The first of our series of podcasts explores issues at the forefront and behind the scenes of the 2016 election to the Scottish Parliament – and looks forward to the next five years of the Scottish Government with Nicola Sturgeon as first minister.
Archives for April 2016
Next SG: revolutionary but hardly radical
The SNP has one revolutionary aim: the overthrow of the UK constitution. Yet its manifesto is a model of moderation. Why? Tempered by the compromises of government – or cautious process to win over the No voters of 2014?
Is TV news finished?
The ‘digital disruption’ is hitting television news audiences, especially among the young. As we in Scotland consider the case for more Scottish-produced news output, broadcasters are fighting to stay in the race. Perhaps TV journalism is heading the same way as that of print: to the knacker’s yard?
Sceptical Scot cartoon: getting the vote out
A new democratic settlement for Scotland
The SNP’s 2016 election manifesto commits to a new wave of decentralising power in Scotland. But is that likely from a party that is now or on the verge of becoming the predominant one in Scotland – in semi-perpetuity? A real debate on devolving power and controlling an oligarchic executive should start now.
Student funding: what the parties say
Scotland’s leading expert on HE funding sets out what the parties say about student support in the run-up to the May 5 elections to the parliament.
The ‘Scottification’ of literature: now and then
Kirsty Gunn has warned of the dangers of “Scottification” in public support for the arts in Scotland. But the issue is far from new. We look back at the House with Green Shutters and George Orwell on ‘Englishness’ to probe further.
Holding our own feet to the fire
Loki stirred up a hornet’s nest among Yes supporters when he wrote on the STV website why he won’t vote SNP on May 5 but for RISE. Here he explains more about why he’s saying No to pragmatism.
PFI: is the £56bn capital cost worth it?
The closure of 17 Edinburgh schools built under PFI contracts has become a big issue in the Holyrood elections. Here an expert goes behind the headlines to analyse the system of public/private co-financing as a whole – and the SG’s profit-capping model.
Lessons from the Edinburgh schools fiasco
Nicola Sturgeon has called for an inquiry into the Edinburgh school closures and the PFI scheme behind it is under renewed scrutiny. Here Unison’s senior Scottish official, a long-time PFI/PPP opponent, looks at why things went so badly wrong.