Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
3 Comments

Laughable – the Scotsman’s ‘top economist’ casting doubt on the SNP budget is not even vaguely one of those

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. In the Scotsman, 4 days ago, and influencing other reports in Scotland’s media: SNP budget ‘looks increasingly detached from reality’, top economist warns – SNP ministers have not got the money to pay for doctor’s pay deals with next year’s budget looking ‘increasingly detached from reality,” atop economist has warned. and: David Phillips, an economist with IFS, said: “The Scottish Government’s funding allocations for health in 2026/27 look increasingly detached from reality. To get a job as a university lecturer in Economics, you’d need a PhD and one or two research-based papers … Continue reading Laughable – the Scotsman’s ‘top economist’ casting doubt on the SNP budget is not even vaguely one of those

Leave a comment

Referral for terror concerns of 11 to 15 year-olds is SIX times more common in England & Wales than in Scotland

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. From 25-3990 – Prevent Data – age breakdown of under 15s + referral reason – 2016/17 TD, published yesterday: There were 33, 27, and 39, eleven to fifteen year-olds in Scotland, referred to Prevent who had their cases followed up, in the years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24. Before the Pandemic-affected year of 202/21, the average was around 30 so there is no sign of an increasing trend. https://www.scotland.police.uk/access-to-information/freedom-of-information/disclosure-log/disclosure-log-2026/january/25-3990-prevent-data-age-breakdown-of-under-15s-referral-reason-2016-17-td/ If the level of the problem was similar in England & Wales, you might expect a figure of around 430. It was 2 729, … Continue reading Referral for terror concerns of 11 to 15 year-olds is SIX times more common in England & Wales than in Scotland

Leave a comment

Former Welsh surgeon says A&E in North Wales worse than in ‘poorer countries’ but BBC Wales News editor disappears him promptly

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. ‘Poorer countries?’ Does he mean just East European ones, South American, African? The above shocking story, headlining on the BBC Wales insert on BBC Breakfast this morning but strangely then quickly demoted to a Welsh only report way down the website: Has BBC Wales been told to get behind Labour before (after?) it’s too late? Why? Who is to blame for ‘Third World’ hospitals in Wales? Labour has been in power from the first days of devolution in 1997, for nearly 30 years. Long enough? Are we surprised by such goings on … Continue reading Former Welsh surgeon says A&E in North Wales worse than in ‘poorer countries’ but BBC Wales News editor disappears him promptly

3 Comments

As ‘Scottish’ media invent an endless ‘ferry fiasco’, here’s the Calmac Chief on Scotland’s 95% plus ferries – The facts that Scotland’s news media are shockingly and deliberately hiding from you, for political purposes – please share this widely

johnrobertson834

Thanks to Dave Lodge for sharing this with me. From CEO CalMac, Diane Burke, to all staff, in recent days: and: Note that all of this has been shared with ‘our‘ news media yet, as you know from posts here, they have not only ignored it, they have told other tales based on infantile twisting of statistics and platforming lying critics with clear Unionists agendas. They have no shame. Continue reading As ‘Scottish’ media invent an endless ‘ferry fiasco’, here’s the Calmac Chief on Scotland’s 95% plus ferries – The facts that Scotland’s news media are shockingly and deliberately hiding from you, for political purposes – please share this widely

1 Comment

BBC Complaints struggling after one month to explain why they lied about QEUH water supply infections

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. On January 19th 2026, I sent this complaint to the BBC regarding their coverage of the QEUH water supply infections: Ten days later, they apologised for the delay in responding. In my experience, they never meet their 10 day target, suggesting they’re under pressure from unhappy viewers in greater numbers than before. Today 28 days later, this: We are writing to apologise that we’ve not been able to reply to your complaint within the 10 working days we aim for. While we manage this for most complaints, unfortunately it’s not always possible … Continue reading BBC Complaints struggling after one month to explain why they lied about QEUH water supply infections

1 Comment

Drug-related hospital stay rates in Scotland plummet by half as SNP’s unique, World-first, opioid overdose reversal kit programme gets on top of the plague after 8 years

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. From Drug-related hospital statistics Scotland 2024 to 2025, published today the above graph and: There were 10,185 drug-related hospital stays (2023/24: 11,148). The European Age-sex Standardised Rate (EASR, see background below for more information) of drug-related hospital stays was 192 stays per 100,000 population. This rate was a decrease from 2023/24 (212 stays per 100,000 population) and continued the decreasing trend observed in hospital stays since 2020/21. Opioid-related stays accounted for 38% of all drug-related stays, the lowest percentage in the time series, continuing a steady decrease from 64% in 2011/12. The … Continue reading Drug-related hospital stay rates in Scotland plummet by half as SNP’s unique, World-first, opioid overdose reversal kit programme gets on top of the plague after 8 years

2 Comments

Another sign that the Western Isles needs modern coherent party-based governance? Righteousness exalteth a nation not working out?

johnrobertson834

in their council tax bills of 9.5%. That means an annual bill for an average home going up to £1 519. The local council says it’s got a budget gap of £4.5 million and the council tax increase would bring in another £1.5 million. Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. ‘Local’ council? Tell us more. Like this: and this: How competent have these ‘Independent’ councillors been? Financial and Investment Losses: In 1991, it lost £35 million in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International collapse, leading to a sharp council tax increase and the convener’s resignation. An independent … Continue reading Another sign that the Western Isles needs modern coherent party-based governance? Righteousness exalteth a nation not working out?

2 Comments

Dog attacks on farm animals in Scotland plummet 28% to only half, per head, of those increasing across ‘UK’ but NFU Mutual misreads simple sums to say they’re ‘alarming’ here

johnrobertson834

in dog attacks last year. NFU Mutual is urging dog owners to be responsible ahead of lambing season. The rural insurer says attacks are down 28% compared to 2024, but farmers are asking owners to stop their dogs chasing pregnant ewes and new born lambs. Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. BBC Scotland above open with that puzzling sequence, putting a wee survey ahead of statistics. Then Hannah Binns of the insurer ignores the reduction to tell us about her survey, which found that one in ten owners said their dog had no recall, but 57% are letting … Continue reading Dog attacks on farm animals in Scotland plummet 28% to only half, per head, of those increasing across ‘UK’ but NFU Mutual misreads simple sums to say they’re ‘alarming’ here

4 Comments

Last week Scottish Government committed firmly to free higher education tuition, was ignored by ALL news media, but this week BBC Scotland prefers to tell you about London-based thinktank’s doubts

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. BBC Scotland today with London-based Institute [just a bunch of lads really] for Fiscal Studies doubting whether Scotland can continue to afford free higher education tuition for all and ignoring this from last week: I searched for news media coverage to get only this response: The Times Higher Education, read only by some academics, has this below but as you can see above this important news is being hidden from the electorate: ‘We’re looking at all parts of the system – except tuition fees’ https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/were-looking-all-parts-system-except-tuition-fees The THE article by Helen Packer is actually not at all supportive … Continue reading Last week Scottish Government committed firmly to free higher education tuition, was ignored by ALL news media, but this week BBC Scotland prefers to tell you about London-based thinktank’s doubts