Despite already having far more affordable housing per head than England, Scotland plans to build more than three times as many new ones

Professor John Robertson OBA According to the Herald today: A new report published today by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has calculated that £8.2bn would be needed to build the required number of homes to address the crisis. Yet it states ministers have only set aside £4.9bn failing to take account of the number of homes needed, the impact on inflation on building costs and new cost relating to standards it is introducing for the sector. The report comes just weeks after Ms McAllan, the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, has announced a four-year £4.9bn plan for the affordable … Continue reading Despite already having far more affordable housing per head than England, Scotland plans to build more than three times as many new ones

69 000 GB Energy jobs – Michael Shanks is literally lying when he says no such pledge was ever made. He should publicly apologise

By Liz S Since we have an election coming up next year….how about some fairness that we now finally see some of the media here in Scotland casting their attention upon Anas Sarwar’s role in promoting his Labour HQ’s flagship policy last year in the Labour GE campaign………. MSM Monitor posted a reminder of what Sarwar said in the STV’s Leader’s debate in Scotland last year prior to the UK GE. “During the general election campaign Anas Sarwar repeatedly pledged that GB Energy would created 69,000 jobs in Scotland. So far it has created 13“. MSM Monitor also included a video that confirmed the figure Sarwar quoted on jobs … Continue reading 69 000 GB Energy jobs – Michael Shanks is literally lying when he says no such pledge was ever made. He should publicly apologise

Only since the first SNP Government have Scots thought devolution made a difference and now they have 100 reasons to think so

Professor John Robertson OBA From: Scottish Social Attitudes | 25 years of devolution in Scotland: Public attitudes and reactions published last week: https://natcen.ac.uk/publications/scottish-social-attitudes-25-years-devolution-scotland Forget dip in the last year; we can confidently label that a hanging form of branch (geddit?). In the Labour/Lib Dem era, 1999-2007, most Scots thought that having a Scottish Parliament made no difference to life up here. Within a few years, ignoring spikes and dips, the majority have thought it does make a difference. Why? Because it does, indisputably: 1. Free Tuition. We believe in education based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay. While students in England now … Continue reading Only since the first SNP Government have Scots thought devolution made a difference and now they have 100 reasons to think so

Why has British identity in Scotland plummeted since 2021

Professor John Robertson OBA From: Scottish Social Attitudes | 25 years of devolution in Scotland: Public attitudes and reactions published last week: https://natcen.ac.uk/publications/scottish-social-attitudes-25-years-devolution-scotland The researchers offer no explanation for this recent collapse, from 2021 to 2024, in the proportion of Scots who consider themselves ‘British’, at all or best as. Readers will have their own views. I’m guessing the rise of Reform UK, Nicola Sturgeon managing the pandemic response far better than Boris Johnson, the Partygate Scandal, UK support for Israel even before the full genocide, England fans riot after losing to Italy on penalties, and the last years of … Continue reading Why has British identity in Scotland plummeted since 2021

Not yet the news but needed now to undermine the SNP Conference

are set to ballot members on strike action, both claiming that the Scottish Government has reneged on promises made earlier in its parliamentary term. Professor John Robertson OBA So, two groups, teachers and young doctors might strike in the future but haven’t even had a vote yet? Wouldn’t this be the news if they have already voted to strike or not to strike? What’s the rush? Well, obviously and firstly, the SNP Conference is already under way and some bad news is needed to report on instead of what the governing party might promise the electorate for the May 2026, … Continue reading Not yet the news but needed now to undermine the SNP Conference

So we have BBC Scotland, the Chair of the Scottish BMA, Sarwar, Baillie, the English NHS Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the UK PM, all of Labour HQ & the branch office Labour party in Scotland all politicising the NHS in Scotland but England’s NHS is to be exempt from politicisation now that Labour are in charge. I see. Got it.

By Liz S “Why is Reporting Scotland still headlining the three-day-old news of ‘hundreds’ of operations cancelled in one NHS board”…….why indeed. Well they, the BBC ‘news’ teams in Scotland, need to hang onto (prolong) what they promote as being #BAD ‘news’….. that they then see as being another political weapon that they can use against the SNP…………it also helps to reinforce the BBC in Scotland’s current favourite UK political party’s message, as in the Labour party, and their political campaign of misinformation upon the Scottish NHS and the SNP. Meanwhile yesterday MSM Monitor posted this on ‘X’ “Waiting times in the English NHS … Continue reading So we have BBC Scotland, the Chair of the Scottish BMA, Sarwar, Baillie, the English NHS Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the UK PM, all of Labour HQ & the branch office Labour party in Scotland all politicising the NHS in Scotland but England’s NHS is to be exempt from politicisation now that Labour are in charge. I see. Got it.

Dr Iain Kennedy linked to Labour campaign and Prof Curtice might be underestimating the intelligence of fleeing Labour voters

Professor John Robertson OBA, Former Faculty Research Ethics Chair The word ‘ethics’ does not appear in Prof Curtice’s CV. Should I see if Dr Kennedy has any such interests? Should I check if the BMA ever considers the ethical dimensions of their surveys? I did. SFA. In the Herald today – Labour is losing ground in Scotland as NHS blame game bites, two things are intriguing. The big one is about the NHS performance so I’ll get the lesser one out of the way first: With mounting waiting lists, staff shortages, and bed-blocking crises, Scottish Labour has made the state of the … Continue reading Dr Iain Kennedy linked to Labour campaign and Prof Curtice might be underestimating the intelligence of fleeing Labour voters

‘Dr Death’ Iain Kennedy – the very long read

With only 2 days left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details or by direct bank transfer method – John Robertson, Sort code 08-91-04, Account 12266421 Professor John Robertson OBA By Liz S The Sunday Herald front page….. “In a bleakly pessimistic interview , Chair of the British Medical Association Scotland Dr Iain Kennedy reveals all on the disturbing crisis currently engulfing our health system”. “pessimistic” is a constant with Sr Iain Kennedy on the Scottish NHS service…..in fact has he ever said anything positive about our Scottish NHS and our Scottish government ? “our health system”….is that only “ours” (Scotland’s) or is there … Continue reading ‘Dr Death’ Iain Kennedy – the very long read

They may not feel comfortable with it, but to win, the SNP should recognise that voters are ‘avoiders of danger’ and GO NEGATIVE

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details Professor John Robertson OBA It’s probably not in your nature. It’s not in mine and of all the large parties in the UK, it’s not in the spirit of the SNP. We want to campaign with a positive message and we have a lot to be positive about in our achievements, in reducing poverty such as with the unique, world-leading Child Payment, in providing universal benefits such as those for prescriptions and tuition, in the lowest crime levels in the UK, in increased attainment by pupils … Continue reading They may not feel comfortable with it, but to win, the SNP should recognise that voters are ‘avoiders of danger’ and GO NEGATIVE

The Scottish values that Reform UK cannot align with, but which produce an ‘impenetrable wall’ of support for the SNP?

Support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/checkout/help-talking-up-scotland-tell-truth-about-scotland/payment/nBQxjVzq/details Professor John Robertson OBA This was first published in Scots Independent in July 2025. A recent survey by pollster More in Common for GB News, has cast doubt on Reform UK’s prospects in Scotland and suggests an ‘impenetrable wall’ of support for the SNP. On 19 July 2025, GB News reported: Reform UK’s hopes of generating a tartan tidal wave have been handed a damning verdict as a pollster has told GB News that the party’s values do not fully resonate with Scottish voters. According to a … Continue reading The Scottish values that Reform UK cannot align with, but which produce an ‘impenetrable wall’ of support for the SNP?