Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Central Ayrshire Labour candidate shocked as local ambulance times plummet to just over a quarter of those in imminently Labour England

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From BBC UK’s How are your local NHS services coping this winter? app, today: In just one year, NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s ambulances have reduced their average response times by a potentially life-saving 2 minutes, by 17%, from just over 12 minutes to just under 10 minutes. In England: Average response times of more than 38 minutes for category two emergency calls such as heart attacks and strokes – above the target time of 18 minuteshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-67714151 Maybe Alan Gemmell’s GMB supporters will help? Ah, they work on behalf of the nuclear fuels industry and the risks of that, which could put even more pressure on … Continue reading Central Ayrshire Labour candidate shocked as local ambulance times plummet to just over a quarter of those in imminently Labour England

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Ayr Conservatives embarrassed as ambulance waiting times plummet to just over a quarter of those in Conservative-run England

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Our ambulances are far faster than in England and getting even faster? Can’t we do something about that? From BBC UK’s How are your local NHS services coping this winter? app, today: In just one year, NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s ambulances have reduced their average response times by a potentially life-saving 2 minutes, by 17%, from just over 12 minutes to just under 10 minutes. In England: Average response times of more than 38 minutes for category two emergency calls such as heart attacks and strokes – above the target time of 18 minutes https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-67714151 Continue reading Ayr Conservatives embarrassed as ambulance waiting times plummet to just over a quarter of those in Conservative-run England

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Glasgow ambulance average waiting times plummet to just a quarter of England’s

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Not for the first time BBC England release figures that contradict BBC Scotland’s messaging aimed at undermining the SNP and protecting Labour. I did expect to find the above app would not accept Scottish postcodes. In England: Average response times of more than 38 minutes for category two emergency calls such as heart attacks and strokes – above the target time of 18 minutes https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-67714151 In Wales and Northern Ireland: ‘Please enter a valid postcode.’ Continue reading Glasgow ambulance average waiting times plummet to just a quarter of England’s

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Cancer – Claims by leading English medics mean SNP could save hundreds from early death

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In the Guardian today: Thousands of cancer patients could die early if ministers and junior doctors do not urgently resolve their bitter pay row, health officials have warned. Oncologists and cancer leaders are becoming increasingly alarmed and frustrated at the devastating impact of NHS strikes on care and treatment. Tens of thousands of patients have had cancer appointments, treatments and operations cancelled since the strikes began about 13 months ago. The current six-day strike is the ninth time junior doctors have stopped working in the last year and the longest to hit the health service since it was founded in 1948. More … Continue reading Cancer – Claims by leading English medics mean SNP could save hundreds from early death

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£30 thousand? Labour received £14 million in secret loans before an election

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Today BBC Scotland, with images of the former SNP Chief Executive and, of course, his wife Nicola Sturgeon, has: The SNP could face another probe into its finances after taking five years to declare thousands of pounds in loans from its former chief executive. The Electoral Commission said the party received two payments totalling £15,000 from Peter Murrell in 2018, but did not notify the watchdog until last year. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67896063 Only at the very end, on the other probe, launched 54 months ago, re £600 000 of the SNP’s own money apparently vired from one heading to another, as many … Continue reading £30 thousand? Labour received £14 million in secret loans before an election

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England – 307 flood warnings and 500 flood defences delayed and no Labour promise to help

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Imagine this was in Scotland. According to BBC Politics, but not headlined anywhere else: Rishi Sunak is being urged by opposition parties to do more to help areas in England affected by flooding. Hundreds of homes have been evacuated following heavy rainfall, with flooded roads and railway tracks causing travel disruption. Labour said the PM should set up a “taskforce” to manage the response, and set out what support will be available. He is also coming under pressure to visit flood-hit areas. The Liberal Democrats said he should go to affected areas to “see for himself the devastation caused by … Continue reading England – 307 flood warnings and 500 flood defences delayed and no Labour promise to help

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It’s a no brainer – public assets should be publicly owned

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Leah Gunn Barrett The Horizon-Fujitsu Post Office scandal is rooted in the UK government’s 2015 privatisation of a public service that had been state-owned (in England) for almost 500 years. It’s what happens when essential public services are sold off to private companies because the government is in thrall to an ideology that prizes profit maximisation over people.  The failing UK has zealously pursued this ideology to its natural conclusion – the complete collapse of public services and the immiseration of the people they’re intended to serve.  Essential services – health, water, energy, transport, mail, telecommunications – are more expensive … Continue reading It’s a no brainer – public assets should be publicly owned

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Maybe Scotland’s ferry-user ‘representatives’ would like CalMac to learn from this operator in the richest country in the world as it warns ‘Normal service is not possible. Don’t expect improvements for 5 years!’

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Two days ago, we heard from the Herald: The Scottish Government’s bid to provide a direct public contract to CalMac to run the ageing ferry fleet without going through a competitive tendering process is opposed by its community board. Today, to warn the board to be careful what it wishes for, we can read of how a large, failing but profit-making ferry operator, in the USA, is doing for its users: After several years of trying to predict when normal ferry service might return, Washington State Ferries is now acknowledging what most regular riders likely already suspected: Until new boats … Continue reading Maybe Scotland’s ferry-user ‘representatives’ would like CalMac to learn from this operator in the richest country in the world as it warns ‘Normal service is not possible. Don’t expect improvements for 5 years!’

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Percentage of new teachers leaving within 5 years seems to be decreasing

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The Herald today has: The number of new teachers fleeing the profession has spiked this year as opposition politicians blame poor pay and violence in classrooms for the exodus. More than 1300 teachers have left the profession within the first five years of their career since 2018, according to figures from the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). Who asked the GTC for those figures? The Lib Dumbs, Scotland’s second-smallest party in Holyrood. Their Education spokesperson – Willie Rennie. The totals, 183, 187, 238, 182, 219, 338, do suggest an increasing trend but an 11 year-old being taught about the value of … Continue reading Percentage of new teachers leaving within 5 years seems to be decreasing

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Junior doctors’ strike is becoming Labour’s problem

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Remarkably but not unusually unaware, the Guardian has this today: With a general election now on the horizon, MPs are starting to talk about the prospect of strikes straddling two administrations. Will some calculate that if they hold out a few months longer their pay deals would be done by a Labour government, which might find them politically harder to refuse? By publicly readying for a spring election, no matter how unlikely some think that is in practice, the government has opened up that possibility. Junior doctors’ leaders seem intent on driving change within their institutions and shifting broader attitudes … Continue reading Junior doctors’ strike is becoming Labour’s problem