How can midwives be at ‘breaking point’ with 15% more than NHS England and far fewer (zero) maternity units in crisis
Professor John Robertson OBA Remember the days, less than 20 years ago, when corporate media like the Herald would only have trade unions on the front page to suggest they were selfish, overpaid, dishonest, a threat to the economy, the nation even. These days, they’re ‘useful idiots‘ to be exploited in the campaign for Labour in the next Holyrood election. I have 1 bairn (born in Falkirk) and three weans (born in Irvine). The midwives were all wonderful. One of the consultants less so. I’m not doubting they feel under pressure but: By 2024, NHS Scotland had 2 581 midwives, … Continue reading How can midwives be at ‘breaking point’ with 15% more than NHS England and far fewer (zero) maternity units in crisis
Jackie Baillie sets new low desperately trying to hide SNP Government’s huge lead in preparing for expected flu outbreak, widening free access from 5 to 13 key groups and carrying out proportionally more than TWICE as many jags (not ‘jabs’) as in Labour England
Professor John Robertson OBA Jackie Baillie, Labour Unhealthy Spokesperson, in the terminally-ill Scotsman yesterday, with the above claim. From BBC Health last week and being broadcast widely and frequently: Flu strikes every winter, but this year something seems to be different. A seasonal flu virus suddenly mutated in the summer. It appears to evade some of our immunity, has kick-started a flu season more than a month early, and is a type of flu that history suggests is more severe. The NHS has now issued a “flu jab SOS” as fears grow that this will add up to a brutal winter. There … Continue reading Jackie Baillie sets new low desperately trying to hide SNP Government’s huge lead in preparing for expected flu outbreak, widening free access from 5 to 13 key groups and carrying out proportionally more than TWICE as many jags (not ‘jabs’) as in Labour England
10 to 1 in favour and the 1 ‘buried’ and key concerns left out, the BBC’s ‘balance’ on Labour’s nuclear plans in Wales is exposed as just another example of biased reporting
Professor John Robertson OBA Before the recent surges by Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, we used to be able to contrast BBC Wales reporting, favourably with the horribly one-sided and dishonest coverage by BBC Scotland. With Labour now at risk, they are moving quickly to behave in the same manner. In a 980-word report on the Westminster plans for a new small nuclear power station as far away from London as they can manage without trying to put it in Scotland, on the farthest edge of North Wales, there are only 90 words casting doubt and, even then, avoiding sensitive … Continue reading 10 to 1 in favour and the 1 ‘buried’ and key concerns left out, the BBC’s ‘balance’ on Labour’s nuclear plans in Wales is exposed as just another example of biased reporting
This is a dark, deeply cynical campaign to undermine the SNP based on not one rape by a biological man identifying as a trans woman of a biological woman and ignoring many rapes by biological males of both cis and trans women
Professor John Robertson OBA For more than a year now the ‘Scottish’ media have been obsessing over the risk of rape of women by biological males identifying as woman, especially but not exclusively in women’s prisons. They have made much, everything at times, of one case where a biological man, then identifying as a man, was convicted of rape and subsequently identified as a woman with a view to being placed in a women’s prison. They were unsuccessful in that. Why has this case been so widely and repeatedly used? Police Scotland records rape perpetrators by biological sex, confirming no … Continue reading This is a dark, deeply cynical campaign to undermine the SNP based on not one rape by a biological man identifying as a trans woman of a biological woman and ignoring many rapes by biological males of both cis and trans women
A strange kind of non-story that makes you think that the timing of this is a tad too convenient with the Scottish & Welsh elections coming up next year
By Liz S This story was covered in the BBC website on the 11 October 2025. “Government to rethink rejection of Waspi compensation” It’s a strange kind of non story that automatically did make you think that the timing of this is a tad too convenient what with the Scottish & Welsh elections coming up next year….. Also with reports that Keir Starmer is currently “fighting attempts to replace him” from some within the party who are considered to be a tad too keen and a tad too ambitious as his Labour colleagues , who are now seeing an opportunity , what with the polls showing just how … Continue reading A strange kind of non-story that makes you think that the timing of this is a tad too convenient with the Scottish & Welsh elections coming up next year
Why are only the right-wing media making an argument against 300 plus asylum seekers being sent to Inverness?
Professor John Robertson OBA The news that the 309 young male asylum seekers arriving in Inverness are going to lead to veterans [three families] being booted out of Cameron Barracks in Inverness is only being covered by the right-wing media. I share the view that these families should absolutely be able to stay but there are other, bigger, reasons too. From BBC Highlands and Islands, 29 October 2025 A UK government minister says he recognises the “strength of feeling” about plans to use an Inverness barracks to house asylum seekers. Cameron Barracks is to provide accommodation for 309 men from next … Continue reading Why are only the right-wing media making an argument against 300 plus asylum seekers being sent to Inverness?
Why has J K Rowling never commented on the Darlington Trans Tribunal?
Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Alasdair Macdonald and to Liz S for giving me this idea. Has J K Rowling commented on the Darlington NHS trans tribunal? No, J.K. Rowling has not commented on the Darlington NHS trans tribunal as of November 12, 2025.The tribunal involves seven nurses from Darlington Memorial Hospital (County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust) challenging their employer’s policy allowing a transgender colleague, Rose Henderson (born male, identifies as a woman), to use the women’s changing rooms. How often did she comment on the Fife trans tribunal? J.K. Rowling commented on the Fife trans tribunal … Continue reading Why has J K Rowling never commented on the Darlington Trans Tribunal?
BBC News Tees loses interest in trans doctor story in one day while BBC Scotland milks it for weeks and weeks – why might that be?
By Liz S This story is now no longer on the main England page on the BBC website. It is also now the third article on the local news page for the area of Tees….yesterday it was the second article on that page. Still nothing about it on the main UK page or UK politics page. The front pages of today’s English editions of newspapers on what was the “closing submissions in this Tribunal case of these Darlington Nurses against the NHS Trust” The Telegraph – nothing on their front page on this story. The Independent – nothing on their front page on this story. The Guardian –nothing on their front page on this story. The Times – nothing on their front page on this story. The Daily Express – nothing on their front … Continue reading BBC News Tees loses interest in trans doctor story in one day while BBC Scotland milks it for weeks and weeks – why might that be?
Rape!!! Glasgow Herald works only to scare women with irresponsible, uninformative reporting – Reported rape and attempted rape is a staggering twice as common in England & Wales than it is in Scotland
Professor John Robertson OBA In the Herald, this morning, the above. Two things. One, can it be called just ‘rape’, at this stage unless of course your aim is only to shock as opposed to inform. Second, would a bit of context be useful for readers? This kind of thing? On 25 June 2025, I wrote: The media in Scotland are headlining the increase in recorded cases of rape and attempted rape in Scotland. Though the increase may in part be a consequence of a greater confidence by victims to come forward and report these crimes, the figures remain disturbing. … Continue reading Rape!!! Glasgow Herald works only to scare women with irresponsible, uninformative reporting – Reported rape and attempted rape is a staggering twice as common in England & Wales than it is in Scotland
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 