Only 48 hours after Kirsty Wark and the Newsnight pack raced north to gleefully report on Scotland’s infection rate, ‘the highest rate of all’, and the rate in Scotland has continued with the fall already evident to anyone paying attention. As of tonight, the rate in England is 49.2 per 100K and in Scotland 49.1. Only the Scottish rate shows any sign of falling in the UK, in the foreseeable future. I write this just as Italy equalise but, either way, tonight’s match must surely push the figure there even higher in the next few days. I’ve explained why the … Continue reading Infection level in England surges past plummeting level in Scotland

From SNP Westminster Media: An SNP MP has slammed the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for its “absurdly wasteful” spending – arguing “only independence can end this chasm in our public finances, and improve Scotland’s defence procurement system”.  Dave Doogan MP has criticised the MOD for the “billions of pounds wasted on defence projects that have not come to fruition”, as well as blaming the UK government for its failure to deliver value-for-money for the taxpayer. The UK is currently the highest percentage spender on infrastructure within the entire NATO alliance, but is second lowest when it comes to personnel spending.  Research from the … Continue reading Wastemonster: SNP reveal ‘Billions of pounds wasted on defence projects that have not come to fruition’

Only BBC Scotland is headlining this worry about infection levels supposedly spiralling cases when, in fact, all but BBC Scotland should be. Here are the trends for the 4 Nations up to yesterday, 9th. The trend in Scotland continues downward today, 10th, and for England anyway, it continues upward. The 7 day average infection level has now fallen for 9 days. I can’t see the data for Wales and N Ireland yet. Yet, BBC Scotland only, report: Health experts are “resigned” to spiralling Covid cases putting more pressure on health services in the coming weeks, it has been claimed. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-57789890 … Continue reading BBC Scotland trying to scare us with rUK trends

The Times Scotland edition with a 20 page England pull-out and Westminster choirboys. The Scottish Sun headlining with a story on the London Metropolitan police. The Scottish Daily Express with a big spread on the England manager. The Scotsman and the Herald have Scottish stories but they’re based on imagined storms and crises in NHS Scotland. Continue reading Your ‘Scottish’ newspapers

Who are these calls from? Well the reworded ones above are from me and the team here. Originally, BBC Scotland were telling us: Travel agents, airlines and tour operators want clarity from the Scottish government on travel rules as England prepares to open up. and We simply cannot carry on with closure. If we want connectivity to be restored which is really important to Scotland’s economy we have to get going again. Do we really need mass budget air travel to the Med to restart? Sure, those businesses think we do but do any other opinions come in to this? … Continue reading Calls for Scotland NOT to follow STUPID English travel rules

Hearing the rumours of a Covid crisis in Scotland, Kirsty Wark and the Newsnight pack rushed to Glasgow to share their confusion with us. In a tale of surging numbers, higher than England, packed hospitals and sick young folk, they almost let Prof Bauld explain what had happened and presumably, had they, why it’s a good thing, a very good thing indeed. Why is it a good thing? Because it’s an effect of saving thousands of lives earlier. How did we save those thousands of lives? Well, Prof Bauld did get to say, explaining the surge in Scotland: ‘And then … Continue reading Why Scotland’s recent higher Covid numbers are evidence of a very good thing, Kirsty

BBC England has just noticed that England’s world-beating vaccine roll-out has been lagging behind Scotland since early June 2021: Scotland has now given a first dose to 71.6% while England has only managed 68.1% while, on second doses, the gap is smaller at 52.1% to 51.2%. https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations The UK Government was not available for comment. The Scottish Government was too polite to comment. BBC Scotland’s current health correspondent said ‘This is not in the public interest, so we’re not telling them and we do as we please.’ Continue reading England lagging behind Scotland with vaccine roll-out

Only 20 years after one England fan blamed Gareth Southgate for making him riot and getting jail time, because he missed a penalty, the England coach is on the verge of beatification. If they beat Italy and the Pope refuses him the honour, watch out for a pogrom or two. YouGov have found Southgate to be more popular than Johnson or Starmer: Tough one? Did they consider Drakeford or Sturgeon? Anyhow, check the geographic breakdown: What!!?? Less than half of those mean Jocks don’t love him and twice as many don’t know how they feel. I wish they’d vote for … Continue reading Scots accused of not loving England coach

Scotland’s population is 1.74 times greater than that of Wales. Yesterday, Scotland gave 10 325 first vaccinations compared to Wales where 1 386 were done – 7.45 times as man but with only 1.74 times the population. So per head of population, more than 4 times as many. Scotland has been doing far better since the end of May 2021. To be fair, they’re doing a bit better on second doses but that’s a detail that wouldn’t stop BBC Scotland if it were the other way round. Overall, Wales has vaccinated 72% with a first dose and 56.6% with a … Continue reading Scotland doing more vaccinations than Wales or England for months now

By stewartb ‘The oldest and simplest justification for government is as protector: protecting citizens from violence. Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan describes a world of unrelenting insecurity without a government to provide the safety of law and order, protecting citizens from each other and from foreign foes.’ Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/02/government-responsibility-to-citizens-anne-marie-slaughter/ So when a UK government defence minister is reported by the BBC asserting the following (see below), arguably he has plumbed new depths. The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP (former captain in the Scots Guards, former member of the Scottish Parliament) is reported stating this: “… I think it would be very, very … Continue reading When does a ‘Right Honourable’ man’s scaremongering cross a line to dishonour?