There is nothing worse than Scottish exceptionalism on summer riots? Yes, the dark kind Tory and Labour SPADs spend their hours grubbing for
Professor John Robertson OBA In Holyrood Sources YouTube podcast (?), three days ago, with an ex-SNP (disappointing) and and ex-Tory (full cringe) SPAD, on whether or not Scotland will be immune to race-related riots this summer, the latter said: Um, I think it’s fair to say that there is an increase in Scotland in kind of low…it does seem to be fairly clear that there’s an increase in relatively low level anti-social behaviour…I think there are big problems there. There’s big unrest there….but…Scotland is not England and Scotland doesn’t necessarily experience the same things that England experiences particularly around the … Continue reading There is nothing worse than Scottish exceptionalism on summer riots? Yes, the dark kind Tory and Labour SPADs spend their hours grubbing for
‘A bottomless pit of hell’ – US researchers confirm the risk to Scots children of living downstream of sites like Sellafield, Europe’s ‘most toxic radioactive waste site’
Professor John Robertson OBA From the Journal of the American Medical Association (Impact factor 50 – 7th highest of 500 peer-reviewed medical research journals) published 16 July 2025: Question Is there an association between cancer incidence and living near Coldwater Creek [map above] as a child when it was actively being contaminated by radioactive byproducts from the Manhattan Project? Findings In this cohort study of 4209 participants, living near Coldwater Creek as a child was associated with an increased risk of overall cancer during long-term follow-up, with evidence of a dose-response association. When comparing those living around the creek or its floodplain … Continue reading ‘A bottomless pit of hell’ – US researchers confirm the risk to Scots children of living downstream of sites like Sellafield, Europe’s ‘most toxic radioactive waste site’
‘Scottish’ newspaper platforms English charity warning of dangerous ‘refugee’ dog organisations that cannot operate in Scotland and cannot be bothered to helpfully inform its readers of the details of the law in Scotland
Professor John Robertson OBA In the Daily Record on 28 July, 2025, the above and: Buying or adopting a dog always comes with risks, namely around the canine’s health and/or how likely they are to lash out or not take to training as well as the owner would hope. There are also circumstances that can exacerbate these risks, and it turned out importing dogs into the UK is one of them, according to an animal charity, which is calling for stricter regulations on animal rescues doing just that. The RSPCA has cited concerns about disease risks and behavioural issues, just as government statistics show … Continue reading ‘Scottish’ newspaper platforms English charity warning of dangerous ‘refugee’ dog organisations that cannot operate in Scotland and cannot be bothered to helpfully inform its readers of the details of the law in Scotland
Scotland has only half the TB rate of England due to less poverty, more affordable housing and better healthcare access and could further improve with independence
Professor John Robertson OBA I’ve used the Grok AI to assist in researching and presenting this paper. I’m able to check the references it helpfully offers. Last year the Scottish and English media widely reported a one-year surge in TB cases reported in Scotland from 2022 to 2023. Yesterday, Public Health Scotland published the latest data: To my knowledge, the media have not since reported the fall in the number of cases between 2023 and 2024. For context, all things being equal, we might expect England to have had around 2 700 cases in 2024. It had almost exactly twice … Continue reading Scotland has only half the TB rate of England due to less poverty, more affordable housing and better healthcare access and could further improve with independence
Scottish university campus safety – the good news that Police Scotland could not provide for the US Department of Education handbook
Professor John Robertson OBA Police Scotland today, report: I refer to your recent request for crime data, made in accordance with the Clery Act. Unfortunately, Police Scotland is unable to assist with your request. Having reviewed the ‘Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting’ from the US Department of Education, it is noted that the Act has strict recording and counting criteria and we are unable to compile data that would be directly comparable or applicable to the requirements of the Act. https://www.scotland.police.uk/access-to-information/freedom-of-information/disclosure-log/disclosure-log-2025/july/25-2256-clery-act-request-usa-university/ This follows an identical request and response in April 2025 with no named source – the US Department of Education … Continue reading Scottish university campus safety – the good news that Police Scotland could not provide for the US Department of Education handbook
Daily Mail misreads most of its readers on energy generation that will keep their lights on
Professor John Robertson OBA The ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail frontpage headline today is ‘ANGER AS SNP BACKS BIGGEST WIND FARM ON PLANET.’ I can’t help but think they may have misjudged their readers on this one – ‘What, we’ve got the biggest wind farm on the planet? BRILLIANT!‘ Where’s the supposed anger coming from? Well, Donald Trump and ‘conservation groups’, they say. There’s an unusual coalition. Doesn’t the Mail regularly bash such groups for ‘squeezing taxpayers’, obstructing ambulances and just dressing funny? Not for the first time, you’re left to wonder what Mail readers would think if they got more information. … Continue reading Daily Mail misreads most of its readers on energy generation that will keep their lights on
Rachel Reeves fails to mention that with 8.1% of the population Scotland only gets 3.9%, less than half, the defence spending it deserves
Professor John Robertson OBA Chancellor Rachel Reeves is all over ‘Scottish’ media today with promises of ‘billions‘ to be invested in the Scottish economy via increased defence spending. Leaving aside the fact that much of the spending will be on new hunter-killer submarines built in Cumbria, the reporting fails to mention this key fact: From Grok AI: Scotland’s share of UK defense spending is approximately 3.7% to 3.9% based on recent data. In 2021/22, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) spent £2.01 billion in Scotland out of a total UK defense expenditure of £53.9 billion in 2023/24. This equates to roughly … Continue reading Rachel Reeves fails to mention that with 8.1% of the population Scotland only gets 3.9%, less than half, the defence spending it deserves
SNP ministers to save thousands as nurses take action on other parts of UK
Professor John Robertson OBA As the nurses in the other parts of the UK vote by a margin of 91% to 9% for industrial action, a reminder of what SNP ministers have done for Scotland: The Scottish Government has already agreed a 4.25% deal for this year, for nurses and midwives. https://www.gov.scot/publications/nhs-staff-pay/ Scotland’s media will no doubt portray this as a similar offer, only 0.65% higher, to conceal the fact that it is 5.4% higher than 3.25% and that 4.25% of the average nurse pay of £40 497, in Scotland, is £1 721pa. The average salary for a nurse in Scotland is … Continue reading SNP ministers to save thousands as nurses take action on other parts of UK
Ed Milliband tries to take credit for new Scottish offshore windfarm, approved by SNP, to boost billions-worth of electricity already being transferred to England
Professor John Robertson OBA Today, the UK Energy Minister, above, appeared to claim credit for the approval of the massive 300 plus turbine, 4.1GW, windfarm off the Scottish coast near Fife and East Lothian: Even the Scotsman knew who had actually approved it: One of world’s biggest wind farms with 307 turbines approved near Edinburgh by SNP ministers though they are hoping it will kill lots of seabirds. Milliband and his boy from Scotland, below, clearly think this new project will help with their unimpressive achievement: 50%? Is that all? How is the SNP doing? What’s happening to the surplus … Continue reading Ed Milliband tries to take credit for new Scottish offshore windfarm, approved by SNP, to boost billions-worth of electricity already being transferred to England
‘Prison officers assaulted by inmates three times a day in England’s jails’ – Assaults on prison officers in England & Wales nearly THREE times as frequent as in Scotland.
Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: In the 12 months to March 2025, the rate of assaults on staff was 122 assaults per 1,000 prisoners (10,568 assaults on staff), up 7% from the 12 months to March 2024 to a new peak. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-march-2025/safety-in-custody-statistics-england-and-wales-deaths-in-prison-custody-to-june-2025-assaults-and-self-harm-to-march-2025 All things being equal, you’d expect the figure for Scotland to be around one eleventh of that 10 568, between 950 and 1 000, but according to the Daily Record and all the other frothing Scottish media is was 350, only just over one third of the level. Assaults on prison officers in … Continue reading ‘Prison officers assaulted by inmates three times a day in England’s jails’ – Assaults on prison officers in England & Wales nearly THREE times as frequent as in Scotland.
Talking-up Scotland 