Tag: uk-politics

8 Comments

Scottish Labour collapsed because Anas was so unpopular not because Sir Keir was

johnrobertson834

The Guardian‘s supposed Scottish correspondents, Libby Brooks and Severin Carrell, today, repeat this myth: Starmer’s unpopularity was insurmountable for Scottish Labour – and a boon for Reform – Long before the final votes were counted in Scotland, veteran Labour politicians said it was a defeat made in Downing Street. When the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, strode into the Glasgow count arena on Friday afternoon flanked by sombre-faced activists, the scene was a mirror image to the same venue in 2024, when his resurgent party won 36 seats from the Scottish National party, playing a significant part in Keir Starmer’s landslide … Continue reading Scottish Labour collapsed because Anas was so unpopular not because Sir Keir was

3 Comments

Businessmen and wealthy donors ARE bankrolling Scottish politics but only the Unionist parties

johnrobertson834

The Ferret has been good recently. I’ve shared their latest reports but this one smells a bit, like some of their earlier ones, of Scottish Labour residual loyalty and of Unionism. They offer us this: before going on to name Robin MacGeachy: Companies he owns or co-owns handed £910,000 to the Scottish Liberal Democrats and £700,000 to Scottish Labour. This represents nearly half of all of the Lib Dems’ donations, and nearly a quarter of Labour’s. and Sandy Easdale: The Easdale brothers, who are among Scotland’s richest men, gave £150,000 to Scottish Labour via one of their firms. The bus … Continue reading Businessmen and wealthy donors ARE bankrolling Scottish politics but only the Unionist parties

3 Comments

Latest polls says immigration 2nd in concerns for UK voters but only 7th for Scots voters yet BBC Scotland keep pushing it here in a dirty tactic to help Reform UK

johnrobertson834

BBC Scotland again telling us that immigration is one of those issues that most concern voters. It’s not true. In September 2025: Immigration & asylum climbing from March to June 2025 as an issue in Scotland after a summer of media frenzy amplifying a handful of tiny peaceful protests here had pushed it into poll respondents’ minds. Less than two weeks earlier one poll by the David Hume Institute was fuelling a media frenzy suggesting Scots too were prioritising immigration as one of the top three issues concerning voters. That the issue was at only at 21% compared to 48% … Continue reading Latest polls says immigration 2nd in concerns for UK voters but only 7th for Scots voters yet BBC Scotland keep pushing it here in a dirty tactic to help Reform UK

4 Comments

‘The SNP won the 2011 Scottish election on an anti- austerity platform focused on tackling child poverty, reducing inequality, and building a more inclusive and universal approach to welfare’

johnrobertson834

By stewartb Views on the economic and social policy context that Scotland in Union experiences can pop up in unexpected places. In this example, it’s in a report from the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, University College London (UCL) on the implementation of free school meals in different countries. It’s co-authored by the Institute’s founding director, Mariana Mazzucato, professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value. The latter has a notably high reputation in the UK and internationally, including for work on various aspects of political economy and government policy development. This is the source document: Macfarlane and … Continue reading ‘The SNP won the 2011 Scottish election on an anti- austerity platform focused on tackling child poverty, reducing inequality, and building a more inclusive and universal approach to welfare’

5 Comments

‘Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets?’ Has this fragmented think tank left out the obvious factor, based on their track record in Scotland or in the other parts of the UK so far, is there much chance they will deliver anywhere near the level the SNP has achieved?

johnrobertson834

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation today asks: Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets? and opines straight-off: All parties have published their manifestos for the 7 May Holyrood elections, but they fall well short of the action needed to meet child poverty targets, leaving the next Scottish Government to match rhetoric with action. The researchers, above, base this largely on reading the manifestos and giving all the benefit of the doubt as to whether they might deliver them. This is hugely naive or predisposed to not consider what the SNP has done in Scotland with Labour in Wales and in … Continue reading ‘Will party manifestos meet Scotland’s child poverty targets?’ Has this fragmented think tank left out the obvious factor, based on their track record in Scotland or in the other parts of the UK so far, is there much chance they will deliver anywhere near the level the SNP has achieved?

1 Comment

Replacing migrant care workers with better paid locals – Scottish Labour can only offer a review that might pay more in 2028 (!) while SNP has already delivered a 7% increase now!

johnrobertson834

In the Guardian today: Britain [sic] risks undermining the care workers it depends on. A new Fair Pay Agreement [FPA] is promised, with the government overseeing pioneering sector-wide negotiations aimed at improving the lot of these undervalued workers. The deal is intended to come into force from April 2028. Yet by singling out this group for the longest wait before they belong in the UK – with high-paid workers on a faster track – the Home Office seems to be validating the deprecation of this essential work that helps explain why it’s under-rewarded in the first place. The hope is that … Continue reading Replacing migrant care workers with better paid locals – Scottish Labour can only offer a review that might pay more in 2028 (!) while SNP has already delivered a 7% increase now!

6 Comments

Lib Dems confirm that they share Scottish Labour’s values – protecting the wealthy, punishing the disabled, bombing the innocent and increasing child cancers

johnrobertson834

By Liz S “Lib Dem leader signals party could back Sarwar as first minister”. ( “could” in that sentence is quite interesting, as one wonders if currently that is only a possibility as a scenario, then what would it take to definitely make the Lib Dems to then confirm that they “would back Sarwar as First Minister”) ? The BBC wrote that “Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has signalled that his party could back Labour’s Anas Sarwar in a vote to nominate a new first minister” He also “confirmed he would not support Conservative leader Russell Findlay or Reform chief Malcolm Offord in a … Continue reading Lib Dems confirm that they share Scottish Labour’s values – protecting the wealthy, punishing the disabled, bombing the innocent and increasing child cancers

Leave a comment

In the UK today – “Things fall apart, the Centre cannot hold, mere anarchy rules”

johnrobertson834

By Alasdair Macdonald Comments. When an opinion poll near voting day for the 2014 referendum suggested YES was going to win, the unionists panicked. David Cameron flew to Scotland. Bodger Broon made his notorious speech at Community Central Halls in Maryhill to Labour Party members (naebdy else allowed in) which the the BBC broadcast live and had ‘pundits who hailed it. The Daily Ranger published the mendacious VOW. A spokesperson for MI5 was interviewed and said that at times when the integrity of the state is at risk all agencies must act to protect it. Even though Labour did not … Continue reading In the UK today – “Things fall apart, the Centre cannot hold, mere anarchy rules”

5 Comments

Lord Offord’s revelation does seem credible considering Sarwar declared in 2025 that he would be prepared to work with Reform UK on a case-by-case basis

johnrobertson834

By Liz S Anas Sarwar, last night in the CH4 leader’s debate, was exposed by Malcolm Offord of trying to concoct a plan for his Labour party & Offord’s Reform UK to work together “to remove the SNP”. (BTW Paisley Town Hall ,that was where Offord said Sarwar had “bounced up to him saying we need to work together” and was where the BBC’s Debate night did their leaders debate). Now Offord’s revelation does seem credible , especially considering Sarwar once declared in 2025 , that he would be prepared “to work with Reform UK on a case-by-case basis” . So Sarwar … Continue reading Lord Offord’s revelation does seem credible considering Sarwar declared in 2025 that he would be prepared to work with Reform UK on a case-by-case basis

Leave a comment

How I predicted Scottish Labour’s willingness to work with anyone to remove the SNP, 8 years ago

johnrobertson834

You can just see that can’t you? Anas Sarwar ‘bouncing’ up to Lord Offal with a plan to get the SNP between them. Who thought Sarwar ever had a principle beyond ‘me first?’ Anyhow, in October 2018, I sensed the fit between the right-trending Labour Party then and that other extreme-right party, the DUP, and wrote: As the Scottish Labour Party in Scotland loses support to the Scottish Tories and to the SNP, attracted by unionist loyalty on the one wing and ‘The Real McKay’ progressive taxation on the other, its leader plans to abandon progressive politics to the SNP … Continue reading How I predicted Scottish Labour’s willingness to work with anyone to remove the SNP, 8 years ago