Yesterday BBC Scotland told us: Seven residents at a West Lothian care home have now died in a Covid-19 outbreak, NHS Lothian has confirmed. It comes after four deaths were linked to Redmill care home in East Whitburn on Friday. The health board said it was dealing with a “significant outbreak” and a multi-agency team continued to offer support. More than 50 staff and residents at the home, which is run by HC-One, have tested positive since 25 September. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-54494241 Five days ago, they told us: A number of residents have died following “significant outbreaks” of Covid-19 at two care … Continue reading Private care home deaths ‘at’, ‘in’ and ‘after’ but any ‘because of?’

In the Herald today: Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has hit out at the latest restrictions put in place across Scotland. The Labour leader took to social media writing: “No consultation. Crucial guidance published just six hours before restrictions kicked in. Hospitality giants announcing huge lay-offs. Bar-owners taking direct action in Edinburgh and Glasgow. So, reacting in real time to emerging data on infections, hospitalisation and death and consulting with internationally renowned public health experts and this socialist thinks the Scottish Government should delay action so that businessmen can express an opinion? What would the young Richard Leonard have thought of that … Continue reading The Red Balloon

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-04-06/it-is-scary-inside-the-intensive-care-unit-where-nhs-staff-and-patients-are-battling-coronavirus I’m not blaming the handful of hospitality workers, there were no ‘dozens’, who turned out for the cameras to toss ice into the streets, in a protest organised by their self-centred employers. Mostly, I’m sure they haven’t really though about it. Needless to say we don’t hear who they work for and the media make no attempt to find out. They have good reason to skulk. As the bloody red line of excess deaths begins a steep climb, most of us welcome the prompt action of the Scottish Government. Only fools and psychopaths do not. Continue reading Watch this and feel your own heart melt before your boss tells you to toss ice in the streets

After responding to the Herald‘s typical misrepresentations of what the First Minister actually said and meant, I remembered to have a look at the ‘pro-independence’ National. They share a building and the clearly share the same interpretation: Last-minute changes to tough new lockdown restrictions in Scotland to exempt some cafes have created a “lack of clarity”, Scotland’s First Minister has conceded. So, this ‘lack of clarity?’ The First Minister does go on to admit that the Scottish Government’s attempts to resolve a complex problem, in everyone’s best interests, to try to save lives and to prevent a worse lock-down later, may have resulted … Continue reading The National runs with the pack again to undermine SNP

Scotland’s media are full of the pain being suffered by business folk told to temporarily close and promised compensation. I’m sure it’s hard, really hard, to see a project you’ve put much of your life into, struggle to survive but worse things do happen and for many others, they’re happening right now. See this red line: It tells us how many more people are dying who would not have died but for the virus. After the horrific spike in April and May, killing thousands across the country and bringing a flood of tears to their families, by following the Scottish … Continue reading The wolf is at the door. Save your tears for what is to come.

They do know, don’t they, that they’re embracing the British Empire? You know that empire? The one based almost entirely on wealth derived from exploitation and slavery? The one that brought war and brutal suppression to millions across the globe? The one that starved millions in India and Ireland? The one that invented concentration camps? The one that condemned its own people to crushing poverty so that its monarchy could ride in gilded carriages? I could go on and on. Maybe we should be humbled by hearing of these atrocities rather than by the supposed benevolence of the monarch who … Continue reading Humbled, honoured? I’m deeply saddened, Lorraine

The Herald opens with: NICOLA Sturgeon admitted there has been a “lack of clarity” around new coronavirus rules as she told businesses unsure of their position to close. We’ll leave for the moment, the notion that businesses were unsure of their position, which I doubt, and concentrate on the alleged ‘lack of clarity.‘ The First Minister does go on to admit that the Scottish Government’s attempts to resolve a complex problem, in everyone’s best interests, to try to save lives and to prevent a worse lock-down later, may have resulted in an unavoidable lack of clarity for some people, but she did not … Continue reading Not trusted nor intelligent enough to inform the public accurately

‘Less than five‘ will be ‘a multiple‘ of one but ‘Multiple deaths?’ In the Herald today, under the headline above, we read: An outbreak of coronavirus cases has been confirmed at a major Scottish hospital. A ward at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh has been forced into lockdown after positive cases of Covid-19 were identified and a “very small number” of patients died after testing positive for the virus. Reading on, we hear that though the actual number cannot be confirmed yet, it is ‘less than five.‘ We don’t find out, crucially, if the patients died because of the virus rather than just … Continue reading Neither trusted nor quality

Once again, I was going to let this post, on a website with too few readers to mention, just go, but then I read some it. It’s frankly unbelievable. After pretending that the wisdom of a Holocaust survivor has inspired his latest anti-SNP diatribe, he goes on to patronise any readers he has left and to make a number of patently false claims. I won’t do them all, it’s not worth it, but these examples below give you a flavour, if a sour one: As someone who doesn’t do social media, I have observed with bemusement as your Facebook feeds … Continue reading Common Weal ‘Visionary’ Robin McAlpine’s latest anti-SNP preaching is bizarre

Stephen McGowan, self-proclaimed ‘leading and prolific author‘ of the law firm TLT, is all over the Scottish media today saying: If parliament does not define cafe and it is left to local interpretation as is suggested here, then expect absolute carnage across the country.  Hmm, prone to exaggeration? The Herald has him in this: Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of overseeing a “complete shambles” ahead of a two-week hospitality shutdown in central Scotland.  Experts said the measures risked “absolute carnage” after confusion erupted over which businesses will be affected. Shambles and carnage, both bloody words in their original meaning. There has … Continue reading Café carnage?