In the mainstream, only the Guardian headline was honest and accurate. BBC Scotland diverted the story from the facts to just an opinion with: Scottish fishing industry ‘deeply aggrieved’ by Brexit deal and Gutted: Europe’s fishing deal with the UK The Herald too avoided the facts with: Brexit Deal: Scottish Government claims key fishing stocks landed will reduce and Gove denies UK Govt has ‘betrayed’ fishing industry, insisting EU trade deal will leave it in stronger position The truth will out, on social media if nowhere else, by the next Holyrood election and Scotland’s North-East Tories must surely feel the … Continue reading Is Tory Cod-psychology effect on North-East Scotland wearing off?

In a typically Anglocentric piece, the Guardian suggests: The health service is struggling to cope with record numbers of Covid cases to such an extent that some patients may be denied access to an intensive care unit or the chance to go on a mechanical ventilator, the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) said on Tuesday. There is no mention of the situation in Scotland. The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association warned of this on the 16th September: HCSA calls for rethink on ‘diluted’ infection control guidelines HCSA has called for an urgent rethink of England’s Covid-19 response in order to help … Continue reading Did Public Health England trigger its own crisis?

How they wished. How it has turned out: Coronavirus deaths per 1 million population 1 San Marino 1,737 2 Belgium 1,656 3 Slovenia 1,265 4 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,230 5 Italy 1,209 6 North Macedonia 1,187 7 (8) Peru   England 1,132   1,108 8 (10) Andorra   Wales 1,086   1,083 9 Spain 1,079 10 Montenegro 1,078 11 Bulgaria 1,070 12 Czechia 1,054 13 UK 1,051 14 USA 1,044 15 Liechtenstein 995 16 France 981 17 Hungary 963 18 Argentina 948 19 Mexico 948 20 Armenia 943 21 Croatia 927 22 Panama 905 23 Brazil 903 24 Switzerland 863 … Continue reading 30th: Nothing to be proud of but worth being accurate about?

From YouGov based on 147 18 plus Scots with polling on 21st 22nd December: Con 18% Lab 13% LD 5% SNP 57% Brexit 2% Green 2% Other 2% The SNP support is up from previous YouGov polls on the 16th (53%), 9th (49%) and 3rd (47%). The Sun disclosure of the First Minister’s mask error was on the 22nd but a bit late in the day. Let’s see if the next poll indicates any fall out. The 16 plus votes might have taken support to 60%. Continue reading Pro-independence parties at 59% for Westminster

By stewartb: An article on the BBC News website today offers a further example of how the BBC seems determined to muddle – or something else – its reporting of Covid statistics. The article in question is under the headline: ‘Covid-19: Concern at ‘unprecedented’ infection level in England’. These are the opening three paragraphs: Para 1: ‘England’s “very high” Covid infection level is a “growing concern” as the NHS struggles to cope with rising patient numbers, a health official has said.’ So it’s about England then? Ah, well maybe not! Para 2: “On Monday, a record 41,385 Covid cases and … Continue reading Obscuring the facts?

As we witness soaring Covid cases up to and beyond the First Wave peak, in the hospitals of England and Wales, but a flattening well below the peak and now a fall in NHS Scotland, I’m reminded of something Andrew Marr said in his interview with Nicola Sturgeon in November: What about people dying in Scottish care homes? Again, we have gone back to the data and looking at a report by the University of Stirling – 47% of the deaths in Scotland were in care homes. That’s a lot, lot higher than in England where it was 30%.  Leaving … Continue reading Did Andrew Marr unwittingly reveal success of Scottish hospitals?

After hearing of the statistical fact that Covid-related hospital attendance in England has reached the peak of the first wave and that staff are once more in the ‘eye of the storm‘, we hear also: ‘In Scotland, doctors say there is a danger that services will be overwhelmed.’ The ‘doctors‘ turn out to be the trade union leader of the BMA in Scotland. There’s a good reason why BBC UK have not felt able to refer to any statistical facts for Scotland. Here are the facts for NHS England after years of Conservative government. In Wales, stewarded by Labour for … Continue reading It IS under control

As case numbers surge and ambulances queue outside A&E departments in London, case numbers fall in Scotland and there are no media images of ambulances queuing here to be found. BBC Scotland cannot face the fact of Scotland’s better performance in this pandemic and so give us this: This meaningless statistic has been chosen out of desperation to remind Scots that we are no different and, crucially, to allow no suggestion that the SNP administration might have done better. With the current infection rate in England around 3 times higher and the level over the whole pandemic, 60% higher, the … Continue reading Desperate to seem the same

With an infection rate today only one-quarter of that in England and only one-fifth of that in Northern Ireland, only one ‘leading academic’ (me) seems willing to suggest that ‘We are doing better. It’s not just the communication.’ ‘Wait’, I hear Sarah say, ‘that’s just one day. You need at least the 7 day average.’ Oh, OK: ‘Ah, the infection level in England is not even three times as high. That’s not highly significant, is it?’ Oh yes it is. Massively so. Something very different is happening in Scotland. Here’s my guess: Better communication has resulted in greater confidence in … Continue reading Scotland still failing to keep up? Come on all you chicken profs!

‘Across the UK’ is the first sign of what is to come. Then it’s ‘as the number of Covid infections continues to rise across the UK.’ Are they? No. 967 today and 740 cases yesterday. 1 149 the day before. 1 314 cases on the 24th and 1 504 on the 21st. A few minutes later: ‘In Scotland, clinicians are issuing another warning – that the NHS could be overwhelmed and are appealing to adhere to Tier (sic) 4 restrictions after they were eased on Christmas Day.’ A strangely cheerful Prof Jackie Taylor came on to warn us Jocks not … Continue reading Never mind the facts, we can be included in the ‘Great NHS overwhelming’ too