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Overall satisfaction with Scottish schools 31% higher than in Labour-run Wales

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Professor John Robertson OBA The above graph from Scottish Household Survey: Satisfaction with Schools, 2024, published today, shows a fall in the overall satisfaction satisfaction with Scottish schools by those adults who use them to 81%. https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-household-survey-satisfaction-with-schools-2024/pages/satisfaction-with-schools/ There is no direct equivalent published in England but the figure for Wales for 2024/2025, after decades of Labour-rule, was 62%, down from 68% the previous year. https://www.gov.wales/national-survey-wales-headline-results-april-2024-march-2025-html Scotland’s 81% is 30.6% higher than 62% in Wales Why might this be? Continue reading Overall satisfaction with Scottish schools 31% higher than in Labour-run Wales

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Further evidence of Scotland’s reducing inequality as second homes plummet by half from Labour era

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Professor John Robertson OBA There are, of course, serious constraints to the extent in which Scotland can move toward the more equal societies in Northern Europe and to enjoy their correlated benefits of longer healthier lives, extremely low crime, drug abuse, mental health diagnoses and so on but the SNP has made some progress with lower rents and council tax, more social and affordable housing, four times as many real living wage employers, more police officers, teachers, doctors and nurses, per capita, a range of universal benefits such as for prescriptions, and unique benefits such as the Child Payment, free … Continue reading Further evidence of Scotland’s reducing inequality as second homes plummet by half from Labour era

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So much worse together as Brexit hurt Scotland’s trade surplus economy and benefitted the UK’s deficit economy

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Professor John Robertson OBA With only a 1969 SCE Higher in Economics, bare C pass, I’m deferring entirely to Grok AI on this one. If you’re capable, please enlighten me on any problems with his (Grok) analysis. Grok – Was Brexit even more damaging for Scotland with its trade surplus than rest of UK? Conclusion Yes, Brexit was more damaging to Scotland’s trade surplus than to the rest of the UK’s deficit. The UK’s import-heavy profile turned barriers into a partial “benefit” (narrower deficit), while Scotland’s export reliance amplified losses—eroding potential surplus growth by £3-4bn annually and hitting GDP harder … Continue reading So much worse together as Brexit hurt Scotland’s trade surplus economy and benefitted the UK’s deficit economy

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Another fracking dangerous technology only suitable for Scotland and the North apparently emits more CO2 than it stores

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Bernadette Robertson for alerting me to this. In the UK Daily Mail, today, but not on the ‘Scottish’ edition’s front page: The long–awaited solution to Britain’s climate crisis could finally be here. Scientists have identified eight potential sites for the ‘direct air capture machines’ (DAC), which would extract CO2 from the air and turn it to stone. The eight promising locations include Antrim in Northern Ireland, Borrowdale in the Lake District and the Isle of Mull in Scotland. According to the experts, the sites have a wealth of volcanic rock underground that would react with CO2 and … Continue reading Another fracking dangerous technology only suitable for Scotland and the North apparently emits more CO2 than it stores

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London-based Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Pat McFadden, Labour Friends of Israel Co-chair, find FOUR sites in Grangemouth ‘IDEAL’ for manufacture of explosives and munitions but ignore the multiple deadly risks for my relatives and his

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Health & Safety Executive [reporting to Pat McFadden’s Department for Work and Pensions] ‘believes‘ that at least FOUR sites in Grangemouth could be IDEAL for the manufacture of explosives and munitions? On behalf of the Ministry of Death, the UK Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Labour Friends of Israel vice-chair, McFadden, born in Glasgow and presumably with relatives in Central Scotland, seems unlikely to be concerned for them. Should he be concerned for them? I’m reminded of my days at Stirling University, mid 70s, still living in Grangemouth and doing summer and winter holiday … Continue reading London-based Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Pat McFadden, Labour Friends of Israel Co-chair, find FOUR sites in Grangemouth ‘IDEAL’ for manufacture of explosives and munitions but ignore the multiple deadly risks for my relatives and his

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News BBC Scotland prefers not to tell you – Young carers were almost “perfect” targets for the kind of street-grooming model that operated in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford but only SNP Government in Scotland offers unique payment to help them escape those conditions

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Scottish Government today, reported by STV but not by BBC Scotland: Young carers up to age 19 will now receive Young Carer Grant following an expansion of the benefit delivered by Social Security Scotland. The grant which was previously open to 16 to 18-year-olds is a Scottish only benefit that gives young carers a yearly payment of £390.25. The payment can be used to pay for whatever the young person wants – like driving lessons, tech to help with work or study or new clothes. The grant is available to young people who spend … Continue reading News BBC Scotland prefers not to tell you – Young carers were almost “perfect” targets for the kind of street-grooming model that operated in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford but only SNP Government in Scotland offers unique payment to help them escape those conditions

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Child Poverty in Labour Wales predicted to be nearly 60% higher than in Scotland by 2029 placing more than 100 000 in poverty who would not have been with SNP policies

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to A.M.MacJ, https://x.com/ammacj for alerting me to this. The above from the Joseph Rowntree Trust is shocking. That in only Scotland will child poverty have reduced by the next Westminster election in 2029, is deep condemnation of the governments in the other three nations. What this means is that child poverty in Wales will be 57.8% higher and, in England, it will 44.5% higher, than in Scotland. Remember that these percentage differences mean that more than a million out of the current total of nearly 4 million in England and more than 100 000 out … Continue reading Child Poverty in Labour Wales predicted to be nearly 60% higher than in Scotland by 2029 placing more than 100 000 in poverty who would not have been with SNP policies

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In that case SNP Ministers should take the credit for CalMac’s great service

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald today above. Read it all before commenting? No need. No way. Since a Mull councillor shouted that CalMac was the ‘worst ferry service in the world’, unchallenged on BBC Scotland, four years ago, I’ve been scouring for evidence. I’ve done this because as a recovering sociologist, media feeding frenzies like the one we’ve seen on Scotland’s ferries make me twitch. I think, hang on, maybe there’s a yawning chasm emerging here, between the world of panic being constructed and the facts on the ground and that I should be looking into that chasm. What … Continue reading In that case SNP Ministers should take the credit for CalMac’s great service

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Contrary to Pam Duncan-Glancy’s claims Scottish colleges are TWICE as well staffed as those in England

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Professor John Robertson OBA From STV News yesterday: Scottish Labour has criticised the SNP of “robbing young people of opportunities” as college staffing levels fall to their lowest point since the start of devolution. Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy has accused the SNP of treating colleges with “disdain” after Scottish Government statistics show in the second quarter of 2025, employment in Scotland’s colleges plummeted to just 11,800. https://news.stv.tv/politics/snp-robbing-young-people-of-opportunities-with-underfunded-colleges-labour From Department for Education (DfE) – Further Education Workforce in England, 2023/24, published in May 2025 and DfE – Further Education and Skills, 2023/24, published in January 2025, we can see that the … Continue reading Contrary to Pam Duncan-Glancy’s claims Scottish colleges are TWICE as well staffed as those in England