Tag: politics

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Westminster MP report and BBC UK suggests ‘unprepared police’ and summer riots ‘across the country’, hiding the Scottish data and why they are different

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Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC UK today: Police forces were in several cases unprepared for the level of violence that broke out in riots after the murder of three children in Southport last summer, a report by MPs has found. Acknowledging this was the worst disorder the country had seen since 2011, MPs said police forces should have “better anticipated the risk of disorder in general” following an initial instance of disorder in Southport. Officers across the country worked “tirelessly”, the report said, but forces being unable to act proactively left them exposed. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20zrjr5n4ro In the full House of … Continue reading Westminster MP report and BBC UK suggests ‘unprepared police’ and summer riots ‘across the country’, hiding the Scottish data and why they are different

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SNP 1 and 2? A bold and bald campaign

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Professor John Robertson OBA How and why did we manage to get an overall majority in 2011? How might we shape future campaigns to recreate this result? Some ideas for debate: The campaign Research by the London School of Economics (LSE), in 2011, concluded that this was ‘an extraordinary result in an ‘ordinary’ election.’ By this, they mean that the data from 4 000 eligible voters in the Scottish Election Study did not reflect a surge in support for independence but, rather a desire to reward the SNP for effective government from 2007 to 2011. This is echoed today in … Continue reading SNP 1 and 2? A bold and bald campaign

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Supposed Labour ‘rebel’ MP knows that his party betrayed his constituents in Grangemouth

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By Liz S Alloa & Grangemouth Labour MP Brian Leishman is a Fraud ! This supposed Labour ‘rebel’ MP knows, and indeed has even said as much, that his party betrayed and lied to his constituents in Grangemouth , yet still today he campaigns on their , Labour’s , behalf. 5 Days ago on 7 April Brian Leishman tweeted this: “Both the Tory and SNP governments knew about the planned refinery closure 5 years ago. Both the Tory and SNP governments did nothing to save the refinery in that time. Both the Tory and SNP governments let Scotland down by choosing to do … Continue reading Supposed Labour ‘rebel’ MP knows that his party betrayed his constituents in Grangemouth

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BBC Scotland’s Lisa Summers exposes the sham – and the trap – of devolution

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By stewartb Lisa Summers’ ‘Analysis’ of the Scottish Nurses 8% pay deal: The gamble here is that it doesn’t know what deal will be offered to NHS staff elsewhere in the UK as negotiations are ongoing. However, the UK government has so far said it would recommend a 2.8% increase, a move described as “offensive” by unions. If the pay deal is significantly higher for Scotland, the government will have to find the money to pay for it with no additional money coming from Westminster … Ms Summers exposes the sham – and the trap – of devolution. The NHS is the responsibility of the … Continue reading BBC Scotland’s Lisa Summers exposes the sham – and the trap – of devolution

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Lisa Summers reporting NHS Scotland down as Unison talks it up

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Brenda Robb for alerting me tot his. In Nursing Times yesterday: The latest NHS pay offer in Scotland “sends a really powerful message” to other UK countries about what can be achieved through direct pay negotiations, Unison Scotland’s co-lead for health has said. Speaking with Nursing Times, Matt McLaughlin said other UK countries were “hiding behind bureaucracy” when it comes to NHS pay and it was “no good” for the health service. “In the other parts of the UK, it seems that people are hiding behind bureaucracy” Matt McLaughlin Scotland is the first UK … Continue reading Lisa Summers reporting NHS Scotland down as Unison talks it up

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Revealing how BBC Scotland skewed the response of the Institute for Fiscal Studies to a Scottish Fiscal Commission report: – but why, is there a legitimate, public service reason?

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By stewartb The Scottish Fiscal Commission published April 8 a report entitled ‘Fiscal Sustainability Report – April 2025’. An article in the Scotland section of the BBC News website covered this under the headline: ‘Significant challenges’ for health funding, warns report.’ (See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgxyegeelyo ) As will become apparent, two things about the BBC article are significant: (See https://ifs.org.uk/articles/scottish-fiscal-sustainability-report-immediate-response) By avoiding any mention of the UK or of Westminster, the BBC misses important context- and perspective-giving references prominent in the IFS’ commentary. The IFS response states right up front: ‘Today’s Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) report highlights the fiscal challenges facing the … Continue reading Revealing how BBC Scotland skewed the response of the Institute for Fiscal Studies to a Scottish Fiscal Commission report: – but why, is there a legitimate, public service reason?

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Sickening hypocrisy – Will the Browns now condemn Starmer as their research project proves that poverty risks the development of babies as much as premature birth?

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Professor John Robertson OBA Only 18 paragraphs down in this headlining story, after much detail on the loss of a baby to former PM Gordon Brown and his wife, do we see this key finding mentioned: Prof James Boardman, from the University of Edinburgh, is the cohort’s chief investigator. His team uses a series of brain scans and psychological studies at various ages. He says one of the key findings so far is that poverty has an impact on brain development. “It would be fair to say that a baby born at full term to a more deprived couple has … Continue reading Sickening hypocrisy – Will the Browns now condemn Starmer as their research project proves that poverty risks the development of babies as much as premature birth?

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The English Connection keeping Scotland’s drug deaths high

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Graham for alerting me to the above: In just one day, Aberdeen’s P&J has two reports of English drug gangs occupying homes in the city to sell new more powerful low cost drugs and, in so doing keep drug deaths high, despite the efforts of the SNP Government which has oversight of a world-leading opium overdose reversal drug programme (Naloxone) and a drug treatment programme running a a target-busting 95%+ treated within three weeks. The P&J has been reporting this plague for years. In December 2021, more than three years ago, the had In … Continue reading The English Connection keeping Scotland’s drug deaths high

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Prison Inspectors reveal that 80% of Barlinnie is not in a ‘wretchedly poor state’ and should know that the first phase of the early release programme was never meant to be the long-term solution

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helped ease the pressure on Scotland’s biggest jail but has done nothing to solve the long-term issue of overcrowding. Professor John Robertson OBA I’ll come back the ‘long-term solution‘ but first the other most popular media extract from the Inspector’s report: BBC Scotland today – Barlinnie jail in ‘wretchedly poor state’ – inspectors The Herald today – Barlinnie in ‘wretchedly poor state’ as new prison waits mount All of the media have pounced on the Inspector’s report from 18-22 November 2024 and have been delighted to find on page 5, just as the wee souls were about to tire: Our … Continue reading Prison Inspectors reveal that 80% of Barlinnie is not in a ‘wretchedly poor state’ and should know that the first phase of the early release programme was never meant to be the long-term solution

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How death due to a cancer screening error in Scotland is different from one in England

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Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Leicestershire today has the above and: The family of a mother who died from cervical cancer after twice being wrongly told she had negative results have been awarded undisclosed damages. The misreporting of Louise Gleadell’s cervical screening results was admitted by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust following her death aged 38 in March 2018. An internal review in 2017 found the samples, taken four years apart, were not good enough to produce reliable results but neither Ms Gleadell – a mum to three boys – nor her relatives were told about the “inadequate” samples … Continue reading How death due to a cancer screening error in Scotland is different from one in England