Reporting Scotland today was in full propaganda mode as they reported selectively, and responding obediently to prompting from the Conservative and Unionist party branch in Scotland. Here are the key comments and responses: A drop in the number of Higher Exam passes. The Scottish Government’s accused of trying to bury the figures. The details emerged in a Government report which was published at 8 o’clock last night. But the Conservatives argue that the data is [sic] a sign of clear and systematic problems. Jamie it isn’t just the figures that caused the criticism, is it? It’s the way they emerged. … Continue reading Reporting Scotland on behalf of the Conservative party to deny our children’s success

I’d vote for either of them! Nick has a lot to say but little evidence for it. Even a First-Year journalism student knows you need some real evidence to make any case. You know, attributable sources, reliable sources, maybe even some numbers? Here’s what Nick has: [T]here are factions in the party There are even conversations Some critics say Some senior figures in the party, such as MP Joanna Cherry Others – such as veteran MP Pete Wishart Others still want The MP Angus MacNeil is one of those who think He added: Mr MacNeil is not the only one … Continue reading ‘Some’ have told me that Nick Eardley’s unsubstantiated guff would fail a First-Year journalism assessment. ‘Others’ have agreed. ‘One’ said he should be…..

Let me see. According to official figures, the lowest levels of race-related crime in the UK, perhaps lower than the majority in the West? Religious bigotry falling steadily toward insignificance according to Professor Devine’s figures? Domestic abuse well below UK-levels? Not much evidence there, Mr Brown. Which Western countries are less divided than Scotland? England’s Asian and Black communities ghettoised and disproportionately imprisoned? Fascists marching outside Westminster and advising the PM? Northern Ireland’s paramilitaries only on stand-down? The USA, your favourite holiday location! The Black and Hispanic populations in ghettos, poverty pay or in prison? The melting pot never even … Continue reading Gordon Brown loses it again

What does this tell us? There was a tragic mistake in a hospital made by dedicated staff who are now to have public humiliation added to the trauma they already suffer. Does it tell us anything of real value that might inform our thoughts and our feelings on the nature of our NHS? No. Nothing. Here is something useful. Compensation claims against hospitals are a good measure of clinical negligence. You need a strong case to get the money. So, how does NHS Scotland compare? In 2017, NHS Scotland paid out £38.3 million. That works out at £7.22 per head … Continue reading Another morbid single-case hiding the fact that NHS England pays out FOUR times more for per capita for clinical negligence

The Herald headline and to a lesser extent that on BBC Scotland, this morning, is misleading. See these tables from the report in question: The headline story is that a very high number of Scottish pupils are leaving with qualifications and that in almost every case above, the trend is still upward in 2019. Look at the last three rows! In every case the rate has risen significantly from 2016 and in one or two cases, it is down but insignificantly, by less than 1% from 2018. There have been small (2-3%) but significant falls in the pass rates for … Continue reading BBC Scotland and Herald mislead you as exam pass rates rise again

I’ll keep this short. I’m sure you have other things to do. I voted Yes in 2014. I had no doubts and, for a while, was angry with friends who had voted No. Then, as time passed, and we talked, I came to see things from their perspective and to understand that they had perfectly reasonable fears about independence. In some cases, I even thought that, if I had the same job, relatives in England or had grown up in a family with strong reasons to value the Union, I too would have voted No. It was just that my … Continue reading Dear No voter in 2014, you were right to vote that way then, but do you think things have changed enough now for you to change your mind next time?

In the Guardian today: One in 10 of all new homes in England since 2013 have been built on land at the highest risk of flooding, official figures reveal, potentially leaving tens of thousands of people in greater danger from extreme winter storms. The number of properties built in these high-risk areas annually has more than doubled in recent years, with more than 84,000 new at-risk homes in total since 2013, according to a Guardian analysis of government data. In the aftermath of the devastating Storms Ciara and Dennis, experts and council leaders have warned that residents are being left at … Continue reading Scottish Government NOT allowing building on flood plain but anything goes for Tories

In the wake of recent cases where a small number of patients who have died have later been shown to have contracted blood infections, Alex Cole Hamilton has helped us to put these into a wider context. His parliamentary question in Holyrood yesterday has revealed that the number of hospital stays with a diagnosis of sepsis fell by more than 50%, from 19 362 in 2018 to only 9 144 in 2019. Sepsis mortality data for recent years is still under review but there was a 21% drop between 2012 and 2014. Click to access WA20200219.pdf I can’t see official … Continue reading Massive fall in sepsis cases and deaths in cleaner Scottish hospitals less than half that in England

Today, repeating one of his favourite opening types, Neil Mackay, ‘Writer at large’ [we could both lose a few pounds but we’re neither of us obese] writes: ‘SOMETHING very dangerous is starting to happen in this country. Science, our last barrier against irrationality, is under attack. Without science we’ve nothing – no reality, no modernity, no yardstick by which to measure the truth. Without science we’re finished.’ Neil Mackay is correct about some of his targets, such as Andrew Sabinsky, in terms of their apparent lack of awareness of scientific evidence, contrary to their comments but only three weeks ago … Continue reading Herald writer Neil Mackay’s serious lack of self-awareness

And we’re off with an all day scare story fed to BBC Scotland by the dread Jenny Marra. It’s a real crisis and urgent action is needed say….MSPs. Ah, no research? No figures that we can trust. Just the eminently untrustworthy Marra? I’m not saying all is well in these prisons, but a bit of context might be informative. Informative? You know, so the audience can make an informed judgement on whether or not they need to buy new locks and board up the windows? I’ve got some: Prison escapes? Although our most recent report from FY 2018/19 is yet … Continue reading Lock up your daughters! And sons of course! Dangerous prisoners might need to break-out to complain to SNP!