Tag: scotland

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UK unemployment 35% higher, youth unemployment 40% higher than in Scotland

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in the three months to October it has increased to just over 5% according to official figures. BBC Breakfast had an extended piece this morning on the above concern for the UK (sic), the ‘highest level since 2021′ with a focus on young people BBC Scotland did not cover the issue even though it might have been informative for their audience. Why? First, UK Unemployment surges to massive 35% higher than in Scotland – will ‘SNP’ Government get the credit just as they would have been blamed if it was the other way round? These two headlines today and the … Continue reading UK unemployment 35% higher, youth unemployment 40% higher than in Scotland

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Respect? Why Scotland’s resident doctors delayed their ballot until after the deadly flu season’s predicted peak

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Professor John Robertson OBA At least four of the above stories, including the resident doctor strike news, in the midst of a flu epidemic, concern only NHS England. BBC Scotland have no apparent health worries for us. Why no reporting? The Scottish Resident Doctors vote does not close until 19 December 2025 with strike action unlikely until January. Why have they delayed until this point? Flu cases tend to decline in early January, year after year. Why would the NHS England resident doctors not have delayed? This: See that ‘still?’ This goes back to earlier experience of the doctors and … Continue reading Respect? Why Scotland’s resident doctors delayed their ballot until after the deadly flu season’s predicted peak

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A nuclear power station is ‘on the front line of an election battle?’ Says who? Just one Labour councillor? Thought control in a democracy exemplified

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Professor John Robertson OBA Headlining the BBC Scotland website this morning, the above and: The future of nuclear power in Scotland is shaping up to be a battleground at next year’s Holyrood election – and Torness, on the banks of the Forth, is on the frontline. The Labour government at Westminster has declared its intention to usher in a new “golden age” of nuclear. But the SNP government at Holyrood opposes new nuclear power stations and can use planning laws to prevent them being built – even though energy policy is reserved to the UK Parliament. No one seems to … Continue reading A nuclear power station is ‘on the front line of an election battle?’ Says who? Just one Labour councillor? Thought control in a democracy exemplified

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Ingrained cultural bias in Scottish media that disadvantages the independence movement

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Professor John Robertson OBA In my previous post, Grok AI, correctly I feel, suggested that the above reporting was not a hit job and agreed that it was mostly cultural within Scotland’s media. So, I asekd: I agree it’s not a ‘hit job’ but could it be an example of a culture of bias against the case for Scottish independence where that bias has become normalised and where reporters habitually report in ways that will please their supervisors, get things published and enhance their career prospects without being told by supervisors how to report? The answer: Exploring Normalized Bias in … Continue reading Ingrained cultural bias in Scottish media that disadvantages the independence movement

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Going, going, gone? Nope, still there

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By Liz S BBC headline Scottish pages : ‘Our kids are killing each other – we need to do something’ Meanwhile what was formerly and very recently the top article on the main Scottish page of the BBC website on the 5th December, that is now no longer there and it was also formerly the top article on the Scottish Politics page, but now it has descended to being the 6th article on the Scottish politics page. It was earlier today the 11th article on the Glasgow & West Scotland page but now it has gone from that page. (at 15.36pm). So it’s gonna be a case of that article ……Going , Going and then … Continue reading Going, going, gone? Nope, still there

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Why frailty among older people seems less common to GPs in Scotland – Stronger family cohesion and less family fragmentation

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Guardian yesterday: GPs failing older people living with frailty, National Audit Office finds Did the national audit report blame the Labour Government for any of this? Did it note that England had far fewer GPs per head than Scotland. No and no. I asked AI: Are there reports of GPs failing older people living with frailty in Scotland? While there are no explicit reports mirroring the recent National Audit Office (NAO) findings in England—where GPs were found to be failing in assessing and supporting older people living with frailty, with only 16-18% receiving key … Continue reading Why frailty among older people seems less common to GPs in Scotland – Stronger family cohesion and less family fragmentation

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Any Scottish stand-up – “Honestly, at this rate the only thing Great British Energy is powering is my material for the next five years.”

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I’m using AI increasingly. I trust it more than most journalists or thinktanks to tell me the truth. Grok AI time after time reveals no agenda on Scottish independence. Professor John Robertson OBA Only BBC Scotland is going with this ridiculous line: Great British Energy (GBE) says its investments aim to support at least 10,000 jobs over the next five years, with a focus on areas historically dependent on oil and gas. See that ‘support’? I seem to remember the word ‘creation’ was in their aims only a few months ago. Let’s ask AI: Yes, job creation was explicitly one … Continue reading Any Scottish stand-up – “Honestly, at this rate the only thing Great British Energy is powering is my material for the next five years.”

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Nearly £300 for carers only in Scotland in run-up to Christmas

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Professor John Robertson OBA From December payment for thousands of Scots carers published yesterday: Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be paid to more than 96,000 carers across Scotland from 4 December. Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment, currently made twice a year, for people in Scotland who get Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on the qualifying dates. The payment of £293.50, which is only available in Scotland, will be made automatically from 4 December to people who were paid Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on 13 October 2025. Carers due to get the payment will get a letter … Continue reading Nearly £300 for carers only in Scotland in run-up to Christmas

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13 000 privately owned empty homes brought back into use by Scottish Government portal

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Finding new owners for empty homes published yesterday: A new online portal has been launched to bring empty homeowners together with prospective buyers or developers with the aim of facilitating more properties to be used as homes again.  Covering the whole of Scotland, this builds on the success of local pilots, referred to as “matchmaker schemes”, which allow owners of empty homes to upload details of their properties to a website through which anyone, such as first time buyers, families, developers or local authorities, can make purchasing enquiries.    The portal is hosted by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership and has been developed as part of a £2 million investment this year to recruit additional empty homes officers and fund initiatives that will accelerate the pace and … Continue reading 13 000 privately owned empty homes brought back into use by Scottish Government portal

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The blind spot in researchers’ apocalyptic water shortages predictions – the 90% of the UK supply in Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Dorothy for alerting me to this. For the second time this weekend, the Guardian has been reporting on apocalyptic water shortages, from Newcastle to Namibia, but never thinking to ask about the water supply only miles to the north, in Scotland. It reminds me of the Scottish media’s aversion to the word ‘England‘ when they’re discussing drug supplies in Scotland, from Dumfries to Stornoway. From the Guardian today: Water shortages could derail UK’s net zero plans, study finds – Tensions grow after research in England finds there may not be enough water for planned … Continue reading The blind spot in researchers’ apocalyptic water shortages predictions – the 90% of the UK supply in Scotland