Jackie Kemp
1707: what really happened?
There were plots and counter-plots but on the day in 1707 that the Scottish Parliament dissolved no riots or celebrations. A panel at the History Festival in Edinburgh discusses what really happened in that momentous…
Remembrance: poppycock on poppies
On Armistice Day and 70 years after the ending of WW2, there’s plenty of loose talk about “poppy fascism” from those with no experience of the real thing – as the author remembers the suffering…
Scunnered of Leith on new passport design
The new UK passport design is full of English images but not a single Scot is represented. A No voter is more than upset at 30 pages of Shakespeare and none of Burns: she gives…
Whispers behind the scenes at Edinburgh Festival
Freedom of expression is at the heart of culture but is increasingly coming under threat. This was explored on the Fringe at the recent festival in Edinburgh – and deserves to be examined in greater…
SNP fury over Lords scrutiny of Scotland Bill is synthetic
The SNP’s “fury” about House of Lords scrutiny of the Scotland Bill ignores the role peers play in defending liberties – and sits uneasily with its own centralising modus operandi.
If the eurozone survives the Greek crisis it can come through stronger
The EU and Eurozone owe it to history and its long-suffering people to ensure that Greece remains an integral part of both.
The pollsters’ Becher’s Brook
The pollsters universally predicting a SNP landslide may be heading for a fall, argues Jackie Kemp from inside the bookie’s shop.
Thoughts for life
Sexual desire, the search for happiness, dealing with death and living as a member of a minority are just some of the topics Muslim theologian Mona Siddiqui discusses in her new book – part handbook…