Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Official figures reveal far lower rates of sexual offence committed by children and adolescents in Scotland

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In the Daily Record yesterday: Children as young as 12 reported to police for sexual offences in Scotland – New figures show cops investigated 14 youths aged 12, a total of 29 13-year-olds as well as 47 aged 14 before referring them to Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA). https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/children-young-12-being-reported-36487358 Disturbing, I agree but in a country of 5.5 million are they worryingly high? From The National Police Chief’s Council’s National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation (CSAE) Crimes Report for 2023, based on data collected from 42 police forces across England and Wales, we see 1 409 perpetrators … Continue reading Official figures reveal far lower rates of sexual offence committed by children and adolescents in Scotland

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Herald sets new low in dishonest infantile reporting on Scotland’s ferries as their repair bills are far lower than comparable ferry services

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald today has the above and: Martin starts off the year with one of the most dishonest, maybe not infantile, but certainly primary school-level, adding up of costs over 11 years to get a big enough headline to impress his diminishing flock of readers. See that ‘spiralling’ in the headline. Martin carefully does not reveal any spiral, just a comparison of the 2022/23 figure with the 2024/25 figure. Why is the 2023/24 figure hidden? Not small enough for the doubling claim? Why don’t we see the full eleven years of data? Does it reveal variation … Continue reading Herald sets new low in dishonest infantile reporting on Scotland’s ferries as their repair bills are far lower than comparable ferry services

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These Tory ministers sold profitable harbours like Ardrossan to enable shareholders to milk rather than to maintain them, Labour then did nothing and now the SNP Government is blamed for not buying it back quick enough?

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Professor John Robertson OBA For more than a year now Scotland’s media have been blaming the Scottish Government for problems at Ardrossan harbour and it’s Arran ferry service. Little media coverage has targeted the owners, a Manchester billionaire. How did we get here? I asked AI, carefully. Today, known as Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind and The Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market, these men above, were successively secretaries of State for Scotland, at the time, driven by PM John Major’s ongoing Thatcherite sell-offs, who managed the privatisation the Clyde Port Authority which included Ardrossan. Was the authority state-owned? It was was … Continue reading These Tory ministers sold profitable harbours like Ardrossan to enable shareholders to milk rather than to maintain them, Labour then did nothing and now the SNP Government is blamed for not buying it back quick enough?

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Up to 250 days in the year Scotland’s renewables could have powered 100% of our electricity needs so TWICE the UK figure

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Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Climate yesterday: Renewables can generate significant amounts of electricity when conditions are right. On roughly a third of days in 2025, at least half of Britain’s electricity came from renewables, according to BBC analysis of Neso data. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz947djd3d3o How did Scotland do in this record-breaking year? Match the UK’s third of days providing half of the electricity demand? You know what’s coming. There are no comparable data being collected for Scotland, of course, but an AI estimate is ‘well over 300 days!’ I asked what that means – ‘300–350+ days out of 365‘! The … Continue reading Up to 250 days in the year Scotland’s renewables could have powered 100% of our electricity needs so TWICE the UK figure

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How could I have missed this research saying explicitly that ‘things are easier for Scottish families relative to English families’ because of SNP Child Payment, when we pay for a national news service?

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Professor John Robertson OBA I seem to have missed the above very significant research from the London School of Economics. You’d think our media, especially BBC Scotland which we all pay for would have been all over it. There was media coverage in Scotland though it and the UK coverage tended to go for the secondary finding: Ministers and others have expressed concern that this ‘cliff edge’ could act as a disincentive to parents to increase their earnings, and that any boost to the value of the payment would increase the disincentive. However, the researchers find no evidence to suggest … Continue reading How could I have missed this research saying explicitly that ‘things are easier for Scottish families relative to English families’ because of SNP Child Payment, when we pay for a national news service?

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Labour Wales councils in debt at FIVE times the level in Scotland for worse services

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By stewartb If Scotland was an independent nation-state I would think it perfectly reasonable – indeed necessary – to hold its parties and system of government to account in part through making public policy (input, process, output and outcome) comparisons with other broadly similar nation-states. However, so long as Scotland remains in Union, it is wholly appropriate – indeed necessary – to make such comparisons with other parts of the UK. It’s relevant to draw comparisons with those parts whose responsible national government has limited (devolved) powers. However, it is ESPECIALLY ‘interesting’ and relevant to compare Scotland (and NI and … Continue reading Labour Wales councils in debt at FIVE times the level in Scotland for worse services

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Since 2021, 14 deaths due to circumcision in England and Wales but none in more-tolerant and more-regulated Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC London yesterday: A coroner has warned that further babies could die unless the government introduces regulation of non-therapeutic male circumcision following the death of a six-month-old boy in west London. Non-therapeutic circumcision is the removal of the foreskin of male babies and young children for religious or cultural reasons, rather than medical reasons. Mohamed Abdisamad was circumcised on 12 February 2023, by a circumciser who had been recommended to his parents and requested by them to perform the procedure on their son, the West London Coroner’s report said. The baby began showing symptoms of … Continue reading Since 2021, 14 deaths due to circumcision in England and Wales but none in more-tolerant and more-regulated Scotland

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Despite a greater challenge Scotland is providing care packages at 3 times the rate in England

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the English Daily Express today but not shadowed by its ‘Scottish’ variant: Why might the ‘Scottish’ Daily Express have little to say on this? Nearly three times as many more in England waiting for a social care assessment and care at home services than in Scotland From People requiring a social care assessment and care at home services, published yesterday: The number of people estimated to be waiting on a social care assessment for a package of care was 7,806 on 3 November 2025. This is an increase of 30% from the estimated number of people waiting this … Continue reading Despite a greater challenge Scotland is providing care packages at 3 times the rate in England

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Which party has been responsible for the longest bin strike in history, almost no new affordable housing, fewer teachers and no free school meals – It’s Birmingham Labour but there’s a media silence on that

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Professor John Robertson OBA The bin strike in Birmingham is one-year long on January 6th 2026. A year?! It’s unheard of but it’s not the BBC headline today on the 3rd. Indeed, it hasn’t been reported on since the 18th December 2025. Which party run Birmingham? It’s Labour and has been for decades. The BBC reporting above does mention ‘Labour’ but Imagine this was in Scotland, say Glasgow, a whole year of ‘SNP bin strikes?’ There would not, of course, be a look back in history because, in Scotland, is mostly Labour history like this: The Glasgow binmen (refuse collectors) … Continue reading Which party has been responsible for the longest bin strike in history, almost no new affordable housing, fewer teachers and no free school meals – It’s Birmingham Labour but there’s a media silence on that