Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Man dies of cancer after delays four times longer than target and police investigate the hospital but the Health Secretary gets no mention

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In April 2021, we could write: 8 deaths in NHS England, police investigate, but no mention of Matt Hancock after BBC Lancashire wrote: A police investigation into the neglect of patients at a hospital is now examining eight deaths, the BBC has discovered. A coroner has been asked to review the deaths at Blackpool Victoria Infirmary, which all happened in late 2018. A separate and unrelated murder investigation into the death of another patient is ongoing. before failing to even mention the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, while in 2019, SNP Health Secretary was fully exposed (above) for allegedly concealing an infection death though … Continue reading Man dies of cancer after delays four times longer than target and police investigate the hospital but the Health Secretary gets no mention

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A family from Greenock having a culture-break in Edinburgh is not on a ‘staycation’ at ‘home’

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In the Herald today: A tourist tax is set to take tens of millions out of the pockets of the one in four Scots who decide to holiday at home, leading to calls for local authorities to boycott it. Analysis indicates that if set at 5%, the minister-approved visitor levy would raise £142m if brought in across the nation but there has been a warning that it also acts as what has been described as a “stealth tax” on Scots. If you can afford accommodation prices in Edinburgh or other Scottish hotspots, you can afford the wee bit extra tourism … Continue reading A family from Greenock having a culture-break in Edinburgh is not on a ‘staycation’ at ‘home’

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No German bombers? Does no one learn any history these days?

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These England fans are horrible I know, but even they deserve a fair comment based on historical accuracy. Social media are alive with commentators alleging they’re singing about bombing Germany and thus fascists. They may well be fascists but not because of the song. They’re singing quite explicitly about the heroic efforts of RAF fighter pilots (those are clearly inflatable fighter planes not bombers as any 11 year-old used to know), shooting down Nazi (fascist) bombers over London, in 1940. Continue reading No German bombers? Does no one learn any history these days?

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Isle of Wight’s Red Funnel cancels even more ferry sailings as disruption continues

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From Yahoo! News today: Isle of Wight ferry firm Red Funnel is experiencing further disruption and cancellations on its Southampton to East Cowes vehicle service. It follows a raft of cancellations announced earlier today (Monday), in which the 2pm, 5pm and 8.15pm from Southampton, and 3.30pm, 6.30pm, and 9.45pm from East Cowes, were all abandoned. It is over repairs required to Red Eagle’s aft Voith unit. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/red-funnel-cancels-even-more-143704654.html When the Red Funnel Chief Exec published an apology for the ‘shambolic performance’ in March 2024, one comment read: By not having worked her way up from the bottom, having no experience and being … Continue reading Isle of Wight’s Red Funnel cancels even more ferry sailings as disruption continues

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Shocking 40% of Toronto Island ferries out of service on peak tourism weekend

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From another Canadian CTV News Toronto, today: Those visiting the Toronto Islands this weekend could see longer wait times when returning to the city as two of the five ferry boats will be out of service. The city says the Thomas Rennie, which has a capacity of 915 passengers, and The Trillium, an 815-passenger heritage ferry that only operates in certain weather conditions, are undergoing repairs and aren’t anticipated to be back in service for a couple of weeks. In Scotland, sometimes 2 or 3 out of the 34 ferries can be out of service, less than 10%, but imagine … Continue reading Shocking 40% of Toronto Island ferries out of service on peak tourism weekend

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Ferry cancellations led to massive delays in British Columbia

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From CTV News, Vancouver, today: Ferry cancellations led to massive delays for people trying to return to the Lower Mainland from Salt Spring Island on Sunday night. Multiple BC Ferries sailings were cancelled, including the 7:30 p.m. departure from Long Harbour to Tsawwassen. Some travellers decided to try their luck at a second ferry terminal, Fulford Harbour. They were told by BC Ferries staff there would be no ferries available at that location either, due to staffing shortages and mechanical issues. For anyone hoping to catch a ferry, the only hope was making it onto an evening sailing from a … Continue reading Ferry cancellations led to massive delays in British Columbia

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Researchers reveal Labour will spend even less than the Tories on the NHS

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From the Observer, today, based on analysis by leading experts at the Nuffield Trust: Labour and the Conservatives would both leave the NHS with lower spending increases than during the years of Tory austerity, according to an independent analysis of their manifestos by a leading health thinktank. The assessment by the respected Nuffield Trust of the costed NHS policies of both parties, announced in their manifestos last week, says the level of funding increases would leave them struggling to pay existing staff costs, let alone the bill for massive planned increases in doctors, nurses and other staff in the long-term workforce plan agreed last … Continue reading Researchers reveal Labour will spend even less than the Tories on the NHS

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Poll of around 4 000 in Scotland gives SNP majority and 35 seats

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Yesterday’s Multilevel Regression and Poststratification (MRP) modelling, by Survation, ‘to provide accurate estimates of current voting intention’, suggests: and most interestingly this: That median share is a surprise. Most polling recently has estimated the SNP share to be around 3% and often only 2% with a consequent heavy loss of seats. 4% would be very good news. I’m assuming a Scottish sample of around 4 000 as 8% of the total 42 000. Survation is fairly new to MRP. See: Survation moved to a full ballot-prompted methodology on May 30th and this approach is reflected in the most recent waves … Continue reading Poll of around 4 000 in Scotland gives SNP majority and 35 seats

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Will Scottish Labour abandon their call for new nuclear plants in Scotland after French owners of new English ones have to halt three new builds and take three older ones off line?

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I think they bought that. Don’t you? Mugs. By Professor John Robertson Again, thanks to AR for alerting me to this: From Bloomberg, yesterday: French Power Slumps as Surging Renewables Push Out Atomic Plants. Day-ahead prices turn negative, trading at a four-year low. EDF halts three reactors, plans to take three more offline. French electricity prices turned negative as a drop in demand and surging renewables output prompted some nuclear reactors to power down. Who are EDF? Électricité de France, state-owned. What is their role in the UK: EDF manages the UK’s eight nuclear power station sites, five that are generating (Sizewell … Continue reading Will Scottish Labour abandon their call for new nuclear plants in Scotland after French owners of new English ones have to halt three new builds and take three older ones off line?