Mull cafe owner’s mass protest turnout threatened by nearly 90% of 2 800 locals being satisfied with their CalMac ferry service and the conveniently under-used car decks
Professor John Robertson OBA From the Scotsman, six days ago, the above and: A protest will be held this weekend on the Isle of Mull over the state of the lifeline ferry service, with Scottish ministers accused of not “listening”. The Mull and Iona Ferry Committee announced it is planning a mass demonstration protesting the state of the ferry service to Mull and Iona. The demonstration will take place on Sunday at Craignure on the Isle of Mull The protest is the initiative of local businesswoman [cafe owner] Michelle Devlin. She said the “final straw” before staging the protest was the Scottish … Continue reading Mull cafe owner’s mass protest turnout threatened by nearly 90% of 2 800 locals being satisfied with their CalMac ferry service and the conveniently under-used car decks
English water boards typically release harmful pollution between 47 (4.7 pro rata) and 76 (7.6 pro rata) times as frequently as Scottish Water
Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Science & Environment today, the above and: Serious pollution incidents by water companies have risen 60% in a year, according to the Environment Agency. In total there were 2,801 pollution incidents in England in 2024, the highest on record, compared with 2,174 in 2023. Of these, 75 were considered to pose “serious or persistent” harm to fisheries, drinking water and human health – up from 47 last year. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg5zl75dmm0o ‘Serious’ incidents such as these in Scotland are apparent from the imposition of fines on Scottish Water or other users, by the regulator Sepa. In … Continue reading English water boards typically release harmful pollution between 47 (4.7 pro rata) and 76 (7.6 pro rata) times as frequently as Scottish Water
So in England, Alexander Dennis does NOT have to ‘adhere to (such) advanced Fair Work standards’?
By stewartb Some further background on Labour and ‘buses’: From Hansard volume 760: Commons debate on Economic Growth, 21 January 2025 Rachel Reeves (Labour, Chancellor of the Exchequer): “A number of local authorities and, indeed, Labour mayors have raised with me bus procurement and the importance of buses for the local economy. I look forward to working with them, particularly David Skaith in York and North Yorkshire and Steve Rotheram in Liverpool, to boost bus services in communities, and particularly rural communities, to support jobs in the UK. At the Budget, I allocated more than £1 billion for local bus services, and that … Continue reading So in England, Alexander Dennis does NOT have to ‘adhere to (such) advanced Fair Work standards’?
Where political parties are open to accepting donations from various sources, the question is , what do those who donate large amounts expect in return?
Liz S Where political parties are open to accepting donations from various sources, the question is , what do those who donate large amounts to a political party expect in return ? Like say for example a Private Healthcare company ? As in one who donates to a Shadow Health Secretary , who is a member of the UK official opposition party , where it is , via polling, anticipated that they as the official opposition party are likely to win the next UK GE. Take a look at the UK Parliament website under various Labour MP’s names and see under their ‘Registered interests’ who has donated to … Continue reading Where political parties are open to accepting donations from various sources, the question is , what do those who donate large amounts expect in return?
Disgraced former BBC Scotland chief reveals anti-democratic sentiments in line with Labour family
Professor John Robertson OBA John Boothman, was moved aside from BBC Scotland Head of News in 2015, after bullying Zoe MacDonald, a BBC Scotland camerawoman, the daughter of Margo MacDonald SNP MSP and icon. He was/is married to Susan Deacon, a former Labour MSP and Health Minister at Holyrood and is said to have offered media training to Labour Party wannabe politicians. Now a regular gammon with the Times, kind of like Macwhirter at the Spectator, here he is today: It’s an astonishing piece which equates the ability to spend more than your competitors because they, unlike you, depend upon the relatively small … Continue reading Disgraced former BBC Scotland chief reveals anti-democratic sentiments in line with Labour family
Can the PM assure the workers that he believes bus manufacturing should have a future in Falkirk?
By Liz S So I am a tad confused or rather quite befuddled…….. Brian Leishman Labour MP for Alloa & Grangemouth is reported to now be suspended from the Labour party this afternoon “over breaching party discipline” Yet only earlier today Leishman posted a tweet, together with a linked video, that showed him feeding a line to his -then- leader Keir Starmer at today’s PMQ’s to then allow his -then – leader to spout #SNPBAD and also allow his – then – leader to give a Masterclass in hypocrisy……….(as did Leishman). I have again highlighted in bold both Leishman’s and Starmer’s brass … Continue reading Can the PM assure the workers that he believes bus manufacturing should have a future in Falkirk?
Scotland’s roads have less than half the collision rate of the UK
stewartb For broader context: UK Government. Department of Transport (Last updated December 19, 2024) Road safety statistics: data tables – ‘Detailed statistics about reported personal injury road collisions for Great Britain, vehicles and casualties involved.’ Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accidents-vehicles-and-casualties-tables-for-great-britain#geographical-breakdowns-ras04 See: Geographical breakdowns (RAS04)/ Country and region (RAS0402) and specifically ‘ the spreadsheet entitled: Reported road collisions by severity, region and country, United Kingdom, 10 years up to 2023′. SCOTLAND: FATAL Total in 2014 = 178 (6 per billion vehicle miles) FATAL Total in 2023 =149 (5 per billion vehicle miles) GREAT BRITAIN:FATAL ’Total’ in 2014 = 1.658 (5 per billion vehicle miles)FATAL ’Total’ in 2023 = 1,522 … Continue reading Scotland’s roads have less than half the collision rate of the UK
As 224 English local authorities submit unaudited accounts based on ‘dodgy data’, Scotland’s authorities have ‘state-run audit systems which have fared significantly better’
Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Brian McGowan for alerting me to this: From the Canary factchecker today: The National Audit Office (NAO) has declined to sign off on the accuracy of the UK government’s national accounts for a second time, citing widespread unreliability in, and lack of, data supplied by local councils. The crux of the issue lies in the backlog of local authority audits, meaning only around a shocking 4% of English councils provided data deemed “reliable”. This is down from 10% in 2022/23 – which even then, was a dire reflection on the state of local and … Continue reading As 224 English local authorities submit unaudited accounts based on ‘dodgy data’, Scotland’s authorities have ‘state-run audit systems which have fared significantly better’
A77 injury collisions plummet to only a third of level 8 years ago
Professor John Robertson OBA I’m a regular A77 user and I strongly empathise with the calls for more dualling and bypassing on what is the very busy main Belfast to Glasgow route but road safety statistics do not seem to be a strong argument for that. From A75 and A77 road traffic accident statistics: FOI release, published today, we see a clear and steady decline in injury collisions, interrupted by a pandemic dip, due it must be assumed, at least in part, to improvements, from 108 to only 38 incidents in only 8 years. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202500460504/ Continue reading A77 injury collisions plummet to only a third of level 8 years ago
Scottish airports have lower drop-off charges than most in England
Professor John Robertson OBA Top story in Scotland, above, the sad ‘on list‘ claim for drop-off charges at airports. In England: Clearly less of a concern and yet: Do Scotland, Glasgow or Edinburgh feature in the report? Only in the above table. Sad, sad. Continue reading Scottish airports have lower drop-off charges than most in England
Scotland's First and biggest Rebuttal Service -Talking-up Scotland 