“This battle over the legacy of Sturgeon has major implications for the future of Scottish politics. Will the SNP continue the same path set by Sturgeon? Are such centrist, cautious politics enough, given the huge challenges Scotland and the world faces?….”
Independence
Defence spending in GERS: anatomy of a myth
“Through an official government news release, Scotland’s Finance Secretary has created a false narrative which has now become an outright falsehood being promoted by SNP activists on social media. This should concern anybody interested in the problem of misinformation in political debate.”
Independence, GERS and how not to have a debate
“If the fiscal shortfall were only a few billion then fair enough, it’s not that important and we can deal with it when it arises, but not when it’s around £14-18bn. Facing up to it post-independence, when no real thought has gone into how it might be achieved, would be a massive challenge and potentially highly divisive across society.”
GERS 25: making Scotland pay for Starmer’s wars
The latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland report, GERS, came out this week. Within it lies a fiscal trap that will hit Scotland in future years as the UK ramps up spending on the military.
Starmer Y1: what now for Scotland and a fractured union?
“Labour’s hopes, when it won the general election, to be in government in England, Wales and Scotland by 2026 currently look off the agenda, not to say absurd. A fractured Labour government and parliamentary party is not well positioned to think about the fractured union that it claims to govern. And a UK government focused on England looks set to continue doing so.”
The fragmenting map of Scottish politics
“A disruptive polariser like Reform UK could reshape the system without facing a coherent counterforce. In such a scenario, the rules of the political game are not just changing – they may be dissolving altogether.”
Making sense of politics in “these islands”
When it comes to the Union: “Big things are happening but, in the midst of change, their shape and significance has yet to become clear. To paraphrase Gramsci, the old order is dying but the new one struggles to be born.”
Irish neutrality comes under question
The Dáil’s failure to establish committees for government scrutiny is alarming amid shifting international relations. The discourse includes critiques on Irish neutrality, urging a reevaluation of policies that hinder military involvement. As geopolitical dynamics evolve, it’s essential for Ireland to adapt for meaningful global participation while addressing local sensitivities.
The UK needs a reformed second chamber
Nicola Sturgeon announced her decision not to run in the next Holyrood election, echoing sentiments from other longstanding MSPs. The House of Lords lacks Scottish independence supporters and fails to represent Scotland’s interests. A reformed second chamber is needed for Scotland’s concerns in UK policy, especially regarding taxes, infrastructure, and energy poverty, which disproportionately affect the nation.
Insurgent, disruptive or flailing Labour?
A six-hour cabinet meeting last Friday appears to have done little to give the flailing Labour government much of a new strategy. It came at the end of a week when a YouGov poll put Reform just ahead of Labour (25% to 24%) with the Tories trailing on 21%.