While Scotland’s 35% lower fatality rate will be explained by multiple factors, the decision in 2008, to axe outsourced cleaning and to increase the number of cleaners, by Nicola Sturgeon, then Health Secretary, seems likely to have been a major factor. What happened: (May 2011) In the 1980s, the Thatcher government in the UK introduced compulsory tendering of all cleaning and catering work in hospitals throughout the UK. This was bitterly fought at the time, with a series of lengthy strikes, public campaigns and court cases. For the next 20 years the unions continued to organise cleaners, negotiate to improve … Continue reading Is Scotland’s lower covid-19 death rate due to Nicola Sturgeon axing outsourced cleaning in 2008?

Panelbase constituency vote polling on 6th May 2020 confirms a 5-8% surge up from a plateau in the mid 40’s to 53% and away from falling support for the other parties A similar surge in the ‘list’ vote but, due to the Holyrood system, a small overall majority: Continue reading SNP fast diverging from the others

Recently appointed Scotsman journalist, Conor Marlborough [That bit’s not a spoof], above, is to lead the Scotsman’s online division in a challenge to Wings Over Scotland. In a nod to Wings’ the Rev Stu Campbell, Malborough will style himself Parson and wear the dog collar faithfully, even when furloughed in his mother’s kitchen. In an effort to counter the recent SNP surge, Conor will write daily, articles which appear to have been written in a parallel universe where devolution didn’t happen and where Ross Thompson is Secretary of State for Scotland. Talking-up Scotland’s editor, Professor Longhair Robertson, has accused Malborough … Continue reading Scotsman to take Wings over Scotland?

Thanks to Brenda Steele for spotting this: Iain MacWhirter yesterday: Now, I don’t subscribe to the view that Boris Johnson has allowed thousands to die in order to save his billionaire Brexit chums. The UK government behaved reasonably, according to its lights, muddling through as always.  Is he just naive or ill-informed? We know for several facts that the UK’s uniquely late and fatal lock-down was ideologically informed. The Tories are wedded to free-market thinking which put business interests first unless something really extreme change things in a way they cannot resist but they will always tend to resist as long as … Continue reading Iain ‘Lap dog’ Macwhirter declares Boris not guilty!

While Scottish Labour conspicuously fails to deal with anti-Islamic comments made against the SNP Justice Minister by one of Anas Sarwar’s colleagues, he continues to pursue any possibility that he might use to attack the reputation of Scotland. His heartless exploitation of the mothers of dead children to attack the NHS in Glasgow and, by association, the Health Secretary, are not forgotten. The use of his brother-in-law to attempt to fake a PPE crisis is also memorable. Now, he seems to have used the resources of Holyrood to fund small-scale ‘research’ into Islamophobia in Scotland and to describe it as … Continue reading Anas Sarwar, the Ferret and his pet professor construct fake news on Islamophobia in Scotland based on self-selecting sample of at most 0.4%

Headlining in the ‘Scotsman’, a report either ignorant or contemptuous of the devolution settlement: Boris Johnson has suggested that the UK-wide lockdown measures will be relaxed on Monday, as he attended his first prime minister’s questions since being diagnosed with coronavirus in late March. Mr Johnson said he would reveal plans for an “unlockdown” in a televised statement on Sunday, following a review of the current measures on Thursday. Have I missed something? Has devolution been revoked? ‘UK-wide lockdown measures’ discussed in a supposedly Scottish newspaper with no mention of Scotland or, for that matter, the First minister, who has … Continue reading Scotsman writer thinks there will be UK-wide ‘un-lockdown’ measures

This one required the shiniest of brass necks. A Tory tries to convince us her party cares about the people in need of IVF when, in England, it is responsible for the most appalling corruption and cruelty in that same domain. Much of this is a repeat and getting out of date but, I think, still makes the necessary points: New IVF treatment is on hold while the coronavirus outbreak is prioritised. This has caused some suffering but seems unavoidable for the moment. I feel sure the Health Secretary and the First Minister will not hesitate to restart the programme … Continue reading Astonishing hypocrisy of a Scottish Tory on IVF

By stewartb Some good business news published today (6 May) for Scotland. Hopefully BBC Scotland (perhaps even Reporting Scotland) will pick this up and amplify it as part of its balanced, fair public service broadcasting remit!  The news is from Insider magazine – so it’s not hidden away! The latter is surely a source of news content on business and the economy used by BBC Scotland. Source: https://www.insider.co.uk/news/business-angels-invested-more-100m-21981118 The headline: ‘Business angels invested more than £100m in deals over year The record figure shows continuing support for this investment sector’ Groups (‘syndicates’) of risk investors in early stage businesses (‘business … Continue reading BBC Scotland haven’t noticed but even the angels are Talking up Scotland!

Many of you will have seen Findlay’s dishonest and sickening comments yesterday. If you haven’t you may want to see them here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-52493193 In the last 7 days the average number of new cases, each day, has been 122 whereas in the previous 7 days it was 144. For the second week now, deaths in care homes fell. In the last week they fell from 339 to 310. Continue reading As Neil Findlay sickens us with the implication that the FM does not care, infection and death rates both fall

From sam: It seems that Serci and G4S are in the frame. This is from The Times 3 days ago. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-private-call-centres-will-run-new-contact-tracing-system-bjqnpsxqc “The contact tracing system crucial to hopes of easing lockdown will be outsourced to private call centre operators including Serco, The Times has learnt. The bulk of contact tracing work will be contracted out to at least two companies who are being asked to provide about 15,000 call centre staff. They will be given about a day of training in the principles of and a script to handle conversations with people who have been at close quarters with confirmed … Continue reading Contact tracing system crucial to hopes of easing lock-down to be outsourced