Well-named for his longstanding and consistent ability to twist the truth, Glen Campbell was on his usual form last night, discussing the new Scottish Tory Branch leader and what he needs to do if he’s to make up any ground on the SNP. Of course, referring as members of other tribes do, to the Scottish National Party as ‘the nationalists’, for subliminal negative effect, he reminded viewers of that popular myth that the SNP is only popular because of Brexit and Boris and despite their failures in government. He told us: ‘The Scottish Government does have problems piling up. There’s … Continue reading Glen Campbell piling up the Scottish Government’s ‘problems’ for you

From the Independent yesterday Ludo Thierry Good to see Bernie Sanders’ big bro Larry Sanders bring the Democratic Presidential Nomination campaign to Edinburgh – where welcome support for the rights of the people resident in Scotland to choose their own constitutional future was offered. Larry’s view is that Bernie favours Scottish Indy (of course he does – Bernie’s one of the good guys). Link and snippets below: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/bernie-sanders-would-be-in-favour-of-scottish-independence-says-brother/ar-BB100FUB?ocid=spartandhp US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders would be in favour of Scottish independence with Scotland’s political atmosphere “chiming much better” with his world view than the rest of the UK, says his older … Continue reading Next POTUS favours Scottish Independence

John Robertson From BBC Health today: Health officials are urging people to have both parts of the MMR vaccine after cases of mumps in England reached their highest level in a decade. Outbreaks in universities and colleges raised the number of cases of the painful viral illness to 5,042 in 2019 – four times the number in 2018. Most were in young adults who missed out on the MMR jab. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51493496 As Scotland’s cleaner hospitals escape, so far, the Norovirus epidemic closing hundreds of  beds across NHS England and as the Coronavirus outbreak fails to spread here, NHS Scotland’s MMR … Continue reading Will Mumps epidemic spread from England despite 97% MMR rate here?

John Robertson This is the best our Scottish NoMedia can dig up today, on NHS Scotland. Surely a photo of an apparently distraught Jeanne Freeman would make this a more informative report. Meanwhile, in England, journalists have stuff ours can only dream of. We’ve just heard that pregnant women are terrified of attending East Kent hospitals after several avoidable deaths of babies there. Now we see that the hospitals of the North Midlands Trust have been slammed by the Care Quality Commission For University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, it’s good to hear that the staff are caring but, … Continue reading English hospitals neither safe, effective, responsive nor well-led but Herald spreads rumour of pregnant Caithness women worried about travel to hospital

John Robertson: From BBC UK yesterday: An independent review will be held into maternity services at the East Kent NHS Trust after up to 15 babies died there in recent years. Nadine Dorries, minister for patient safety, pledged immediate action and said NHS England would investigate the two hospitals in Margate and Ashford. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-51490841 Notice that the minister did not apologise, nor did BBC UK expect her to. The board is to blame, and all know that. Imagine what Reporting Scotland could have made of this? 15 dead babies so several mums sobbing for their callous cameras and the minister … Continue reading Women ‘terrified’ of using NHS England hospitals so will BBC Scotland consider repeat of one baby death horror story?

John Robertson While Scotland’s drug deaths feed ill-informed debate across UK media including on Question Time last night, uniquely dramatic increases in female homicide victims in England and Wales go unremarked. From the BBC England website: The number of female homicide victims in England and Wales has risen to the highest level since 2006. There were 241 female victims of murder, manslaughter and infanticide in the 12 months to the end of March 2019, up 10% on the previous year. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51491021 From the Scottish official statistics for the same period: In 2018-19, there were 46 male victims, representing 75% of … Continue reading Female homicide in England and Wales more than one third higher than in Scotland

John Robertson: As hundreds are flooded out of their homes, across England, and angry residents blame government failures, BBC Scotland struggles to compete, finding only this: Urgent repairs are being carried out to flood defences in a Borders town after they were damaged during Storm Ciara.It is thought the problems on the Jed Water at Richmond Row in Jedburgh were caused by large debris striking the riverbank due to high water levels. Scottish Borders Council is carrying out the repairs ahead of further heavy rainfall expected this weekend. It said plans were in place to evacuate 12 properties in the … Continue reading Is BBC Scotland disappointed as Scotland’s flood defences hold with only partial damage?

John Robertson: With no devolved government to protect them, this council has had to cope with Tory cuts with a dramatic rise in rates: Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has agreed a rates increase of 7.65%.The rise to the district rate was struck on Thursday night as the council attempted to address a £7m funding deficit for the next year. The council had agreed on Wednesday to make cuts totalling £2.2m. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/51498124 In Scotland, the highest increase is 4.79% https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-47371208 Continue reading Tory funding cuts force N Ireland council into massive 7.65% rates rise

John Robertson: Heedless of the proven benefits for local economies, Welsh Labour is considering reintroducing tolls on the Severn Bridge only two years after they were removed. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-51495980 Tolls on roads and bridges punish most the poor and lower-income workers, so the appeal for Labour is to be expected. Click to access dp137810.pdf Continue reading Labour considers reintroduction of bridge tolls in Wales to punish low-income workers

John Robertson: I shouldn’t watch Question Time. Now I can’t sleep until I explain why they were all so wrong about drug deaths in Scotland. So, three things: Drug deaths statistics are counted differently across the UK. This spike in deaths is largely among older addicts, know as the Trainspotting Generation and they are the victims of Tory economic policies in the 1980s. The Scottish Government has beaten the waiting time targets for drug treatment. Details below: Drug deaths are counted differently in Scotland and England: The statistics come from a source which compares these with English data which are not … Continue reading Question Time debate misses facts on drug deaths showing SNP is not to blame