Will Dame Jackie Baillie call for probe into her UK Labour government’s plans to spy on millions of the poor and hungry and Labour MSP putting cameras in toilets?
Professor John Robertson OBA Leaping gleefully onto the allegations that 3 MSPs and ministers were spied on by SNP parliamentary staff, Dame Jackie Baillie has called for a probe. She shows little sign of wanting to probe Labour MSPs with paedophile pals or Labour councillors who are paedophiles. So that we don’t think she is being a bit of a hypocrite will she also call for a probe into her own party’s plans to spy on millions of poor folk to make sure they really are poor, ie little in their bank accounts, with this: The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) … Continue reading Will Dame Jackie Baillie call for probe into her UK Labour government’s plans to spy on millions of the poor and hungry and Labour MSP putting cameras in toilets?
Top 1% US researchers find ‘significantly increased cancer incidence’ for those living near nuclear power plants at a level that would mean an additional 10 000 avoidable cancer cases 30km around Hunterston if Scottish Labour get their way
Professor John Robertson OBA From the highly-rated Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health in the USA yesterday: In Massachusetts, residential proximity to a nuclear power plant (NPP) was associated with significantly increased cancer incidence, with risk declining by distance, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study was published Dec. 17 in Environmental Health. It was conducted by researchers in the Department of Environmental Health, including corresponding author Yazan Alwadi, PhD student, and senior author Petros Koutrakis, professor of environmental sciences. Despite widespread—and potentially expanding—reliance on nuclear power in the U.S., epidemiologic research investigating … Continue reading Top 1% US researchers find ‘significantly increased cancer incidence’ for those living near nuclear power plants at a level that would mean an additional 10 000 avoidable cancer cases 30km around Hunterston if Scottish Labour get their way
Crime clear-up in Scotland around 12 times better per head than in England
Professor John Robertson OBA From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: December 2025 The clear up rate for all recorded crimes was 56.0% in 2024-25, up from 54.1% in 2023-24. Crimes against society (93.8%), non-sexual crimes of violence (68.4%) and sexual crimes (56.9%) continued to have higher clear up rates in 2024-25 than crimes of dishonesty (35.1%) and damage and reckless behaviour (31.0%).1 For England, from: By specific crime types (year ending March 2025)2: Theft offences: 7.3% charge/summons rate. Violence against the person: around 5-6%. Sexual offences: 4.2%. Burglary (residential): around 4.7%. Robbery: 7.5%. Not all the categories match … Continue reading Crime clear-up in Scotland around 12 times better per head than in England
Since SNP came to power, massive reductions in property and violent crime, with increases in clear-up and confidence walking home
Professor John Robertson OBA From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: December 2025 published yesterday: Property and violent crime has fallen by 37% since 2008-09. Increase in crime clear up rate. The clear up rate for all recorded crimes was 56.0% in 2024-25, up from 54.1% in 2023-24. Crimes against society (93.8%), non-sexual crimes of violence (68.4%) and sexual crimes (56.9%) continued to have higher clear up rates in 2024-25 than crimes of dishonesty (35.1%) and damage and reckless behaviour (31.0%). Number of victims of homicide at the lowest level since 1976. There were 45 homicide victims recorded by the police … Continue reading Since SNP came to power, massive reductions in property and violent crime, with increases in clear-up and confidence walking home
How Brexit destroyed Scotland’s endless trade surpluses
Professor John Robertson OBA From Inflation Adjusted HMRC Regional Trade Statistics for Scotland Q3 2025 published yesterday: When comparing the year ending September 2025 with the previous year, the value of Scotland’s international goods exports increased by 1% to £24.1 billion, while Scotland’s goods imports increased by 3% to £24.3 billion. Overall, Scotland’s total international trade (imports + exports) in goods increased by 2%. Over the longer term, Scotland’s international goods exports have decreased by 12% in the year ending September 2025 compared to the pre-pandemic period in 2018. Over the same period Scotland’s exports to the EU have decreased … Continue reading How Brexit destroyed Scotland’s endless trade surpluses
In 2024 alone Scotland’s surplus electricity trade was worth between £2 and £3bn
Professor John Robertson OBA From Energy Statistics for Scotland – Q3 2025 published yesterday the above and: Total electricity consumption in Scotland in 2024 was 21.7 TWh. This is down 26.6% from the 2005-2007 baseline figure when 29.3 TWh of electricity was consumed (the baseline is the average consumption from 2005-2007 https://www.gov.scot/publications/energy-statistics-for-scotland-q3-2025/pages/electricity-consumption/ How much was produced? From the same source: In 2024, 51.8 TWh of electricity was generated in Scotland. Of this, 73.1% (37.9 TWh) was generated from renewable sources and 91.5% (47.4 TWh) was generated from low carbon sources (renewables + nuclear + pumped storage). In comparison, 49.9 TWh … Continue reading In 2024 alone Scotland’s surplus electricity trade was worth between £2 and £3bn
In 2024 alone Scotland’s surplus gas trade was worth between £7 and £11bn
Professor John Robertson OBA From Energy Statistics for Scotland – Q3 2025 published yesterday, the above chart and: Total gas consumption in Scotland in 2024 was 41.7 TWh. This is down 30.2% from the 2005-2007 baseline figure when 59.8 TWh of gas was consumed (the baseline is the average consumption from 2005-2007; Figure 1). Gas consumption in the domestic sector in Scotland was 25.1 TWh in 2024. This is a 27.7% decrease compared to the 2005-2007 baseline when 34.7 TWh of gas was consumed (Figure 1). In 2024, 16.6 TWh of gas was consumed in the non-domestic sector. This is … Continue reading In 2024 alone Scotland’s surplus gas trade was worth between £7 and £11bn
99% of drug and alcohol abusers treated within three weeks.
Professor John Robertson OBA From National drug and alcohol treatment waiting times 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 published yesterday: 11,444 referrals were made to community-based specialist drug and alcohol treatment services: 5,369 (46.9%) were for problematic use of alcohol, 4,409 (38.5%) for problematic use of drugs, and 1,666 (14.6%) for co-dependency (problematic use of both alcohol and drugs). 7,050 referrals to community-based services started treatment. Of these, 6,674 (94.7%) involved a wait of three weeks or less. Two NHS Boards did not meet the Standard (Lothian, 88.5%; Highland, 87.6%). Nationally, the Standard was met for referrals to community-based … Continue reading 99% of drug and alcohol abusers treated within three weeks.
Scottish Government’s earlier flu vaccine launch and wider free issue has resulted in 20% fewer cases as they continue to climb in NHS England
Professor John Robertson OBA From Viral respiratory diseases in Scotland surveillance report published today: Influenza activity in Scotland has steadied or decreased in many systems, returning to medium activity overall based on reporting of laboratory-confirmed cases. Cases decreased by 20% to 1918 from 2410, and activity level dropped to high (from very high) in the 1-4 and 5-14 age groups. There were 912 hospital admissions due to influenza in week 50, down from 1039 in week 49.1 In NHS England: NHS England has released its latest figures now, covering last week up to 14 December. It says hospitals in England … Continue reading Scottish Government’s earlier flu vaccine launch and wider free issue has resulted in 20% fewer cases as they continue to climb in NHS England
UK Labour aim to halve violence against women in 10 years but to a level still far higher per head than in Scotland today – is that anywhere near good enough? Ask Anas!
and girls in ten years. Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Breakfast above, today, has been discussing at length, the Labour Government’s new strategy promising to halve violence against women and girls in ten years. What is the current level? In the year-ending June 2025, there were 72 804 cases of rape and attempted rape, 211 225 sexual offences and 797 530 cases of domestic abuse, in England and Wales.1 In Scotland in the same period, the figures were 2 897, 5 124 and 2 573.2, 3 England & Wales have roughly 11 times the population, so all things being equal … Continue reading UK Labour aim to halve violence against women in 10 years but to a level still far higher per head than in Scotland today – is that anywhere near good enough? Ask Anas!
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 