Tag: writing

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Aging NHS workforce? Retirement ‘crisis?’ Just as well we train so many more nurses and doctors than England can?

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Crowdfunder – https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-goingBank transfer – JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account 12266421 The Herald, you have to feel for the wee souls, dragging up another scare story from the sump of their files. The Guardian in January 2026 had: Helen Lambert borrowed £57,000 to go to university and began repaying her student loan in 2021 after starting work as an NHS nurse. Since then she has repaid more than £5,000, typically having about £145 a month taken from her pay packet. But everything she hands over is dwarfed by the £400-plus of interest that is added to her debt every … Continue reading Aging NHS workforce? Retirement ‘crisis?’ Just as well we train so many more nurses and doctors than England can?

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Next time you’re told the Scottish Government is failing to replace inflammable cladding here’s the evidence, six times for emphasis, why it’s not necessary in Scotland

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In the National today, the above, and a report based entirely on events in England with no mention of the somewhat obvious fact that there have never been towering infernos in Scotland despite 6 tower-block fires in the years since Grenfell. What might they have mentioned? This kind of thing: In the Herald 28 April 2026, Martin Williams has: 10 buildings in Scotland have had emergency safety measures put in place after being judged an “immediate risk to human life” — yet not a single block has been declared fully repaired under the national cladding programme, nearly nine years after … Continue reading Next time you’re told the Scottish Government is failing to replace inflammable cladding here’s the evidence, six times for emphasis, why it’s not necessary in Scotland

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He says the triple lock on the state pension will go by 2030, ‘to help pay for a new national care service FOR ENGLAND.’ Will you support that, Scottish pensioners? ‘Barnett! Do you trust that?

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On Newsnight, last night, the above was clear with the implication that Scottish pensioners will be impoverished to pay a new national care service in England. Before the crowdfunder finishes tomorrow, 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 Scotland got a mention only when Andy Crap, Prime Minister, had a wee moment telling us about John Swinney’s prediction that Andy would be the last UK PM on the very same day, THE SAME DAY, that Andy’s dad died. How could he? Does the man … Continue reading He says the triple lock on the state pension will go by 2030, ‘to help pay for a new national care service FOR ENGLAND.’ Will you support that, Scottish pensioners? ‘Barnett! Do you trust that?

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As Police Scotland send officers to help in Northern Ireland for the third time, how the Scottish Government has made them ‘formidable’ and the only UK force able to help with such ‘uncommon’ demands

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In the National two days ago, the above and: This is the third time in recent history. 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 BBC UK July 2026: Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke praised officers for their “immense bravery and personal sacrifice” while protecting the public. But he warned it was “clear” that police had missed opportunities to prepare for widespread disorder, and that earlier incidents involving “extreme nationalist sentiment” had been underestimated. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvn0dnnyj3o From BBC Scotland … Continue reading As Police Scotland send officers to help in Northern Ireland for the third time, how the Scottish Government has made them ‘formidable’ and the only UK force able to help with such ‘uncommon’ demands

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Headlining a single but common rural care home placing to platform local Tory MSP and the untrustworthy Lisa Summers

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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 BBC Scotland today, milking another single medical case in an effort to undermine the reputation of the SNP in government: The family of a man stuck in hospital for 16 months have been told he could be placed in a care home 100 miles away. John Russell, from Oban, was admitted to the town’s Lorn & Islands Hospital last year after he suffered a stroke. His wife Teresa, 79, said she was … Continue reading Headlining a single but common rural care home placing to platform local Tory MSP and the untrustworthy Lisa Summers

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Horrific, unregulated, and very profitable. England’s care system based on unregulated companies making cash stopped in Scotland because of Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘promise’ in 2016

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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 Before anyone accuses me of being duped, read my trenchant criticism of Nicola Sturgeon’s apparent views on Hilary Clinton and US foreign policy at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/04/sturgeon-and-clinton-does-being-a-woman-any-woman-trump-sic-her-war-crimes-her-murder-and-betrayal-of-the-poor/ That matters to me, a lot, but nothing can deny her massive achievements on the home front. In the Guardian 5 June 2026, from George Monbiot, quite an heroic figure for me and often well-tuned into to Scottish affairs: Bring your suitcase, your bin liner, your dumpy … Continue reading Horrific, unregulated, and very profitable. England’s care system based on unregulated companies making cash stopped in Scotland because of Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘promise’ in 2016

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BBC Scotland hiding Alex Cole Hamilton’s misogyny again?

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Alex, that lovely guy? Surely not but then…. 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 By Liz S You write in the context of your article of ambulance waiting time that “BBC Scotland has since managed to get them removed.” Well I’ll tell you something else about the BBC in respect to Scotland, namely about Scottish politics, that as news today, is not on their website, BBC Scotland or BBC Scotland Politics, as of 3pm today. And … Continue reading BBC Scotland hiding Alex Cole Hamilton’s misogyny again?

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Violence against women and girls in Scotland – a fraction of the cases but several times the media interest to keep us down

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women and girls launches today…On average, more than 200 reports of violent crimes against women and girls are made here every day. The above BBC Scotland story is an insert in their repeated short BBC Breakfast reports which, as often happens is unique to the Reporting Scotland Down team and does not feature in their fuller online reports. 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 The ‘more than 200 reports every day‘, implies around 7 300 per … Continue reading Violence against women and girls in Scotland – a fraction of the cases but several times the media interest to keep us down

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Huge surge in child exploitation – carrying drugs in body cavities and sexual abuse – by English county lines drug gangs in Scotland

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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 Human Trafficking NRM referrals re county lines – 10yrs published by Police Scotland today, that ‘referrals made by Police Scotland to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) where county lines and suspected criminal exploitation was a factor‘ was: Under 16 year-olds – from 6 in 2020/2021 to 39 in 2025/2026, almost a seven-fold increase. 16-17 year-olds, from 16 to 65, a four-fold increase. Source: https://www.scotland.police.uk/access-to-information/freedom-of-information/disclosure-log/disclosure-log-2026/june/26-1022-human-trafficking-nrm-referrals-re-county-lines-10yrs/ What forms does that exploitation … Continue reading Huge surge in child exploitation – carrying drugs in body cavities and sexual abuse – by English county lines drug gangs in Scotland

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Scotland has ring-fenced convicted sex offenders from emergency early release

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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 From the Guardian today, the above and: More sexual predators in England and Wales could be freed instead of jailed because of the pressure on courts and prisons, police sources have told the Guardian. The warning comes after the Metropolitan police commissioner, Mark Rowley, on Thursday condemned the release on bail of a man after he admitted taking pictures of children and women, and then using AI to sexualise them. Zafer Dogan was bailed to his flat overlooking a children’s playground, from which he committed some of the offences … Continue reading Scotland has ring-fenced convicted sex offenders from emergency early release