Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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CalMac – last 7 days, 98.3% on time, on average for, 34 vessels on more than 400 sailings to 50 destinations many too small to get any service anywhere else in the World

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By Professor John Robertson, The Herald’s Ferry Correspondent of the Year 2024 CalMac’s seven-day performance, from 14th to 20th, November 2024: https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=14%2F11%2F2024 I’m aware of no other service in the world obliged to published daily data of this kind but you can read of the many ferry fiascos from Greece to Alaska, here: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=ferr Continue reading CalMac – last 7 days, 98.3% on time, on average for, 34 vessels on more than 400 sailings to 50 destinations many too small to get any service anywhere else in the World

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Yes your Maj, Scotland “should think carefully about its future” out of England and back into Europe

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By Anonymous Labour are making the public, the same ones who elected them, pay for the so called ‘financial black hole’ that Labour says exists in the public finances , while Labour, as the new UK government, are also happy to continue to pander to royalty sponging off the public’s taxes. The recent revelation on a £45 million increase for the royal family and then, as per this article, the costs of King Charles coronation also saw another eye watering amount being wasted on pomp and ceremony to pander to his , Charles, ego and his sense of superiority within his so called kingdom. Then we … Continue reading Yes your Maj, Scotland “should think carefully about its future” out of England and back into Europe

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Desperately promoting Sarwar

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By Anonymous All part of the media establishment’s quest to try and get Labour elected as the next Scottish (INO) government. The Herald knows full well that those people in Scotland who voted Labour in the GE did not vote FOR Labour but instead they voted AGAINST the Tories remaining as the UK government. So his , Sarwar’s, supposed ‘achievement’ in 37 Labour MP’s being elected in Scotland in the GE , was not anything to do with him ‘Changing’ the minds of many within Scotland , but instead it was some of the Scottish public making a wrong decision, in them allowing themselves to (yet … Continue reading Desperately promoting Sarwar

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10 English drugs gangs operating out of Highland capital preying on the most vulnerable but in a media vacuum

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Today, in the Inverness Courier: INVERNESS COUNTY LINES EXPOSED: 10 drugs gangs operating out of Highland capital preying on the most vulnerable There’s something missing in that headline. Here’s a clue: 10 English drug gangs but not a whiff of interest in this drama in BBC Scotland, even BBC Highlands & Islands News. Here’s what you need to know: From the Press & Journal, three days ago: Cops say Inverness flooded with ‘endless supply of drug foot soldiers’ from Birmingham, Liverpool and London – Police are battling with drug gangs “every week” – and that trying to chase them is like a game … Continue reading 10 English drugs gangs operating out of Highland capital preying on the most vulnerable but in a media vacuum

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When the UN and the International Court of Justice make a judgement, how should a Scottish Modern Studies teacher react to it?

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From the International Criminal Court, to which the UK has been signed up since 2002, two days ago: With respect to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Israeli Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant, the judges of the International Criminal Court have found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that each has committed the war crime of using starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, as a direct perpetrator, acting jointly with others. The Chamber also found reasonable grounds to believe that they are each responsible for the war … Continue reading When the UN and the International Court of Justice make a judgement, how should a Scottish Modern Studies teacher react to it?

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Fifth Health Secretary in a row averts deadly health strikes

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Today in the National: JUNIOR doctors in Scotland have accepted an 11% pay rise, totalling £64.1 million, the Scottish Government has said. Resident doctors – the new preferred moniker for junior medics – and dentists in training will see an 8.5% increase backdated to April of this year and a further 2.3% rise effective from October 1, a cumulative rise of 11%.  Health Secretary Neil Gray (above) said: “I am very pleased that resident doctors and dentists in training have voted to accept the Scottish Government’s pay offer. This demonstrates how much we value them and ensures that … Continue reading Fifth Health Secretary in a row averts deadly health strikes

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Anas Sarwar gets ‘Herald Scottish Politician of the Year’ despite his favourability rating falling 20 points to well below John Swinney and after taking Labour down 14 points to below the SNP

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From the Herald today: Anas Sarwar has been named The Herald Scottish Politician of the Year in recognition of his work securing Scottish Labour’s stunning result at the General Election. The party returned 37 MPs, a huge jump on the one won in 2019. How are things going with that? In the short time since the General Election in July 2024, support for Scottish Labour has plummeted from as high as 37% just before it, to 23% in October. This suggests that Anas Sarwar has diddly chance of becoming the next First Minister. According to YouGov, he is currently popular with only … Continue reading Anas Sarwar gets ‘Herald Scottish Politician of the Year’ despite his favourability rating falling 20 points to well below John Swinney and after taking Labour down 14 points to below the SNP

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Only Scots would abolish the ‘obscene’ cost of the Monarchy

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In the Guardian today: ‘Obscene’: Anger after cost of King Charles’s coronation revealed. The coronation of King Charles in May 2023 cost taxpayers at least £72m, official figures have revealed. The cost of policing the ceremony was £21.7m, with a further £50.3m in costs racked up by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/21/obscene-anger-after-cost-of-king-charless-coronation-revealed Typically in a press report, the ‘anger‘ is just from the tiny protest group – Republic. No opinion poll is referred to, for the obvious reason that they all indicate continuing support for the monarchy, other than in one place. In January this year, YouGov … Continue reading Only Scots would abolish the ‘obscene’ cost of the Monarchy

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School suspensions – When bad things are happening in England they’re NOT always ‘happening across the UK’ too

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Today, I just happened to catch Chanel 5‘s Scottish presenter Storm Huntley talking about Primary School suspensions in England and adding, based on her lack of knowledge of what happens in Scotland, the above. From April 2024: From the Scotsman, no friend of the SNP Government, on 25 March 2024: Across Scotland, there were 11,675 cases of temporary exclusion of any length of time, with just one pupil being expelled, as previously revealed by The Scotsman. The figures compare to 39,553 temporary exclusions and 164 permanent in 2007, when the SNP came to power.1 So, with 10 times the population, … Continue reading School suspensions – When bad things are happening in England they’re NOT always ‘happening across the UK’ too

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SNP MSP campaigns for years to get Tory council to act on derelict sites but BBC Scotland ignore that and credit late-arriving Labour MSP to aid his campaign for 2026

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By stewartb It’s unfortunate that the specific derelict site in Dumfries is not named. From the picture, I wonder if it is what is referred to locally as the ‘former Interfloor factory’? For information and interest, a search of the official record of the Scottish Parliament shows that the SNP MSP for South Scotland, Emma Harper has been campaigning for the problem of derelict sites locally to be solved. In August 2022, Harper together with Heathhall Community Council launched a public petition: ‘to call on Dumfries and Galloway Council to take immediate and effective action to address the vacant, derelict, … Continue reading SNP MSP campaigns for years to get Tory council to act on derelict sites but BBC Scotland ignore that and credit late-arriving Labour MSP to aid his campaign for 2026