Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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‘The Great Influenza Media Confusion’ My latest column at Scots Independent as it approaches 100 years of campaigning – please subscribe

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Professor John Robertson OBA My January 2026 column in Scots Independent: https://scotsindependent.scot/ SCOTS INDEPENDENT FOUNDED 1926STILL CAMPAIGNING FOR SCOTLAND 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 profits for our masters but to help spread the pro independence arguments to the people of Scotland, … Continue reading ‘The Great Influenza Media Confusion’ My latest column at Scots Independent as it approaches 100 years of campaigning – please subscribe

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Labour’s favourite union and funder, the GMB, where bullying, misogyny, cronyism, and sexism is rife but BBC Scotland still don’t want you to hear of it

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Professor John Robertson OBA Above, Gary Smith, 5 years ago, then just the GMB Scotland chief , blaming the Scottish Government for the failures of private care home owners to prepare and equip their staff for the Covid pandemic. BBC Scotland just loved him then and had him on frequently. More recently they’ve been less keen to platform him as his union sinks in a mire of misogyny and bullying. In the Guardian yesterday: The GMB trade union is facing fresh turmoil over claims made by two of its female senior leadership team, as it heads towards a crucial general … Continue reading Labour’s favourite union and funder, the GMB, where bullying, misogyny, cronyism, and sexism is rife but BBC Scotland still don’t want you to hear of it

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Scottish Labour has had by far the most sex offenders, including 5 child sex offenders, convicted since 2007

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Professor John Robertson OBA Based on extensive searches [100 web pages and posts] across web sources and X posts, the Scottish Labour Party has had the most individuals (primarily councillors) reported in the media as convicted sex offenders since 2007. This includes at least five confirmed convictions for child sex offences [in order above]: In comparison: Note that media reports often focus on allegations or charges rather than solely convictions, but “sex offenders” typically refers to those convicted and placed on the sex offenders register. Sources across political spectrums (e.g., BBC, Daily Record, X discussions) highlight Labour’s cases as the … Continue reading Scottish Labour has had by far the most sex offenders, including 5 child sex offenders, convicted since 2007

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Labour minister promoting new nuclear energy to enable nuclear medicine that brings significant cancer risks to workers emerging as new opportunity for Scottish Labour in 2026

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the United Kingdom Nuclear Laboratory on 16 December 2025: Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:  Cancer is a disease that affects millions worldwide, and tears too many families apart. Breakthroughs in medical science are giving more cancer patients and their loved ones hope, and this unique partnership could help take that work even further. Turning nuclear material into cutting-edge cancer treatments sounds like science fiction – but thanks to the brilliance of scientists, researchers and doctors, it could be a life-saving reality. Work like this shows exactly why we’re determined to support our life sciences innovators to make groundbreaking new treatments possible.”  Given the … Continue reading Labour minister promoting new nuclear energy to enable nuclear medicine that brings significant cancer risks to workers emerging as new opportunity for Scottish Labour in 2026

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Corridor care in NHS England more than TWICE as common as in NHS Scotland as Herald fluffs research methods again and NHS England’s fake figures are exposed again

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald today is headlining ‘Intolerable’ level of corridor care in Scotland’s hospitals’ with the above explanation of their method. They asked every Scottish health board for the design capacity of its A&E departments and for the actual number of beds occupied on the 1st of every month. There are no reliable data on corridor care, anywhere in the UK, and the Herald’s methods aren’t the worst I’ve seen but, based on the front page, only one of the 14 health boards – Ayrshire & Arran – is being used and for only 12 days in … Continue reading Corridor care in NHS England more than TWICE as common as in NHS Scotland as Herald fluffs research methods again and NHS England’s fake figures are exposed again

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Babies born dependent on drugs – deceitful, ghoulish and tasteless third attempt by Alex Cole-Hamilton to hide truth of fast improving trend and to malign SNP

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Legerwood for alerting me to this. From Scottish Public Health Observatory quarterly update March 2025: In 2023/24, 0.2% (104) of a total of 44,835 babies born in Scotland were recorded as having been affected by maternal use of drugs. This rate decreased steadily over time from 6.9 per 1,000 live births in 2011/12 to 2.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023/24. More recently, the trend remains clear: 2020/21: 141 babies 2021/22: 129 babies 2022/23: 113 babies 2023/24: 104 babies https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-public-health-observatory-quarterly-update/scottish-public-health-observatory-quarterly-update-march-2025/ In the Herald, yesterday, the above and: We don’t get to see the yearly … Continue reading Babies born dependent on drugs – deceitful, ghoulish and tasteless third attempt by Alex Cole-Hamilton to hide truth of fast improving trend and to malign SNP

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Troubled 54 year-old US ferry loses propellers but passenger chaos not responsibility of government

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Kiro Seattle yesterday: The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSP) announced it was investigating damage to a propeller on one of its ferries that serves the Seattle/Bremerton route. The Walla Walla, which is one of two ferries on the route, had its propeller blades completely sheared off. WSP says that they will make repairs in the next few weeks, but until then, the ferry will be dry-docked. Until the repairs are made, the route will sail on 1-boat service. https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/traffic-and-transportation-incidents/walla-walla-ferry-is-docked-after-propeller-damage-discovered/ar-AA1TwHMg?ocid=BingNewsVerp The MV Walla Walla launched in 1972 has run aground with 600 passengers on board … Continue reading Troubled 54 year-old US ferry loses propellers but passenger chaos not responsibility of government

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Official figures reveal far lower rates of sexual offence committed by children and adolescents in Scotland

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In the Daily Record yesterday: Children as young as 12 reported to police for sexual offences in Scotland – New figures show cops investigated 14 youths aged 12, a total of 29 13-year-olds as well as 47 aged 14 before referring them to Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA). https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/children-young-12-being-reported-36487358 Disturbing, I agree but in a country of 5.5 million are they worryingly high? From The National Police Chief’s Council’s National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation (CSAE) Crimes Report for 2023, based on data collected from 42 police forces across England and Wales, we see 1 409 perpetrators … Continue reading Official figures reveal far lower rates of sexual offence committed by children and adolescents in Scotland

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Herald sets new low in dishonest infantile reporting on Scotland’s ferries as their repair bills are far lower than comparable ferry services

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald today has the above and: Martin starts off the year with one of the most dishonest, maybe not infantile, but certainly primary school-level, adding up of costs over 11 years to get a big enough headline to impress his diminishing flock of readers. See that ‘spiralling’ in the headline. Martin carefully does not reveal any spiral, just a comparison of the 2022/23 figure with the 2024/25 figure. Why is the 2023/24 figure hidden? Not small enough for the doubling claim? Why don’t we see the full eleven years of data? Does it reveal variation … Continue reading Herald sets new low in dishonest infantile reporting on Scotland’s ferries as their repair bills are far lower than comparable ferry services

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These Tory ministers sold profitable harbours like Ardrossan to enable shareholders to milk rather than to maintain them, Labour then did nothing and now the SNP Government is blamed for not buying it back quick enough?

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Professor John Robertson OBA For more than a year now Scotland’s media have been blaming the Scottish Government for problems at Ardrossan harbour and it’s Arran ferry service. Little media coverage has targeted the owners, a Manchester billionaire. How did we get here? I asked AI, carefully. Today, known as Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind and The Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market, these men above, were successively secretaries of State for Scotland, at the time, driven by PM John Major’s ongoing Thatcherite sell-offs, who managed the privatisation the Clyde Port Authority which included Ardrossan. Was the authority state-owned? It was was … Continue reading These Tory ministers sold profitable harbours like Ardrossan to enable shareholders to milk rather than to maintain them, Labour then did nothing and now the SNP Government is blamed for not buying it back quick enough?