Tag: poetry

2 Comments

UK Labour government to cut funds for safety at Sellafield – the “bottomless pit of hell, money and despair” just upwind and upstream of millions of Scots

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS, former power station and dyeworks worker In the Guardian today, the above and this: Sellafield has said nearly £3bn in new funding is “not enough” and bosses are now examining swingeing cuts, prompting fears over jobs and safety at the vast nuclear waste dump. Sellafield’s chief executive, Euan Hutton, has told staff that the funding was “not enough” to carry out planned works, leaving bosses to make “difficult decisions” over spending, sources told the Guardian. The public spending watchdog has said the ultimate cost of cleaning up Sellafield is expected to rise … Continue reading UK Labour government to cut funds for safety at Sellafield – the “bottomless pit of hell, money and despair” just upwind and upstream of millions of Scots

2 Comments

While BBC UK reported Starmer claiming the meeting of more appointments than in a period with 23 days of strikes, so probably fewer, BBC Scotland completely ignores Swinney actually exceeding his promise

johnrobertson834

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 8 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 On February 17th 2025, BBC Health and BBC 1 reported: The government has met a key election pledge to deliver two million extra NHS appointments in England in its first year, the prime minister has said. The target … Continue reading While BBC UK reported Starmer claiming the meeting of more appointments than in a period with 23 days of strikes, so probably fewer, BBC Scotland completely ignores Swinney actually exceeding his promise

9 Comments

The evidence that UK Government ‘suspicion of the Scots’ led to inferior Covid-19 pandemic measures and the unnecessary deaths of thousands in England and Wales

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson, OBA In the National today: Mark Drakeford: Tories’ ‘suspicion of the Scots’ hindered UK in Covid THERE was an “inherent suspicion” in the way the UK government dealt with its devolved counterparts during the Covid pandemic because they were “worried about the Scots,” the former first minister of Wales has said. The above table is summarised by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on page 100 of UK Poverty 2023 published on 26 January 2023, as: Scotland has the lowest mortality rate per 100,000 people for every degree of deprivation across the UK [p100] https://www.jrf.org.uk/uk-poverty-2023-the-essential-guide-to-understanding-poverty-in-the-uk That the above variation … Continue reading The evidence that UK Government ‘suspicion of the Scots’ led to inferior Covid-19 pandemic measures and the unnecessary deaths of thousands in England and Wales

Leave a comment

Imagine Calmac risked your life for corporate profit?

johnrobertson834

People injured after P&O cruise ship involved in ‘weather-related incident’ in Mallorca As CalMac cancels sailings today, It’s worth remembering incidents like the above in 2023. Leaving aside weather cancellations for winds above 45knots, how does CalMac do, while keeping everyone safe? Take the much talked-about Arran service? 97% on time: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://assets.calmac.co.uk/media/lbwmmqfn/arran-oct-24.pdf With the weather cancellations included, still 85%. I’ll leave you to check the others at: https://www.calmac.co.uk/en-gb/service-status/#/service-status How does the comparable BC Ferries in wealthy Canada do? There have been several deaths associated with BC Ferries, including the drowning of a worker in 2020 and the sinking of the MV … Continue reading Imagine Calmac risked your life for corporate profit?

8 Comments

Why building CalMac ferries, quicker and cheaper in Turkey might not have been such a good idea after all

johnrobertson834

From STV on 28th March 2024, as a media frenzy risked the future of commercial shipbuilding in the Clyde, just to attack the SNP Government, in support of the 2024 General Election Labour campaign: All four Calmac ferries being built in Turkey ‘are on time and on budget’ By August 2024, the Herald told us: Four ferries being built in Turkey for CalMac will be delayed, with the first having been due to be delivered this month. MV Isle of Islay was due to be delivered by mid-October, but it was announced in August that it would not be delivered … Continue reading Why building CalMac ferries, quicker and cheaper in Turkey might not have been such a good idea after all

9 Comments

Breast cancer life extending drug – images BBC Scotland hope you’ve missed

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA On BBC Breakfast and on their website, an extended report on Enhertu, a drug which can give patients with a specific type of incurable breast cancer an extra six months to live on average. At the very bottom of the BBC UK report, this: Some told the BBC they were considering the idea of moving to Scotland, where they could get it on the NHS. Jeannie says that’s not an option for her family. “We shouldn’t be having to think of moving to Scotland or selling our houses,” she says. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7v6g9q6rjqo The extended website report does … Continue reading Breast cancer life extending drug – images BBC Scotland hope you’ve missed

12 Comments

‘Prof’ Kezia Dugdale? You’re having me expletive deleted on!

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson OBA The host didn’t introduce Kezia Dugdale as ‘prof’ but the above appeared when she began to speak. After 30 years in HE, I got ‘prof’. To get it, I had to publish research in peer-reviewed journals, have a PhD myself and supervise PhD students. I spoke at conferences and chaired a Faculty research ethics committee. Long before I got ‘prof’ I taught research methods for years. Dugdale has a Masters degree and appeared on that get me out of the jungle show. 1 of 7 regional MSPs (not elected by constituents) for Lothian. Labour got only … Continue reading ‘Prof’ Kezia Dugdale? You’re having me expletive deleted on!

6 Comments

Strictly Good Morning Scotland

johnrobertson834

Anonymous MSM Monitor twitter #X’ account tweeted yesterday: “Domestic issues the Radio Scotland phone-in has covered this week. 1. Minimum unit pricing 2. Strictly Come Dancing 3. Early prisoner release It failed to cover the hike in electricity bills or the Labour donations scandal. Two of the biggest news stories this week. Minimum unit pricing has been the subject of the phone-in at least a dozen times going back years. Strictly Come Dancing was covered on the very day electricity bills went up by 10%. The early prisoner release scheme didn’t result in anything significant, but the subject was chosen the day … Continue reading Strictly Good Morning Scotland

3 Comments

NHS Factcheck – Why Scots should not be put off seeking help as it’s not ‘broken.’

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC UK have this today: There is growing unease within the NHS about the government’s “broken” messaging, the BBC has learned. Senior sources in the health service have told the BBC they believe some of the claims have gone too far – and may result in patients being put off seeking help and causing lasting damage to staff morale. I agree and it’s really important that Scottish viewers and readers are not deluded into things are as bad here. Why not? It’s endless. Report after report, evidence after evidence, that while there are pressures and delays, … Continue reading NHS Factcheck – Why Scots should not be put off seeking help as it’s not ‘broken.’

5 Comments

STV is 7 times more likely to report on County Lines from English cities terrorising small-town, Scotland in the public interest.

johnrobertson834

In response to my follow-up complaint showing objectively that BBC Scotland has only ever mentioned the term ‘County Lines’, in the headline to a story, twice, in 2019 and 2021 and never mentions that the flow of drugs is from English cities into Scotland. A BBC UK report in March 2024, mentions Scottish towns but does not use the term nor does it locate the gangs in English cities, as is the case, exclusively. BBC Complaints wrote to me yesterday: We raised your complaint with senior news editors at BBC Scotland. They have little to add to the response you’ve … Continue reading STV is 7 times more likely to report on County Lines from English cities terrorising small-town, Scotland in the public interest.