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Sceptical Scot

Asking Questions. Seeking Answers.

A fresh start: time to make devo really work

May 28, 2023 by George Thorley Leave a Comment

“A government that operates on the basis of centralisation and control; micro- management and a misplaced lack of faith or worse still, a lack of trust in local government to deliver locally based solutions to both national and local issues will not succeed.  It must exploit the full toolbox offered by devolution.”

UK-wide constitutional reform is an unavoidable must

May 25, 2023 by Glyndwr Cennydd Jones Leave a Comment

“Intergovernmental relations across the UK should be redefined on a stronger, formal footing and codified in a new constitutional framework which enhances arrangements for self-government and secures mechanisms for effective isles-wide collaboration.”

Scotland’s centres of power need reform: Part 2 (Holyrood)

May 15, 2023 by James Mitchell 2 Comments

James Mitchell’s survey of Scotland and its centres of power ends with reflections on the glaring need for reforming Holyrood after two decades of devolution. “The Scottish Parliament is not a delicate flower that needs protection but a robust institution that required robust critiques, especially from those who support it.”

Scotland’s centres of power need reform: Part 1 (Westminster)

May 14, 2023 by James Mitchell 10 Comments

“No progress can be made so long as the governments – the centres – remained unreformed.  No amount of new machinery of Intergovernmental Relations will work – indeed it could make matters worse – if centres are looking for a fight.  Providing a gladiatorial arena for constitutional one-upmanship is counter-productive.”

Rewilding the Highlands: Glen Affric and Dundreggan point the way

May 13, 2023 by Kirsty Hughes Leave a Comment

Kirsty Hughes illustrates in text and images the challenges and hopes associated with rewilding the Highlands: “The rewilding journey is a long and vital one. With places like Dundreggan and Glen Affric showing the way, it can – and must – be a successful one.”

Plotting Scotland’s unsettled future

May 11, 2023 by Emma Congreve Leave a Comment

“There is no question that leaving the EU will leave our economy smaller and less successful than would otherwise have been the case. But rather than dwelling on this ‘borrowed future’, we need to have consensus on how to move forward. That consensus can be especially hard to find when politics in Scotland is often binary and confrontational in nature….”

Forget the tough talk and flag waving, Labour

May 11, 2023 by James Morrison Leave a Comment

“The people in lost constituencies want Starmer’s Labour to spend more, not less, than New Labour. This is the most significant aspect of “red-wall sentiment”, and yet the one Starmer seems reluctant to recognise.”

Will Scotland switch to Labour in a big way?

May 9, 2023 by Jackie Kemp 2 Comments

“..the old saw that long periods of Conservative rule are a price worth paying to remain in the UK, and that Labour will fix everything when they get back in, has worn too thin for me. I want to see Scotland take responsibility for its own future, build and manage its own democratic institutions. So at some point, England will have to get ready to do the same.”

The desire for change

May 7, 2023 by Eddie Barnes Leave a Comment

“Fundamentally, the UK is far too centralised politically, and far too unequal economically. This is how to win a convincing majority for the Union in Scotland – by making it work better.”

What’s going on at the SNP?

April 22, 2023 by Jackie Kemp Leave a Comment

SNP supporters on 2015 election night

“History may judge the police search and arrests to be over the top – or justified. We don’t know yet. But I think the interests of justice would be best served by a speedy decision from the Procurator Fiscal on this.”

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About Sceptical Scot

Welcome to Sceptical Scot, Scotland’s premier non-tribal forum for passionate, informed debate. Sceptical Scot is for all who care about Scotland’s future, regardless of how they vote: for party, independence or union, EU or Brexit. We aim to provide an arena that is both broader and deeper than current online/print offers with a rich diet of well-researched, polemical, thought-provoking writing. Read more » about About Sceptical Scot

What’s new on Sceptical Scot

  • A fresh start: time to make devo really work May 28, 2023
  • UK-wide constitutional reform is an unavoidable must May 25, 2023
  • Scotland’s centres of power need reform: Part 2 (Holyrood) May 15, 2023
  • Scotland’s centres of power need reform: Part 1 (Westminster) May 14, 2023
  • Rewilding the Highlands: Glen Affric and Dundreggan point the way May 13, 2023
  • Plotting Scotland’s unsettled future May 11, 2023
  • Forget the tough talk and flag waving, Labour May 11, 2023
  • Will Scotland switch to Labour in a big way? May 9, 2023
  • The desire for change May 7, 2023
  • What’s going on at the SNP? April 22, 2023

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