From BBC Scotland in their long-running series ‘Scottish Labour says one or two cases is enough to damn NHS Scotland‘, we hear, today, of two patients with chronic pain who have felt the needed to travel to private pain clinics in England during the lock-down. There are roughly 1 million sufferers of chronic pain in Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/policies/illnesses-and-long-term-conditions/chronic-pain/#:~:text=Chronic%20pain%20affects%201%20in,the%20centre%20of%20their%20care. As far as I can see, there are no private pain clinics in Scotland. After the above headline, with the speech marks around ‘forced’ when they should be around ‘patients’, given the number actually reported, we read: Patients with chronic pain in Scotland … Continue reading No call for Freeman to resign as only 0.0002% of Scottish chronic pain patients pay for private care in English clinics

The Chancellor somewhat beefed-up The democratically-elected leader of the opposition The current and previous leaders of the most popular party in Scotland. Continue reading The MSM courtiers representing the reality of their own biases

Speaking to us today, Professor Andrew Watterson of the Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group at the University of Stirling, said: My assessment is that the Scottish Government has done better than the UK Government on dealing with COVID-19 and that Test and Protect is a better system for protecting workers than the one operating in England. Also the SG consultation with workers through TUs, their recognition of the role of roving TU safety reps in dealing with COVID and their willingness to involve workers and others in developing guidance for a safe return to work after the lockdown reveals … Continue reading Leading occupational health and safety academic speaks to the Tusker to make sure his assessment of Scottish Government’s better performance is not concealed just as the Herald does it

This morning on Good Morning Scotland, Lynn Davidson, the Sun’s Westminster Correspondent was keen to expose the First Minister as less capable than she might appear: About the dreadful figures in care homes and the number of deaths which is something like, in England and Wales, 28% of all fatalities, involving coronavirus whereas in Scotland it’s 47%. It’s been really terrible in care homes in Scotland. It’s no surprise her favourite follower is Glenn Campbell. There is a wee problem with Davidson’s grasp of percentages but more on that later. Following her logic, if you will, with 72% of all … Continue reading SHOCK: Lyn Davidson reveals Covid-19 deaths in English hospitals far worse than in Scotland

I used to teach 11 year-olds how to do and how to use percentages. It’s not that difficult but if you’re a late middle-aged Sun journalist on with Good Morning Scotland’s less than bright team, it seems to be a problem. Add in an agenda to find anything, anything, to chuck at Nicola and all pretense of accuracy goes right out of the window and into the Clyde. This morning, Lynn Davidson of the Sun said: About the dreadful figures in care homes and the number of deaths which is something like, in England and Wales, 28% of all fatalities, … Continue reading Frankly brainless use of care home deaths statistics by Sun writer unchallenged on GMS

In the Herald today, following Adam Tomkins and BBC Scotland’s irresponsible call for gyms to re-open ahead of schedule, Graeme Macpherson, ‘freelance sports writer‘, repeats the confused Temperance thinking: Note that he does not ask why, with deaths flat-lining and new infections surging, England’s gyms have opened? If you don’t think for a minute, you might agree with him but, do think. When you are exercising vigorously you cannot help but gasp for breath, in and out, projecting a plume of droplets for at least two metres and, a massive spray of aerosols, unaffected by gravity, for far further distances. … Continue reading It’s not pubs instead of gyms and pools. Should we follow England into another wave of infection?

I’m still a parent. My wife is still a parent. Now they’re all big we’re a bit better, thank you. We used to be parents of children. It’s not a healthy situation to be in. Deeply instinctive and protective, you will do anything, believe anything about any risk you perceive in their environment. Given the power to do so, some less-educated, would string up paediatricians if told there was one living nearby, as they hunt for their missing child. The parents of children who die will seek vengeance. If their child dies in hospital then something went wrong that could … Continue reading Parents used by politicians cannot be allowed to overwhelm scientific evidence

Opening with an attempt to seem erudite but coming across as more Araldite, Wilson just repeats the same old fibs about the responsibility for the Covid-19 deaths and tries as Miles Briggs did earlier to pin it on the SNP. The stuff about Marshal McLuhan could not be more dated and revealing. Using that old right-wing moralist and late convert to Catholicism, like Wilson’s old boss, Tony Blair, tells you just where Wilson’s mind is these days. So, apologies to those who’ve seen this already but here’s them facts again: Responsibility for the ‘failure to protect care home residents‘ can … Continue reading SHOCK: Brian Wilson pretends his fake new is not fake news

Tory MP Anthony Higginbotham has come out ….as a Tory!…..no as a member of the Conservative Union Research Group! Just as the European Research Group promoted the European Union, so they will promote the strength of Great Britain. What the ERG was against the EU but the CURG is in favour of the UK? Why? Anyhoo as Higginbottom often says, here’s a grand idea to do just that: Let’s teach the history of each nation in schools! Too late! In my time in teacher education (84 to 04), I saw weans in Cumnock learning about Henry 8th, heard of bairns … Continue reading Forward to 1968! Tory MP applauds the history education I suffered half a century ago

When I saw that headline, I naturally assumed that, as in the New South Wales / Victoria border control arrangements, North-West England politicians had told their people not to go infecting Scotland and that the Scottish First Minister had offered to police the border so as to allow English forces to concentrate their resources in their own communities. Not so. Risking another Tory rebuke, the FM has said: I strongly advise anyone planning to travel to areas affected in the north of England, or anyone planning to travel to Scotland from those same areas, to cancel their plans. Locals have … Continue reading Tensions inflamed as Scots politician tries to tell English what they can and cannot do