Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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If it wasn’t the school or the photographers then the Tory council approved photos ‘erasing’ ASN pupils – where is the Council Leader?

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Yesterday, I suggested: If it wasn’t the Aberdeenshire school it was the Tory council that instructed or allowed the photographers to offer parents ‘selective’ class photos Today BBC Scotland has this: A photography firm has apologised after parents were offered a choice of whether they wanted class photos with or without pupils with complex needs. Parents at Aboyne Primary School in Aberdeenshire complained after being sent a link from Tempest Photography. The company said it deeply regretted any upset it had caused and “sincerely apologised” to affected families. It said it was “not standard procedure” and it was taking the … Continue reading If it wasn’t the school or the photographers then the Tory council approved photos ‘erasing’ ASN pupils – where is the Council Leader?

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Teachers in England may strike over 36% higher pupil workload than in Scotland

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BBC Breakfast, as with the junior doctors strikes, is NOT shielding the Conservative Government from criticism, but allowing union reps free reign to attack. Today’s threat of teacher strikes is headlining there but is nowhere on the BBC News websites. BBC Scotland? School photos scandal. A significant factor for the NASUWT is this: Class sizes, pupil teacher ratios, have gotten worse not better over the last decade. Strangely, neither the NASUWT nor the Government state the actual pupil/teacher ratio. Here they are, helpfully from gov.uk, across the 4 nations: Pupil to teacher ratios in maintained schools were lowest in Scotland … Continue reading Teachers in England may strike over 36% higher pupil workload than in Scotland

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Sex offending councillors – Spot the difference

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By NMRN Spot the difference. BBC Scotland news website : February 2024 headline “Former SNP councillor charged with multiple sexual offences” Then we read….this…. March 2024 (today) headline (6th story) via the BBC Scotland website (soon perhaps to disappear from their website)…. “Ex-councillor jailed for having indecent images of children” Guess which party the “Ex councillor” was from…..no…not the SNP as that would have been in the BBC’s headline….well he was an ex Labour councillor. So the BBC team think it is compulsory to note the party name in their headline when tis the SNP….but no need to name the party when tis a Pro UK party….this is a regular behaviour we witness via the BBC website. … Continue reading Sex offending councillors – Spot the difference

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A phantom ferry fiasco

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By NMRN Kathryn Sampson of ITV noted recently in her #SNPBAD attempted ‘report’ that a ferry was built in Turkey…..I guess then that the UK government awarding the construction of some parts of ships for the Royal Navy to overseas (foreign) companies does not matter then….as that’s ….different ? (we all know what she, Samson, was trying to say and do in noting the Turkey connection) ….however it was reported that “The Conservative UK government tends towards a competitive procurement process, which goes for the lowest cost bidder, no matter where they are bidding from”…. Just sayin. Plus we also had Chris Grayling and … Continue reading A phantom ferry fiasco

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Reporting NHS Scotland accurately- I say thank God for social media

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By NMRN MSM Twitter account tweeted: “The Good Morning Scotland team are doing their level best to spike the good news that a record number of junior doctors have taken up posts. The 0805 interview with the BMA rep Hugh Pearson (above) was classic ‘don’t praise the Scottish NHS’ stuff” But MSM Monitor then tweeted : “We aren’t doing as well as comparable countries BMA rep Hugh Pearson told Good Morning Scotland this morning when being interviewed about junior doctors. There must be two Hugh Pearsons then. When will these trade union reps stop pandering to BBC Scotland’s political agenda”? … Continue reading Reporting NHS Scotland accurately- I say thank God for social media

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Women in West Dunbartonshire must wonder what difference having a leading Labour in Scotland politician’s ‘support’ makes?

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BY stewartb Labour’s Jackie Baillie has made much of her support for the WASPI women. The official website of Labour in Scotland’s Deputy Leader still has this from 7 November 2018: ‘MP AND MSP CALL FOR WOMEN AFFECTED BY STATE PENSION CHANGES TO GET INVOLVED IN WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE WASPI GROUP’. ‘Jackie said: “I am delighted that local women are willing to take the WASPI campaign forward, to raise awareness and gather more support locally. WASPI women have been badly affected by the DWP’s State Pension Changes, they have been given little or no notice and no time to plan for … Continue reading Women in West Dunbartonshire must wonder what difference having a leading Labour in Scotland politician’s ‘support’ makes?

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The WASPI women will not be so easily taken in as some in Scotland were in 2014

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BY NMRN Well if you, like Jackie Baillie, were pictured standing beside WASPI women and a banner that says ‘WASPI West Dunbartonshire’…..then you as a politician representing that area had better be prepared to follow through and continue to promote their WASPI cause…..more so when or if Labour are elected as the next UK Government……because the WASPI women will not go away, will never give up their fight and irrespective of who holds the public purse as the UK Government …well WASPI women will look to them for compensation and to redress the injustice that has happened because of a … Continue reading The WASPI women will not be so easily taken in as some in Scotland were in 2014

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Someone pass the sick bucket

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By NMRN 28 March Sir keir Starmer’s speech at launch of campaign for English local elections (snippets) Podium stated “Britain’s Future” speech launched in Dudley, England (also known as Britain…start of Labour’s campaign in English local elections) Starmer “A changed Labour Party ready to serve the interests of working people, or a Conservative Party that has forgotten how to serve anything other than itself”. So…… (Indeed the Labour party has ‘Changed’ so much tis bearably recognisable from the Labour party which were once assumed to be a left wing party) Starmer “Their (Tories) failure is visible in every community in Britain. The sewage in our rivers. The ambulances that don’t … Continue reading Someone pass the sick bucket

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No more a mean city as Glasgow’s murder rate plummets 80% under SNP

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From a Freedom of Information request, by a disappointed opposition MSP I’m guessing, there were only 7 homicide victims in Glasgow City last year (2022/2023), down from 34 in the last year of the Labour Government in Scotland (2006/2007), a 79.4% drop in only 16 years. A more meaningful comparison, based on the five-year average is 36.2 for the last 5 years of Labour rule down to 10 for the last five years, 71.8% down. Can the SNP claim credit for this? I’ve no doubt it’s more complex than that but imagine it was the other way round and homicide … Continue reading No more a mean city as Glasgow’s murder rate plummets 80% under SNP

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If it wasn’t the Aberdeenshire school it was the Tory council that instructed or allowed the photographers to offer parents ‘selective’ class photos

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The Aboyne school where class photos could be had selected for with or without children with ‘complex needs’ is all over media including wider UK media today. There’s not a word from the council leader (above) nor any mention of which parties run Aberdeenshire. From the council in June 2023: Cllr Gillian Owen has been appointed as the Leader of Aberdeenshire Council, by her fellow councillors. The Council Administration comprises Scottish Conservatives & Unionists, Liberal Democrats and Independent councillors who adopt a collective approach to leadership. An amendment by the SNP, seconded by the Democratic Independent Group, to appoint Cllr Gwyneth … Continue reading If it wasn’t the Aberdeenshire school it was the Tory council that instructed or allowed the photographers to offer parents ‘selective’ class photos