Tag: news

2 Comments

Why Reform UK is not the solution for Scotland

johnrobertson834

By Liz S There is no doubt that the obvious failure of 14 years of various Tory UK governments and now also the obvious failure of a new Labour (Tory) UK government since 2024 , who as the new Labour (Tory) UK government, are seemingly determined to go down the same cruel, disastrous and dangerous path as the previous Tory governments went , has now left voters feeling tremendously let down by politics and also by (pro) UK political parties. We, and others, know 100% that Reform UK are not the solution, as in the panacea, to the woes people have suffered … Continue reading Why Reform UK is not the solution for Scotland

7 Comments

Child poverty – Labour’s deep hypocrisy

johnrobertson834

By stewartb The BBC News website on March 27 2025 had this headline: UK child poverty numbers reach a record high’. It repeated: ’An extra 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, will be pushed into relative poverty by these changes, according to the government’s own impact assessment.’ Of course the party of government referred to is the British Labour Party, the same party that wishes us to vote it into government in Holyrood in 2026. The very same party that ‘Scotland’s Champion’, the Daily Record urged us to vote for in the 2024 UK General Election and will no doubt support in … Continue reading Child poverty – Labour’s deep hypocrisy

11 Comments

Infrastructure projects can stay in Scotland and take advantage of the speed of light

johnrobertson834

By Liz S “Major infrastructure projects currently planned for Scotland being switched to other parts of the UK”. Is this another way of the BBC communicating (threatening) some people in Scotland would be better to STFU or else . I mean if we are talking “Energy” and “losing out” well the Labour Energy Secretary, Ed Milliband, tweeted this on 21 March 2025: “Great British Energy is coming to you. Our publicly-owned energy company is rolling out solar panels for schools and NHS sites across England. Cutting bills and saving money for frontline services”. “Coming to you” ? Like coming to the … Continue reading Infrastructure projects can stay in Scotland and take advantage of the speed of light

5 Comments

Labour to push 250,000 people into poverty but Gordon Brown campaigns against it apparently untroubled by the contradictions

johnrobertson834

stewartb While we’re on the subject of egregious omissions in the wake of Labour’s ‘Spring Statement’ … From Birmingham Live on March 12, 2025 this headline: ‘Former PM Gordon Brown in Birmingham backs child poverty urgent action call’. We’re told the sage of British Labour in Scotland and saviour of solidarity in the precious Union attended an event at which: ‘He took the opportunity to press fellow guest, Government employment minister Alison McGovern, to do more to fix child poverty. She is one of three ministers leading the Child Poverty Taskforce set up by Sir Keir Starmer and due to report its … Continue reading Labour to push 250,000 people into poverty but Gordon Brown campaigns against it apparently untroubled by the contradictions

3 Comments

Why has there been a massive but unreported reduction in the number of children on the child protection register in Scotland and a widening gap with the other 3 nations?

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair This caught me off-guard today. I was astonished to read this and to see that it is not a major news item for ‘our’ media. From the Scottish Government, yesterday: On 31 July 2024, 2,129 children were on the child protection register, representing a 3% increase on 2023 (2,077) and a 26% decrease on 2014 (2,877). During the year, 3,167 children were registered onto the child protection register, representing a 2% decrease on 2022-23 (3,234) and a 31% decrease on 2013-14 (4,622). https://www.gov.scot/publications/childrens-social-work-statistics-child-protection-2023-24/ These are massive reductions in only 10 years … Continue reading Why has there been a massive but unreported reduction in the number of children on the child protection register in Scotland and a widening gap with the other 3 nations?

1 Comment

Scotland has been putting patient safety first since 2007 and former Labour or Tory Health Secretaries could have copied us but didn’t

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA It’s a bit much, Jeremy Hunt now worrying about patient safety, 15 years after he could have learned how to do it, 18 years after Labour could have, from SNP-led Scotland. In the Guardian, yesterday, the above, and: I am worried about something else being missed. In the huge blizzard of organisational change, there is a risk of eyes going off the ball when it comes to broader patient safety risks. In December, the charity I set up, Patient Safety Watch, published a report put together by a team of people at Imperial College London led by Prof … Continue reading Scotland has been putting patient safety first since 2007 and former Labour or Tory Health Secretaries could have copied us but didn’t

3 Comments

Scotland’s schools – better staffed, better funded and improving outcomes in a society where youth violence has plummeted

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA, former schoolteacher, education lecturer, Associate Dean I was only a classroom teacher for three years (11 year-olds) before moving into higher education, but 18-24 year-olds can be hard work, scary at times, too. I was a bit lucky as well. I ran a winning school football team (cynically based on the Catenaccio – look it up) so if they crossed me they were oot! I’m not, under any circumstances downplaying how awful the experience can be, at some times, for some teachers but I am, really, questioning the idea that things are now worse than they … Continue reading Scotland’s schools – better staffed, better funded and improving outcomes in a society where youth violence has plummeted

4 Comments

Unless Labour further attack the poor, Scotland could hit its 2030 child poverty target in a unique demonstration of compassion and understanding of why child poverty must be eradicated, in the interests of all of us

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS The above prediction, from Achieving the 2030 Child Poverty Target published today by the IPPR Scotland, suggests that with the Scottish Child Payment and with compensation for the UK Universal Benefit, two child limit, Scotland could hit its fist child poverty target of 18%. The authors however, make clear that this might be sabotaged by wider UK Government economic policies including benefit cuts, increasing poverty across the UK. Why, need I remind you, does this matter to all of us? Here’s why: From Turning the tide What it will take to reduce child … Continue reading Unless Labour further attack the poor, Scotland could hit its 2030 child poverty target in a unique demonstration of compassion and understanding of why child poverty must be eradicated, in the interests of all of us

6 Comments

Ripping-off the poor is a Sarwar family tradition in Scotland too

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Sunday National today, the above, and: The German Doner Kebab empire – which has family links to Anas Sarwar – has been advertising jobs at below the minimum wage, the Sunday National can reveal. In April 2024, before the full horror of Labour’s betrayal would be exposed, I wrote: I fear Labour in Scotland are going to campaign as if they’re kind of leftist. The media are going to cover the tracks between them and their London HQ and some voters are going to swallow it. I don’t think I’ve seen words so detached … Continue reading Ripping-off the poor is a Sarwar family tradition in Scotland too

2 Comments

A sustainable pharmacy network that increases patient access to essential NHS care – Now that is a news story that will never be touched

johnrobertson834

By Liz S Brexit has had many negative impacts in the UK. Unfortunately the two main UK parties were and still are more focused on trying to out Brexit each other to care about it’s damaging consequences, hence why Reeves, Kendall, Starmer are currently punishing the “many” to protect the “few”. “Scotland’s model for pharmacy offers lessons for England’s future“ Now that is a news story that will never be touched by the BBC Reporting Scotland news team as they are way too consumed in trying to convince us that Scotland should follow England, in everything, especially all of the … Continue reading A sustainable pharmacy network that increases patient access to essential NHS care – Now that is a news story that will never be touched