96% of English councils failed to produce audited accounts! Imagine that happened in Scotland?
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 By stewartb Imagine if what follows had been in a report from Audit Scotland and concerned the auditing of government accounts in Scotland. I missed this from the National Audit Office (NAO) back in July, presumably because of little or no mainstream media coverage. Source: National Audit Office – ‘Spending watchdog disclaims government’s accounts again’ – Press release, 17 July 2025 (https://www.nao.org.uk/press-releases/spending-watchdog-disclaims-governments-accounts-again/) ‘The Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) 2023-24 has been disclaimed by … Continue reading 96% of English councils failed to produce audited accounts! Imagine that happened in Scotland?
The Stonehaven rail disaster is the responsibility only of Network Rail responsible only to the [UK] Secretary of State for Transport. The Scottish Government cannot be blamed for it
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 Professor John Robertson OBA In the Herald, today: Stonehaven rail crash: Union sparks concern for Scots railways – A row has erupted over the safety of Scotland’s railways as it emerged key improvements to drainage systems demanded by investigators have yet to be completed five years on from the Stonehaven rail tragedy. The Aberdeen to Glasgow train derailed at Carmont in Aberdeenshire on August 12, 2020 after hitting a landslide following heavy rain in an … Continue reading The Stonehaven rail disaster is the responsibility only of Network Rail responsible only to the [UK] Secretary of State for Transport. The Scottish Government cannot be blamed for it
‘Dirty air’ linked to heart failure among ‘Britons’ is less dirty in Scotland
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 By Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today: Millions of Britons [sic…well sick, I suppose – Latin joke] face higher risk of heart failure due to dirty air, study suggests – Exclusive: stroke risk is 7% higher and heart failure risk increases by 27% in areas with worst level of pollution, research shows. So are all Britons (sic) suffering the same level of air pollution? What about Scotland? ‘Only seven countries meet WHO … Continue reading ‘Dirty air’ linked to heart failure among ‘Britons’ is less dirty in Scotland
As the Southport Inquiry brings focus back onto online purchase of Zombie knives how 900 times as many, 90 times as many per head, mentioned in crime reports in England & Wales
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC 1, first thing on 19 February 205, headlining the above issue. BBC Scotland did not follow up with the situation in Scotland, leaving many to think it must just be the same here. Imagine drug deaths were the current concern of the Home Secretary? Would BBC Scotland be reminding us that Scotland has the highest rate in Europe? We all know the answer to that. Here’s what you … Continue reading As the Southport Inquiry brings focus back onto online purchase of Zombie knives how 900 times as many, 90 times as many per head, mentioned in crime reports in England & Wales
Contrary to media hysteria, there was not one anti-semitic violent attack recorded in Scotland in 2024
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS The most recent report on anti-semitic attacks in the UK, in 2024, from the CST, published 12 February 2025, prompted some excited media coverage at the time but today the hoisting, in Edinburgh, of a Palestine flag in sympathy for the genocide in Gaza and in line with the UN position on Palestine as an independent state has enabled the above front page mince. From Antisemitic … Continue reading Contrary to media hysteria, there was not one anti-semitic violent attack recorded in Scotland in 2024
Who will ever tell you this? Denmark, one of the safest places in the World, has more murders than Scotland and a murder rate only 0.004 per million lower
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 Professor John Robertson OBA Scotland’s media continue to utterly ignore the murder rate in Scotland falling to the lowest level ever in recorded history and 20% lower than in England and Wales. Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Murder and culpable homicide decreased by 24% from 58 to 44 crimes [8.1 per million]. There was a 27% decrease over the 10 year period between 2015-16 and 2024-25, from 60 to 44 crimes.1 The … Continue reading Who will ever tell you this? Denmark, one of the safest places in the World, has more murders than Scotland and a murder rate only 0.004 per million lower
As the Southport inquiry resumes today, official figures reveal a dramatic fall in murder by knives in Scotland overall AND by young people, rubbishing the media reports here
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 Professor John Robertson OBA As the inquiry resumes into the deeply tragic Southport knife murders, it’s worth reminding ourselves of the progress that has been made in Scotland these last nearly two decades from a position when Scotland was a darker more violent place. 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, … Continue reading As the Southport inquiry resumes today, official figures reveal a dramatic fall in murder by knives in Scotland overall AND by young people, rubbishing the media reports here
English police arrest hundreds more old ladies and men against genocide as Police forces remind us how different Scotland already is
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC UK: There were 890 people arrested at a demonstration against the ban on the group Palestine Action in London on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police say. The majority of the arrests were for supporting a proscribed group under the Terrorism Act, while police said 17 were also arrested for assaults on police officers “after the protest turned violent”. But event organisers said protesters were “peacefully defying the ban” and … Continue reading English police arrest hundreds more old ladies and men against genocide as Police forces remind us how different Scotland already is
Police Scotland praised again for humane crowd handling contrasting with that in England – The media coverage too contrasts starkly with Operation Branchform
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 Professor John Robertson OBA Like you, I’m mad as hell about Operation Branchform but, like you I hope, I know damn fine Police Scotland is not making the decisions in what is the clearest example of a police force being told what to do, by those above them, charged with protecting national security as they see it. Putting that in a box, I was pleased to read in the National yesterday: Edinburgh Palestine Action … Continue reading Police Scotland praised again for humane crowd handling contrasting with that in England – The media coverage too contrasts starkly with Operation Branchform
Cryptosporidium in the Capital, Diarrhoea in Devon, a Toilet in the Thames, a Lavvy in the Lake and Sick sheep in the Swale? Eh…drug deaths…..ferries…
Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 Professor John Robertson OBA Today in the Guardian, the above headline and: South West Water is being taken to court over a parasite that infected the water supply in parts of Devon last summer and left dozens sick. More than 140 people were confirmed to have the diarrhoea-type disease, which also causes stomach pains and vomiting, typically lasting for about two weeks. Four people were hospitalised at the time. About 16,000 households and businesses in the … Continue reading Cryptosporidium in the Capital, Diarrhoea in Devon, a Toilet in the Thames, a Lavvy in the Lake and Sick sheep in the Swale? Eh…drug deaths…..ferries…
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