“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” 

‘Westminster should learn from Holyrood before another generation pays the price.’ It would make more sense for the UK Labour Government to just replicate the Scottish Child Payment – Independent assessment

Professor John Robertson OBA This comparative assessment of the effectiveness in reducing child poverty with Labour’s newly announced Child Poverty Strategy or Scotland’s now established Child Payment has not been directly biased in favour of the views of Labour, the SNP or me but, unavoidably, will have been impacted by the weight of the recent media presence of the former. Nevertheless, I feel sure that Grok AI does not have a dog in this fight, based on my recent experience with it, when it comes to the Scottish context. So, will Labour’s new child poverty strategy work as well as … Continue reading ‘Westminster should learn from Holyrood before another generation pays the price.’ It would make more sense for the UK Labour Government to just replicate the Scottish Child Payment – Independent assessment

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

Why are only the right-wing media making an argument against 300 plus asylum seekers being sent to Inverness?

Professor John Robertson OBA The news that the 309 young male asylum seekers arriving in Inverness are going to lead to veterans [three families] being booted out of Cameron Barracks in Inverness is only being covered by the right-wing media. I share the view that these families should absolutely be able to stay but there are other, bigger, reasons too. From BBC Highlands and Islands, 29 October 2025 A UK government minister says he recognises the “strength of feeling” about plans to use an Inverness barracks to house asylum seekers. Cameron Barracks is to provide accommodation for 309 men from next … Continue reading Why are only the right-wing media making an argument against 300 plus asylum seekers being sent to Inverness?

Why “Motormouth” is a very apt description of Anas Sarwar

By Liz S “Sarwar refuses to comment on UK tax hike speculation“ Really ? Yet he, Sarwar, is not slow in commentating upon and also speculating upon so many other things that he says the SNP are currently doing wrong and that they , the SNP, will also do wrong if they win again next year, where as he says that he and his party will apparently do far far better if they win in Scotland next year. (Big if) The BBC article states that “the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has refused to be drawn on speculation that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will raise UK income tax“. Indeed I bet he does, as he knows only too well the negative financial impact this will have upon Scotland , though when … Continue reading Why “Motormouth” is a very apt description of Anas Sarwar

Casual dishonesty about lower violent crime for all and lower taxation for most in Scotland goes uncorrected

Professor John Robertson OBA I don’t think I’ve commented on BBC Scotland’s Debate Night before. I’m guessing it is not much watched. However, last night I was taken by the astonishing lies by the two Unionists, Pauline McNeill (Labour), Justice Committee Convenor (Remember that) and Brian Whittle (Con). First the Justice Committee Convenor’s simple comment in passing above – surely she has seen the figures? From Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024-251 published in June 2025: There is, in these figures, a sharp decrease in non-sexual extreme violence and an apparent increase in sex offences but there is a great deal … Continue reading Casual dishonesty about lower violent crime for all and lower taxation for most in Scotland goes uncorrected

UKIP, The Brexit Party and now Reform UK are all cheeks that have stemmed from the same Arse….and that Arse’s name is Nigel Farage

By Liz S Talking of migrants…….sorry long comment , but most of it consists of a transcript of a TV report by SKY News. Connor Gillies, SKY News Scottish correspondent , did a TV report on SKY News on the 30 October where he had been allowed into a Reform UK meeting in Glasgow, he advised us the viewers that he had apparently been trying to access one within Scotland for 10 months. Why ? He met and interviewed various people at the meeting including an existing Reform UK Councillor, Audrey Dempsey, who had previously been a Labour Councillor but she was suspended by the … Continue reading UKIP, The Brexit Party and now Reform UK are all cheeks that have stemmed from the same Arse….and that Arse’s name is Nigel Farage

It doesn’t look as if the British Labour Party will bring about reform to England’s social care sector anytime soon

stewartb Many expert commentators argue that long waits in A&E are caused – to a substantial degree – by delays in discharging hospital in-patients when medically ready for discharge and that this is caused by deficiencies on social care. It doesn’t look as if the British Labour Party government in Westminster – despite its campaigning rhetoric – will bring about reform to England’s social care sector and its financial resourcing anytime soon. The Health Foundation think tank published a blog post on October 22 entitled: ‘Social care: a year in, what prospects for reform?’ It included these statements. First for context: ‘Labour … Continue reading It doesn’t look as if the British Labour Party will bring about reform to England’s social care sector anytime soon

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