Why does the Royal College of Emergency Medicine avoid comparisons with Scotland when they reveal England to be the ‘Capital of Deadly Long Waits?’

In the Herald today: More than 30,000 NHS waits are still longer than a year despite a Scottish Government pledge to eradicate them by March. Last year, First Minister John Swinney set a target of March 2026 for no patient to wait longer than a year for their treatment. Important I’m sure but: Why A&E should take priority if resources force a choice Mortality evidence is clearer and more immediate for A&E delays. Excess deaths in the low tens of thousands annually are estimated from long emergency waits; equivalent quantified mortality impact is not shown for the current scale of … Continue reading Why does the Royal College of Emergency Medicine avoid comparisons with Scotland when they reveal England to be the ‘Capital of Deadly Long Waits?’

Have the Scottish Labour MPs joined the campaign against the ‘shameful’ Palantir NHS contracts, rejected now as inferior by many in NHS England, and which the SNP already rejected two years ago?

In the Guardian today: NHS organisations that care for millions of people in England are rejecting Palantir’s patient data technology, according to freedom of information responses that reveal health bosses believe they can find better or equal alternatives in many cases. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/17/palantir-patient-data-tech-rejected-by-many-nhs-trusts-in-england In the Guardian in April 2026: MPs have queued up to demand the government scraps its £330m NHS contract with the spy-tech company Palantir, calling it “dreadful” and “shameful” in a debate on Thursday, after which the government said it was “no fan” of the US company’s politics. Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs led the calls for Palantir, … Continue reading Have the Scottish Labour MPs joined the campaign against the ‘shameful’ Palantir NHS contracts, rejected now as inferior by many in NHS England, and which the SNP already rejected two years ago?

Time for Scotland to wake up to the double standards, hypocrisy, propaganda and spin that we as a nation are subjected to

By Liz S “Scotland’s drug deaths crisis IS a human rights scandal but it is also a fundamental consequence of our subjection still within a dying, dysfunctional but still dominant and brutal empire”. Indeed and as “consequences” it is yet another terrible legacy that the SNP have inherited but now they , the SNP, are getting all of the blame for what ? In them , the SNP to be seen as creating this crisis as a situation and so then being solely ineffective in solving it ? However talking of a “scandal” and those who seek to try to … Continue reading Time for Scotland to wake up to the double standards, hypocrisy, propaganda and spin that we as a nation are subjected to

If they try to tell you ‘UK care reforms could net Scotland £1bn’, here’s your withering answer

Here’s the Herald just passively accepting another wee London-based thinktank commentator’s claim that the Barnett formula will compensate us for loss of the triple lock pension to sort England’s care service and to generate another Andy-friendly headline. First, says who? David Phillips, a ‘leading’ economist with the IFS. To get a job as a university lecturer in Economics, you’d need a PhD and one or two research-based papers in reasonable impact peer-reviewed journals. To get to Senior Lecturer, you’d need at least 10 and have supervised PhD students to completion. To get to Professor and be described as a ‘top … Continue reading If they try to tell you ‘UK care reforms could net Scotland £1bn’, here’s your withering answer

Scotland heading for massive increase in renewables electricity generation in 2026 to generate 4 times more per head than England

At the midway point, Scotland has already generated far more renewables electricity than in previous years. With only 1 day left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at:Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From Energy Statistics for Scotland – Q2 2026 published yesterday, the above, and: In the first half of 2025, 22.6 TWh of electricity was generated from renewable sources. In the second quarter of 2025, 9.1 TWh of renewable electricity was generated in Scotland. This is the most renewable electricity generated in the second quarter of any … Continue reading Scotland heading for massive increase in renewables electricity generation in 2026 to generate 4 times more per head than England

Cancer is a concern with increasing nuclear power in Iowa and everywhere else especially in Scotland

With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 From the Des Moines Register yesterday, the above, and: Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Nuclear Energy Task Force released a final report that encourages more nuclear power plants in Iowa. This report makes no mention of cancer increases in communities that are near nuclear power plants. At a time when Iowans are deeply concerned about having one of the nation’s highest rates of increases in cancers, the last thing we need is … Continue reading Cancer is a concern with increasing nuclear power in Iowa and everywhere else especially in Scotland

In one year NHS England declared 217 times as many critical and major incidents as NHS Scotland did

With only 3 days left, support Talking-up Scotland’s work to counter the lies and get you the facts, daily, at: Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 As BBC Scotland today reports a critical incident in NHS Grampian, we can report that, in 2024, the most recent year with a full report [above], NHS England reported 198 critical incidents plus 19 major [more serious] incidents; 217 declarations in total. Average duration was about 4.6 days. https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/annual-eprr-assurance-report-march-2025/ There was one NHS Scotland critical report in 2024, also in NHS Grampian. In NHS emergency-preparedness terminology, a major incident is … Continue reading In one year NHS England declared 217 times as many critical and major incidents as NHS Scotland did

Which is the most industrious, comprehensive and best sourced pro-Scottish independence blog? Awkk!! It’s certainly not your one Jock!

Help Talking-up Scotland keep goingCrowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingOr by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Grok – Which is the most industrious, comprehensive and best sourced pro-Scottish independence blog? Thought for 18s Wings Over Scotland (wingsoverscotland.com), run by Stuart Campbell since 2011, is the standout match for industriousness, data-driven comprehensiveness on the core political/media issues, and sourcing. Other notable options Bella Caledonia (bellacaledonia.org.uk, founded 2007): The longest-running prominent site. More magazine-like, with essays on culture, ideas, international issues, and politics from multiple contributors. Broader in scope than Wings but less relentless on daily statistical or media-watch grind. thenational.scot Wee Ginger Dug (Paul Kavanagh): Consistent, … Continue reading Which is the most industrious, comprehensive and best sourced pro-Scottish independence blog? Awkk!! It’s certainly not your one Jock!

Near-Shore Underwater Data Centres with Waste Heat Recovery – A Distinctly Scottish Opportunity with 3 thousand billion litres of water in our 31 thousand lochs

I sense danger here for the Scottish Government, the SNP and the wider movement as the media operating in Scotland increasingly focus on the debate over large data centres and see opportunities to divide it within itself. A growing grass roots opposition and Scottish Greens campaigning for a ‘pause’ is get increasing attention and putting the SNP Government on the back foot. Help Talking-up Scotland keep goin Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 I’m torn. If, IF, an independent Scotland can properly tax the corporations that need these facilities, get the revenue for the surplus … Continue reading Near-Shore Underwater Data Centres with Waste Heat Recovery – A Distinctly Scottish Opportunity with 3 thousand billion litres of water in our 31 thousand lochs

New Chinese deal at Ardersier more likely to go ahead but create few jobs

___________________________________________________________ Help Talking-up Scotland keep going. Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 ___________________________________________________________ Thanks to rtpscott for alerting us to this: In the P&J yesterday, the above and: The owner of Ardersier Port has struck a new deal with a Chinese company as the fallout from the UK Government blocking a £1.5 billion wind farm factory continues. Port owner and developer Haventus has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese offshore wind manufacturer Dajin. The partnership will see them explore opportunities across both the UK and European markets. It will look at combining Dajin’s … Continue reading New Chinese deal at Ardersier more likely to go ahead but create few jobs