Talking-up Scotland

Laughable – the Scotsman’s ‘top economist’ casting doubt on the SNP budget is not even vaguely one of those Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. In the Scotsman, 4 days ago, and influencing other reports in Scotland’s media: SNP budget ‘looks increasingly detached from reality…

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Referral for terror concerns of 11 to 15 year-olds SIX times more common in England & Wales than in Scotland Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. From 25-3990 – Prevent Data – age breakdown of under 15s + referral reason – 2016/17 TD, published yesterday: There were 33, 2…

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Former Welsh surgeon says A&E in North Wales worse than in ‘poorer countries’ but BBC Wales News editor disappears him promptly Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. ‘Poorer countries?’ Does he mean just East European ones, South American, African? The above shocking story, headlining on the BBC W…

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Calmac Chief on Scotland’s 95% plus ferries – The facts that Scotland’s news media are shockingly and deliberately hiding from you, for political purposes – please share widely Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. Thanks to Dave Lodge for sharing this with me. From CEO CalMac, Diane Burke, to all staff, in recent days: and: Note that all of this has been s…

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BBC Complaints struggling after one month to explain why they lied about QEUH water supply infections Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. On January 19th 2026, I sent this complaint to the BBC regarding their coverage of the QEUH water supply infections: Ten days later, they apolog…

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Drug-related hospital stay rates in Scotland plummet by half as SNP’s unique, World-first, opioid overdose reversal kit programme gets on top of the plague after 8 years Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. From Drug-related hospital statistics Scotland 2024 to 2025, published today the above graph and: There were 10,185 drug-related hospital stays …

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Some supporters are having trouble with the Crowdfunder app. It's still open but you can also do a direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON
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A Hymn to Life by Gisèle Pelicot review – a unique memoir by a figure of astonishing power Pelicot’s riveting account of her ordeal refuses to conform to any agenda but her own

www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...

Another sign that the Western Isles needs modern coherent party-based governance? Righteousness exalteth a nation not working out? in their council tax bills of 9.5%. That means an annual bill for an average home going up to £1 519. The local council says it’s got a budget gap of £4.5 million and the council tax increase…

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Dog attacks on farm animals in Scotland plummet 28% to only half, per head, of those increasing across ‘UK’ but NFU Mutual misreads simple sums to say they’re ‘alarming’ here in dog attacks last year. NFU Mutual is urging dog owners to be responsible ahead of lambing season. The rural insurer says attacks are down 28% compared to 2024, but farmers are asking owners to s…

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Last week Scottish Government committed firmly to free higher education tuition, was ignored by ALL news media, but this week BBC Scotland prefers to tell you about London-based thinktank’s doubts Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. BBC Scotland today with London-based Institute [just a bunch of lads really] for Fiscal Studies doubting whether Scotland can continue to afford…

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UK unemployment 40% higher, youth unemployment 40% higher than in Scotland, BBC Scotland ‘disappear’ the good news again Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. BBC Breakfast this morning with an extended piece on unemployment not being mirrored by BBC Scotland. The unemployment rate in Scotland at the e…

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This is a major historical event that will be watched, studied, written and talked about in the decades, perhaps centuries ahead. Gisele Pelicot will be remembered for her courage and wisdom by millions, both women and men.

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Official figures even in mid-winter reveal CalMac’s high performance standards, passenger satisfaction and the Scottish Government’s incredible generosity to island and tourist car-users The MV Glenn Sannox Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. From CHFS3 Monthly Performance Report December 2025 published on 4th February 2025, for the winter month of December 2025, t…

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Nurses in Starmer and Streeting’s NHS England to get 14% lower pay rise ‘on top of’ already lower salaries Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. From Nursing Standard on 12 February 2026: NHS nursing staff to get 3.3% pay rise in April – Nursing staff on Agenda for Change contracts …

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As Covid Inquiry reconvenes – How and why Scotland had fewer Covid deaths than England – short video Starting off glaikit-looking can only improve? Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. Evidence here: Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above.

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Nicola Sturgeon on both votes SNP
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Enfield Measles Outbreak – Is it insensitive to want border control for Scotland when ‘UK’ and Spain lose WHO status as being measles-free after rise in deaths and fall in jab uptake? Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. From BBC Breakfast above and BBC London yesterday: At least 34 children have been infected by a “fast-spreading” measles outbreak in…

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As Herald today misleads with unreliable methods on ‘corridor care’ figures, reliable transparent A&E figures suggest it is reducing Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. This is the second attempt by the Herald, based on unreliable statistical methods by the Daily Record (No surprise there) to misrepresent the le…

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As Covid Inquiry reconvenes today, a reminder of how FM, Nicola Sturgeon, and the Scottish Government kept excess mortality here at one third lower than the UK average, saving thousands, despite the d... Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. I’m grateful to @amaccj for reminding me of this and for the link to the source. When the final assessment is made, we need to set the…

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YouTube video by John Robertson Anas tried to be a real big tough guy - Hard Rock version

Hard rock version - www.youtube.com/watch?v=89OU...

YouTube video by John Robertson Anas tried to be a real big tough guy - punk version

Punk version - www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lAc...

Youtube version in this.

Anas tried to be a real big tough guy – a folk rock song on lament (not) of Labour Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. Youtube version – Lyrics: Anas tried to be a real big tough guy But London Labour gives no more For him than they do for any of us He’s ba…

talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/02/15/a...

Well, it’s goodbye to Labour now
Well, it’s goodbye to Labour now
They’ve sold their soul to London
Now they’re no bloody use to us

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A stirring folk rock version song - click on the blue link to hear it.

The number of women murder victims has fallen dramatically, almost by half, over the SNP period and to 15 last year, but the Sunday Post finds 200 for its front page to help England keep its myth goin... Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. In 2007/2008, in the the first year of the SNP minority government in Scotland, there were 28 women victims of murder.1 Last year, there were 15…

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‘Major leak at Highland nuclear site triggers hunt for mystery bunkers’ reminds us that spikes in childhood leukaemia, breast cancer, thyroid cancer and all cancers around nuclear facilities have been... Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. The National’s report today with the above headline, reminds me. Of what? Increased child leukaemia Increased breast cancer Increased thyr…

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‘Major leak at Highland nuclear site triggers hunt for mystery bunkers’ is just latest in years of reported leaks at Dounreay Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. The National today has as story titled “Major leak at Highland nuclear site triggers hunt for mystery bunkers” (with the subtitle or…

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30 000 views last week!

Murder by stabbing in Scotland has fallen in a steady trend to half of the level of 6 years ago but the Herald seeks to scare you Please Support Talking-up Scotland at: on the above. I am not, in any way, disputing the case for police officers confronted with a knife-wielding attacker to be able to protect themselves fully an…

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