Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Has NHS Scotland replaced this faulty knee implant still being used elsewhere in the UK?

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or, if you prefer, a bank transfer, at sort code 089300 account 1421 7339 Professor John Robertson OBE, TuS Sare Knees Correspondent I couldn’t help but be interested in the above headline as my knees settle into the recommended posture on my ergonomic computer chair this morning. This story is a bit kniche perhaps but also shocking. BBC Health tell us today: A knee-replacement implant, used in thousands of UK [sic] operations, was known to have a concerning failure rate eight years before it … Continue reading Has NHS Scotland replaced this faulty knee implant still being used elsewhere in the UK?

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Another reason to say no to nuclear – global warming causing more and more jellyfish blooms clogging nuclear power stations from Australia to East Lothian and forcing shutdowns

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to gavinochiltree for: Four reactors at the EDF French nuke plant at Gravelines have been forced to close down on Sunday and Monday because of a swarm of jelly fish getting into the cooling system. If it had been Hinckley Point, what would be the back up, as we scots are frequently asked about wind. And jelly fish? There are millions around the UK–check out Ayr beach. Fish used to keep them in check by eating them when young, but there ain’t so many fish these days. and to Dotty for alerting me to this: … Continue reading Another reason to say no to nuclear – global warming causing more and more jellyfish blooms clogging nuclear power stations from Australia to East Lothian and forcing shutdowns

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As Scottish Government release new vaccine guidance, how babies have been better protected from whooping cough in Scotland

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/detailsProfessor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland today – Whooping cough vaccine. Protect your baby from whooping cough: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/whooping-cough-vaccine-protect-your-baby-from-whooping-cough/ It’s good to see no resting on laurels here. In July 2024, from the BMJ: Nine infants died from whooping cough in England between November last year and the end of May 2024, the UK Health Security Agency has reported. Altogether a total of 7599 cases of whooping cough have been confirmed in England this year, with cases continuing to rise from 555 in January to … Continue reading As Scottish Government release new vaccine guidance, how babies have been better protected from whooping cough in Scotland

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Once again BBC Scotland hiding the Englishness of Scotland’s drug network

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or, if you prefer, a bank transfer, at sort code 089300 account 1421 7339 Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Graham for alerting me to the above in the P&J today, and: Man caught with class-A drugs in Aberdeen gets locked up – Dawood Mahmood, from Sheffield, had cocaine and diamorphine worth more than £5,000 at a flat he was using in the city. From Graham: Yet another FEB drug dealer taken off our streets, kudos to the P&J for reporting on these cases … Continue reading Once again BBC Scotland hiding the Englishness of Scotland’s drug network

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UK Labour government releasing prisoners at FIVE times the rate of the SNP government and including those serving more than twice as long as allowed by SNP government scheme

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or, if you prefer, a bank transfer, at sort code 089300 account 1421 7339 Professor John Robertson OBA According to BBC Breakfast this morning, the Labour Government has released 26 000 prisoners early and 100s of them were serving sentences of more than 10 years, since they came to power one year ago. While there are no statistics for that same precise period, in 2024, according to the BBC, the Scottish Government only released 477 early and only those serving less than 4 years: … Continue reading UK Labour government releasing prisoners at FIVE times the rate of the SNP government and including those serving more than twice as long as allowed by SNP government scheme

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Did Annie Wells want Glasgow to spend less on needle bins so that local weans can get their hands in more easily?

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or, if you prefer, a bank transfer, at sort code 089300 account 1421 7339 Professor John Robertson OBA In little more than another Conservative Party release, the Herald has a report today from Annie Wells (Con) that Glasgow City Council has spent £5 000 on installing two public sharp bins for used injection needles. I’m sure Wells will know that these bins must be safe and that an ordinary wheelie bin is not on. Did the wee researcher for Wells check the going rate … Continue reading Did Annie Wells want Glasgow to spend less on needle bins so that local weans can get their hands in more easily?

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On older drivers and road deaths, two new Labour Government initiatives, one ill-researched and the other copying the SNP 11 years too late

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or, if you prefer, a bank transfer, at sort code 089300 account 1421 7339 Professor John Robertson OBA First, on age, under 30 year-olds have the highest accident and fatality rates by some way: https://toptests.co.uk/driving-statistics/ Second, on alcohol and road traffic accidents, around 300 die in accidents where at least one driver was over the limit, around 3 300 since the SNP reduced the level and politicians in England prevented the same: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-in-great-britain-involving-illegal-alcohol-levels-2022/reported-road-casualties-in-great-britain-involving-illegal-alcohol-levels-2022 Third, Scotland, not mentioned in the BBC UK reporting today and … Continue reading On older drivers and road deaths, two new Labour Government initiatives, one ill-researched and the other copying the SNP 11 years too late

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It’s only North Britain after all – MoD Pollution & Legacy Sites in Scotland

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By stewartb It’s only North Britain after all, a part of the ‘precious’ Union without sufficient clout to make a difference in Westminster and Whitehall as to how the MoD operates! Here is a bullet-point list of MoD Pollution & Legacy Sites in Scotland that have received some public profile over the past c.20 years (courtesy of ChatGPT and not checked further by me): Radioactive and Nuclear Legacy: Dalgety Bay (Fife) – WWII-era contamination from disposal of radium-painted aircraft dials. Radioactive particles discovered in 1990; beach closure in 2010 due to rising contamination. £10M MoD-funded remediation began in 2021; completion expected … Continue reading It’s only North Britain after all – MoD Pollution & Legacy Sites in Scotland

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STV simply lie about police numbers in little more than a Labour campaign leaflet, despite 300 more police officers in Scotland since last Labour government, despite a massive fall in crime and 30% more officers than England

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Professor John Robertson OBA STV, only 5 days ago had the above inaccurate claims, overtime figures found by the thoroughly discredited friend of Labour, the 1919 magazine, with an extended rant from Scottish Labour‘s Pauline McNeill. The STV report is utterly devoid of reliably sourced facts such as these: From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: July 2025 published today, some key points getting no media attention: There were 16,553 full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers in Scotland on 31 March 2025. This was 319 (+2.0%) more officers compared to the position on 31 March 2007, and 197 (+1.2%) more than on 31 March … Continue reading STV simply lie about police numbers in little more than a Labour campaign leaflet, despite 300 more police officers in Scotland since last Labour government, despite a massive fall in crime and 30% more officers than England

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Latest Labour Government ‘Farage Panic’ to reduce prison population as Scotland’s prison population falls safely to more than 300 below capacity

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the latest unconvincing Labour Government attempt to appear tough, win back Reform UK supporters and free-up prison spaces, currently at 89 042 (98.9%) capacity in England & Wales1 and projected to hit as much as 114 800 by 20282, the situation in Scotland is not being reported. From the data tables for Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: April 2025, we can see that Scotland’s prison population has fallen from a peak of 8 326 in February 2025 to 8 147. Weekly figures fluctuate but suggest no significant growth trend.3 In June 2024, Scotland’s prison population was feared to … Continue reading Latest Labour Government ‘Farage Panic’ to reduce prison population as Scotland’s prison population falls safely to more than 300 below capacity