1 of 6 UK oil refineries to close and 1 of 6 UK Ethylene plants to close – what do they have in common? It’s just the Scottish ones to close
Professor John Robertson OBA Today, BBC Scotland and the Scotsman, have the above, and: The UK government has said it will not offer financial support to keep the Exxon Mobil plant at Mossmorran open. Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday evening, Business Minister Chris McDonald said there was no realistic business plan to go with investment. He said ExxonMobil’s chairman Paul Greenwood had told him that the plant was inefficient and would need nearly £1bn of spending to make it profitable. The chairman told the minister? That’s the effort they put in to try to save it? There … Continue reading 1 of 6 UK oil refineries to close and 1 of 6 UK Ethylene plants to close – what do they have in common? It’s just the Scottish ones to close
Why as BBC UK focus on shoplifting today BBC Scotland is not (2):
Why as BBC UK focus on shoplifting today BBC Scotland is not (1):
Overall satisfaction with Scottish schools 31% higher than in Labour-run Wales
Professor John Robertson OBA The above graph from Scottish Household Survey: Satisfaction with Schools, 2024, published today, shows a fall in the overall satisfaction satisfaction with Scottish schools by those adults who use them to 81%. https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-household-survey-satisfaction-with-schools-2024/pages/satisfaction-with-schools/ There is no direct equivalent published in England but the figure for Wales for 2024/2025, after decades of Labour-rule, was 62%, down from 68% the previous year. https://www.gov.wales/national-survey-wales-headline-results-april-2024-march-2025-html Scotland’s 81% is 30.6% higher than 62% in Wales Why might this be? Continue reading Overall satisfaction with Scottish schools 31% higher than in Labour-run Wales
Further evidence of Scotland’s reducing inequality as second homes plummet by half from Labour era
Professor John Robertson OBA There are, of course, serious constraints to the extent in which Scotland can move toward the more equal societies in Northern Europe and to enjoy their correlated benefits of longer healthier lives, extremely low crime, drug abuse, mental health diagnoses and so on but the SNP has made some progress with lower rents and council tax, more social and affordable housing, four times as many real living wage employers, more police officers, teachers, doctors and nurses, per capita, a range of universal benefits such as for prescriptions, and unique benefits such as the Child Payment, free … Continue reading Further evidence of Scotland’s reducing inequality as second homes plummet by half from Labour era
So much worse together as Brexit hurt Scotland’s trade surplus economy and benefitted the UK’s deficit economy
Professor John Robertson OBA With only a 1969 SCE Higher in Economics, bare C pass, I’m deferring entirely to Grok AI on this one. If you’re capable, please enlighten me on any problems with his (Grok) analysis. Grok – Was Brexit even more damaging for Scotland with its trade surplus than rest of UK? Conclusion Yes, Brexit was more damaging to Scotland’s trade surplus than to the rest of the UK’s deficit. The UK’s import-heavy profile turned barriers into a partial “benefit” (narrower deficit), while Scotland’s export reliance amplified losses—eroding potential surplus growth by £3-4bn annually and hitting GDP harder … Continue reading So much worse together as Brexit hurt Scotland’s trade surplus economy and benefitted the UK’s deficit economy
Another fracking dangerous technology only suitable for Scotland and the North apparently emits more CO2 than it stores
Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Bernadette Robertson for alerting me to this. In the UK Daily Mail, today, but not on the ‘Scottish’ edition’s front page: The long–awaited solution to Britain’s climate crisis could finally be here. Scientists have identified eight potential sites for the ‘direct air capture machines’ (DAC), which would extract CO2 from the air and turn it to stone. The eight promising locations include Antrim in Northern Ireland, Borrowdale in the Lake District and the Isle of Mull in Scotland. According to the experts, the sites have a wealth of volcanic rock underground that would react with CO2 and … Continue reading Another fracking dangerous technology only suitable for Scotland and the North apparently emits more CO2 than it stores
London-based Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Pat McFadden, Labour Friends of Israel Co-chair, find FOUR sites in Grangemouth ‘IDEAL’ for manufacture of explosives and munitions but ignore the multiple deadly risks for my relatives and his
Professor John Robertson OBA The Health & Safety Executive [reporting to Pat McFadden’s Department for Work and Pensions] ‘believes‘ that at least FOUR sites in Grangemouth could be IDEAL for the manufacture of explosives and munitions? On behalf of the Ministry of Death, the UK Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Labour Friends of Israel vice-chair, McFadden, born in Glasgow and presumably with relatives in Central Scotland, seems unlikely to be concerned for them. Should he be concerned for them? I’m reminded of my days at Stirling University, mid 70s, still living in Grangemouth and doing summer and winter holiday … Continue reading London-based Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Pat McFadden, Labour Friends of Israel Co-chair, find FOUR sites in Grangemouth ‘IDEAL’ for manufacture of explosives and munitions but ignore the multiple deadly risks for my relatives and his
News BBC Scotland prefers not to tell you – Young carers were almost “perfect” targets for the kind of street-grooming model that operated in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford but only SNP Government in Scotland offers unique payment to help them escape those conditions
Professor John Robertson OBA From the Scottish Government today, reported by STV but not by BBC Scotland: Young carers up to age 19 will now receive Young Carer Grant following an expansion of the benefit delivered by Social Security Scotland. The grant which was previously open to 16 to 18-year-olds is a Scottish only benefit that gives young carers a yearly payment of £390.25. The payment can be used to pay for whatever the young person wants – like driving lessons, tech to help with work or study or new clothes. The grant is available to young people who spend … Continue reading News BBC Scotland prefers not to tell you – Young carers were almost “perfect” targets for the kind of street-grooming model that operated in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford but only SNP Government in Scotland offers unique payment to help them escape those conditions
Child Poverty in Labour Wales predicted to be nearly 60% higher than in Scotland by 2029 placing more than 100 000 in poverty who would not have been with SNP policies
Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to A.M.MacJ, https://x.com/ammacj for alerting me to this. The above from the Joseph Rowntree Trust is shocking. That in only Scotland will child poverty have reduced by the next Westminster election in 2029, is deep condemnation of the governments in the other three nations. What this means is that child poverty in Wales will be 57.8% higher and, in England, it will 44.5% higher, than in Scotland. Remember that these percentage differences mean that more than a million out of the current total of nearly 4 million in England and more than 100 000 out … Continue reading Child Poverty in Labour Wales predicted to be nearly 60% higher than in Scotland by 2029 placing more than 100 000 in poverty who would not have been with SNP policies
Talking-up Scotland 