Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Housing incoherence – Scottish Labour branch try to use their UK Labour privatised strategy to suggest the Scottish Government do more with state funds

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In a speech today, UK Labour Chancellor makes it very clear that their housing strategy is based entirely on private investment and, of course, subsequent private sector costs for decades to come. Yet, in the Daily Record today; Labour MSP Mark Griffin said: “Scotland is in the grips of a housing emergency, but the SNP’s response has been woeful. “At a time when we need urgent action to boost housebuilding, the SNP has slashed the affordable housing budget and is gearing up to ditch its flagship affordable housing target. “Rachel Reeves is leading the way with Labour’s transformative plans to … Continue reading Housing incoherence – Scottish Labour branch try to use their UK Labour privatised strategy to suggest the Scottish Government do more with state funds

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Voters in Wales are less than convinced about Labour’s track record

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By stewartb The BBC News website’s Wales section today has this headline: ‘Low Welsh voter turnout appalling, says Kinnock’. It reports that: ‘In Wales, only 56% of voters filled out their ballot papers, compared to 60% across the UK, and 67% in Wales last time out in 2019.’ (In Scotland the overall turnout was 59%, down 8.4% from 2019.) And: ‘Despite winning the majority of seats, Labour’s vote share in Wales actually dropped, down from 40% to 37%.’ ‘… every Welsh constituency saw a decline compared to the previous election.’ So the impact on the 2024 GE of Labour having a long record in government in Cardiff whether on … Continue reading Voters in Wales are less than convinced about Labour’s track record

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Increase in funding for already better-staffed midwifery services

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In January 2024, the Daily Mail reporting a drop in the number of midwives, had: Women are dying during childbirth at the same rates as two decades ago, ‘alarming’ new data shows. An independent review into maternity deaths showed 293 women died during pregnancy and within six weeks of giving birth between 2020 and 2022. Experts said the upward trend is the most compelling evidence yet that failures now span ‘across the entire maternity system’ and is ‘not just one or two hospitals.’ The overall rate in 2020-2022, was 13.41 deaths per 100 000 births and based on the graph … Continue reading Increase in funding for already better-staffed midwifery services

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Massive fall in reconvictions per offender

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From the Scottish Government today, the recidivism rates: In England and Wales, in 2022, the figure was 25.5% For interest, in the USA, the recidivism rate after 3 years is 66% and after ten, 82%. Sources: https://www.gov.scot/publications/reconviction-rates-scotland-2020-21-offender-cohort/pages/2/ https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/proven-reoffending-statistics-january-to-march-2022/proven-reoffending-statistics-january-to-march-2022#:~:text=The%20overall%20proven%20reoffending%20rate,proven%20reoffending%20rate%20of%2025.1%25. https://www.success.com/recidivism-rates/#:~:text=More%20than%201.2%20million%20people,the%20Bureau%20of%20Justice%20Statistics. Continue reading Massive fall in reconvictions per offender

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SNP worries of little consequence for the No/Yes movement as the gap narrows steadily and uninterrupted

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The graph of the last 40 weeks, a time of uninterrupted media carpet bombing of the SNP and protection of Labour from scrutiny and the wider movement narrows the gap with no apparent effects from either. It’s been a bad time but we’re still on the same road. Continue reading SNP worries of little consequence for the No/Yes movement as the gap narrows steadily and uninterrupted

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BBC News everywhere else but in Scotland where the ‘SNP disaster’ must be hammered home

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BBC England, 4 days after the election, back to business – news. BBC UK, same. BBC Scotland, still drooling and reminding Scots who is in charge and imagining an SNP civil war. BBC Northern Ireland? No need to encourage those republicans? BBC Wales is as in Scotland – Polls suggest support for Yes dangerously up at 33% from only 10%, ten years before. Continue reading BBC News everywhere else but in Scotland where the ‘SNP disaster’ must be hammered home

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England’s gangland bosses breaking Scotland’s prison system

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Neil Mackay in the Herald today has: Scotland’s gangland bosses break the nation’s ‘failed’ prison system. Jails are bursting at the seams, staff are exhausted, and as police arrest more and more organised crime members, Scotland’s prisons are in turmoil. Our Writer at Large reports IT sounds like life for prison officers at the height of Ulster’s Troubles: intimidation, threats to kill, assassination plots, fire-bombings, and looking over your shoulder when you clock off and walk through the jail gates. Given that overall crime is down by 40% since the SNP came to power in 2007, organised crime based on drugs, prostitution, … Continue reading England’s gangland bosses breaking Scotland’s prison system

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Scottish First Minister’s local hospital A&E performance shocking 58% better than that of new PM

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By Professor John Robertson John Swinney FM lives within the Tayside Health Board area and Keir Starmer PM lives within the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. In May 2024, 90.3% of full A&E [ED] patients in NHS Tayside were seen within 4 hours. In the same period, only 57.1% of full A&E [Type 1] patients in Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust were seen within 4 hours. NHS Tayside is a whopping 58% better (90.3-57.1 as a % of 57.1). Sources: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/our-areas-of-work/acute-and-emergency-services/urgent-and-unscheduled-care/accident-and-emergency/#section-3-2 https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2024-25/ Continue reading Scottish First Minister’s local hospital A&E performance shocking 58% better than that of new PM

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NHS Scotland staffed and equipped to do more than 98% of planned operations on time despite steadily increasing demand

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By Professor John Robertson From Public Health Scotland on 2nd July 2024: During May 2024, there were 25,657 operations planned to take place across NHSScotland. This is 6.4% higher than the number planned a year previously in May 2023 (24,125). • The number of planned operations has been steadily increasing since pandemic restrictions first affected provision of services in March 2020. In the 12 months from April 2023 to May 2024, there was an 8% increase in the number of planned operations compared to the previous 12 months. This compares to a 15.3% year-on-year increase when comparing year ending May … Continue reading NHS Scotland staffed and equipped to do more than 98% of planned operations on time despite steadily increasing demand

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Channel Islands foreign ferry crew cannot speak and steer well enough to avoid killing fishermen or hit a harbour wall but CalMac crew can do this

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Two days ago: A Ukrainian national working for Condor Ferries was charged with three counts of manslaughter following a collision between a Condor Ferry and a fishing trawler off Jersey’s north west coast [in December 2022]. Artur Sevash-Zade, a Ukrainian national, was arrested in the UK and brought to Jersey to appear at the island’s Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 3 July. An intrepreter was present and translated for Mr Sevash-Zade who did not speak throughout the hearing. The court heard that he works at sea and has no fixed address in either the UK or Jersey. So, unable to speak English well … Continue reading Channel Islands foreign ferry crew cannot speak and steer well enough to avoid killing fishermen or hit a harbour wall but CalMac crew can do this