I was puzzled by Leitch’s quick and forthright comments for Radio Scotland, on the report that PPE is not being provided to Scottish care homes, as ‘rubbish.’
He claimed to have looked into it before declaring it to be ‘rubbish’ yet within hours, the Times had published evidence that it was not so, Jeane Freeman had warned Matt Hancock chasing him into hiding and his boss the First Minister was now taking the claims seriously.
I didn’t know he was a CBE as he doesn’t seem to use the title but it doesn’t sit well with working for a Government run by a party opposed to such awards. Put that with the speed of his response and the choice of language, and alarm bells ring.
This is what often happens when once-radical parties come to power. They attract the kind of people who enjoy power for its own sake [Evans, Calderwood] and who are prepared to forget their former beliefs, in order to get it. Sometimes, however, the fragile nature of their temporary loyalty to their employers is revealed.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
The SNP needs a clear out of such “temporary” types. These types will do and say anything – even if it hurts Scotland.
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Like Dr Calderwood, Professor Leitch is a member of the permanent civil service and NOT a member of the elected Scottish Government. He is not a political appointment and is fre to accept a ‘gong’ if he wishes.
It is unfortunate that the Term ‘Scottish Government’ is used for both the elected government and for the Civil Service machinery which supports elected Governments and carries out its decisions.
When devolution was established the elected body was called the Scottish Executive and the civil service was ‘The Scottish Office’. In 2007, the incoming SNP Executive changed the name to Government (for reasons I support), but gradually the ‘Scottish Office’ morphed into Scottish Government, too, because ‘Scottish Office’ was the nomenclature for the Westminster Department run by The Secretary of State for Scotland.
At UK level, the distinction is made clear with the Westminster/Whitehall terminology. Perhaps we need something similar like Holyrood/ St Andrew’s House or Victoria Quay.
The unionist media, of course, like this same name bit because it means they can blacken the elected government if the civil service make a cock-up.
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The conspiracy which sought to jail an innocent Alex Salmond was cooked up by individuals at the very top of both the SNP and the permanent civil service elements of the Scottish Government. Which kind of knocks into a cocked hat the naïve idea that the two can’t or don’t collude when it suits them. An equally vital cause for alarm is that so many of Scotland’s public institutions are permeated at the very highest levels of control and decision making by individuals fully in sympathy with the Unionist cause to bind Scotland to an English government and parliament at Westminster. If we hope to see Indy in our lifetimes then we need an urgent clear out of elements both at the top of the SNP ScotGov and of Scotland’s civil service and government agencies. Compared with these issues, an inadvertent conflation of Leitch OBE’s role and the SNP ScotGov is pretty much small potatoes.
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Come on John! If we add the acceptance of a CBE or similar ‘gong’ to whatever adverse criticism may (or may not!) be due to a Civil Servant in Scotland then we’ll quickly run out of senior officials to help run the Scottish Government – at least while we’re still part of the Union.
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I’m implacable! No gongs! We can easily find competent folk without them.
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Gongs dont make the Man/Woman it gives them a inflated sense of self .
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Dr Leitch is a dentist.
His professorship is an honorary one from the University of Dundee.
His mask slipped some time ago as anyone would know who listened carefully to what he was saying eg safe to go to large gatherings!!! Really?
I do not think the SG has been paying him as much attention as the BBC does. Too slavish a follower of the Westminster line.
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What might explain the reluctance of the Scottish government to follow good science rather than bad?
Here is what professor Allysson pollock has tweeted
“third week of asking SG to rebuild local public health capacity and local action plans for contact tracing in health boards/las
@NicolaSturgeon
why is your scientific advisory committee not pushing this. Every outbreak must be traced and managed locally : Orkney is not Glasgow.”
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Jason Leitch’ closing schools is not inevitable ‘ …. schools closed 4 days later.
Jason Leitch ‘ no evidence large gatherings spread covid 19’….24hrs later large gatherings were banned
Jason Leitch ‘ for the few cases of covid 19 Scotland has doesn’t justify a shutdown’….4 days later a shutdown was announced
Jason Leitch (when describing over 70’s activity)… ‘no need to go to the bingo or social club’s!
Jason Leitch when referring to Tom Hanks having Covid 19 on GMS …’I heard Woody had it too’.
Jason Leitch when asked if he preferred herd immunity strategy…’I wouldn’t use these words, but yes’.
Jason Leitch is a wreckless arrogant idiot trying to create a media presence for himself and is 100% at odds with SG approach. He not only contradicts the message from SG, but also himself. He should shut the fuck up or sit the fuck down, London will come calling soon enough and he will be rewarded for his absurd contribution to assisting the UK in their stealth herd immunity strategy.
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Uncle Tom Leitch
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Channel 4 News about 15mins in policy document from Department of Health & Social Care : Public Health England.
“Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home”.
1. Admission of Residents
“As part of the National effort the care sector also plays a vital role in accepting patients as they are discharged from hospital . . . . Some of these patients may have COVID-19 whether symptomatic or asymptomati. All of these patients can be safely cared for in a care home if this guidance is followed “ The guidance calls for adequate Testing and PPE .
Annex D: Receiving Residents being discharged from hospitals
“Hospitals around the country need as many beds as possible to treat an increasing number of COVID-19 cases. This means the NHS will seek to discharge more patients into care homes for the recovery period.
“
The report ended with Care Homes around England going to refuse to accept Patients from Hospitals
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re- NHS England discharges: how does it compare with this?
https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/04/08/scotsman-blames-nhs-for-keeping-vulnerable-elderly-in-hospitals-and-hogging-beds-not-needed-for-coronavirus-patients-as-pandemic-spreads-in-their-communities/
The media coverage is getting me confused!
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