Drug deaths – this is not whataboutery but the means of calling out political hypocrisy and media bias
By stewartb It could be deemed ‘unseemly’ to make btl comment on something as tragic as drug deaths. Of course the real topic – the real motivation – is political and mainstream media practices amongst those opposed to the Scottish Government. Fundamentally, this is not whataboutery but the means of calling out political hypocrisy and media bias! Many parts of the UK are experiencing, to a worrying degree, the harms and worse of drug misuse. Trend data strongly suggest that present UK drugs policy and associated interventions are proving inadequate. At least in Scotland the mortality rate, whilst still far too … Continue reading Drug deaths – this is not whataboutery but the means of calling out political hypocrisy and media bias
Kaye Adams the latest BBC Scotland presenter to deliberately mislead the public by conflating the Dundee University ‘Wendy’ jobs scandal with SNP free tuition
By Liz S Saw this online via a Blue Sky account: “Kaye Adams is the latest BBC Scotland presenter to deliberately mislead the public by conflating the Dundee University scandal with free tuition. The Dundee University funding issue was caused by financial mismanagement. It has nothing to do with free tuition. More BBC propaganda” Strangely enough I also heard this via the new additional BBC propaganda programme, which is now a part of the BBC in Scotland , as in the podcast called Scotcast,. As they were also debating this yesterday prompted by the Dundee University funding issue, but with … Continue reading Kaye Adams the latest BBC Scotland presenter to deliberately mislead the public by conflating the Dundee University ‘Wendy’ jobs scandal with SNP free tuition
Island with more than 100 000 population to lose its privatised Sunday ferry service
Professor John Robertson OBA On 21 March 2021 (census day), the resident population of Jersey was 103,267. On 13 March 2025, BBC UK announced: Ferry travellers will soon be unable to get a ferry from Portsmouth to Jersey on Sundays after Danish operator DFDS took over. Jersey’s government chose DFDS to run the island’s ferries in December, with the first sailing on 28 March. The firm has contacted people who have bookings to offer alternative sailings and said the changes came after talks with tourism leaders and freight companies. Customers on social media have called it “shockingly bad” and “disappointing”, with DFDS … Continue reading Island with more than 100 000 population to lose its privatised Sunday ferry service
How Labour betrayed Clyde shipbuilders and preferred corrupt Polish yards in 2005
By Liz S Anas Sarwar tweeted this yesterday : “So much for Stronger for Scotland…. More like SNP – Stronger for Poland. This is a huge blow to Scottish shipbuilding. Once again, jobs and investment going abroad on the SNP’s watch” This was in relation to the news that “Ferguson ship yard misses out on new CaLMac Ferry order” as headlined on the BBC website, of course it was. Yet I saw on WGD a commentator, Legerwood, add a comment and a link onto that site that stated this: “Yet when Labour were in power, along with the LibDems, in … Continue reading How Labour betrayed Clyde shipbuilders and preferred corrupt Polish yards in 2005
Disability benefit cuts – Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie will soon be on deflection manoeuvres
By Liz S BBC Website – Douglas Fraser wrote that “If there is a cut in the budget for PIPs, a proportionate figure will be cut from the Treasury block grant to Holyrood”. He then writes “So Scottish ministers would have the choice of applying a similar scale of cuts, or of finding funds from other spending, or from higher income tax, to fill that gap” So would that then mean they are ‘spoilt for choice’ to “fill that gap” Mr Fraser ? “A gap” that has been caused by the UK government . The BBC article on their website regarding … Continue reading Disability benefit cuts – Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie will soon be on deflection manoeuvres
Why is this not headline news? Opioid dependency plummets to around half the level in only 9 years
Professor John Robertson OBA From Estimated Prevalence of Opioid Dependence in Scotland 2014/15 to 2022/23, published today by Public Health Scotland, the above table shows opioid dependency among males falling from 10 700 to 5 900 and among females falling from 6 400 to only 3 000. This is a most newsworthy and significant trend but you won’t see it in Scotland’s MSM because they don’t do good in case some of their viewers and readers think the SNP are responsible in the way they would be if the trend went the other way. Among 50 to 64 year-olds opioid … Continue reading Why is this not headline news? Opioid dependency plummets to around half the level in only 9 years
NHS Scotland increases number treated within 18 weeks to lead NHS England by 14%
Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland today, for the quarter ending 31 December 2024, we can see that 67% of the 278 805 patients attending were treated within the 18 weeks target. This is a 1.5% improvement on the figures for the same period in 2023.1 NHS England does not published quarterly data but for December 2024, the figure was only 58.9% treated within 18 weeks.2 NHS Scotland is thus treating 13.75% more within the target of 18 weeks. Remember that small percentage figure refers to more than 38 000 seen on time in NHS Scotland who might … Continue reading NHS Scotland increases number treated within 18 weeks to lead NHS England by 14%
For two years now, pharmacists in England look to Scotland
Professor John Robertson OBA England has fewer drug deaths and a shorter two year hospital waiting list but that’s it. After 14 years of not having a Conservative Government, every area of public service is operating better in Scotland. Even our ferries are far better than those in England [Isle of Wight, Scilly Isles, Mersey]. Here’s another – pharmacies The Guardian today, above, typically confused: The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said it had “been left with little choice” but to recommend its 6,000 members take collective action for the first time in its history, unless the government provides “new and sufficient” funding … Continue reading For two years now, pharmacists in England look to Scotland
CalMac ferry contract – Polish shipyard may have been unfairly subsidised to lower costs
Professor John Robertson OBA Amidst fake indignation over the loss of the new ferries contract to a Polish shipyard and attempts to blame the SNP for what the media and the opposition parties have done to the reputation of a Scottish shipyard, the fairness of the competition has to be questioned. In November 2008, BBC UK reported: The European Commission has ordered Poland to reclaim more than 3bn euros of state subsidies paid to two shipyards which were facing bankruptcy. The move means Poland will have to sell the Gdynia and Szczecin yards, putting some 60,000 jobs at risk. The … Continue reading CalMac ferry contract – Polish shipyard may have been unfairly subsidised to lower costs
The astonishing year-round value for money of Scotland’s island ferry travel constantly being hidden from us
By stewartb The ticket price differences are crazy. The single adult passenger fare for the 2 hour 45 minute journey from Penzance Harbour, Cornwall to St Mary’s Harbour, Isles of Scilly by the ferry Scillonian III on Wednesday March 26, 2025 is available for purchase online at £92.99. For the reverse journey on 27 March, the ticket price is £87.99. The passenger only ferry, Scillonian was built in 1977, so now c.48 years old. It operates March to November. (https://www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/scillonian-iii/ ) By contrast, for the c. 4 hour 45 minute journey from Oban to Castlebay, Barra on 26 March, CalMac is charging £17.30 for … Continue reading The astonishing year-round value for money of Scotland’s island ferry travel constantly being hidden from us
