Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Is Police Scotland’s only armoured car which has LAIN in storage, like the one in tiny Guernsey, there because all the senior staff are from places where they get riots?

johnrobertson834

The Daily Record today, challenged from grammar to politics. Police Scotland (5.4 million population who might riot) bought that one armoured car 2 years ago while the Island of Guernsey (64 thousand population!)12 years ago: Guernsey Police’s purchase of an armoured Land Rover had the full backing of the Home Department, its minister has revealed. Deputy Geoff Mahy, who is standing down from the States in April, said it had been agreed 15 months ago as part of upgrades to the force’s firearms unit. He said: “The police do not shape the undesirable changes of society. “However, it is important … Continue reading Is Police Scotland’s only armoured car which has LAIN in storage, like the one in tiny Guernsey, there because all the senior staff are from places where they get riots?

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Child poverty: why is BBC hiding its article on poorer families in Scotland being ‘more fortunate’ than those in England due to Scottish Government action?

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No cheap tabloid images of sad wee weans here. And why is a Fraser of Allander economist so grudging? – “So it’s POSSIBLE the rate of child poverty would have been higher in the absence of the Scottish Child Payment”. Only just “possible” that £26.70 per week for each and every child in poorer families reduces poverty – really? By stewartb There is yet another example of strange editorial decisions taken by those that run the BBC News website. An article appeared (at c. 1 am on July 28) on the website entitled: ‘Tale of two nations: Meeting families with … Continue reading Child poverty: why is BBC hiding its article on poorer families in Scotland being ‘more fortunate’ than those in England due to Scottish Government action?

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A decrepit newspaper that has frequently left readers ill-informed and is now high and dry

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The Herald today has: Decrepit? From a September 2022, Ernst and Young LLP survey for the Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland department, CalMac ferries were, on average, newer (22) than those in affluent Norway (26), Australia (24) and Canada/Vancouver (35!). You can add two years to all of those ages but CalMac, funded by the Scottish Government, has still kept its fleet younger than all comparable advanced economy large archipelago fleets. For further example, Washington State Ferries serving affluent Seattle, don’t publish these data but a quick check of their wikipedia page reveals that 12 of their 21 ferries are over 40 years … Continue reading A decrepit newspaper that has frequently left readers ill-informed and is now high and dry

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Criminals from major cities such as London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham are expanding their drug networks into rural and suburban areas throughout Scotland

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Tarves (population 1 080) on 29 June 2024 react with shock to the above in the P&J local newspaper. BBC Scotland NE did not cover the story but STV NE did and mentioned County Lines in the headline. BBC Scotland has only covered County Lines drug gangs 3 times since 2019 with the last, naming them and their origins, in 2021. This plague is big news across Aberdeenshire: Police Scotland, whose activity in investigating supposed SNP fraud has been of endless fascination for BBC Scotland, are heavily involved: BBC Scotland’s clear aversion to covering this plague of violence and related … Continue reading Criminals from major cities such as London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham are expanding their drug networks into rural and suburban areas throughout Scotland

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How many SNP health secretaries have to avert an NHS strike before they get credit for saving many lives?

johnrobertson834

There have been no health service strikes by doctors, junior doctors, GPs, consultants, nurses, midwives, ambulance paramedics or radiologists in Scotland. Almost all have taken action in England and some in Wales. Only the radioactive GMB has managed to trick its porter and cleaner members to take action. Millions of appointments and procedures have been cancelled with the inevitable loss of uncounted lives. Through a willingness to keep talking and the adoption of respect for professionals, SNP health secretaries, backed up by the SNP Government, have saved hundreds of thousands of appointments and procedures. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives, have … Continue reading How many SNP health secretaries have to avert an NHS strike before they get credit for saving many lives?

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Who constitutes the country? Surely, families in poverty are part of that?

johnrobertson834

By Alasdair Macdonald ’Country before Party’ is what the Labour manifesto pledged. Setting aside for the moment what ‘country’ connotes, how does Ms McNeill and other Labour MPs justify their decision to support the continuation of the ‘two-child benefit cap’? Their argument is that ‘the country(?) cannot afford it at present. But, who constitutes the country? Surely, families in poverty are part of that? And, why are they in poverty? Because they have not got enough money even though, in most cases, at least one member of the family is in paid employment, and wages are low, hours are few … Continue reading Who constitutes the country? Surely, families in poverty are part of that?

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Drug deaths on a delayed ferry? Now you’re talking!

johnrobertson834

Thanks to namorrodor for suggesting this quick comparative study. Above, only two BBC Scotland online reports with ‘County Lines‘ in the header but no mention of the English towns of origin in the text, over 5 years of a growing plague of terror – murder, extreme violence, cheap drugs, people trafficking, child abuse, prostitution and XL Bully dogs, from Wick to Dumfries, in up to 60 places, according to Police Scotland. A total failure to inform licence payers in a naked strategy to protect the Union and the Labour Party. How about ferries? The above 10 plus another 15, 25 … Continue reading Drug deaths on a delayed ferry? Now you’re talking!

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BBC Scotland’s avoidance of English County Lines gang terror complaint – their odd response and my follow-up complaint

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On July 23rd, I wrote to BBC Complaints: County Lines gangs, based in large English cities have been responsible for a spreading plague of extreme violence, more accessible and cheaper illegal drug supplies, child abuse, prostitution, people trafficking and the exploitation (cuckooing) of vulnerable adults in small-town UK, into places previously less affected by crime. Recent data reveal a surge in knife crime in rural and small-town areas in England and a recent surge in violent crime in similar areas in Scotland. Police Scotland estimates more than 50 County Lines gang activities in Scotland using children to carry the drugs … Continue reading BBC Scotland’s avoidance of English County Lines gang terror complaint – their odd response and my follow-up complaint

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The two-child benefit cap:  will it prove an ethical dilemma for Kirsty McNeill MP, Labour’s new Under Secretary of State for Scotland and former Director of Save the Children?

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By stewartb One of the most conspicuous examples of a Labour MP shifting their stance on the urgency of reducing child poverty – specifically on the urgency of abolishing the two-child benefit cap – must surely be that of Kirsty McNeill, the new member of parliament for Midlothian and significantly, the Under Secretary of State for Scotland. Prior to being elected, Ms McNeill was Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns at Save the Children. In reading what follows, bear in mind Ms McNeill’s job title with this major charity operating in the UK and internationally – note ‘policy’, note … Continue reading The two-child benefit cap:  will it prove an ethical dilemma for Kirsty McNeill MP, Labour’s new Under Secretary of State for Scotland and former Director of Save the Children?