Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Language, identity and autonomy in Eastern Ukraine

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As a pro-independence Scot, I’ve been interested in the breakaway movement in eastern Ukraine, for some time, since well before Putin’s brutal exploitative invasion, just as I have for those in Quebec, Catalonia and the Basque Country. As I understand it, opinion polls in that febrile world are not too reliable. However, this survey from the Center for Insights in Survey Research, a US Republican Party-owned agency, seems objective, professionally done and offers an interesting perspective on the identification, based on languages spoken, of those living in the Donetsk and Luhansk ‘oblasts’ and the cities within. Support for or against … Continue reading Language, identity and autonomy in Eastern Ukraine

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NHS hospitals, staffing and strike avoidance lead to 1 600 fewer deaths, last year

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA From Public Health Scotland today: Unadjusted hospital mortality remained relatively stable at between 2.6% and 3.3% over the majority of the five-year period from July 2019 to June 2024. The relatively small variation shows clear seasonal patterns with increases in mortality during the winter months. However, larger increases occurred during the COVID-19 epidemic in Scotland, with unadjusted hospital mortality reaching 5.4% during the first wave, 4.4% during the second wave. Since the quarter April to June 2021, the crude mortality rate has been between 3.2% to 4.0%, showing seasonal variation.1 NHS England chooses not to publish … Continue reading NHS hospitals, staffing and strike avoidance lead to 1 600 fewer deaths, last year

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Despite surrounding poverty, drug abuse and years of UK Government austerity policies, Glasgow’s biggest hospital is one of the safest in Scotland and more so than the vast majority in England

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA Public Health Scotland, today, released the Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratios data. Of particular interest is the ratio of observed to predicted deaths within 30 days. The ratio should be 1. If it’s much more than 1, then that may indicate a problem in staffing, operating theatre availability, ward cleanliness and, of course, many other factors. Lower than 1 is good news. For QEUH, it was 0.92. Only 4 of the 32 hospitals in Scotland had a more reassuring ratio. QEUH also had a lower than average Crude Mortality rate of 3.7% below the national average of … Continue reading Despite surrounding poverty, drug abuse and years of UK Government austerity policies, Glasgow’s biggest hospital is one of the safest in Scotland and more so than the vast majority in England

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NHS England spending EIGHT TIMES more per head on private consultants than ‘SNP’ NHS

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA The Scotsman yesterday, headlined: Anger as SNP consultants bill hits £42m Mr Robertson begins class on using maths with the above story – ‘Seems a big number doesn’t it boys and girls?’ Tommy (11) ‘Yeh, but it might not be, like that 40 000 extra NHS appointments Keir Starmer announced. That was only 0.5% more.’ Mr Robertson – ‘So, what other information do we need to be sure if it’s important or not?’ Nicola – ‘Is it bigger than last year or ten years ago?’ Maggie – ‘What was it in England?’ Mr Robertson – ‘Great, … Continue reading NHS England spending EIGHT TIMES more per head on private consultants than ‘SNP’ NHS

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Devolution offers little protection for Scotland’s democratic choices – sobering assessment of the Sewel Convention and Westminster power by the Institute for Government

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By stewartb The Institute for Government (IfG) – the London-based think tank close to the Westminster/Whitehall establishment – has published an assessment of the operation of the Sewel Convention. It explains the convention is ‘designed to give the devolved institutions a degree of certainty that their powers will not be overridden, and enables the UK and devolved governments to work together on legislation where their policy objectives are aligned.’ Source: Allen et al (November 7, 2024) The Sewel convention in practice – five case studies from the 2019–24 parliament. Institute for Government, London (https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-11/Sewel-convention-in-practice.pdf ) The IfG reports that the … Continue reading Devolution offers little protection for Scotland’s democratic choices – sobering assessment of the Sewel Convention and Westminster power by the Institute for Government

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Herald and GMB attack SNP’s well-meaning employment rights ‘guidance’ conveniently ignoring the fact that it’s a reserved matter and that Scottish Labour betrayed Scots on it

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The Herald today, has: SNP workers’ rights policy is no more than feel good fluff Employment law is, of course, reserved to the UK Government1 and Scottish Labour, in 2023, under a Tory government, with no interest in improving employment rights, would not support a motion calling for the devolution of employment law – despite a manifesto pledge to back the policy.2 Readers will remember that Scottish Labour Leader, Anas Sarwar, has previous on this: Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has confirmed that not all workers at his family’s wholesale business are currently paid the real living wage. His party … Continue reading Herald and GMB attack SNP’s well-meaning employment rights ‘guidance’ conveniently ignoring the fact that it’s a reserved matter and that Scottish Labour betrayed Scots on it

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Failure to diagnose and treat lung disease including asthma ‘silently suffocating’ NHS [England], highlights quality of NHS Scotland and importance of universal free prescriptions

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA This morning, BBC Breakfast has: Failure to diagnose and treat lung disease including asthma is ‘silently suffocating’ the NHS. Last year, I was able to write: Why have deaths due to asthma fallen in Scotland while increasing in England & Wales? BBC Scotland is headlining a story on asthma-related admissions in different parts of the UK with, of course, a tragic case upfront, and parts of Scotland picked out as among the worst but, surely, the survival rate is the news here. In Scotland, from 2008 to 2021, deaths due to asthma have fallen from 103 to 96, … Continue reading Failure to diagnose and treat lung disease including asthma ‘silently suffocating’ NHS [England], highlights quality of NHS Scotland and importance of universal free prescriptions

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Herald tries to scare you but the pedestrian road death rate is seriously down since 2008

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA The Herald is trying to worry us today with: Six pedestrians killed in nine days on Scotland’s roads The annual figures for 2024 are, of course, not out yet and even if they were higher than last year’s 47 it would mean little as what matters is the longer trend. Only this can tell you if government initiatives and spending is working. It is. From 2008-2015, the average annual death rate was 49.6 while from 2016-2023, it was 37.5, a 24.4% decrease which is surely welcome. https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/vgebxuz3/key-reported-road-casualties-scotland-2023.pdf Support Scots Independent, Scotland’s oldest pro-independence newspaper and host of … Continue reading Herald tries to scare you but the pedestrian road death rate is seriously down since 2008

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Anas Sarwar’s new ‘Right Arm’ Kate Watson and links to military propaganda unit ‘attacking Scots online’

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From the Morning Star in April 2019: PROMINENT Scottish Labour parliamentary candidate and opponent of Jeremy Corbyn has been called on to explain her links to a “military propaganda unit” in the British Army. Kate Watson, who was selected to fight the Glasgow East constituency in June 2018, is believed to be a member of the 77th Brigade, an army force that specialises in what it calls “special influence methods.” As an organisation, the Brigade’s role is to develop analysis and detailed intelligence about domestic and international political situations. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/scottish-labour-parliamentary-candidate-called-to-explain-links-to-military-propaganda-unit From the UK Defence Journal that same year: Scottish National Party … Continue reading Anas Sarwar’s new ‘Right Arm’ Kate Watson and links to military propaganda unit ‘attacking Scots online’

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Little evidence SNP is financially silencing charities

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By Professor John Robertson, OBA According to the Herald today: Charities reluctant to condemn SNP decisions in fear of being ‘financially silenced’ Typically, the headline is based on one source – Clare MacGillivray, director of Making Rights Real (MRR). I share her concerns about the SNP leadership on this matter: but see little sign of the phenomenon she describes. Indeed, just this year, these three charities have attacked the Scottish Government/SNP revealing signs of and agenda: Read in full at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=charity+ And, Shelter, serial attacks. See in particular: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2024/08/10/do-the-national-branch-offices-of-campaigning-charities-not-understand-devolution/ Source: Support Scots Independent, Scotland’s oldest pro-independence newspaper and host of the OBA (Oliver Brown … Continue reading Little evidence SNP is financially silencing charities