I feel I must remind readers of my motivation here. I present this as information which can be used to compare with reports of alleged crises in health care in Scotland and the lies and misinformation propagated by members of the opposition and the MSM to undermine the Scottish Government. As one care home in Scotland (in Skye) hits the headlines, 21 have been reported by the Care Quality Commission, in the last month alone, as failing on infection control across England to, as far as I can see, media silence. I have not check for reports earlier than one … Continue reading As coronavirus arrived in England at least 21 care homes had just failed on infection control

It had to happen. The impatience, nay rage, of critics of SNP sloth, such as the Rev Campbell and Peter ‘Absolutely’ Bell, has clearly got to even those former champions of moderate politics, Tom ‘Prince’ Gordon and Ms Spowage at the FoALI. They make the case for a full independence spurge (go wild), now, with great clarity. In the Herald today: SNP ministers need to be bolder and more innovative in response to the coronavirus crisis, and not just complain about Holyrood being shortchanged by Westminster, the country’s top economic thinktank has said. The Fraser of Allander Institute said the UK Government … Continue reading Fraser of Allander Institute and Tom Gordon join Wings and Peter A Bell in making case for a full independence ‘spurge’

In Scotland, the 7 day average of new cases is 159 . https://www.travellingtabby.com/scotland-coronavirus-tracker/ The UK 7 day average of new cases is 3 777. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/ The UK population is 12.2 times greater than Scotland’s so, all things being equal, the daily number of cases should be around 1 900 but is, in fact 3 777, twice as high. Intuitively, I’d have thought that the above would mean Scotland had a lower R number than the UK. Why doesn’t it? Over to you readers. Continue reading Coronavirus infection growing at TWICE the rate per head of population in Tory parts of UK

SAGE has released the latest estimate of the R number for England and put it between 0.7 and 1, up from 0.5 to 0.9 last week. The lower figure was, of course, the basis for the PM’s schoolboy leap toward a loosening of the lock-down for England. This worsening of the situation after only 4 days of official loosening may have been due, also, to higher levels of rejection of the lock-down rules by people in English cities in the previous weeks: The impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on Scottish cities has been larger than similar sized places across the … Continue reading One week of the Boris plan and England’s R number surges dangerously close to 1

In Hold the Front Page yesterday: The Scottish government has unveiled a £3m advertising boost for newspapers across Scotland. “The Scottish government will continue to share public health messages in Scottish papers and on their digital sites.” The announcement has been welcomed by Scottish Newspaper Society director John McLellan. He told HTFP: “The SNS is delighted that the Scottish government will be investing in our titles and it is recognition of the key role our titles play in communicating effectively with communities up and down Scotland. https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2020/news/government-chiefs-reveal-3m-ad-boost-for-scottish-newspapers/ John McLellan? John McLellan! ‘Communicating effectively?’ This Tory Councillor and Scotsman columnist is the most rabid … Continue reading Hell’s Teeth! Tory Councillor thanks SNP Administration for the free money to help him lie about SNP Administration!

Police in England and Wales have issued more than 14,000 fines for alleged breaches of lockdown laws. The figures, from 27 March to 11 May, show the most fixed penalty notices – 906 – were handed out in London, by the Metropolitan Police. In Scotland: Police have issued a total of 537 fixed penalty notices so far, including 113 in Glasgow, 67 in Renfrewshire and 57 in Lanarkshire. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18373135.coronavirus-police-scotland-issued-500-fines-will-not-patrol-shopping-baskets/ England and Wales have 12.6 times the population so, all things being equal should have issued around 6 000 fines but, in fact had to issue 14 000, more than twice … Continue reading Police Scotland social distancing fines stall at less than half that in England and Wales: Carlaw to raise in Holyrood

Only hours after the Herald’s Rebecca McQuillan struggled to make sure Scotland would be going down with the SS Hancock as the UK’s uniquely callous and feckless covid strategy draws fire and ridicule from all quarters, up pops the World Health Organisation to praise the efforts of the SNP administration: No wonder the Brexiteers hate the Jocks. The UN praises our efforts on poverty. The Nuffield Foundation at Oxford University praises our management of the NHS and we’ve got less crime and…….Rule Britannia! Britannia….. Continue reading Rebecca McQuillan gets an answer straightaway: WHO doctor praises Scottish Government

Reader Rosie Andrew tipped me off on this. You might remember Jackson Carlaw saying, at FM Questions, two days ago: It is also reported today that the ratio of care home deaths is double that of the figure elsewhere across the UK. Fewer tests for our care homes, more deaths in our care homes. The claim was widely repeated and never questioned. It’s wrong, of course. See this below from the ONS: So in England and Wales, 9 039 out of 12 483 covid-related deaths, by 1st May, were in care homes and that is 72.4%. In Scotland, by 10th … Continue reading Shock for Carlaw as proportion of deaths in English care homes revealed to be 62% higher than in Scotland

Scotland has been low on the list in terms of ordering things before and I would hope they get their bid in quickly for when the test is going to be available. In a report requiring all the expertise of my granny – ‘If you don’t get doon tae that shop the noo, there’ll be nane left! – Prof P warns the Scottish Government they’ll need to be quick to get some of those new Roche anti-body tests and, in an unguarded moment, says the above. He’s so right. Matt Hancock will have been on the phone to Swiss company … Continue reading Will Pro-Union prof change sides as he confirms anti-Scottish practices by UK-based providers of medical supplies?

I’ve done this so often with Herald mis-reporting, images keep popping into my head. Sometimes, I’m batting away big insects. Other times, I’m shooting fish in a barrel. Anyhow, memories are short, so here we go again. When it comes to retrospective assessments of how governments have performed in this global crisis, I’m confident that, when it is done by independent, academic researchers, not hacks of limited ability, the Scottish Government will emerge with a far better reputation than many. Why? The Scottish Government acquired the legal right to lock-down only on the 25th March, two days after the UK … Continue reading Rebecca McQuillan warns Scots not to think they’ve achieved anything even with far fewer deaths despite our powerlessness