– passage of the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Bill By stewartb Is there a recurring pattern here? It has been disappointing to find so little attention given in the news media in Scotland to an important event which occurred in the Holyrood Parliament on 18 March 2021. It was the passage of the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Bill.  This Government Bill was approved by 114 MSPs, with no dissenting votes and no abstentions. The Law Society of Scotland reported: ‘MSPs unanimously supported the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Bill, which introduces two new forms of order, the domestic abuse protection notice, … Continue reading Why is positive news almost no news In Scotland? No. 2

– passage of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill By stewartb: It has been disappointing to find so little attention given in the news media in Scotland to a major event which occurred in Holyrood on 16 March 2021. It was the passage of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill.  This Government Bill was approved by 114 MSPs, with no dissenting votes and no abstentions. This is UNICEF’s view on the achievement: ‘Edinburgh 16 March 2021 – Today in a landmark moment for children’s rights, the Scottish Parliament has voted to incorporate the United … Continue reading Why is positive news almost no news In Scotland?

Some key dates on the above death rate line graph: On 1st September, people in the Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire local authority areas were told they should not meet with people from other households in indoor household settings, because of rising infection levels in those areas. 9th October, national lockdown in Scotland with infection level at 165 per 1 million. England at 236. 3rd November England locks down. 26th December, Scotland goes into full lockdown after only Christmas Day eased. 5th January, England goes into full lockdown. By January 27th England’s daily death rate is twice that in … Continue reading Thousands dead because Johnson would not follow Sturgeon’s lead

I’ve had to step in again to report the great news of falling hospital-acquired infections of Covid-19, as regular commentators Lisa Summer of BBC Scotland and Helen McCardle of the Herald have gone of sick at heart after their sterling work reporting increases back in January, at the same time as overall hospital admissions soared. Both have accused me of being simple in suggesting that the two might be connected when that anaesthetist whose kids went to the same nursery as theirs, told them it was due to badly positioned hand-sanitisers. Anyhow, here’s the latest: 31 (0.5%) were reported as … Continue reading Covid infections in hospital plummet by more than 50%

Dear Editor (Herald 16th March 2021),  Robert IG Scott demonstrates a poor understanding of Scotland’s economic potential (Letters, March 17) when he suggests: Without the enormous backing from the UK Exchequer, and the worldwide influence exerted by the Foreign Office on behalf of the whole of the UK, an independent Scotland would become a second-class state. Adam Smith knew that natural resources and people make up the ‘wealth of a nation.’ Scotland is one of the world’s most naturally wealthy nations. With 8.4% of the UK population, Scotland has 34% of the UK’s natural wealth including a quarter of renewable … Continue reading Letters They Wouldn’t Publish No.2: Scotland’s economic potential

Dear Editor, Scotsman (16th March 2021), It’s hard to know what Scottish Labour stands for apart from adhering to Sir Keir’s dictat that an independence referendum is verboten (Scottish Perspective, 16 March). No wonder Labour is hanging on by a thread. Nevertheless, Mr. Sarwar bravely plows on with his post-Covid recovery plan for Scotland that includes a ‘comeback’ plan for schools. His own kids are privately educated.   He credits Labour with the creation of the NHS over 70 years ago, but ignores how both major parties have underfunded and privatised large chunks of the NHS, with more sell-offs to American … Continue reading Letters They Wouldn’t Publish No.1: What does Labour stand for?

The self-identifying ‘liberal, progressive, leftist-a-wee-bit, quality’ newspaper which always reverts to loyalism in time of threat such as the Iraq War in 2003 or Scotland’s independence referendum in 2014, headlines David Davis, yes David Davis, well know former commando who always wears pants these days, I’m told. Davis did not, of course generate the headline which most Scots would reasonably, at first, think meant he was making the cased for greater powers for the Scottish Government, perhaps even independence. But, no, it’s about ‘strengthening the impartiality of the civil service.’ so that the Scottish Government can better investigate cases such … Continue reading The Guardian’s ironic deficit of understanding of our deficit of power

If Iain Macwhirter thinks alleged drunken trouser fumbling in a bar, a stupid lack of judgement in a text to a woman colleague, texting a 16 year-old boy and inappropriate but non-criminal behaviour toward women by a powerful man, put a political party in a crisis or suggests they are ‘losing the plot’ he needs to get out more. Perhaps, though, knowing how much worse some other parties are on bad behaviour, he’s just surprised that the SNP, now huge, should have any scandals at all? A back-handed compliment? The US Democrats have been led by at least one serial … Continue reading Back-handed compliment?

Look a this from the official report where the word violent appears only six times: See any sign there of violent crime going up? Me neither? Here’s what they’ve done. On page 39: They’ve taken the upper estimate, estimate remember, presented it as a hard fact and ignored the caveat of no significant change, actually pointed out just above the table: Table 3.1 examines results from key comparator years21 and shows that the estimated amount of violent crime experienced by adults:• has fallen by 39% since the 2008/09 baseline, from 317,000 to 194,000 incidents in 2019/20• has shown no change … Continue reading Where did you find that?

In the Herald today: Up to one in four adults in Scotland and nearly half of all over 75s now have antibodies to protect them against Covid, according to new estimates. However, Scotland has the lower prevalence of Covid antibodies of any of the UK nations, according to the latest survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). They do go on to explain in a grudging way but the damage is done. The many, who do not read on, have another dose of negativity about Scotland and by implication the SNP administration. There’s no suggestion that, over the whole pandemic, having an infection … Continue reading SNP accused of failing to get enough of us infected?