Last week, Neil Hanvey “urged” Nicola Sturgeon not to follow Boris Johnson’s Covid “surrender strategy”. I agree. Specifically, he endorses her insistence that “masks need to stay”, but also not to use the Chinese lateral flow tests, purchased by the UK government. An article appeared in the BMJ as long ago as last January advising against their use, and more recently doubts have been raised about their accuracy, which can be shown to be as low as 2 (two) percent. If we don’t use those provided by Westminster, however, the Scottish Government would have to pay themselves. At the same … Continue reading No surrender!

It’s a familiar if nonsense narrative that Scotland benefits from the ‘broad shoulders’ of the Union. From SNP Westminster media: The SNP has said “independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe from Tory cuts and build a fairer society” – as new analysis shows the UK suffers from the worst levels of poverty of any neighbouring country, and has done for almost all of the past twenty years. The analysis from the House of Commons Library [See Notes] has revealed that the UK has the highest poverty rate of every country in north west Europe, with 11.7% of people living in relative … Continue reading Under the not-so ‘broad shoulders’: UK suffers from the worst levels of poverty

He’s back again, taking turns with Macwhirter, to predict the end of the First Minister. As with his pal, the language skirts the fringes of misogyny and sado-masochistic erotica. Gordon, unlike Macwhirter, avoids suggesting she is like a headmistress but instead goes for that dark dom, Darth Vader, to describe her. There was I thinking, Princess Leia. Anyhow, to business, the SNP collected money from its members to fund a second independence referendum then spent some of it on other things. That does sound wrong and it should investigated. But, they didn’t take money from right-wing, Unionist, dark forces in … Continue reading Diverting funds the Tory and SNP ways

On the shelves behind a working-from-home BBC Scotland presenter yesterday, I spotted the spine of a book titled ‘Project Fear.’ I meant to go straight to my PC and capture the deeply ironic image but then forgot and can’t see it now. It was this one: However, I can’t even find her name now. Anyhow, never mind, they’re still working away to make us worry and to keep us too anxious to consider going it alone. One day with a high death rate and that news jumps into the headline. It is a fact. It did happen but it’s not … Continue reading Death rate less than one eighth of January figure so no basis for Project Fear

As of today, Scotland has given the First Dose of the Covid vaccine to 72.3% of the population, overtaking the much-vaunted Welsh system at 72.2% and England’s world-beating rollout, at 68.6%. The gap is expected to widen further in the next few days and weeks. Reporting Scotland is planning a special edition when we hit 100%. Kidding. They haven’t noticed this surge, catching Wales, over the last 4 months. They have other things on their little minds, like today, death: These shocking developments in the last 24 hours combined with a lower death rate in recent months and over the … Continue reading BREAKING: Scotland has given more first vaccine doses than any other part of UK

From: snpmedia@snpmedia.net  Ian Blackford MP has called out the Prime Minister for his own racist comments, repeating the powerful statement by footballer Tyrone Mings who said “this government doesn’t get to stoke the fires of racism and then pretend to be disgusted by it when it happens.” Mr Blackford asked the Prime Minister what sanctions he thinks would be appropriate for someone who publishes racist content – such as describing Africans as ‘flag waving piccaninnies’ with ‘watermelon smiles’ – as previously written by Boris Johnson in a newspaper article.  Mr Blackford also criticised the UK government’s own report on racism … Continue reading Flag waving buffoon called out by SNP

.…to where it was in the 1970s Most of us know what’s what here. Don’t fn go if you don’t need to! This is just offensive tripe from airport bosses, a bunch of self-interested psychopaths who care for nothing but their inflated salaries. Straight-off at 1.45pm today, Reporting Scotland siding with the selfish interests of big business and a minority who think their cheap holidays in the sun trump the lives of the many who fear that a new mutation of the virus will arrive and kill their grandparents or condemn their children to a lesser life with long-Covid. Yesterday, … Continue reading Reporting Scotland putting money before lives and sharing offensive tripe as always

The formerly edgy, radical, people’s fact-checker, The Ferret, is comfortably in the lap of the Herald and seems not to have bitten Tom Gordon, Brian Taylor or Lord Dunlop yet. Brian Macwhirter has of course got his protective gear on. In a biting investigation, one of three by the media mustelid dominating the Herald today, we read: Ten of Scotland’s major newspapers are owned by just three men: Rupert Murdoch, Lord Rothermere and Frederick Barclay. They are all billionaires who, personally or through their businesses, have used the law to avoid paying tax. An analysis by The Ferret reveals that all but … Continue reading Herald’s compromised ferret doesn’t bite the hand that feeds it

Brian Macwhirter’s troubled, borderline creepy, obsession with the First Minister resurfaces. Does she dress too well for him to relax? If she were more dowdy like his old Primary teachers in the 50s, would he be better able to take a telling from her? Mature readers will understand. The data shifted, she shifted. We’re glad she did. It’s the kind of intelligent behaviour you don’t always get from politicians and which, judging by the many opinion polls, most Scots are deeply appreciative of having in a First Minister, whose actions might make a big difference in our lives. Every time … Continue reading I’m sorry, I seem to have Macwhirtered again

Yesterday, Labour’s Finance Spokesperson, Jackie Baillie, revealed both a wee plus and several minuses for her private education. Her claim that Scotland’s vaccine effort lags behind the rest of the UK is bizarre when you see the data: Scotland is, to be precise, very precise, a teeny 0.03% behind Wales, though closing fast, and probably ahead by the time you read this, but, requiring no such precision, miles ahead of England and Northern Ireland. That’s first jags but on second jags, though 5.5% behind Wales, we’re still ahead of England and Northern Ireland. So, to be fair, Jackie, that’ll be … Continue reading Jackie Baillie’s numeracy lags behind most weans