Tag: books

6 Comments

Is Police Scotland’s only armoured car which has LAIN in storage, like the one in tiny Guernsey, there because all the senior staff are from places where they get riots?

johnrobertson834

The Daily Record today, challenged from grammar to politics. Police Scotland (5.4 million population who might riot) bought that one armoured car 2 years ago while the Island of Guernsey (64 thousand population!)12 years ago: Guernsey Police’s purchase of an armoured Land Rover had the full backing of the Home Department, its minister has revealed. Deputy Geoff Mahy, who is standing down from the States in April, said it had been agreed 15 months ago as part of upgrades to the force’s firearms unit. He said: “The police do not shape the undesirable changes of society. “However, it is important … Continue reading Is Police Scotland’s only armoured car which has LAIN in storage, like the one in tiny Guernsey, there because all the senior staff are from places where they get riots?

5 Comments

England’s gangland bosses breaking Scotland’s prison system

johnrobertson834

Neil Mackay in the Herald today has: Scotland’s gangland bosses break the nation’s ‘failed’ prison system. Jails are bursting at the seams, staff are exhausted, and as police arrest more and more organised crime members, Scotland’s prisons are in turmoil. Our Writer at Large reports IT sounds like life for prison officers at the height of Ulster’s Troubles: intimidation, threats to kill, assassination plots, fire-bombings, and looking over your shoulder when you clock off and walk through the jail gates. Given that overall crime is down by 40% since the SNP came to power in 2007, organised crime based on drugs, prostitution, … Continue reading England’s gangland bosses breaking Scotland’s prison system

8 Comments

Herald headlines rabid Unionist, Clearances apologist and second home owner with ‘crude’ research to undermine SNP policy to double his council tax

johnrobertson834

As soon as the above self-portrait popped up I knew what this was all about. Macleod is a constant critic of the SNP and has accused them, in 2017, of having a ‘divisive lynch-mob’ among the membership Macleod shares Neil Oliver’s position on the clearances ie that much was voluntary and beneficial to the communities it affected. In a bitter blog review of the work of Dr James Hunter he questions a key point: “The forcible displacement of much of northern Scotland’s population”. The appropriate word should be ‘some’ rather than ‘much’, which makes a big difference. I’m no expert on … Continue reading Herald headlines rabid Unionist, Clearances apologist and second home owner with ‘crude’ research to undermine SNP policy to double his council tax

8 Comments

Andrew Neil, right-wing domination of the media, bullying, women, Epstein and Trump

johnrobertson834

Andrew Neil in Lord of the Rings IV (?) Andrew Neil and his new wife in 2015. The above, being shared with no attribution on social media. This from 2018: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/nov/16/bbc-women-complain-andrew-neil-tweet-observer-journalist-carole-cadwalladr And the above: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/11/bbc-andrew-neil-media-politics And in 2020 TuS had: Andrew Neil breached broadcasting rules with false Scottish illiteracy claim The presenter was discussing education in Scotland with former SNP leader Alex Salmond. The BBC’s Sunday Politics breached broadcasting rules with misleading claims made by presenter Andrew Neil, a watchdog has found. The host claimed during an interview with former Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond that “after a decade … Continue reading Andrew Neil, right-wing domination of the media, bullying, women, Epstein and Trump

6 Comments

More news you won’t hear – New £49 million, Scottish Government-funded terminal to enhance island life and economy

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson From the Scottish Government today and, of course, utterly ignored by ‘your’ media in Scotland: A Scottish Government-backed deep-water terminal which will support future renewable energy developments and cruise ship opportunities on the Western Isles has been officially handed over to operators by Deputy First Minister Shona Robison.  Ms Robison toured the new Stornoway deep-water terminal to mark the end of the construction phase. It has delivered a new terminal with a cruise ship berthing facility capable of accommodating vessels more than 1,000 feet long (330 metres) and a new deep-water dock for large cargo vessels, … Continue reading More news you won’t hear – New £49 million, Scottish Government-funded terminal to enhance island life and economy

16 Comments

SNP MP and former senior police officer accuses successive UK governments of corruption, collusion and the protection of terrorists

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson This fascinating but deeply disturbing story, in the form of draft speech, of what many of us suspect is only typical of the historical behaviour of the UK establishment and still present today in the chilling image of Sir Keir Starmer, was passed to me by Allan Dorans, a former Detective Inspector in the Metropolitan Police and now the Member of Parliament for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, with permission to publish and to share it widely. I hope that you too will share it even more widely. Good morning former colleagues and friends. It is wonderful … Continue reading SNP MP and former senior police officer accuses successive UK governments of corruption, collusion and the protection of terrorists

8 Comments

Why is Scotland’s cancer rate significantly higher than that in England – nuclear waste, nuclear power and nuclear weapons placed as far from London as possible?

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson In Scotland: In 2021, the rate, or risk, of new cancers also increased to 644 per 100,000 [around 700 for men and 600 for women (an increase of 3.1% compared with 2019). In England, in 2020, the rate for men was 590 and for women, 487. These are significant differences. There are several explanatory factors including smoking (England lowest 13%, Scotland next at 13.9%, N Ireland at 14% and Wales at 14.1%) and better NHS detection services but you have to wonder about the Sellafield reprocessing plant, the most toxic nuclear plant in Europe, seeping pollutants … Continue reading Why is Scotland’s cancer rate significantly higher than that in England – nuclear waste, nuclear power and nuclear weapons placed as far from London as possible?

2 Comments

Train drivers, doctors and teachers all expected to work but only in Scotland

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson From the Guardian today: Rail passengers across England will face significant disruption on Friday as train drivers at five operating companies carry out industrial action. The 24-hour strike will be the first of three days of rolling strike action being taken by the train drivers’ union Aslef, with services on Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway all affected. Yesterday, from the Guardian: Teachers in England and Wales could strike again as early as September, according to the head of the UK’s largest education union, who warned of “growing frustration” within the profession … Continue reading Train drivers, doctors and teachers all expected to work but only in Scotland

8 Comments

New Zealand’s super-ferries will never be late, just never built and yet still cost millions

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson From the NZ Herald today: KiwiRail only terminated its mega ferry ship-building contract after receiving a letter from Finance Minister Nicola Willis and two months after the Government pulled the plug on the project. A scheme to replace the current ageing Interislander fleet with two larger ships was left dead in the water in December after costs for the overall project, including new terminals and wharf upgrades, ballooned to almost $3b and the new Government refused to fund the blowout. However, KiwiRail took until February 14 to announce it was terminating the $551m fixed-price contract with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard to build … Continue reading New Zealand’s super-ferries will never be late, just never built and yet still cost millions

2 Comments

Injury after collisions involving HGVs and Buses with bridges fall dramatically

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ Published yesterday as part of a Freedom of Information request, by the Scottish Government, the latest data reveal a big decline in the number of incidents where people were injured after a bus or an HGV vehicle hit a bridge, in Scotland. Not the biggest of Talking-up Scotland scoops, I know, but one more area where Joe Public might be forgiven for thinking the trend goes the other way, based on media reporting. Who … Continue reading Injury after collisions involving HGVs and Buses with bridges fall dramatically