Newly created Mayors and far less powers for the Scottish government – That’s where you might live

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 By Liz S “Far more probation officers and far less re-offending – that’s where you live, really” Also potentially “far more” newly created Mayors and “far less” powers for the Scottish government – “that’s where you live” , as in perhaps coming soon within Scotland under a Andy Burnham UK Premiership. BBC website politics section article dated 23 August 2026: (English) “Mayors to get powers to overrule local councils on planning decisions”. “Mayors across England will be given new powers to overrule local councils … Continue reading Newly created Mayors and far less powers for the Scottish government – That’s where you might live

‘Scottish’ Daily Express today desperately tries to link it to Scotland but nothing in Scotland looks anything like the mass child grooming rape gangs in England

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Why is this unacceptable propaganda? From the First Minister 9 February 2026, responding to calls for a national review: However, in order for any action to be effective, we must appropriately consider the relevance of these recommendations for our specific legislative, statutory service and regulatory landscape, and the scale of this specific form of organised gang-related sexual abuse of children and young people in Scotland. I would firstly like to clarify that the recent case of child sexual abuse in Glasgow cited in your previous letter, … Continue reading ‘Scottish’ Daily Express today desperately tries to link it to Scotland but nothing in Scotland looks anything like the mass child grooming rape gangs in England

Guardian joins the Glasgow pile-on with fake news from just one witness

In the Guardian today, the above and: Scottish people have always been known for their friendliness. “We’re not like the south of us,” they say, referring to England. The official slogan of Scotland’s largest city, “People make Glasgow”, appears everywhere – on T-shirts, buildings, bus stops and mugs. And when I first moved to Scotland from India in 2018, I was immediately welcomed by kind strangers and helpful neighbours. People showed curiosity, rather than intrusiveness. They respected queues; told me I fit right in. Music, art and cultural events were considered inclusive spaces in the city, with calls for diversity, … Continue reading Guardian joins the Glasgow pile-on with fake news from just one witness

Exodus, Loquaciousness And Made-Up Numbers….in the Daily Record

By Mark E. Saunders of “The Scottish Minuteman” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 ___________________________________________________________ Help Talking-up Scotland keep going. Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: MR JW ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 ___________________________________________________________ Wow! That Daily Record headline certainly gives the impression of a measurable exodus of Scots workers moving to England to “escape” SNP income tax. But it is a highly questionable — if not entirely misleading — statement to make. Where do these British tabloid newspapers pull their numbers from? That was a rhetorical question — just to preempt your answers. The latest published migration report from HMRC actually shows that Scotland has been a net recipient of … Continue reading Exodus, Loquaciousness And Made-Up Numbers….in the Daily Record

The tragic BBC Scotland mission to give Scotland a child rape grooming gang of its own

___________________________________________________________ Help Talking-up Scotland keep going. Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: MR JW ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 ___________________________________________________________ Prominently linked on BBC Scotland‘s site, to a BBC Wales-authored report about abuse in Norfolk, the above ‘child abuse and rape’ story. Why? Seven paragraphs down: ‘Of?’ There’s no mention of where they are ‘from’ or if they fled Norfolk or Wales, as seems likely. Notably, not even the worst tabloid has tried this trick. None mention the story. I tells you something about BBC Scotland. That all the offences were committed in Norfolk will not stop them trying to import child … Continue reading The tragic BBC Scotland mission to give Scotland a child rape grooming gang of its own

Families ‘impacted by infections at QEUH’ should have been ‘shocked to core’ by how uniquely close it is to millions of litres of raw sewage in open-topped ponds

____________________________________________________________________________ Help Talking-up Scotland keep going. Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: MR JW ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 __________________________________________________________________________ Glasgow Live, yesterday, has the above and: Families of those affected by infections linked to a flagship hospital in Glasgow have said they are “shocked to the core” by new evidence to an inquiry. Medical physicist Dr Michael Bradnam told the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry he had spent 15 years raising issues with ventilation systems, electrical safety and humidity control at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow. Doing their best as always to find a way … Continue reading Families ‘impacted by infections at QEUH’ should have been ‘shocked to core’ by how uniquely close it is to millions of litres of raw sewage in open-topped ponds

Inverness Sheriff says county lines gangs from England exploiting vulnerable women and children must be stamped out then spares them jail – got at?

In the P&J, two days ago, the report on the left suggests a puzzling change of heart by a senior judge. It’s really difficult to understand this given what he said in July, on the right, and what it must have been based on: Police report a notable increase in drug offences in Inverness. Gangs target the region because of demand, less competition, and vulnerable people. Cases involve women and sometimes children being coerced into the networks. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy0xdxdl40o How widespread and how damaging have county lines gangs been in the Highlands? They are not as pervasive as in major English cities … Continue reading Inverness Sheriff says county lines gangs from England exploiting vulnerable women and children must be stamped out then spares them jail – got at?

No UK Government homelessness reduction initiative for England has ever stayed within budget so Scots taxpayers will pay for Burnham’s plan

We’ve already shown here that Scots taxpayers will end up funding steel nationalisation in England, illegal dump clear-ups and HS2 stopping well before the border, with no benefits and no Barnett compensation likely. Today, prompted by Kath Barr, we’re looking at whether Andy Burnham’s latest mission to end rough-sleeping by Christmas in England will cost us too. The official line is that it won’t because it will be funded from uncommitted budgets within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), with allocations based on English rough sleeping pressures. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-pm-says-government-can-bring-back-hope-to-britain-and-launches-drive-to-end-rough-sleeping-at-the-earliest-opportunity Uncommitted budgets are a real thing but what is … Continue reading No UK Government homelessness reduction initiative for England has ever stayed within budget so Scots taxpayers will pay for Burnham’s plan

Twice as effective closing their own illegal dumps but Scots taxpayers to pay for Burnham’s clear-up of illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent and there will be no Barnett consequentials

In the Guardian today, the above, and: Illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent will be cleared up using taxpayer money, Andy Burnham has announced, as the prime minister promises a new drive to tackle toxic waste. Ministers have identified dumps in Bradford, Runnymede and the Isle of Sheppey, which collectively contain about 22,000 tonnes of illegal waste, to be cleared in the next phase of the government’s national clear-up effort. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/19/taxpayers-to-fund-clear-up-of-dumps-in-west-yorkshire-surrey-and-kent Why will this not be paid for by a waste management budget for England? The money comes from the UK Treasury’s pooled revenues, which include taxes raised across … Continue reading Twice as effective closing their own illegal dumps but Scots taxpayers to pay for Burnham’s clear-up of illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent and there will be no Barnett consequentials

Serious assaults in Glasgow drop 33% to 5 year-low and overall violence increases at significantly lower rate than across Scotland

BBC Scotland have exported the above story to BBC Breakfast, have a special on it tonight, and claim: Videos of brutal beatings, blatant drug deals, and racial violence in the centre of Scotland’s biggest city have become a common sight on social media. Posts claim that parts of Glasgow’s city centre are a “no-go zone” where it’s not safe for unsuspecting members of the public, especially women, to enter. Angry protests have spilled on to the streets – but is it as bad as some say? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgdej0xxgyo Note, the source for these claims is not official figures but merely ‘common … Continue reading Serious assaults in Glasgow drop 33% to 5 year-low and overall violence increases at significantly lower rate than across Scotland