Whoa! Data from the UK and Wales show "excess deaths" were a full 20% higher in end of 2022 vs '21

If you're a conservative you've heard rumors that toward the end of last year we started to see deaths from all causes take a big jump--reportedly up 15% from the end of 2021.  Democrats sneered that it wasn't true.  Entirely fake news, fabricated by right-wing domestic violent extremists or something.

Other Demcrats built the second line of defense:  "Okay, it's possible that deaths were up a percent or two from the year earlier, but hey, that was almost certainly due to Covid.  Plus, deaths constantly fluctuate, one year a slightly higher percentage, and the next year vice-versa."

So who's right?  There are actually three questions here:  First, are deaths up compared to a year ago?  And second, IF a larger percentage of people died toward the end of last year than in 2021, is it a "statistically significant number"?   And finally, if the answers to those are yes, what's the cause?

Good luck trying to find the number of deaths out of the CDC.

But sometimes other countries aren't quite as skilled at hiding the data.  So for example, here are the official figures for England and Wales for the last week of 2022:

Turns out "excess deaths" (deaths above the 5-year-average) were up a tad over 20%.  Of course 4.1% of those were Covid, and another one percent or so due to population growth in a year.  But that only accounts for 5% or so.  Which leaves around 15% of "excess deaths unexplained.  Hmmm....

Democrat sheep: "First, this isn't the U.S., so we can't trust the data.  Okay, maybe the data are right, but you still can't PROVE that ANY of these so-called "excess deaths" were due to the safe, effective mRNA vaccines.  So there!"

You're right, Karen.  It's just pure coincidence.  Nothing to do with the vaccine.  Just like no one could ever prove that smoking caused lung cancer.

Oh wait, the government banned smoking in government buildings, then within 500 feet of the entrances, then in big sports venues (stadiums), then tried to ban it in private homes.  But of course we weren't as sophisticated then, so...