Tag: scotland

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95% of Scotland’s schools in good condition up from only 62% under Labour and they struggle to do anything about it in England after 19 months in government

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and need refurbishing or even replacing, according to a group of MPs in a report that’s out this morning. Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. That’s the message on BBC Breakfast this morning. What’s the situation in Scotland? This but you won’t be hearing it elsewhere: By stewartb School estate statistics 2024 provides statistics for context and perspective. It follows a BBC Scotland article on the corporation’s News website on 12 October headlined: ‘Child safety fears as ‘repaired’ ceiling falls at neglected school’. Now don’t get me wrong, no one should have a piece of wood or plasterboard … Continue reading 95% of Scotland’s schools in good condition up from only 62% under Labour and they struggle to do anything about it in England after 19 months in government

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Why is the wettest part of the UK, North-east Scotland coping so well? Scottish Government investment pays off

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. Look at that Met Office map above and note how awesomely wet January was for Scotland’s north-east. I suppose that photograph must there too. No, it’s Somerset. What is the Guardian saying about that? The Guardian view on heavy rain: England’s flood defences are not strong enough Never, mind, all that rain, folk must flooded out of their homes in North-East Scotland. In January 2026, there was not one image, I can find, on BBC Scotland News, STV News or in any Scottish edition newspaper. Find one and I’ll edit this story. … Continue reading Why is the wettest part of the UK, North-east Scotland coping so well? Scottish Government investment pays off

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No media coverage as Scottish Government allocates £20m to help young people secure homes where they live and second homes plummet by half from Labour era

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. From the Scottish Government yesterday into complete media silence: Plans to develop a Rural and Island Housing Grant Scheme, with an indicative budget of up to £20 million over four years, have been announced by the First Minister. Designed to help with costs in rural and island communities, the scheme will enable people, including first-time buyers and families, to own affordable homes in the places they want to live. Announcing the scheme at the National Farmers Union Scotland Conference, the First Minister also confirmed a package of agricultural support including £14.25 … Continue reading No media coverage as Scottish Government allocates £20m to help young people secure homes where they live and second homes plummet by half from Labour era

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Experienced researcher finds AI far more trustworthy on Scottish politics than BBC Scotland, STV, the Herald, the Scotsman or The Ferret

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. I really had to laugh. I’ve done a lot of searching for information and sometimes analysis and evaluation using Grok, chatgpt and other general AI platforms. I do find bias against the independence movement, the SNP and the Scottish Government but only when the AI gives to much credence to the so-called Scottish media, especially those in my headline above. Mostly, however, if I’m careful with my questions, initial and follow-up, I discover that these AI tools, all owned outside the UK do not seem to have an agenda on Scotland. … Continue reading Experienced researcher finds AI far more trustworthy on Scottish politics than BBC Scotland, STV, the Herald, the Scotsman or The Ferret

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Almost all terror-related offences in Scotland carried out by whites

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. From a Police Scotland Freedom of Information request 25-2862 Crime stats – Terrorism inc. accused gender/ age/ ethnicity – 2025 published today, where ethnicity was recorded: Ethnicity Total White Scottish 9 White British 6 White Irish 1 White Other 1 White European 6 White North European 1 Black Scottish Other 1 Source: https://www.scotland.police.uk/access-to-information/freedom-of-information/disclosure-log/disclosure-log-2025/october/25-2862-crime-stats-terrorism-inc-accused-gender-age-ethnicity-2025/ Why is there little sign there of the Islamic terror threat typically frothed about in the popular news media in England? Some ideas I posted tentatively in 2019: I know we have lots of racists and Islamophobes in … Continue reading Almost all terror-related offences in Scotland carried out by whites

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Surely that should be Anas Sarwar to face questions after John Swinney calls for investigation into Mandelson

johnrobertson834

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. Who on earth wrote that headline? Anas Sarwar’s spad? John Swinney will be answering questions on this: The Promise is a landmark report which followed Scotland’s Independent Care Review, which set out a long-term commitment to transform the care system for children and young people. but the idea that this has anything to do with Mandelson is utterly bizarre. Are they trying to associate Swinney with Mandelson and to deflect from Anas Sarwar? There have been equally bizarre, slimy, attempts by a Labour MP to draw Swinney into the mire, because … Continue reading Surely that should be Anas Sarwar to face questions after John Swinney calls for investigation into Mandelson

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The strange case of YouGov’s shrinking Glasgow samples confirms their polls to be purely propaganda

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy I’ve written before about YouGov‘s unerring and almost unique (Survation too) ability to pluck a No lead out of a trend dominated by Yes leads, found by various other pollsters. It’s been a long time since they found a Yes lead. They seem to prevent it by adjusting (weighting) their sample to have 55% No voters and 45% Yes voters as in 2014 and thus get the same result ten years later. James Kelly of Scot Goes Pop has already reported on this at: https://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2026/02/why-is-yougov-under-representing-yes.html … Continue reading The strange case of YouGov’s shrinking Glasgow samples confirms their polls to be purely propaganda

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As unelected Lib Dem MSP imagines ferry disruption but what 1 064 real users actually think? 80% satisfaction and half-empty car decks

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy In the Ardrossan Herald two days ago: WEST Scotland Liberal Democrat [List] MSP Jamie Greene has hit out after it was revealed the cost of Arran’s newest ferry had now hit £197.5 million. It was confirmed last week that MV Glen Rosa, originally due to enter service in 2018, would now face an extra cost of £12.5 million. Nationalised [bad, to a newsrag owned by a corporation] shipyard Ferguson Marine confirmed last year that the vessel would not hit the waters until late 2026. That … Continue reading As unelected Lib Dem MSP imagines ferry disruption but what 1 064 real users actually think? 80% satisfaction and half-empty car decks

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Why did the SNP ‘fraud’ case attract offers of help from other agencies yet no help can be found to investigate Labour’s failures in the Emma Caldwell inquiry?

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy From BBC Scotland today: An investigation into the original inquiry into the murder of Emma Caldwell has stalled because prosecutors cannot find a police force from outside Scotland to take on the task. Scotland’s top law officer, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain, announced two years ago she wanted an independent inquiry into potential criminality by officers involved in the case. However, the Crown Office has told BBC Scotland News that it has been unable to get an English or Welsh force to do the job because … Continue reading Why did the SNP ‘fraud’ case attract offers of help from other agencies yet no help can be found to investigate Labour’s failures in the Emma Caldwell inquiry?

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‘Aggressive assertion’ in Spain and England fans – two former imperial powers – but Scotland fans’ jovial defiance ?

johnrobertson834

Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy Two stories today have got my goat. Yes, I know you know my goat well. First, in the Guardian today: ‘The referee has to be neutral’: Rodri claims Manchester City are victims of injustice – Rodri said: “I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. It’s not fair because we work so hard. When everything is finished, you are frustrated.” https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/feb/02/rodri-referee-neutral-manchester-city-spurs ‘Rodri’, I thought, why do I already have a dim view … Continue reading ‘Aggressive assertion’ in Spain and England fans – two former imperial powers – but Scotland fans’ jovial defiance ?