Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Medicine shortages – a Scottish solution

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By Professor John Robertson From the Guardian today, not Anglocentric, for once: Drug shortages in England are now at such critical levels that patients are at risk of immediate harm and even death, pharmacists have warned. The situation is so serious that pharmacists increasingly have to issue “owings” to patients – telling someone that only part of their prescription can be dispensed and asking them to come back for the rest of it later, once the pharmacist has sourced the remainder. https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/09/medicine-shortages-in-england-beyond-critical-pharmacists-warn The above makes no mention of Scotland. Searching for reports of shortages in Scotland gets the same story of shortages … Continue reading Medicine shortages – a Scottish solution

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Scotland’s rivers far more likely to be clean

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From the Guardian, typically Anglocentric, today: England’s rivers are likely to remain in a poor state for years to come because the government is failing to put in place EU clean water laws post-Brexit, the watchdog has found. When Britain was a member of the EU, the government was required to follow the water framework directive (WFD), standards for waterways that have been credited with cleaning up Europe’s dirty water. Since Brexit, the UK (sic) is no longer required to match EU regulations, and has its own watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP). Under the WFD, all rivers are supposed to … Continue reading Scotland’s rivers far more likely to be clean

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Does new Labour MP know about Scottish Labour’s support for human rights

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By NMRN Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has crossed over, as in defected, to the Labour party…… If you do not know who she is then she was the former wife of Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, who was jailed for sexual assault in 2020, so she then stood in the same seat as her husband once had when he stood down as the MP for that area after he was charged with three counts of sexual assault against two women …..and she was then elected in 2019 as the new Tory MP for Dover…..blue rosette obviously won that election…. She spoke out in support … Continue reading Does new Labour MP know about Scottish Labour’s support for human rights

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All 3 New Zealand Cook Strait ferries out of service after one drifts toward rocks with 800 passengers and Government refusal to replace

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From the Daily Cargo News yesterday: AN INTENSIFIED maintenance program for Interisland Line’s trouble-plagued Cook Strait ferries will see at all three out of service for protracted periods over coming months. The only rail-capable vessel, Aratere, will lay-by in Wellington for work from 11 to 23 May. Kaiarahi will undergo a ‘wet dock’ at the Waitohi West berth in Picton from 4 June until 6 July. And Kaitaki will have a much longer absence, due to the need for a comprehensive drydocking in Singapore, which involves a 14-dayvoyage up and 14 days back. This means Kaitaki will be out of service from 29 July to 6 October. … Continue reading All 3 New Zealand Cook Strait ferries out of service after one drifts toward rocks with 800 passengers and Government refusal to replace

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Herald headlines rabid Unionist, Clearances apologist and second home owner with ‘crude’ research to undermine SNP policy to double his council tax

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As soon as the above self-portrait popped up I knew what this was all about. Macleod is a constant critic of the SNP and has accused them, in 2017, of having a ‘divisive lynch-mob’ among the membership Macleod shares Neil Oliver’s position on the clearances ie that much was voluntary and beneficial to the communities it affected. In a bitter blog review of the work of Dr James Hunter he questions a key point: “The forcible displacement of much of northern Scotland’s population”. The appropriate word should be ‘some’ rather than ‘much’, which makes a big difference. I’m no expert on … Continue reading Herald headlines rabid Unionist, Clearances apologist and second home owner with ‘crude’ research to undermine SNP policy to double his council tax

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Crime down 40% but staffing up a wee bit – Police Officers trade union praises SNP Government?

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By Professor John Robertson Crime in Scotland per 10 000 people, at the end of 10 years of Labour rule in Scotland Crime in Scotland per 10 000 people, at the end of 17 years of SNP rule in Scotland, 40.5% down. 40.5% less crime? We must need fewer police officers then? That’s what the Tories or Starmerites would do. It’s not personal, just business. Did the SNP do that? Nope. From Police Scotland data, today: Scotland’s Chief Statistician has published statistics on Police Officer Quarterly Strength, which gives the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed by Police Scotland. … Continue reading Crime down 40% but staffing up a wee bit – Police Officers trade union praises SNP Government?

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Steady improvement in court waiting times

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By Professor John Robertson Based on data from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and Police Scotland, we can see a clear improving trend in the length of time an average court case takes. 2021 – 21 weeks 2022 – 17 weeks 2023 – 16 weeks 2024 so far – 15 weeks. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/criminal-justice-monitoring-data-monthly-statistics Continue reading Steady improvement in court waiting times

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Despite steady growth in planned operations, NHS Scotland still ready to do stunning 98% on time

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By Professor John Robertson From Public Health Scotland today: The number of planned operations has been steadily increasing since pandemic restrictions first affected provision of services in March 2020. In the 12 months to March 2024, there was a 7.6% increase in the number of planned operations compared to the previous 12 months.  Of all planned operations during March 2024 in NHS Scotland, 738 (3.1%) were cancelled by the hospital based on clinical reasons, 642 (2.7%) were cancelled by the patient, 480 (2%) were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons, and 90 (0.4%) were cancelled due … Continue reading Despite steady growth in planned operations, NHS Scotland still ready to do stunning 98% on time

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The World Health Organisation warning on infected blood supplies that the UK Labour Government ignored and ‘our’ Labour Secretary of State missed

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Above is the evidence that the World Health Organisation warned members, including the UK Labour Government of 1974 to 1979, of the risks in using blood and blood projects based on commercial supplies where donors were paid, in this case Arkansas prisoners. In December 2015, ITV’s World in Action TV show did a special on the risks. According to the Guardian, just last month, despite the WHO warning and the TV broadcast, the deal was done by the Labour cabinet in August 1976, in part, to cut costs. In the Labour Cabinet of 1976, Secretary of State for Scotland, Willie … Continue reading The World Health Organisation warning on infected blood supplies that the UK Labour Government ignored and ‘our’ Labour Secretary of State missed

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‘Gangster rapper unmasked as kingpin of huge drugs line from Birmingham to Aberdeen’ but that’s clearly too boring for Scotland’s media

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In the online-only Aberdeen Live, last week, but bizarrely ignored by all of Scotland’s MSM: A notorious gangster rapper has been revealed as the mastermind behind a massive drug supply line from Birmingham to Scotland. Rikardo Reid [above top], who goes by the stage name Stardom, was identified as the leader of the ‘Flash’ county lines operation [above second-top], which supplied cocaine and heroin to users in Aberdeen for five years. The 34 year old, once a promising footballer with over 85,000 Instagram followers, was previously outed as a member of the GSA gang – Goon Squad Army or Get Some Ambition – a younger branch … Continue reading ‘Gangster rapper unmasked as kingpin of huge drugs line from Birmingham to Aberdeen’ but that’s clearly too boring for Scotland’s media