Tag: politics

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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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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON 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 … 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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Will Dame Jackie Baillie call for probe into her UK Labour government’s plans to spy on millions of the poor and hungry and Labour MSP putting cameras in toilets?

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Professor John Robertson OBA Leaping gleefully onto the allegations that 3 MSPs and ministers were spied on by SNP parliamentary staff, Dame Jackie Baillie has called for a probe. She shows little sign of wanting to probe Labour MSPs with paedophile pals or Labour councillors who are paedophiles. So that we don’t think she is being a bit of a hypocrite will she also call for a probe into her own party’s plans to spy on millions of poor folk to make sure they really are poor, ie little in their bank accounts, with this: The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) … Continue reading Will Dame Jackie Baillie call for probe into her UK Labour government’s plans to spy on millions of the poor and hungry and Labour MSP putting cameras in toilets?

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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%

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Social housing in Scotland factcheck – 40% more availability, no damaging right to buy, bigger grants and greater fire safety

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Professor John Robertson OBA Amongst all the current media frenzy about a one-year down-turn in new social media building, even in the National, above, these important, positive, contextual facts, published in a review by the Wheatley Group in May 2024, are getting no attention: Social housing is more prevalent in Scotland than England, comprising 23% of all Scottish housing stock (11% RSLs / 12% Local Authorities), compared to 16.4% in England (10.1% RPs / 6.3% Local Authorities). Scotland has similar rate of owner-occupation than England, 63.7% compared to 64.1%. Statistics based on March 2022 returns One of the most important powers devolved to the Scottish Government … Continue reading Social housing in Scotland factcheck – 40% more availability, no damaging right to buy, bigger grants and greater fire safety

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Police suspected drug deaths trend continues steady fall but under-educated Daily Record Labour hack prefers to attack FM with statistically meaningless one-year change

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Professor John Robertson OBA Any fool can see from the above line graph what the trend is and despite the ups and downs, Scotland’s suspected drugs deaths are falling. From nearly 1 500 per year at the end of 2020 to just over 1 000 in the last 12 months, a 33% fall in only 5 years. The bar chart also show the usual seasonal fall from a winter peak. From Suspected drug deaths in Scotland: July to September 2025 published yesterday: There were 898 suspected drug deaths, 8% (65) greater than during the same period of 2024 (833). Note … Continue reading Police suspected drug deaths trend continues steady fall but under-educated Daily Record Labour hack prefers to attack FM with statistically meaningless one-year change