Tag: news

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Factcheck – 70% pass rate in S4 mathematics – Someone who actually knows something about educational research scoffs at fake ‘commission’s education arm’

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Professor John Robertson OBA, , former schoolteacher, education lecturer, head of department, Associate Dean (Quality Assurance), Research Professor, research methods tutor, Masters and PhD supervisor, multiple peer-reviewed international research author, Faculty Research Ethics Chair I have more detail on the above ‘research’, front page this morning and 35th by this afternoon. The only story that has sunk faster is that on the Labour MSP and the paedophile. I’ve already clarified in my previous post why you should be wary of ‘The Commission on School Reform, the education arm of the independent think tank Enlighten.’ Who on earth do they think they are? … Continue reading Factcheck – 70% pass rate in S4 mathematics – Someone who actually knows something about educational research scoffs at fake ‘commission’s education arm’

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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?

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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?

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In less than 4 years child poverty in England predicted to be 45% greater and in Wales’58% higher than in Scotland, affecting millions of them

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No disgusting images required here Professor John Robertson OBA What are the predictions for child poverty rates in the future in the 4 nations? Based on an AI search of 56 documents: Predictions for future child poverty rates in the four UK nations vary by source and depend on policy changes, economic growth, and devolved measures.The most recent official UK government projections (November 2025, from the Department for Work and Pensions) estimate 4.3 million children in relative low income after housing costs by FYE 2030 (the end of the current parliament), a reduction of about 400,000 from FYE 2025 under … Continue reading In less than 4 years child poverty in England predicted to be 45% greater and in Wales’58% higher than in Scotland, affecting millions of them

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No evidence that any SNP MSP was spied on by staff

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Professor John Robertson OBA In my post earlier, I pointed out that there were no confirmed reports, ever, of an employer being spied on by an employee in the UK but many of the opposite. The supposedly Scottish media and Jackie Baillie have loved the rumours and have made as much hay as they can with them but even this morning BBC Scotland has burst their balloon with: The Scottish Parliament says no “covert bugging devices” were involved in reports of MSPs being secretly recorded by members of staff. The Scotsman newspaper reported that a former worker had placed “listening … Continue reading No evidence that any SNP MSP was spied on by staff

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Media-driven hysteria – there is not one proven incident of an employee in the UK ever bugging their boss but a few the other way

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Professor John Robertson OBA I used to be a sociologist but I’m better now, though I still love a good moral panic. Remember the last one? Spiking women with date rape drugs by hypodermic needle, almost impossible, rather than spiking drinks, worryingly easy. Why has it stopped? Not one arrest. I asked AI – Have there been any reports of proven cases of an employee bugging their boss in Scotland? No publicly reported or documented cases in Scotland appear to involve an employee successfully planting a covert bugging device (such as a hidden microphone, audio recorder, or camera) on or … Continue reading Media-driven hysteria – there is not one proven incident of an employee in the UK ever bugging their boss but a few the other way

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There have now been 5 tower block fires in Scotland since 2000 and none have gone up like Grenfell – here’s why, for the 5th time

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Professor John Robertson OBA Notice anything about that tower block fire? No towering inferno, again From BBC Glasgow & West yesterday: A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a fire in a flat at a tower block in Coatbridge. Two people were treated by ambulance crews following the blaze at Calder Court in Whifflet which was reported at about 06:45. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said crews in 11 fire engines and one height vehicle were working to extinguish the fire. A spokesperson said: “Two casualties are in the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service and crews … Continue reading There have now been 5 tower block fires in Scotland since 2000 and none have gone up like Grenfell – here’s why, for the 5th time

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Top 1% US researchers find ‘significantly increased cancer incidence’ for those living near nuclear power plants at a level that would mean an additional 10 000 avoidable cancer cases 30km around Hunterston if Scottish Labour get their way

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the highly-rated Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health in the USA yesterday: In Massachusetts, residential proximity to a nuclear power plant (NPP) was associated with significantly increased cancer incidence, with risk declining by distance, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study was published Dec. 17 in Environmental Health. It was conducted by researchers in the Department of Environmental Health, including corresponding author Yazan Alwadi, PhD student, and senior author Petros Koutrakis, professor of environmental sciences. Despite widespread—and potentially expanding—reliance on nuclear power in the U.S., epidemiologic research investigating … Continue reading Top 1% US researchers find ‘significantly increased cancer incidence’ for those living near nuclear power plants at a level that would mean an additional 10 000 avoidable cancer cases 30km around Hunterston if Scottish Labour get their way

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Scottish Government’s earlier flu vaccine launch and wider free issue has resulted in 20% fewer cases as they continue to climb in NHS England

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Viral respiratory diseases in Scotland surveillance report published today: Influenza activity in Scotland has steadied or decreased in many systems, returning to medium activity overall based on reporting of laboratory-confirmed cases. Cases decreased by 20% to 1918 from 2410, and activity level dropped to high (from very high) in the 1-4 and 5-14 age groups. There were 912 hospital admissions due to influenza in week 50, down from 1039 in week 49.1 In NHS England: NHS England has released its latest figures now, covering last week up to 14 December. It says hospitals in England … Continue reading Scottish Government’s earlier flu vaccine launch and wider free issue has resulted in 20% fewer cases as they continue to climb in NHS England

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UK Labour aim to halve violence against women in 10 years but to a level still far higher per head than in Scotland today – is that anywhere near good enough? Ask Anas!

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and girls in ten years. Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Breakfast above, today, has been discussing at length, the Labour Government’s new strategy promising to halve violence against women and girls in ten years. What is the current level? In the year-ending June 2025, there were 72 804 cases of rape and attempted rape, 211 225 sexual offences and 797 530 cases of domestic abuse, in England and Wales.1 In Scotland in the same period, the figures were 2 897, 5 124 and 2 573.2, 3 England & Wales have roughly 11 times the population, so all things being equal … Continue reading UK Labour aim to halve violence against women in 10 years but to a level still far higher per head than in Scotland today – is that anywhere near good enough? Ask Anas!

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8 YouGov sub-polls suggest steadily strengthening SNP support and hitting 40%

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Pollster YouGov is no friend of Scottish Independence or of the SNP and, in full Scotland-only polls, uses sampling adjustments to consistently get No majorities and low SNP support, amidst other pollsters getting a run of Yes majorities and SNP strength. You can see this anomalous pattern in the last 9 months as other pollsters find quite large Yes leads in polls of 1 000 and more, their unerring ability, with to a lesser extent Survation, to pull out very different results So, when we come to the Scottish sub-polls, though the sample is small, it is not skewed by … Continue reading 8 YouGov sub-polls suggest steadily strengthening SNP support and hitting 40%