Headlining on BBC Scotland today:
The head of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) has apologised to the thousands of victims in Scotland who were infected by HIV or Hepatitis C through NHS blood products.
Though apologising, he claims, astonishingly:
In Scotland, the vast majority of infections came from Scottish blood donations. In the 1970s and 80s, the country was largely self-sufficient in blood products.
In addition to having adequate local donations for the populations needs, the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh had the capacity to process blood plasma to manufacture treatments for haemophilia or certain forms of immune deficiencies. Unlike other parts of the UK, there was no need to rely on commercial products from America.
Well, no doubt, ‘vast majority’, ‘largely self-sufficient’, ‘no need to rely on’, but ‘some’ in Scotland did receive blood from infected Arkansas prisoners.
Only ‘some’ died but that was around 300.
Missing, of course, are the facts about which government decided the above could happen.
It was the Jim Callaghan Labour Government in 1976 which signed the deal, to cut costs, and against expert advice. It was then successive Conservative governments which kept it going despite repeated expert warnings.
Who let it happen in not-yet-devolved Scotland?
It was the Labour Secretary of State for Scotland, Willie Ross, who saw the papers including the warnings, in Cabinet.
For more detail, see these:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Perhaps they should go over to the National for a shining example of negativity and playing the Blame Game.
Reading an article on John Swinney is to “declare Scottish Government is ‘firmly pro-business'” I found this little gem:
“It is an attempt to bring businesses back on side after the lengthy administration of his predecessor but [sic] one Nicola Sturgeon, who alienated many businesses with lengthy Covid lockdowns and policies such as the deposit return scheme.“
D**n the woman, trying to save lives and even the planet when businesses wanted to make a profit.
Let me make clear that I really do sympathise with the very real struggle that small businesses had and the many that have since gone out of business – and still are. Although I can’t see the problem with the deposit return scheme.
Mind you, I’m old enough to remember when milk and quart bottles of juice were delivered to the door in bottles (and the empties taken away) and when a good source of pocket money was returning other bottles to the local shop. So I’m not sure who was alienated by that one…
I’m not trying to make out she’s a saint and didn’t make mistakes. Neither is she. So there doesn’t seem to be any need for this sentence to be slipped into this article, when it’s not the BBC.
Presumably One Hamish Morrison is not a fan.
Of course, being anti-NS isn’t necessarily being anti-indy. But perhaps it’s time that journalists were obliged to declare their political (and indeed ‘commercial’ and personal) affiliations, whatever they are. Why don’t ScotGov legisl… Oops. Sorry. Forget I asked
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BTW, apologies for going O/T
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The National is a Trojan horse, and anti SNP, and it’s getting worse.
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Glad I’ve cancelled my subscription then!
It went further downhill after that plea they put in for journalists a while back.
Did they get any?
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the very thin veneer wore away quite a while ago.
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O/T ain’t no thing man.
Yes, I’m watching the Wire again.
You feel me?
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Erm…
(Never watched The Wire)
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DID SARAH AN KEZZA DUGDA
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Be in no doubt Labour are an enemy of Scotland, an English outfit operating in Scotland. They would punish Scotland big time if, heaven forbid, if they ever get near power at Holyrood or win seats at Westminster.
It’s clear in this article that they did not give two hoots for Scotland’s people, and they still don’t.
Sleekit English Labour’s legacy in Scotland is atrocious. No thanks.
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O/T I don’t watch BBC Question Time anymore. I do occasionally watch clips posted on social media when there is something specifically about Scotland – usually regretting my decision!
Just watched a clip of Stephen Flynn on the latest episode striving hard to communicate facts and provide perspective in a discussion about the NHS in Scotland. Multiple individuals sitting at the ‘top table’ were intent on rubbishing his claims and I lost count of the number of times he was interrupted. Can’t permit a BBC audience to hear a coherent, reasoned rebuttal from an SNP MP!
My wider point concerns the power and influence of ‘facts’ – or indeed their lack of impact. How many of Mr Flynn’s opponents on the panel and in the audience will have actually examined the comparative waiting times statistics for the NHS in England, NI, Scotland and Wales? I suspect precious few Unionists. They will have been exposed repeatedly to the negative framing of NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government. How many of those questioning the veracity of Mr Flynn’s statements will take the time and trouble to factcheck them? Any?
Indeed, do ‘facts’ actually change political opinion? Changing the ‘frame’ of debate and being able to repeat time and again a changed message, including ‘facts’, may change views but it is very hard to do. It’s especially hard when faced with multiple opponents aligned with the combined resources of the BBC and mainstream media all intent in sustaining the status quo in terms of the tenor of discussions.
It’s very hard for SNP politicians to get off the back foot on programmes like QT..
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Absolutely.
Any person on such “talking shops” should just provide a link to this site. 🙂 😉
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Attn John Robertson-Heads Up Warning. I’ve just shared this article using two Facebook profiles. Both times my shared post was removed. If I understand their rules correctly the I think this may have something to do with the blog section of your post. Facebook say that they don’t allow copying of comments and other statements which amounts to repetition.
Not absolutely sure but that’s the best I can do to make sense of Facebook’s actions. Thought it best that you and other users were made aware.
Iain J
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