Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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English Labour has fully gone over to the dark side

johnrobertson834

Leah Gunn Barrett English Labour has fully gone over to the dark side. Keir Starmer, praising Thatcher for bringing ‘meaningful change’ to the UK, shed the last bit of straggly wool trying to disguise the neoliberal wolf Labour has become.[1] Why anyone in Scotland would cast a vote for English Labour that promises more of Thatcher’s wanton destruction is mind-boggling.  Many won’t remember her trail of wreckage. It started with her economic ignorance. She foolishly believed a government’s finances were like a household’s so she slashed public investment in heavy industry – shipbuilding, steel, coal, engineering, and manufacturing – making it … Continue reading English Labour has fully gone over to the dark side

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Not reported elsewhere: An independent Scotland would have the opportunity to create a new approach to social security that could transform lives

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Spotted by the ‘AI-enhanced’ Policy Mogul today and being ignored by Scottish media: An independent Scotland would have the opportunity to create a new approach to social security that could transform lives and ensure a decent standard of living for all, according to a new paper to be launched on 6 December. The ninth paper in the Building a New Scotland Series – Social Security in an independent Scotland – will outline the progress the Scottish Government has already made with limited powers and demonstrate how an independent Scotland could go even further. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Scottish Parliament … Continue reading Not reported elsewhere: An independent Scotland would have the opportunity to create a new approach to social security that could transform lives

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Research finds Scottish parents statistically significantly more content with schooling than elsewhere in UK

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Despite making up around 20% of the sample of around 5 000, a UK-wide survey by Parentkind reveals that Scotland’s parents are significantly happier with the education their children receive than are parents in the other UK nations. The above list of six key points make clear that after 16 years, the SNP in government has achieved results that have pushed Scottish schools ahead of their counterparts on key concerns. The fifth bullet point should not be misunderstood. It is good. Scottish parents trust the schools to do the work with their children. Here are some encouraging excerpts from the … Continue reading Research finds Scottish parents statistically significantly more content with schooling than elsewhere in UK

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8% of the population but only 3% of the fascist leaflets handed out

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From the Hope not Hate report The Fascist Fringe: Patriotic Alternative and its Splinter Groups, today: Experts (well me) have predicted that fascist groups may disappear entirely in Scotland as Labour more than satisfies the desires of xenophobes, racists and other intolerants. For many many more on the 8% see: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=+8%25+ Continue reading 8% of the population but only 3% of the fascist leaflets handed out

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Thousands of homes ‘too dangerous for ambulances without police back-up?’ I smell a rat in a pile of neglected data

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Started by a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish Ambulance Service, from the policing magazine 1919, the above story is everywhere. 1919 has a track record (sic) on propagandising for the opposition parties and their trade union chums in Scotland. In August 2023, on behalf of the Lib Dems, and their survey of only 62 out of 5 000 railway staff, they claimed a crisis affecting 88.7%! The claims were rebutted in the National at: https://www.thenational.scot/politics/23707382.allan-dorans-need-balanced-reporting-safety-scotrail-staff/ Today, they have four Scottish stories including the above. STV helpfully tell us: The database of 4,418 addresses constantly changes and is updated … Continue reading Thousands of homes ‘too dangerous for ambulances without police back-up?’ I smell a rat in a pile of neglected data

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1.6% of Scotland’s addresses ‘too dangerous’ for ambulances without police escort, maybe

johnrobertson834

..too dangerous for ambulance crews to attend without police back-up…the Scottish Police Federation (trade union) is warning that budget constraints mean it will be physically impossible to respond to every call for assistance. The GMB Union, which represents ambulance workers, says the loss of police backup is a huger concern. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone 07:30 5/12/23 Context from a taxpayer-funded public service broadcaster with a charter requiring it to inform? None. Here is some: First, there are around 2.7 million domestic addresses in Scotland. That 4 500 is 01.6%. Apparently, the figure for the whole of England, is only 1 400 for 10 … Continue reading 1.6% of Scotland’s addresses ‘too dangerous’ for ambulances without police escort, maybe

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US ferry service to extend lives of six ferries to 55 years!

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From the Island Sounder, today: Washington ferries awarded $4.8 million to extend lifespan of six aging vessels by up to a decade. Washington State Ferries (WSF) has received $4.8 million in federal funding to refurbish passenger areas on six aging boats in its ferry fleet. The grant will pay for upgrades on all six of WSF’s Issaquah Class Vessels, originally constructed between 1979 and 1982 and currently serve travellers in Fauntleroy, Vashon, Southworth, Mukilteo, Clinton, Anacortes and the San Juan Islands. https://www.islandssounder.com/life/ferries-awarded-4-8-million-to-extend-lifespan-vessels/ The Washington State Ferries, Issaquah class are 328 feet long and 2 477 tons and serve 90 mile … Continue reading US ferry service to extend lives of six ferries to 55 years!

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Scotland subordinated in Starmer’s ‘New Jerusalem’?

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By stewartb Commentary on the recent Telegraph article written by Sir Keir Starmer has been extensive in the UK press. That it proved controversial is an understatement. However among its questionable elements, there are ones that merit additional attention when viewed from a Scotland perspective. (Review of Starmer’s article: https://archive.ph/dyz6e ) Starmer states: “A century ago, Clement Attlee wrote that Labour must be a party of duty and patriotism, not abstract theory. To build a ‘New Jerusalem’ meant first casting off the mind-forged manacles. That lesson is as true today as it was then.” Of all that could be said … Continue reading Scotland subordinated in Starmer’s ‘New Jerusalem’?

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BBC reporting is ‘creative’ at best

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Try asking any BBC editor how often they have made a Freedom of Information request of, for example, the Scottish Government and you’ll get a revealing response like this: Please note that the information you have requested is excluded from the Act because it is held for the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature.’ Part VI of Schedule 1 to the Act provides that information held by the BBC and the other public service broadcasters is only covered by the Act if it is held for ‘purposes other than those of journalism, art or literature” 1. The BBC is not … Continue reading BBC reporting is ‘creative’ at best

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No point in devoting effort to changing perceptions of the BBC in Scotland?

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Scotland’s different relationship with the BBC – evidence from the Corporation’s own data By stewartb The National Audit Office (NAO) has recently published an assessment of a BBC corporate initiative called ‘Across the UK’. The NAO’s report explains (with my emphasis): ‘In March 2021, the BBC published The BBC Across the UK (ATUK), setting out its ambitions to strengthen its delivery for the whole of the UK, particularly in areas where perception of the BBC’s relevance are relatively low, and to ensure that every household gets value from the BBC. It plans to do this by cumulatively spending at least … Continue reading No point in devoting effort to changing perceptions of the BBC in Scotland?