Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Three failed barely-used Canadian catamaran ferries built for $460 million of taxpayers’ money struggling to get $15 million re-sale offer

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ From CBC today: They might be the most infamous ships in the history of British Columbia: three B.C. Ferries that were hundreds of millions of dollars over budget, couldn’t run as fast or efficiently as promised, and were partly responsible for sinking the NDP government of the 1990s. And now, they’re back. On Facebook Marketplace. “We’re seeing if there’s one last ditch effort we can make before they go to the scrap yard,” said Rob Arthurs, … Continue reading Three failed barely-used Canadian catamaran ferries built for $460 million of taxpayers’ money struggling to get $15 million re-sale offer

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Media collusion to stitch-up the First Minister

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By NMRN The Daily Telegraph (Torygraph) today……front page headline “Yousaf in row over £250,000 Gaza cash” The Torygraph states that he, Yousaf, has been ‘accused’ of a conflict of interest’ after supposedly ‘overriding’ official advice in giving this money. …..last year he ,according to them , was advised to give £100,000 to £200,000 to Unicef but instead he donated £250,000 to UNRWA …which they , the Torygraph, say was on the same day that he met UN Aid officials….and here is where the so called apparent ‘conflict of interest’ comes into play for the Torygraph and those who ‘accuse’ the FM……the following day his, FM, in … Continue reading Media collusion to stitch-up the First Minister

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How one local newspaper gave the people the facts they needed to ‘Take back our town’ from English drug gangs

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ Last September, English County Lines gangsters were driven out by mass protests in Auchinleck and Cumnock (East Ayrshire) with hundreds of locals involved. They had become increasingly angry and fearful as reports of a massive surge in cheap drug availability threatened the lives of their families, of the exploitation of vulnerable individuals to provide bases in their homes, of direct threats to kill local young men and of reports of the sexual abuse of … Continue reading How one local newspaper gave the people the facts they needed to ‘Take back our town’ from English drug gangs

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Cancer patients ‘at risk’ in England, with far longer waiting times despite less demand than Scotland, is not politicised

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ In the Guardian and on the BBC Health website: Cancer patients may be at risk due to overstretched NHS staff, ombudsman warns Cancer patients at risk from stretched NHS, says NHS complaints chief No statistics are offered about actual waiting times. No politician is named or blamed and there is nothing like this which BBC Health did offer last year, much to the reported horror at BBC Scotland: Not only does Scotland have far … Continue reading Cancer patients ‘at risk’ in England, with far longer waiting times despite less demand than Scotland, is not politicised

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English drug gang travels 600 miles to Aberdeen to enslave vulnerable locals but still no main news coverage after 5 years of abuse

johnrobertson834

A County Lines gang arrested in Aberdeen last year. Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ BBC Scotland and the Scottish newspaper front pages have nothing on this dramatic story today of a Southampton based ‘County Lines‘ drug gang moving into Aberdeen, significantly increasing the supply of proscribed drugs and the level of ‘Modern Slavery’ whereby vulnerable locals have their homes occupied by extremely violent criminals as bases from which to deal the drugs. Sexual abuse of women and children often … Continue reading English drug gang travels 600 miles to Aberdeen to enslave vulnerable locals but still no main news coverage after 5 years of abuse

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NHS England almost 10 times more privatised per head than NHS Scotland after 16 years of SNP protection

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ In recent years, NHS Scotland typically undertakes around 1 million procedures (operations) over the 12 months. As you might expect with 10 times the population, NHS England does around 10 million. Today in the Guardian, we can read: Private hospitals ‘cannibalising’ NHS in England by doing 10% of elective operations. Campaigners say health service cannot provide care quickly because of underinvestment, which is allowing firms to ‘make a killing’. Private hospitals performed 442,925 trauma … Continue reading NHS England almost 10 times more privatised per head than NHS Scotland after 16 years of SNP protection

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MPs on UK defence – increasingly reliant on allies to protect UK national interests whilst equipment budget for its nuclear weapons soars by 62% (that’s £38.2 billion)

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ … and the ONLY Royal Navy ship able to fully replenish the UK’s aircraft carriers will be unavailable for a year because of a refit! By stewartb It’s always relevant to amplify new information about the actual state of this UK nation-state, the one within which we in Scotland are supposedly ‘better together’. Is the UK all that it’s cracked up to be in Unionist messaging? Notwithstanding the fact that in the Union the … Continue reading MPs on UK defence – increasingly reliant on allies to protect UK national interests whilst equipment budget for its nuclear weapons soars by 62% (that’s £38.2 billion)

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The Guardian casually distorts the lower level of homicide against women in Scotland

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In the above Guardian piece today, 3 (33%) of the 9 murders described took place in Scotland. The authors chose these 9 examples from 174 murders of women in England & Wales last year. Read the above, on its own, and Scotland looks a more dangerous place for women, by some way. That’s not just untrue, it’s the reverse. The facts: From National Statistics for Scotland, today: In 2022-2023, there were 13 female homicide victims in Scotland. In England & Wales, in 2021-2022 (latest figures) there were 198 female homicide victims. England & Wales have 11 times the population and so, … Continue reading The Guardian casually distorts the lower level of homicide against women in Scotland

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Channel 4’s Ciaran Jenkins on NHS Scotland cancer waiting times fails to mention referrals (demand) soaring by 24%

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ He asks, How much better or worse is the NHS in Scotland compared with ten years ago? and claims it is: x3 worse cancer treatment within 31 days x7 worse cancer treatment within 62 days Here are the data: So, from 100% of patients seen on time in 2012 to 94.9% and 72% by the end of 2023. You can clearly say 5.1% and 28% worse but how do you come up with 3 … Continue reading Channel 4’s Ciaran Jenkins on NHS Scotland cancer waiting times fails to mention referrals (demand) soaring by 24%

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The real and the opportunity costs of Union – how much more will Scotland’s electorate accept?

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ By stewartb – a long read Amongst the political noise generated by the UK Chancellor’s budget, one remark hit home. On the Radio 4 Today programme (7 March), Jeremy Hunt when asked about the ‘losers’ from his budget, remarked in reply: ‘I’ve asked the Scottish oil & gas industry to make an additional contribution …’. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001wymc – at c. 2:17 in – with my emphasis) This is referring to an extension of the period … Continue reading The real and the opportunity costs of Union – how much more will Scotland’s electorate accept?