I make no claims to any expertise here but when the Scottish Tories campaign against something uniquely Scottish, I reach for my keyboard. In 2001, the ‘colourful’ Donald Findlay QC, Rangers man and, I’d thought, a defender of the Union wrote ‘The Bastard Verdict’ defending the ‘Not proven’ verdict. It seems to be out of print, with only this short description to be found: The bastard verdict or, to give it its proper title, the not proven verdict is one of the most controversial in British justice. In England, the accused is either guilty or not guilty but, in Scotland, … Continue reading Defending the ‘Bastard Verdict’

In the Scotsman, ‘journalism’ as they call it: Several teachers said they felt “gaslighted” and “frustrated” about the Scottish Government’s handling of the issue of keeping clinically vulnerable teachers safe. All of the teachers we spoke to requested anonymity due to fearing for their jobs due to ‘gagging clauses’ in their contracts banning them from openly criticising their employers, in this case, local councils. The Scotsman’s Connor Matchett gives no number but only two are quoted. The evidence, the facts are in, the above is rubbish: A summary of the latest evidence on coronavirus (COVID-19) in schools has been published. … Continue reading leading academic accuses one or two teachers of showing a ‘total lack of perspective and understanding’ and journalist of total lack of evidence

In the Record today: Calls have been made to double the prison sentences for thugs who assault emergency workers. Criminals who attack police officers and nurses could get jailed for up to two years if the plans are backed by MSPs. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: “It’s shocking that so many frontline workers are assaulted while serving the people of Scotland by keeping us safe. Following the original law, the maximum sentence for assaulting an emergency worker is 12 months. Just yesterday we heard in the Evening Express: Scottish Tories to use party conference to attack ‘soft touch’ justice system Fred Mackintosh QC … Continue reading No? Douglas Ross fibbing or just dim again?

The Irish Government and businesses there, have been preparing for the worst Brexit deal for years now and the above advice to hauliers makes it clear there are alternatives available to them. All-too-aware of the looming chaos in Kent with thousand of lorries delayed for days, weeks, months, and the underlying contempt for their interests in the UK Tory leadership, they have begun to act in a way Scotland can only dream of. Perhaps this kind of thinking, two years ago, has made things even clearer: Can Ireland’s hauliers actually bypass the UK? The above advice suggests so and this … Continue reading Better off out from under the UK’s broad shoulders

BBC Scotland Editor: How can we help our viewers understand and comply with the new Covid measures and so save lives? I know, let’s open with threats from pub owners that thanks to Nicola Sturgeon they’ll have to shut their doors for good. That’ll help. RTE in Ireland don’t do this. They help educate the population in the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of the measures, introduced by their elected government, to save lives. It’s almost as if they, RTE, the Government and the people, feel they’re all in it together. Scotland passed 5 000 deaths yesterday. Ireland has had 2 … Continue reading BBC Scotland: One reason Scotland’s death rate is more than TWO times higher than Ireland’s?

Based on some ‘new figures’ where of course we don’t get to see the raw numbers, the Herald/EIS team is pushing hard on closing schools and closing down the SNP Government’s reputation for pandemic management while just ignoring yesterday’s report revealing that only 0.1% of pupils were infected, that 75% of schools had no infections and that teachers were no more at risk than any other workers. After shocking us with the news that, as cases, were surging across the country, they were also up in Schools, they present their top piece of evidence: The highest positive test rates are … Continue reading Are teachers safer in S5/6 classes than outside?

The Covid-certificated death rate in England is currently 837 per 1 million population. In Scotland it is 627. A difference of 210 per million. There are 5.4 million people in Scotland so that’s 1 134 of who might have been expected to die had they lived in England because, perhaps, the hospital-infection level is between 9 and 12 times higher? That difference of 210 is 25%. Is that ‘only slightly lower?’ Tell that to the 1 134. If you come at from the other direction and ask how much higher the rate is in England it’s, 33%! There are 60 … Continue reading 25% is Only ‘a slightly lower death rate, Sarah?’

In the run-up the 2014 referendum, Clyde shipbuilders were promised 13 Type 26 frigates. Soon after the vote , it was 8, then in July 2017, it became 3. Today, the PM promises 13 again and according to Reuters, claims that this will illuminate: the benefits of the union in the white light of the ark welder’s torch. Should that be ‘arc’ or will these be for evacuating pairs of MPs when the Thames floods? He can certainly talk the talk. Does anyone believe he will deliver on these 13? Will the voters of Clydeside be fooled again? Continue reading For frigate’s sake We don’t get fooled again

From Smith, in the Herald today: Here we go again. From 6pm on Friday in large parts of Scotland, non-essential shops – or should I say “so-called non-essential shops” – will be forced to shut and stay shut for three weeks. It means thousands of retailers will be closed at a time when they usually make most of their money. Some of them will not reopen, that’s the bottom line. It’s a disaster: cultural, economic and personal. I’m talking here about businesses like Viola Vintage, a beautiful antique and curio shop on Paisley Road West in Glasgow. The shop specialises in … Continue reading Here we go again, indeed

It’s another biggie from McArdle, where she asks: Coronavirus Scotland: How did we end up back in lockdown? Just follow the numbers Leaving aside the inaccuracy of the suggestion that we are back in lockdown when not all parts are in Level 4 and schools are still confidently open based on evidence, it’s full of stuff but it’s still wrong. Just as in the first wave, the devolved powers were not sufficient and that’s why we are where we are, with infection levels high but only half that of England and with a reasonable shot at pushing them down hard … Continue reading The data clearly show we were betrayed twice but the Herald fails to see that