This Freedom of Information request from the recurring and mysterious Manfred Stobartson, is of interest to us. He wrote: Dear Scottish Government, In the last 52 weeks:1 in every 87 of Scotland’s population died,but only1 in 89 of Wales1 in 102 of England1 in 113 of N Ireland Is there a ‘Scottish Gov’ version’ of the above statistics that might make them look less horrific? What actions are intended to be put in place to address this issue? What is the main reasons [sic] for such a far higher death rate in Scotland? https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/deaths_in_scotland_last_52_weeks?nocache=incoming-1610816#incoming-1610816 The Scottish Government replied today and … Continue reading Not the most successful union the world has ever known? Mysterious researcher exposes the dark legacy of Scotland in union with the Empire

I’d forgotten about this when I wrote the earlier post on chronic pain sufferers but it’s worth a free-standing post to consider, though your gorge may rise, Fiona Stalker’s failed ‘stalk’ or should that be ‘ambulance chase?’ Stalker tweeted the above sneaky wee call for evidence, three weeks ago, then all went quiet. Serves her right, I thought, but no, she got two, including one well-known (Hughes) to Labour’s Monica Lennon, through her long-term presence in Holyrood committees. So, armed with the ‘evidence’, Stalker wrote this: The report is of course missing a few things, like contextual evidence to inform … Continue reading Reporting Scotland’s unethical stalking expedition for the scent of chronic pain sufferers going south finds only TWO!

Today, three out of five headline stories are about the the public inquiry into new Scottish hospitals in Glasgow and Edinburgh. In one case, the most photographed mother and child tragedy image ever, appears again to make the puzzling case that a forthcoming inquiry, regardless of the facts, must come up with the finding that suits the ‘truth’ acceptable to the parents and to the opposition politician, sponsoring their protest against the health board’s expert report. As Scotland’s remarkable success in suppressing the coronavirus outbreak continues and as England slides into despair, BBC Scotland gives that little attention and no … Continue reading BBC Scotland’s proxy war ramps up

From BBC Scotland in their long-running series ‘Scottish Labour says one or two cases is enough to damn NHS Scotland‘, we hear, today, of two patients with chronic pain who have felt the needed to travel to private pain clinics in England during the lock-down. There are roughly 1 million sufferers of chronic pain in Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/policies/illnesses-and-long-term-conditions/chronic-pain/#:~:text=Chronic%20pain%20affects%201%20in,the%20centre%20of%20their%20care. As far as I can see, there are no private pain clinics in Scotland. After the above headline, with the speech marks around ‘forced’ when they should be around ‘patients’, given the number actually reported, we read: Patients with chronic pain in Scotland … Continue reading No call for Freeman to resign as only 0.0002% of Scottish chronic pain patients pay for private care in English clinics

The Chancellor somewhat beefed-up The democratically-elected leader of the opposition The current and previous leaders of the most popular party in Scotland. Continue reading The MSM courtiers representing the reality of their own biases

Speaking to us today, Professor Andrew Watterson of the Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group at the University of Stirling, said: My assessment is that the Scottish Government has done better than the UK Government on dealing with COVID-19 and that Test and Protect is a better system for protecting workers than the one operating in England. Also the SG consultation with workers through TUs, their recognition of the role of roving TU safety reps in dealing with COVID and their willingness to involve workers and others in developing guidance for a safe return to work after the lockdown reveals … Continue reading Leading occupational health and safety academic speaks to the Tusker to make sure his assessment of Scottish Government’s better performance is not concealed just as the Herald does it

This morning on Good Morning Scotland, Lynn Davidson, the Sun’s Westminster Correspondent was keen to expose the First Minister as less capable than she might appear: About the dreadful figures in care homes and the number of deaths which is something like, in England and Wales, 28% of all fatalities, involving coronavirus whereas in Scotland it’s 47%. It’s been really terrible in care homes in Scotland. It’s no surprise her favourite follower is Glenn Campbell. There is a wee problem with Davidson’s grasp of percentages but more on that later. Following her logic, if you will, with 72% of all … Continue reading SHOCK: Lyn Davidson reveals Covid-19 deaths in English hospitals far worse than in Scotland

I used to teach 11 year-olds how to do and how to use percentages. It’s not that difficult but if you’re a late middle-aged Sun journalist on with Good Morning Scotland’s less than bright team, it seems to be a problem. Add in an agenda to find anything, anything, to chuck at Nicola and all pretense of accuracy goes right out of the window and into the Clyde. This morning, Lynn Davidson of the Sun said: About the dreadful figures in care homes and the number of deaths which is something like, in England and Wales, 28% of all fatalities, … Continue reading Frankly brainless use of care home deaths statistics by Sun writer unchallenged on GMS

In the Herald today, following Adam Tomkins and BBC Scotland’s irresponsible call for gyms to re-open ahead of schedule, Graeme Macpherson, ‘freelance sports writer‘, repeats the confused Temperance thinking: Note that he does not ask why, with deaths flat-lining and new infections surging, England’s gyms have opened? If you don’t think for a minute, you might agree with him but, do think. When you are exercising vigorously you cannot help but gasp for breath, in and out, projecting a plume of droplets for at least two metres and, a massive spray of aerosols, unaffected by gravity, for far further distances. … Continue reading It’s not pubs instead of gyms and pools. Should we follow England into another wave of infection?

I’m still a parent. My wife is still a parent. Now they’re all big we’re a bit better, thank you. We used to be parents of children. It’s not a healthy situation to be in. Deeply instinctive and protective, you will do anything, believe anything about any risk you perceive in their environment. Given the power to do so, some less-educated, would string up paediatricians if told there was one living nearby, as they hunt for their missing child. The parents of children who die will seek vengeance. If their child dies in hospital then something went wrong that could … Continue reading Parents used by politicians cannot be allowed to overwhelm scientific evidence