Thread by @leftworks1

REPOST. Okay. So I had a closer look at this "report", including following the hyperlinks. I'd like the University and others to pay particular attention to this paragraph. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

There are at least four things wrong with this. Firstly, the words "has also claimed on his blog" include a hyperlink. That link does not, in fact, go to Tim Hayward's blog. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

That's deceitful, giving the incorrect impression that the link goes to Professor Hayward's own words. Instead, it goes to the notorious Times article of 14 April 2018. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

Secondly, the source linked to does not say "zero likelihood". It says "almost zero likelihood". That is at best sloppy, and at worst deliberately deceitful, again. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

The original source, not linked, does, however, say "zero likelihood". Okay. Thirdly, this gives the impression that Tim Hayward made this "zero likelihood" claim himself. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

That's not so. Even the Times states the claim is from his colleague, Professor Paul McKeigue. All this is at best poor reporting, but suspiciously skewed in one direction. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

Lastly, however, is much worse. Claiming that Prof Hayward (actually, Prof McKeigue) denies that "Assad has *ever* carried out chemical attacks on Syria" is flatly false. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

Here is the relevant source, Professor McKeigue's assessment:

timhayward.wordpress.com/2017/12/22/kha…

@EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

It can be seen at once that Professor McKeigue makes no such claim. He is discussing one particular incident only, that of Khan Sheikhoun. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

I'm not qualified to judge Paul McKeigue's conclusion. He may be right or wrong. But it's clear that the source Ms Hoffman cites does not say what she claims.

@EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

Since Ms Hoffman has now blocked me, here is a link to the article. @EdinburghUni

thetab.com/uk/edinburgh/2…

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

I would like to thank @Tracking_Power for pointing out that "almost zero likelihood" is in fact the correct description of Paul McKeigue's evaluation. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

I have been criticised for excessive pedantry over this small sliver of the article. However, that is precisely the point. @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

If I can find and clearly document so much wrong, in a few minutes, with this one sentence - what is the rest of the article like? @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg

As I said separately, perhaps @hoffman_noa would like to either dispute what I have said, with appropriate evidence, or correct her claim. Many thanks for reading! @EdinburghUni

@Tim_Hayward_ @PiersRobinson1 @Tracking_Power @McCormack_Tara @MaxBlumenthal @KitKlarenberg