Tag: scotland

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English drug gang travels 600 miles to Aberdeen to enslave vulnerable locals but still no main news coverage after 5 years of abuse

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A County Lines gang arrested in Aberdeen last year. Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ BBC Scotland and the Scottish newspaper front pages have nothing on this dramatic story today of a Southampton based ‘County Lines‘ drug gang moving into Aberdeen, significantly increasing the supply of proscribed drugs and the level of ‘Modern Slavery’ whereby vulnerable locals have their homes occupied by extremely violent criminals as bases from which to deal the drugs. Sexual abuse of women and children often … Continue reading English drug gang travels 600 miles to Aberdeen to enslave vulnerable locals but still no main news coverage after 5 years of abuse

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The Guardian casually distorts the lower level of homicide against women in Scotland

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In the above Guardian piece today, 3 (33%) of the 9 murders described took place in Scotland. The authors chose these 9 examples from 174 murders of women in England & Wales last year. Read the above, on its own, and Scotland looks a more dangerous place for women, by some way. That’s not just untrue, it’s the reverse. The facts: From National Statistics for Scotland, today: In 2022-2023, there were 13 female homicide victims in Scotland. In England & Wales, in 2021-2022 (latest figures) there were 198 female homicide victims. England & Wales have 11 times the population and so, … Continue reading The Guardian casually distorts the lower level of homicide against women in Scotland

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The real and the opportunity costs of Union – how much more will Scotland’s electorate accept?

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Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ By stewartb – a long read Amongst the political noise generated by the UK Chancellor’s budget, one remark hit home. On the Radio 4 Today programme (7 March), Jeremy Hunt when asked about the ‘losers’ from his budget, remarked in reply: ‘I’ve asked the Scottish oil & gas industry to make an additional contribution …’. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001wymc – at c. 2:17 in – with my emphasis) This is referring to an extension of the period … Continue reading The real and the opportunity costs of Union – how much more will Scotland’s electorate accept?

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Former Labour candidate back in the Scotsman with fake news on Scottish schools which are actually funded 18% higher

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the monthly Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ Today, in the Scotsman, Barry Black, with no mention of who or what he might be, is allowed to suggest the Scottish Government is underfunding schools. Black was on BBC Scotland’s The Nine, last November, to tell a few viewers that the Scottish Government was failing to close attainment gaps. you can read the response here: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2023/11/24/scotsman-and-bbc-let-labour-candidate-and-just-a-student-pretend-to-be-an-independent-researcher-and-to-make-big-mistakes-on-attainment/ Who is he? Introduced as a ‘researcher’ on BBC Scotland’s The Nine and in the Scotsman the next day … Continue reading Former Labour candidate back in the Scotsman with fake news on Scottish schools which are actually funded 18% higher

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A&E patient spends 5 days in a chair in a ‘warzone’ hospital but the Welsh Labour Health Secretary is not responsible in any way

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to my favourite, nearly 100 year-old, paper-based, to your door, Scots Independent newspaper, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ From BBC Wales today: Man spends five days in chairs at ‘warzone’ hospital. A patient who said he was left waiting in a hospital chair for five days has described his “nightmare” experience. Nicky Morgan, 42, went to Morriston Hospital, Swansea, on Saturday night with severe headaches and was told he had a potentially serious condition.But he said he was told there were no beds and has slept on a chair in a … Continue reading A&E patient spends 5 days in a chair in a ‘warzone’ hospital but the Welsh Labour Health Secretary is not responsible in any way

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Remember when he was the one who appointed Donald Trump as ‘Ambassador for Scotland?’ 

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By NMRN “Based on the media coverage [of the Emma Caldwell case], leaders and viewers could well think this buck stops at the door of Humza Yousaf, the Scottish Government, the SNP”. …….and that is the objective is it not……we also saw it with the Post office scandal….where the Horizon system was not a system agreed to and then rolled out by the SNP as when that system was first implemented they, the SNP, were not even the Scottish government at the time (but where like everything else instigated by other political parties the SNP ,as Scottish government, gets dragged into yet another mess … Continue reading Remember when he was the one who appointed Donald Trump as ‘Ambassador for Scotland?’ 

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What did the Labour First Minister know about racism and misogyny in Strathclyde Police in 2005?

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The BBC Scotland reporting this morning has: The mother of Emma Caldwell is to meet the first minister on Tuesday to call for a public inquiry into the investigation of her daughter’s murder. Margaret Caldwell wants a judge to look into the failings by police in the case. Iain Packer was jailed for life on 28 February for the murder of Emma as well as 11 rapes and multiple sexual assaults against a total of 22 women. The Scottish government has said it will consider a public inquiry. After the verdict, Police Scotland apologised for how the original inquiry was … Continue reading What did the Labour First Minister know about racism and misogyny in Strathclyde Police in 2005?

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6% Missing council tax payments? Is that a lot? Yeh, but don’t mention it costs less here, OK?

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to my favourite, nearly 100 year-old, paper-based, to your door, Scots Independent newspaper, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ tax payment last year – that’s according to Citizen’s Advice. A survey by the charity suggests around 6% of people missed a payment at least once in 2023. Reporting Scotland’s opening story, first thing to today, to get you off to a bad start in Scotland. Reporting Scotland editor: 270 000? Nice big number but don’t mention the percentage. Wait, they did. Who put that in? It’s too wee! FFS! Haven’t I told … Continue reading 6% Missing council tax payments? Is that a lot? Yeh, but don’t mention it costs less here, OK?

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How little Labour did for the social housing market when in power in Scotland compared to the SNP

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By NMRN “This is not the first time Shelter has mounted a campaign of deliberately context-free misinformation against the Scottish Government” It is also amazing how in a GE year that the volume is being ramped up….against the Scottish government by certain organisations ……a surreptitious disguise that could be then assumed as another ‘Friends of Labour’ ….and thus (another)’Enemy of the SNP’ …..another critic (to join the many pro UK ranks)……. Given the media’s current #SNPBAD and then also their #GiveLabourAnotherChance badly cloaked and very much partisan political marketing within Scotland….to shore up more support for labour and less support … Continue reading How little Labour did for the social housing market when in power in Scotland compared to the SNP

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England well ahead of Scotland on post Grenfell cladding remediation…..because only they actually need to be

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ In the latest of the endlessly ill-informed coverage of flammable cladding on tower blocks being replaced, Scotland’s Insider has: Only two of the 105 buildings included in the Scottish Government’s cladding remediation programme have had work carried out. With a Holyrood committee scrutinising new legislation aimed at dealing with potentially flammable cladding on blocks of flats, MSPs said that “progress has been slow”. A report published by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee said: “Of the 105 buildings within the Scottish Government’s cladding remediation programme, only … Continue reading England well ahead of Scotland on post Grenfell cladding remediation…..because only they actually need to be