Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Deadly measles travelling into Scotland despite 96% vaccination rate

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From Public Health Scotland, yesterday: Public Health Scotland is aware of five cases of laboratory confirmed measles in Scotland since October 2023, all of which have been linked to travel. The latest two cases were confirmed today, 16 February 2024. PHS is encouraging the public to take up the offer of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Having two doses of the MMR vaccine is the best way to be fully protected against measles. Anyone who hasn’t had two doses of the free MMR vaccine is encouraged to visit the NHS Inform website to find out how to arrange … Continue reading Deadly measles travelling into Scotland despite 96% vaccination rate

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London-based company responsible for 28 deaths in Flixborough disaster operates in Scotland

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From the ever-excellent Skwawkbox today: Residents of Garston and Cressington in the south of Liverpool have begun the formal legal process to overturn the decision by the city’s Labour council to approve a site that will process more than double the quantity of a mix of dangerous chemicals that caused the 1974 Flixborough disaster, one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in human history, with a blast radius of over three miles that killed twenty-eight people in a rural area. Despite the Flixborough inquiry’s conclusions that the chemical should not be processed near residential areas, he council’s planning committee did not … Continue reading London-based company responsible for 28 deaths in Flixborough disaster operates in Scotland

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Mis-representing anti-Semitism in Scotland

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See anything odd, inconsistent, in the above map which suggests by colouring and by position in a table, that Scotland is the sixth worst part of the UK for anti-Semitic incidents? Even Wales is accurately broken down into regions like England so that we can see more accurately just where the problem is, but Scotland is presented as one region with the data totalled to make it seem worse. There are 34 council areas in Scotland so, on average each has had 2 anti-Semitic incidents putting most down at the bottom of that table. Remember that putting a leaflet through … Continue reading Mis-representing anti-Semitism in Scotland

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Urgent calls for a state of emergency to be declared for Washington State Ferries

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From KOMO News today: More than a dozen Washington state lawmakers are pushing Gov. Jay Inslee to declare a state of emergency for Washington State Ferries (WSF). The end goal of the move is to make it possible for the state to get two new ferries within two years. “We have a state of emergency. The question is, do we have the political will to call it what it is,” said state representative Spencer Hutchins, (R) Gig Harbor. KOMO News has documented countless issues that WSF has and continues to face. WSF is working with fewer boats than it needs … Continue reading Urgent calls for a state of emergency to be declared for Washington State Ferries

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“The Traitors: Labour has delivered one of the biggest betrayals in UK industrial history” – the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce is not holding back!

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By stewartb The quote comes from an opinion piece written by the Policy Director of the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC) published 15 February 2024 in the industry news journal ‘Energy Voice’. Headline: ‘The Traitors: Back-stabbing TV hit has nothing on Labour – The Traitors: Labour has delivered one of the biggest betrayals in UK industrial history with its North Sea policy’. Seehttps://www.energyvoice.com/opinion/547861/the-traitors-labour/ This is in response to the Labour Party ‘who just months after heading north to promise “no cliff-edge end” to the North Sea oil and gas sector have delivered one of the biggest betrayals in … Continue reading “The Traitors: Labour has delivered one of the biggest betrayals in UK industrial history” – the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce is not holding back!

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Scotland’s Emergency Departments improving steadily as demand climbs 25% to pre-pandemic levels

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After falling steadily, from the pandemic until the winter of 2022, NHS Scotland’s 4-hour waiting time performance in full Emergency Departments has stabilised with winter performance around 6% better and summer performance approaching that of 2021. This has been done against a background of climbing demand, from only 81 000 in December 2020 to 107 000 in December 2023 Continue reading Scotland’s Emergency Departments improving steadily as demand climbs 25% to pre-pandemic levels

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Only 9 out of 21 Washington State Ferries in good condition

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From the Courier-Herald, in Seattle, yesterday: There are so many problems with our ferry system. Constant delays, breakdowns, and staffing issues, our ferry fleet has become known around the region as one of the easiest ways to ruin your commute. While Washington currently has the largest ferry network in the nation, only nine ships of our 21 are considered in good condition1. This has resulted in some routes sporting a reliability rate as low as 75 percent. The effect on passengers is late arrivals to work, added hours to their commute, and increased frustration with a transportation network. If almost … Continue reading Only 9 out of 21 Washington State Ferries in good condition

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Scandal as NZ Government seeks to buy unavailable second-hand ferries and keep ‘very end-of-life’ wharf

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From Radio New Zealand today: KiwiRail says it is now looking at buying second-hand ships for the Cook Strait ferry service, and is asking what to do about the terminals. It has blamed poor project governance in part for cost escalations in its Interislander replacement Project Irex, sunk when the government balked in December at rising terminal rebuild costs. Chief executive Peter Reidy told MPs at a select committee at Parliament there are only 22 second-hand ships worldwide that fit the bill – such as being rugged enough for the Strait – and none are for sale. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/509283/kiwirail-considers-buying-second-hand-ships-for-cook-strait-ferry-service And from … Continue reading Scandal as NZ Government seeks to buy unavailable second-hand ferries and keep ‘very end-of-life’ wharf

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Scottish student nursing applications at nearly twice the level of England due to SNP Government initiatives

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Another desperate (no ”) attempt by the Scotsman to turn a problem being tackled by the Scottish Government into a crisis in which their actions seem to be invisible. Nowhere in that front page do you see this important piece of evidence, of the Scottish Government’s efforts. On top of free tuition, in Scotland only: The Bursary The bursary is for the normal duration of the course that you are undertaking. If you are taking the four-year honours nursing degree course and you are eligible for a bursary, you will receive the full bursary rate for years 1-3 and a … Continue reading Scottish student nursing applications at nearly twice the level of England due to SNP Government initiatives

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Why would a Scottish newspaper attack Labour in this election year?

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The P&J, the big newspaper in the North-east of Scotland has the above image, viciously attacking Labour. Everywhere else, across the newspapers and the broadcast media, Anas Sarwar is being wrapped in cotton wool and given nice cups of tea with even nicer questions to answer. No one needs to tell Scottish reporters how to behave in a year when the Labour attack on SNP seats is central to all their hopes and fears. So, what’s the P&J up to? Most of you will know already. Across P&J Land, Labour are in third place and would need a massive swing … Continue reading Why would a Scottish newspaper attack Labour in this election year?