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As Daily Record ignores what really matters, official figures reveal dramatic fall in murder by knives in Scotland, overall AND by young people, rubbishing the media reports that they are scared to go out

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Professor John Robertson OBA Contrary to the recent media frenzy in Scotland, directed at John Swinney and the SNP, suggesting young people are scared to go out, the statistics reliably tell a different story, about Scotland, if not elsewhere in the UK. From Knife crime statistics: FOI release published in October 2024 asking: The number of knife crime offences [homicides], broken down by offence, age of suspect, and ethnic appearance of suspect, for each year for the last ten years (broken down by year), up to the most recent data. The recent trends are clear: Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400427434/ Continue reading As Daily Record ignores what really matters, official figures reveal dramatic fall in murder by knives in Scotland, overall AND by young people, rubbishing the media reports that they are scared to go out

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Douglas Ross List Tory MSP……..also……..a………

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Liz S Douglas Ross List Tory MSP……..also……..a……… Attention seeker and clearly a total political lost cause , who now seeks to try and make himself relevant again in pulling a stunt (not for the first time) in him trying to heckle the FM when he, the FM, was speaking in parliament. Ross has form in being reprimanded by the Presiding officer for his bad behaviour in the debating chamber at Holyrood , but he chooses to take absolutely no heed of any former warnings that he has had for ‘talking over the FM’ (heckling) and so this time , for doing … Continue reading Douglas Ross List Tory MSP……..also……..a………

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Is Anas Sarwar so awful that he can neither be trusted nor considered competent enough to campaign?

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By Liz S Angela Rayner came to Scotland to campaign for the up and coming Scottish parliament by-election in the Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse seat , where she refused to speak to any Scottish newspapers. She had to abandon her plans though due to pro Palestinian protestors holding a demonstration outside the Labour in Scotland’s office in Hamilton. What is it with these two Tory HQ parties, as in one who are actually called the Tory party and the other one that is Tory in all but party name (as in the new Starmer Labour party), who both want to avoid all media scrutiny in Scotland yet they … Continue reading Is Anas Sarwar so awful that he can neither be trusted nor considered competent enough to campaign?

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If spend by Westminster/Whitehall on Scotland’s behalf is made in England, the economic benefit will accrue to England

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stewartb ‘The multiplier effect is one of the most important concepts you can use when applying, analysing and evaluating the effects of changes in government spending and taxation.’ It’s hard to understate this! A TuS blog post (May 19, 2025) entitled How the ‘Scottish’ media have singularly failed to investigate and fully report on the true state of the ferry services’ had this: ‘on the decision taken to procure two large CalMac ferries from Ferguson’s and then to nationalise the yard, the mainstream media studiously avoids any consideration of the economic benefits derived from sustaining employment in the yard and its domestic supply chain. … Continue reading If spend by Westminster/Whitehall on Scotland’s behalf is made in England, the economic benefit will accrue to England

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Stunning US study makes clear the enormous wider benefits of building the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa ferries on the Clyde

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Washington State, USA, based Lynwood Times yesterday: A new independent study by Pennsylvania-based Martin Associates confirms the economic value of building the new Washington State Ferries hybrid fleet in-state, showing that each ferry constructed in the state would generate 1,298 jobs and $31.9 million in state and local taxes. Washington State Ferries, which operates the largest ferry system in the nation, solicited bids this spring to build five new hybrid ferries over a six- to eight-year period with a budget of $1.3 billion. The new hybrid electric ferries have 160-car capacity to support growing … Continue reading Stunning US study makes clear the enormous wider benefits of building the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa ferries on the Clyde

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Crime confirmed as really continuing to fall, based on three sources, to remain at roughly 1 in 10 experiencing crime directly from 1 in 5 under Labour

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: May 2025, published today: Police recorded crime is down 1% since year ending December 2023, and remains below the position immediately prior to the pandemic. The total number of crimes recorded by the police in Scotland in the year ending December 2024 was 298,308. This was 3,768 crimes (or 1%) lower than the level recorded in the year ending December 2023. Crime has fallen by 53% since 2008-09. Results from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) show that around one in ten adults were victims of crime in … Continue reading Crime confirmed as really continuing to fall, based on three sources, to remain at roughly 1 in 10 experiencing crime directly from 1 in 5 under Labour

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Farming income increases by 44% to give confidence for Scotland’s sustainability and food exports, 31% of all UK food exports with only 8% of the UK population

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Total income from farming estimates: 2018-2024, published today: Initial estimates for 2024 predict a strong recovery in total income from farming from its 5-year low in 2023. Total income is estimated to reach around £1.3 billion in 2024, an increase of £0.4 billion (49%). In real terms, adjusted for inflation, this is a 44% increase.1 How is Scotland doing with food exports as farming thrives? Source: Continue reading Farming income increases by 44% to give confidence for Scotland’s sustainability and food exports, 31% of all UK food exports with only 8% of the UK population

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Social housing complaints in England between 40% and 155% higher than in Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC England today, the above and: Complaints about substandard living conditions in social housing in England are more than five times higher than five years ago, according to the housing watchdog. Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway told the BBC an “imbalance of power” in the tenant-landlord relationship was leading to “simmering anger” among those living in social housing. He warned without change England risked the “managed decline” of social housing. Asbestos, electrical and fire safety issues, pest control and leaks, damp and mould are among the complaints, the watchdog receives. According to the ombudsman’s report, there … Continue reading Social housing complaints in England between 40% and 155% higher than in Scotland

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What is this strange ‘Reforming’ collective epiphany that Tory councillors often have

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By Liz S Vote Reform and chances are you are then voting Tory. How many ‘Scottish’ but really ‘UK’ Tory Councillors is that now who have defected to Reform UK ? What is this strange collective epiphany that they, as Tory Councillors, have all had, that as party defections , have far exceeded any other party also having their own politicians similarly defecting in large numbers to Reform UK as well ? Is anyone in the media investigating or speculating why this is ? Is the downward spiral of the Tory party and the reported ascension of Reform UK in … Continue reading What is this strange ‘Reforming’ collective epiphany that Tory councillors often have

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Contrary to Labour claims NHS waiting list in England surges to 17% longer than in Scotland leaving more than 1 million extra waiting longer than they would if they’d had an SNP government these last 18 years

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Professor John Robertson OBA On a regular basis we see new ‘Scottish’ Labour MPs in Westmonster, serving up lies about their local NHS to feed the PM at PMQs – ‘Does the Prime Minister agree that my local NHS staff are failing?’ Today, the Herald’s top story has ‘more than 629 000 waiting‘. So, this means at most 630 000? Let’s give them that. For context, to consider how bad or good that headline is, let’s look elsewhere to see if NHS Scotland might learn something. In the Mirror on 15 May 2025: More people have come forward for non-urgent treatments and … Continue reading Contrary to Labour claims NHS waiting list in England surges to 17% longer than in Scotland leaving more than 1 million extra waiting longer than they would if they’d had an SNP government these last 18 years