Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Junior doctor strikes again – Why we want less Scottish news and more from England

johnrobertson834

Above, BBC Scotland’s interests specially chosen for you. Below, the really big story everywhere else in the UK but not to be mentioned by BBC Scotland, even though to do so might reassure thousands of the elderly, vulnerable and confused, that it is OK to contact NHS Scotland, to go for an appointment with confidence or, of course, to think something positive about the SNP in government: 10th strike by junior doctors, 50 plus days of doctor strikes across England with more than a million missed appointments, 50 000 plus excess deaths and strikes all across the UK, except in: … Continue reading Junior doctor strikes again – Why we want less Scottish news and more from England

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Isle of Wight ferry company has no plans to replace Catamaran which is running on only 3 out of 4 engines

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From BBC Hampshire and Isle of Wight yesterday: Unreliable cross-Solent ferry services are causing “huge stress”, passengers have said. Both the Red Jet passenger vessels and car ferries operated by Red Funnel have suffered cancellations and delays in recent months. Islanders have complained about disrupted commutes and journeys to hospital appointments. High-speed passenger ferry RedJet 6 is only running on three of its four engines. The company said supply chain issues had led to problems obtaining spare parts to mend its fourth engine. On 13 February it suffered an interceptor seal failure and the following day tidal conditions meant it … Continue reading Isle of Wight ferry company has no plans to replace Catamaran which is running on only 3 out of 4 engines

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Ofgem rules against Baillie and Foulkes

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ Jackie Baillie MSP (Labour) and Lord George Foulkes (Labour) succeeded in sabotaging the First Minister’s Covid updates. Foulkes bragged about stopping folk from hearing important information because that was bad for the image of his dud party, Labour. 4 people, presumably including Baillie and Foulkes or their staff/pals, wrote to Ofcom accusing BBC Scotland of bias in favour of the Scottish Government. Friend of TuS, Brenda Robb wrote to BBC Scotland, under Freedom of Information, asking to see the communication around the above decision: I have listened … Continue reading Ofgem rules against Baillie and Foulkes

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Camley the Crap Cartunionist making us peuch

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ The Herald’s Steven Camley’s interpretation of the SNP leader’s performance in the House of Commons on Wednesday. Like the English cartoonists, he attempts to conceal the fact that the SNP had a substantive, serious, motion, on one of their only 3 days, based on years of consistent support for the human rights of the Palestinian people, hijacked by a bullied Labour Party speaker and his pro-Israel leader, to prevent them being embarrassed by many of their MPs voting for the SNP motion. In November 2022, I wrote: … Continue reading Camley the Crap Cartunionist making us peuch

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The contempt and ignorance of English leftist political cartoonists: 2024 update

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Yesterday from Peter Brookes in the Times, a snide and offensive take on the SNP’s supposed troubles. Last year, we had: Martin Rowson with another dim-witted stereotype of Scots to conceal the fact that the SNP had a substantive, serious, motion, on one of their only 3 days, based on years of consistent support for the human rights of the Palestinian people, hijacked by a bullied Labour Party speaker and his pro-Israel leader, to prevent them being embarrassed by many of their MPs voting for the SNP motion. Rowson, 7 years ago: Note the comments below Sturgeon. They’re all the … Continue reading The contempt and ignorance of English leftist political cartoonists: 2024 update

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Only one of these three Auditors General is a political stooge

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ Above the Auditor General for Scotland. Below his website: Note the negativity and the politicisation to undermine the image of the SNP Government in Scotland, ringed. Now watch this: Gareth Davies, the Auditor General for England and his website: No negativity and no politicising to undermine the image of the Conservative Government. And now, today, the Auditor General for Wales, Adrian Crompton: His website: All good in NHS Wales then, Adrian? What about this? Adrian? This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at … Continue reading Only one of these three Auditors General is a political stooge

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Only in Scotland – Like his English counterpart the Welsh Auditor General is neither a political stooge nor a media favourite

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ By cuckooshoe I cannot find any mainstream media reports on this release from Audit Wales published on 20 Feb 2024 https://www.audit.wales/news/firefighting-future-proofing-challenge-welsh-public-services ‘The Auditor General for Wales has called for a bold vision for public services in Wales if it is to shift from a spiral of short-term firefighting to future proofing and long-term sustainability. In the context of the Welsh Government’s draft budget for 2024-25, the Auditor General identifies themes that the work of Audit Wales suggests would help public organisations achieve more value from the money … Continue reading Only in Scotland – Like his English counterpart the Welsh Auditor General is neither a political stooge nor a media favourite

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A Spanish towering inferno, like Grenfell but with far fewer casualties and once more completely unlike Scottish tower block fires safely contained

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ Grenfell above in 2017, Valencia below, yesterday: These two towering infernos have some things in common but one big difference – 72 dead in London but only 4 (so far) in Valencia. Why that difference? More escape routes due to better building standards and a better fire service due to the lack of a privatising Conservative Party government, at times, at national and local level in Spain? Other than that key difference, both towers went up in only minutes. Experts say that highly flammable cladding on the … Continue reading A Spanish towering inferno, like Grenfell but with far fewer casualties and once more completely unlike Scottish tower block fires safely contained

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Washington State’s farcical ferry fleet 25% worse than CalMac despite twice the surrounding wealth and calmer seas!

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ Washington State, USA, population 7.7 million, GDP $725 billion or £573 billion. Scotland, population 5.5 million, GDP £212 billion. Washington State’s GDP, adjusted for population is around twice that of Scotland. Yet: In 2023, (Washington State Ferries) had 1,560 annual crew cancellations while scheduling only 70% of its regular service. In the same year, CalMac, in a country with only half the level of wealth and in more northerly, colder and stormier seas managed 95.4%. Be careful what you wish for Reggie Mountbatten-Windsor of South Uist. Sources: … Continue reading Washington State’s farcical ferry fleet 25% worse than CalMac despite twice the surrounding wealth and calmer seas!

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Not one English newspaper today has any story relating to the English NHS on their front pages yet in Scotland….

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ By NMRN Stephen Boyle tweeted this morning this : “Growing demand and increased costs have added to the pressure on Scotland’s NHS. Change is needed. @scotgov needs to develop a clear national strategy to deliver it”. I have highlighted the word “Change” as it is a tad familiar as a word that currently we are all being force fed by a certain political party…….and yes indeed the NHS here is very much one that is over politicised in comparison to the NHS in both England & Wales….where as , in England & … Continue reading Not one English newspaper today has any story relating to the English NHS on their front pages yet in Scotland….