was able to write: Note the wee print under the photo – 85 dangerously substandard maternity units in NHS England. The ‘Scottish’ media are quiet. If they had something, they’d be all over … Continue reading Shocking inequalities in NHS England’s maternity care not apparent in Scotland where standards are being further ensured thanks to Scottish Government plans

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More news you won’t hear – 800% increase in social rent completions in one year

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From Affordable Housing Supply Programme: out-turn report – 2022 to 2023, published today, in 2022/2023, there were 8 081 social rent completions, new builds, funded by the Scottish Government, in Scotland, up from 1 048, the previous year.1 Social rent is usually less than what you’d pay a private landlord for a similar property. It is typically about 50% of the local market rent. Affordable rent, on the other hand, can be up to 80% of what a private landlord normally charges Sources: Continue reading More news you won’t hear – 800% increase in social rent completions in one year

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More news you won’t hear – Over 98,000 children are now benefiting from new learning environments and over 10,000 people are benefiting from new affordable homes

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By cuckooshoe The SNP proposed a Scottish Futures Trust in their 2007 election manifesto. The Scottish Government owns the SFT which they established in 2008. It is an independent, arms-length company that works with the public and private sectors to maximize the benefits of infrastructure projects. “To further demonstrate the impact of our work, we produced this website with our ten outcomes detailed below. Within each of the outcomes, we have listed a number of facts and figures that reflect the quantitative impact our work is having. And across the ten outcomes, we have added 23 more case studies (on top … Continue reading More news you won’t hear – Over 98,000 children are now benefiting from new learning environments and over 10,000 people are benefiting from new affordable homes

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News you won’t hear – SNP legislation slashes second home ownership and empty properties in just one year

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Minister for Housing correspondence and empty homes statistics: FOI release published today, we can see that in 2024, there were 65 144 empty second homes, down 7 % from 70 278 in 2023 and 43 538 properties empty for 6 months, down 7% from 46 217 in 2023. This change is largely due to: Powers enabling Councils in Scotland to apply either, a 50% Council Tax discount, the standard rate, or an up to 100% council tax premium (double the rate) on second homes came into force in April 2024. 30 local authorities have introduced the premium in … Continue reading News you won’t hear – SNP legislation slashes second home ownership and empty properties in just one year

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News you won’t hear – Threats and Extortion crimes plummet by 28% in 2024

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Threats and Extortion recorded crime statistics: FOI release, published today, we see that crimes of ‘threats and extortion’ have fallen dramatically in Scotland, from 2 612 in the year ending September 2023, to 1 869 in the year ending September 2024, a 28.4% fall in only one year. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400442643/ Support Scots Independent, Scotland’s oldest pro-independence newspaper and host of the OBA (Oliver Brown Award) at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/shop/ The Oliver Brown Award for advancing the cause of Scotland’s self respect, previously awarded to Dr Philippa Whitford, Alex Salmond and Sean Connery: https://scotsindependent.scot/?page_id=116 About Oliver Brown, the first Scottish National Party candidate to save his deposit in a Parliamentary … Continue reading News you won’t hear – Threats and Extortion crimes plummet by 28% in 2024

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Will Starmer now launch an investigation into why Scotland’s ferry service does much better than that ‘serving’ the Isle of Wight?

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From the Island Echo yesterday: Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said in the House of Commons this lunchtime (Wednesday) that ferry services to and from the Isle of Wight have ‘not been good enough’, and promises that the Maritime Minister will hold further meetings with Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel. Joe Robertson, MP for Isle of Wight East, stood up during today’s Prime Minister’s Questions to ask whether or not the Government agrees that the anomaly surrounding Isle of Wight cross-Solent travel must come to an end. In his address, Mr Robertson said: “My constituents on the Isle of Wight … Continue reading Will Starmer now launch an investigation into why Scotland’s ferry service does much better than that ‘serving’ the Isle of Wight?

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There is no evidence of ‘regular’ care in extra beds and corridors in Scotland as BBC Scotland make up the numbers from a survey where less than 1% bothered to respond across the UK

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Professor John Robertson OBA In a 457 page report, On the frontline of the UK’s corridor care crisis, from the RCN UK, the word ‘Scotland’ appears only twice in the text and, other than that, as the page header of a section where there are anonymised statements from an unspecified number of respondents. I am not, of course, saying that events do not happen in corridors and that care never takes place there, in Scotland but I am saying that this report does not provide evidence of it happening regularly as BBC Scotland claims today. The report only suggests ‘more than 5 … Continue reading There is no evidence of ‘regular’ care in extra beds and corridors in Scotland as BBC Scotland make up the numbers from a survey where less than 1% bothered to respond across the UK

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NHS Scotland staffed and resourced to carry out 98% of nearly 25 000 operations in November 2024, up 40% on the level at the end of the pandemic, to complete media silence

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland, yesterday, we see that NHS Scotland had in place the staff and resources to carry out 98% of the 24 764 operations planned for November 2024 and 40% up from the around 18 000 planned at the end of the Covid-19 emergency measures in early 2022. In the event, around 6% were cancelled at the last minute, either by the patient themselves or by the medical staff, but nevertheless, NHS Scotland after 17 years of SNP rule, was ready for that 6% too. This is remarkable efficiency and government support in a … Continue reading NHS Scotland staffed and resourced to carry out 98% of nearly 25 000 operations in November 2024, up 40% on the level at the end of the pandemic, to complete media silence