One Law For.......

[Fulmar]

So it did not worry you then that your Dad might kill someone while behind the wheel? My late Dad became unfit to drive due to onset of mild dementia. He nearly killed me a couple of times. He did not realise that his driving was erratic and thought he was fine in all respects but we knew that he was not so we told his GP (admittedly, behind his back) as I could not have lived with myself if he had harmed someone. He had to undergo a driving test which he failed and therefore lost his licence and he was extremely upset about it for a while but he soon adapted and no longer even missed the car.

[The Horseman]

Perhaps it’s time to put this Cummings etal issue to bed.
All people are human, and what is important to one is not to another!
And The BBC.......oh deary me.....White woman calls Police on Black man. They gotta deflect their ineptitude, by ‘a screaming headline’ on supposed Racism!
Don’t get me wrong....Media are all the same......a quote by a Senior Television reporter to me when they focused on a ‘nothing story’....
WHY LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY!

Update just now by our Business paper... Boris facing SCANDAL on Dominic Cummings!
The media would do well to accurately report the News! That would be a great start!

[aqua]

And in case you haven't noticed Gronnuck, London and Durham are on the same land mass. Orkney and the Black Isle are separated by the Pentland Firth (well, and the Moray Firth if you are being accurate....). Whilst Iain Stewart may feel healthy, as we know, 85% of people with coronavirus are asymptomatic. He can feel, and look as healthy as he likes - As he brings it into Orkney......

And the other key difference is that Iain Stewart can completely work from home. He is not a surgeon, a nurse, a cook or anything front line that needs his presence on the wards. He works in an office, a board room possibly, in the new Balfour Hospital, with some of Orkney's best IT connections to the outside world. Bear in mind the hospital here only opened last year and has state of the art IT and videoconferencing systems, designed to allow patients in Orkney to consult doctors in Aberdeen or further afield. Now, if he cannot do his office job from home, with the best quality IT equipment at hand, then no one can. So he has effectively signaled that lockdown is over or irrelevant. His arrogance in the interview in last weeks Orcadian newspaper is breathtaking, and the inability of the Chair of NHS Orkney to cover up for him, or even give a reasoned explanation on Radio Orkney last week was similarly cringeworthy.

And whilst Mr Cummings stayed in England, not coming anywhere near Scotland, Caithness or Orkney, the ones who seem the most het up about it are in Scotland. But here, Mr Stewart has passed amongst us. He has passed through Caithness and Orkney. So his actions are far more relevant to us here.

Oh, and just a final bit of help with arithmetic. You suggest that Dominic Cummings has made a 520 mile round trip, allegedly twice. Cooped up in a car. Thats 1,040 miles. Iain Stewart has been making a round trip of 200 miles, 8 or 9 times - So 1600 or 1800 miles. Some cooped up in a car, but part on a ferry. You cannot stay in your car on the Pentland Firth crossings, you have to get out of your car and go into the passenger lounge. Much more risk of contamination there than simply staying in a car and driving the trip. And yes, both will need to stop for fuel somewhere on those lengths of journeys, so that applies to them both. I expect though that Iain Stewart will have had to fill his car up more times that Dominic did, creating additional risk.

But yet, the Scottish Government stand by Mr Stewart, and attempt to bring down Mr Cummings. I think that is why this thread is titled "One law for........"

For once, I agree with everything you say.

I think Nicola is being more than a tad inconsistent.

[aqua]

Less than 18 months ago, Iain Stewart pledged World Class Health and Social Care for the NHS Highland area.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...vice-in-north/

New NHS Highland chief Iain Stewart pledges 'world-class' health service in north


Can I ask the good folkies of Caithness, if they feel they now have a world class health service? Feel free to base your answer on before or during coronavirus, though with the P&J reporting his move from Highland to Orkney on the 24th of January, he must have reckoned to have completed his delivery before he left. I guess that's why our SNP led government stand by him in the current scandal over all his trips up and down the A9. He must be a cracking chief if he has delivered World Class healthcare in Caithness and the rest of the region, in a mere 12 months.

So Caithness folks, do tell us about your world class healthcare. Is it world class? Is it 3rd world class?

Translation:- "I think the NHS in Scotland is s**t and I'm going to rejoice in every perceived failure, however small or imagined, and tell everyone about it. In particular, I am going to tell the NHS staff who have been working their ars*s off for the last few months trying to keep us all safe and healthy that I think there efforts are and were third class.".

You probably won't read this but I sincerely hope that someone else tells you what shameful human being you are and requests that you retract your last post.

Reposted for the benefit of Orkneycadian and anyone else who has one or both on their ignore lists.

[Corky Smeek]

Scots think Nicola Sturgeon is doing a far better job of managing the pandemic than Boris Johnson. It must be true. It's on the BBC.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52795997

[Oddquine]

For once, I agree with everything you say.

I think Nicola is being more than a tad inconsistent.

The difference is that a) the coronivirus "rules" say stay at home....and Cummings left his home to go on a road-trip, while Stewart left his "digs" to go to his home..(I can imagine the screams of "waste of money" if the Orkney Health Board had to install in Stewart's home, for the length of lockdown, the state of the art IT equipment available to him at Balfour Hospital)
and b) Cummings is employed in helping to write the rules for the rest of us to follow, because he is, as was Calderwood, an advisor to the PM (some would even say Cummings was the Rod Hull to the PM's Emu), while Stewart is simply an employee of Orkney Health Board, and has nothing more to do with writing the rules for others to follow than you or I have. So I see no inconsistency when it is apples and potatoes which are being compared.

[aqua]

I disagree. I actually think Stewart is worse because he’s travelling in both directions every week. It’s a matter of principle and it’s a matter of practice. He’s more likely to transmit the virus due to his weekly jaunts. Why doesn’t he live in Orkney?

You must be pleased that your local representative has made a name for himself by resigning and therefore doing the right thing. You should be proud.

[aqua]

Scots think Nicola Sturgeon is doing a far better job of managing the pandemic than Boris Johnson. It must be true. It's on the BBC.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52795997

The poll was conducted between 14 and 20 May. Boris’s desperation to keep Dom in place will have dented his ratings even further, and quite rightly so.

I think Nicola has done quite well so far. I would trust her more than Boris on most issues.

The new test and protect scheme sounds promising. I hope it works well.

[Oddquine]

I disagree. I actually think Stewart is worse because he’s travelling in both directions every week. It’s a matter of principle and it’s a matter of practice. He’s more likely to transmit the virus due to his weekly jaunts. Why doesn’t he live in Orkney?

You must be pleased that your local representative has made a name for himself by resigning and therefore doing the right thing. You should be proud.

Stewart has travelled in both directions regularly since the day he took up the post and given he is currently not the CEO of Orkney Health Board, should the current CEO (and the Board) not be getting pelters because he/they have been allowing Stewart to travel regularly between the Black Isle and Orkney from January to date? Why should he move his family to Orkney, out of interest, if they are well settled in the Black Isle? He worked for NHS Nottinghamshire before he went to NHS Highland, and he didn't move his family down there either. He only spent a year in NHS Highland..so he's maybe waiting to see how long the Orkney job is going to last...and the Board doesn't seem to insist on him living close to the job, do they?

As he works in a hospital, he is probably more aware of the possibility of coronavirus than most of us, and I'm sure, if he had knowingly been in contact with anyone with the virus, he'd not have been travelling to take it home to his family...unlike Cummings, who didn't just pack his child into the car for the road-trip (and by a lucky chance to celebrate his mother's birthday), he deliberately packed coronavirus in there with him for the road-trip as well.

I'd have been more pleased if my local representative had resigned because Cummings hadn't been sacked...but at least it does show that football referees understand that rules are rules to be obeyed, not simply words to be interpreted according to personal whim. But given that seemingly there have been lots of complaints from consitiuents about Cummings' actions, it is nice to see that for once he is listening to us.

[The Horseman]

In the middle of one of the most serious situations we have encountered, the headlines are about 2 guys who committed a ‘minor variance’!
Should we give our ‘heads a shake’.
I’m not talking about ‘On Here’..........I’m talking about International Headlines. Gawd!

[Oddquine]

In the middle of one of the most serious situations we have encountered, the headlines are about 2 guys who committed a ‘minor variance’!
Should we give our ‘heads a shake’.
I’m not talking about ‘On Here’..........I’m talking about International Headlines. Gawd!

That depends on what you term a "minor variance". A "minor variance" in the rules in a pandemic situation can lead to more infections and more deaths, particularly if you are quite deliberately travelling from a place with tens of thousands of coronavirus cases to a place with tens of them....and carrying a carful of coronavirus with you into the bargain. When does a "minor variance" become a major one......when dozens of others are infected by your actions and some of them die....or does being able to do what you want, despite all the rules you helped write for others to obey, trump the health of everybody you are liable to come into contact with, including that of your elderly parents?

[The Horseman]

My opinion, and who cares, but this is Bloody Politics!
The time spent on this could save lives!
With what is going on in the World, with 75% of those arriving in Countries not following Self Isolation, this is ‘sma’ tatties’!
i think, lets pick a better battle!
Of course, just my Objective opinion!
Discussions by us, is not my criticism! Ty.

[Oddquine]

My opinion, and who cares, but this is Bloody Politics!
The time spent on this could save lives!
With what is going on in the World, with 75% of those arriving in Countries not following Self Isolation, this is ‘sma’ tatties’!
i think, lets pick a better battle!
Of course, just my Objective opinion!
Discussions by us, is not my criticism! Ty.

Politics it certainly is (did you notice the name of the forum?) but politics doesn't exist in a vacuum, but influences everything in the country, and if those of us who live in the country want to discuss the way politics affects us or irritates us, why can't we?

Why not just ignore posts which, in your opinion, from your Canadian armchair, are "sma' tatties" and save your typing fingers for something much more suited to your way of looking at things...and just let those of us who think that either this government, with a buffoon at its head, is the most incompetent in our lifetimes or Boris Johnson and the Tories are the greatest thing since sliced bread, get on with discussing the "sma' tatties" they plant, if we so wish. If you didn't post on subjects you so obviously think are an unimportant waste of energy, nobody would feel obliged to respond to you and the threads which appear to irritate you would be much shorter.

[The Horseman]

I doth agree with you!
But when it is planted in Int’l headlines, it doesn’t make anyone look good.
In the 1800’s hundreds of people stormed Wick over something or other they didn’t feel happy with. I think it was a Tax!
I have said already...Take up the Cause......get involved at the Ground Roots Level and make a difference!
Did I say already that if you get rid of Boris The Clown, you will just have another Clown. Yes I did!
The UK is making a ‘spectacle’ of itself on the World Stage.......how ‘stooooopid’ is that! Grin and bear it!
There will be another day!
And Smile!
Perhaps it is better the one you know; at least you will be prepared.
Again Boris got in Democratically......well maybe, but he got in as PM.
Would you rather Alex? Or ‘Hersel!.....

[Oddquine]

I doth agree with you!
But when it is planted in Int’l headlines, it doesn’t make anyone look good.
In the 1800’s hundreds of people stormed Wick over something or other they didn’t feel happy with. I think it was a Tax!
I have said already...Take up the Cause......get involved at the Ground Roots Level and make a difference!
Did I say already that if you get rid of Boris The Clown, you will just have another Clown. Yes I did!
The UK is making a ‘spectacle’ of itself on the World Stage.......how ‘stooooopid’ is that! Grin and bear it!
There will be another day!
And Smile!
Perhaps it is better the one you know; at least you will be prepared.
Again Boris got in Democratically......well maybe, but he got in as PM.
Would you rather Alex? Or ‘Hersel!.....

I'd rather not be a part of the UK at all...but you know that...and the FPTP electoral system is not democracy. Without compulsory voting, FPTP is deliberately set up to be nothing but an elected buggin's turn dictatorship to keep one of two political parties in power under the guise of that being the recipe for "strong and stable government" (insert hollow laughter here!). I'm not overly keen on the Scottish hybrid version of voting for Holyrood either, but it is just marginally better than the Westminster system...but then I've never quite understood this notion of having dedicated constituency MPs/MSPs in the first place, particularly as so many of them didn't even clap eyes on the constituency until they got put on the short-list for it. One person with one vote that might actually count for something would be much better. I don't particularly care who is a prime minister in an independent Scotland...as long as the majority of Scots elect it, it'll do for me, whatever the colour of its government....though I'd prefer an elected rainbow consensus rather than red, blue orange, yellow, green or any other single party political colour.

UK inhabitants do queuing up in obedience much more readily than they do rioting in anger...and it would take a heckuva lot of co-ordinated rioting all over the UK to make even a dent in the sense of superiority and "we know best" from whichever government is in power in Westminster, when you consider that over a million marching in London in protest at the war in Iraq, one of the biggest marches held in the UK, didn't make one iota of difference to the decision of the Government, which still went in there and kicked the crap out of the place and people. You have to have a Government that listens to more than the voices in their own heads, the whispers of special advisors, or the rustle of cash heading into back pockets or party bank accounts before there is any real point in rioting...and we haven't had one of them for most of my lifetime in the UK...and most definitely do not have one that listens now. Anyway, as long as the government controls the police and the Army, I suspect we are not about to have a revolution...that would be too much like working together...and Westminster would stamp their feet hard.

[orkneycadian]

Seems like Mr Stewart has followed in Mr Cummings footsteps by explaining his actions. Seems not to be 100% accepted by the local MSP however.....

https://www.orcadian.co.uk/mcarthur-...hiefs-apology/

And seems to be further exacerbated by his daughter coming up to Orkney to stay with him, under the premise that she is a student nurse, "up here to gain experience on the frontline"

Now, I don't know what Caithness hospitals have been like over the last few months, but here in Orkney, The Balfour is apparently like a ghost town (no pun intended). There are no, occasionally rarely, any COVID patients, there are no routing procedure patients, A&E is extremely quiet and even the GP surgeries are very quiet. So its not clear what kind of frontline his daughter was experiencing. I do hear from some staff members that they have never drunk so much tea in all their lives to pass the time.

At a time of minimising travel, it might have been more appropriate for Miss Stewart to have gained her experience at Raigmore, where there might have been more going on, and there would be no need to commute across the Pentland Firth, like Daddy.

And still the Scottish Government think that this is all in order.

[orkneycadian]

Reposted for the benefit of Orkneycadian and anyone else who has one or both on their ignore lists.

Thanks for the thought Aqua, but I have developed an instinctive reaction to rotate the scroll wheel on the mouse as soon as I see the string "Cork....." in a quote. This has possibly caused me to miss out on some interesting postings regarding wine, or an Irish city, but that's a risk I am willing to take, as long as it shields me from the inane separatist drivel that follows on should the string continue with "y Smeek"

[The Horseman]

Interesting.....how this can occur anywhere!
In Eastern Canada one Community was nearly completely Covid Free, with No Deaths!
They started to relax, when within a few days numerous new cases were detected. It seems there are over 100 hundred people positive.
The investigation discovered that a local Doctor went out of the Community into a nearby Province, and didn't Self Isolate when he returned, thus causing the Outbreak.
There is now a Criminal Investigation ongoing.......
Here we Could have a charge of Criminal Negligence, defined by...The Wanton and utter disregard for the lives and safety of other people!
What happens if someone dies!
FYI.....

[orkneycadian]

Bit of a late night getting caught up reading the Orcadian newspaper. As might expected, Mr Stewart was the source of many column inches. Well, lets be more realistic, pages. All of the front page, a whole page of the letters page, overspill from the front page and letters page. Its fair to say he has attracted a huge amount of criticism, with some comparison to Dominic Cummings. Though much of the comparison echoes this thread, in that complainants see that Mr Stewart has done worse than Mr Cummings. And lots of disbelief on the amount of support for Mr Stewart's actions coming from NHS Orkney and the Scottish Government.

I think that like Boris Johnson, Nicola Sturgeon is hoping that today's lockdown easing gives the news hounds something else to think about, and the Scottish Government, along with Mr Stewart can hope that it fades into the background.

But yes, as the thread title says - There is definately one law for some and another law for others.

[The Horseman]

Interesting.....how this can occur anywhere!
In Eastern Canada one Community was nearly completely Covid Free, with No Deaths!
They started to relax, when within a few days numerous new cases were detected. It seems there are over 100 hundred people positive.
The investigation discovered that a local Doctor went out of the Community into a nearby Province, and didn't Self Isolate when he returned, thus causing the Outbreak.
There is now a Criminal Investigation ongoing.......
Here we Could have a charge of Criminal Negligence, defined by...The Wanton and utter disregard for the lives and safety of other people!
What happens if someone dies!
FYI.....

Sorry for posting this in the wrong place! Ty