In this piece by James Foley, click on Scotland’s coronavirus death rate compares rather poorly with England’s and it takes you to a Daily Record report recycling Andrew Marr’s selective use of only 4 weeks in the recent pandemic statistics where death rates due to Covid were higher per capita in Scotland than in England. I knew Common Weal and it’s Source Direct blog had flaws but this is a lulu! Source Indirect methinks! Here are the data from official NRS and ONS statistics: The 7-day average: Around 20% lower in Scotland! 2. The last month: See the Marr opportunity? … Continue reading COMMON WEAL’S REPUTATION FINALLY MARRED BY LAST GAFFE

From Pete Whitehouse, Director of Statistical Services at the National Records of Scotland on 2nd December:  Excess deaths from all causes began to increase in October, but this is almost entirely due to the corresponding rise in COVID-19 deaths. Deaths from causes such as respiratory diseases and cancer are below average levels for this time of year. https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2020/deaths-involving-covid-19-week-48-23th-29th-november I hesitate to say this but is much cancer treatment ineffective? Continue reading After 9 months There is no sign of cancer death tsunami

As often before here, I’m asking a question rather than in any definitive way, answering one but the claim by Monica Lennon was being made across the media in July so where are even the first signs of a swell in numbers? Coronavirus has killed directly, in the thousands, as you can see from these graphs but where’s the evidence that the postponement of other treatment has, 9 months later, caused any significant swell in the level of excess deaths? Other than the direct coronavirus deaths, the overall death rate has often been lower than in recent years. A report … Continue reading Where is that ‘Tsunami of cancer deaths?’Has the pandemic saved lives too?

To the tune of ‘We don’t care what what the liber–als say. What the hell do we care? Coz we only know there’s gonna be a show and the Ing—er—land will be there……killing all the lo—cals!’ Mark E Smith trumpets: I love England. And the English. I love the place, and the people. I love its past, and its present. I love its great politicians and its great heroes. I love its cities, and towns, and villages. I love its greatest performers and its greatest artists: the comedians who’ve made me laugh and the musicians who’ve made me sing. I … Continue reading I don’t ‘LOVE’ Scotland. There, I’ve said it.

Widespread fears among Unionists have been at least partly eased by the news that former PM, Gordon Brown will lead the NO Campaign in 2021 with a promise of full federalism in two years. The banner heading is thought to be FFS Scotland! NO supporters had been understandably worried that there was no obvious candidate who could unite the disparate parts of their campaign. Brown will still face a huge challenge in getting Labour and Conservative figures on the same stage. Concern that Brown might be too old for the task was widespread but seems to have been alleviated after … Continue reading Relief as Brown to lead NO Campaign after successful baby blood and shark placenta treatment!

Glenn Campbell gets oh so close to producing a fine piece of investigative journalism, then appears to lose his nerve at the end. He has this impressive array of evidence that Scotland’s health chiefs are seriously concerned about what is about to happen as Boris Johnson seems prepared to drive the UK off a cliff in leaving the EU, trusting that the RAF will get the medicines in: NHS Grampian noted that about 85% of prescription-only medicines are imported to the UK from, or through, the EU single market. NHS Tayside’s planning assumptions include “shortages of some medicines, particularly after the first … Continue reading Scotland’s health chiefs slam Conservative Government’s failure to protect lives

The above group’s report yesterday opens with this aim: To ensure that lessons are learned from the UK’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak so far such that the UK’s response and preparedness may be improved in future. It’s just about England and the Johnson regime’s performance but on Page 87, you can’t help but think of the Scottish Government in 2 out of these 3 markers of relative success: With regard to 10.2, in August, the Tusker was able to say: Less than 3 weeks ago, Scotland’s MSM and their opposition party feeders were hopeful they might embarrass the Scottish … Continue reading All -Party Group on Coronavirus recognises what Scottish Government has

I’m not 100% sure of this because I don’t know for certain what role Glasgow’s building inspector’s played here but, in the absence of evidence to suggest they were somehow excluded by the contract, as was the case with many capital projects under New Labour, the QEUH should be safe. Here’s why: First, the ‘chimney effect’ at Grenfell: ‘TV architect George Clarke said: “There’s a new cladding system put on the outsides (of the block of flats) that looks like a new skin. There’s an air gap, and insulation behind that; to me that looks like a fantastic chimney for … Continue reading Scotland’s superhospital and the regulations preventing another Grenfell

By Brenda Steele: A a regular watcher of the WHO press conferences, I was surprised by the rather forthright manner  of Dr Ryan when he rebuked Jamey Keaten of Associated Press for the manner of his question.  WHO officials are normally much more diplomatic. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019   04/12/2020  the last ten minutes or so – from 1 hour in. “Be careful with your rhetoric.  This is an important time for us to have a proper dialogue.  And the way that you formulate a question can often betray the way you intend it to be answered – and that’s how misinformation and disinformation … Continue reading This matters, this counts.

I’m reminded of the time when after three appearances on RT explaining media bias in Scotland, they then emailed me to ask me whether Russia or the Ukraine was responsible for the shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. I told them who the UK media thought had done it. I seem to have kept my head on that one. The trouble arises when you fool yourself. The most obvious example recently is long-retired bacteriology Prof Pennington thinking he is the man to answer questions on virology and pandemic control despite a limited cv in these fields. Prof Jim Gallacher, above, … Continue reading Another past-it unqualified Brit-Nat Prof attacks SNP Government