COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 18.11.21

There were nine by-elections this week across England, including three in the Labour stronghold of Liverpool.  While Labour held all three of those seats with ease, their vote share dipped considerably in each ward.  Labour were defending three seats elsewhere and held two - one in Ribble, Lancashire and another in Manchester.  They lost a seat to the Green Party in Canterbury.

There were no Conservative defences this week, but they sensationally gained a seat from the Lib Dems in Devon where they won by one vote.  In that contest the Lib Dems slipped to third, while a Labour surge fell short of victory by a single vote.

In other action there was a free-for-all in Gloucestershire and a defence for one of Britain's oldest parties.  The independently minded residents of Tewkesbury replaced one independent with another, while the Liberal Party held a seat in Ryedale, North Yorkshire.  The Liberals, as opposed to its descendent party the Liberal Democrats, only holds eight council seats across the UK.  However, it faired far better than the Lib Dems in two of the Liverpool by-elections held on Thursday, finishing second in both.

UKIP did not contest three seats it had previously stood in (Bamber Bridge East, Brockworth East and Bere Ferrer).

Gorrell, Canterbury City Council

Grn: 1,149 (43.9%) +10.3%

Lab: 803 (30.7%) -6.0%

Con: 608 (23.2%) +0.2%

WPB: 58 (2.2%) New

Grn GAIN from Lab

Anfield, Liverpool City Council

Lab: 604 (55.9%) -11.5%

Lib: 281 (26.0%) +15.0%

LDem: 73 (6.8%) +2.1%

Grn: 72 (6.7%) -0.9%

Con: 42 (3.9%) -1.4%

Ind: 9 (0.8%) -3.3%

Lab HOLD

Clubmoor, Liverpool City Council

Lab: 787 (54.5%) -7.6%

Lib: 324 (22.4%) +3.2%

Ind: 167 (11.6%) New

TUSC: 54 (3.7%) New

Grn: 45 (3.1%) -4.7%

LDem: 34 (2.4%) -3.2%

Con: 33 (2.3%) -3.0%

Lab HOLD

Kirkdale, Liverpool City Council

Lab: 852 (61.7%) -20.5%

Ind: 171 (12.4%) New

Grn: 160 (11.6%) +7.5%

TUSC: 84 (6.1%) +0.2%

Con: 57 (4.1%) +0.1%

LDem: 57 (4.1%) +1.1%

Lab HOLD

Chorlton, Manchester City Council

Lab: 1,581 (52.1%) -4.9%

LDem: 657 (21.7%) +8.9%

Grn: 608 (20.1%) -1.0%

Con: 93 (3.1%) -1.6%

WEP: 66 (2.2%) -1.1%

Ind: 27 (0.9%) New

Lab HOLD

Cropton, Ryedale District Council

Lib: 202 (39.6%) -15.5%

Con: 155 (30.4%) +10.9%

Grn: 121 (23.7%) New

Lab: 32 (6.3%) New

Lib HOLD

Bamber Bridge East, South Ribble Borough Council

Lab: 376 (53.7%) +7.2%

Con: 275 (39.3%) +9.5%

Grn: 49 (7.0%) New

Lab HOLD

Brockworth East, Tewkesbury Borough Council

Ind: 499 (68.3%) New

Con: 110 (15.0%) -9.4%

LDem: 87 (11.9%) -1.0%

Lab: 35 (4.8%) New

Ind GAIN from Ind

Bere Ferrers, West Devon Borough Council

Con: 362 (32.5%) +2.4%

Lab: 361 (32.4%) +12.1%

LDem: 216 19.4%) -11.8%

Grn: 176 (15.8%) New

Con GAIN from LDem

Abbreviations

Grn = Green

Lab = Labour

Con = Conservative

WPB = Workers Party of Britain

Lib = Liberal

LDem = Liberal Democrat

TUSC = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

WEP = Women's Equality Party

Ind = Independents

NON-COMPLIANT CINEMA CASHES IN

A crowdfunding campaign has been set up in support of an independent cinema that refused to comply with Mark Drakeford's vax pass mandate.  Cinema and Co in Swansea announced on Facebook earlier this week that they would be ignoring the requirement and customers would not be asked to present their papers.  On Thursday trading standards officers arrived from Labour-run Swansea City Council to shut down the business for 28 days.  In a bizarre move they also confiscated food from the premises.

The owner, Anna Redfern, has vowed to ignore the order and re-open as normal on Friday.  In the mean-time a crowdfunder was set up to support the small independent and amassed more than £10,000 in less than two hours.

Drakeford and his goons have underestimated the strength of feeling over this.  The Cinema and Co escapade has already backfired spectacularly and other small businesses will be looking on in interest as the unity and strength of our movement translates into financial reward.  Do not comply.  Hold the line.  Together we can bring Covid tyranny to an end.

If you would like further updates on the Cinema and Co crowdfunder or would like to contribute - click here.

SULTANA'S DODGY EXCHANGE

The new darling of the left emulated one of her parliamentary predecessors today when she clashed with the Commons chair over her use of the word 'dodgy'.  Zarah Sultana described Tory ministers as 'dodgy', irking deputy speaker Eleanor Laing who demanded that she withdraw the remark or at least rephrase it.  After Sultana refused three times, Laing gave up.  This was in stark contrast to the infamous clash between Dennis Skinner and John Bercow, when Skinner referred to then PM Cameron as 'dodgy Dave'.  Bercow had Skinner removed from the Commons.

Perhaps it was Sultana's intention to get thrown out all along - a calculated act of martyrdom that would have raised her status even further with the red masses.  Laing may well have been wise to this.

Their clash can be seen below and note how Sultana refers to Laing as the 'deputy secretary' in a slip of her communist tongue...

If you enjoyed that exchange, click below for a look back at the Skinner versus Bercow clash.

DRAKEFORD ANOTHER MASK HYPOCRITE

A week after Twitter had a meltdown and the media ran wild about Boris Johnson's mask-free hospital visit, there has been a relatively minor fuss in Wales about Mark Drakeford prancing about mask-free in a crowded Diwali celebration.  While many will argue that a hospital is a different ball game to a religious knees-up, it should be duly noted that the PM masked up upon meeting patients and was only photographed mask-free in a corridor.  However, the double standard was not Johnson's on this occasion.  There is no mask mandate in England and there has not been since July.  Wales is different.

Although Wales was the last place in the UK to install a mask mandate, it has never relinquished that mandate.  Drakeford likes to pontificate about such measures in the same way that his Labour colleagues in England do, but like them he does not consistently practice what he preaches.  His bizarre Diwali dancing video asides (see below), Drakeford and his colleagues appear to mask up only when they feel like it.  Unlike their Commons counterparts, Welsh Labour MS's only mask up in some Senedd sittings.

When the topic of Drakeford's Diwali knees-up was raised by a Conservative MS in the Senedd last week, Drakeford was sat there unmasked.  Click below for that video and note the response of Labour's health minister Eluned Morgan who deems the issue 'not appropriate' for a statement.  Do as we say peasants - not as we do!

Labour MS's were also unmasked when the Senedd re-opened last month, in fact the only people in the chamber who appeared to be masked up on that occasion were Prince Charles and the female harpist.  On that same day Drakeford tweeted a series of photos from the ceremony, including two in which he meets the Queen and Prince Charles.  Again, no consistency on masks.  He wears one when meeting Charles, but not when meeting Her Majesty.

Note also the complete lack of reference to Her Majesty in Drakeford's message.  As a hard left socialist it was clearly no honour to receive her and as a hard left socialist he preaches to the proletariat while not leading by example.

PRIME MINISTER'S QUESTIONS 17.11.21

Watch here from noon.

ASHWORTH'S TERROR CONDOLENCES

Hapless Labour frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth has apologised after sending 'respect and condolences' to the family of the Liverpool suicide bomber.  Ashworth was speaking to Sky News on Monday when he was asked about the attack, to which he responded: "Absolutely shocking that that would happen anywhere, but particularly outside a women's maternity hospital.  Obviously we pay our respects and send our condolences to the family of the man who lost his life".

Click below for the clip.

Following a swift backlash Ashworth apologised later that afternoon, saying that he had 'misread the news'.  There was only one fatality and Ashworth clearly refers to a single fatality on Sky News.  Was it a genuine error or was it a contrived response that the likes of terror apologists Abbott and McDonnell would have issued?

THE WEEK IN CARTOONS 7-13 NOV 2021

07.11.21 - Andy Davey, Sunday Telegraph

07.11.21 - Morten Morland, Sunday Times

07.11.21 - Chris Riddell, Observer

08.11.21 - Steve Bright, The Sun

08.11.21 - Steven Camley, Herald

09.11.21 - Graeme Keyes, Irish Daily Mail

09.11.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph

09.11.21 - Jimbob, Gab

09.11.21 - Graeme Bandeira, Yorkshire Post

09.11.21 - Morten Morland, The Times

10.11.21 - Peter Brookes, The Times

10.11.21 - Dave Brown, Independent

11.11.21 - Paul Thomas, Daily Mail

11.11.21 - Matt Pritchett, Daily Telegraph

11.11.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph

11.11.21 - Peter Brookes, The Times

12.11.21 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph

12.11.21 - Guy Venables, Metro

12.11.21 - Royston Robertson, Private Eye

12.11.21 - Josh, Twitter

13.11.21 - Ben Garrison, Zero Hedge

13.11.21 - Ben Jennings, i

13.11.21 - Richard Jolley, Spectator

RAYNER UPS HER GAME

Andrew Marr picked a fight with Angela Rayner on Sunday over her 'Tory scum' remarks, for which she has already apologised.  It was a strange attack line from Marr and Rayner deftly turned the tables when it was put to her that she apologise personally to the Prime Minister.

Click below for the clip.

Rayner is not the liability she once was.  She may have her snout in the trough just as much as the next MP, but her bolshie worker's dialect connects with a demographic that Labour has long abandoned.  Her last appearance at PMQs showed just how effective this can be when coming up against the Etonian waffle of Boris Johnson.  Having recovered well from 'scumgate' and upped her game, the Tories will be thankful that she is not at the despatch box on a more regular basis.

Conversely, the immeasurably dull and vacuous Starmer is a gift.

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 11.11.21

Seven by-elections this week with eight seats up for grabs.  Four of the vacancies came about due to the resignation of independent councillors.  Labour gained one of these in Cardiff, while the Tories almost had a clean sweep in North Kesteven.  Three Lincolnshire independents resigned simultaneously, including two in Metheringham where there was drama in the battle for the second seat.  The Conservatives took first place, but tied for second with an independent.  Lots were drawn and the independent won, robbing the Tories of a clean sweep.

Elsewhere, Plaid held a seat they had previously won unopposed and the Greens held in Thanet.  Labour held in Lancaster, which is no great surprise as this ward included the university.  The Conservatives held in Melton, Leicestershire, despite the nature of the vacancy.  The incumbent Tory had been struck off after having failed to attend a single council meeting.

There is little evidence from these results to suggest the Tories are taking a hit from the ongoing sleaze row.

Heath, Cardiff City Council

Lab: 1,729 (47.1%) +16.1%

Con: 1,128 (30.8%) +2.5%

LDem: 561 (15.3%) +11.5%

Plaid: 250 (6.8%) +0.5%

Lab GAIN from Ind

Llandrillo, Denbighshire County Council

Plaid: 179 (44.0%)

Ind: 140 (34.4%)

Con: 80 (21.6%)

Plaid HOLD (previously elected unopposed)

University & Scotforth Rural, Lancaster City Council

Lab: 216 (46.1%) +5.0%

Grn: 193 (41.2%) +11.0%

Con: 44 (9.4%) -7.2%

LDem: 16 (3.4%) -8.8%

Lab HOLD

Melton Dorian, Melton Borough Council

Con: 362 (56.0%) +3.9%

Lab: 284 (44.0%) New

Con HOLD

Metheringham, North Kesteven District Council

(two seats)

Con: 424 (23.7%)

Ind: 404 (22.6%)

Con: 404 (22.6%)

Ind: 369 (20.6%)

Lab: 85 (4.7%)

Lab: 69 (3.8%)

LDem: 29 (1.6%)

Con GAIN from Ind (one seat)

Ind HOLD (one seat after lots drawn)

Sleaford Castle, North Kesteven District Council

Con: 135 (42.2%) +10.2%

Lab: 93 (29.1%) -2.9%

Ind: 49 (15.3%) New

Ind: 22 (6.9%) New

LDem: 21 (6.6%) New

Con GAIN from Ind

Thanet Villages, Thanet District Council

Grn: 638 (60.0%) +36.8%

Con: 358 (33.7%) +8.9%

LDem: 67 (6.3%) -15.7%

Grn HOLD

Abbreviations

Lab = Labour

Con = Conservative

LDem = Liberal Democrat

Plaid = Plaid Cymru

Grn = Green

Ind = Independents

MUZZLED LABOUR HIT BY COVID

While Labour MPs continue their absurd posturing over the wearing of face masks in the Commons, there has been a significant outbreak of Covid in the Commons... among Labour MPs.  The outbreak only came to light after 28 Labour MPs failed to vote in the disgraceful Tory exoneration of Owen Paterson.  Several MPs were compelled to report they were self-isolating after being accused by their own side of gifting the Tories victory (the vote was won by just 18 votes).

The following tweets provide examples of Labour MPs who have tested positive - despite their mask-wearing theatre - and not necessarily a comprehensive list.

Remember this outbreak next time a Labour MP extolls the virtues of mask wearing.

Keir Starmer's own self isolation period ended last week, just in time for him to bask in the virtues of Diwali.  Sporting a smudged bindi - the red dot that Hindus wear on their forehead - Starmer looked like a cross between Mikhail Gorbachev and a victim of domestic violence.

Embarrassing.

DRUNK AND DISRESPECTFULLY

Drew Hendry, Charlotte Nichols and David Linden

Three left-wing MPs reportedly got so drunk en route to a military event in Gibraltar that one of them - Labour's Charlotte Nichols - had to be taken to a minibus in a wheelchair.  It is also claimed that the SNP's Drew Hendry and David Linden became 'rude' and 'lairy' when their vaccine passports did not work as they went through airport security.  A military guide is said to have intervened in order to calm the situation.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is understood to be making a formal complaint to Keir Starmer and Ian Blackford after hearing about the MPs' behaviour from military escorts who were on the flight.  Wallace said on Wednesday:  "This type of behaviour shows a lack of respect for the enduring work of our Armed Forces".  He added that the MPs had put military personnel in a 'difficult position' and risked 'undermining respect for Parliament'.  The trio are believed to have been inebriated prior to boarding at Heathrow and continued drinking onboard.  Nichols was so drunk by the time they landed that she was put in a wheelchair in order to get her from the baggage area to a waiting minibus.

As part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, the trio were due to attend a welcome dinner before meeting with Gibraltar's Chief Minister on Tuesday morning and engaging in various events leading up to Armistice Day.  Nichols was too drunk to attend the dinner and was instead dispatched straight to a hotel in order to sleep it off.  She is later reported to have flown back early and does not appear in any photos from the trip that have been posted online.

MPs line up in combat gear during their trip to Gibraltar.  Hendry and Linden
can be seen second and third from the right

Hendry and Linden have strenuously denied the allegations, calling them a 'Tory smear'.  Nichols admitted that MPs had been drinking, but claimed that her dishevelled state was due to medication she is taking having mixed with the alcohol.  She told The Sun: "Everyone had had a few drinks on the flight.  The issue for me is the medication I am taking.  That affected my tolerance.  I had the same amount to drink as the others.  I do not know how many drinks I had - I wasn’t counting. It was less than five".  She doesn't know how many drinks she had, but it was less than five?  That's a contradictory statement if ever there was one.

There were 15 MPs on the trip in total, but there is no suggestion that anyone else was involved in disorderly behaviour.

Charlotte Nichols is the Labour MP for Warrington North and a member of the hard left Socialist Campaign Group.  Drew Hendry represents the constituency of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey.  David Linden is the MP for Glasgow East.

LOONY LEFT'S TRANS CROSSING

Camden has become the latest loony left council to install an LGBT crossing - as opposed to a standard zebra crossing.  The 'trans crossing' was unveiled on Monday by Labour councillors Danny Beales and Sabrina Francis, the latter doubling up as Camden mayor.  Instead of the traditional black and white crossing, this new installation is in the colours of the 'trans flag' (yes, there is such a thing).

Left: Camden mayor Sabrina Francis posing with some dubious characters
Right: Francis with Labour colleague Cllr Beales

The trans crossing is in contrast to the various rainbow crossings or 'pride crossings' which have sprang up in several UK cities in recent years.  As it suggests in the title, these are painted in the colours of the gay pride rainbow flag.  Some are temporary and installed to coincide with 'pride month', while others are permanent.  In 2019 Labour-dominated Lambeth Council was the first to install a permanent rainbow crossing in the UK.  The colourful crossings have been popping up across London and the phenomenon has spread to Labour-run cities such as Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and Leeds.

These woke crossings are rarely installed without controversy, primarily on health and safety grounds.  They are a hazard for disabled people, particularly those with learning difficulties, sight problems and guide dogs.  Dogs are trained to use traditional black and white crossings, so the colourful and often vertical stripes cause confusion with potentially fatal consequences.  And it's not just dogs that find the crossings problematic.

The following video shows two mounted police officers approaching such a crossing in Sheffield earlier this year.  Both horses became distressed when they saw the bright lines and it is only thanks to the  officers' horseriding skills that no-one was injured.

When Cllr Beales posted his virtue signalling photographs on Twitter he was inundated with so many complaints from disabled people that he locked down the tweet so no-one else could comment.  Although the woke tend to throw names around whenever their narrow world view is questioned, there was little 'homophobic' about the backlash.  One of the most popular comments came from a pro-BLM pro-trans pro-Remain #FBPE account: "Please rethink these terrible crossings.  They are a hazard to people with vision and cognitive disabilities.  There are other, safer (for everyone), ways to show the trans community is welcome".  Another commented: "Pity that Camden pitches different excluded groups against each other.  To support the trans community you're excluding the disabled community.  So easy to create designs that support both, but again disabled people are let down".

Cllr Beales responded to both these comments with the same sneering message: "Thanks for your message.  I’d be very happy for you to contact me to discuss the difficulties you face crossing these roads compared to black and white crossings.  Happy to meet you there to be shown first hand".

Such a condescending attitude to genuinely voiced concerns - concerns that carry such gravitas that the roll-out of LGBT crossings was supposed to have been halted earlier this month.  Last week Sadiq Khan released a statement via Transport for London calling for a temporary pause to all future non-zebra crossings across the city.

It seems that Camden Council either didn't get this memo or didn't care.  For some Labour politicians wokeness trumps all.

SPEAKER'S MUHAMMAD MOMENT

Lindsay Hoyle and Imran Hussain

Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle has been forced into an embarrassing apology after referring to a Muslim Labour MP as 'Muhammad'.  Unfortunately for Hoyle, the MP's name is actually Imran.

The incident occurred during a debate on Tuesday regarding 'racism in cricket' (yes, they really held a parliamentary debate after one cricketer was referred to by a racial term once in ten years).  Hoyle introduced the member for Bradford East as 'Muhammad Hussain'.  Imran Hussain then rose to his feet as someone is heard correcting the Speaker.

In response to Hoyle's faux pas, the subtitles on Parliament's live stream automatically generated the name 'Mohammad Yasin'.  Yasin is the Labour MP for Bedford, but he was not participating in the debate.

Hoyle has since apologised:  "This was an honest mistake.  I called Imran as soon as I could to apologise - and he accepted".  Imagine the outcry if this slip of the tongue was from the mouth of a Tory minister?  There would be howls of Islamophobia and a media witch hunt lasting days, if not weeks.  As it happens, Sir Lindsay was elected a Labour MP.

Click below to see his embarrassing blunder.

RED FLAGS IN GLASGOW

The left-wing nature of green politics was epitomised by some of the protesters in Glasgow over the weekend.  On Saturday the red flags of the Communist Party of Britain were on display as protesters marched against 'climate change'.  The sinister masked communists were from the CPB's youth wing, the Young Communist League.

The YCL contingent were reportedly intent on causing trouble and deliberately separated from the main march by police officers who then surrounded the group.  One YCL member was arrested during the operation.  The YCL later complained on social media about the police tactics, but their intentions were clear to see given their attire and just look at the way they blur out their faces on social media (see above photo, lifted directly from their Twitter account).

And what about that sinister message, 'socialism or extinction'?  A new play on Castro's infamous 'socialism or death' slogan.

NO WEBBE RECALL... YET

There will be no recall petition in Leicester East until next spring at the earliest.  Claudia Webbe's ten week sentence means she is eligible for a recall, but it will only be held pending the outcome of her appeal hearing.

Webbe's appeal against her harassment conviction will be heard from March 9 and her victim will be compelled to give evidence again.  Webbe has been warned that her sentence could go either way if the conviction is upheld, meaning she could go straight to prison or have the existing sentence reduced.  Webbe's lawyer is the former Labour leader of Camden Council, Raj Chada.  Chada has previously defended Extinction Rebellion protesters, anti-deportation campaigners and BLM activists.

Keir Starmer has called on Webbe to resign as an MP, a call that has fallen on deaf ears.  Although an avid Twitter user, Webbe has yet to refer to her conviction via her Twitter account.

VAX PASS EXTENSION IN WALES

Senedd members have voted to expand the use of vaccine passports in Wales to include theatres, cinemas and concert halls.  The vote passed easily by 39 votes to 15, with Plaid Cymru backing Labour.  The sole Liberal Demcrat MS voted against as did all but one of the Conservatives.  It is not clear which Tory failed to register a vote this time.  In the previous Senedd vote on vaccine passports, Tory MS Gareth Davies infamously gifted Labour victory.

During Tuesday's debate it was argued by Tory MS Janet Finch-Saunders that vax passes would discriminate against the poorest in society, to which a Labour MS responded with a disgusting, sneering remark.  Jenny Rathbone, who represents Cardiff Central, said that people on low incomes could not afford to go to sports matches anyway, 'so let's get real on this one' she added.  Rathbone couldn't contain her amusement at the remark, watch below.

A protest was held outside the Senedd as members debated the passport extension.  Alan Miller, co-founder of the Together declaration, spoke to Tory MS James Evans outside.  Watch below.

Mark Drakeford has threatened to expand the passport scheme to all hospitality sectors if infection rates in Wales don't come down.  That would mean people would have to present their papers in order to go into a pub, restaurant or cafe.  Infection rates are already falling in Wales, but Drakeford has not rescinded his threat.

In a sick twist Tuesday's passport debate was followed by another on forthcoming Remembrance events in Wales.  Remind us again Mr Drakeford what it is that our ancestors fought for?

STARMER 'ON A LEARNING CURVE'

Ex-Labour minister Barbara Follett has given her view on Keir Starmer's faltering leadership.  Appearing on Alastair Stewart & Friends alongside her husband Ken, it was put to her that the Prime Minister was 'getting away with everything partly because Starmer isn't up to the job of challenging him'.  That was the expressed view of journalist Trevor Kavanagh and Follett did not disagree, saying that Starmer was still on 'a learning curve'.  Having described how Blair's Labour were ready for government in 1997, Follett appeared set to declare that the same couldn't be said for Starmer's Labour, but she was interrupted by the host.

Click below for the clip.

Barbara Follett was the MP for Stevenage between 1997 and 2010.  She served in various ministerial roles in the Brown government before standing down prior to the 2010 general election after she was implicated in the expenses scandal.  Follett had blown more than £25,000 on private security patrols outside her second home because she 'didn't feel safe' in London.  She later agreed to pay back almost £33,000 of expenses, both for the security patrols and other dubious claims.

As for Follett's brief assessment of Starmer being 'on a learning curve', he has been Labour leader now for 17 months and a frontbencher for more than six years.  Put into context, Blair was Labour leader for less than three years before he swept to power.  Whatever Starmer needs to learn, if he is to achieve a similar feat he really ought to have started learning it by now!

MSM LIES CALLED OUT

Throughout the pandemic the mainstream media has acted as the propaganda arm of the government and, later, big pharma.  Misleading headlines have become the norm and Monday was no different with claims being put out by Sky and ITV that Covid hospitalisations were '14 times higher than this time last year'.  The quote was attributed to the head of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard.

Unfortunately for both news giants, this was demonstrably false and easily disproved.  NHS information on the UK government's coronavirus dashboard shows that daily hospitalisations reported as Covid are currently averaging around the 1,000 mark - compared to around 1,500 this time last year.  So, not only are hospitalisations not 14 times higher, they're actually 50 per cent lower!

This fake news was duly called out and the broadcasters responded by re-editing the stories.  In a clumsy edit ITV claimed that Pritchard had been referring to 'cases' from August.  However, the original claim remains embedded in Google previews of the article.

Sky deleted a tweet containing the story this afternoon and their article was also edited to show that Pritchard was referring to data from August.  However, in the Sky quote attributed to Pritchard she refers to '14 times the number of people in hospital with Covid than we saw this time last year'.  That is neither cases or admissions and is an entirely different claim altogether - but it is still false if the comparison is like for like in November, as the headlines suggested.

Critical thinking is imperative in times of universal deceit.  Think for yourself and don't allow these charlatans to put thoughts in your head.

HYPOCRITE COX AND HAPLESS STARMER

It was a moment of total dejection for Keir Starmer as he was forced to listen to sour-faced Hollywood actor Brian Cox on why he abandoned Labour for the SNP.  The painful moment occurred as the pair appeared on The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday.  Marr reminded Starmer that Labour can't win power without a resurgence in Scotland, to which the Labour leader replied with his usual abstract waffle of nothingness.  Cox gave an abridged version of why he left Labour in 2015.

From a working class background in Dundee, Cox was a natural Labour supporter back in the day.  He went on to voice adverts for New Labour in the 90s, but became a supporter of Scottish independence in the wake of New Labour's fall from power.  Cox publicly resigned from Labour and announced he had joined the SNP ahead of the 2015 general election in which the SNP won all but three Westminster seats in Scotland.  He has since become a loud voice for IndyRef2 and Scottish independence.

Click below for the Marr clip.

While Cox harps on about Scotland and its politics, it should be duly noted that he has not actually lived in Scotland for decades.  He has three homes - two in the United States and one in the UK, but in England no less.  None of his children were born or raised in Scotland.  Sound familiar?  That famous SNP supporter Sean Connery was no different.

The hypocrisy doesn't end there.  While Cox's repeated assertion that he is a socialist serves as a reminder that the SNP is an inherently left-wing enterprise, it also begs the question: When can we expect the redistribution of his multi-million pound wealth and property portfolio?

THE WEEK IN CARTOONS 31 OCT-6 NOV 2021

31.10.21 - Nick Newman, Sunday Times

31.10.21 - Nick Newman, Sunday Times

31.10.21 - Michael Ramirez, Las Vegas Review

31.10.21 - Bob Moran, Twitter

01.11.21 - Jimbob, Gab

01.11.21 - Jimbob, Gab

01.11.21 - Morten Morland, The Times

01.11.21 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard

01.11.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph

01.11.21 - Steve Bright, The Sun

01.11.21 - Ben Garrison, Grrr Graphics

02.11.21 - AF Branco, Daily Torch

02.11.21 - Guy Venables, Metro

02.11.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph

03.11.21 - Jimbob, Gab

03.11.21 - AF Branco, Americans Care

03.11.21 - Gary Varvel, US Spectator

04.11.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph

04.11.21 - Cian Ci, Twitter

04.11.21 - Peter Schrank, Twitter

04.11.21 - Steve Bell, Guardian

04.11.21 - Patrick Blower, Daily Telegraph

05.11.21 - Dave Brown, Independent

05.11.21 - Christian Adams, Evening Standard

05.11.21 - Pedro Ribeiro Ferreira, Cartoon Movement

06.11.21 - Adam J Singleton, Spectator

06.11.21 - Kipper Williams, Spectator

06.11.21 - Morten Morland, Spectator

06.11.21 - Andy Davey, Daily Telegraph

06.11.21 - Dave Brown, Independent

06.11.21 - Jimbob, Gab