Category: Uncategorized

3 Comments

All 3 New Zealand Cook Strait ferries out of service after one drifts toward rocks with 800 passengers and Government refusal to replace

johnrobertson834

From the Daily Cargo News yesterday: AN INTENSIFIED maintenance program for Interisland Line’s trouble-plagued Cook Strait ferries will see at all three out of service for protracted periods over coming months. The only rail-capable vessel, Aratere, will lay-by in Wellington for work from 11 to 23 May. Kaiarahi will undergo a ‘wet dock’ at the Waitohi West berth in Picton from 4 June until 6 July. And Kaitaki will have a much longer absence, due to the need for a comprehensive drydocking in Singapore, which involves a 14-dayvoyage up and 14 days back. This means Kaitaki will be out of service from 29 July to 6 October. … Continue reading All 3 New Zealand Cook Strait ferries out of service after one drifts toward rocks with 800 passengers and Government refusal to replace

8 Comments

Herald headlines rabid Unionist, Clearances apologist and second home owner with ‘crude’ research to undermine SNP policy to double his council tax

johnrobertson834

As soon as the above self-portrait popped up I knew what this was all about. Macleod is a constant critic of the SNP and has accused them, in 2017, of having a ‘divisive lynch-mob’ among the membership Macleod shares Neil Oliver’s position on the clearances ie that much was voluntary and beneficial to the communities it affected. In a bitter blog review of the work of Dr James Hunter he questions a key point: “The forcible displacement of much of northern Scotland’s population”. The appropriate word should be ‘some’ rather than ‘much’, which makes a big difference. I’m no expert on … Continue reading Herald headlines rabid Unionist, Clearances apologist and second home owner with ‘crude’ research to undermine SNP policy to double his council tax

2 Comments

Crime down 40% but staffing up a wee bit – Police Officers trade union praises SNP Government?

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson Crime in Scotland per 10 000 people, at the end of 10 years of Labour rule in Scotland Crime in Scotland per 10 000 people, at the end of 17 years of SNP rule in Scotland, 40.5% down. 40.5% less crime? We must need fewer police officers then? That’s what the Tories or Starmerites would do. It’s not personal, just business. Did the SNP do that? Nope. From Police Scotland data, today: Scotland’s Chief Statistician has published statistics on Police Officer Quarterly Strength, which gives the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed by Police Scotland. … Continue reading Crime down 40% but staffing up a wee bit – Police Officers trade union praises SNP Government?

3 Comments

Steady improvement in court waiting times

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson Based on data from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and Police Scotland, we can see a clear improving trend in the length of time an average court case takes. 2021 – 21 weeks 2022 – 17 weeks 2023 – 16 weeks 2024 so far – 15 weeks. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/criminal-justice-monitoring-data-monthly-statistics Continue reading Steady improvement in court waiting times

1 Comment

Despite steady growth in planned operations, NHS Scotland still ready to do stunning 98% on time

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson From Public Health Scotland today: The number of planned operations has been steadily increasing since pandemic restrictions first affected provision of services in March 2020. In the 12 months to March 2024, there was a 7.6% increase in the number of planned operations compared to the previous 12 months.  Of all planned operations during March 2024 in NHS Scotland, 738 (3.1%) were cancelled by the hospital based on clinical reasons, 642 (2.7%) were cancelled by the patient, 480 (2%) were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons, and 90 (0.4%) were cancelled due … Continue reading Despite steady growth in planned operations, NHS Scotland still ready to do stunning 98% on time

1 Comment

The World Health Organisation warning on infected blood supplies that the UK Labour Government ignored and ‘our’ Labour Secretary of State missed

johnrobertson834

Above is the evidence that the World Health Organisation warned members, including the UK Labour Government of 1974 to 1979, of the risks in using blood and blood projects based on commercial supplies where donors were paid, in this case Arkansas prisoners. In December 2015, ITV’s World in Action TV show did a special on the risks. According to the Guardian, just last month, despite the WHO warning and the TV broadcast, the deal was done by the Labour cabinet in August 1976, in part, to cut costs. In the Labour Cabinet of 1976, Secretary of State for Scotland, Willie … Continue reading The World Health Organisation warning on infected blood supplies that the UK Labour Government ignored and ‘our’ Labour Secretary of State missed

2 Comments

‘Gangster rapper unmasked as kingpin of huge drugs line from Birmingham to Aberdeen’ but that’s clearly too boring for Scotland’s media

johnrobertson834

In the online-only Aberdeen Live, last week, but bizarrely ignored by all of Scotland’s MSM: A notorious gangster rapper has been revealed as the mastermind behind a massive drug supply line from Birmingham to Scotland. Rikardo Reid [above top], who goes by the stage name Stardom, was identified as the leader of the ‘Flash’ county lines operation [above second-top], which supplied cocaine and heroin to users in Aberdeen for five years. The 34 year old, once a promising footballer with over 85,000 Instagram followers, was previously outed as a member of the GSA gang – Goon Squad Army or Get Some Ambition – a younger branch … Continue reading ‘Gangster rapper unmasked as kingpin of huge drugs line from Birmingham to Aberdeen’ but that’s clearly too boring for Scotland’s media

6 Comments

Not Better Together? Hundreds of County Lines Gang stories in a month but not one about the 55 groups operating in Scotland?

johnrobertson834

I have a Google Alert for ‘County Lines’ and every day I receive around 5 to 10 links to reports in newspapers across the UK, other than in Scotland. Yet Police Scotland estimate around 55 County Lines drug gang groups are operating in Scotland’s towns and cities, from Dingwall to Dumfries. When I search for ‘County Lines Scotland’, I get the above as the first three hits – a report by an SNP MP in a top international policing journal but ignored in Scotland and two posts in Talking-up Scotland. There’s clearly something uncomfortable in this narrative for our MSM … Continue reading Not Better Together? Hundreds of County Lines Gang stories in a month but not one about the 55 groups operating in Scotland?

Leave a comment

Under Labour, NHS Wales put responsibility on A&E patients to ‘choose most appropriate place’ and BBC Wales ignore it

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson Thanks to AR for alerting me to this. From Wales Online yesterday but absent from BBC Wales reporting despite the drama and the relevance for their audience: Welsh health board issues ‘red alert’ over A&E pressures. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has issued a red alert as their emergency departments are currently under “extreme pressure”. The warning from the North Wales board makes clear that there are “extremely” long delays at A&E. People are being encouraged to choose the “most suitable place to access care”. Currently, waits of up to 10 hours are being reported at … Continue reading Under Labour, NHS Wales put responsibility on A&E patients to ‘choose most appropriate place’ and BBC Wales ignore it