Did Nicola Sturgeon Shamlessly Exploit Covid As Suggested By This Former Labour Mp?

[youngmafbog]

Much as I dislike having to agree with a labour person :-) he makes some very good points.

Will she come out of it smelling of roses or the other stuff. Comments (please no name calling etc) from our Scottish residents would be more than welcome to add balance to this article.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-10521425/Nicola-Sturgeon-shamelessly-exploited-Covid-war-independence-writes-TOM-HARRIS.html

[Gromit]

YMB,
// Much as I dislike having to agree with a labour person //

Relax, he isn’t.
He is not just a former Labour MP, but a former Labour Party member, he left 4 years ago.

In the 2015 General Election he was thrashed by the SNP candidate, and didn’t win the seat in Glasgow South.

He now works for the UK Government, his job is to liaise with the Scottish Government (tell them what to do).

In short, he has an axe to grind with the SNP, so I am not surprised that he is whistling this tune.

[douglas9401]

Pretty much what you'd expect from an unemployed politician looking for a newspaper gig.

[Bobbisox1]

Tells me nothing new about her approach and her long term agenda , everything she’s done has been against Westminster , cut her in half and you’ll see Independent Scotland written right through her like a stick of Blackpool rock.

[Gromit]

Perhaps I am reading the graphs wrong that accompany the article, but hospitalisations and infections that peaked in December, are noticeably lower in Scotland (blue line) compared to the other home nations ?

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/02/17/00/54293659-10521425-image-a-45_1645057599151.jpg

[Gromit]

The science does NOT support that the different restrictions made no difference.

Scotland has consistently had a lower death rate than England throughout the pandemic and today.

Another Daily Mail graphic (Scotland blue line).
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/24/16/53312335-10434871-image-a-18_1643041652416.jpg

[davebro]

//Scotland has consistently had a lower death rate than England throughout the pandemic and today.//

Could that be due to different population densities? I would like to see comparison of urban areas with similar populations before concluding Scotland did better.

[naomi24]

//Scotland has consistently had a lower death rate than England throughout the pandemic and today. //

And yet ...

//Although Sturgeon persuaded Scots to be more careful the nation recorded higher deaths per capita than England during recent waves//

https://www.ft.com/content/0eccfeef-2913-43a7-9518-6728f15e556e

[naomi24]

Yes, in her quest for self-promotion she did shamelessly exploit Covid.

[douglas9401]

I do know one thing to be alsolutely true and without doubt.

The answer will not be found on these partisan pages.

[Gromit]

naomi24
That is behind a paywall and I cannot read it.

Don’t know where the Daily Mail are getting their data, but their graph on Covid deaths does not support that.

[naomi24]

A bit of copy and paste for you, Gromit.

//Scotland’s relatively cautious approach to coronavirus policy had an effect on public behaviour last year, including encouraging the greater use of masks, but did not stop death rates climbing above those of England during the Delta and Omicron variant waves, Financial Times analysis of official data shows.

Scotland continued to require the use of face coverings in public places last summer and introduced vaccine passports in the autumn, yet registered higher per capita deaths for much of the period compared with England, where such policies were not imposed.//

[Gromit]

naomi24

How do you explain Scotlands blue line being England’s pink line in the Daily Mail graph ?

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/24/16/53312335-10434871-image-a-18_1643041652416.jpg

[Gromit]

naomi24

How do you explain Scotlands blue line being below England’s pink line in the Daily Mail graph ?

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/01/24/16/53312335-10434871-image-a-18_1643041652416.jpg

[naomi24]

No idea.

[Gromit]

// Claim that Scotland has a higher death toll than England is simply untrue

If one compares the “daily” figure showing deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test, it is clear the rate in England is significantly higher than that in Scotland.

If one compares either of the more realistic statistics – either excess deaths above average or deaths where Covid is referred to on the death certificate as a contributory cause of death – again the English mortality rate is higher than that in Scotland. These figures are available from NRS (Scotland) and ONS (England). //

[naomi24]

I've no idea where you got that from, Gromit - you haven't provided a link - but don't tell me the FT is wrong - tell them. I just provided their findings.