Desperately clinging on to memories of Scotland’s trauma in the early days of the outbreak and using that to lie every day in an effort to cover the blood on his hands, a Prime Minister is content with a 634 to 1 disadvantage in death. I know it’s ‘only’ 63.4 to 1 when you take England’s 10 times larger population into account but that is not done in comparisons with the USA or Brazil and, in the context of mass deaths, does the per capita calculation make things OK? Continue reading 634 more deaths every day is superficial only if you’re contented and superficial yourself

All day yesterday, all across the UK and Scottish media, we heard the question ‘Yes, but has Scotland really handled the outbreak better?‘ with doubts about the reality, based on evidence of the total death level due to the 4 Nations approach and not the more recent levels due to the three months of Scottish Government and popular actions. YouGov’s poll yesterday, suggests the media misinformation has been less influential than many of us feared. In every part of the UK, a majority believe that Scotland has done better. Is that because they can access the actual data in social … Continue reading Every part of UK believes Scotland has handled outbreak better despite media spin suggesting it’s just SNP spin

Hugh Pennington and care home owner / Tory donor, Robert Kilgour, attack the SNP Government’s handling of the pandemic and suggest they’re covering-up outbreaks. Pennington (82) is in a frenzy of letter-writing, radio and TV appearances and now we see this madcap video on behalf of Scotland Matters. It’s getting to the point where I hesitate to mock the afflicted but some might believe him. We should, however, keep this in perspective. Scotland Matters has 53 subscribers with 4 thumbs up, 13 thumbs down and only two comments for this video – ‘Worried much?’ and ‘Desperate.’ For context, my only … Continue reading BBC regular spreads wild conspiracy theory suggesting Scottish Government covering-up covid outbreaks

From BBC 1’s James Shaw today: Whether Scotland really has coped better with the virus is hard to assess. There have been more that 4 000 deaths, more than half of them in care homes. This astonishing claim is repeated daily and across the the UK and Scottish media, despite its clear and obvious falsehood. Leaving aside reasons for Scotland’s similar performance in the early days of the 4 Nations approach, since then, her performance has accelerated away from that of England to produce and all-too-real difference. By mid-May, around two weeks after the start of Scotland’s harder lock-down, on … Continue reading BBC 1: Scotland has clearly coped better with the virus and it’s so easy to assess

Around 11am this morning, Sky’s Adam Boulton said: It’s strange isn’t it, in practical terms, Scotland hasn’t done any better than the rest of the UK in handling covid. It actually had a worse performance in care homes and yet the voters seem to be giving Nicola Sturgeon credit for what she’s done in the Scottish Government whereas it’s not gone so well for Boris Johnson. His panellists did not contradict him. The extent to which the myth of perception as opposed to real achievements by the Scottish Government persists is astonishing. Does Boulton not hear Professor Sridhar? Do the … Continue reading Sky’s Adam Boulton repeats fake news on Scotland’s coronavirus performance

In the New European today: A new Tory group labelled the ‘CURG’ has been launched alongside the ERG and CRG, with the aim to make Boris Johnson more supportive of the United Kingdom. The Conservative Union Research Group joins the China Research Group and European Research Group in attempting to pressure the Tory leadership on key issues at the heart of the parliamentary party. But rather than oppose relations, this one wants to bring closer ties. It has been established by Robin Millar [Conservative Christian and Management Consultant], the MP for Aberconwy in North Wales, and is supported by 30 … Continue reading Andrew Bowie tipped for leading role in Conservative Union Research Group

In the Times today: Scotland has enjoyed the greatest rate of growth in productivity among the UK nation’s and regions, according to economists. Researchers suggested that Scotland’s annual average labour productivity had risen by 1.69 per cent between 1998 and 2018. That was ahead of second-placed London, on 1.46 per cent, and was comfortably above the UK average of 1.27 per cent. Northern Ireland was bottom of the table, with 0.67 per cent. I see no sign of this story in the Scottish MSM. Only in the Times two days ago: A leading scientific adviser has admitted failing to warn … Continue reading Is the Times becoming increasingly fair on Scotland?

From the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report on fatal injuries in agriculture, forestry and fishing in Great Britain 2019/20, in the Strathspey & Badenoch Herald: NFU Scotland has welcomed the news that the number of farm deaths dropped from 13 to 2 in 12 months, but insists there is still work to be done Yesterday (Monday, July 20) marked the start of Farm Safety Week, which sees NFU Scotland work with the Farm Safety Foundation, and other stakeholders, to promote the importance of proper health and safety practices. To coincide with Farm Safety Week, the Health and Safety Executive … Continue reading 85% drop in farm deaths in Scotland

You could make this up but invite a lot of sniggering. This is all true. It’s not one of my daft spoofs. Seriously! Dr. Azeem Ibrahim, Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, and Director at the Center for Global Policy in Washington has popped up twice in two days, in the Scotsman, seven years after famously warning Scots, in 2013, that only the Royal Navy could save us from Russian subs penetrating our waters. Honorary US Army officer, Prof Ibrahim, set-up the anti-independence group, the Scotland Institute, with Jackson Carlaw, Jo Swinson and Alistair Darling in 2013. Was … Continue reading NOT a spoof: US Army professor and founder of Scotland Institute damns Salmond and hurts my feelings!