Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
11 Comments

This Ayr SNP MSP candidate makes ex-Labour minister look tired and visionless but most of all ignorant of the reasons why ‘visionary’ budgets are simply denied us

johnrobertson834

Above right, Siobhian Brown SNP candidate for the Ayr constituency, out leafleting, responds to the accusations from Scottish Labour that the SNP, after 19 years, is ‘tired & visionless.’ Full video at: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17tX9kcQs6/ I feel sure they know how much the devolution settlements firmly denies the Scottish Government the ability to be visionary and their attack, for that reason, is visionless. If Scotland was independent what could the Scottish Government’s budget feature that it cannot at the moment If Scotland were independent, its government’s budget could include a range of powers, policies, and fiscal tools that are currently unavailable or … Continue reading This Ayr SNP MSP candidate makes ex-Labour minister look tired and visionless but most of all ignorant of the reasons why ‘visionary’ budgets are simply denied us

2 Comments

Teachers vote goes against strike action – leaders and media disappointed they can’t blame SNP so will waste their member fees by having another vote

johnrobertson834

Yesterday BBC Scotland and the teachers union leaders were willing on the vote for a teachers’ strike ,then in the early afternoon today, they saw this: Workload Ballot Falls Foul of Soon-to-be Repealed Thresholds: EIS to Re-Ballot Members for Strike Created on: 16 Jan 2026 The EIS announced that its recent statutory industrial action ballot on teacher workload has become a victim of soon-to-be repealed elements of UK anti-trade union laws, having fallen short of the strict thresholds set in that Tory-era legislation.  Workload Ballot Falls Foul of Soon-to-be Repealed Thresholds? Until 2007, that’d be ‘Teachers vote against strike action.’ Then 14 paragraphs … Continue reading Teachers vote goes against strike action – leaders and media disappointed they can’t blame SNP so will waste their member fees by having another vote

4 Comments

BBC, STV and the press not touching a story of the SNP’s attempts to limit ‘the fluttering gory pinion’ because it’s massively popular as we approach the election

johnrobertson834

Thus every kind their pleasure findThe savage and the tenderSome social join and leagues combineSome solitary wanderAvaunt away! the cruel swayTyrannic man’s dominionThe sportsman’s joy, the murdering cryThe fluttering gory pinion Now Westlin’ Wins by Robert Burns, 1786 Robert Burns, 200 years ago, a farmer unavoidably pragmatic about his animals you have to assume, seems to have had no time for the unequal mass slaughter of birds by the gentry not doubt trampling his fields to get at their tiny prey. Sadly, today, they’re still at it and indignant should we try to make them at least pay for their … Continue reading BBC, STV and the press not touching a story of the SNP’s attempts to limit ‘the fluttering gory pinion’ because it’s massively popular as we approach the election

3 Comments

BBC Scotland desperately keen to headline their hoped for ‘closure of almost every school in Scotland’ and confront the minister but then keep quiet when the teachers clearly can’t be bothered to strike

johnrobertson834

BBC Scotland, 15 January 2025 from first thing. This captured at 10am. The following day it remained the headline story in the BBC Scotland inserts in BBC Breakfast. One of the teaching unions, the NAS UWT, had already given up because not enough members had voted but the BBC team still seem hopeful today that they might get some bad news they can connect to the Scottish Government. It’s now an hour or so since the comedic EIS announcement: The EIS announced that its recent statutory industrial action ballot on teacher workload has become a victim of soon-to-be repealed elements of UK … Continue reading BBC Scotland desperately keen to headline their hoped for ‘closure of almost every school in Scotland’ and confront the minister but then keep quiet when the teachers clearly can’t be bothered to strike

5 Comments

Labour’s culture of bare-faced lying in elections, from Dumfries to Denbigh and from 2017 to 2026

johnrobertson834

From BBC Scotland today: Sarwar apologises to campaigner misquoted on Labour leaflet – Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has given an “unequivocal apology” after a party leaflet was delivered to homes with a made-up quote from a maternity campaigner. Claire Fleming spoke out after her picture and a quote criticising NHS provision was posted out in Glasgow. Fleming is quoted on the leaflet saying: “Local NHS services have deteriorated under SNP. Waiting lists are too high but these aren’t just numbers on a bit of paper, these are people’s lives. Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour will fix our NHS.” She … Continue reading Labour’s culture of bare-faced lying in elections, from Dumfries to Denbigh and from 2017 to 2026

1 Comment

Shock as BBC UK use annual data to reveal that NHS Scotland did nearly twice as many treatments per head, as NHS England in 2024

johnrobertson834

On BBC News at 1pm today, revealing a decline in the number of hospital treatments carried out under Labour in 2025, from 7.4m to 7.31m. All things being equal, pro rata, that’d be around 730 000 in Scotland. According to Audit Scotland, no friend to the Scottish Government, the equivalent figure was 1.3m pushing twice as many. Source: https://audit.scot/publications/nhs-in-scotland-2025-finance-and-performance Here’s the AS boss. I’m guessing he doesn’t mention the above. Continue reading Shock as BBC UK use annual data to reveal that NHS Scotland did nearly twice as many treatments per head, as NHS England in 2024

1 Comment

Shock as BBC UK reveal that TWICE as many NHS England Type 1 A&E patients waited 12 hours or more than in NHS Scotland in 2024

johnrobertson834

On BBC News at 1pm today, revealing an increase in the number of A&E patients waiting 12 hours or more, to 10.5% under Labour in 2025. In NHS Scotland, the average was 5.5% marginally over half the number waiting 12 hours or more. Source: https://publichealthscotland.scot/healthcare-system/urgent-and-unscheduled-care/accident-and-emergency/main-points/all-ae-sites What did Jackie Baillie think that same year, 2024? Continue reading Shock as BBC UK reveal that TWICE as many NHS England Type 1 A&E patients waited 12 hours or more than in NHS Scotland in 2024

Leave a comment

Police Chiefs confirm Scotland is victim of drug gangs from London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool crossing border

johnrobertson834

Thanks to stewartb for alerting us to this: From the National Police Chiefs Council (for England & Wales and with Police Scotland in attendance): the above graph makes clear the hard evidence that four major police forces in England have the evidence of a significant flow of drugs into Scotland by criminal groups in their areas. Notably, the reported presence of these gangs in 50 locations, from Thurso to Aberdeen and down to East Ayrshire, is not mapped in detail. There are 6 544 County Lines across the UK so around 650 in Scotland. Contrary to the hopes and messaging … Continue reading Police Chiefs confirm Scotland is victim of drug gangs from London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool crossing border

9 Comments

Lifeline burned by State Governor – 19 000 Canadian islanders with no bridges to mainland shockingly left out of new lifeline ferries scheme

johnrobertson834

The San Juan Islands are part of an archipelago in the Pacific Northwest of the United States between the U.S. state of Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of Washington state, and form the core of San Juan County. In the archipelago, four islands ONLY are accessible to vehicular and foot traffic via the Washington State Ferries system. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Islands#HeroSection From the Islands Weekly, yesterday: San Juan Islands brace for decade of ferry uncertainty despite billion-dollar state investment | New boats won’t serve islands; aging vessels and service disruptions are “the new normal,” officials warn – The stark reality: None of the three new … Continue reading Lifeline burned by State Governor – 19 000 Canadian islanders with no bridges to mainland shockingly left out of new lifeline ferries scheme