[THREAD]
You may well be familiar with the UK Government's coronavirus dashboard, the main website they use to report data on a daily basis for the whole of the UK.
What you may not realise is that almost nothing you see on the summary page is accurate. coronavirus.data.gov.uk
There are a wide range of reasons for the data being incorrect or out of date. Combined, the result is that almost everything you see on that first page underplays the severity of the pandemic.
The first thing is, all graphs are 7-day averages, not actual value graphs.
Secondly, summary Testing data includes some people who have been tested to see if they had COVID-19 in the past.
You need "Tests processed by Pillar" (Pillars 1 and 2) on the detailed Testing page to see number of currently infected people being tested. coronavirus.data.gov.uk/testing
Cases are worse.
Firstly, the 7-day average really blunts the impact of any spike.
Secondly, the graph on the summary page is based on when the results of the tests were made available, not on when the test samples were collected from people.
To get a more accurate view of how the number of cases is growing, you need to look at the "Cases by specimen date" graph on the detailed Cases page.
That shows you positive test results, based on the dates that the test samples were actually taken.
The Healthcare summary can be wildly out of date, because the UK Government only report dates that have data for all 4 nations available. But in some instances, one or other nation - usually Scotland, it has to be said - can be many days (sometimes even weeks) in reporting.
So you need to look at the detailed Healthcare page to see the most up to date data.
It will show you that for example although the summary page said 324 people were admitted to hospital, the real figure was 448. (Excluding Scotland's missing figure.) coronavirus.data.gov.uk/healthcare
Similarly, patients in hospital are stated on the summary page as 2,428. The real number is 2,481. (Excluding Northern Ireland's missing figure.)
The Deaths summary is inaccurate as well.
Deaths are displayed based on the date they are reported to the public. But in some cases that can be weeks after the deaths actually occurred.
In short: if all you're doing is glancing at the summary page once a day, you're getting a skewed (and ultimately more rosy) view of the pandemic.
Every single decision as to how to massage the data seems to have been taken with a view to minimising any increase.
But the real (ok, "more real") figures are available. You just have to put in a bit more effort and dig a bit.
Go to the detail pages (Testing, Cases, Healthcare, Deaths) and download the data into a spreadsheet. That's the only way to see the most up to date info.
/ENDS
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
For the first time, we could demote the Tories to third. Winning fewer seats than the LibDems would wipe them out as a political force.
Polls suggest this is within reach, but we need tactical voting to get us over the line.
1/12
Our choice is stark:
5 long years of the Tories in Opposition, pushing a hate-filled agenda of culture wars and immigrant-bashing.
Or the LibDems in Opposition, holding Labour to account on the issues that matter, with the Tories fuming, impotent, on the back benches.
2/12
If the Tories are in Opposition as the 2nd largest party, they get:
- 6 questions a week at PMQs
- Guaranteed coverage from media outlets with "due impartiality" requirements
- 17 Opposition Days to push their agenda and hold votes
- Almost £1 million in extra Short Money
1) Tories in Opposition. 5 years of endless culture wars & immigrant-bashing.
2) LibDems in Opposition. Tories powerless & voiceless on the back benches.
If the Tories are pushed into third, everything changes. Here's why:
1/12
Coming second would let the Tories rebuild as the official Opposition and continue to push their divisive hate-fuelled agenda.
But coming third should finish them. It might take time, but they'd be walking dead.
Second place brings substantial benefits:
2/12
Benefits of being the official Opposition:
- 6 questions at PMQs
- Guaranteed media coverage from outlets with "due impartiality" requirements, e.g. the BBC
- 17 Opposition Days to set the agenda and force votes
- Extra Short Money (nearly £1 million)
Tories in Opposition. 5 years of endless culture wars & immigrant-bashing.
OR
LibDems in Opposition. Tories powerless & voiceless on the back benches.
If the Tories are pushed into third, that changes everything. Here's why:
1/12
Coming second would let the Tories rebuild as the official Opposition and continue to push their divisive hate-fuelled agenda.
But coming third should finish them. It might take time, but they'd be walking dead.
Second place brings substantial benefits:
2/12
Benefits of being the official Opposition:
- 6 questions at PMQs
- Guaranteed media coverage from outlets with "due impartiality" requirements, e.g. the BBC
- 17 Opposition Days to set the agenda and force votes
- Extra Short Money (nearly £1 million)
Here's a significant new Tory scandal, a hit job on Keir Starmer which somehow contrived to draw in an indirect attack on Jewish faith.
(Long tweet. It is necessary to cover the scandal in full. Please expand to see the whole thing.)
They are attacking him for saying that he would "clock off work at 6pm if he became Prime Minister".
They also said "You deserve better than a part-time Prime Minister."
There are two big problems with this.
Problem number one: That's not what he said. The Tories are quoting selectively out of context, like a film poster which reads "spectacular effects" when the original review said "spectacular failure, with lacklustre effects".
It was only ever about Friday evenings, not every day.
Here's what Keir Starmer actually said:
-- transcript starts --
Keir Starmer: We have had a strategy in place and we will try and keep to it, and that it is to carve out really protected time for the kids. And so on a Friday - I have been doing this for years - I will not do a work-related thing after 6 o'clock - pretty well come-what-may.
Chris Evans: Regardless?
Keir Starmer: Yeh. Now there are a few exceptions but that's what we do. My son goes kick-boxing and so I often take him there. My daughter goes swimming and cheer-leading now, so I have been to see her in cheer-leading competitions.
Chris Evans: So you're going to ringfence that time?
Keir Starmer: Yeh. And I want to. One, because I am a dad and I love them. They're my pride and joy and I don't want to lose that time. Two, I don't believe in the theory that you are a better decision-maker if you don't allow yourself the space to be a dad and to have fun for your kids. Actually, it helps me. It takes me away from the pressure. It relaxes me. I think actually, it's not only want I want to do as a dad, it is better.
-- transcript ends --
SOURCE
Problem number two: There is also an essential and important faith element to the story.
Keir Starmer has been completely up front about carving out time on Friday evenings to participate in his wife and family's Shabbat dinners. This is something he has repeatedly talked about, for many years, for example in this Jewish Chronicle story of July 2023.
So the Tory attack was not only in bad faith (forgive the pun) but it could also be taken as a slight on Keir Starmer's family's choice of religious practices.
And yet it's not just the official Conservative Twitter account putting the boot in. (Tweet linked below, with screenshot in case they make it go away.) Individual Tory MPs are at it too.