Tag: uk-politics

2 Comments

BBC Scotland amplified her unsubstantiated charge, so it’s a political ‘win’ in advance of the Holyrood election

johnrobertson834

By stewartb Lots of BBC coverage online of NHS Scotland today (November 4), but no space for positive news! Lots of quotes from opposition politicians amplified (without challenge of course) by BBC Scotland, by the media organisation that supposedly performs a public service. For example, the British Labour Party’s deputy leader and health spokesperson in Scotland is working to undermine public trust through her (unsubstantiated and unchallenged) claims of ‘fiddling’ data. On October 28, Public Health Scotland published this statement from its Director of Data and Digital Innovation and Head of Profession for Statistics: ‘Updating the frequency of our waiting … Continue reading BBC Scotland amplified her unsubstantiated charge, so it’s a political ‘win’ in advance of the Holyrood election

3 Comments

If NHS Scotland was performing worse than NHS England, the British Labour Party in Scotland’s condemnation of the SNP in government might be justified but it’s not so it’s not

johnrobertson834

stewartb On the face of it, these extreme waits referenced by the British Labour Party deputy leader in Scotland are wholly unacceptable. Why did they occur? Unless we know why, we can’t determine whether they are indicative of a whole system failure; local failure or indeed local incompetence; or due to particular clinical situations. We are very far from knowing where responsibility lies – local clinical management, health board management/oversight, Scottish Government officials, Minsters? The British Labour Party in Scotland gets away with its ‘NHS “won’t survive” another SNP term’ nonsense only because the mainstream media in Scotland is unwilling … Continue reading If NHS Scotland was performing worse than NHS England, the British Labour Party in Scotland’s condemnation of the SNP in government might be justified but it’s not so it’s not

3 Comments

UKIP, The Brexit Party and now Reform UK are all cheeks that have stemmed from the same Arse….and that Arse’s name is Nigel Farage

johnrobertson834

By Liz S Talking of migrants…….sorry long comment , but most of it consists of a transcript of a TV report by SKY News. Connor Gillies, SKY News Scottish correspondent , did a TV report on SKY News on the 30 October where he had been allowed into a Reform UK meeting in Glasgow, he advised us the viewers that he had apparently been trying to access one within Scotland for 10 months. Why ? He met and interviewed various people at the meeting including an existing Reform UK Councillor, Audrey Dempsey, who had previously been a Labour Councillor but she was suspended by the … Continue reading UKIP, The Brexit Party and now Reform UK are all cheeks that have stemmed from the same Arse….and that Arse’s name is Nigel Farage

1 Comment

It doesn’t look as if the British Labour Party will bring about reform to England’s social care sector anytime soon

johnrobertson834

stewartb Many expert commentators argue that long waits in A&E are caused – to a substantial degree – by delays in discharging hospital in-patients when medically ready for discharge and that this is caused by deficiencies on social care. It doesn’t look as if the British Labour Party government in Westminster – despite its campaigning rhetoric – will bring about reform to England’s social care sector and its financial resourcing anytime soon. The Health Foundation think tank published a blog post on October 22 entitled: ‘Social care: a year in, what prospects for reform?’ It included these statements. First for context: ‘Labour … Continue reading It doesn’t look as if the British Labour Party will bring about reform to England’s social care sector anytime soon

3 Comments

Scotland’s homicide rate plummets by more than half in last 20 years, below Denmark and well below rUK, in wake of 18 years of reducing inequality, predicted by researchers but the story falls off BBC Scotland in only hours

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA From Homicide in Scotland, 2024-25 published yesterday: Scotland’s Chief Statistician today published Homicide in Scotland, 2024-25. The publication provides information on crimes of homicide recorded by the police in Scotland in 2024-25. The main findings are: In 2024-25, 45 victims of homicide were recorded, 21% (or 12 victims) less than the 57 victims recorded in 2023-24. This is the lowest number of recorded homicide victims since comparable records began in 1976. Over the latest 20-year period from 2005-06 to 2024-25, the number of homicide victims in Scotland fell by 53% (or 51 victims) from 96 to … Continue reading Scotland’s homicide rate plummets by more than half in last 20 years, below Denmark and well below rUK, in wake of 18 years of reducing inequality, predicted by researchers but the story falls off BBC Scotland in only hours

1 Comment

Credible research, ie not from Jack McConnell’s ‘think-tank’, also suggests NHS Scotland has highest satisfaction levels in UK and they’re not falling significantly

johnrobertson834

now than it was 10 years ago. Think-tank Enlighten has released findings ahead of a major doctors conference today. Professor John Robertson OBA We have good reason to doubt the above ‘research‘ given what we know about this think tank and their badly under-qualified research director. Enlighten are of course the formerly named Reform Scotland, changed now for obvious reasons and headed up by these two. They seem to be hiding details of their staff now but you may remember their research director, Alison Payne, was a Conservative Party activist and spad, Guide leader and just a mum for BBC … Continue reading Credible research, ie not from Jack McConnell’s ‘think-tank’, also suggests NHS Scotland has highest satisfaction levels in UK and they’re not falling significantly

2 Comments

There is now no distracting from Labour’s record

johnrobertson834

By Liz S Talking of Labour….and another scandal and disgrace……re their HQ’s unfair, undignified and undemocratic position relating to Scotland. Keir Starmer was recently quoted as saying that: “We’re not having an independence referendum. It is a distraction. It won’t happen. It is a distraction from the record of the SNP.” The context of this statement from Starmer was in relation to the SNP achieving a majority in next years Scottish elections, that would then be seen as a a mandate for a second independence referendum. “It is a distraction from the record of the SNP.”….. Ironic when there exists so many “distractions” from much of the … Continue reading There is now no distracting from Labour’s record

3 Comments

As Colin Smyth, Labour MSP comes to court should Anas Sarwar be asked what he thinks of having now at least six known child sex offenders in his ranks?

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA As he is filmed entering court, there’s not a word on Smyth’s long membership and representation of the Labour Party nor any suggestion that his leader Anas Sarwar might be asked how he feels about another sex offender in his ranks. How many Scottish Labour MSPs MPs or councillors have been accused of sex offences against children? Scottish Labour MSPs Scottish Labour Councillors Three distinct individuals were identified: Other cases (e.g., Ewan Dillon, Sean Morton) involved indecent images but were not explicitly tied to Scottish Labour in reports; they appear to have been independents or from … Continue reading As Colin Smyth, Labour MSP comes to court should Anas Sarwar be asked what he thinks of having now at least six known child sex offenders in his ranks?

Leave a comment

Affordable housing supply – Does Anas Sarwar support this latest UK Labour move to make the SNP look even better

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today: Developers will be allowed to build lower numbers of affordable homes and claim higher subsidies to build them under plans being drawn up by the government to solve London’s housebuilding crisis. What will this do for the current Scottish Labour campaign to try to suggest the SNP is failing on affordable housing supply? Professor John Robertson OBA The Daily Mail in April 2025 had the above headline and: Yesterday, inews had: The Daily Mail did not, of course, have the facts. Here they are: For 2025, the SNP Government has funded 5 313 new affordable home starts to a level … Continue reading Affordable housing supply – Does Anas Sarwar support this latest UK Labour move to make the SNP look even better

3 Comments

As Labour MPs call on Rachel Reeves to scrap council tax in England how the lowest Band D council tax rate in British Labour Wales is higher than the highest in SNP Scotland

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today: More than a dozen Labour MPs have written to Rachel Reeves calling on her to scrap council tax, as the chancellor faces mounting pressure to overhaul Great Britain’s property taxes in next month’s budget. Thirteen MPs, mainly from seats in northern England, wrote to Reeves last month asking her to abolish the tax and replace it with another system that better accounts for the steep rise in house prices in London and the south-east over the last 35 years. The chancellor is looking for ways to close what could be a £30bn shortfall in the … Continue reading As Labour MPs call on Rachel Reeves to scrap council tax in England how the lowest Band D council tax rate in British Labour Wales is higher than the highest in SNP Scotland