Tag: news

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How the ‘Scottish’ media have singularly failed to investigate and fully report on the true state of the ferry services

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By stewartb: The level of mainstream media ‘interest’ in CalMac ferry services has been ramped up and highly politicised over recent years. However, in sharp distinction to coverage by the highly resourced-constrained TuS, the highly resource-rich BBC Scotland and others in the mainstream media – those supposedly serving Scotland – have singularly failed to investigate and fully report on the true state of these ferry services. This failure is despite pointing out the economic and social importance of the ferries to the communities served. As best as I can recall (and do correct me if I’ve missed something substantive): And … Continue reading How the ‘Scottish’ media have singularly failed to investigate and fully report on the true state of the ferry services

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New US hybrid ferries look like costing much more than the new CalMac vessels

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From EUUSATODAY, today: Bids to build new plug-in Washington state ferries come in high It’s raising doubts about the state’s plans to construct up to five new hybrid-electric vessels with the $1.3 billion [£1 billion] lawmakers have set aside. Ferry system managers and state budget writers in Washington took a cold wave over the bow Monday upon opening the bids to construct up to five new hybrid electric ferries. “I don’t see how you get to five. There’s money for three [160 car vessels] on a good day,” said state House Transportation Committee Chair Jake Fey, D-Tacoma. The Washington Legislature … Continue reading New US hybrid ferries look like costing much more than the new CalMac vessels

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Reform UK can learn from low crime Scotland not Dubai or UAE

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The international drugs cartel made at home in Dubai. Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Politics, two days ago: Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has said the UK could learn from Dubai’s national pride and low crime levels. In a BBC interview, he said the UK should “aspire to” the kind of safety seen in the Emirati city – where he claimed people leave belongings unattended and return to find them untouched. Tice splits his time between Westminster, his Skegness constituency and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which he said he visits “once every six to eight weeks” to … Continue reading Reform UK can learn from low crime Scotland not Dubai or UAE

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Man from Stewarton knows nothing at all about Scottish schools as he calls for Michael Gove’s ideas to be implemented here

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Michael Gove’s bookshelf with David Irving’s holocaust denying The War Path on it. Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to reader Legerwood for alerting me to this: Published in Herald today, a letter by Graeme Arnott of Stewarton, claiming: Premier league of achievement? Stuck with a failing model? This thesis does not survive a collision with the evidence. From UK Poverty 2025 The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, today: There are differences between the statistics on attainment in schools in the four UK nations which limit comparisons but the size of the gap between … Continue reading Man from Stewarton knows nothing at all about Scottish schools as he calls for Michael Gove’s ideas to be implemented here

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STV and BBC let ‘campaigners’ use a survey of 0.002% of Scotland’s asthma sufferers to suggest asthma treatment is worse in the country where it’s clearly far, far better – Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland and STV have been platforming a survey of only 515 sufferers of Asthma in Scotland, to claim: Its 2025 survey Life With A Lung Condition, which questioned 515 asthma sufferers in Scotland, found only 30% of respondents were receiving basic asthma care, which the charity defined as having an annual asthma review, an inhaler technique check, and a written asthma plan. That is below the figure for the UK, where 32% of asthma sufferers receive this level of care. https://news.stv.tv/scotland/campaigners-call-for-fully-funded-lung-health-strategy-for-scotland As always, we are not told that this is, at most around 0.002% of … Continue reading STV and BBC let ‘campaigners’ use a survey of 0.002% of Scotland’s asthma sufferers to suggest asthma treatment is worse in the country where it’s clearly far, far better – Scotland

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To Margaret Curran’s boy – Scotland does not waste taxpayer money to monitor all of its nearly 4 000 water outflows because, unlike in England, almost all of them are not and have never been polluted – SIMPLE

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Professor John Robertson OBA Another ‘Scottish’ Labour MP, Chris Murray, son of a Labour member of the Lords, Margaret Curran, feeds an English Labour minister with lies about Scotland that can be used then to attack the SNP rather than the Labour-run councils actually responsible for any beach pollution or supposed lack of monitoring. First the supposed Portobello beach pollution, Murray reported last year: Pink diesel, 100% commented one reader. From a tractor raking the sand The actual facts on water company illegal sewage disposal: English water companies fined FOURTEEN THOUSAND times as much for illegal sewage discharges as those … Continue reading To Margaret Curran’s boy – Scotland does not waste taxpayer money to monitor all of its nearly 4 000 water outflows because, unlike in England, almost all of them are not and have never been polluted – SIMPLE

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Scotland gets first Patient Safety Commissioner three years after England and 18 years after a leading European expert said it was already ‘at the very top pillar with regards to patient safety’ 

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Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Scotland today: Scotland’s first ever Patient Safety Commissioner is set to be appointed. Experienced healthcare executive Karen Titchener will take up the role after two previous recruitment drives for the £93,094-a-year role failed. There has been a patient safety commissioner in England since 2022. The BBC Scotland report misses something quite important that the above Scottish Health Secretary put in place – see below. Never mind the facts on the ground in hospitals these 18 years, what does it look like to the media? You have to wonder just WTF England’s commissioner has been up … Continue reading Scotland gets first Patient Safety Commissioner three years after England and 18 years after a leading European expert said it was already ‘at the very top pillar with regards to patient safety’ 

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How only one Scottish Labour MP opposed ‘the biggest attack on the welfare state since George Osborne ushered in the years of austerity’

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By stewartb Back on June 13, 2024, a BBC Scotland editor published an article on the BBC News website (so it must be true) with this opening: “Read my lips,” said Anas Sarwar, during the BBC Scotland leaders’ debate this week. “No austerity under Labour.” Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp4409yejrwo Fast forward to today when the push back against the policies of Mr Sarwar’s Labour in Name Only (LINO) party in government in Westminster has been given further impetus. It is being reported that 42 Labour MPs have sent a letter of protest to the PM. Here is how two Labour-supporting online media organisations are covering the … Continue reading How only one Scottish Labour MP opposed ‘the biggest attack on the welfare state since George Osborne ushered in the years of austerity’

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Scottish Labour is led by someone who has been repeatedly rejected as a constituency candidate in every Holyrood election

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By Liz S Paul Hutcheon the Daily Record’s political Editor for the Labour party in Scotland tweeted this on ‘X’ on 6 May. “Reading that SNP list of Holyrood candidates, it’s like a revolving door of Westminster rejects” MSM Monitor in a tweet yesterday on ‘X’ then responded to Paul’s tweet in reminding us all about Anas Sarwar (as in his political career thus far). “Scottish Labour is not only led by a Westminster reject who lost his seat to Alison Thewliss in 2015. It is led by someone who has been repeatedly rejected as a constituency candidate in every Holyrood election … Continue reading Scottish Labour is led by someone who has been repeatedly rejected as a constituency candidate in every Holyrood election

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As Welsh Labour call out Starmer’s cruelty, Scottish Labour hide behind BBC Scotland

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By stewartb The British Labour Party is under pressure in Wales with the Senedd elections upcoming in 2026. It seems that having British Labour Party colleagues in government in Westminster is being seen as an electoral handicap. The party leaders in Wales – unlike those of the British Labour Party in Scotland – are now seeking to differentiate themselves from LINO (the Labour In Name Only party) that dominates Westminster with its MPs from England and Scotland. A BBC Wales analysis offers an insight into how Labour’s First Minister Eluned Morgan intends to promote voting for Labour in 2026. It … Continue reading As Welsh Labour call out Starmer’s cruelty, Scottish Labour hide behind BBC Scotland