Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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It’s a no brainer – public assets should be publicly owned

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Leah Gunn Barrett The Horizon-Fujitsu Post Office scandal is rooted in the UK government’s 2015 privatisation of a public service that had been state-owned (in England) for almost 500 years. It’s what happens when essential public services are sold off to private companies because the government is in thrall to an ideology that prizes profit maximisation over people.  The failing UK has zealously pursued this ideology to its natural conclusion – the complete collapse of public services and the immiseration of the people they’re intended to serve.  Essential services – health, water, energy, transport, mail, telecommunications – are more expensive … Continue reading It’s a no brainer – public assets should be publicly owned

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Maybe Scotland’s ferry-user ‘representatives’ would like CalMac to learn from this operator in the richest country in the world as it warns ‘Normal service is not possible. Don’t expect improvements for 5 years!’

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Two days ago, we heard from the Herald: The Scottish Government’s bid to provide a direct public contract to CalMac to run the ageing ferry fleet without going through a competitive tendering process is opposed by its community board. Today, to warn the board to be careful what it wishes for, we can read of how a large, failing but profit-making ferry operator, in the USA, is doing for its users: After several years of trying to predict when normal ferry service might return, Washington State Ferries is now acknowledging what most regular riders likely already suspected: Until new boats … Continue reading Maybe Scotland’s ferry-user ‘representatives’ would like CalMac to learn from this operator in the richest country in the world as it warns ‘Normal service is not possible. Don’t expect improvements for 5 years!’

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Percentage of new teachers leaving within 5 years seems to be decreasing

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The Herald today has: The number of new teachers fleeing the profession has spiked this year as opposition politicians blame poor pay and violence in classrooms for the exodus. More than 1300 teachers have left the profession within the first five years of their career since 2018, according to figures from the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). Who asked the GTC for those figures? The Lib Dumbs, Scotland’s second-smallest party in Holyrood. Their Education spokesperson – Willie Rennie. The totals, 183, 187, 238, 182, 219, 338, do suggest an increasing trend but an 11 year-old being taught about the value of … Continue reading Percentage of new teachers leaving within 5 years seems to be decreasing

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Junior doctors’ strike is becoming Labour’s problem

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Remarkably but not unusually unaware, the Guardian has this today: With a general election now on the horizon, MPs are starting to talk about the prospect of strikes straddling two administrations. Will some calculate that if they hold out a few months longer their pay deals would be done by a Labour government, which might find them politically harder to refuse? By publicly readying for a spring election, no matter how unlikely some think that is in practice, the government has opened up that possibility. Junior doctors’ leaders seem intent on driving change within their institutions and shifting broader attitudes … Continue reading Junior doctors’ strike is becoming Labour’s problem

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Child Homelessness hits an all-time high in the failing UK (England)

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No exploitative images here Leah Gunn Barrett This was published in the January 4th, 2024 Edinburgh Evening News. The last two lines, calling on Scotland to end the failing union, were edited out. Only by restoring Scottish sovereignty can we end homelessness and poverty. Child homelessness has hit an all-time high in the failing UK. 1 in 84 children don’t have a home and many are forced to stay in freezing shipping containers, overcrowded B&Bs and unsecured premises without locks.  Shelter reported that the number of homeless in England rose 14% last year. One in ten of England’s largest councils are nearing bankruptcy … Continue reading Child Homelessness hits an all-time high in the failing UK (England)

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The turkey that voted for Xmas (twice) – Some reflections on the devolved fiscal settlement

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Alasdair Galloway Once Scotland took powers over income tax a settlement with the UK became necessary for several practical reasons There would be a diminution of income tax coming from Scotland to the UK. Which would require a cut in the block grant to reflect the revenue collected by the Scottish Government itself with Scottish income tax. The problem is that settling the amount of income tax raised is not possible by the end of the tax year. Thus there has to be an estimate for any year as the actual figure won’t be known. This is done by, starting … Continue reading The turkey that voted for Xmas (twice) – Some reflections on the devolved fiscal settlement

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‘Almost all households will be better off due to policy changes announced in the Autumn Statement and Scottish Budget’

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cuckooshoe From the above report but not reported by the media: If Scottish and UK Government tax policy changes are considered together, almost all households will be better off due to policy changes announced in the Autumn Statement and Scottish Budget. Only 6% of households – almost all in the top decile – will be worse-off as a result of these changes, on average seeing their income reduce by 0.2%. OMG!Wow!No way!You’re kidding!Are you serious?I can’t believe it!Holy cow!Unbelievable!Quelle surprise!You don’t say!That’s incredible! Continue reading ‘Almost all households will be better off due to policy changes announced in the Autumn Statement and Scottish Budget’

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If every ‘failure’ results in hostile media and political scrutiny, we will never encourage creativity, entrepreneurial thinking and risk-taking in how we deliver public services.

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stewartb BBC Scotland doesn’t miss a trick! On the Scotland page of the BBC News website today (4 January) there is this headline: ‘Nicola Sturgeon warns flagship care plan may not be meeting goals’. The article is based on a contribution the former FM gave to a BBC Radio 4 series earlier this week called ‘Fixing Britain’. Given the nature of the programmes (see later), I wonder (!) what prompted BBC Scotland to include this in its daily news/politics coverage? The article quotes a Tory politician in Scotland with a typical ‘SNPbad’ comment so might BBC Scotland have been given … Continue reading If every ‘failure’ results in hostile media and political scrutiny, we will never encourage creativity, entrepreneurial thinking and risk-taking in how we deliver public services.

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Care – Astonishing praise for Nicola Sturgeon on BBC Radio – 4, not Scotland, don’t be daft!

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On BBC Radio 4’s Fixing Britain with Louise Casey, a powerful account of the SNP leader’s competence married with deep humanity, at 11.45 mins in, for 20 mins. Casey says: I’m not somebody that listens to party conference speeches on the whole but there was something she was saying that totally grabbed my attention and I thought ‘Wow!’ You need to listen to it. This is a fascinating and deeply moving account of a great politician but one for whom the Scottish media and opposition party chums is their greatest fear. Continue reading Care – Astonishing praise for Nicola Sturgeon on BBC Radio – 4, not Scotland, don’t be daft!

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Does their Ferries Community Board want to stick islanders with a more expensive and less reliable ferry service?

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Perhaps they only read the Herald’s Second-class Ferry Correspondent (Scotland only) but the CalMAc Ferries Community Board apparently  “unanimously” do not support a direct award of the next contract. So they want to open up the bid to for-profit operators like Washington State Ferries in the USA, BC Ferries in Canada, Condor in the Channel Islands, Red Funnel in the Isle of Wight or KiwiRail in New Zealand? Regulars here will know that all operate less reliable, older vessels, at far greater cost to the passenger. For confirmation of this and to get a sharp cold water shock, read these: … Continue reading Does their Ferries Community Board want to stick islanders with a more expensive and less reliable ferry service?