Tag: labour-party

2 Comments

Major Scottish Government investments in eradicating child poverty that you’ll struggle to hear about

johnrobertson834

From Investing in Scotland’s children, published 22 January 2026 09:20, covered by STV but nowhere else I can see: Children and families across Scotland will benefit from the Scottish Government’s sustained investment in Education and Skills as part of the national mission to eradicate child poverty. The proposed Scottish Budget for 2026-27 commits up to £200 million to the Scottish Attainment Challenge, which has already delivered sustained progress in closing the poverty-related attainment gap. This includes Pupil Equity Funding that aims to empower headteachers to tailor support to meet the specific needs of pupils and families in their communities. An … Continue reading Major Scottish Government investments in eradicating child poverty that you’ll struggle to hear about

5 Comments

Labour’s culture of bare-faced lying in elections, from Dumfries to Denbigh and from 2017 to 2026

johnrobertson834

From BBC Scotland today: Sarwar apologises to campaigner misquoted on Labour leaflet – Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has given an “unequivocal apology” after a party leaflet was delivered to homes with a made-up quote from a maternity campaigner. Claire Fleming spoke out after her picture and a quote criticising NHS provision was posted out in Glasgow. Fleming is quoted on the leaflet saying: “Local NHS services have deteriorated under SNP. Waiting lists are too high but these aren’t just numbers on a bit of paper, these are people’s lives. Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour will fix our NHS.” She … Continue reading Labour’s culture of bare-faced lying in elections, from Dumfries to Denbigh and from 2017 to 2026

2 Comments

Scotland completes disability benefit assessments in half the time and with dignity so as to avoid the DWP’s record of 590 suicides – ‘How a society treats its most vulnerable is always the measure of its humanity’

johnrobertson834

In June 2015: How a society treats its most vulnerable is always the measure of its humanity1 Statement by Ambassador Matthew Rycroft of the UK Mission to the UN at the Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict in June 2015. In the same year, Ryland’s government’s treatment of the disabled in the UK, featured in the research report: ‘First, do no harm’: are disability assessments associated with adverse trends in mental health? A longitudinal ecological study, with these shocking results: Each additional 10 000 people reassessed in each area was associated with an additional 6 suicides (95% … Continue reading Scotland completes disability benefit assessments in half the time and with dignity so as to avoid the DWP’s record of 590 suicides – ‘How a society treats its most vulnerable is always the measure of its humanity’

5 Comments

Will Sir Keir then apologise for wilfully retaining the two child limit from July 2024 to November 2025?

johnrobertson834

By Liz S Keir Starmer posted this on ‘X’ on 8 January…. “I won’t apologise for lifting almost half a million children out of poverty. I won’t apologise for putting money back in people’s pockets. That’s why we are scrapping the two-child limit”. Will he then apologise for wilfully retaining the two child limit from July 2024 to November 2025 , as this Tory generated policy was one that his Labour UK government decided to retain, so then he and his Labour party decided to keep punishing those families with children who were in poverty. Also surely he, Starmer, should feel the need to apologise to the seven Labour MP’s who his … Continue reading Will Sir Keir then apologise for wilfully retaining the two child limit from July 2024 to November 2025?

4 Comments

Labour’s favourite union and funder, the GMB, where bullying, misogyny, cronyism, and sexism is rife but BBC Scotland still don’t want you to hear of it

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA Above, Gary Smith, 5 years ago, then just the GMB Scotland chief , blaming the Scottish Government for the failures of private care home owners to prepare and equip their staff for the Covid pandemic. BBC Scotland just loved him then and had him on frequently. More recently they’ve been less keen to platform him as his union sinks in a mire of misogyny and bullying. In the Guardian yesterday: The GMB trade union is facing fresh turmoil over claims made by two of its female senior leadership team, as it heads towards a crucial general … Continue reading Labour’s favourite union and funder, the GMB, where bullying, misogyny, cronyism, and sexism is rife but BBC Scotland still don’t want you to hear of it

1 Comment

The Herald is recycling the unmet ‘scrap unfair Council Tax‘ promise. Nothing could be easier than scrapping it – could it?

johnrobertson834

stewartb I see The Herald is recycling the unmet ‘scrap unfair Council Tax‘ promise. Nothing could be easier than scrapping it – could it? Dear ChatGPT: ‘why, despite promises, has council tax not been scrapped in Scotland? Response (unedited except for my added emphasis): ‘Scotland has not scrapped council tax despite repeated promises (particularly from the SNP) for several key, fairly practical reasons — not simply because politicians changed their minds on a whim. Here’s the core of the issue: Initial 2007 Promise Fell Apart QuicklyWhen the SNP first came to power at Holyrood in 2007, their manifesto pledged to scrap council … Continue reading The Herald is recycling the unmet ‘scrap unfair Council Tax‘ promise. Nothing could be easier than scrapping it – could it?

3 Comments

BBC Scotland conceals disability charity chief’s comment in letter rejecting MBE that ‘Scotland is doing better than UK’ – Here’s why it matters so much -suicide prevention – and why it CAN be afforded

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA The Guardian today has: Campaigner turned down MBE over ‘scapegoating’ of people with disabilities – Exclusive: In letter declining proposed award, Tressa Burke, CEO of Glasgow Disability Alliance, accused government of ‘fuelling hatred’ and While she argues that “Scotland is doing better than the UK for sure”, Burke says her members will be watching carefully for the practical implementation of the Scottish government’s new disability equality plan, as well as what manifesto commitments are made before May’s Holyrood elections. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/30/campaigner-turned-down-mbe-over-scapegoating-of-people-with-disabilities BBC Scotland’s report is careful to avoid her comments on Scotland: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gvdz4y6dgo What did she mean? … Continue reading BBC Scotland conceals disability charity chief’s comment in letter rejecting MBE that ‘Scotland is doing better than UK’ – Here’s why it matters so much -suicide prevention – and why it CAN be afforded

2 Comments

BBC Scotland considers that voters in Scotland don’t need to know of Labour’s actual track record in government in Cardiff and Westminster

johnrobertson834

stewartb You may have noticed this rare occurrence: a positively-framed headline about NHS Scotland was published (December 23) on the Scotland page of the BBC News website: ‘A&E waiting times improve ahead of busy festive period’. On long waits, the BBC reported that during a week in mid-December: ’14% of patients waited over eight hours, compared to 16.9% the week before, and 6.9% had waits of more than 12 hours, down from 8.6% previously.’ The headline’s positivity was soon countered in the article by the BBC sharing with us the views of opposition politicians. Displaying the usual BBC blind spot over notions … Continue reading BBC Scotland considers that voters in Scotland don’t need to know of Labour’s actual track record in government in Cardiff and Westminster

3 Comments

Why is one trans tribunal in Scotland 55 to 4 times more times newsworthy than another in England?

johnrobertson834

No images of her here. I’m sure we all know what she looks like. Professor John Robertson OBA This is not about the substance of these trans tribunals at all but about the different level of media coverage of one Scottish case compared with two other cases in England. The above table shows the coverage of three trans tribunals in the UK in the last month. The case in Fife in Scotland was covered 55 times in the sample of 8 MSM outlets compared to only 4 times and twice in the other two cases. This is a shocking contrast … Continue reading Why is one trans tribunal in Scotland 55 to 4 times more times newsworthy than another in England?

5 Comments

Will Anas Sarwar be asked to stand up for Scotland as Labour Government ‘quietly guts’ by 76%, funding to create jobs in poorest areas of Scotland?

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA From the Guardian today: If the government was serious about reducing the growing welfare bill, it would be starting here and in the other parts of the country blighted by deindustrialisation and poverty. It would identify the parts of the country most in need – Wales, Scotland and large swaths of northern England – and love-bomb them. Yet instead of devoting more money to regional economic development, ministers are doing the opposite. In one of its less-publicised policy moves, Labour has quietly gutted the fund designed to create jobs, a scheme inherited from the Conservatives. The shared … Continue reading Will Anas Sarwar be asked to stand up for Scotland as Labour Government ‘quietly guts’ by 76%, funding to create jobs in poorest areas of Scotland?