Tag: wales

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Edinburgh Labour minority Lib Dem-assisted government repeats handing back housing money to government and failing constituents

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From BBC Scotland on 19 December 2024, the above and: Labour has retained control of City of Edinburgh Council under a minority administration propped up by Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Jane Meagher has been appointed as the council’s new leader. Former leader Cammy Day resigned over claims he sent sexually explicit messages to Ukrainian refugees. SNP and Green councillors had launched an attempt to take over running the council but their bid was voted down by 32 votes to 28. Labour only has 10 of the 63 councillors that make up the city’s administration. Councillor Meagher, who represents the Portobello … Continue reading Edinburgh Labour minority Lib Dem-assisted government repeats handing back housing money to government and failing constituents

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Labour Wales councils in debt at FIVE times the level in Scotland for worse services

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By stewartb If Scotland was an independent nation-state I would think it perfectly reasonable – indeed necessary – to hold its parties and system of government to account in part through making public policy (input, process, output and outcome) comparisons with other broadly similar nation-states. However, so long as Scotland remains in Union, it is wholly appropriate – indeed necessary – to make such comparisons with other parts of the UK. It’s relevant to draw comparisons with those parts whose responsible national government has limited (devolved) powers. However, it is ESPECIALLY ‘interesting’ and relevant to compare Scotland (and NI and … Continue reading Labour Wales councils in debt at FIVE times the level in Scotland for worse services

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Rape!!! Glasgow Herald works only to scare women with irresponsible, uninformative reporting – Reported rape and attempted rape is a staggering twice as common in England & Wales than it is in Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Herald, this morning, the above. Two things. One, can it be called just ‘rape’, at this stage unless of course your aim is only to shock as opposed to inform. Second, would a bit of context be useful for readers? This kind of thing? On 25 June 2025, I wrote: The media in Scotland are headlining the increase in recorded cases of rape and attempted rape in Scotland. Though the increase may in part be a consequence of a greater confidence by victims to come forward and report these crimes, the figures remain disturbing. … Continue reading Rape!!! Glasgow Herald works only to scare women with irresponsible, uninformative reporting – Reported rape and attempted rape is a staggering twice as common in England & Wales than it is in Scotland

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How Labour has betrayed the people of Wales with an NHS ‘brought to its knees’

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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 By stewartb As Scotland’s shoppers (and voters) view the front pages of newspapers without having to buy them whilst in supermarket queues and elsewhere (perhaps via the BBC), the messaging that NHS Scotland is ‘really bad’ and it’s that SNP’s fault, is fed drip by drip by drip – constantly, repeatedly – into the nation’s and the electorate’s consciousness. After all, according to BMA Scotland … Continue reading How Labour has betrayed the people of Wales with an NHS ‘brought to its knees’

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As British Labour Party politicians persist in gaslighting Scotland, is Labour’s disturbing legacy of 26 years of devolved government in Wales fair game for examination?

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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 By stewartb “To put it bluntly, educational outcomes are a source of major concern in Wales” (Education Policy Institute, July 2025). When the BBC News website published an article headlined ‘Pass rates up for Scottish pupils in latest exam results’ on August 5, it reported (but did not headline) that there had been a reduction in the attainment gap: ‘The SQA said the attainment gap – between the level of qualifications achieved by children from the most affluent and the least affluent areas – … Continue reading As British Labour Party politicians persist in gaslighting Scotland, is Labour’s disturbing legacy of 26 years of devolved government in Wales fair game for examination?

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Which Scottish public service has the highest customer service rating? I’ll give you a clue – it has red and black funnels

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Professor John Robertson OBA We’ve seen a steady stream of politicised propaganda based on CalMac for a few years now and as recently as the above Scotsman headline only 5 days ago, suggesting some kind of crisis in Scotland’s west coast ferry system. You’d think, given its frequency and intensity, it must be real and that, because of that, ferry-users would be making their views clear, on the day they were in some way disappointed, through the company’s own evaluation easily accessible to them. They have made their views clear, but not in the way media critics might have hoped … Continue reading Which Scottish public service has the highest customer service rating? I’ll give you a clue – it has red and black funnels

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300 more police officers in Scotland since last Labour government despite massive fall in crime and far better staffing ratio than in other parts of the UK

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: July 2025 published today, some key points getting no media attention: There were 16,553 full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers in Scotland on 31 March 2025. This was 319 (+2.0%) more officers compared to the position on 31 March 2007, and 197 (+1.2%) more than on 31 March 2024. https://www.gov.scot/publications/safer-communities-and-justice-statistics-monthly-data-report-july-2025/pages/statistics-on-policing/ How much has crime fallen in Scotland. From a Grok AI question: Since 2007, crime in Scotland has significantly decreased, with various sources indicating a substantial decline in overall recorded crime and specific crime categories. According to the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey … Continue reading 300 more police officers in Scotland since last Labour government despite massive fall in crime and far better staffing ratio than in other parts of the UK

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Labour in Cardiff does NOT have the solution to long A&E waiting times even after 26 years

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By stewartb On the theme of the British Labour Party’s track record in government with devolved powers. NHS Wales’ performance shows that Labour governing with devolved powers – even after c. 12 months with Labour in power in Westminster and c.26 years in power in Cardiff – does NOT have the solution to long A&E waiting times. As we approach the election to the Holyrood parliament in 2026, voters in Scotland should take careful note – unless of course the leadership of the British Labour Party in Scotland is keeping a game changing wheeze for the salvation of Scotland EDs … Continue reading Labour in Cardiff does NOT have the solution to long A&E waiting times even after 26 years

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What’s the legacy of the British Labour Party after 27 continuous years governing in Cardiff? Think about it before voting Labour in Scotland in 2026!

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By stewartb – a long read British Labour Party MSPs and MPs are ramping up the negative rhetoric about Scotland in advance of the 2026 Holyrood election. And the mainstream media for the most part are playing their part in communicating Labour’s campaign messages – with little challenge, without context, without perspective, and without cross-UK comparative analysis. Moreover, British Labour Party MPs, elected to represent Scottish constituencies, have been standing up every week at PMQs to put a ‘question’ designed ONLY to denigrate the Scottish Government and Scotland’s (devolved) public services. All to entertain their colleagues from English constituencies and … Continue reading What’s the legacy of the British Labour Party after 27 continuous years governing in Cardiff? Think about it before voting Labour in Scotland in 2026!

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The impact of spending decisions by the British Labour Party government in Westminster on the so called Block Grants to the governments in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh

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By stewartb Cut to funding for nurse training in England – what impact on Westminster’s spend for England on health, or will the ‘saving’ be from the Department of Education’s budget? Is this leading to a reduction in overall departmental spend or more likely, a more limited increase in departmental spend overall than England’s services (and devolved equivalents in NI, Scotland and Wales) need? What impact of this – and the cumulative impact of multiple other – spending decision by the British Labour Party government in Westminster on the so called Block Grants to the governments in Belfast, Cardiff and … Continue reading The impact of spending decisions by the British Labour Party government in Westminster on the so called Block Grants to the governments in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh