The UK is now the leader in Europe. Unfortunately it’s a leader in a way that isn’t going to gladden the cockles of even the most deluded British nationalist’s heart, because the UK now has the highest total number of recorded deaths from Covid-19 of anywhere in Europe and has exceeded the death toll in Italy, until now the worst affected country in Europe. According to new figures from the UK Government’s own Office of National Statistics, by May 2 there had been 29,648 registered deaths in England and Wales where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. Together with reported deaths from Scotland and Northern Ireland, this takes the total in the UK to 32,375. This figure is over 3000 greater than Italy’s total of 29,029 and we’re not out of the woods yet. It’s a leader table to weep over, literally.
This was of course the lead story that was being tweeted by BBC news this morning. Oh wait. No. The BBC thought it far more important to let us know that there was a lovely photo of a cheerful Boris Johnson in a sunny Regent’s Park, and the heart warming tale of a hand made card sent to him from a small child. Because that’s what’s really important here. We don’t really have the highest death toll in Europe, because we’ve left Europe. It’s just a shame that the British media didn’t warn us that those Brexity sunlit uplands were strewn with corpses, and now that we see that they are it’s simply unpatriotic to hold the British Government to account for it.
We are witnessing this death toll because the British Government failed in a number of vital respects. Despite having early warning from the situation Italy that an epidemic was on its way the British Government was confused in its early response to the crisis, seemingly believing that this could be dealt with in the similar way to a flu outbreak. It was reluctant to impose a lockdown because it was more concerned about the effects on business than the toll in people’s lives, and it pursued a deadly herd immunity strategy which allowed the virus to become widely established across the UK. As other European countries went into lockdown, the UK allowed thousands to gather at the Cheltenham races.
Even now at this late stage the British Government has still not implemented testing, contact tracing, and isolation – the strategy which has been successful in other countries. There is still no system in place to test travellers arriving in the UK from abroad and to quarantine them. There have been entirely avoidable shortages in PPE, and these shortages may very well have contributed to the deaths of key workers. Measures to protect staff and residents in care homes, who are those at greatest risk from this disease, have been woefully inadequate despite the fact that in any herd immunity policy this is precisely the group which is in need of the greatest protection.
Yet rather than get its house in order, the British Government is using your money to push propaganda at you and to lecture the Scottish Government. There is no function to the Scotland Office other than acting as a British nationalist mouth piece to undermine the Scottish Government. Any pretence that its primary reason for existing was to promote the needs and interests of Scotland within the British Government has long gone. The job of the Scotland Office is now to promote the British Government in Scotland. Because there’s no British media that does that already.
But now dividing lines supposedly existing between the cheerleaders for British nationalism in the media and the British Government has become even more blurred into a sick symbiosis. The UK government website has republished in full an article from the Daily Mail – yes, the actual Daily Seig Heil – penned by the Governor General Alister Jack about the importance of the entire UK coming out of lockdown together. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/leaving-lockdown-in-lockstep
We’ve gone through the mirror now, into a dark dystopia where opinion pieces from the Daily Mail attacking the political opponents of the Conservatives are published on the website of the British Government in a deliberate attempt to undermine the Scottish Government and where the British Government sees its job as being to promote the Daily Mail. Tomorrow on the official website of the British Government there will be a piece originally published in the Express, telling us that the ghost of Princess Di has full confidence in Boris Johnson. If what Alister Jack has done is using public resources and civil servants for party political purposes, it’s hard to see what would be. It’s a clear breach of the ministerial code.
Alister wants us natives to know that it’s to be the Union at any cost, including our lives. Big Rumpled Father in Downing Street speak’um to natives, tell’um to do what they are told. And he’s not even got the decency to offer us any beads and mirrors. There are however some blankets, infected with coronavirus. Scotland will do what’s good for London. That’s the British way. The so-called Union is more precious to Alister than the right of the Scottish Government to use the mandate given to it by the people of Scotland to take decisions in the best interests of Scotland. The so-called Union is more important to Alister than Scottish lives. If protecting the British state from vile separatists means allowing some Scottish people to die unnecessarily from a disease, so be it.
The Scottish Government has said that it’s striving to keep party politics and constitutional politics out of its response to the coronavirus epidemic. And that’s right and proper at a time of national crisis when Scotland is coping with a lethal disease. But the British nationalists who occupy the British state have no intention at all of behaving in the same way.
It doesn’t matter to Alister if the scientific advice is for Scotland to remain in lockdown, if the British Government listens to its right wing frothers and decides to prioritise the economy then Scotland jolly well ought to do as it’s told even if the scientific advisors to the Scottish Government say that it’s not wise. Wisdom eh. That’s a word that you’ll only see in the same sentence as Alister Jack when there’s a negative in there. Alister’s government has presided over the highest death toll in Europe. It remains mired in confusion. It tries to keep its scientific advice secret and as we’ve now discovered that’s because its advisors include political appointees. This is not a government which has any moral right to lecture anyone, but it’s far too morally bankrupt to realise that.
Every day that passes during this crisis merely reinforces the reasons why Scotland desperately needs to self-isolate from the toxic arrogance of British nationalism that costs lives and destroys hope. The death toll in the UK is now the highest in Europe, and that’s entirely down to lying incompetent arrogance of a British Government which puts profit before people and a British state which is incapable of reforming itself. And it’s this sorry bunch of lethally incompetent arrogant charlatans that Alister Jack wants Scotland to take its lead from.
And finally, because we could all do with some cheering up during these difficult times…
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Wee Ginger Dug 
Spot on as ever Paul .
Scotland must do what is best for Scotland and I expect nothing less from Nicola Sturgeon.
Reblogged this on Tory Britain!.
There’s going to be a Revolution.
Carlaw and four times political failure, LisTory Maurice Golden, the Scottish Branch of the Blue Tory and Unionist Party’s spokesman on bin collections have tweeted that the SNP must lift lockdown restrictions on building workers in England’s Golden Goose Northern Colony because Johnson’s London Firm are hell bent on causing more deaths Down There by getting HS2 done, and letting their House Builders donors jerry build cramp wee half million pounds semis on England’s flood plains
Mundell Jack Carlaw and Golden. So a few of the Great Unwashed die in harness, or spread the plague to their parents of grandparents.
Capitalism and the Unseen Hand of Market Forces will make a killing.
It’s time for Brit Nat MSP’s to quit Holyrood.
They are mere puppets for their English Masters.
I sense your gathering rage, Paul.
It’s high time that we brought politics into play again. Yet again we seem to be meekly sitting on her hands while the ProudScotsButters and the Scottish Propaganda Hackery get away with Scotland Shite SNPBAD ‘politics’.
I am fed up of us always taking the moral high ground. It’s time to get down and get dirty.
Law and Order is a devolved issue.
I recommend a heavy Police presence on the M74 at Gretna and the A1 at N Berwick this Thursday evening and throughout England’s Bank Holiday week end.
3 points on the driver’s licence for every passenger should do it.
Scotland is an independent country; if Carlaw and Jack don’t like it, they are free to feck off.
Ragin’.
North Berwick is many miles north of the border. The roadblock should be just south of Burnmouth. Otherwise, I agree with you. A few of the traffic cops currently checking on people’s movements could be relocated to the A1, A68 and M74.
fairliered,
unforgivable!
How could I forget the ‘First and Last Pub in Scotland’?
I offer as a reason, never an excuse, the fact that I may be in the advanced stages of delirium tremens, not having had a pint of draught Guinness in over seven weeks.
In fact apart from a glass of an excellent Bordeaux, and a can of ‘draught’ Guinness (never again) I have been alcohol free.
It’s an ill wind, right enough.
‘L’alcool tue’ as the poster on the nicotine yellow wall of a Bar Tabac in SW France screamed at us shameful sinners a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.
Je suis desole.
Permission to speak, WGD, sah?
In other news:
*** WE HAVE A PARLIAMENT ***
https://nation.cymru/news/adieu-assembly-hello-welsh-parliament-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-senedds-name-change/
On 6 May 2020, the Assembly will become a parliament and will change its name to ‘Senedd Cymru’ or ‘Welsh Parliament’.
This will reflect the Assembly’s constitutional status as a national parliament for Wales.
From 6 May 2020, Assembly Members will be known as ‘Aelodau o’r Senedd’ (AS) or ‘Members of the Senedd’ (MS).
https://www.assembly.wales/en/abthome/Pages/Name-Change-Information.aspx
Told you I’d share some exciting news with you today, didn’t I?
Whoop! Whoop!
PS: I notice that the MSM are covering it in great detail with pages and pages of news [Cont. on p.94]. This includes the ‘State Broadcaster’ who are doing an in-depth analysis of the institution, its history, its powers and how Owain Glyndŵr’s Parliaments were forerunners of the current Senedd.
Then there are extensive articles all over explaining how to pronounce ‘Senedd’ correctly, and how this is a momentous/historic/momentous AND historic* [*insert grandiose adjective of choice] day/occasion in the history of Wales.
Or not.
😂 Was there really any doubt given this crew ?
Stand fast, there is a rude awakening coming very soon, people ARE government.
Gobsmacked, Jaw dropping, Dumbstruck, Speechless and that’s just at the content of that Daily Mail article by Union Jack. It’s a fecking disgrace that the Scottish Office have chosen to give it prominence on the official UK government website and that’s even worse than the crap article.
I don’t think that will stay up there, it’s an absolute insult to go behind the Scottish governments back and try to meddle in devolved issues where the decisions should rightly be made here in Scotland.
We are NOT the same and England too is not a homogeneous country where a decision in one area should be applied in all areas. That is utter garbage and entirely the wrong way to go about things. It is not the case in Germany or Italy that one size fits all. That approach is total garbage and will fail.
I am horrified at the callousness of this Tory government. They are the lowest of the low, disgusting creatures. This has really pissed me off, pure cheek of them, this will backfire.
I can’t get past the first sentence of Jack’s excruciating missive:
“I believe that when Scotland is ready to emerge from lockdown we should do so in lockstep with the UK as a whole.”
So when Scotland is ready, the whole UK will emerge from lockdown? The rest of the UK must then wait for Scotland to be ready for ending the lockdown before the lockdown ends in the whole UK? This seems to be the only way of making sense of the opening statement, and yet it seems from the rest of the article (I use the word very loosely) that Jack is actually saying that when the government at Westminster decides the UK is ready, then Scotland will leave the lockdown.
Clearly the criteria being employed have nothing to do with public health, only ensuring businesses can open up again because they are losing money. And with emphasising to us bumptious Scots know our place.
Apart from subjecting it to daily ridicule and shouting at teehee sets, radios and computer screens, what can we actually do against this stuff? Seriously, how on earth are we expected to contribute to this precious Union if we are already excluded from it because wee laddies in suits are feeling threatened by a woman in the northern colonies daring to act with a degree of integrity and compassion, utterly anathema to their neoliberal fanaticism?
It makes me want to use very harsh language and break stuff.
Duncan, the logic in para 2 of your post is PRECISELY where I reached too – HM Governor General is, unsurprisingly but clearly, intent on a deceit!
If people in Scotland want to get out of the mess and want Independence. They have to vote for it. Support for SNP/Independence rising. Devolution has been a success. Less people in Scotland have died. Half. SNHS were more prepared.
The Tories should have shut down a month before they started getting it.
Independence will be even better. People have to vote for it.
And a hefty fine Jack…
Better still, send them back from where they came from. Don’t stop, don’t turnaround…
Reading Jack Collatin’s excellent (of course) piece in conjunction with Barrhead Boy’s earlier contribution and, not for the first time, I am left wondering if there are those at the top of the SNP who do genuinely want independence. I mean, Blackford and Robertson advocating ( seriously?) that we buy the shite that is on offer through the MSM. His advocation that the SNP hierarchy should make fuller use of blogs like this to counter the absolute lies fed to us on a daily basis. His point that such blogs vastly outnumber the readership of the rags are difficult to deny and they could be published in full, unexpurgated and would have the added benefit of being truthful. What’s not to like? As Jack says, let them see that we can fight dirty too. But let’s do it together. What a formidable force that would be.
Another 5th columnist.
I’d love to know how you arrived at this conclusion, if referring to me. However in truth, I’m really not interested.
Not even is jack on message,the EBC propaganda sheet quotes from doris ‘Some parts of englandland will remain in lockdown after london ‘
Look at the way this has spread, China to Europe to USA,as a simple look. It has taken time to move from area to area. First major reports in the uk were London and the Manchester area.
The lockdown release will have to be similar.
he rubbish from gove,start times at work to be spread out,lifts to be HALF FULL, no facing each other. Like to see the schools keep children apart and give free reign to being late for class.
These are nutters in charge and are still on the Herd Immunity scheme, we are all to get it but in a semi controlled manner. When the second trange starts to increase the infected,back to lockdown.
Auld doris was so ill they had made arrangements for the state funeral, we get this from the sun comic, written by doris over the weekend when he wasn’t available to run the country.
Aye Right.
Did Boris’ funeral arrangements make mention of a DITCH at all ?
Tsk! Cruel – but funny!
Reblogged this on Ramblings of a 50+ Female.
Tories: “We must not politicise the pandamic”
Union Jack Tory:
“Up to now there have some differences in approach, though most have been minor.
But where differences have been more substantial, the Scottish Government have not made good decisions.”
Slimy lowlife over-privileged git!
Reblogged this on mikeinkwazi.
[…] Wee Ginger Dug The lethally incompetent arrogance of the Tories The UK is now the leader in Europe. Unfortunately it’s a leader in a way that […]
And once again the tories prove that the institution is more important than the nation it was meant to serve.
Given this research, published today from the University of Dundee, any suggestion of lifting the lockdown is highly irresponsible.
Click to access 2020.04.26.20080994v1.full.pdf
Thankyou for posting this link Mark.
Very interesting data presented in a sensible methodical way. 😉
Ouch, on the button as always but that epistle is going to inflate Mr Blobby Carlaw’s wobbly jowls to apoplexy and shake Jack-a-Tory’s hair to it’s very roots 😲
It is a shame the tradition of an honorable man falling on his sword through dishonour was discontinued in the last century, now it’s allusions and illusion to mask a Cabinet that is become that awkward ugly shelf in the corner you always meant to replace…
The end of days ? Not quite yet. The end of English Toryism in Scotland a racing certainty…
Just wondering what the possible outcome would be of a Westminster decreed relaxation of the lockdown in Scotland if it was directly at odds with the stance adopted by the Scottish government. Is it possible that some of the more rabid Britnats north of the border could use this as an opportunity to ignore the continuation of the lockdown in Scotland for no other reason than to “stick one to the SNP” whatever the consequences, political, healthwise or worse. That would be a very difficult situation to deal with – and if this has crossed my mind then you can guarantee some of the darker elements of Johnsons sorry mob have also though of it – and the opportunities it would provide to cause mischief…
No, not even England, Scotland most certainly not (ever, we trust), has got this far (yet). Just that I’d only finished reading this article and then read your contribution, Gordon Hardie.
Fearful stuff.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/i-spoke-to-the-woman-coordinating-anti-lockdown-protests-she-told-me-what-they-plan-to-do-next/ar-BB13CR7l?ocid=spartanntp
Fine them, if they still do it, arrest them, no bail and jail them till everything is back to normal
Reblogged this on Coalition of the Brave and commented:
As usual, you are spot on. Tory incompetence and arrogant have got far more people killed than were ever likely to if they’d acted quickly.
[…] once again thank Wee Ginger Dug for writing an excellent article. Please check it […]
The fact the UK government printed this political article has the Brit Civil Service breached the rules over providing public information and if so is there a complaint process?
I repeat: we have our own Laws Up Here. I demand that police Scotland have a heavy presence at our border with England from Thursday afternoon, and stop, fine and turn back any insurgents trying to flaunt Scotland’s lockdown measures.
As for Carlaw Jack Mundell and Golden. You serve Scotland, not your English Masters.
If you cannot bring yourself to serve us, the People, resign and move to your Motherland.
No more Mr and Mrs Nice Guy. We are once more on the road to Freedom, virus or no virus.
We must be relentless in calling these people out for what they are, Fifth Columnists in our midst.
Harsh?
You’re darn tootin’.
These Brits really don’t want to be in the same room as me when I become harsher.
As for the Jock Hacks and broadcasters, shame on every one of you. Your remit from your Brit Nat and US paymasters is to disrupt the management of this outbreak Up Here to blacken NS and the SNP Government, for the Empire..
Privately owned Care Homes in Scotland?
Who owns them? Who profits from them?
I have had a belly full.
The day of reckoning is at hand.
The care home on Skye (Home Farm Care Home) is owned by HC-One based in County Durham. They have 329 care homes in England, Scotland and Wales.
In their Care Inspectorate report in April 2019, three of the four grades given were Inadequate.
They were subjected to an unannounced inspection in January 2020 to check on the progress of requirements which were in response to complaints which had been upheld as well as other improvements. Three requirements had not been met and had to be given extended dates for completion. (These reports are in the public domain by the way, on the Care Inspectorate website)
On the BBC Scotland website, Exec Chairman Sir David Behan (former chief executive of the Care Quality Commission in England) “accepted that an inspection report in January had highlighted some problems with cleanliness and staffing at Home Farm”
But “he insisted an action plan had been drawn up to address these problems and told John Beattie he was not looking to hide anything here”
Then at the end of the article he said the following :
“One of the issues this virus has exposed is the underfunding of adult social care throughout the UK”
So, the former head of CQC (the English version of our Care Commission) is at the top of a company running 329 private care homes, one of which has 50+ cases of COVID-19 and currently 2 deaths. God alone knows how much this company rakes in, I honestly can’t be bothered looking but the home itself had complaints about Cleanliness, Adult Protection and Staffing but they didn’t rectify this in the timescales they were given
And this SIR David Behan then says, what-ho, I think the problem here is a lack of investment in adult care. No, Dave, it’s because you and people like you cream off the thousands of pounds you charge residents and their families and put FECK ALL back
So, would you want HC-One looking after your elderly loved ones ? Or shall we nationalise care homes ? You choose.
Depressed? If you are a follower of the purists the fact a recent poll has the SNP on 50% is a failure. Do they forget that in 2014 we were so far behind in the polls that having a referendum could have been argued as a folly. I am confident that we will move ahead once we galvanise the people once again. Momentum is with us.
It does prove, not that the underminers will admit to this that an Independence reverendum over the past year was not guaranteed to win. Repeat — not guaranteed. Still let’s continue with the fantasy policies of removing the First Minister, remove anyone that they have decided are not one of them. Only then will they win.
They have to face reality that the majority of the 100000+ Snp supporters in branches will not undermine the party they have an interest in. They will not forgot the attacks on the SNP at last year’s election and the fact that the underminers seem to be more interested in attacking the only party that can deliver a non-unionist majority next year in our parliamentary election and then…….
The Carpetbaggers and privateers consider looking after our elderly infirm as a business opportunity, lots of lovely public money to siphon off oodles of profit. They use the same business model as chocolate bar salesmen. As much profit as possible for the least outlay.
We must bring Care Homes back into public ownership, as part of the Health and Welfare in independent Scotland.
The staff should have safe well paid ‘jobs for life’ with full employment rights, annual leave and a pension, not zero hours minimum wage Capitalist slavery.
There is much work to be done when we wave England farewell as they set sail for Plymouth Rock and the Brave New Trump World.
Ban blood sports and reclaim the barren 18% of Scotland in the hands of the robber barons.
Then perhaps we might give our 5.4 million citizens in a country the size of England room to breathe, live work and prosper.
As I say, there is much work to be done to undo 300 years of tyranny and exploitation.
Reblogged this on sideshowtog.
[…] via The lethally incompetent arrogance of the Tories […]
Monday to Friday the FM tells me and everyone else who listens the facts, in so far as there are facts. At every session she makes clear her thinking. At every session she shows her resolve to do what is best for Scotland, whatever pressure is put on her. I have zero doubt that she will stand strong and true in the days and weeks ahead.
Little wonder that the Brits are upset. They have good reason to be upset. They are daily being exposed as incompetents and they are unable to do a damned thing to stem the flow.
In this context the efforts of Jack etc. are totally counter productive – from their point of view. As I have repeatedly written, controlling their conceit and contempt is beyond them. It is all they have and it is seen in stark relief when their gross incompetence is set against Scottish Government competence.
This pandemic is is shining a light for every Scottish person. They are gaining confidence in the ability of their own people and seeing more clearly that “British is best” is simply a lie.
We have our own laws in Scotland, Why are we not using them?
We also are sovereign, and have the right to chose who governs us, Why are we not using that?
We also are one of only the two signatories on the Treaty of the Union, why are we not using that?
Has some one nobbled our SNP, or have they not thought of it?
Bang on Paul right uptodate. I was trying to source the updated figures for covid-19 deaths and decided to check your site. I apologise I did so with hindsight not foresight. Anyway, the UK figures are appalling. The English much so. The English tendency to hide behind UK figures is being exposed as the tendentious nonsense it usually is in terms of productivity; dependency etc.
We have our own laws in Scotland. hey are we not using them?
We are a sovereign people and have the right to choose who governs us. Why are we not doing that?
Scotland is one of only two signatories on the treaty of the union. Why are we not using that?
Imagine using all three together at the same time, wha-Hay freedom and independence for Scotland,
Wait a moment! Where are our leaders, they must be sleeping.
They have a legitimate opportunity to close the border and to keep it closed on public policy grounds but NS wont go for it cause she’s too scared to really rock the boat and challenge English hegemony. The English wont give up power willingly. Sturgeon must demonstrate the price they must pay is too great. The Irish tried it with the bomb and bullets. We dont need that approach we can do it through demonstrating English dependency on us. They are a relatively small European country with limited resources. The halcyon days are over for England. Covid 19 has demonstrated irrefutably England is the basket case of Europe.
Oh,dear M biyd.
We are not proposing ‘closing the border’, merely using the powers of our Scottish Government, in Health, and Law and Order to maintain Scotland’s Pandemic strategy.
There are laws in place,
Scottish laws, which I must obey during the current crisis.
I would expect to be stopped by the police if I were to motor around the Three Lochs to top up the battery on my 11 year old bone rattler, and I am a citizen of Scotland.
It would serve me right if I were issued with a fixed penalty notice, and sent back to my neighbourhood with a friendly reminder of the law of the land and movement restrictions during lockdown.
It is not an option, that I can choose to ignore.
I would be breaking the law.
Our Police are within their rights to set up check points at our borders and flag down English drivers heading North; even English ‘treasure’ Michael Palin.
Book them for bald tyres, wonky steering, and driving without insurance illegally during lockdown.
Breathalyse, check for drugs, arrest them for sneering. Throw the book at them.
A 10 mile tail back would soon build up.
Same at airports and ferry terminals.
Why are they travelling? Where do they live. Test and send them back to England with advice on quarantining free of charge.
No more Mr and Mrs Forelock Tug in England’s Militarily occupied Northern Colony.
The Union is dead, and I repeat, if Jack Mundell. Leonard Murray or any of the Conquered Jocks do not accept that Scotland is a distinct nation, and will no longer bow down to the will of England, just because there are more of them, then they can head South and join a Morris Dance Club.
I am done with sitting on my hands while these men and women blithely declare that we still need England’s permission for anything.
They are killing their fellow Scots for the good of England and the Iron Heel Oligarchy.
I am going to be ‘political’ from now until I Day. virus or no.
Get it through your thick skulls, Jock Brits. England does not own us. We are no longer listening to your whining and threats.
Your precious Union is dead.
‘M biyd’. the ‘English’ are not in the position to ‘give up power’ over us Scots.
Your perpetuate a myth.
We have taken our country back. Live with it.
Perhaps Mr Jack should be paying more attention, much more attention, to his constituency, Dumfries and Galloway. It sits over the border from Cumbria which has one of the highest number of Covid-19 cases outside of London and may be about to overtake London.
The lockdown seems to be fraying in Cumbria.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/04/lake-district-coronavirus-lockdown-north-east-second-wave-risk
Perhaps Mr Jack’s constituents would prefer him to push for the border being closed rather than a lockstep exit from lockdown with England
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/05/coronavirus-uk-how-many-confirmed-cases-are-there-in-my-area
If Alister Jack gets his wish and Scotland is forced to end lockdown at the same time as the rest of the UK, Nicola Sturgeon needs to announce at her daily press conference that people will die because of this, and that Alister Jack is an accessory to their murder.
Would just like to second a post that was made in the previous thread:
“Wot, no Petra?”
I *do* hope she’s ok.
So do I. Not like her to ‘disappear’ from the scene
We both hope you are alright too, Petra,
Apparently ex Labour FM Jack McConnell agrees with the Tories too, so much so he wants Scotland to use the TTI app that the UK government have developed, except they haven’t because Health Secretary Jeanne Freeman’s been tring to talk to them all day about how their doing and no one’s replying to her
Then we have Michael Palin, yes the Monty Python guy who says if Boris Johnson lifts the lockdown we (meaning England) should all go to Scotland for *our* holidays because staying *at home* will be better than not being able to go abroad because those countries will likely be closed
Oh *at home* means the Scotland region England owns
Small matter of maybe we’ll be closed too, but why should that stop them, it didn’t stop Prince Charles did it, they own us
The political game is about discredit and undermine FM Sturgeon any way they can even if it means more deaths, because who cares it’s only those Verminous Scots
The referendum will come when the FM decides it can be won, not just held on a 50/50 poll to pacify some internet blogger requesting polls in the middle of a health pandemic causing death and destruction then using the result to condemn the SNP as being various names he makes up because he doesn’t like them
There are a few things happening at the moment more important to the people than Tory politicking or internet whining, peoples family members are dying and her mind’s on trying to prevent that and Scotlands people can see that every day, the FM will draw her political sword when she decides she can do the most amount of damage with it
It should also be remembered that there are people in Scotland so politically full of bitterness and ideological hatred they defy the FMs advice on health and would still vote NO to Independence even if every one of their family were to die as a result of Westminsters incompetence, those people exist in our country, and they are many
No dispute whatever, reap as ye sow has never been so stark, and rarely has it been such a bitter harvest…
I used to visit a website regularly some years ago which was nothing to do with politics, but for like-minded people from all round the world who had an interest in maritime history. The site had an off-topic section and having had a very dry spell of weather there was a drought in parts of England. The subject came up and without hesitation people were posting that because there was so much rain in Scotland ‘and they’ve got plenty of water up there, why don’t we just build pipelines and get the water piped south’. I was delighted when a fellow Scot posted that having stolen the oil they would damn well pay for any water we gave them.
But that is typical of their attitude and has been forever not only towards us but to any peoples or land they have ‘acquired’. But they have not acquired Scotland and the sooner the unionists like A Jack & Co, and the Labour and LibDem contingents waken up and get their brains in gear the better. They won’t, of course, because Party allegiances are all that matter to them. They disgust me.
I see that the PM of New Zealand which has managed to control the spread of the virus and keep deaths to an absolute minimum says there will be no opening up of international travel any time soon. I fear the Govt of the UK of E will not follow suit and my greatest worry is that a second wave of the virus will be imported from various sources. Scotland is powerless to stop this thanks to the usual unionist suspects and their boneheaded reliance on Westminster’s ‘leadership’.
https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/
Interesting long read.
Basically saying we’re on the road to financial meltdown if these tossers don’t do something about the housing bubble, you can’t afford to pay a £200,000 mortgage on benefits.
Currently there are 6 million on 80% pay and the chancer is talking about reducing.
Time to give Jack the boot (not Collatin).
Mr Jack has a problem (steady folks). Most people neither like nor trust the political class in general and for very good reason. Their practices are why we are where we are today after all. In Scotland (especially when it comes to parliamentary Conservatives) they are not only held in great distrust, but are found by many to be ethically repellent.
This is kinda where the other shoe drops on how you conduct your politics and why folk won’t forget those who played constitutional roulette with their lives during a pandemic.
“… why folk won’t forget those who played constitutional roulette with their lives during a pandemic.”
I agree. But it’s regrettable but true that there are btl contributors this evening on a certain high profile pro-indy website that take an opposite view and berate our FM for NOT pursuing constitutional politics at this time of human crisis.
Couldn’t agree more, stewartb. Our FM and Scottish Government, and our Health, Social Care, Police, and Emergency services have an almighty task on hand at the moment.
I do not advocate that Sturgeon and her cabinet go on the campaign trail. People are dying and that trumps any petty electioneering.
But the Yes movement, millions now, can begin the long journey to Indyref 2 now.
Not by holding public meetings, rallies, marches, or door to door canvassing certainly.
But what I am doing now. Communicating over the ether debunking the imperial nonsense being churned out by pathetic little Brit Nat lickspittles, and their friends in the Dead Tree Scrolls and BBC STV and SKY.
They can only be selling a few thousand blahs a day now, and is anyone really watching BBC Scotland?
We hammer them mercilessly every time they pop up with their ‘Boris Says’ crapola.
A few months ago, nobody had heard of millionaire gentleman farmer B-Lister Jack, but now his face and opinions are everywhere. Like John Major he rose without trace.
Even Mundell is getting air spaces and column inches.
Now is the time to hammer them at very opportunity.
NS and our Government have more than enough on their hands right now.
It’s up to the rest of us to give the Brit Nats a good thumping to be going on with.
Indyref polls at the moment are meaningless, designed to give some nael gazers elsewhere on the ether something girn about.
The ‘constitutional crisis’ has been brought in to sharp focus by Covid 19.
We overwhelmingly rejected the Red and Blue Tories in Dec ’19; yet these pip squeaks still think that on behalf of their English masters, they can forbid us Scots from being free citizens of this world in an staged interview with Glenn Campbell or Bin Raker Scoop Hutcheon?
That will be shinin’ bright.
Still ragin’, but in a good way.
There are plenty of opinions out there to be sure. And given our current state? Pretty understandable frustration, fear and anger on display from all quarters of the indy movement btl on a lot of sites.
Personally? I just want all of us to get out the other side of this in good health.
Yes, Coronavirus is rightly the priority. Looking forward to when lockdown is relaxed enough to see the kids.
Same.
We never doubt our FM, she appears head and shoulders above the motley assortment of Tory and labour politicians running uk at the moment,
So sooner than later, would be a good time to discuss alternatives to becoming independent, we cannot sit moaning about what, this or that politician said last year, the year before, this week, last week, yesterday or today.
We have literally spent years doing this,
It is time to decide whom governs us, and to make use of our own laws,
Westminster has not stopped Brexit, Westminster has not ended politics, due to coronavirus,
And our first minister is definitely able and capable, to be thinking ahead, no more mandates, no more referendums, she should run the next election on independence only,
She would win the election in Scotland.
We are becoming angry when we are told we can not close our borders to protect the people of Scotland against covid-19.
When we have to wait for delayed decisions over fishing, budgets, Eu, Heath, farming, industries, homelessness, to many food banks, pensions, benefits, trident, human rights.
And angrier still when all the MSM do, is mock us and the FM, then advertise Scotland as the place to go for a holiday, and for royals whom need testing for coronaviras on our NHS, while England’s privatising theirs during the covid- 19 outbreak.
The pen is mightier than the sword, and intelligence with determination is better than any battlefield.
We are able to choose who governs us, let us start at the beginning.
Where is Scotland the brave,
There’s only one word that comes to mind regarding Alister Jack, ‘Quisling’
Hell is too good for such an excuse as a human being as him.
And I thought we couldn’t get any lower than Mundell.
Our MSM and government of uk of England have decided the Office of National Statistics are not to be believed for death figures, mm. No, we should believe the Tory minister when he mansplains how countries count deaths differently! Though many already understand that for people who refer to their own right honourable friends as Psycho Bastards very many dead people don’t count as deaths . Adjustments to population perhaps.
Just listening to a bbc news report starting with the statement that most European governments are not dealing with the pandemic adequately. Pardon me whilst I listen to his bestialising attempts. Though I do always sympathise with experts when they face these bbc living brain dead.
Bobbing (Alister) Jack. The last Secretary of State for Scotland. Finishing off where Bobbing John, the first Secretary of State for Scotland after the Union started.
Neighbours…..not the Aussie soap but a comparison Portugal and Spain, Scotland and England. Watch
So Portugal had about 3 weeks notice from Italy and used that time wisely. The UK also had about the same amount of time but did sweet fanny adams. The result? The UK has the worst death toll in Europe while Portugal has a much lower toll. Anyone still thinking that The Liar is doing a good job and “we are better together”?
I think the main factor in the disparity between Spain and Portugals fatalities is that the border was closed and all travellers required to quarantine for two weeks….that’s what being independent with control of borders allows you to do. Had Scotland been independent then I am reasonably confident that the fatalities in Scotland would be vastly lower than they are.
Echoes of the idea of having a “real” national Party in Scotland? A shot across the bows for a prospective Wings Party, too, methinks:
https://nation.cymru/news/neil-mcevoys-welsh-national-party-removed-from-register-after-plaid-cymru-legal-threat/
(PS To Marconatrix on the previous thread,- I’ve translated that Welsh word for you. No charge this time 🙂 )
That thread now extended. Would be happy to maintain contact with you outside WGD (who has my personal details).
What has England got against using its own name, what are they afraid of, are they not proud of their name, is it only a name for when they play football, what’s wrong with saying you’re English
The EU is a collection of countries joined in a mutual arrangement for a whole variety of all the reasons we know about but when it comes to each individual country within that Union they all do their own thing, like right at this moment in history where each country releases their own figures on the state of their Nations health, no one country or leader or committee comes to a podium and talks about the EU total figures, each country is recognised as individual
Here in Scotland we are continously bombarded throughout the day by all sorts of people from news media and the UK government informing us of the UK figures, and sometimes they’re right but mostly they recite Englands figures but still call themselves the UK as a comparison to when they tell us of other countries figures
In Scotland and Wales we know that England is not the UK so why does England persist in naming itself so, we know the answer, why won’t they admit it
Sticks and stones is generally used as an expression aimed to allieviate or to ignore annoyance at someone calling another individual unpleasant names, we all grew up with that expression, but if Nicola Sturgeon had publicly called England a verminous race how quiet do we think Englands media and government would have remained, but here in Scotland when Boris Johnson did that very thing where was the outrage where were the front page headlines of hatred that would surely have followed in England and Scotland had Scotlands FM indulged herself in such language, the Daily Mail and others would surely have front paged the whole affair as treason and demand the Sturgeon be sent to the Tower to await the harsh justice of the people of England and the Scottish parliament been immediately raised to the ground (you see how quickly they can become England when they want to)
The response to Boris Johnsons words in Scotland? Och sticks and stones, in other words don’t make a fuss because we’re ruled over by them and well we’re unimportant because we’re small
Corona virus is so small you can’t even see it but it’s ruling the world right now, and I bet it doesn’t have a complex about being small
Dr Jim,
You know full well, as do many here that some of the most invoked words of Englishry invoked by our neighbours, are words put in the mouth of that Welshman, Henry V, prior to Azincourt, by that cod-historian and arch-plagiarist, William Shakespeare:
“Cry ‘God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'”
Fact check 1: Harry (aka himself) was no Englisher, being born in Trefynwy/Monmouth
Fact check 2: Saint George was no Englisher either, being (probably) a Middle Easterner.
66.67% of the ‘facts’ of that declaration are ‘fake news’ – and the poor dabs to the east and south of our borders have been swallowing it for centuries.
Yours ever,
England has one thing they must be congratulated on and it’s the selling of unity of purpose and oneness through pride in their nation through dedication to a ficticious Monarchial Royal family of people with no authority or power as their ultimate saviours in times of trouble
That has always been the success of the ages for England, in that you can sell a people fresh air, a something that has no solidity or foundation yet make it appear like the Rock of Ages in its solidity
We in Scotland struggle with selling the idea of the Independence of our nation because the success of England in that regard is based on all for one and one for all irrespective of creed colour or religion (a lie of course) which is why England deliberately injected those elements into Scotland and Ireland knowing full well that the division they had caused would make unity of those they desired to control well nigh impossible
I congratulate England on being the best purveyors of division and sectarianism in the world
Seems Mr Johnson is going to start easing lockdown from Monday.
No details but will tell us on Sunday what is to be eased and a statement to the Commons on Monday.
Given the time frame does that sound as if the other Govs in the UK have been consulted or are going to be consulted?
Rule by edict.
So much for his comments that lockdown will last for some time yet. Given his track record of lying no one believed him anyway.
The UK left it too late to go into lockdown and it now looks as if England at least are going to ease lockdown restrictions before plans are fully written and track and trace is ready to be implemented. A high risk strategy that I don’t want Scotland to follow.
Neither do I.
Will Johnson shake hands of all those returning to work? I think we should be told. Will Carlaw do likewise as Scots flow across the border to gain employment and > their chance of catching Covid-19 due to their worst record. Will Carlaw then blame the FM for not dealing with the crisis properly.
Carlaw is particularly worried about the r number.
He tries to assign it to individual care homes. Is this correct? Is it not the case the the figures iare based on an average across larger populations of hundreds of thousands rather than a home of 50 people?
Click to access covid-19-rapid-risk-assessment-coronavirus-disease-2019-eighth-update-8-april-2020.pdf
By my understaning,
The R number in a Confined Space,like prison,carehome, State hospital would be Infinite, ie all residents would catch the virus,how their own immune system coped with it is the outcome that is measured.
The transmission onward in the open population is really the pertinent use of the statistic.
I await comment from those who have studied this subject, to be educated.
FYI:
https://www.healthline.com/health/r-nought-reproduction-number
Thanks WS,
Off to read.
It still looks like a calculation for large populations and not for contained populations.
Do you wonder how low and how vile a politician can behave, well today at FMQs Labours Neil Findlay achieved that low as he asked the FM to save his mothers life (who lives in a care home) from the FMs *practices*
The FM was visibly upset but she was aslo extremely angry as she was forced to contain herself to reply in a respectful manner to Findlay on the details of how patients are released from hospitals before entering care homes and the clinical precautions that should be undertaken thereafter
Everybody knows what these are, and certainly so does Findlay, this was the most blatent piece of disgusting and vile politicking yet from Findlay and making it even worse by using his own mother to make a personal attack on the FMs motives and dedication to the lives of us all, and our families
You probably have a few choice words in Scotland for this kind of thing, but I *do* like the American expression:
“He’s lower than a rattlesnake’s belly.”
Seems I was *SO* excited yesterday, that I was a day early.
Hope you’ll still celebrate our Senedd/Parliament today, all the same, Scotland!
Iechyd da / Slainte / Cheers
Beyond words, Dr Jim.
Lest we forget.
This man has been responsible along with the rest of the Red Blue and Yellow Tories for millions of deaths over the past 30 years of English. rule of our country Scotland.
Was he censured by the Speaker for this incredible lie?
Just when we thought that they could sink no lower.
Not a word was said to him Jack, the Presiding officer either decided he didn’t hear the remark or he just wasn’t listening? or perhaps as a member of the organisation Scotland in Union he approved on behalf of his Union
What Findlay did was not political, it was not factual, and it certainly wasn’t meant in any other spirit than he was aiming for, and that was the personal attacking of the FM on a personal basis to use it in an attempt to show the FM was not a caring person, and if people didn’t agree with her politics that’s a different thing, but there’s one thing all people should agree on it’s that Nicola Sturgeon the person has not a bone in her body that could be in any way responsible for such an accusation
I turned off as soon as Davidson opened her mouth about acting on a constituents behalf i will need to watch it with suitable screen protection on
Compare and contrast – Go the Kiwis!
Devastating video compares everything Jacinda Ardern got right with what Boris Johnson got wrong
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/devastating-video-compares-everything-jacinda-ardern-got-right-with-what-boris-johnson-got-wrong/ar-BB13GrdD?ocid=spartanntp
Scotland does not have the worst death rate in Europe. The rest of the UK does. The care homes are keeping people alive who would have died.
Labour illegal wars, tax evasion and financial fraud. They do not care about people or their mothers. They opposed MUP.