By Brenda Steele: Up on the BBC website.  Unfortunately, there are no details. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-54083725 UK PM sets out ‘moonshot’ plan for mass testing. PM also outlined a “moonshot” plan to control the virus with mass testing There is a little bit more here. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-testing-operation-moonshot-boris-johnson-covid-19-chris-whitty-b421394.html The government plans an ambitious mass testing programme, codenamed Operation Moonshot, which aims to conduct up to 10 million Covid-19 tests a day by early 2021. But scientists and health professionals, including the government’s own chief scientific adviser, have raised doubts that the programme would work. The transport secretary admitted on Thursday the technology for the … Continue reading Operation Moonshine! Oh sorry, Moonshot

That magpie in the wee stone house, Clachangowk, was responding to my rebuttal of Common Weal‘s claim that, on virus control, Scotland was ‘falling behind.’ As often before, a Common Weal claim was ill-founded. The report is here: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/09/09/common-weal-suggests-scotland-is-falling-behind/ I know that Common Weal does produce some good stuff but they often seem more concerned with tribal attacks on the left-of-centre SNP, like a Monty Python Palestinian group, rather than get on with undermining those on the right: Links at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=Common Continue reading Retrospective: ‘Commonweal will always look to where they can find fault with the SNP’

The report of Professor Bauld ‘warning‘ a Holyrood committee of ‘social unrest’ as some tire of the lockdowns, has been jumped on and is now everywhere. No doubt, Prof Bauld’s words will have been simplified and magnified for maximum shock effect by our trusty wee churnalists. They’ve done worse. I’m guessing that the research by Roberto Censolo and Massimo Morelli: ‘COVID-19 and the Potential Consequences for Social Stability’ in Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy, published on 26th August 2020, is the source. Here’s an extract to give the flavour of their findings: With the COVID-19 crisis, protest movements seem … Continue reading There will be no riots here!

Only three years ago, we could read: Scottish Tory sources say Davidson will use her authority by asking all 13 MPs, including the Scottish secretary, David Mundell, to “champion the Scottish national interest” both at Westminster and inside the government. That includes fighting for greater Scottish powers and spending on fisheries and agriculture during and after the Brexit negotiations, to reinforce Holyrood’s existing powers in both areas under devolution. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/11/scottish-tories-expected-vote-bloc-protect-scotlands-interests Now as the Johnson regime’s Internal Market Bill attempts to undermine the very foundations of devolution, a Welsh MS has resigned from his party’s front bench. Meanwhile, in Scotland’s Tory … Continue reading Courage of Welsh Tory inspires Scottish Tories to run off and hide

In response to my complaint above about: Catriona Renton claims: ‘Scotland will be more dependent than ever on fossil fuels, largely imported gas.’ BBC Scotland replied: In her balanced report, Catriona Renton included a clip from the company which runs Hunterston and also quoted the union side from the GMB. That was their point of view and her job was to ensure that it was put forward as an antithesis to whatever the employers were saying – common practice in a story such as this. Incidentally, the company indicated that the union’s view was widely held by the employees and that … Continue reading What’s the point?

Only ten days after thoroughly grilling Douglas Ross when he cunningly exploited the words of a National Farmer’s Union representative, to attempt to conceal the very real fact that he had voted against a parliamentary amendment designed to protect food standards in imports to the UK, BBC Scotland’s Gary Robertson has had a wee go at Liam Kerr. On the matter of the UK Government’s apparent readiness to breach international law, announced yesterday, Robertson asked: Is that a bill you can support? Kerr attempted to wriggle out of answering on the grounds that it was somehow not within the competence of the … Continue reading Gary Robertson does it again

I missed this huge news on the day, 4th September, no wonder, because it got little attention. BBC Scotland, the Herald and the Scotsman could find no space for it nor, as far as I can see, did the National. Several business and energy specialist sites covered it as did the Evening Express and the STV website. Here’s what Energy Live had to say: The Scottish Government has announced funding worth £1.6 billion to directly support up to 5,000 jobs and tackle fuel poverty. It is part of the government’s enhanced Green New Deal, which aims to transform the energy efficiency … Continue reading Scottish Government announces £1.6 BILLION investment for jobs and fuel poverty, to media silence

According to Common Weal, in the Herald today, the Scottish test and protect system is too centralised. Isn’t it based on existing local authority infection control teams which are currently contacting 99% of those identified as potentially infected? Just who are we falling behind on this? It can’t be those English regions lucky to contact more than 50% or even the national utterly centralised and privatised system which has set itself the target of only 80%. As for the level of testing, which country is Scotland falling behind? With England now concealing its level of testing, who knows how many … Continue reading Common Weal suggests Scotland is ‘falling behind’

The First Minister did say yesterday: And it is worth me stressing today that we have positive cases reported today in every mainland health board area. Once again, let’s not panic. Argyll, Moray and West Lothian councils (parts of mainland board areas) had no cases, 7 councils had only 1 and only Glasgow, Edinburgh and the two Lanarkshires had double figures. We do need to do something about community spread in some housing areas but most are doing really well. Only Glasgow has areas among the 20 most infected in the UK. Continue reading Keeping things in proportion

BBC Scotland ‘has learned’ how bad things are in Glasgow by just searching the web In Bolton, the Tusker has learned that there were 126.9 new cases per 100 000 people in the last week. Others – Birmingham (69.9), Bradford (73.4), Carphilly (84.5). England overall – not published in the interests of Johnson regime but UK – 36 https://www.travellingtabby.com/uk-coronavirus-tracker/ 7 day average death rate: Scotland 0.7 England – not published in the interests of Johnson regime but UK – 11.7. Continue reading Coronavirus Update: Bolton’s infection rate nearly three times that of Glasgow