Beyond Tribal Politics
Independent journalism and commentary on politics, society, culture, climate and Scotland’s future.
A quiet election for a tired and poorly Scottish parliament
Scottish party manifestos pledge extra spending without addressing huge challenges facing the next Scottish government – likely to be SNP again despite…
Les enfants de la patrie – but the enduring trap of populism is not unique to France
Trump has seized on opportunities Macron and Starmer have created. Macron and Starmer. alike in their determination to ignore politicians of the…
UK Budget 2025? Get real. The world has changed
John McLaren explains in no uncertain terms why the UK Budget is such a disappointment, doing nothig when so much needs to…
Enough campaigning. Is the next Scottish government prepared to govern?
Hot on the heels of Anton Muscatelli’s hard-hitting report comes Jim Gallagher’s rigorous investigation into Scotland’s failing governance. Fixing Broken Government comes…
Fraser of Allander takes another bite at the Budget
“The proposed pay-per-mile charge raises important questions of fairness and is likely to be a source of public debate.” After the endless…
#MuscatelliReport: is Scotland ready for radical action on regional economic development?
Carried out on behalf of the Scottish Labour Party but after the 2026 election the Muscatelli Report is likely to fall to…
Well tempered steel beneath David Gow’s jovial irreverence
Under David’s editorship Sceptical Scot soon established itself in a crowded field, gaining a reputation for well written, thoughtful contributions to the…
Honest, rigorous and kind: David Gow as mentor
“As an editor David was rigorous and kind, but most of all never patronising. He would never accept a pitch out of…
AI, Creativity and Humanity (3): Responsibility
“AI isn’t going anywhere. You interact with it many times a day whether you know it or not. You don’t need to…
AI, creativity and humanity (2): Obstacles
“As a creative producer, my team and I are able to do more, better, faster; we’re expanding and experimenting with techniques we…
AI, creativity and humanity (1)
‘“I resisted ChatGPT for so long because I felt it was wrong to use it. But then I caved in and now…
Two worlds collide or stories Geoff Palmer told
“Geoff worked tirelessly to bring the hidden world of slavery – the subjugation and the struggle – into the light and to…
Israel’s biggest security threat: Netanyahu
“Perhaps the most damning result of what is happening is the mass radicalisation of young Palestinians and of future Palestinian generations. As…
Build, baby, build
The Scottish Parliament has just passed a new housing bill that, inter alia, removes the council tax cap on second homes but…
Does Starmer have a vision?
“Starmer, in his speech, said both Farage, the Tories, ‘the extremes of the left’ and the SNP want Britain to fail. But…
Scottish education: genuine partnership or pre-election fix?
“The Scottish educational establishment, over many decades, has been successful in resisting attempts to disturb its culture of complacency. Sadly, it may…
‘I don’t recognise my country’ – in crisis, but what crisis?
Charlie Ellis surveys the 2026 election landscape and finds, as in football, a strangely unpredictable shifting pitch That was former footballer turned…
And the winner is…The Absent Voters Party
However in all six Scottish Parliamentary elections since 1999 of the roughly 4 million people registered to vote, those actually voting averaged…
When a night club demolition becomes a radical right dog-whistle
Last week, the demolition of the Atik nightclub on West Tollcross attracted substantial media attention. Originally opened as The New Cavendish dance…
Global food insecurity: another dividend from Trump’s war of choice
Markets have reacted to the global impact of closing this incredibly busy shipping channel, focusing on the risk to oil and gas flows, the prospect…
Public pay settlements: a crisis waiting for the next Scottish government
The Scottish government has long practised the exercise of kicking problematic cans down the road. Perhaps wider world crises will keep eyes…
