1. As a Scot I can feel the democratic deficit we have endured for decades. But what about England? Is there not a democratic deficit there as well? The people of their cities: London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, etc may consistently not vote a Tory majority, but 2. Like Scotland, they get a Tory govt. The federal hotchpotch of majors does not bridge that deficit. They too seem to be prisoners of the Home Counties, the towns and villages of their country, who feel comfortable with Tories, or voting Tory as their lost voice hears a cry

1. Queen Victoria only spoke German as a child, her surname throughout her reign was Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, after marrying her first cousin, Albert. George V also married his cousin, Mary of Teck. By the time George V changed the royal surname to Windsor in 1917, the royal family 2. Was closely related to the monarchies in Germany and Russia. Kaiser Wilhelm II, himself was present at Queen Victoria’s death. Tsar Nicolas II was first cousin to George V. Familial ties run also to Denmark, Greece and many other countries….all with same familiar roots.

A Covid death doesn’t end with those final breaths, the body becoming cold nor the ultimate stillness that signal life has gone. Every decision thereafter is clouded by Covid. Very quickly clothes must be decided upon. The clothes for the funeral and ultimate cremation.
1. Nursing staff must dress and wash the loved one who is now defined as a Covid death. Short notice to get the clothes You can’t go in later to change any item. If you miss the deadline, it is too late. The body is sealed in a series of bags. My sister lies in a morgue in bags.
2.

Yesterday my sister died of Coronavirus. She was 62 years old, she had her jags, didn’t smoke or drink, wore her mask, washed her hands, kept her distance. She had a kidney transplant 7 years ago so was immuno-suppressed, her only contact was her family.
1/ Her death was a slow and painful process of minute by minute gasping for breath despite 100% oxygen. She was frightened, she panicked when no air could be found. She couldn’t even lift her arms. She didn’t want to die.
This disease devastates the body.
2/

Scotland has lowest mortality and cases proportionate to population. Why? It isn’t because we have a healthier base, our life expectancies are lower. It isn’t because we have more resources, we don’t. It isn’t because we are all rural, we certainly are not. Most Scots live in the central belt. Glasgow is 3 largest city in U.K. they live in tenaments, high density housing. It is because we have true, clear leadership, we do as we are told, we had the better NHS before this Covid 19. However it too was starved by WM.

Whilst I disagree with their politics, no other Tory govt has EVER lied on this scale about something so critical. Nor has any other made sure their chums are so well looked after before swathes of the U.K. people. This is the worst Tory govt by a long, long mile. They are lying about ventilator numbers, lying about contracts for ventilators going to best fit. Lying about PPE equipment, lying about England death numbers, saying we need consent to publish them from relatives of the dead! So it isn’t a 24 hour figure per we see for England.