Number of police officers increases for third quarter in a row to remain higher than under Labour despite plummeting crime and far lowest level in UK

Professor John Robertson OBA From Police officer quarterly strength statistics: 31 March 2025, published yesterday: At the same time: Many of us, understandably are skeptical about the picture of falling crime painted by statistics based on police recording. Correctly, we point to the fact that much crime is known to be unreported and unrecorded.2 However, the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS),3 carried out by independent University-based researchers interviews around 5 000 Scots asking them to speak of ‘their experiences of, and attitudes to, a range of issues related to crime, policing and the justice system, including crime not reported to … Continue reading Number of police officers increases for third quarter in a row to remain higher than under Labour despite plummeting crime and far lowest level in UK

The Netflix hit Adolescence is not a warning for Scotland and the Glasgow Lib Dems are irresponsibly wrong to suggest otherwise

Professor John Robertson OBA In the National today: AN increase in petty violence among Glasgow’s teenagers could lead to a rise in serious violent crime in the coming years if attitudes go unchecked, an expert has warned. The topic of youth violence has been in the headlines after the success of Netflix hit Adolescence, with creators Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne shining a light on the views and influences that can lead to serious violence. Research conducted by Glasgow LibDems revealed that 2790 violent incidents have taken place in schools within Glasgow in this academic year so far. Neither the film … Continue reading The Netflix hit Adolescence is not a warning for Scotland and the Glasgow Lib Dems are irresponsibly wrong to suggest otherwise

Scotland beware – Right-wing Reform leader Farage wants to replace the NHS with a USA style “insurance based model”

By JB Right-wing Reform leader Farage wants to replace the NHS with a USA style “insurance based model”. One of the many companies the multi-millionaire Farage owns, which was set up in May 2024, is called ‘Action on World Health LLP’. As “Co-founder and Chairman” Farage wants to reform or replace the World Health Organisation. One of its directors is also a director of a consultancy which advises, among other sectors, health care firms – “particularly mental and behavioural health”.  According to the hypocritical Labour Government Health Secretary Wes Streeting “Farage has been pushing healthcare charges to his supporters in … Continue reading Scotland beware – Right-wing Reform leader Farage wants to replace the NHS with a USA style “insurance based model”

90% of local authorities in England ‘failed to submit reliable data’ to their national ‘watchdog’ but it’s not covered by media – Imagine that happened in Scotland?

By stewartb A notable statement has been published today from the National Audit Office. The NAO performs a similar role to Audit Scotland but has a quite different public profile: whereas BBC Scotland and others in the mainstream media crawl through every line of every report published by Audit Scotland searching for ‘juicy’ negatives, the NAO’s output gets little mainstream news coverage in England or UK-wide, even when reporting significant negative findings. Today’s NAO report is clearly a major ‘negative’ – and the first of its kind ever – but at the time of writing this comment, there is nothing about it … Continue reading 90% of local authorities in England ‘failed to submit reliable data’ to their national ‘watchdog’ but it’s not covered by media – Imagine that happened in Scotland?

Boris Johnson’s former aide owns a company with no previous polling experience to claim SNP supporters support nuclear energy and a Yorkshire-based ‘Scotsman’ reports it for you – I’d really like to see the full report – I smell something

Ed: I’d really like to see their data and methods but can’t see them anywhere. If you can find anything let me know. By Liz S The Scotsman published a story yesterday that stated “Majority of SNP’s voters believe nuclear power should be part of Scotland’s mix of clean energy generation” this has now been declared nowt more than a PR stunt . The Scotsman , which as a newspaper has kept it’s quaint name, I say quaint as a name , as clearly it supports anyone but a person of Scottish origin, and surely in it still retaining the name “The … Continue reading Boris Johnson’s former aide owns a company with no previous polling experience to claim SNP supporters support nuclear energy and a Yorkshire-based ‘Scotsman’ reports it for you – I’d really like to see the full report – I smell something

Grangemouth oil refinery – to have “failed” to make a profit at a time of such high oil prices is unimaginable

By George Caldow In what little coverage (I have given up on expecting proper analysis in Scottish or UK MSM) I have seen or read, it has been about points scoring by Politicians. The truth is not so easily constrained within a soundbite. Ineos’s management is poor. To have “failed” to make a profit at a time of such high oil prices is unimaginable however they state they have. We have had statements of intent regarding introducing new technologies yet they have failed to complete many of the projects announced to much fanfare. They received money from the Scottish Government … Continue reading Grangemouth oil refinery – to have “failed” to make a profit at a time of such high oil prices is unimaginable

Anas Sarwar’s shameless opportunism exposed at STUC Conference

By Liz S  A delegate at the STUC Conference tells Anas Sarwar and Labour a few home truths on Grangemouth. The Morning Star also noted this in their headline: “Scottish Labour leader’s ‘shameless opportunism’ slammed” The delegate stated this: “As I stand here, workers at Grangemouth — my friends and my colleagues — will walk out for the last time as over a century of oil refining comes to an end,” ‘”It’s a private business, there’s nothing we can do, it’s a commercial decision’ — that’s what they’ve been telling us, and yet everything we called for has happened, just not at Grangemouth” (He, … Continue reading Anas Sarwar’s shameless opportunism exposed at STUC Conference

First Minister’s major speech to STUC ignored

Professor John Robertson OBA First Minister John Swinney’s major speech to the STUC today is being largely ignored. BBC Scotland fully covers all of Labour Leader, Ana Sarwar’s speeches including those to the modestly-attended party conferences. Swinney’s speech is wide ranging, optimistic and challenging on key issues such as the future of Grangemouth, Dundee University, energy, cost of living and poverty, yet the broadcasters and the so-called trusted press fail in their duty to report. He begins: It’s a pleasure to be here today to address the STUC Congress and particularly to be able to do that for the first … Continue reading First Minister’s major speech to STUC ignored

They get the feast we get the crumbs, again – Labour’s GB energy projects ‘across the country….of England

By Liz S “Miliband said, “I’m not going to take a decision that is going to raise prices in some parts of the country. That is not what I’m going to do” Really ? Yet when he was interviewed by ITV in March of this year, where they reported that he said this (and he did , because he also tweeted this himself). ‘It’s going to make a difference to so many pupils and so many patients’ Ed Miliband says schools and hospitals will get ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ off their energy bills as they get new solar panels The plans … Continue reading They get the feast we get the crumbs, again – Labour’s GB energy projects ‘across the country….of England

Starmer’s celebratory video for his (real) country’s patron saint, that is England

By Liz S Well here we are again , another St George’s day and another yearly ‘special’ celebratory video from the now, checks notes, UK PM , Sir Keir Starmer. Prior to him becoming the new UK PM, as in when he was merely the official opposition UK leader , Keir used to also do a ‘special’ celebratory video for his (real) country’s Patron saint, that is England. Scotland & Wales are not given the same ‘special’ celebratory video from Sir Keir the UK PM as that job is delegated to the minions (understudies) in the respective two English colonies, i.e. Scotland & Wales via the respective Labour branch office managers. … Continue reading Starmer’s celebratory video for his (real) country’s patron saint, that is England