Tag: books

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Dear auld Glasgow toon sees plummeting violence but try telling that to this lot

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BBC Scotland’s Debate Night indulged in slagging off Glasgow based on no figures whatsoever and one old dear remembering fondly the period from the 1930s to the 1960s when the city and its razor gangs earned its mean reputation well, with violence levels many times those today. One of them, an old guy with lovely hair, compared it with other cities in the UK. See the facts below. Luckily, at best around 15 000 souls watch this drivel, 2.5% of Glasgow’s population and 0.27% of Scotland’s population. It surely cannot survive the current cull. I lasted 2 minutes. Rape? Is … Continue reading Dear auld Glasgow toon sees plummeting violence but try telling that to this lot

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Revealed: Unlike in Scotland, UK Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfires and fire crews do not have the proper protective gear

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Above, a lightly-clad firefighter working in Dunwich heat next to a nuclear power station. In the Guardian today: The government quietly scrapped plans to prepare the countryside in England for wildfires, it has been revealed. This was despite new data showing fire crews do not have the proper protective gear to tackle them. This summer has been a potent reminder of the scale of the threat posed by the climate crisis, with the UK experiencing record-breaking wildfires after punishingly hot and dry weather turned large parts of the countryside into a tinderbox. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/04/government-dropped-plan-england-countryside-wildfires Scotland already has a published Strategic Action … Continue reading Revealed: Unlike in Scotland, UK Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfires and fire crews do not have the proper protective gear

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If they try to tell you ‘UK care reforms could net Scotland £1bn’, here’s your withering answer

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Here’s the Herald just passively accepting another wee London-based thinktank commentator’s claim that the Barnett formula will compensate us for loss of the triple lock pension to sort England’s care service and to generate another Andy-friendly headline. First, says who? David Phillips, a ‘leading’ economist with the IFS. To get a job as a university lecturer in Economics, you’d need a PhD and one or two research-based papers in reasonable impact peer-reviewed journals. To get to Senior Lecturer, you’d need at least 10 and have supervised PhD students to completion. To get to Professor and be described as a ‘top … Continue reading If they try to tell you ‘UK care reforms could net Scotland £1bn’, here’s your withering answer

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If they tell you there’s ‘sheer terror’ in Scotland too, here’s your answer

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Across the BBC in the UK today, the above warnings but all quiet in the media operating in Scotland. So, if someone tells you it’ll be just the same in Scotland or if, as is common, they think the above covers Scotland two, tell them: First, more than ten times as many, per head, early release prisoners were being recalled in England & Wales due to half the ‘probation officer’ staffing in Scotland From the Guardian in February 2026: Record numbers of offenders are being recalled to prison in England and Wales with union officials claiming that some are deliberately breaking the terms … Continue reading If they tell you there’s ‘sheer terror’ in Scotland too, here’s your answer

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As Police Scotland send officers to help in Northern Ireland for the third time, how the Scottish Government has made them ‘formidable’ and the only UK force able to help with such ‘uncommon’ demands

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In the National two days ago, the above and: This is the third time in recent history. With only 1 day left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at:Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From BBC UK July 2026: Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke praised officers for their “immense bravery and personal sacrifice” while protecting the public. But he warned it was “clear” that police had missed opportunities to prepare for widespread disorder, and that earlier incidents involving “extreme nationalist sentiment” had been underestimated. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvn0dnnyj3o From BBC Scotland … Continue reading As Police Scotland send officers to help in Northern Ireland for the third time, how the Scottish Government has made them ‘formidable’ and the only UK force able to help with such ‘uncommon’ demands

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Which is the most industrious, comprehensive and best sourced pro-Scottish independence blog? Awkk!! It’s certainly not your one Jock!

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Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Grok – Which is the most industrious, comprehensive and best sourced pro-Scottish independence blog? Thought for 18s Wings Over Scotland (wingsoverscotland.com), run by Stuart Campbell since 2011, is the standout match for industriousness, data-driven comprehensiveness on the core political/media issues, and sourcing. Other notable options Bella Caledonia (bellacaledonia.org.uk, founded 2007): The longest-running prominent site. More magazine-like, with essays on culture, ideas, international issues, and politics from multiple contributors. Broader in scope than Wings but less relentless on daily statistical or media-watch grind. thenational.scot Wee Ginger Dug (Paul Kavanagh): Consistent, … Continue reading Which is the most industrious, comprehensive and best sourced pro-Scottish independence blog? Awkk!! It’s certainly not your one Jock!

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Scotland’s drug deaths would be worse without The Thistle but no it has not been at the cost of the safety of the locals

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Opposition dreams of life near the Thistle safe drug consumption facility in Glasgow Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 In the National yesterday: I’m not sure about the strategy of mentioning it again but let’s just take it on. Haven’t the opposition repeatedly suggested that his argument ignores the feelings of locals and the damage the Thistle safe drug consumption facility in Glasgow has done to life in the surrounding area? They have but as always it was unreliable. Here are the facts: In June 2025, I wrote: A source with a flat in a … Continue reading Scotland’s drug deaths would be worse without The Thistle but no it has not been at the cost of the safety of the locals

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Baillie silent as Scotland has no pharmacy loss since 2017 and pharmacists in crisis in England lose 1 500 and still ‘look to Scotland’s contract

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Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Dramatic news from BBC Breakfast this morning. Scotland? No mention but a big story on a murder…….in LA. Scotland has not seen a large net loss of pharmacies since 2017. Numbers have stayed broadly stable, in contrast to England. There were 1 253 on the register in December 20171 and 1 283 in 20262. Scotland’s contract and funding model has been cited as offering more protection than England’s. BBC Health made this explicit. BBC Scotland looked the other way. Pharmacists in England look to Scotland, where a scheme called … Continue reading Baillie silent as Scotland has no pharmacy loss since 2017 and pharmacists in crisis in England lose 1 500 and still ‘look to Scotland’s contract

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Anti-immigration protest – Why is the Ferret ‘fact-checker’ so desperate to make Scotland look like the rest of the UK when it’s demonstrably not?

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Based on the above in June 2026 More in Common poll graphic, we can see that immigration matters less to voters across most of Scotland than in most of England. The purple areas in the South-west and in the North of Scotland may well be, at least in part, a result of English, middle-class, entitled, retiree internal migrants pushing house prices up and loudly dominating local organisations. The Ferret today with another vain attempt to talk Scotland down and and to drag us into the swamp with the rest of the UK. Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort … Continue reading Anti-immigration protest – Why is the Ferret ‘fact-checker’ so desperate to make Scotland look like the rest of the UK when it’s demonstrably not?

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Massive improvement in rape conviction rate in Scotland and rape offences up to three times higher in England & Wales

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Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From BBC UK, the above, and: Specialist courts to handle cases of rape and other sexual offences will be introduced across England and Wales over the next two years, the prime minister has announced. Each crown court will have at least one courtroom especially set up to hear such cases, while alleged victims will be able to view proceedings remotely and give evidence from a separate room via video link. Watch out for the media operating in Scotland to call for the same in Scotland and to quickly accuse … Continue reading Massive improvement in rape conviction rate in Scotland and rape offences up to three times higher in England & Wales