Tag: news

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Working-class Scottish voters beware – Reform UK is in the pocket of old Etonians, property moguls, the super-rich and will work to keep their taxes down

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The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 9 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA We had thought Scotland immune to the charms of Nigel Farage and Reform UK but recent polling suggests otherwise. Scots are just as bothered by immigration and just as cynical about the old parties. … Continue reading Working-class Scottish voters beware – Reform UK is in the pocket of old Etonians, property moguls, the super-rich and will work to keep their taxes down

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Reform UK’s manifesto ‘the sums do not add up’ and ‘would require substantial cuts to the quantity or quality of public services’ in Scotland

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 9 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA In June 2024, the IFS had a look at the Reform UK manifesto. Even this rightist think tank was less than impressed and concluded: Even with the extremely optimistic assumptions about how much economic … Continue reading Reform UK’s manifesto ‘the sums do not add up’ and ‘would require substantial cuts to the quantity or quality of public services’ in Scotland

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Reform UK to offer 20% tax relief for school fees

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 11 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Professor John Robertson OBA Fettes College in Edinburgh with nine-hole golf course, an ice-skating rink used in winter for ice hockey and in summer as an outdoor swimming pool, a cross-country running track and a rifle shooting … Continue reading Reform UK to offer 20% tax relief for school fees

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Reform UK – A clear and present danger for the SNP

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 11 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson Mostly by Reader JB Yesterday, in the wake of the Norstat poll for the Times suggesting 77% of Scots are opposed to the SNP’s immigration policy and evidence from other polls of Reform UK moving into second … Continue reading Reform UK – A clear and present danger for the SNP

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NHS Scotland saving hundreds of lives with better cancer care performance

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The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Health is headlining today problems and delays in cancer care in England & Wales. BBC Scotland has nothing similar. Here’s why: In the Guardian on 3 February 2025: More than half a million people in England have had to … Continue reading NHS Scotland saving hundreds of lives with better cancer care performance

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Knife crimes plummet in Scotland to only half the level under Labour and 90 times as many, per head, ‘Zombie’ knives mentioned in crime reports in England & Wales

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restrict the purchase of knives online, in an attempt to reduce the number of attacks involving young people. The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser [closing tomorrow at 2pm] primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC 1, first thing today, headlining the above issue. BBC Scotland do not follow up … Continue reading Knife crimes plummet in Scotland to only half the level under Labour and 90 times as many, per head, ‘Zombie’ knives mentioned in crime reports in England & Wales

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Should Jackie Baillie not be asking why A&E 12 hour waits are far less common in Scotland than in England or Wales?

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing on 28 February, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS Thanks to AR for alerting me to this. The Scottish Labour Branch health spokesperson, Jackie Baillie has already asked the above question. Given that her party now runs the NHS … Continue reading Should Jackie Baillie not be asking why A&E 12 hour waits are far less common in Scotland than in England or Wales?

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Research – SNP Government’s early action and £4m spent on RSV vaccine for over 75s achieves 63% more coverage than NHS England, slashes hospitalisation rates and will have saved many lives

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 14 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS BBC Scotland have reported RSV vaccine cuts hospital stays for older people but you’d never know from their broadcasts or the fuller website report, unless you read 13 … Continue reading Research – SNP Government’s early action and £4m spent on RSV vaccine for over 75s achieves 63% more coverage than NHS England, slashes hospitalisation rates and will have saved many lives

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300 years in jail for English County Lines drug gang members who had ‘their eye on Scotland’ and who English media link to stubborn drug deaths statistics in Scotland, is NOT news in Scotland it seems – why?

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Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details By Professor John Robertson OBA My Google Alert today, offered Operation Apollo continues crackdown on County Lines with over 300 years in jail time secured [by the above members] from Cheshire Constabulary. There’s no mention of Scotland in it but it triggered a memory in me. This from 2022: A series of raids across Scotland last week highlighted the continuing focus of Merseyside’s organised crime groups on the drugs market north of the border. Last week officers from Merseyside Police teamed up with Police Scotland for … Continue reading 300 years in jail for English County Lines drug gang members who had ‘their eye on Scotland’ and who English media link to stubborn drug deaths statistics in Scotland, is NOT news in Scotland it seems – why?

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Why is Scotland able to train almost TWICE as many nurses as England?

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By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS The Scotsman today is front-paging Alarm over fresh drop in applicants for nurses course based on a 2% reduction in applications, from 4 650 to 4 560, six months before ‘clearing’ processes in the week and months before course start, can fill the missing places. The ‘alarm’ is from a union rep and, evidence-free, the fall in applications is explained by poor working conditions, which in turn, is based upon a small sample, self-selecting (squeaky wheel) survey. Not mentioned, of course, is how this level of nurse training compares with other parts … Continue reading Why is Scotland able to train almost TWICE as many nurses as England?