Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Police Scotland maintains world leading detection rate as every homicide committed in Scotland since 2013 has been solved

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ Many thanks to Andrew Wilson for alerting me to this: From Police Scotland today: Every homicide committed in Scotland since 2013 has been detected by Police Scotland, new figures confirmed today. In 2022-23, all 52 homicides committed in Scotland were detected. Latest statistics from Scottish Government, published today, show the number of homicides committed in Scotland continues to reduce. Police Scotland’s 100 per cent homicide detection rate means that every one of the 605 murders committed since the inception of the single national service in 2013, has … Continue reading Police Scotland maintains world leading detection rate as every homicide committed in Scotland since 2013 has been solved

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International news media cover dramatic English ‘County Lines’ gangsters impacting public safety in Dundee but Scottish media strangely miss it

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From BNN Correspondents, a global news desk, on 28 February 2024: In June 2019, Dundee became the focal point of a high-stakes law enforcement operation that culminated in the sentencing of two key figures involved in a dangerous county lines drug trafficking network. Joshua Olumuyiwa, 32, and Brandon Collins, 24, were convicted for their roles in the supply of cocaine, marking a significant victory for community safety efforts. The incident that led to their capture was nothing short of cinematic, with Olumuyiwa behind the wheel of a Ford EcoSport fitted with fraudulent plates, leading police on a high-speed chase that … Continue reading International news media cover dramatic English ‘County Lines’ gangsters impacting public safety in Dundee but Scottish media strangely miss it

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Isle of Wight ferry fiasco putting people’s health and well-being at risk says councillor but government not to blame

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ From Alliance Party Councillor, Karl Love, in the Isle of Wight Country Press today: The situation with Red Funnel, Cross Solent transportation operators, and its cancellations and service disruptions to the Isle of Wight, after many months of negative service impacts, is intolerable and could be putting people’s health and well-being at risk from life threatening illness after residents are missing appointments and treatments, because of cancelled services. Red Funnel service cancellations are worsening and our whole Island economy, our invest-ability and potential tourist offer is being diminished.  … Continue reading Isle of Wight ferry fiasco putting people’s health and well-being at risk says councillor but government not to blame

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SNP competence check – ‘England may wish to follow Scotland’s lead on preventive healthcare for under 5s’

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ From an article in the British Medical Journal, a remarkable report of the impact of the Scottish Government’s unique investment in health visitors, across a range of outcomes including infant survival, vaccination rates, breastfeeding, obesity, GP workload, A&E attendance levels and dental treatment. The full article is behind a paywall so unless you have access to an institutional (university, health board etc) account you may not be able to read the whole thing. It’s stunning. Here is an extract: Urgent action is needed to tackle worsening health … Continue reading SNP competence check – ‘England may wish to follow Scotland’s lead on preventive healthcare for under 5s’

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VERIFIED by Office for National Statistics: NHS Scotland performs best in Britain on A&E waits – and has done so for over a decade!

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ By stewartb So it’s true – the ONS has confirmed that NHS Scotland has the best performing A&E services in Britain in terms of waiting times. What’s more, it has been a top performer for over a decade. This may come as a shock to many voters in Scotland given it runs counter to BBC Scotland’s framing and to the ‘outraged’ media performances by a Labour Party dame and a Tory in scrubs with a ‘cool’ hairdo. Source: ONS (28 February 2024) Accident and Emergency wait times … Continue reading VERIFIED by Office for National Statistics: NHS Scotland performs best in Britain on A&E waits – and has done so for over a decade!

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How Sturgeon’s Covid plan saved many thousands and how Johnson failed to learn from her

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ The above story in the Scotsman is a rehash of earlier narratives that somehow the SNP Government bullied the UK Conservative Government of Johnson and Hancock into mismanaging the pandemic response. The facts again: The lowest infection rate in the UK, over the whole pandemic, by some way. The lowest current infection rate by an even bigger gap as the new variant arrives. The highest vaccination rate for all three vaccines but especially the booster jag. The second lowest death rate after Northern Ireland, 25% lower than … Continue reading How Sturgeon’s Covid plan saved many thousands and how Johnson failed to learn from her

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Conspiracy to push drugs across ‘county lines’ into Dumfries and Scotland

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ From Greater Manchester Police news two days ago but not being covered by the Dumfries newspapers or wider Scottish media: Officers in GMP’s Challenger South team, along with forcewide resources executed 12 warrants across Manchester, West Yorkshire and in Scotland in relation to an investigation into a conspiracy to supply class B drugs. Seven people aged between 24 and 58 were arrested this morning on suspicion of conspiracy to supply the class B drug of cannabis. They are all suspected to be involved in a conspiracy to … Continue reading Conspiracy to push drugs across ‘county lines’ into Dumfries and Scotland

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South Uist islanders refuse ‘offer’ of HMS Prince of Wales as replacement ferry

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ From the Daily Mail today: The future of Britain’s second aircraft carrier is under threat due to funding issues, naval sources have claimed. Senior figures have spoken out after it emerged next week’s Budget will not include any significant rise in defence spending. They fear HMS Prince of Wales, which cost £3.5billion to build, could be mothballed or sold for a knockdown price to a friendly nation, over the fleet’s flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth. In a shock move Lord Marmaduke Pocklington-Henry, community councillor for South Uist, has demanded … Continue reading South Uist islanders refuse ‘offer’ of HMS Prince of Wales as replacement ferry

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The risk of trans men – today’s big moral panic

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ In my long time in Higher Education and among my family and friends, I’ve never heard a young woman express concern about trans women (former men) or opposition to the Scottish government’s proposed gender recognition reforms. These trans women are remembered as gentle, sensitive and more than any other group in our society, the most brutally abused. In police recording, no doubt a massive understating of the phenomenon, they suffer physical assaults far more often, and verbal assaults, by the day. The media, of course, neglect this … Continue reading The risk of trans men – today’s big moral panic

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Audit Scotland satisfied with SNP ferry contract awards

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ Scotland’s narrowest ferry correspondent cannot hide his huff as Audit Scotland decide not to carry out further inquiries into the new ferry procurement procedures. In 2022, they had concerns but, according to the Herald today (unsourced), they appear to have accepted that due process was followed. Here’s the end after all the hissyfitting: Audit Scotland previously questioned why a builder’s refund guarantee – which would protect the buyer – was not part of the contract with Ferguson Marine despite usually being a mandatory consideration. But Audit Scotland … Continue reading Audit Scotland satisfied with SNP ferry contract awards