Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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See anything you don’t like here? See anything these folk wouldn’t like?

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Some folk I know say: “We will champion measures like: “A £15 minimum wage, regardless of age; “Equal pay for women; “Abolition of all zero hours contracts, with a guaranteed minimum 16-hour contract for all workers who want one; “Democratic public ownership instead of profiteering privatisation; “Free public transport to combat poverty and pollution; “Public ownership of energy to provide clean, green affordable energy instead of profiteering and pollution; “Construction of 100,000 council houses for affordable rent, built to the highest environmental standards; and “An immediate end to arms sales to Israel and war on … Continue reading See anything you don’t like here? See anything these folk wouldn’t like?

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Domestic abuse TWICE as common in England and Wales as in Scotland

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By Professor John Robertson OBA I remember in 2014, Frankie Boyle suggesting that Scotland become an Islamic Republic but that to do so it would have to treat its women better. From the Scottish Government’s Safer Communities Directorate today, the above graph and: The police recorded 63,867 incidents of domestic abuse in 2023-24, an increase of 3% compared to the previous year. This is the first year this figure has shown an increase since 2020-21.1 Note, from Section 1.2 of the full report: The Act [in 2018] did not alter the way in which statistics on the volume of domestic abuse incidents … Continue reading Domestic abuse TWICE as common in England and Wales as in Scotland

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As Motherwell man becomes first [vulnerable?] Scot to be named as member of an English County lines gang, BBC Scotland still won’t bite

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BBC Scotland (above) today, have no space for this hot story: A man from North Lanarkshire has been charged after over £6m worth of cannabis was seized during a massive multi-agency taskforce operation. Craig Tomlinson from Motherwell was charged with the supply of Class B drugs after British Transport Police officers targeted key stations across Manchester on Monday and Tuesday last week while intelligence led to a search of three addresses. The multi-agency operation, dubbed Op Blume, was led by a BTP specialist County Lines taskforce and deployed officers from the dog section, Neighbourhood Policing Team, Operational Support Unit, plain … Continue reading As Motherwell man becomes first [vulnerable?] Scot to be named as member of an English County lines gang, BBC Scotland still won’t bite

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22 degrees of difference in temperature but one means-tested winter fuel allowance?

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As I watched BBC Breakfast at around 7am this morning, it was minus 10 in Tulloch Bridge just south of Fort William and plus 12 at St Mary’s in the Scilly Isles yet it’s the same means tested winter fuel allowance for pensioners in both places. Still months away from the real Scottish winter, we see the first signs of how different Scotland is from the southern parts of the UK and how important the Winter Fuel Allowance is for many here. In a year or so, we’ll see the winter mortality data for all parts of the UK and … Continue reading 22 degrees of difference in temperature but one means-tested winter fuel allowance?

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Eradicating child poverty costs nothing in the long term because everything depends on it

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By Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian in December 2024: The news that more than one in three children in the UK are now living in poverty should shock everyone but surprise no one. Nearly three years into the cost of living crisis, we know that young families and disabled people have been among those hit hardest by the biggest fall in UK living standards in half a century. The latest estimates, by the non-partisan Social Metrics Commission, show that the number of people in poverty has risen to 16 million, or nearly one in four of the UK population – its highest … Continue reading Eradicating child poverty costs nothing in the long term because everything depends on it

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Latest poll – Labour collapse and Reform almost catch Tories

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I’m just seeing the full data tables from the Norstat/Sunday Times poll on 1 November 2024 which had YES/No tied, so improved from a 3% NO lead on August 22, 2024. 22 August 2024 poll by same sample in brackets below, before death of Alba leader Alex Salmond (12 October) and first Labour budget (30 October). Westminster (likely voters excluding undecided): Con – 15% (12) Labour – 23% (32) LD – 10% (8) SNP – 30% (29) Reform – 14% (12) Green – 6% (5) Alba – 1% (2) Holyrood Constituency Con – 15% (12) Labour – 23% 30) LD … Continue reading Latest poll – Labour collapse and Reform almost catch Tories

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More good ideas for winning the voters round to the pro-independence parties including honesty about the England team

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I’m indebted to one of the many Ann Onymouses who comment on TuS, for sharing this with me. Earlier today, I wrote: The SNP can win again if they learn from the US Democrat’s defeat – don’t respond to opposition ‘facts’, frame the argument as strength and do not move to the right as that only convinces voters that the right has better ideas https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2024/11/18/the-snp-can-win-again-if-they-learn-from-the-us-democrats-defeat-dont-respond-to-opposition-facts-frame-the-argument-as-strength-and-do-not-move-to-the-right-as-that-only-convinces-voters-t/ In essence, this argues that the leadership should ignore the flak, like Trump, dismiss it all as biased, present as strong and caring, frame the argument around the values that the majority will vote for … Continue reading More good ideas for winning the voters round to the pro-independence parties including honesty about the England team

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Will the Scottish Conservatives call for a full ban on double jobbing for their own distracted colleagues?

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In a sad, desperate and fearful attempt to keep Stephen Flynn out of Holyrood, the Scottish Conservatives are calling for a vote to ban “double jobbing” in the wake of Stephen Flynn’s bid to stand as both an MSP and MP. I agree that if elected to Holyrood in May 2026, he should stand down from his Westminster seat. However, I smell something corrupt when the Scottish Cons attempt to climb windily on to a high horse. Being an MP and MSP even in the same geographical area is a push but a wee look at some of jobs the … Continue reading Will the Scottish Conservatives call for a full ban on double jobbing for their own distracted colleagues?

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Police Scotland NEVER in special measures but THREE English forces still are – here’s why

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By Professor John Robertson OBA I know, Operation Branchform is a disgrace but, to be fair, when the security services tell the chief of police what to do, they have to do it. Today, the widely-read international policing journal, Policing Insight, has: A record number of police forces in England and Wales have been put into special measures (formally known as ‘Engage’) over the past three years – but what does Engage mean, and how do forces move out of it? Policing Insight’s James Sweetland spoke to HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke, as well as two Chief Constables who have … Continue reading Police Scotland NEVER in special measures but THREE English forces still are – here’s why

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Scotland has one of shortest gynaecology waiting lists but gets BBC Scotland’s bad news while Northern Ireland with more than twice as many waiting doesn’t seem to need to know that

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By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland’s and BBC Northern Ireland’s main pages above – spot the difference? Should Northern Ireland be told this? Maybe fewer women there are being left in pain? See this from the BBC Health report: Wow? BBC England is not covering the story. BBC Wales is, as they should, but why is BBC Scotland’s news editor choosing it, given the above graph? Is this just more of the thinking behind yesterday’s rape fake news? See: Today, the BBC Scotland News Editor (James Cook) chooses to include 2 rape reports in the 7 top stories. BBC England, Wales and Northern … Continue reading Scotland has one of shortest gynaecology waiting lists but gets BBC Scotland’s bad news while Northern Ireland with more than twice as many waiting doesn’t seem to need to know that