Here are the data the Herald refers to: Years since last inspection Number of schools Five to seven years 423 Eight to ten years 558 Ten years and more 704 https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202100140164/ There are 2 500 schools in Scotland so 28% have not been inspected for 10 years or more. As with NHS England’s statistics, those for English school inspections have been played with to improve their appearance. Under Michael Gove, because the understaffed inspectors at Ofsted could not cope, he decided that any rated ‘outstanding’ were then exempt from further inspection unless their exam pass levels fell dramatically or parent … Continue reading That’s the way to do it!

Insight? That’s a good one. Has he had the insight to check the polls? Has he had the insight to check the full facts? After a bit of schoolboy ‘hand-slapping’ after finding the above photo, Macwhirter opens with: I think we can be sure that Nicola Sturgeon is not considering resignation after having been found guilty of misleading Parliament by the Holyrood Harassment Committee. The First Minister was never going to fall over a technical breach of the ministerial code. The Scottish Green Party leader, Patrick Harvie, has weighed in behind her so she will  survive Wednesday’s expected censure debate. Yet, there is little doubt that the First Minister did mislead … Continue reading Not much ‘insight’ here

This is a popular but unexamined myth based on a simplistic idea that because Scotland has been in the Union for more than 300 years, leaving it must take longer and be more complex than leaving the EU. At first sight, the public can be persuaded. It’s ‘obvious, innit?’ But it’s not obvious at all and it’s more likely to be the opposite. Leaving the UK to join the EU which will, by then have a reasonably developed deal with the UK, means that Scotland would simply slip into the same arrangement, just like all the other EU nation. Simples? … Continue reading No Willie, Independence would be a like ‘Brexit on The West Highland Line’

With infection levels broadly similar now across the UK, it’s a bit shocking to see the evidence of a third wave across countries which had been more successful in controlling the virus the first wave, even Norway. Similar contrasts can be seen in death rates. You’ll remember our MSM’s glee when Scotland had one of the higher rates. No sign of interest now. Hopefully, Norway has vaccinated all of its care home residents and their surge in infections does not kill. Continue reading Where are we now?

In December 2020 and at the beginning of 2021, Scotland vaccinated a lower overall percentage of its population due to the logistical challenges in following JCVI advice to vaccinate care home residents and staff before all others. 99.99% have been jagged. The figures for England are yet to be confirmed. Because of that, the death rate in Scottish care homes in 2021 has been half of that in England where perhaps nearly 4 000 have died unnecessarily: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2021/03/03/3-700-unnecessary-care-home-deaths-in-england-because/ At the end of February, again following JCVI advice, NHS Scotland began to allocate a higher proportion of vaccinations to second doses … Continue reading For second time, Scotland prioritises the most at risk

John McLellan is by no means a journalist these days if he ever was. He’s a political campaigner for the Scottish Conservatives allowed to hide in the pages of the Scotsman and snipe at the SNP. Briefly, on ‘shattered trust’ does he mean this from Opinium on 17th March 2021? Which, if any, of the following people do you think would be the best First Minister of Scotland? Nicola Sturgeon: 50% None of these: 15% Don’t know: 13% Douglas Ross: 12% Anas Sarwar: 10% or this: I know who is shattered. Here he is: He got more votes than any … Continue reading Would you trust a Tory Councillor and adviser to Ruth Davidson?

By: ‘Fiona McBean‘ Some of you will be aware of the different methods that Westminster has used over the last year to hide England’s Coronavirus figures inside either UK figures or by amalgamating them with Wales’ figures in the case of the ONS. If you take a look at the UK daily dashboard you will see that something new has come to light this week. The UK total death cert. total of 146 487 is no longer the same as the sum of the 4 nations. England    125 276 Wales           7624 NI                 2 838 Scotland       9 710  Total        145 448          … Continue reading Hiding the worst of it For England

More than a year since his last attempt to piggy-back this tragic case, in an attempt to win favour, the new Scottish Labour leader has returned to the scene of the crime, attaching himself to the family again. He’s desperate, after the latest Opinium poll placed him 5th and last, as the best candidate for First Minister, after ‘None of these’, ‘don’t know‘ and Douglas Ross. That last one’s a slap. I’m not suggesting that Scottish Labour have been grooming this family in the way that the Scottish Conservatives seem to have been grooming the Ayrshire family whose daughter was … Continue reading Labour Leader tries to recover from poll disaster by returning to child death story

Headlining the Tory call for a no confidence vote in the FM, but no sign yet of the latest reports from the committee members questioning what happened there and defending her. No sign yet of the committee chair’s concerns about leaking the report. Nothing yet, just Brian Taylor wondering, again. Down, down, down we go: Nope, we’re into magazine stuff now. Wait’s what’s this right at the bottom? There they are, the SNP members hitting and the chair ‘dismayed.’ Mark Smith of the Herald must be so proud: Continue reading SHOCK: Balanced news reporting on ‘Sturgeon’