Tag: history

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Any Scottish stand-up – “Honestly, at this rate the only thing Great British Energy is powering is my material for the next five years.”

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I’m using AI increasingly. I trust it more than most journalists or thinktanks to tell me the truth. Grok AI time after time reveals no agenda on Scottish independence. Professor John Robertson OBA Only BBC Scotland is going with this ridiculous line: Great British Energy (GBE) says its investments aim to support at least 10,000 jobs over the next five years, with a focus on areas historically dependent on oil and gas. See that ‘support’? I seem to remember the word ‘creation’ was in their aims only a few months ago. Let’s ask AI: Yes, job creation was explicitly one … Continue reading Any Scottish stand-up – “Honestly, at this rate the only thing Great British Energy is powering is my material for the next five years.”

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Lammy releasing 4 times as many prisoners by error, per head, than in Scotland and at least 12 times as many in November

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Professor John Robertson OBA Alerted by the above from MSM Monitor, I thought I’d find out the answer to those in Scotland who will insist – “Ayr it’s just as f*****g bad here, pal!” It’s not, by no means. First, England, with sources: MoJ Partial Data (April 1–October 31, 2025): 91 releases in error, equivalent to ~3 per week. Disclosed by Justice Secretary David Lammy in parliamentary statements and published via MoJ. Recent Updates (November 1–December 2, 2025): 12 additional releases, with 2 still at large (non-violent/sex offenders). Announced by Lammy amid ongoing investigations. So, total for this year so … Continue reading Lammy releasing 4 times as many prisoners by error, per head, than in Scotland and at least 12 times as many in November

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Memories of famous conservationist, Peter Scott, confirm heart-breaking abandonment and deliberate sacrifice of 51st Highlanders in 1940 to buy time for ‘Dunkirk Miracle’

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I’ve been getting more feedback than usual on my song and reporting on the the capture of and brutal treatment of the 51st Highland division in 1940. Some has been angry and disputatious. Reader Legerwood has written of three uncles: I have often wondered how many young men from the village, who had joined the TA, ended up being killed or captured at Dunkirk and, like my uncles, spending the rest of the war in a POW camp. As a result of those years in a camp in Poland and the forced march back to Germany ahead of the advancing … Continue reading Memories of famous conservationist, Peter Scott, confirm heart-breaking abandonment and deliberate sacrifice of 51st Highlanders in 1940 to buy time for ‘Dunkirk Miracle’

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The sacrifice of the 51st Highlanders – where I got the evidence for my lyrics

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Quickly, should the word ‘sacrifice’ seem to be prejudging what follows, I did not use the word in my questions of the AI. It did, five times in answers including: ‘The decision to leave the 51st (Highland) Division behind as a rearguard — effectively sacrificing it so the rest of the British Expeditionary Force could escape at Dunkirk.’ John Robertson, father in the KOSBs, all before that coalminers who stayed at ‘home’ in the pits I’ve had a bit of stick for: It was the winter of nineteen thirty-nine When we arrived at France’s Maginot Line We were more than … Continue reading The sacrifice of the 51st Highlanders – where I got the evidence for my lyrics

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From the Maginot Line we came late to Saint Valery

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John Robertson (not a prof of music) For those of you who refuse to xtwitter, fly bluesky or even facebook, click here: https://suno.com/s/NNGdtEiMzMfIpp7A From the Maginot Line we came late to Saint Valery It was the winter of nineteen thirty-nine When we arrived at France’s Maginot Line We were more than fifteen thousand strong Ready to stand our ground against the hun From the Maginot Line we came late to Saint Valery The panzers dashing to the coast were soon upon us We paid a bloody price on Winston Churchill’s say Marched ten thousand strong to years behind the wire … Continue reading From the Maginot Line we came late to Saint Valery

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Crime in Scotland falls 37% from 2007 to barely half the level in England and Wales

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: November 2025 published on 27 November 2025: Police recorded crime changed little between year ending June 2024 and year ending June 2025, increasing by 1%. The total number of crimes recorded by the police in Scotland in the year ending June 2025 was 303,343. This was 3,265 crimes (or 1%) higher than the level recorded in the year ending June 2024. The recording of crime remains below the position immediately prior to the pandemic (2019-20) and is down 51% from its peak in 1991. Property and violent crime has … Continue reading Crime in Scotland falls 37% from 2007 to barely half the level in England and Wales

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SNP buy Prestwick Airport for just £1, make £10 million profit and create 4 500 jobs in only 4 years while its sister airport in Kent goes out of business in only 6 months to become just a lorry park

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The Ayrshire Daily New’s Doug Maclean, has a fine piece of journalism serving the information needs of the community. Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Robert Martin for alerting me to this. Both Prestwick airport and its sister airport at Manston in Kent were available for sale in 2013. Both were losing money and the company that owned them were not able or prepared to invest in their long term future. Prestwick was sold to the Scottish Government for £1 as it was not only an airport but the site for multiple aerospace companies and considered too valuable to shut. … Continue reading SNP buy Prestwick Airport for just £1, make £10 million profit and create 4 500 jobs in only 4 years while its sister airport in Kent goes out of business in only 6 months to become just a lorry park

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A more upbeat song for Scotland than the wilting flower?

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Professor John Robertson OBA For decades, I’ve wanted to write the lyrics for songs but could never find a collaborator. Recently I’ve turned to AI for the tunes and the performance – what else can I do? I’ve written this song with a view to persuading reluctant Yes voters that independence is not exile. We’d still be good friends to the many good folk, not just their relatives and friends, when Scotland is free to run its own affairs. We’re not going away in any physical sense and if the going got tough, we’d still be there with them, barring … Continue reading A more upbeat song for Scotland than the wilting flower?

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Community owned assets surge in Scotland up to 14% higher than in England

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Community Ownership in Scotland 2024, published today, the above and: This publication reports the number of assets in community ownership which are recorded by the Scottish Government. There are several initiatives which have been put in place to enable community ownership.  There are several initiatives which have been put in place to enable community ownership. The Scottish Land Fund, as it is now known, was founded in 2001. It now supports both rural and urban communities to become more resilient and sustainable through the ownership and management of assets. Legislation concerning land reform commencing in 2004 (Land … Continue reading Community owned assets surge in Scotland up to 14% higher than in England

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There is NO evidence that NHS Scotland directed pregnant women to controversial Free Birth Society via a charity nor is there credible evidence that a single Scot was influenced by them

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today, the above and: The NHS has been directing pregnant women to a website that connected them to the Free Birth Society, an organisation that has been linked to baby deaths around the world after promoting labour without medical support. A number of NHS trusts are directing women who are contemplating a “free birth” to a charity website that until Monday referred to FBS podcasts as a source of “empowering stories” that can help British women “preparing for their own birth”. I’ve searched manually the Guardian’s four recent reports on the Free Birth Society and … Continue reading There is NO evidence that NHS Scotland directed pregnant women to controversial Free Birth Society via a charity nor is there credible evidence that a single Scot was influenced by them