Tag: scottish-parliament

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A Voter’s Guide for Aberdeen South – SNP/Scottish Government vs Reform UK 

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With the Aberdeen South by-election just two weeks away on 18 June 2026, this short cut-out-and-keep guide has been written specifically for voters in Aberdeen South and Aberdeenshire.  The area is at a crossroads: we still depend on North Sea oil and gas jobs, yet we’re also facing the huge challenge of a fair energy transition, rising living costs, and the need for strong local support for families and communities.  This report compares what the SNP-led Scottish Government is actually delivering right now (through devolved powers and funding) against the promises being made by Reform UK.  It focuses on the … Continue reading A Voter’s Guide for Aberdeen South – SNP/Scottish Government vs Reform UK 

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Why is Amnesty International UK, in London, having a go at Scotland when there’s so much more support for human rights abuse right next door in Westminster?

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON I used to be an Amnesty International activist in a small way, 20 years ago, writing to authoritarian governments on behalf of political prisoners until thoroughly pissed of by the chair’s support for Israel and on discovering that most of these political prisoners had utterly unacceptable and hypocritical views on women’s rights. Under a TuS post on Reform UK, long-time and much valued, commentator, ArtyHetty wrote: I have some recent emails from ‘Amnesty international UK’ in Lonodn, and … Continue reading Why is Amnesty International UK, in London, having a go at Scotland when there’s so much more support for human rights abuse right next door in Westminster?

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Many are glad of this:  the Scottish Government ‘directly boosting the incomes of parents claiming means-tested benefits’ and ‘pursuing a different social security agenda’ from Westminster

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By stewartb – a long read As the British Labour Party government in Westminster targets the Department for Work and Pensions for budget cuts, a London-based think-tank with a high media profile has acknowledged the positive impact on levels of child poverty of actions and financial commitments of the Scottish Government, by necessity through use of its devolved powers. The Resolution Foundation describes its mission as ‘improving the living standards of those on low-to-middle incomes.’ It claims to be ‘the leading UK authority on securing widely-shared economic growth.’ Its previous CEO, Torsten Bell  (2015-24) is now the Labour MP for … Continue reading Many are glad of this:  the Scottish Government ‘directly boosting the incomes of parents claiming means-tested benefits’ and ‘pursuing a different social security agenda’ from Westminster

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Cautious but still positive signs that Scotland CAN reduce car use by 2030 contrary to opinions of media fuelled by the Auditor General’s latest politicisation of events to undermine SNP Government

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The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA The media in Scotland are largely of one mind: Scottish government ‘unlikely’ to meet 2030 target on reducing car use What is their source for this? From the Auditor General for Scotland, two days ago A lack … Continue reading Cautious but still positive signs that Scotland CAN reduce car use by 2030 contrary to opinions of media fuelled by the Auditor General’s latest politicisation of events to undermine SNP Government

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Only in Scotland, is the Auditor General a political stooge and media favourite assisting the Scottish Labour campaign for 2026

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and we know there are some small-scale examples of where they have changed public services but we’ve been talking about public service for the past 13 years and we’re not seeing anything of the scale and pace that is going to help the Scottish Government that are going to help them bridge the £1 billion gap in public spending. By Professor John Robertson OBA Above and headlining BBC Scotland today, the Auditor General, Stephen Boyle, criticises the Scottish Government again, in a sequence of such high profile media appearances. This is a uniquely Scottish experience as a public official, funded by all … Continue reading Only in Scotland, is the Auditor General a political stooge and media favourite assisting the Scottish Labour campaign for 2026

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Devolution offers little protection for Scotland’s democratic choices – sobering assessment of the Sewel Convention and Westminster power by the Institute for Government

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By stewartb The Institute for Government (IfG) – the London-based think tank close to the Westminster/Whitehall establishment – has published an assessment of the operation of the Sewel Convention. It explains the convention is ‘designed to give the devolved institutions a degree of certainty that their powers will not be overridden, and enables the UK and devolved governments to work together on legislation where their policy objectives are aligned.’ Source: Allen et al (November 7, 2024) The Sewel convention in practice – five case studies from the 2019–24 parliament. Institute for Government, London (https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-11/Sewel-convention-in-practice.pdf ) The IfG reports that the … Continue reading Devolution offers little protection for Scotland’s democratic choices – sobering assessment of the Sewel Convention and Westminster power by the Institute for Government

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A tragic rail death in Wales is not linked to the Welsh or UK Government but 4 years ago in Stonehaven, BBC Scotland’s James Cook had other plans

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By Professor John Robertson There’s not a mention of the Welsh Transport Secretary nor of the UK Transport minister in this BBC Wales account of a tragic death on the railways, they share responsibility for. But on BBC Scotland, in August 2020: On BBC Scotland’s The Nine last night, James Cook, repeatedly interrupted the Scottish Transport Secretary, Michael Matheson to say: Well, exactly! Well, that’s rather the point! Isn’t it. We hear that are these problems. In 2014, a report specifically mentioned this exact area being greatly affected by earthslips. A report last month warned that there had been over six times more … Continue reading A tragic rail death in Wales is not linked to the Welsh or UK Government but 4 years ago in Stonehaven, BBC Scotland’s James Cook had other plans

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Scotland’s poverty policies – The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence ‘new think tank’

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BBC Scotland today are delighted to be able to headline: No evidence Scotland’s poverty policies are working – report They know that some, perhaps many, will read that to mean these policies are not working at all when all the new think tank was saying is that more data is required to prove they are. Read deeper to see the sneaky nature of the headline confirmed: The Scottish Health Equity Research Unit (Sheru) highlighted a “critical gap” in data on the effectiveness of programmes such as the Scottish Child Payment. The organisation – run by the Fraser of Allander Institute … Continue reading Scotland’s poverty policies – The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence ‘new think tank’

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Child poverty: why is BBC hiding its article on poorer families in Scotland being ‘more fortunate’ than those in England due to Scottish Government action?

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No cheap tabloid images of sad wee weans here. And why is a Fraser of Allander economist so grudging? – “So it’s POSSIBLE the rate of child poverty would have been higher in the absence of the Scottish Child Payment”. Only just “possible” that £26.70 per week for each and every child in poorer families reduces poverty – really? By stewartb There is yet another example of strange editorial decisions taken by those that run the BBC News website. An article appeared (at c. 1 am on July 28) on the website entitled: ‘Tale of two nations: Meeting families with … Continue reading Child poverty: why is BBC hiding its article on poorer families in Scotland being ‘more fortunate’ than those in England due to Scottish Government action?