Tag: news

Leave a comment

Increased violence against teachers in English schools DOES make sense

johnrobertson834

BBC Breakfast today had an extended piece on violence in the classroom increasing. It made sense in the context of worsening youth violence against adults across society, in England. There are similar reports from BBC Scotland. They don’t make such good sense. More on that below. First, of direct relevance, from the Guardian on 31 December 2025: The number of violent offences involving an adolescent attacking their parents or step-parents has increased by more than 60% in the past decade, according to figures recorded by the UK’s biggest police force. Data released by Scotland Yard reveals that there were 1,886 such offences … Continue reading Increased violence against teachers in English schools DOES make sense

Leave a comment

Scotland’s own global celebrity drug baron is not your main concern

johnrobertson834

The media operating in Scotland have loved Scotland getting to this ‘world-cup’ of global celebrity drug barons ‘masterminding hits’ on other global celebrity drug barons and the associated relatively minor collateral violence back home in Scotland. As that peaked in the summer of 2025, the Telegraph had: A wave of violence The flames have been there for all to see. Over six weeks in March and April, there were more than a dozen arson attacks in the two cities, with cars, homes, garages and businesses set alight. In other incidents, shots have been fired and two people, a pensioner and a 12-year-old boy, seriously … Continue reading Scotland’s own global celebrity drug baron is not your main concern

5 Comments

BBC Scotland admit County Lines drug gangs are another plague from England but try to contain it in the Highlands

johnrobertson834

Charity workers have raised concern about the number of vulnerable youngsters in the Highlands being targeted big city drug dealers from England. Barnardo’s staff say they’re being exploited and threatened by County Lines drug gangs in Inverness. The charity runs the Anchor project in the City, which is trying to help tackle the problem. Police reckon 12 organised crime groups are operating in the Highland capital. BBC Scotland, in their BBC breakfast insert this morning, with a second only explicit mention of where the County Lines drug gangs are from. I must say, I’m puzzled by this openness after 7 … Continue reading BBC Scotland admit County Lines drug gangs are another plague from England but try to contain it in the Highlands

2 Comments

Labour vows to merge ferry bodies and fix ‘broken system’ broken by their Douglas Alexander and Jack McConnell in the first place

johnrobertson834

Headlining for BBC Scotland, featuring across all media operating in Scotland and in The Standard today: Labour vows to merge ferry bodies and fix ‘broken system’ – Anas Sarwar will visit Stornoway on Monday, as he warned the ‘SNP’s ferry fiasco is a symbol of their incompetence and waste’. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/anas-sarwar-snp-holyrood-isle-of-lewis-b1276923.html I’m already blinded by the shine from Labour’s brass neck on this one. Merge what? CalMac which runs the service and CMAL which owns the ferries and commissions the building of new ones. Until 1 October 2006, Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd ran the service and owned the boats. The harbours and … Continue reading Labour vows to merge ferry bodies and fix ‘broken system’ broken by their Douglas Alexander and Jack McConnell in the first place

6 Comments

Disturbing research finding repeat AI errors in a medical procedure cast doubt on UK Labour’s rush to replace clinicians and confirm Scottish Government’s caution

johnrobertson834

Thanks to NHS for YES for alerting us to this. From a February 2026 peer-reviewed research paper on an AI tool for Nasogastric Tube Position, the above image and this disturbing conclusion: Administration of food or medication through a misplaced nasogastric tube (NGT) constitutes a “never event” (defined by the National Health Service as a serious incident that is wholly preventable) in health care systems given the high likelihood of patient harm. Efforts to ensure adequate NGT positioning typically focus on increased education. Artificial intelligence (AI)–driven decision-support tools could address such challenges in a more streamlined manner, yet external validation … Continue reading Disturbing research finding repeat AI errors in a medical procedure cast doubt on UK Labour’s rush to replace clinicians and confirm Scottish Government’s caution

5 Comments

SNP Government’s defence of the disabled against ‘a cruel penalty’ portrayed as economic mismanagement by BBC Scotland

johnrobertson834

In the Guardian, today, the above (left) and: Hundreds of thousands of severely ill and disabled people making new claims will have their benefits cut if the government assesses that their condition might improve, charities have said. In April, the health element of universal credit – an extra payment for people assessed as too unwell to work or prepare for work – will be halved to £50 a week and frozen for new claimants unless their condition is found to be terminal or severe and lifelong with no prospect of improvement. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/29/disabled-benefit-claimants-face-lower-payments-if-conditions-not-deemed-lifelong-charities-say Will this apply in Scotland? PIP and equivalent … Continue reading SNP Government’s defence of the disabled against ‘a cruel penalty’ portrayed as economic mismanagement by BBC Scotland

3 Comments

The script that the MSM operating in Scotland prefer is one of unchecked propaganda

johnrobertson834

By Liz S The script that the MSM operating in Scotland prefer is the one where opposition parties accuse the SNP of having “destroyed the Scottish NHS”. Of course that is a script that is minus all of the data and stats that would verify this , so then would substantiate their accusation. They, the opposition and the BBC in Scotland, could also make comparisons between Scotland’s NHS performance with that of other nations within the UK , to then they would have an opportunity to further prove that Scotland was in fact being destroyed by the SNP, and so indeed were … Continue reading The script that the MSM operating in Scotland prefer is one of unchecked propaganda

Leave a comment

Unionist leaders are never pressed to apologise for ex-councillors who are convicted of sex offences but rare SNP offenders linger in the media until they force one

johnrobertson834

By Liz S Talking of “BBC Scotland” , in particular their website, on the former SNP Councillor Jordan Linden, the BBC are doing their best to keep this above story ‘alive’ via what is now four different articles on their website on the above former SNP Councillor. MSM Monitor had posted this online: “Why is Swinney being pursued by reporters over an ex-SNP councillor but Sarwar isn’t being pursued over *multiple* ex-Scottish Labour councillors incl. Frank McAveety, David Graham & Andrew Duffy-Lawson, one from the same local authority as Jordan Linden” ? Also MSM Monitor had posted this as well: “BBC Scotland … Continue reading Unionist leaders are never pressed to apologise for ex-councillors who are convicted of sex offences but rare SNP offenders linger in the media until they force one

3 Comments

Will Scotland’s model for pharmacy offers lessons for predicted ‘Iran war’ shortages?

johnrobertson834

In the Guardian today: Britain [sic] is “a few weeks away” from medicine shortages ranging from painkillers to cancer treatment if the Iran war continues, according to experts, while drug prices could also rise. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/28/uk-weeks-away-medicine-shortages-iran-war-impacts-experts-warn The above makes no mention of Scotland. Searching for reports of shortages in Scotland gets the same story of shortages in England plus, When I saw the Guardian piece I was reminded of this intriguing suggestion: One potential solution lies in affording community pharmacy greater latitude in altering prescriptions – a practice that could save immense amounts of NHS funds and ease the mounting pressure … Continue reading Will Scotland’s model for pharmacy offers lessons for predicted ‘Iran war’ shortages?

Leave a comment

Scotland avoids large classes and lack of support staff found in England to have ‘created a barrier to inclusion’

johnrobertson834

In the Guardian today: Lack of specialist staff hinders support for Send children, teacher survey finds – National Education Union poll finds 89% feel class sizes in England are too big to be ‘properly inclusive’. Oversized classes and inadequate staffing levels are hindering teachers’ capacity to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send), according to a large survey of state school teachers in England. Nine out of 10 (89%) of the 10,000 teachers who took part in the poll by the National Education Union (NEU), before its annual conference in Brighton which starts on Monday, said class sizes … Continue reading Scotland avoids large classes and lack of support staff found in England to have ‘created a barrier to inclusion’