Few places don’t say ‘escape’ like a road verge in Scotland? The Guardian today has a lovely guide to 10 of Scotland’s best island retreats. At TuS (Tidying-up Scotland) we thought a guide to the laybies (?) and road verges just out of shot in the Guardian photos might be useful. Remember, Scottish pandemic measures apply. You must wear a face mask in shops but you can take it off while trying, for the 17th time, to reverse your camper van into a space just 2 inches longer than the van and with a big muddy sheugh or schuch also … Continue reading Scottish staycation guide for Guardian AND Telegraph readers

Even though in decline from it’s glory days, with 5 000 visitors a day, in May 2020, Talking-up Scotland remains far more popular than Andrew Neil’s GB News which attracted zero viewers during some of its broadcasts this week, according to official television audience figures produced by rating agency Barb. TuS had 1 407 visitors yesterday and 2 217 on the 4th of July. Neil was said to have given Nicola Sturgeon ‘a doing’ by the far-from-lovely Ruth Davidson, last year. Footnote: That’s the nicest image of Neil I could find. Continue reading Talking-up Scotland gives Andrew Neil a doing!

Look, I’m an SNP member and activist but I’m far from happy with everything. The toadying to the USA and the evidence of too many self-centred, rightist, careerists, in particular, has me fuming but they are still the only way out of this mess we’re in. The Ferret F****d Checker, now merged with the Corporate Herald, after years of mutualisation, is just another battalion in the Union’s Project Fear division. Well-intentioned lefties no doubt but like many such before them throughout history, being used against the interests of their ain folk in return for a platform and a few quid … Continue reading Ferret mutates into poodle!

We bring you this exclusive, breaking and shocking news, just emerging, that Covid infections in England have begun to surge well above those in Scotland, after the Euros, and as Boris recommends caution but bottles it on taking firm action. With 10 times the population, England might b expected to have 10 times the number of cases but yesterday, had 21 times as many. On the previous day, there were approaching 20 times as many but before that the rate of infection in Scotland had been similar to that in England. Those such as BBC Scotland, watching the 7 day … Continue reading BREAKING: Covid cases in England surging to more than TWICE that in Scotland

SNP MSP James Dornan writes in the National: We Scots played a central role in the British Empire, providing it with much of its managerial class. As we come to terms with that stain on our history, we also must strive to be better. We’ve applauded the English football team for taking a stand against racism toward its players and fans. But how many of us look the other way when our invisible minorities are abused? I agree with much of that which James goes on to write. As he correctly points out sectarianism has been a stain on our … Continue reading ‘Deal with?’

BBC Tyne & Wear has little to say as the region dominates the ‘hotspot chart’: Though reporting on the area with by far the most Covid cases in Europe, BBC Tyne & Wear seems uttelry unconcerned. They could learn from BBC Scotland, back on the 5th of July: BBC Scotland has, of course, other things to tell us now we’re not top of the hotspots any more: We have topped the vaccination charts too but it seems we have a problem with the young folk and Lisa Summer’s neighbours have two sons prepared to come on and say Nicola Sturgeon … Continue reading BBC Tyne & Wear accused of failing to inform public

Note for public consumption, of course, but as you’ll see below, Covid infection is falling only in Scotland. In the other three, the level is still climbing fast. The Daily Mail has a simple explanation: Coronavirus cases have spiralled quicker among men in their 20s compared to women, official figures revealed today in another sign that Euro 2020 has helped fuel the third wave.  Public Health England data showed 10,267 more young men than women were infected over the last two weeks, with the gender gap having widened since the tournament kicked off.   Cases have remained roughly the same between men and women … Continue reading Why are infection levels falling only in Scotland?

THIS IS A PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT FROM TALKING UP SCOTLAND – Scotland’s GPs can and do help Long Covid sufferers (Ed: TuS does not usually assume a role as a public service provider of information: it does not have for example a comparable mission to the public service broadcaster, BBC Scotland. However, we feel obliged today on one specific issue to perform a public service for the reasons that will become obvious below. We trust our regular readers will understand and support this action.) Statement Despite the inevitable and continuing pressures on Scotland’s health and care system due to the … Continue reading Scotland’s GPs can and do help Long Covid sufferers

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