Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Bowel cancer ebbs after Sturgeon scheme started screening earlier than in rest of UK

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So, facts, actual news, ‘bowel’, colorectal cancer cases fall by 20% in males and 10% in females over the last ten years, in Scotland. The Daily Record today? The Herald has the same story. Based on this: https://www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(23)05110-4/fulltext#%20 in March 2023, BBC Scotland did note: Public Health Scotland said the 2020 fall in numbers was “largely due to under-diagnosis caused by Covid restrictions”, including the temporary pause of screening programmes. Why have cases declined in Scotland longer term? Bowel cancer screening uptake in Scotland reaches a record high! Why might the UK researchers in the Record report be pessimistic? From … Continue reading Bowel cancer ebbs after Sturgeon scheme started screening earlier than in rest of UK

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The Covid Inquiry evidence unreported by BBC Scotland – can ‘bias by omission’ get any worse? 

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By stewartb ‘An important feature of the pandemic response of the Scottish Government was a pre-existing culture of professionalism, engagement, and collaboration, which, in the Covid-19 pandemic translated into a willingness to look outside of government for advice and expertise.’  On Scottish Government actions: ’Rather than divergence demonstrating political opportunism, it reflected better decision-making processes including more effective and meaningful consultation with others, and an appropriately precautionary approach to pandemic response.’ TUC/STUC submission to UK Covid 19 Inquiry (10 January 2024) By stewartb – a long read Already a lot of evidence concerning Scotland has been accumulated by the UK … Continue reading The Covid Inquiry evidence unreported by BBC Scotland – can ‘bias by omission’ get any worse? 

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99% of Scots voters don’t care or have been made stronger supporters of SNP after pandemic ‘revelations’

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From an admittedly self-selecting sample of 524 from nearly 11 000 followers of TuS, only 1.1% reported being less likely now to vote SNP after the media ‘revelations’ of the behaviour of SNP leaders during the pandemic. Nearly three-quarters indicated that the media coverage had been counter-production, in making them actually more likely to vote SNP and a quarter had their opinion unchanged by it. Comments below were illuminating and suggest the 1.1% ‘lessers‘ are even fewer: Continue reading 99% of Scots voters don’t care or have been made stronger supporters of SNP after pandemic ‘revelations’

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Exclusive – Scottish taxpayer did not have to pay for First Minister wife’s trip to Istanbul

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The Herald today have this frankly pitiful exclusive: Turkish government paid for Nadia El-Nakla trip to Istanbul The Turkish government paid for the wife of the First Minister to attend a summit in Istanbul, according to the Scottish Government’s latest list of ministers’ interests. Nadia El-Nakla and an SNP press officer attended Emine Erdoğan’s “United for Peace in Palestine” conference on November 15, following an invitation from the Turkish consulate in Edinburgh. Really? Is that where we’re at now for an ‘exclusive?’ Were they hoping they’d catch Humza out using Scottish taxpayer’s payers money to pay for his wife to … Continue reading Exclusive – Scottish taxpayer did not have to pay for First Minister wife’s trip to Istanbul

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“Protective effect of devolved policies” – Child poverty rates in Scotland (24%) remain much lower than those in England (31%) and Wales (28%)“The Protective effect of devolved policies” 

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation on the Scottish Government By stewartb The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) published (on 25 January) a report entitled ‘Constraints and trade-offs for the next government’. It paints a bleak picture of the present state of the UK, its public finances and services. Over the short to medium term, it offers no cheer for the future. The IFS notes: ’further tax rises and further cuts for most public services are built into current plans. But on official forecasts, this is only just enough to stabilise government debt as a fraction of national income.’  (my emphasis) And it … Continue reading “Protective effect of devolved policies” – Child poverty rates in Scotland (24%) remain much lower than those in England (31%) and Wales (28%)“The Protective effect of devolved policies” 

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Renewable technologies generate the equivalent of 113% of Scotland’s overall electricity consumption

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Renewable technologies generated the equivalent of 113% of Scotland’s overall electricity consumption in 2022, new statistics show. This is the highest recorded to date, and a 26 percentage point increase compared to 2021. The Scottish Government is taking action to scale up renewable technologies to transform and expand Scotland’s clean energy generation sector. It is also working to ensure Scotland maximises the economic benefits the sector will bring through commitments such as providing up to £500million to leverage private investments to support infrastructure and the offshore wind supply chain.   Not of interest, of course, to the media where you … Continue reading Renewable technologies generate the equivalent of 113% of Scotland’s overall electricity consumption

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What will a Labour government do? More austerity, no public investment, increasing privatisation, no curbs on corporate profiteering and remaining outside the UK’s largest market.   

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Leah Gunn Barrett English Labour says the UK economy is growing at the slowest rate for two centuries.[1] Could it have to do with austerity, Brexit, chronic underinvestment, rampant corporate profiteering and high interest rates? And if so, what will a Labour government do?  Fresh from Davos, Rachel Reeves told a meeting in the City of London “every day, every month and every year of a Labour government, Labour will maintain its credibility with the markets and relationship with the City.”[2] Labour has made clear that it will coddle and appease financial markets which means austerity, no public investment, increasing privatisation, no … Continue reading What will a Labour government do? More austerity, no public investment, increasing privatisation, no curbs on corporate profiteering and remaining outside the UK’s largest market.   

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As Tata Steel betrays thousands of workers does this Labour candidate in Ayrshire and ‘proud GMB member’ regret his naivety in promoting trade links with India?

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Allan Gemmell OBE is the Labour candidate for the Central Ayrshire constituency, his suitability to fully represent the constituents is cast into serious doubt by emerging facts. Gemmell was born in the constituency, and much is being made of that, but since that time he has been identified much more strongly with the Johnson Conservative UK Government’s interests and those of the British Council in India. Regardless of birth, he is a classic ‘helicoptered-in’ candidate, imposed on local Labour members and at the expense of two local and respected alternatives, by a now fully right-wing Labour leadership, in a tradition … Continue reading As Tata Steel betrays thousands of workers does this Labour candidate in Ayrshire and ‘proud GMB member’ regret his naivety in promoting trade links with India?

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Conscription to defend against Russian hypersonic missiles? Aye, for lads like these

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The Guardian and others are full of images like these: and comments from the likes of ex-Army Tory MP Tobias Ellwood: Sky News then reports: British citizens should be “trained and equipped” to fight in a potential war with Russia – as Moscow plans on “defeating our system and way of life”, the head of the British Army has said. General Sir Patrick Sanders, the outgoing Chief of the General Staff (CGS), said increasing army numbers in preparation for a potential conflict would need to be a “whole-of-nation undertaking”. The comments, first reported by the Daily Telegraph, are being read … Continue reading Conscription to defend against Russian hypersonic missiles? Aye, for lads like these

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Funding for projects to tackle poverty and inequality – another ‘SNPgood’ story you won’t hear?

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Above, BBC Scotland’s array of gossip and tabloid intrigue for the insatiably nosy but apolitical mind. Not anywhere but here and on the Scot gov website, this heart-warming good news and further evidence that the SNP is Scotland’s leftist party, committed, one-arm tied, to reducing inequality with all the harms it produces, and revealing the awfulness of UK Labour: An initiative which will support low income families to take part in community action and advise on improvements in local services is being funded as part of a wider programme to help develop new approaches to child poverty. The project, led … Continue reading Funding for projects to tackle poverty and inequality – another ‘SNPgood’ story you won’t hear?