Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Pisa – 33% of Scotland’s schools took part but only 4.7% of England’s schools were confident enough to do so – Scotland did far better

johnrobertson834

I’m grateful to AR and Haggis Hunter https://twitter.com/thistlefarmer5 for alerting me to this. The England PISA sample consisted of 201 eligible schools having at least one pupil in this age range. In England, 3,852 pupils from original sample schools and 911 pupils from replacement schools participated. Pupils in participating schools that did not participate are not replaced. 159 agreed to participate, along with a further 32 replacement schools, but 16 schools withdrew before data collection. Data was therefore collected from 143 schools in the original sample and 32 replacement schools. Of this total, nine original sample schools and one replacement … Continue reading Pisa – 33% of Scotland’s schools took part but only 4.7% of England’s schools were confident enough to do so – Scotland did far better

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Scottish media fail to inform terminally ill of highest benefit fast-tracked within only 7 days because it’s another SNP thing

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The above worthy petition, currently attracting a pathetic level of interest, applies only in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Several, often highly informed, friends have asked me to sign it, unaware of this: Social Security Scotland fast-track applications from people with a terminal illness and aim to make payment within  seven working days. Individuals who are terminally ill automatically receive the highest rates of assistance they are entitled to and there are no award reviews.  https://www.gov.scot/policies/social-security/terminal-illness/#:~:text=Social%20Security%20Scotland%20fast%2Dtrack,there%20are%20no%20award%20reviews. The reason is simple. As with so many other positive announcements by the SNP Government, ‘our’ media have learned to look the other way. … Continue reading Scottish media fail to inform terminally ill of highest benefit fast-tracked within only 7 days because it’s another SNP thing

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Scotland is at the greatest risk from Europe’s most hazardous nuclear plant

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In the Guardian today, the above map, and this: Sellafield, Europe’s most hazardous nuclear site, has a worsening leak from a huge silo of radioactive waste that could pose a risk to the public, the Guardian can reveal. Concerns over safety at the crumbling building, as well as cracks in a reservoir of toxic sludge known as B30, have caused diplomatic tensions with countries including the US, Norway and Ireland, which fear Sellafield has failed to get a grip of the problems. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/05/sellafield-nuclear-site-leak-could-pose-risk-to-public BBC Scotland today is not reporting this but rather is pushing against the Scottish Government’s manifesto commitment … Continue reading Scotland is at the greatest risk from Europe’s most hazardous nuclear plant

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Mr Bowie should surely be very careful about accusing anyone else of “economic vandalism”

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Frances McKie On 22nd September 2022, Andrew Bowie’s Tory London Government announced a “mini-budget” which caused international banking panic and  promptly added over 30 Billion pounds to the frightening UK fiscal deficit – doubling it within 2 months. His government immediately passed this debt on to ordinary workers, with  ordinary incomes,  through new stealth taxes. His government is already condemned internationally for its deliberate increase of poverty throughout the UK, especially amongst our most vulnerable communities- the disabled, old and very young. With that  horrific record, Mr Bowie should surely be very careful about accusing anyone else of “economic vandalism”.  However, … Continue reading Mr Bowie should surely be very careful about accusing anyone else of “economic vandalism”

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English Labour has fully gone over to the dark side

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Leah Gunn Barrett English Labour has fully gone over to the dark side. Keir Starmer, praising Thatcher for bringing ‘meaningful change’ to the UK, shed the last bit of straggly wool trying to disguise the neoliberal wolf Labour has become.[1] Why anyone in Scotland would cast a vote for English Labour that promises more of Thatcher’s wanton destruction is mind-boggling.  Many won’t remember her trail of wreckage. It started with her economic ignorance. She foolishly believed a government’s finances were like a household’s so she slashed public investment in heavy industry – shipbuilding, steel, coal, engineering, and manufacturing – making it … Continue reading English Labour has fully gone over to the dark side

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Not reported elsewhere: An independent Scotland would have the opportunity to create a new approach to social security that could transform lives

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Spotted by the ‘AI-enhanced’ Policy Mogul today and being ignored by Scottish media: An independent Scotland would have the opportunity to create a new approach to social security that could transform lives and ensure a decent standard of living for all, according to a new paper to be launched on 6 December. The ninth paper in the Building a New Scotland Series – Social Security in an independent Scotland – will outline the progress the Scottish Government has already made with limited powers and demonstrate how an independent Scotland could go even further. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Scottish Parliament … Continue reading Not reported elsewhere: An independent Scotland would have the opportunity to create a new approach to social security that could transform lives

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Research finds Scottish parents statistically significantly more content with schooling than elsewhere in UK

johnrobertson834

Despite making up around 20% of the sample of around 5 000, a UK-wide survey by Parentkind reveals that Scotland’s parents are significantly happier with the education their children receive than are parents in the other UK nations. The above list of six key points make clear that after 16 years, the SNP in government has achieved results that have pushed Scottish schools ahead of their counterparts on key concerns. The fifth bullet point should not be misunderstood. It is good. Scottish parents trust the schools to do the work with their children. Here are some encouraging excerpts from the … Continue reading Research finds Scottish parents statistically significantly more content with schooling than elsewhere in UK

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8% of the population but only 3% of the fascist leaflets handed out

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From the Hope not Hate report The Fascist Fringe: Patriotic Alternative and its Splinter Groups, today: Experts (well me) have predicted that fascist groups may disappear entirely in Scotland as Labour more than satisfies the desires of xenophobes, racists and other intolerants. For many many more on the 8% see: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=+8%25+ Continue reading 8% of the population but only 3% of the fascist leaflets handed out

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Thousands of homes ‘too dangerous for ambulances without police back-up?’ I smell a rat in a pile of neglected data

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Started by a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish Ambulance Service, from the policing magazine 1919, the above story is everywhere. 1919 has a track record (sic) on propagandising for the opposition parties and their trade union chums in Scotland. In August 2023, on behalf of the Lib Dems, and their survey of only 62 out of 5 000 railway staff, they claimed a crisis affecting 88.7%! The claims were rebutted in the National at: https://www.thenational.scot/politics/23707382.allan-dorans-need-balanced-reporting-safety-scotrail-staff/ Today, they have four Scottish stories including the above. STV helpfully tell us: The database of 4,418 addresses constantly changes and is updated … Continue reading Thousands of homes ‘too dangerous for ambulances without police back-up?’ I smell a rat in a pile of neglected data

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1.6% of Scotland’s addresses ‘too dangerous’ for ambulances without police escort, maybe

johnrobertson834

..too dangerous for ambulance crews to attend without police back-up…the Scottish Police Federation (trade union) is warning that budget constraints mean it will be physically impossible to respond to every call for assistance. The GMB Union, which represents ambulance workers, says the loss of police backup is a huger concern. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone 07:30 5/12/23 Context from a taxpayer-funded public service broadcaster with a charter requiring it to inform? None. Here is some: First, there are around 2.7 million domestic addresses in Scotland. That 4 500 is 01.6%. Apparently, the figure for the whole of England, is only 1 400 for 10 … Continue reading 1.6% of Scotland’s addresses ‘too dangerous’ for ambulances without police escort, maybe