It may be a different battle for the SNP in the West and South of Scotland in May 2026

Professor John Robertson OBA While Scotland-wide polls have Reform UK in second place pushing Labour down into third place and a major loss of list MPSs, this may conceal regional variations and exaggerate their threat in some parts. Only Paris-based, Ipsos, publish regional breakdowns with consistent scientific sampling that can be reasonably compared over time, though limited slightly by a Westminster context in one (18 June 2025) and Holyrood in the the other (10 December 2025). The results are above and suggest different tactics for SNP campaigns in the West and South of Scotland. Key points: Comments? Continue reading It may be a different battle for the SNP in the West and South of Scotland in May 2026

Will we win independence by our own hands or will events happen to us that matter more and ease our way?

Important – I offer this as a starter for comment. I’m not, as you may know, an expert in this geopolitical field in any way. Professor John Robertson OBA Fifty years ago, I had to write an essay about the extent to which Karl Marx believed that individuals or powerful forces determined historical outcomes. The above quote, I thought, was a good starting point. I got a low B pass. He seems to be saying that we can influence events but within the limits imposed on our freedom of movement by forces such as climate change, geography, pandemics, wars or … Continue reading Will we win independence by our own hands or will events happen to us that matter more and ease our way?

Is Malcolm Offord now Reform UK’s spokesperson in Scotland?

By Liz S “Storm Brann” you say. Well tomorrow there may be another kind of storm……one created by one of our many many UK nemeses , BBC QT and UK politicians (as in all of those ones whom we see as being sympathetic to and supportive of English Nationalism while opposing Scottish Independence and the SNP). Tomorrow BBC QT is in Paisley……..the last show before Xmas………of course it is. To no doubt try to leave a bad taste in the mouths of the SNP as a party and also those of us who support them and vote for them. (and also all within Scotland who support and so want Scottish independence). How … Continue reading Is Malcolm Offord now Reform UK’s spokesperson in Scotland?

“We’ve had a lot from Scotland but the tail cannot go on wagging the dog any longer” 

By Liz S “Nigel Farage was once run out of Edinburgh . Now Scottish voters are embracing his rabble rousing”. Really ? Which scottish voters (with a small ‘s’)? Is it not really, in reality , just actually some scottish (with a small ‘s’) voters ? Some who may live in Scotland and so then get to vote in various elections. However their allegiance is not with Scotland but instead it is elsewhere. So of course they , some scottish (with a small ‘s’) voters, vote for the party that they think will ensure Scotland stays within their UK ….as a part of England. So for Ms Garivelli to write the … Continue reading “We’ve had a lot from Scotland but the tail cannot go on wagging the dog any longer” 

As Labour Junior Minister accuses NHS Scotland of ‘airbrushing’ performance figures his own performance figures were defended by Jackie Baillie

Professor John Robertson OBA Michael Shanks MP, now a junior minister for energy has been caught accusing NHS Scotland of presenting statistics in the same way as Labour Wales and Now Labour England do. I doubt he’ll ever feel obliged to apologise. It reminded me of his Rutherglen election campaign in July 2024 where Jackie Baillie accused me of unethical campaigning against him when I dug up attainment statistics which seemed to suggest a downturn for his school’s Modern Studies department during his time there, working hard, to become the Labour candidate, including, famously, running along every street in Glasgow. … Continue reading As Labour Junior Minister accuses NHS Scotland of ‘airbrushing’ performance figures his own performance figures were defended by Jackie Baillie

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

There is now no distracting from Labour’s record

By Liz S Talking of Labour….and another scandal and disgrace……re their HQ’s unfair, undignified and undemocratic position relating to Scotland. Keir Starmer was recently quoted as saying that: “We’re not having an independence referendum. It is a distraction. It won’t happen. It is a distraction from the record of the SNP.” The context of this statement from Starmer was in relation to the SNP achieving a majority in next years Scottish elections, that would then be seen as a a mandate for a second independence referendum. “It is a distraction from the record of the SNP.”….. Ironic when there exists so many “distractions” from much of the … Continue reading There is now no distracting from Labour’s record

After 11 years, the Labour Party is finally confirmed as ‘fatally corrupt’ as leading academic withdraws his regret in light of Gaza genocide complicity, McSweeney funding scandal, several sex offences and Neil Bibby’s poor arithmetic

Professor John Robertson OBA In my interview above, 11 March 2014, to defend my research revealing a quantitative 3 to 1 bias in BBC Scotland coverage of the referendum campaign, 36 min in: Neil Bibby (Labour): Is it your belief, stated publicly, that the Labour Party is ‘fatally corrupt?’  There’s a quote from an interview you gave to Open Democracy, where you said ‘There are good people in the BBC. Mindless loyalty to a now fatally corrupt Labour Party is not uniform.’ Me: ‘I don’t think I should have said that last bit. I think the first bit I should … Continue reading After 11 years, the Labour Party is finally confirmed as ‘fatally corrupt’ as leading academic withdraws his regret in light of Gaza genocide complicity, McSweeney funding scandal, several sex offences and Neil Bibby’s poor arithmetic

In a medium sized country like Scotland not far away there is a ‘Labour Party’ in opposition that takes a different view from the socially conservative Mr Sarwar.

By stewartb In a medium sized country like Scotland not far away there is a ‘Labour Party’ in opposition that takes a different view from the socially conservative Mr Sarwar. This is the Labour Party of Ireland. Source: https://labour.ie/policy/decrim/ ‘Labour believes in a system in decriminalisation and taking a health led approach. It’s time to take problem drug use out of the courts and wrap supports around people who need help. Criminalising, shaming and stigmatising people in addiction leads to a system that undermines and dehumanises people who need our support, care and compassion. It’s time to change it. ‘Decriminalising would mean: … Continue reading In a medium sized country like Scotland not far away there is a ‘Labour Party’ in opposition that takes a different view from the socially conservative Mr Sarwar.

A full year of steady decline means Scottish Labour are not coming back any time soon and certainly not by next May

Professor John Robertson OBA Lucy Dunn in the Spectator yesterday has: Scottish Labour may be down but they’re not out. The polls have not been moving in their favour over the last few months and on the eve of Labour’s conference in Liverpool a Norstat survey for the Sunday Times brought more bad news: never mind losing out on first place at the 2026 Holyrood election, Scottish Labour could crash into third next year thanks to a surge in support for Nigel Farage’s leaderless tartan outfit. It would be a pretty humiliating state of affairs.  Yet despite all this, the mood in … Continue reading A full year of steady decline means Scottish Labour are not coming back any time soon and certainly not by next May