Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been...
68.44 deaths per 100,000 people in England.
32.11 deaths per 100,000 people in Northern Ireland.
47.48 deaths per 100,000 people in Scotland.
54.01 deaths per 100,000 people in Wales.
Clear where the biggest problem lies!
But interestingly, when you narrow the timeframe to deaths with COVID-19 since 1 August 2020...
3.34 deaths per 100,000 people in England.
2.85 deaths per 100,000 people in Northern Ireland.
1.87 deaths per 100,000 people in Scotland.
4.31 deaths per 100,000 people in Wales.
Either way, it's clear that the government in Westminster doesn't have a leg to stand on when it comes to lecturing Nicola Sturgeon about Scotland's performance during the pandemic. Her generally stronger lockdown has saved lives all the way through.
(All data taken from "Deaths within 28 days of positive test by date of death" figures on the UK Government's coronavirus dashboard, and adjusted by the relative population size of each of the 4 nations.) coronavirus.data.gov.uk/deaths
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Keir Starmer (at 5pm press conference): "When it comes to [the coronavirus] 3 things are clear... 1. The Government does not have a clear plan 2. It has lost control of the virus 3. It is no longer following the scientific advice"
He's not wrong, that's for sure!
Keir Starmer: "I am calling for a 2-3 week circuit break in England, in line with Sage's recommendation."
"Pubs, bars and restaurants would be closed for 2-3 weeks, but compensated so that no business loses out as a result of the sacrifice they're called upon to make."
Minus a billion for empathy. But top marks for honesty, at least. Because it conveys in a superbly succinct way the utter contempt the UK Government has for anyone it sees as supernumerary. Their disinterest could not be clearer.
"You used to be a Turner prize-winning artist? Have no fear. Drains will always need cleaning."
How did we go from the open, global joy of London 2012 to the dark misery of throwing nets over migrant boats to disable them in just 8 years?
I think, for all that Nick Clegg was pilloried six ways from Sunday over tuition fees, the wheels started to fall off when the Tories won enough votes to not need the Coalition any more. Suddenly, there was no restraining influence of any kind on their sordid megalomania.
If you doubt that, please remember that these things are always relative.
Don't compare the Coalition years to an impossible idyll. Instead, compare 2010-15 and 2015-20. Difference seems as clear as daylight.
Prue Leith, avowed Brexit supporter, seems to only just have woken up to Brexit's potential to destroy the quality of UK food, and hurt British farmers.
And magically she's all hand-wringing and smelling salts.
For over 6 weeks now, COVID-19 cases across the UK have grown at approx. 7% a day. (It's not an exact fit, but it's close enough to indicate how the pandemic is progressing.)
That means the problem got twice as big every 9 days.
Yet Boris Johson STILL dithers and delays!
He's planning to talk to MPs on Monday.
At the current pace, that means 22% more cases than now.
Imagine taking the same approach to a forest fire, or a patient bleeding out? It's unconscionable!
Even small sustained improvements would make a big difference, if we start NOW.
At 7% growth a day, we would be closing in on 100,000 daily cases by the end of October.
But if we could slow growth to 6% a day through stricter measures, we'd be at HALF that.